Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement

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School Environment—Diversity, Let's Deal With It

Unit of 3 lessons

6th-8th Grade

Subjects:

Language Arts, Library / Technology, Math, Philanthropy and Social Studies

Key Words/Concepts click to view

Lesson 1 :	ELA:	Constructing Meaning; Personal Response
	PHIL:	African American; Helping; Human Rights
	SOC:	Civil Rights; Civil War/Reconstruction (1850-1877); Common Good; Community; Compare/Contrast; Diversity; Equality; Good Character; Haviland, Laura Smith; Historical Biographies; Human Rights; Inquiry; Personal Virtue; Public Policy; Rule of Law; Selma
Lesson 2 :	ELA:	Brainstorming; Survey
	MAT:	Conjectures; Data Analysis/Probability; Data Collection/Organization; Generalize; Graphs/Charts/Tables; Infer; Predict
	PHIL:	Service Learning; Survey
	SOC:	Edison, Thomas A.; Pinchback, P.B.S.; Civic Responsibility/Virtue; Civil War/Reconstruction (1850-1877); Common Good; Core Democratic Values; Diversity; Good Character; Historical Biographies; Human Rights; Personal Virtue; Public Policy; Rule of Law; School Community
Lesson 3 :	ELA:	Brainstorming; Persuasive Techniques; Response to Text/Others; Self-Assessment; Teamwork
	PHIL:	Common Good; Problem Solving; Reflection; Service
	SOC:	Civic Responsibility/Virtue; Cooperative Groups; Supported Response

Unit Overview:

Learners will become familiar with the vocabulary, issues and application of voluntary action for the common good in this interdisciplinary unit, which while focusing on the Social Studies involves core curriculum in English Language Arts and Math. This unit uses an historical setting of the Civil Rights March from Selma to Montgomery to help learners focus on issues of diversity and how to use citizen involvement to address these issues. Learners will participate in a service learning activity developed from a survey they will conduct, which expands the concepts and values they studied to provide direct service to their school community.

Unit Purpose:

Learners will develop their own values and perspectives through exploring their attitudes and perceptions of diversity within their class setting and community. They will use the historical Selma to Montgomery March, reading in primary textual account to develop historical perspective as well as current fictional account of diversity within a community. The learners will recognize and describe key participants in the historical setting and identify the elements of philanthropy as demonstrated by those individuals. Learners will conduct a School Climate Survey to address the issues of diversity within their school. Learners will implement a Service Learning Plan of action, addressing at least one issue identified in the School Climate Survey.

Unit Objectives:

The learners will:

recognize differing viewpoints in society that lead to issues of diversity.

identify key philanthropists during the March from Selma to Montgomery.

identify and analyze issues of diversity.

complete a School Climate Survey.

demonstrate his/her understanding of the term philanthropy by giving of his/her time, talent or treasure for the common good.

compile and analyze data collected.

design and complete a direct service learning activity to improve school climate.

employ ongoing reflection during his/her Service Learning activity.

Service Experience:

Although lessons in this unit contain service project examples, decisions about service plans and implementation should be made by students, as age appropriate.

Learners will conduct a School Climate Survey to identify issues of diversity and concerns within their school. Learners will evaluate and assess data collected and design an activity which addresses one identified issue, with the purpose being to improve school climate.

Unit Assessment:

Evaluation based on instructor observation, learner completion of guided practice, comparison/contrast and application of the rubrics provided, learner activity logs, reflection pieces and individual evaluations of service learning activity.

School/Home Connection:

"Copy-and-Paste" Class/School Newsletter Information Insert:
If there is a school/home newsletter, the following may be so placed or a letter to parents/guardians can be handed to each learner to take home.

The (name of class) will be studying how diversity in our life and history has created obstacles for achieving our greatest potential as individuals and society. We will take what we have learned and conduct a survey about what may be concerns here for us. Our learners will then design an activity for others in our school so that we can have a better school climate.
Interactive Parent / Student Homework:
See Lesson One: Does It Look All Right to Me? for the interactive discussion questions to be used as focus questions before the start of Lesson Two: Where Are We Now?.

Notes for Teaching:

The lessons can be easily modified to fit into shorter class periods. It is very important that if out of class time is used for the survey portion that appropriate permission forms are completed and kept on file.

Because of the complexity of the readings it is critical that the instructor checks for understanding. You may find that the learner should keep an important word list for further definition and application.