Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement
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Purposeful Act of Kindness (A)
Lesson 4:
From Unit Traditions
Purpose:
Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding that working collectively brings about change.
Duration:
One Thirty to Forty-Five Minute Class Period or
Four or Five class periods if the quilting bee is used
Objectives:
The learner will:
- identify a community need, make a plan of action and carry out the plan.
- cooperatively complete a quilt.
- write a reflective piece on their particular purposeful act of kindness.
Service Experience:
Although this lesson contains a service project example, decisions about service plans and implementation should be made by students, as age appropriate.
Learn more about the stages of service-learning.
Learn more about the stages of service-learning.
Students will participate in a quilting bee. (optional)
Materials:
- candies
- raisins
- nuts
- scraps of fabric from old clothing
- sewing needles
- thread
- quilt batting
- fabric for quilt back
- yarn
- bread slices (optional)
- graham crackers (optional)
- peanut butter (optional)
- frosting (optional)
- birdseed (optional)
Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set:
Remind students that both quilt making and philanthropy are traditions. Recall that traditions are like the threads of a piece of woven fabric. Together they help form strong, healthy communities.
- Referring back to the stories students have read in this unit, have students summarize why quilts were made and why their creation involved a type of philanthropy or sharing with the family and community.
Teacher Note: This section of this lesson can be skipped because of time constraints, the first and last Instructional Procedure can be used as a unit culmination and the Reflection activity can be used as the unit assessment.
- The teacher can help the class investigate a community need for quilts by asking, “Do you think that there may be a need for quilts today? In our community? Where? How could we find out for sure?” Discuss. (The teacher should have researched the topic and be ready to guide students if they have insufficient information to do this step in a practical way.)
- Based on the previous discussion, students will decide where they would like to help by voting.
- The class should determine how many quilts will be needed, the quilt size needed, and find its dimensions. They should then decide how many blocks will be needed and what size each block will be.
- In order for the class to have its own “quilting bee,” tell students that each of them should bring a scrap of fabric (possibly from a piece of old clothing) to contribute to a quilt.
- Adult volunteers will be needed to pre-thread needles.
- Demonstrate a simple running stitch. Children may then sew their blocks to each other's in strips, then sew the strips together to form the quilt top.
- Adult volunteers will be needed to machine sew the top, batting and backing together and to pre-thread needles with yarn.
- Next students can tie the corners with yarn and, when finished, present the quilt(s) where needed.
- Put the phrase “Purposeful Act of Kindness” on the chalkboard. Go over each word in the phrase, making sure students clearly understand their meanings. Elicit examples of what a “purposeful act of kindness” might be. Discuss the making of the quilt and giving it away as an example. Tell students that some people perform “purposeful acts of kindness” anonymously. Ask students, “Why would someone perform a kindness and not let others know about it? Are there any examples of these anonymous acts of kindness that students could do in their everyday lives?” Suggest that students practice doing one of these acts in the next week.
- Students independently should complete the Reflection Worksheet (see Attachment One).
Assessment:
- Observe participation and contributions to discussions.
- Observe participation in the quilting bee. (if lesson is used)
- Check reflection pieces for complete responses (see Rubric, Attachment Two).
Cross-Curriculum Extensions:
- Celebrate the unit by making edible quilt squares. Use bread slices or graham crackers for the base. Spread them with peanut butter or frosting. Decorate with candies, raisins, nuts, etc. Enjoy!
- Cover the peanut butter bread with birdseed and give the birds a treat, too!
Lesson Developed By:
Shellie EllisonMunising Public Schools
Central Elementary School
Munising, MI 49862
Handouts:
Handout 1Print Handout 1
Reflection Worksheet
In two paragraphs, using complete sentences, write about your understanding of the tradition of philanthropy in helping to create and keep strong communities. Give an example of an act of philanthropy you have done and tell how you felt, and how the person who received the act may have felt. Use the Philanthropy Dictionary created by the class to help in your writing.
Handout 2Print Handout 2
Rubric
| Three Points | Two Points | One Point | No Points | |
| Sentence structure | Complete sentences with correct punctuation | Almost all the sentences were complete with correct punctuation | Attempted to use punctuation to show sentence structure | Little effort to use complete sentences |
| Explained tradition | Clearly defined "tradition" | Vaguely defined "tradition" | Definition not clear | Tradition not defined |
| Personal example | Personal example was a clearly described as an act of philanthropy | Personal example given but not linked concretely to philanthropy | Personal example not an act of philanthropy | No personal example |
| Used words from the Philanthropy Dictionary | Student used three word from the dictionary in correct context | Student used two words from the dictionary in correct context | Student used one of the words from the dictionary in correct context | Student did not use the dictionary words, or used them incorrectly |
Unit Contents:
Overview:Traditions Summary
Lessons:
- 1.
- Philanthro WHAT?
- 2.
- Story Quilt Project
- 3.
- Quilts and Math
- 4.
- Purposeful Act of Kindness (A)
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Comments
Letting the students create a quilt and then giving it to their community was a great example of kindness. I thought the reflection writing was a good component to have for this unit. We also did the extension idea of making an edible quilt. The students loved this. The writng and edible quilts were great cumulative activities for the unit.
Students made quilts of designs used in Underground RR. Students and staff donated 17 quilts to Project Linus for Afghanistan Blanket Collection. The students also made decorations for VET hospital. Decorations were done with Trainable Mentally Impaired students.
(The positive aspect of using this lesson was) teaching acts of kindness and giving from the heart.