Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE

Age:

• 12-18

Philanthropy is:

• Giving, serving and private citizen action intended for the common good.

Purpose:

• Participants will gain a greater understanding of the meaning of philanthropy, and identify at least one action that they can take to better their own community. They will investigate the strength of the human spirit and its importance in making the world better.

Objectives:

The young person will:

• understand the concept of philanthropy and recognize it in their faith tradition and everyday situations.
• discover how the divine and human spirit is fundamental to making the world and sometimes just everyday situations better, and
• to identify what they may possess in themselves related to the topic.
• list three philanthropic activities occurring in their home, faith community, community, school and/or in the world.
• identify at least one act they might do to make their community a better place to live.
  

Activity Theme:

Genesis 1:26-28 (New Living Translation)
Then God said, "Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves. They will be masters over all life--the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the livestock, wild animals, and small animals."

So God created people in his own image; God patterned them after himself; male and female he created them. God blessed them and told them, "Multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. Be masters over the fish and birds and all the animals."

Mishlei Agur
“As one hand washes the other, so must one person help another.”

 

During WWII, this young and brave Jewish girl was forced in to hiding by the Nazi’s two weeks before her 13th birthday. He father had given her a diary for her birthday that she kept for almost two years as she and seven others hid in an attic warehouse. Her tremendous spirit and acts of goodness kept them strong under a great deal of hardship until they were finally captured and taken to concentration camps.

“I believe that, in spite of everything, people are really good at heart.”
Frank, Anne (1930-1944)

Activity Steps:

• Explain that during her short life Anne Frank made a big impact on the world by recording her daily experiences in her famous diary, The Diary Of A Young Girl . In spite of tremendous hardship and persecution, she was able to believe in the goodness of the human spirit.
• The facilitator will further explore with the participants how they might see acts of goodness and kindness, which are “philanthropic acts” in their everyday lives. This will help them to become more aware of the philanthropic acts that happen around them and to recognize the importance of the goodness of the human spirit.
• Write the words “Philanthropy” and “Goodness or Righteousness” on chart paper, then ask the group what these words mean to them and in their faith tradition, and how the two are related. Allow the participants time to respond, and record their ideas on the chart paper so they can clearly view them.
• Divide the group into teams by going around the room and having each individual call out the words: “philanthropy”, “goodness”, “human,” “divine,” and “spirit”. You will now have five groups: the “philanthropy group”, the ”goodness group”, the “human group,” the “divine group” and the “spirit group”. (This will reinforce the key concepts.)
• Ask the groups to place themselves around the room according to their group names and instruct them to find a corner in which to work.
• Give each group a piece of chart paper and several markers. Assign each group one of the following four words and have them write it in big letters in the middle of their flip chart paper. The words they can choose from are: household, school, youth, faith and community or world .
• Each team will work with their assigned word similar to a crossword puzzle, using words that represent acts of goodness, philanthropy, caring, positive spirit, etc. They will build on one letter at a time, broadening up and out with each word connected by a common letter. (You may want to draw an example of a crossword puzzle diagram on the chart paperusing another word to show them what their final products might look like). All of the participants in each group should be encouraged to participate. Give each group 10 minutes to come up with as many words as they can.
• Post the definition of philanthropy (see top of this activity sheet) in a visible place so they can refer to it as they participate in the activity.
• The team to build the largest puzzle (number of words) will show their puzzle first and start the sharing by giving some examples.
• Remind them that the competition was for fun and to increase awareness and that they are all winners for doing a great job of developing their lists and learning about the importance of helping others through everyday acts.

Processing Questions:

1. What are some ways we can recognize philanthropy when we see it?
2. How did Anne Frank perform philanthropic acts that benefited the world?
3. Was Anne Frank correct when she said, “people are really good at heart”? Why or why not
4. What does it mean for humans to be created in the image of God?
5. Why is it important that we understand that each human bears the image of God?
6. Who are some people in their faith tradition who have sacrificed for the good of others and the common good?
7. How have you demonstrated “everyday acts of goodness” in your daily lives? Why is this important?
8. How did religious faith help Anne Frank to remain positive and how does it help to make others strong when facing hard times?
9. What simple everyday philanthropic acts can you do to make your community, school, faith organization and our world better?
10. Why is it important to recognize the good in the world and to help others recognize it too?
    

Variation:

Another idea is to pair participants in groups of two and give each pair a marker and index cards and instruct them to choose one of the following words to write on the top of the card: “school”, “household”, "faith", “community” and “world”. Give them each 5 minutes to list as many single words or thoughts related to their topic as possible. After the 5 minutes has passed, form the group into a circle in the middle of the room. Ask for a volunteer to get in the middle of the circle. The person in the middle loudly calls out one of the words or thoughts they identified and the first person to come up with a way this is practiced in everyday life exchanges places with the person in the middle. Then they call out a word from their index card and the game proceeds in this way. Once you have been in the middle you cannot be in the middle again until all have had a chance.

Supplemental Activity:

In the upcoming week, participants should keep a log of philanthropic acts that they witness or participate in at home, school or in their community and bring those to the next meeting to share.

As a group, over a period of time, read Anne Frank’s book, discuss it, and make mobiles using hangers, yarn and pictures from magazines and/or hand-drawn to represent the book.

Activity Source:

The Word for Me Is Philanthropy

Community Partnerships with Youth Inc (ages 7-11) “It's My Turn to Help

Additional Resources:

The Word for Me Is Philanthropy
Community Partnerships with Youth Inc. (ages 7-11)
“What Is Important to Me?”

Heroic Traits

Learning to Give Lesson (6-8) “Heroes”

Unit “What Does it Take?”

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

Philanthropy Theme Framework :

Strand Standard Benchmark PHIL I. Definitions of Philanthropy DP 01. Define Philanthropy MS 1. Define philanthropy as individuals and organizations providing their time, talent, and/or treasures intended for the common good throughout history and around the world. Give examples. PHIL I. Definitions of Philanthropy DP 01. Define Philanthropy HS 1. Define philanthropy to include giving and sharing; volunteering; and private individual action intended for the common good. Explain how a volunteer group can act for the common good. PHIL II. Philanthropy and Civil Society PCS01. Self, citizenship, and society HS 4. Describe and give examples of characteristics of good citizens in a democracy. PHIL II. Philanthropy and Civil Society PCS01. Self, citizenship, and society MS 4. Describe the characteristics of someone who helps the community. PHIL II. Philanthropy and Civil Society PCS02. Diverse Cultures MS 2. Describe the importance hearing all voices in a community and respect their right to be heard. PHIL II. Philanthropy and Civil Society PCS02. Diverse Cultures MS 5. Discuss examples of groups denied their individual rights in history. PHIL II. Philanthropy and Civil Society PCS06. Philanthropy in History HS 2. Give an example of individual philanthropic action that influenced US/world history since 1877. PHIL III. Philanthropy and the Individual PI 01. Reasons for Individual Philanthropy HS 4. Cite historical examples of citizen actions that affected the common good. PHIL III. Philanthropy and the Individual PI 01. Reasons for Individual Philanthropy MS 5. Describe the responsibility American students have to act in the voluntary sector to improve the common good.