Junkanoo is a Bahamian Festival that takes place in December. The festival was started by slaves who were restoring some of their native customs that they left behind in Africa. Junkanoo is a nice example of artistic expression communicating aspects of a...
Students explore the legacy of George H. W. Bush and how he has contributed to the common good as part of his lifelong commitment to service and through his Points of Light initiative. The students work in small groups to answer questions and present to the class for discussion. Each student...
We learn how different groups coming together for the good of all established the Mayflower Compact. This brief agreement was the first document of its kind designed to bring a community together to focus on the common good. This may be a model for a group agreement written by the...
Sometimes we let negative words of others or our own doubts stop us from doing what we know we can. Children reflect on the importance of positive words and actions to make a strong community.
Students will recognize the linguistic strategies that Alice Walker uses in her introduction to Anything You Love Can Be Saved that persuade readers to believe in her causes, and thus begin to think about techniques that they can use in their own activist writing, which they will do in...
This lesson guides learners as they inform a public audience about philanthropic acts that enhance the common good. The learners write newspaper articles that describe acts of service and volunteerism in their community.
Learners write personal narratives to document activities, insights, research, impact, and discoveries of their firsthand experience with civic engagement, service, and volunteerism. By explaining involvement in action for the common good, learners raise awareness of a social issue, the need for...
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.
To introduce students to the concept of philanthropy
Depictions of hunger in excerpts from Jane Eyre and Oliver Twist provide concrete images of hunger as learners determine its causes and decide whether to support a change in U.S. public policy related to the issue.