When we take action for the common good, we give up something: a little time or money that might have been spent on something else. Youth explore different forms of sacrifice for the common good and answer the question: When is a sacrifice justified and necessary, and when is it too much or a...
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Unit: Common Good in Aztec Culture
Unit: Food for Thought: Hunger around the World
Learners distinguish between the many different approaches to addressing hunger by looking at governmental versus nonprofit programs. They will describe the importance of philanthropic actions in solving the problems of hunger in the world.
Unit: Teaching Tolerance (Private-Religious)
Using a traditional Jewish text as its basis, this lesson emphasizes the importance of sharing in a relationship.
Unit: Generosity of Spirit Folktales
Sometimes you have to give up what you truly love to get what you really want. That can be a hard lesson when you have almost nothing. This lesson looks at who has the responsibility to be generous and what changes can come about because of one’s generosity.
In the featured folktales, we learn the impact of misjudging the character of another, and understand that an evil act does not require a person to return evil with evil.
Unit: Grow Involved 9-12
In this lesson, students define serial reciprocity as "paying it forward." They compare the concept of paying it forward (serial reciprocity) with the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They brainstorm issues and campaigns they can address to make an impact that ripples forward as a result of...
Unit: Our Land
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.
Unit: A Voice for Children
Youth learn about basic human rights and discuss whether everyone deserves these rights. In addition, they reflect on examples of human kindness and collective action for the common good.
Unit: Exploring Philanthropic Motivations
Youth analyze personal reasons for taking action and compare them to the researched motivations for giving.
Unit: Civil War Philanthropy
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.