Students discover and discuss the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and especially focus on his ethic of service. The students learn about the issue of obesity through the documentary "Super Size Me" and/or print information. They will understand the importance of eating healthfully and the benefits to individuals as well as for the common good. Students will create a cookbook of healthy recipes to be donated to community organizations. The students learn about environmental stewardship and its importance to the common good by viewing the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" and/or through print information. Students will decide on and carry out a service project that demonstrates environmental stewardship. Students will learn about the life of Gandhi. They will compare and contrast the philosophies and work of Dr. King and Gandhi. They will determine service they can provide to promote peace and nonviolence.

This unit can be taught as grade specific using two lessons (Grade 6 - Lessons 1 & 2 , Grade 7 - Lessons 1 & 3, Grade 8 - Lessons 1 & 4). To extend the learning and service experiences, additional lesson can be used, as time allows.

The learner will:

• define service.
• recognize the vocabulary words in context.
• explore and discuss the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his commitment to service.
• understand the importance of healthy eating and its benefit to the common good.
• experience service by making and donating healthy cookbooks. 
• explore the benefits of recycling, energy and resource conservation and pollution reduction.
• experience service by cleaning up a local commons area to demonstrate the importance of environmental justice.
• discuss discrimination and nonviolent resistance and its relationship to the Indian caste system.
• compare the lives and legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mohandas Gandhi.
• experience service by making and donating peace bracelets 

Supplies might be obtained for the service projects by asking local merchants for donated items, or by seeking a small grant from local service clubs or parent organizations. See also www.generationOn.org and or www.kidscare.org for grant opportunities.