Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement
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Overview:
These five lessons are part of a unit on career opportunities in philanthropy. The unit enables students to examine public policy issues linked to Core Democratic Values. It begins by researching the United Way and some of its member agencies. If your school has Service Learning or School To Work programs, this unit can add the academic component. If your school does not have these programs, this unit offers students a chance to participate in a simulation.
United Way pamphlets should be obtained before beginning the unit. The toll-free telephone number for the United Way is: 1-800-411-UWAY (8929). You will be prompted for your zip code and connected with the nearest local United Way. The United Way Web site should also be explored:
Purpose:
Duration:
One Fifty-Minute Class Period
Objectives:
The learner will:
- research the United Way using print and Internet Web sites.
- organize information and share their material both orally and in writing.
Service Experience:
If students can participate in Service Learning, have them choose one of the United Way agencies in their area. After research, implement a Service Learning project either in the agency or with the agency staff. This could be feeding the hungry in a soup kitchen or homeless shelter or assisting staff from the local domestic violence shelter in designing and playing games with the children, respectively.
Materials:
- World Book Encyclopedia
- Research the Web site: http://www.unitedway.org/
- Local United Way Pamphlet. Contact your local United Way: 1-800-411-UWAY (8929)
- If you do not have a local United Way, call United Way of Michigan and ask them to send you the state pamphlet. 1-800-411-UWAY (8929)
- philanthropy
- public policy issues
Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set:
Ask students "What do you think of when you hear the term 'United Way'? Can you name any United Way agencies? What is their mission or purpose, whom do they serve and what do they have to do with philanthropy?"
- Give students about five minutes to respond to the questions either in their journals or orally.
- Guide discussion and describe the purpose of today's research. Distribute United Way pamphlets. Remind them to gather important information like date founded, time line of events and fact sheets from the web.
- Take class to the media center to research the United Way in small groups. Each group must use the following resources: World Book Encyclopedia, the Internet Web site at http://www.unitedway.org/, and at least one additional library resource such as books or magazines articles on the United Way. Have the pamphlets available for your students as well as the telephone numbers for your local or state United Way.
- Each student will write a draft "newspaper" article answering the "Who, What, Where and When" questions based on their research.
Assessment:
- Evaluate students' draft articles.
- At the conclusion of the entire unit, students will write an essay on the following questions:
- "As involved citizens, which United Way agency would you volunteer for in the community and why?"
- "Which agency do you believe has the greatest need for volunteers, and why?"
Bibliographical References:
- World Book Encyclopedia
- On the Internet at Web site: http://www.unitedway.org/
- State or Local United Way Pamphlet
Lesson Developed By:
Libby BrownJackson Public Schools
Jackson High School
Jackson, MI 49201
Handouts:
Unit Contents:
Overview:Opportunities in Philanthropy Summary
Lessons:
- 1.
- Investigating How Our Community Needs Are Served
- 2.
- Linking Community, Core Democratic Values and Public Policy Issues
- 3.
- Becoming a United Way or Member Agency Director
- 4.
- Who Cares About Needs in the Community?
- 5.
- Answering the Question of Serving Community Needs
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