In "Before You Were Mine", a boy wonders and questions what his dog’s life was like before he found his new forever home. Was the dog well taken care of, do his old owners miss him, did he get lost or was he given up? This charmingly illustrated book gently teaches children how a pet should...

“Ripped from the headlines,” this book addresses what has become a common occurrence, wildlife encroaching upon suburban neighborhoods. Or, is it the neighborhoods encroaching upon the wildlife? In a light-hearted and optimistic manner, this book addresses urban sprawl and some people’s...

Every year a group of students from Mrs. Randall’s class gets to lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This year, the lucky students will be those who write the best letter pleading their case. Anna and Natalie are determined to win, and they submit a convincing letter...

Grace loves stories and has a gift for telling and acting them out. She wants the part of Peter Pan in the school play. Someone tells her she can't be Peter Pan because she's a girl. Someone else says she can't be Peter Pan because she is Black. Grace's mother and Nana tell her she can...

Teach lessons that involve students in understanding patterns of bullying behavior and making plans to set up a more positive school culture. Student awareness of the issue can help reduce negative behaviors. 

Judith Viorst is a master at capturing the humor of everyday life in a family of three lively brothers. You will love the persistent but mistake-prone Alexander who wants so badly to be rich, VERY rich. Enjoy the detailed descriptions of how Alexander spends his...

Is your child a saver or a spender? Teaching our children to make choices with money is important because in too few years they need to manage their own money to support themselves. Share the story of A Chair for My Mother to teach your children about the joy and excitement of saving for a...

The activities described here are linked at the bottom of this page to help learners get to know their community and the resources there. They also help students take action to address a need and then reflect on the service-learning process. 

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When a crisis upends life or disaster strikes, whether caused by nature or humans, the humanitarian spirit of individuals and communities swells. The lesson plans, project ideas, and links to nonprofit resources here provide opportunities to discuss our response to a crisis and explore actions that young people can take before and after disaster strikes.

Wildfire by Daniel Stark is licensed under CC BY 2.0