Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE
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Purpose:
Learners will analyze the “new philanthropists,” who they are, what they give, to whom they give, their personal qualities, and how they hold people and organizations accountable for their philanthropic efforts. They will consider different causes and issues about which they care to decide which they might support.
Duration:
One Fifty-five minute class period
Objectives:
The learner will:
- identify three personal qualities that most new philanthropists possess.
- describe the philanthropic endeavors of the new-style philanthropists and relate these endeavors to community.
- list three ways new philanthropists might hold people accountable for their philanthropic contributions.
- express his/her own personal choice of philanthropic activity and explain how it might promote the fundamental democratic principle of common good.
Materials:
- Attachment One:The Top Twelve Philanthropists of 2000
- Attachment Two:The Top Twelve Philanthropists of 2000 - Cut Outs
- Attachment Three: Non-Profit Organizations and Foundations
- Attachment Four: Non-Profit Organizations and Foundations - Accountability
Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set:
Write the term “new philanthropist” on the board. Tell the students that many contemporary celebrities (for example Tiger Woods, Justin Timberlake) and others from the “dot net” generation are philanthropists. These are sometimes called the “new philanthropists.” Have the learners brainstorm examples of philanthropists with whom they are familiar, and share what they know about the person’s philanthropy.Teacher Note: Information about many “new philanthropists” can be found at www.learningtogive.org, Resource Room, Briefing Papers,” People.”
Day One:
- Review at least three personal qualities that the learners recall most philanthropists possess and how these qualities might impact what a philanthropist does.
- Distribute Attachment One: The Top Twelve Philanthropists of 2000 and ask all learners to read the information, remembering as much of it as they can – they will be asked to recall this information to play a matching game.
- After the students finish the reading, collect the hand outs and give each learner a slip of paper (Attachment Two) with either the name of one of the twelve philanthropists on it, or the foundations /organizations to which they donate. Then have learners with the names and foundations or organizations to which they donate walk about the room and attempt to find their correct match.
- After the learners have all found their match, tell the students that accountability is very important to the new generation of philanthropists and engage them in a discussion as to how these new philanthropists might hold their organizations accountable for effectively addressing their mission. (See Attachment Four)
Extension:
Assign students to read about a philanthropist from the Learning to Give Briefing papers mentioned in the Teacher Note above.
Day Two:
- Remind the students that on the previous day they learned about “new philanthropists.” Tell them that today they will have an opportunity to imagine that they are a “new philanthropist.”
- Assign the simulation that follows. (Students may do this individually or in pairs. If they work in pairs, they must come to a consensus.) Explain to the learners that they are now instant millionaires. Their worth is 100 million dollars each. Pose the questions:
If you were worth 100 million dollars and you had to give at least one million dollars to a philanthropic organization or foundation that addresses a cause or issue that you think is vitally important. To whom would you give it and why, and how would you hold the organization accountable for your donation?- To complete this task, use Attachment Three: Non-Profit Organizations and Foundations as a learner resource. The learners must choose to donate their money to ONE of these Non-Profit Organizations and Foundations and write at least a one-page answer to the question posed above. Use the remainder of the lesson time to have learners share a summary of their choices.
- After the students have an opportunity to share. Ask them to remember the definition of philanthropy – giving of time, talent or treasure and taking action for the common good. Discuss with them whether or not a philanthropist must be someone who has a great deal of treasure (money). Have them consider if they have resources of time and talent to address the issue or cause they wrote about. Challenge the students to complete their writing by adding a paragraph about what they could do.
Assessment:
Learner involvement in discussion and their essays will be used to determine the depth of their understanding and reflection.
Extension:
Discussion:
- If the learners were told that they could choose more than one Non-Profit Organization/Foundation from the list to contribute to, would they? And if so which additional ones would they choose to suppor
- If the learners were told that they could contribute to Non-Profit Organizations or Foundations not found on the list, to which one(s) might they consider making their contribution and why?
Bibliographical References:
Greenfield, Karl Taro. “A New Way of Giving.” Time Magazine, July 24, 2000, 49-51.
Lesson Developed and Piloted by:
Dennis VanHaitsmaCurriculum Consultant
Learning to Give
Lisa Mencer
Muskegon Public Schools
Muskegon High School
Muskegon, MI 49441
Handouts:
Handout 1Print Handout 1
The Top Twelve Philanthropists of 2000
The Top Twelve Philanthropists of 2000
1. Bill and Melinda Gates: They have their own foundation, which sponsors children’s health programs and vaccinations world-wide.
2. George Soros: He has his own foundation which sponsors public health and children’s programs, cultural and art programs, and encourages the development of small businesses.
3. Ted Turner: He has his own foundation and donates to the U.N. Foundation which supports environmental and children’s health programs.
4. James E. Jr. and Virginia G. Stowers: They have their own foundation which deals primarily with biomedical research.
5. Paul Allen: He has his own foundation, and donates to Experience Music Project which is a nonprofit music museum.
6. Jon Huntsman: He donates to the Wharton School of Finance, University of Utah, Brigham Young University and the Huntsman Cancer Institute.
7. Patrick J. McGovern and Lore Harp-McGovern: They donate to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the McGovern Institute for Brain Research.
8. Martha R. Ingram: She donates to various programs within Vanderbilt University such as athletics, schools of business and music, scholarship programs and cancer research.
9. Alfred Mann: He has his own foundation and also donates to the University of Southern California and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering.
10. Kirk Kerkorian: He donates to the Lincy Foundation, which supports humanitarian causes and supports Armenian causes.
11. Dave and Cheryl Duffield: They donate to Maddie’s Fund, which supports stray animals and finds homes for them.
12. James E. Rogers: He donates to various colleges, such as the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Idaho State University, University of Arizona, and Washington University Law School.
Handout 2Print Handout 2
Matching Game
Matching Game
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Bill and Melinda Gates |
George Soros
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Ted Turner
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James E. Jr. and Virginia G. Stowers
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Jon Huntsman
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Patrick J. McGovern and Lore Harp-McGovern
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Martha R. Ingram
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Alfred Mann
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Dave and Cheryl Duffield |
James E. Rogers
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Paul Allen
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Kirk Kerkorian
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They have their own foundation, which sponsors children’s health programs and vaccinations world-wide.
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He has his own foundation, which sponsors public health and children’s programs, cultural and art programs, and encourages the development of small businesses.
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He has his own foundation and donates to the U.N. Foundation, which supports environmental and children’s health programs.
|
They have their own foundation, which deals primarily with biomedical research.
|
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He has his own foundation, and donates to Experience Music Project which is a nonprofit music museum.
|
She donates to various programs within Vanderbilt University such
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They donate to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the McGovern Institute for Brain Research.
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He donates to the Wharton School of Finance, University of Utah, Brigham Young University and the Huntsman Cancer Institute.
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He has his own foundation and also donates to the University of Southern California and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering.
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He donates to the Lincy Foundation, which supports humanitarian causes and supports Armenian causes.
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They donate to Maddie’s Fund, which supports stray animals and finds homes for them.
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He donates to various colleges, such as the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Idaho State University, University of Arizona, and Washington University Law School.
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Handout 3Print Handout 3
Non-Profit Organizations and Foundations
Non-Profit Organizations and Foundations
The following is a possible list to guide the learners when completing their simulation question. They were taken from the Web-site http://www.guidestar.org and chosen from many different categories. Learners can choose other non-profits or foundations if they are interested in their cause, and their mission statement can be found on the same site.
- Make-A-Wish Foundation: To grant the wishes of children aged 2 ½ to 17 with life-threatening illnesses.
- Children Affected By AIDS Foundation: To provide funding and support to non-profit organizations nationwide that provide direct care, assistance and services for children who are affected by HIV/AIDS.
- Greenpeace International, Inc.: To expose global environmental problems and to face solutions through nonviolent, creative confrontation.
- Amnesty International USA, Inc.: Works to free all prisoners of conscience detained anywhere for their beliefs or because of their ethnic origin, sex, color, or language who have not used or advocated violence; ensure fair and prompt trials for political prisoners; abolish the death penalty, torture and other cruel treatment of prisoners; end extra-judicial executions and disappearances.
- Feed the Children, Inc.: Providing physical, spiritual, educational, vocational/technical, psychological, economic and medical assistance and other necessary aid to children, families, and persons in need in the U.S. and internationally.
- Broadway Theatre Guild: Advance knowledge and awareness of dramatic and musical arts through sponsorship of professional and theatrical performances.
- Association for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: Exists to promote humane principles, prevent cruelty and alleviate pain, fear, and suffering in animals by working to provide leadership in education, public awareness, government affairs, shelter, support, animal medical services, animal placement, counseling, investigations by law enforcement, and legal support.
- Little League Baseball, Inc.: To bring adult baseball down to child size.
- Children of Domestic Violence, Inc.: Provide shelter, food and clothing to children who are victims of domestic violence.
- Communities United Against Drugs and Crime Foundation, Inc.: To provide support for, and where appropriate, establish programs related to promotion of drug-free and crime-free schools and communities.
- International Child Art Foundation: Strives to make all children more creative, imaginative and artistic, while encouraging and supporting child artists through a variety of programs.
- Compass Sexual Assault Education Prevention and Support: To meet the needs of an under-served population: victims of rape and sexual assault.
- American Heart Association: Reduce disability and death from cardiovascular disease and stroke.
- Southern Poverty Law Center: Combats hate, intolerance and discrimination through education and litigation.
- Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc.: Provides youth sports opportunities.
- American Cancer Society: To accomplish its mission of conquering cancer, the American Cancer Society collaborates with health agencies, community organizations, business leaders, legislators and educators, at the national and grassroots levels to identify and address nationwide and local cancer issues through education, patient service, research and advocacy issues.
- Axis Foundation: To introduce audiences and presenters locally, nationally, and internationally to a new form of contemporary dance by bringing to the stage an exciting and impressive body of work. Described as a “visual and physical discovery, creating fascinating works of movement art,” Axis offers audiences a unique experience in dance.
- National Junior Basketball: Community youth sports-basketball.
- Music Outreach-Learning Through Music, Inc.: Brings quality and enrichment programs to children in their formative years of growth and development through a series of Children’s Enrichment Workshops linked with School-Day Orchestral Concerts. The organization has developed creative approaches to learning and teaching that tap into children’s strengths and natural abilities.
- Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation: Raises funds to support organizations in the fight against AIDS. Contributions are made to organizations delivering direct care to AIDS patients, conducting AIDS research, and delivering AIDS education and research to the public.
Handout 4Print Handout 4
Non-Profit Organizations and Foundations - Accountability
Non-Profit Organizations and Foundations - Accountability
Some of the ways that the new philanthropists hold people accountable are:
- counting the number of children taught to read if they are sponsoring a literacy council,
- counting the number vaccinated against malaria if they are sponsoring international immunization programs,
- looking at the number of homes that are actually found for stray animals if they are sponsoring a stray animals group,
- finding out how many scholarships are provided for learnerss when donating to a university.
Information taken from:
Greenfield, Karl Taro. “A New Way of Giving.” Time Magazine, July 24, 2000, 49-51.
Unit Contents:
Overview:New Philanthropy—A Hands-On Way of Giving (The): LEAGUE Philanthropy Unit (10th) Summary
Lessons:
- 1.
- Philanthropy and Philanthropists: LEAGUE Philanthropy Unit (10th)
- 2.
- New Philanthropists (The): LEAGUE Philanthropy Unit (10th)
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