Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement
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Unit Purpose:
Perseverance involves staying with a task even if it is difficult. Students identify obstacles and barriers they must overcome in order to reach a goal. They brainstorm universal obstacles to completing goals in difficult situations and then they write creative one-liners to help them face obstacles with determination and humor. As a reflection, students illustrate a conversation about perseverance between Lyndon B. Johnson and an imaginary opponent.
Focus Questions:
What role does perseverance play in relationships and life success? How can developing perseverance equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?
Unit Duration:
Five 20 minute lessons
Unit Objectives:
The learner will:
- define perseverance
- identify familiar difficult tasks and the obstacles or excuses that make it difficult to persevere.
- recall obstacles faced by the colonists during the American Revolution.
- compare and contrast obstacles to perserverance to uncover universal themes.
- explore the difference between obstacles and excuses.
- work in a group to itemize a plan for an assigned task.
- state that he/she can overcome obstacles by making a plan and sticking with it (perservering).
- write creative responses that will help them overcome obstacles in the future and persevere to complete tasks.
- define the traits of perseverance and its opposite.
- illustrate an imaginary conversation about perseverance.
- read the illustrated conversations of the other students.
Service Experience:
This character education mini-lesson is not intended to be a service learning lesson or to meet the K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice. The character education units will be most effective when taught in conjunction with a student-designed service project that provides a real world setting in which students can develop and practice good character and leadership skills. For ideas and suggestions for organizing service events go to The League.
Notes for Teaching:
It is recommended that learners keep a journal to record their learning and reflections about the character traits studied.
State Curriculum and Philanthropy Theme Frameworks:
See individual lessons for benchmark detail.
Lessons Developed By:
Barbara Dillbeck
Director
Learning to Give
Betsy Flikkema
Associate Director
Learning to Give
All rights reserved. Permission is granted to freely use this information for nonprofit (noncommercial), educational purposes only. Copyright must be acknowledged on all copies.
