Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE

The LEAGUE

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For the Well-Being of Our Citizens

Unit of 3 lessons

9th-12th Grade

Subjects:

Arts, Language Arts, Library / Technology and Social Studies

Key Words/Concepts click to view

Lesson 1 :	PHIL:	Community; LEAGUE Wildcard Lesson: Poverty/Hunger/Homelessness; Philanthropic Act; Time/Talent/Treasure
	SOC:	Civic Responsibility/Virtue; Federalism; Great Depression; LEAGUE Optional Lesson: Earth Day; LEAGUE Optional Lesson: One Day; LEAGUE Optional Lesson: The Drive; Limited Government; Local Government; National Government; Presidential Roles; Public Policy; State Government; Volunteerism
Lesson 2 :	ART-VA:	Visual Arts: Create/Communicate
	ELA:	Cultural/Historical Contexts; Expository Text; Social/Cultural Issues
	PHIL:	Human Rights; LEAGUE Wildcard Lesson: Poverty/Hunger/Homelessness; Nonprofit Sector
	SOC:	Analyze/Interpret; Cause/Effect; Contemporary Issues; Human Rights; LEAGUE Optional Lesson: Earth Day; LEAGUE Optional Lesson: One Day; LEAGUE Optional Lesson: The Drive; Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Lesson 3 :	ELA:	Advertising/Marketing; Brainstorming; Informational Genre; Research; Universal Themes
	PHIL:	Community; Economic Sectors; Four Economic Sectors; Global Community; Homelessness; LEAGUE Wildcard Lesson: Poverty/Hunger/Homelessness; Nonprofit Organizations; Time/Talent/Treasure
	SOC:	Contemporary Issues; Economic Impact; For-Profit; Four Economic Sectors; Goods and Services; Government; LEAGUE Optional Lesson: Earth Day; LEAGUE Optional Lesson: One Day; LEAGUE Optional Lesson: The Drive; Nonprofit Organizations; Volunteerism; Wants/Needs

Unit Overview:

Using historical situations of economic difficulty in the United States, the learners will analyze Presidential decisions and speculate on the role of philanthropy during such times. Learners will define poverty by determining its causes and effects. They will identify organizations which serve those who are in poverty. The learners will analyze the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and determine whether poverty violates its principles. An international and a local nonprofit will be researched and learners will speculate on the need for nonprofits in the fight against poverty.

Unit Purpose:

Students will define poverty, connect it to human rights issues and analyze how nonprofit organizations have an important role to play in alleviating the effects of poverty.

Unit Objectives:

The learner will:

contrast the role of the Federal Government in times of difficulty as seen through the actions of two different presidents.
identify community acts of philanthropy which are necessary in hard times.
identify and describe characteristics of poverty and causes of impoverishment.
identify nonprofit organizations that seek to alleviate the consequences of poverty.
illustrate how poverty violates the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
describe the work of organizations which work to alleviate poverty.
speculate on the need for government, for profit organizations and nonprofit organizations to cooperate in the fight against poverty.
promote philanthropy and the work of nonprofit organizations.

Service Experience:

Although lessons in this unit contain service project examples, decisions about service plans and implementation should be made by students, as age appropriate.

The learners will create posters illustrating Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that are violated through poverty and will use the posters to inform the student body of the problem through an article in the school newspaper.

Unit Assessment:

Assessments of learning include essays, teacher observation, posters and learner-created informational brochures

School/Home Connection:

“Copy-and-Paste” Class/School Newsletter Information Insert:
Learners will study the causes and effects of poverty, determine how it undermines human rights, and analyze the work of nonprofit organizations, in combination with the resources of the government and for profit businesses, in alleviating the effects of poverty on the community.

Interactive Parent / Student Homework:
The learners will be asked to show the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to two significant people in their lives in different age groups and ask them if they are familiar with the document. They will also ask what Article attracted the most attention and what was the perspective of those reading the document?

Notes for Teaching:

To reinforce understanding of the dire condition homelessness places upon families and individuals, a “homeless” experience is recreated in Lesson Three: To the Rescue, Attachment Two: 24-Hour Homeless Experience. This is an optional experience and should not be attempted without considerable parental, community and school planning and support.