In this lesson, a picture books raises awareness of the importance of memories to the people of all ages that make up a community. The children learn the definition of philanthropy and identify an act of philanthropy in the literature book Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge.
The children select a service project based on interests and abilities, and community needs. They plan and carry out the project. Some community projects may include fixing up a park, helping at the library, helping a neighbor, building bird houses for the nature center, and making banners or posters to teach others about a need.
Children learn that the community has four sectors: business, government, nonprofit, and family. The children may walk through an area in their local community to identify which sector is represented by different places. As an alternative, they may look at a local map.
The children explore attributes of the community in which they live. They compare ways to be generous in rural, urban, and suburban communities.
The children recognize they form a community when they are brought together for a common purpose. They are encouraged to be philanthropic within interest groups, schools, and families to build trust and for the common good of the community.
This lesson introduces the definition of a community and explores how communities come together to help or address a need.
Photo credit: Woodward Downtown by Becky McCray is licensed under CC BY 2.0
The book the Rainbow Fish tells the story of a fish who learns to give a little of himself for the sake of others. We discuss the impact of giving something you value to make a better community.
In the book, Miss Tizzy, the repetition and days of the week make this warm neighborhood story predictable. Miss Tizzy is generous with the neighborhood children in so many ways. How do the children take action when Miss Tizzy gets ill?
Fairy tales are great stories for helping young people work out complicated moral issues in a make-believe context. Found in countries all around the world, the same story plays out in different contexts. Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters is a "Cinderella" story from Africa in which kindness, generosity, honesty, and love are rewarded and selfishness is punished.
The book The Empty Pot by Demi tells a fable of a Chinese emporer who wants to find the most worthy to take his place. What does it mean to be a worthy community leader?