In this lesson, learners explore their personal responsibility to the community. They recognize that everyone has something to give, and that includes them. The learners brainstorm local philanthropists and positive traits of their own communities. They assess local needs and make a plan to address one need through volunteering or advocacy at a later date.
This beautiful documentary The Gift of All: a Community of Givers shares the motivations and attributes of the generous people interviewed. In response, the learners create their own short biographies of philanthropists in their community.
Students learn about the characteristics of an effective personal narrative and compare those to a news article. They do prewriting activities and practice writing details to show rather than tell about an experience.
Students become familiar with the structure of the newspaper and the purpose of the different types of articles as they explore "stories" about acts of giving and sharing time, talent, and treasure for the common good. Students recognize the types of voices and articles in the newspaper. They analyze the components of news articles and complete pre-writing for a news article about their own acts of philanthropy.
Raise the learners' awareness of responsible energy usage in their daily practice and global energy choices. They connect environmental stewardship to the use of renewable and non-renewable energy sources.
The picture book, The Gardener, tells the story of a girl who makes a difference for the community and people around her by sharing her love for plants. The children may share their own personal interests to bring joy to others.
Youth read about Rosa Parks and evaluate how her protest of an unjust situation was philanthropic in nature. They learn that there are 198 methods of non-violent protests that can be used to fight injustice. The youth evaluate issues of inequity or injustice and propose nonviolent solutions.
The learners analyze many variations of the Golden Rule and relate it to the concept of serial reciprocity. They rewrite the golden rule to reflect respect for cultural differences.
This lesson examines one way a lack of self-awareness can play a role in perpetuating racism and prejudice. Learners identify ways they can advocate for justice and kindness.