Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement

This unit will introduce the learners to the important mission and needs of animal shelters, both private and municipal. Learners will understand that they can contribute to animal welfare by aiding a shelter(s) and educating others about the work of shelters.
Through research and class discussion, the learners will be introduced to Animal Welfare and Animal Shelters. They will examine the different types of shelters. They will also explore some of the reasons that animals are surrendered to shelters, services that shelters provide, some of the jobs that volunteers and others can do to help in shelters and calculate the cost of running a shelter.  Learners will plan and implement a service project to aid a shelter.  They will demonstrate their knowledge about animal shelters by sharing their knowledge with their peers

Focus Question:
Who is responsible for the humane care and welfare of homeless animals? 
 

The purpose of this unit is to encourage students to examine the way groups work together for the common good and understand how specific factions in communities preserve their culture through the arts. In a fun and creative activity, groups will consider how to be more effective in cooperative learning. Students will learn about the Bahamian Festival, Junkanoo, while making headdresses in groups. They will examine how group dynamics work, especially when minority rights need to be protected.

This lesson will emphasize why a legacy of philanthropy is needed now and for future generations. Learners will discover that individuals and organizations give special kinds of money gifts called endowments to nonprofit organizations and foundations. In this way the work of the organization can continue in perpetuity (forever).

This unit is designed to introduce students to the joys of having and caring for a garden. Students will take an active role in Environmental Stewardship by adding beauty to their surroundings. It will help them understand what is needed to create and care for a garden in order for the garden to thrive and the interconnectedness to the environment that a garden provides.  The long-term result will be to create a quiet area for students and others to read or study in a pleasant outdoor environment or location in the community or neighborhood to be shared by all. Once the garden is complete, it will be given to the local community for all to share.

In this unit, students learn to identify bullying through two literature books, Mr. Lincoln's Way and The Secret Bully.  They compare and contrast two examples of bullying portrayed in the books and create a peer/staff survey to research bullying behavior in their own school. The students experience and reflect on a literature book written from the view point of a reformed bully, Confessions of a Former Bully. They analyze the data collected from their survey to determine how bullying behavior affects their school. The students learn that addressing bullying behavior in their school community is an act for the common good - philanthropy. They form groups to develop skits that illustrate "tools" for addressing bullying behavior. They compose a pledge to address and prevent bullying behavior in their school community. As a service to their school, they plan and implement a project to inform the school community about the effects of bullying behavior and strategies to address it.

Focus Question: How does bullying behavior affect the school community and what is each person's responsibility to address it?

The lessons in this unit will focus on the role of foundations and how they help cultural subgroups within communities. It will also define philanthropy and increase the students' knowledge about how it allows individuals to contribute to their community locally by allowing the students to make some decisions about how they will raise money to be donated to a local organization.

This unit will define philanthropy by providing opportunities for students to examine the prevailing conditions in colonial America that prompted individuals to establish organizations which promoted the common good. They will find examples in literature of the simple act of doing something for the common good. Learners will research how colonial organizations, which developed in the nonprofit/ independent sector, have transformed themselves over time to continue to provide for the common good.

Through fact-finding and a community survey, students identify health and safety needs in their school and/or neighborhood communities.  Based on their conclusions they collaboratively problem solve, design, and carry out a plan to address those problems.

Through a food-waste survey in the lunchroom, the learners explore what gets thrown in the lunch trash at school and learn about earth-friendly alternatives that reduce waste in landfills, including recycling and composting. Learners discover the benefits of compost and reasons to promote it in the community. They share their knowledge with others through implementing a student-generated and planned service project. 

Focus Question: What can we do to promote responsible use of all resources?

Using poetry, this lesson explores the attributes of a hero and the philanthropic acts that are achieved in spite of adversity, for the common good of all humankind.

The purpose of this unit is to increase students’ awareness of the differences among us. Through identification of and participation in service activities, the students will gain a better understanding of others’ unique characteristics. Acceptance of individual differences and understanding of developmental differences is the overarching behavior outcome of the unit. The unit strives to instill the concept of tolerance to enhance the common good.

This lesson introduces learners to opportunities to respond to a natural disaster. The lesson introduces vocabulary terms spend, save, and donate. The students learn the definition of philanthropy (giving time, talent and treasure, and taking action for the common good) as well as explore reasons why people choose to donate. As a class, they will discuss and sing the song "What is a Philanthropist?"

Focus Question: How can we best help people who are victims of a natural disaster?

To access this lesson, please click here.

Focus Question: In what ways does diversity make a community stronger?

Students become actively engaged in the process of perfecting the world through acts of kindness. They learn to value endeavors that benefit others and study ancestors who have proven to be particularly adept at helping others.

Throughout the unit, they continuously ask themselves:

What actions will benefit others and thereby make this world a better place?

How can I fulfill my responsibility to take part in these activities?

Students will listen to two stories, and compare and contrast the activities of the main characters. As a final piece, students reflect by writing an answer to some essential questions: What does it mean to be a philanthropist? What does it mean to be an environmentalist? What does it mean to be a good steward of the earth?

The purpose of this unit is for students to expand their awareness of the earth through the study of some traditional Native American beliefs about the concept of “mother earth.” They will discover the need to protect the environment and their responsibility to do that for the common good through action and advocacy. They will learn about pollution through scientific investigation and how to demonstrate environmental stewardship by protecting the environment through reusing, reducing and recycling. They will make a personal commitment to the environment through planning and implementing a service learning project. They will brainstorm strategies to protect the environment and carry out a service learning project to enhance the environment for the common good.

Focus Questions:

• How do humans and the natural world interact?
• What makes a good citizen?
• Can one person make a difference?

The purpose of this unit is to help the learners become aware of endangered species and explore one of the ways in which people can become good stewards of the environment by helping to prevent endangered species from becoming extinct. The learners will also be involved in philanthropy through the philanthropic act of fund-raising in order to "adopt" an endangered species. 

The lessons in this unit are designed to help learners, using the Action Without Borders/Idealist.org Web Site, become more aware of how nonprofit organizations benefit communities, recognize that different job opportunities are available in the nonprofit sector and understand that these jobs may require different abilities and skills.

Students will respond to a literature book about family philanthropy. They will apply/compare their own philanthropic family acts to ideas for volunteering their time and talent to meet needs in the school or greater community.

Students will learn about the importance and privilege of making healthy and sustainable food choices. They will understand that many people in the world do not have the choice of what to eat due to food insecurity. They will brainstorm some ways that they can address local and global food insecurity and choose to take action.

Students will explore ways in which working together is important in solving community problems.

Young people learn to grow involved in service by following the lead of service models and by taking action in a variety of projects. In this unit, they read about and get inspiration from the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They get involved by growing flowers and sharing them with community members who will be cheered by the gifts. They make and donate book covers to a community organization. They also make and donate quilts that communicate messages of acceptance of differences.

This unit can be taught as grade specific using two lessons (Grade 4 - Lessons 1 & 2 , Grade 4 - Lessons 1 & 3, Grade 5 - Lessons 1 & 4). To extend the learning and service experiences, additional lesson can be used, as time allows.

The purpose of this unit is to learn about the structure of the newspaper and identify acts of philanthropy and kindness in the news. Students will recognize the many acts of philanthropy in the communities to which they belong.

Focus Question: What is the role of philanthropy in my communities?

While this unit introduces the basic vocabulary of the game Mini Bridge, it also uses the language of game playing and Mini Bridge to discuss social skills and teamwork. Learners discuss the importance of rules and etiquette in games, as well as in the "game of life." Students learn game procedures, playing-card attributes, math skills, and communication skills while having fun with games and teaching others to play. The final three lessons teach the game of Mini Bridge and give specific strategies for using critical thinking in the game. For classrooms ready to move to Bridge, the link to Bridge lessons is provided at the end of the final Mini Bridge lesson.
Focus Question: How do rules help us do well in games and in life?

No one wants to think about disasters and evacuation. These are frightening issues for adults, and are especially scary for children. Advanced planning, including preparing for the care of animals, can minimize some of the fright and stress of evacuation.  Preparing for a disaster is the first and best step in helping both people and animals in case of an emergency. Animals are part of our families and we want to make sure that they are safe just like we are. (ASPCA®) 

This unit is designed to help learners understand what is needed to be prepared for an emergency.  Through a better understanding of disasters and emergencies, and researching animal welfare needs in the community, the learners will understand the need for emergency preparedness including for animals.  They create a service learning project involving animal welfare and also share their knowledge with their peers. 
Focus Question:
How can I make a difference in the lives of animals and their welfare in our community?
 

This lesson will introduce learners to the concept that nonprofit organizations need monetary resources in order help others. It will help students explore why people, including themselves, might donate money to these organizations.

Students will identify some community and school needs.  They will respond to literature about being a good person and making a difference. Working as a group, the students select a philanthropic project, formulate a plan, and execute that plan to address the need.

Our Great Lakes Basin provides a wealth of material to develop the five themes of geography and instill the virtues of philanthropy and environmental stewardship. Learners will read and explore how our waterways became polluted. They will participate in meaningful activities to test water using the scientific method. Learners will discover individual and collective responsibility to maintaining the health of the Great Lakes Basin. They  will demonstrate knowledge and awareness of the importance of the Great Lakes, their respective ecosystems, and citizen responsibility to protect the waterways. Learners will understand the interrelationships of all stakeholders: individuals, businesses, industry, government and the third sector as stewards of the Great Lakes Basin.

To review the idea of philanthropy and community through a Native American legend in which people take action in response to a community need.

Using Biblical texts as their basis, students will explore a Jewish perspective on the relationship between humans and their environment. They will begin by studying and modeling Adam’s role of caretaker in the Garden of Eden. They will then focus more specifically on man’s relationships with animals and various natural resources. This unit demonstrates to students that environmental concern is inherent to the Jewish value system. It encourages students to play an active role in protecting their environment from harm.

Focus Questions:
What is the relationship between man and all other living things?
What is a person’s responsibility toward the environment?
How can a person take an active role in protecting and improving the environment?
 

Students identify the mission of Save the Children and recognize the need for saving children around the world. They learn the role of the civil society sector and why people give time, talent, or treasure for the common good. They view resources about the health workers who are saving children's lives across the world, and students work in small groups to research and report on five featured countries. They learn that they can support these health workers by choosing a service project to take action for children's health.

Follow this link to the Middle School Save the Children Unit: Newborn and Child Survival

The unit demonstrates that  tzedakah (charity) is a fundamental concept in Judaism.  Students are engaged in acts of tzedakah (charity) for the good of the communities to which they belong.

Focus Questions:
What is tzedakah?
Why is tzedakah important for the giver and the receiver?
How can I be involved in tzedakah?

The students will define the terms profit and non profit organizations.  They will identify the nonprofit organizations that exist within their community and create an information cube to share with their families to increase awareness of philanthropy within their own communities.

Students will see the possibilities for philanthropy in the many communities that they belong to from local to national.  They will investigate some nationally recognized philanthropists and their contributions of time, talent, or treasure. 

Students will act as philanthropists, using their time and effort to answer a call for help to protect the environment for the common good. Their activities will build an appreciation for Michigan's fragile dune habitats as one of our natural resources and raise an awareness of the need to preserve and protect these resources. They will call others to action as philanthropists in their persuasive essays. Students will develop a better appreciation that this is a philanthropic event that will benefit the human and wildlife community by cleaning up the beach. This project includes many cross-curriculum subjects, including reading, writing, math, science, social studies, as well as putting life skills into practice.

Although written using Michigan dunes as an example of natural resources, this unit can be easily adapted for cleanup at any local park or body of water.

This unit will define philanthropy as it appears in the private and public sectors and investigate how individuals work in concert through business, government, and foundations. It will increase students' awareness that their voluntary contributions are essential to the wellbeing of society whether done through the family, school, or neighborhood.

Students research and respond in a variety of interactive situations to uncover the actions that produce and encourage participation in the greater society.

Focus Question: What past philanthropic actions by individuals and organizations influence youth to be part of the community?

Students will study philanthropists and environmentalists through literature and research on environmental issues. Students choose one environmental issue to research such as recycling, landfills, rainforests, acid rain, global warming, water pollution, air pollution and energy. Students’ research and responses to the issues are presented in a culminating puppet play. They will conduct research, write scripts, make puppets from recycled materials and perform plays for others in their community. By performing these puppet shows, students will become environmentalists and philanthropists themselves as they educate and motivate others on these issues. They will be asked to think about the link between philanthropy, their environment and active citizenship.

Focus Questions:

• Do people have a responsibility to care for the environment?
• Are you an environmentalist?
• Are you a philanthropist?
• How is being an environmentalist an act of philanthropy?

The purpose of this lesson is to show that artists are a valuable part of a community and to explore how they contribute to the public good.

Students will make connections between themselves and refugees. They will learn and understand what it means to be a refugee. Students will gain an understanding of the similarities they share with refugees and how refugees are the same as everyone else except for the loss of their country, home and possessions. During this unit students will complete lessons to help them to empathize with refugees who are in various unfortunate situations. Students will learn how refugees face feelings of loneliness and rejection when displaced, and they will develop a personal understanding of what they can do to help. They will come to consensus on a decision to provide a service to benefit refugees or others in need and plan and implement a student-driven service project.

Focus Question(s): What factors contribute to people fleeing their home and becoming refugees? How does the plight of refugees affect all global citizens? What is our responsibility to address the issue of refugees?

This cross-disciplinary unit will help learners discover how our waterways are polluted and how necessary it is to keep our waterways and rivers clean. The instructor will use a thematic approach to this lesson through literature, history, math, science and social studies. Learners have the opportunity to practice the knowledge and skills acquired through meaningful voluntary service for the common good. Philanthropy combined with strong content in Social Studies, Language Arts, Math and Science leads learners to conclude that keeping their water supply clean is everyone's responsibility for the common good . Learners practice core democratic values through their service-learning activity.

The Language Arts portion will introduce the literature through the book, A River Ran Wild. Social Studies will pursue the progression of the pollution and cleansing of the Nashua River. Math lesson will focus on the concept of one million and the simulation of the effects of one million gallons of sewage on a river. Through science, the water cycle will be explored with the underlying question of what would happen if pollution were injected at different intervals of the cycle. Learners will explore the Core Democratic Values and the relationship to the Common Good through a mock trial, produced to engage other students in learning about the issue of water pollution and keeping their water supply healthy.

Students will learn basic terms and vocabulary related to the Great Depression. After listening to A Year Down Yonder, by Richard Peck, students will understand how small acts of philanthropy were possible, even during these difficult times. They will learn about government philanthropy through the work of the C.C.C. and the W.P.A. during the Great Depression. As a final project, the students will plant some tree seedlings in their community.

This unit focuses upon the volunteer efforts and revitalization of our country, which surfaced during the Great Depression under the leadership of Franklin D. Roosevelt, entitled the Civilian Conservation Corps.

This lesson explores the heroic actions of one American woman--Rosa Parks. Students will learn about her refusal to give up her seat on a segregated bus and the resulting bus boycott that ended segregation on the Montgomery, Alabama city buses in 1956. Rosa Parks’ acts of philanthropy brought a community of people together for the common good and resulted in major social change in her community and in the nation. Students will identify the relationship of individual rights, justice, equality and community responsibility.

This unit is designed to enhance the learners’ knowledge of philanthropy through stewardship of the environment.  They will be introduced to the concept of stewardship and how that relates to taking care of the environment locally Learners will study desert regions around the world by using mapping and research skills to identify those deserts. They will also identify native plant and animal species of deserts. They will explore why it is important to be good stewards of the land both world wide and locally. The learners will demonstrate acts of philanthropy and environmental stewardship by cleaning or beautifying a public or common area around their school or in their community. 
Focus question:  Is it the civic responsibility of everyone to take care of public lands?
 

Students will gain an understanding of habitats, the coexistence of humans and wildlife, and the changes that have evolved over time. They will differentiate between various types of wildlife and explain the importance of protecting and nurturing the environment. They will select a service learning project in which they care for the animals around them.

Essential Questions:

• Can humans and animals coexist in the same habitat?
• If so, are there dangers that exist? For whom?
• What is a community?
• What do humans and wildlife share?
• What is Common Good? Does it include wildlife?

The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the concept of serial reciprocity and to explore the contributions artists make to the common good.

This lesson will expose learners to philanthropy in three different genres of literature: a play, a fable, and a parable. Through the genres the students will learn about community, helping others by addressing a need and philanthropic acts.

This unit demonstrates to students the importance of being aware of the needs and opinions of others. It encourages students to think beyond themselves and to treat others with tolerance and respect.

This unit enables students to reflect on the following questions:

What does it mean to compromise?

What does it mean to be a good friend?

What does it mean to be tolerant of others?

Through the use of creative dramatics and the Internet, students will learn about global warming, its causes, effects, and possible solutions.  In the process they will conduct a “green audit” of their households and complete a project designed to teach others about global warming.

Focus Question:
What is a person’s responsibility for preserving and protecting the global environment?

This unit is designed to guide students in learning about the importance of reading, and to help them to plan and execute a book drive to help others gain access to books.  The students will reflect on the book drive after it is completed.

Through literature this lesson will explore diverse communities united in working for the common good. It will demonstrate the importance of civic virtue and encourage students to think about the value of working together to solve community problems.

Everyone has special talents and abilities. We must seek to develop our own talents and use them to make a difference in our life and the lives of others. This unit will help students recognize talents and think of ways to use them to help others. They will also learn about homelessness from a homeless person ’s point of view.

Watershed S.O.S. concerns gaining knowledge and discovering ways to protect the watershed. This unit includes lessons about the water cycle, how the watershed works, pollutants of the watershed, uses of water and water as a nonrenewable resource. The unit is interdisciplinary with science, English, social studies and philanthropic components.  Scientific experiments and demonstrations are included in the lessons. The unit lends itself to advocacy. Students would educate, take action through the political process by contacting local governmental agencies (DNR, contact state or U.S. Representatives, or write letters to the editor of a local newspaper concerning protecting their watershed. In order to be a good citizen, one must protect their environment and advocate for the protection of their watershed. This unit includes lessons about the importance of water, the watershed, water as a nonrenewable resource and ways that learners can be advocates and protectors of their watershed. The unit is interdisciplinary and has many hands on activities as well as experiments included in the lessons.

The purpose of the lesson is to recognize that the community has changed over time and elderly people have seen some of these changes and can provide different perspectives.

Focus Questions: How has my community changed over time? What have the elderly people seen and done in my community? What great things are the babies of my community going to see and do?

The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the concept of serial reciprocity and to explore the contributions artists make for the common good.

This unit introduce students to the term philanthropy through stories and role-playing.  Students will experience philanthropy by packing and distributing goods at their community food pantry or donation center.  Is philanthropy a good thing for all?  

The purpose of this unit is to guide learners to develop and practice positive character traits. This unit gives children the opportunity to discover and demonstrate respect for self, others, and the environment. The unit guides children to create good habits of respect, show acceptance for diversity, and learn positive self-talk. They define disrespect and teach others the consequences of bullying. The children have ownership in service projects, using real-life experiences to create change in the community, environment, and personal relationships. Throughout the unit, the children illustrate the application of respect through a service project, activities and extensions to core subjects.

In this lesson, students explore the issue of food insecurity in their community. Using the table as a theme, students design and carry out a service-learning project that addresses the issue of child hunger in the United States. They bring their time, talent, and treasure to the table.

Focus Question: What can we do to address the issue of child hunger in our community?

This unit helps the learners understand that animals often work as a team with humans.  The students will learn about some extraordinary working animals and understand each individual’s responsibility to treat animals in a humane way. The students research a specific working animal and create an informational presentation about their findings. Learners will discover the impact that these animals have on the greater good.  The learners will consider the “payment” of humane treatment and respect and kindness due to animals. Students will learn that all animals deserve humane treatment and will determine their responsibility is to assist and support animal welfare.

Through a variety of science activities and experiences with the arts, the students explore the concept that each person is unique and valuable. The students will work cooperatively and deliberately respect others and listen and accept the contributions of the others. Students use a decision-making model to come to a group consensus and perform a service for an audience. Students evaluate their service projects.