Lesson Title:        For Love of Country
Grade Level:         6th – 8th
Duration:               Two 40-Minute Class periods
Standards:            Learning to Give lessons incorporate National, State and Philanthropy curriculum standards.  See the end of each lesson for specific benchmark detail.

National Content Standards Key Words/Concepts:

Purpose:

Objectives:
The learner will:

• Understand the history of the Armed Forces and of the state militias, in times of conscription and volunteer service.
• Identify and understand the roles of the service branches of the U.S. military and of the state National Guard.
• Research initiatives to support veterans and/or service members and their families.
• Recognize the role of philanthropic organizations in supporting those who serve our country.

Experiential Component:

Materials:

• A Brief History of the Military in America (Handout A)
• Armed Forces service organizations and programs (Handout B)
• U.S. history textbooks
• Copies of recent newspapers
• Stationery and envelopes

 
Instructional Procedure:
Anticipatory Set:

• Put the following quote on the chalkboard. Let the learners discuss what the quote might mean and who might have said it.  “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.”
• Explain that Nathan Hale was a teacher and a captain in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, who was captured by the British and admitted being a spy for General George Washington. British General William Howe ordered the execution of Hale, who was hanged the next day. Hale's famous quote was first reported in the memoirs of his friend, William Hull, who wasn’t present at the hanging but said he heard the quotation from a British officer who was present. Another British officer who witnessed Hale’s execution wrote in his memoir that Hale’s final words were, “It is the duty of every good officer to obey any orders given him by his commander-in-chief.” It is certainly possible that Hale said something along the lines of “I have but one life to give” because, as a student at Yale University, Hale was fond of this line from Joseph Addison’s 1713 play, Cato: “What pity is it that we can die but once to serve our country.” Although Hale's spying mission ended in failure, his patriotism made him a hero among the colonists fighting for independence.
• Divide the class into groups with textbooks and newspapers available as reference materials. Ask them to find other examples from history or from current events in which people have given their lives or made other significant sacrifice for their country. Have each group share one of their examples.
• Distribute Handout A, “A Brief History of the Military in the United States,” for students to take home and complete that evening as homework.
• On Day Two, give students a brief overview of the many not-for-profit organizations that exist to support soldiers, veterans, and their families. See Handout B. Choose one of the programs that forwards mail to service members and have each student write a personalized letter expressing gratitude for that person’s service. The letters should demonstrate the student’s knowledge of the history and role of the member’s service branch. Letters should comply with style and usage guidelines for personal letters. Leave enough time so that students can write a rough draft that can be checked for grammar, spelling, word choice, etc., then polished into a final copy.

Assessment:
 
School/Home Connection:

Bibliographical References:


Indiana Academic Standards:
Grade 6
ELA6.4.8: Review, evaluate, and revise writing for meaning and clarity
ELA6.4.9: Edit and proofread one’s own writing, as well as that of others, using editing checklist or set of rules, with specific examples of corrections of frequent errors
ELA6.4.10: Revise writing to improve the organization and consistency of ideas within and between paragraphs.
   
Grade 7
ELA7.4.8: Review, evaluate, and revise writing for meaning and clarity
ELA7.4.9: Edit and proofread one’s own writing, as well as that of others, using editing checklist or set of rules, with specific examples of corrections of frequent errors
ELA7.4.10: Revise writing to improve the organization and word choice after checking the logic of ideas and the precision of the vocabulary   

Grade 8
ELA8.4.8: Review, evaluate, and revise writing for meaning and clarity
ELA8.4.9: Edit and proofread one’s own writing, as well as that of others, using editing checklist or set of rules, with specific examples of corrections of frequent errors
ELA8.4.10: Revise writing for word choice; appropriate organization; consistent point of view; and transitions among paragraphs, passages, and ideas.
SS8.2.3: Identify and explain the relationship between rights and responsibilities of citizenship in the United States
SS8.2.4: Define and explain the importance of individual and civic responsibilities
SS8.2.7: Distinguish between the different functions of national and state government within the federal system by analyzing the Constitution of the United States and the Indiana Constitution
SS8.2.10: Explain the importance in a democratic republic of responsible participation by citizens in voluntary civil associations/non-governmental organizations that comprise civil society

Philanthropy Theme Framework:
P101        Identify and describe the actions of how citizens acted for the common good.
PCS05    Describe how the founding documents and core democratic values encourage citizens to act philanthropically.

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Lesson Developed and Piloted by: