The children tell stories about their family memories and the special “memory items” brought from home. (See Lesson One: Traveling Back in Time.) They meet their senior friend in person or through writing and share and compare memories.
A concept known in Hebrew as tikkun olam practices the idea that everyone must play a role in perfecting the world. Modeling the concept of tikkun olam as a collaborative effort helps youth understand that they can shape their surroundings.
Young people identify local nonprofit organizations through the Idealist.org website. They describe what the nonprofits do for the community and how people can help with their mission.
The children brainstorm ways to give and share to bring cheer to someone.
Introduce the folksinger Woody Guthrie and his legendary song This Land Is Your Land. His songs were written for everyone to get involved in their community. Learners understand that it is the responsibility of everyone to help take care of each other and the Earth.
We learn about the brave work of a Quaker, Laura Smith Haviland, who used her ties and talent to lead anti-slavery work before, during, and after the Civil War.
Young people read about the talents and interests of people who took action for the common good during the Civil War and Reconstruction. The youth identify some of their own talents and match them to nonprofit organizations they can support today.
Read and compare a variety of literature to explore motivations and impact of young people taking action and helping others. We recognize that we all have time, treasures and/or talents to share.
Children learn about the issues of plastic in the ocean. They learn the effects of plastic garbage on the environment, including the lives of animals.
In this lesson, we learn about landfills and the global and local management of trash.