Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE

Objectives:

• To have participants recognize the many good things done by people everyday at home, in school, in the community, or the nation
• To become “spotters” for the good things that are done and to build a “Philanthropy Journal”
  

Activity Theme:

“If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change..”

~ Lyrics from “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson

The facilitator asks the participants if they know any birdwatchers. He/she explains that today the participants are going to be like birdwatchers; participants will be on the lookout for people doing nice things. Birdwatchers always carry a bird book. The bird book lists the species they discovered and the day the bird was seen. Participants are going to build a Philanthropy Watch journal. Everyday, participants will be on the lookout for people doing kind things for others and this will be recorded in the Philanthropy Watch journal.

Activity:

The participants are asked to sit around tables. On each table are newspapers and magazines, crayons or markers, tape and glue.
The facilitator gives each person a spiral-bound notebook and pencil. Participants should open the notebook to the first page and write the words, “My Philanthropy Watch Journal.”

After naming the book, they can add designs to the page.

They are to divide the notebook into three sections.

• On the first section, they should write the words — In the Home
• On the second section, they should write the words — At School
• On the third section, they should write the words — In the Community

The facilitator explains that there are lots of magazines and newspapers on the table. Each partici¬pant is to take one and look through it for positive stories or pictures about people doing good things.
If the activity takes place in the home (such as feeding the dog) tape or glue it in that section. If they are doing something at school (such as erasing the chalkboard), cut it out and glue in the At School section. Do the same for the In the Community section (such as a story in the newspaper about a person who helped build a Habitat for Humanity house) and cut it out and tape in that section.

Option

Some participants might want to draw pictures in their Philanthropy Watch Journals rather than using the newspaper or magazines. They should be given the option to do that.

The facilitator might want to eliminate the three sections: in the home, at school, and in the com¬munity and just have the participants fill the pages with picture of people doing caring and sharing things. The facilitator gives the participants about 20 minutes to begin to fill their journal. After that time, facilitator asks for volunteers to share what they found.

The facilitator explains that the participants are going to be philanthropy watchers for a week (or until the next training session). They should take their journal home and continue adding the good things to the journal. Ask the participants to bring the journal to the next training session to share with others.
They may see someone do something nice and that should be added with the day that it hap¬pened. For example, they may see their mother putting money in the church collection or buying Girl Scout cookies. They would write in their journals:

The date or day and the description: “saw Mom helping the church or the Scouts.”

Processing Questions:

1. What did you find or draw?
2. How would you describe the people you put in your journal? Describe how they looked, acted, etc.
3. What did you learn about yourself and others as a part of this philanthropy watch?
   

Application:

Tell the participants to get the whole family involved in the philan¬thropy watch. As Dad reads the newspaper or hears a story on television, have him alert you to the good deeds being done. Add these to your journal. Try to fill all the pages. What fun it will be to read about all the good deeds people are doing in the home, school, and community.