Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE

The LEAGUE

Essay of Definition - Part I
Lesson 4:
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Lesson
Handouts
Academic Standards
Philanthropy Framework
9th-12th Grade
Subjects:

Language Arts and Philanthropy

Key Words/Concepts click to view
ELA: Research; Teamwork; Writing Process
PHIL: Common Good; Philanthropist; Service Project
SOC: LEAGUE Optional Lesson: One Day

Purpose:

The lessons that comprise this unit were designed to give students an opportunity to draw from their prior knowledge as well as new experiences to develop a deeper understanding of the concept of philanthropy. Student writing skills are also heavily emphasized in this unit. It is also designed to develop a personal definition for the term philanthropy that is based on prior knowledge as well as facts learned in this unit. Define, explain, and clarify the meaning of the word philanthropy

Duration:

One Fifty-Minute Class Period

Objectives:

The learner will:

  • internalize the meaning of philanthropy after reading a variety of definitions for the term.
  • organize details in order to generate text.
  • make Philanthropy Packs for younger students

Service Experience:

Although this lesson contains a service project example, decisions about service plans and implementation should be made by students, as age appropriate.

Students who complete Philanthropy Packs could use them to teach a lesson on philanthropy to a kindergarten class at a neighborhood school or at the daycare. The kindergarten children can continue their dialogue on philanthropy by pledging to do one good deed a day. Children receive a Good Deed Ticket for telling the teacher why what they did was a good deed. These tickets should have no reward attached to them. High School students could make follow-up visits to take pictures of the young philanthropist and read picture books on philanthropy to them.

Materials:

  • Philanthropy Task Packs for each group (see Attachment One)
  • Student Notebooks
  • KWL Chart
  • Group Assessment Tool
  • Philanthropy Rubric for Group Assessment
Handout 1
Making your own Philanthropy Task Pack

Instructional Procedure(s):

    Anticipatory Set:
    Begin this writing exercise by first telling the students that the concept of philanthropy is complex enough to require real thought by the writer and the reader. To demonstrate the complexity of the term, ask the class to review their graph of the definition of philanthropy located in their notebooks (see Lesson One: Philanthro What?).
  • State that today's assignment will provide an opportunity to use what they know about philanthropy as well as what they have learned about the concept.
  • Divide the class into three small groups and provide each group with a Task Pack. Assign duties to group members: leader, reader, writer and reporter. Each Pack should contain a dictionary definition of philanthropy, the official class definition of philanthropy (see Lesson One: Philanthro What?), newspaper articles reporting on philanthropy, facts on philanthropy and a quote from an authority on the subject. The KWL Chart also must be in the pack.
  • Instruct the groups to read all the information in the task pack then organize that information on the KWL chart that is also in the task pack.

    List what you KNOW List what you WANT to know List what you LEARNED

  • Inform the groups that they will be able to use only the KWL Chart to write an essay of definition tomorrow. The teacher should spend five to ten minutes as a member of each group to facilitate the discussion.

Assessment:

    Students are assessed on group skills during this lesson. A total score of 12 or higher indicates mastery on the Group Assessment Tool; whereas, a score of 10 or higher indicates mastery on the Philanthropy Rubric for Collaborative Groups.

    Group Assessment Tool

    Assignment of duties to group members i.e. leader, reader, writer, reporter 3 pts
    Breakdown of task into component parts 3 pts
    Observation of input from all group members towards task completion 3 pts
    Group stays on task until completion of task 3 pts
    Completion of task 3 pts

    Philanthropy Rubric for Collaborative Groups
    The role of the collaborating partners (the readers and reporters) in each group is to help the writers develop and elaborate on their writing plans. As you observe the groups do you hear questions similar to these:

  • "What I hear you saying is that philanthropy is (e.g., giving).
    Am I hearing you right?"
    		• 5 pts
  • "You just said that philanthropy is (e.g., helping). Tell me more about what you mean or what in the article made you say that?"
    		• 5 pts
  • "If the purpose of philanthropy is (e.g., helping the needy), how do the facts on philanthropy in the Task Pack show this goal?"
    		• 5 pts
  • "Can you find any other goal of philanthropy in the Task Pack?"
    		• 5 pts

Extension:

Have students to create original Philanthropy Packs for younger children. Tell them that each Pack must contain a concrete example of philanthropy with a clear explanation of why it was chosen. Be sure to include other facts about philanthropy. Use a quotation from an authority that a young child will recognize such as a well known children's cartoon character

Bibliographical References:

  • Bentley, R. and L. Nissan. The Roots of Giving and Serving. Indianapolis, IN: The Indiana University Center on Philanthropy, 1996.
  • Sebranek, P., V. Meyer, and D. Kemper. Writers Inc. A Student Handbook for WRITING & LEARNING. Boston, MA: D.C. Heath and Company, 1996.
  • _______. "Philanthropy." Learning to Give Resource Book, 1997.

Lesson Developed and Piloted by:

Valerie Belay
Detroit Public Schools
Murray-Wright High School
Detroit, MI 48208

Handouts:

Handout 1Print Handout 1

Making your own Philanthropy Task Pack

Making Your Own Philanthropy Task Pack: Each pack should contain a dictionary definition of philanthropy, the official class definition of philanthropy (see Lesson 1), newspaper articles reporting on philanthropy, facts on philanthropy, and a quote from an authority on the subject. The KWL chart also needs to be in the pack.

Quotes:

"It is every man's obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it." - Albert Einstein

"The surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

"The impersonal hand of government can never replace the helping hand of a neighbor." - Hubert H. Humphrey


KWL Chart:

K W L
List what you Know List what you Want to know List what you Learned

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Philanthropy Framework:

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Unit Contents:

Overview:Defining Philanthropy Summary

Lessons:

1.
Philanthro What?
2.
Bio-Poem
3.
Philanthropic Prescriptions
4.
Essay of Definition - Part I
5.
Essay of Definition - Part II

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