In this lesson, the students learn to use their voice to say something to make the world a better place. This is an opportunity to demonstrate and feel the impact of kindness, inclusion, and listening on a caring community. Students learn from a community helper about the needs they observe in the community. They make and donate a "calming box" so the tool may help youth calm themselves. Use this at the beginning of the year to set a tone and learn skills of effective language that are good for all. 

Many people have a difficult time distinguishing between acts of kindness and acts of philanthropy. Using the definition of philanthropy from the “Defining Philanthropy” lesson, youth will examine various situations and decide which ones are acts of philanthropy. They may discover that empathy is at the heart of both actions.  

Author: Urban EdVenture Faculty

Discussion of the book The Three Questions guides youth to be aware of people and needs around them and the importance of service as a response to the needs of others.

Author: Urban EdVenture Faculty at Westminster

Students edit their memoir drafts, adding dialogue and figurative language in this guided writing session. This lesson will help students realize that struggles they experience in their lives often lead to a new understanding or lesson learned. Students will reflect on how their experience impacts others. They will use this realization to identify how they can address needs in their own community.

Together we define philanthropy and identify health and safety issues we encounter in the community. The group creates a visual display showing issues of health and safety that are important to them.

Students view primary documents to explore public policy on service. They make meaning of the government role and citizen responsibility in civic action. They make a personal plan of service based on their available time, talent, and treasure.

Students define and give examples of government philanthropy. They compare and contrast the four economic sectors. Small groups research a historical example of government philanthropy or civic action and write a persuasive piece to advocate for an issue related to government philanthropy.

The purpose of this lesson is for learners to create a vocabulary wall about respect. They will define words associated with respect and disrespect and write a sentence using a vocabulary word.