In this lesson, learners read primary documents that illustrate the motivations of the founding fathers of the United States related to philanthropy (government by the people, advocacy, civil rights, shared power). We have a long history of demanding civil rights for a population that was discriminated against or underserved.
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.
Through persuasive writing, young people build awareness and invite action for change about an issue. Typical writing forms may include essays, editorials, feature articles, or speeches.
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.
In this lesson, we explore the role of youth in the advancement of human and civil rights. Young people share ideas about how they can promote the common good and lead positive social changes.
Young people identify several advocacy strategies and draw conclusions as to their effectiveness. They research efforts in past advocacy campaigns to learn about people, styles, and effectiveness.
The purpose of this lesson is to teach learners how to give charity, to whom one should give charity, and to what extent/amount of charity is to be given. The lesson follows the examples and teachings of Maimonides (the Rambam) as well as interpretations and extensions of ancient Biblical laws.