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GivingTuesday

Grades: 
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Author(s): 
Subjects: 
Arts Education
Language Arts
Media / Technology
Philanthropy
Social Studies
Social-Emotional Learning
Keywords & Concepts: 
TeachOne
GivingTuesday
Giving
Motivation for Giving
Philanthropy
Community
Social Media

We define philanthropy and discuss the joy of giving, as well as various ways to give through nonprofits in the community. We learn how #GivingTuesday, an international initiative, focuses on generosity and the power of social media and combining efforts with others to make a big difference. Young people explore their giving passion and use communication as an instrument of change.

Duration 
PrintOne 50-Minute Session, plus time for a project
Objectives 

The learners will: 

  • define philanthropy as giving time, talent, or treasure for the common good. 
  • explain the mission of #GivingTuesday as a global effort to focus on generosity and giving during the November and December holidays. 
  • identify different ways to give, including volunteering, donating, advocating, and collecting new information about an issue. 
  • research and support the work of local businesses that address issues they care about.
  • participate in #GivingTuesday through social media using #GivingTuesday #LTGChat #Teach1.
Teacher Preparation 

Use the attached PowerPoint to guide classroom discussion.

Preview the #GivingTuesdaySpark website to learn how kids give their time for a better world. 

Vocabulary 
  • philanthropy: giving time, talent, or treasure and taking action for the common good
  • common good: working together with other members for the greater benefit of all; promotes the welfare of the community
  • advocacy: the act or process of writing or speaking in favor of, or supporting, a cause
Reflection 
  1. How do you feel when you tell others about an issue you care about?
  2. What are some ways you can make a difference with your time and talent?
  3. What does it mean to be part of something bigger than yourself?
Related Resources 

Instructions

Print

  1. Anticipatory Set: 

  2. Read this quote and discuss the following. “No one has ever become poor from giving.”- Anne Frank

    • What does it mean "to give"? How do you feel when you give to help others or the community? Give an example.
    • In what ways can giving make you "richer"?

  4. Watch this 3-minute video about Advocacy and Action.

  5. Share a personal example or story when you gave to someone with no expectation of "payment," and why (e.g., shoveled an elderly neighbor's driveway). Explain how the giving made you feel.

  6. Define philanthropy as giving time, talent, or treasure and taking action for the common good. Define and discuss "common good."

  7. Ask teens to share stories of giving time, talent, or treasure. You may have them "think, pair, share" before telling the whole group their stories. Reflect how they felt about giving and how their stories show diverse ways to give and diverse needs they address. 

  8. Philanthropists begin with an idea or passion that touched their heart and mind. A philanthropist may give money to find cures for a disease when someone in their family experiences it. A philanthropist may advocate for change because they know someone who was treated unfairly. People who love to read may support efforts to make sure all children have access to books. 

  9. Use the Blue Sky Envisioning Activity to identify what issues the young people care about and to envision a perfect world where an issue is repaired. Ask them to narrow their focus to one issue they care about.

  10. As the final phase of the activity, you may decide to have the whole group focus on the same issue, or individuals or small groups may choose their own for the service project.

  11. Introduce #GivingTuesday and explore the website of the global initiative. The goal of #GivingTuesday is to encourage all people to give and advocate for an issue they care about. Look at the statistics that show the impact this one day makes globally. #GivingTuesday is the second biggest giving day of the year and it is fueled by social media and spreading awareness of what is needed. We are going to participate in #GivingTuesday, along with people all over the world. 

  12. Service Project Overview: Use the tools of #GivingTuesday to make a difference for the issues identified. 

  13. Procedure:

    2. Make a plan for being part of the global giving movement on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving either with the whole group focused on one issue, or individuals supporting the issues they identified.
    4. Together contact local nonprofits and ask what is needed to address the need.
    6. Write several social media posts (drafts) to tell others what they have learned and persuade them to give time, talent or treasure for the cause. Keep in mind that posts may be shared with others outside their network. They should provide clear instructions and give no personal information.
    8. Use peer editing to make their writing stronger, more accurate, and more persuasive. 
    10. Starting weeks before #GivingTuesday, start sharing their pre-written posts. They can follow and promote their friends' messages. 
    12. Keep track of what they post, how often, and how people respond (# of retweets). 
    14. On a daily basis, reflect on what they observe and other ways to get the word out about their cause. 

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Philanthropy Framework

  1. Strand PHIL.I Definitions of Philanthropy
    1. Standard DP 01. Define Philanthropy
      1. Benchmark MS.1 Define philanthropy as individuals and organizations providing their time, talent, and/or treasures intended for the common good throughout history and around the world. Give examples.
      2. Benchmark HS.1 Define philanthropy to include giving and sharing; volunteering; and private individual action intended for the common good. Explain how a volunteer individual/group can act for the common good.
      3. Benchmark E.1 Define philanthropy as the giving and sharing of time, talent, or treasure intended for the common good.
    2. Standard DP 03. Names and Types of Organizations within the Civil Society Sector
      1. Benchmark E.1 Name and recognize the civil society sector as a separate part of the community.
      2. Benchmark HS.1 Recognize and use a variety of terms related to the civil society sector appropriately, and identify the characteristics the terms describe.
      3. Benchmark MS.2 Discuss examples of civil society organizations from a list of categories of organizations.
      4. Benchmark E.2 Name an example of a civil society charitable organization.
  2. Strand PHIL.II Philanthropy and Civil Society
    1. Standard PCS 07. Skills of Civic Engagement
      1. Benchmark E.3 Participate in acts of democratic citizenship in the classroom or school, such as voting, group problem solving, classroom governance or elections.
      2. Benchmark MS.3 Participate in acts of democratic citizenship in the classroom or school, such as voting, group problem solving, classroom governance or elections.
      3. Benchmark HS.3 Participate in acts of democratic citizenship in the community, state or nation, such as petitioning authority, advocating, voting, group problem solving, mock trials or classroom governance and elections.
  3. Strand PHIL.IV Volunteering and Service
    1. Standard VS 01. Needs Assessment
      1. Benchmark E.1 Identify a need in the school, local community, state, nation, or world.
      2. Benchmark MS.1 Identify a need in the school, local community, state, nation, or world.
      3. Benchmark HS.1 Identify a need in the school, local community, state, nation, or world.
    2. Standard VS 05. Integrating the Service Experience into Learning
      1. Benchmark E.2 Evaluate progress on the service-learning project before, during, and after the project.
      2. Benchmark MS.2 Evaluate progress on the service-learning project before, during, and after the project.
      3. Benchmark HS.2 Evaluate progress on the service-learning project before, during, and after the project.