Students analyze survey results, choose a community health need, and design a service project to address it.

Learners will:

• analyze collected data.
• work together to select a health need for a class service project.
• outline and plan their service project.
• identify potential sponsors and contributors from businesses, groups and individuals.
• carry out their planned service project.
• reflect on the impact of the service project.
• demonstrate the impact of their service project by summarizing data.
• celebrate their hard work and efforts to make the community healthier.

• advocate: (v) to speak or write in favor in; to support by argument
• community needs: conditions that are essential to improving a community
• persuade: to move someone to a new belief or action using argument
• public service announcement: an advertisement broadcast on radio or television, intended to change attitudes by raising awareness about specific issues
• network: (V) to communicate with others to gain assistance or support
• media: tools used to deliver information or data, usually radio, TV, movies, magazines, newspaper, Facebook, and Twitter
• service: useful work that one is not paid for
• teamwork: cooperative work done by a team
• partnership: a relationship involving close cooperation between parties, having shared rights and responsibilities
• energy: the capacity of acting or being active, available power
• health: the state of being in sound body, mind, and spirit
• reflection: looking back at the experience, evaluating, and applying what is learned to future experiences

Session One:

• What makes decision-making easy? What makes it difficult?  (Answers will vary.)
• What will help us decide which community needs to address with our service project? (Depends on the data.)
• What will help us to make good decisions? (Using what we know and the data we collected wisely.)

• Have students fill out their Food and Exercise Logs (Lesson Two, Handout 2). Then have them review all their log entries. Do they see any changes in eating or exercise or TV time habits? Are they eating more fruits and vegetables and less junk food (extras)? Are they more aware of what they eat and how much? Are they exercising more?
• Review all collected data from health surveys and interviews in the previous lesson. Record the results on chart paper or the board. Review each survey question, identify the need it addresses, and record it. Use a simple tally chart to determine which needs were identified as most important. For example:

• Circle or star the three most important community needs. By a show of hands, have students identify the topic they would most like to work on. Explain that today they are selecting a topic. Planning the service project will begin in the next session.
• Group students who chose the same topic. Give them 10-15 minutes to meet and make a list of the reasons why they believe this topic is the one the class should pick.
• Have each group present their arguments for their chosen topics in an effort to persuade others. (The groups may talk about ways to combine two of the top three choices.)
• Take a vote to elect a topic for the service project. Hopefully, a majority of students will vote for the same topic. If not, repeat the above activity. Tell students to come up with better/more persuasive arguments for their favorite topic.
• Post a brainstormed list of project formats (advocacy, fundraising, volunteering, letter-writing, working with a community partner) so students can start thinking about what form the service project might take.

Session Two: 

• Play the following cooperative game, Hula Hoop Around the Loop, to reinforce the need for cooperation as the students work together in this session to create their service project plan. Have students hold hands in a circle. Place a hula hoop around one pair of students’ held hands. When the facilitator says, “go,” students move the hoop around the circle without letting go of hands. When the hoop has made a loop, record the time. Talk about what worked and didn’t work. Then have students play again, challenging them to better their time.
• Ask the following reflection questions:
  • What worked?
  • How did you help each other to get the hoop around?
  • Why was it important for everyone to cooperate to move the hoop?

• Before the class begins to define and plan their service project, read and discuss Examples of Kids in Action (Handout 1). 
• Then distribute the IGNITE book pages (Handout 2)  to help the class plan their project. Explain that the title, IGNITE, means to catch fire and spread – just like the healthy-living messages of the service project.
• Explain that IGNITE is an acronym for the important steps in a service project: I-Identify, G-Gather, N-Network, I-Inform, T-Teamwork, and E-Encourage. Go through the steps in detail and have the students plan for the steps.
  • Step One: Identify the specific needs of the community and a service project to meet these needs from the previous session. Have students summarize the service project on the Ignite page.
  • Step Two: Gather supplies to help you with this project. What items, objects, materials, and/or pieces does service project need? List the needed materials on chart paper as students record the list in their booklets.
  • Step Three: Network with others in the community. Think about who can help. Brainstorm community members and organizations that might partner with students on the service project. The partner may donate supplies and materials, provide a location, or contribute adult supervisors and/or chaperones. List possible partners for students to contact on chart paper while students record the list in their books.
  • Step Four: Inform others about the project. Discuss ways to get the word out. Brainstorm ways to involve other students, classes, teachers, parents, community members, and the media about the project. Get their input and get them onboard. List ways to spread the word on a chart as students record ideas in their books.
  • Step Five: Teamwork makes a more successful project. Throughout BHC, students have worked cooperatively to play games, brainstorm, and create. On the Teamwork page, have students list ways teammates can work together and support each other’s efforts.
  • Step Six: Encourage one another. Planning a big project will have its ups and down. Remind students to remain positive throughout the planning process and keep their eye on the service project goal. Have students write and share positive affirmations to use during the service project.
• Depending on the chosen project, you may need to consider some or all of these components:
  • Project location
  • Partnerships and co-sponsors
  • Necessary supplies
  • Expenses and Fundraising
  • Transportation to and from the project
  • Time needed to carry out the project
  • Permission slips from parents or guardians
     
• After brainstorming project needs, use the Service Project Planning Worksheet (Handout 3) to write the goals and begin listing supplies needed and organizations the group might want to contact.
• Call for volunteers to take on specific tasks on the Service Project Task List (Handout 4). Ensure that task distribution is fair and manageable for each student.
• Collect the IGNITE books and worksheets from the students to be continued in the next session.

Session Three:

Anticipatory Set: (Estimated Time: 10 minutes)

• What actions did each player need to do to play the game? (Catch and throw the ball)
• What did players need to remember to play the game successfully? (Who threw them the ball and then who they threw the ball to.)
• What happened/what do you think would happen if a player stopped paying attention? (They might miss/drop the ball, forget who to toss it to, break the rhythm of the game.)
• What aspects of the game can we apply to our service project? (Working together, each doing his/her part, keeping the game/project moving.)

• Give students their IGNITE Booklets and display the planning and task lists from the last session to add to and use as references.
• Review worksheets and IGNITE Book notes from the last session. Discuss what they need to add in order to continue planning.
• Consider the following:
  • What supplies will we need for the project? Estimate the cost of each item. Make notes on where supplies can be purchased. Ask volunteers to do preliminary shopping to get actual prices and bring this information to the next session.
  • If we need money, how much?
• How can we raise money or get donations? Brainstorm ideas for fundraising and soliciting donations. 
  • Fundraising ideas: Sell Healthy Living buttons/wristbands, package and sell healthy snacks in the school lunchroom/cafeteria. Have a small group volunteer to research options, calculate costs, and get permission. Groups will report back to the class in the next session.
  • Donation ideas: Letter-writing to local businesses, presenting project planning charts and diagrams to local banks, businesses, local media (social media, newspaper, TV and radio stations), partnering with PTA and other parent–teacher groups. Have a small group of volunteers draft sample letters to use to solicit donations and/or arrange for meetings to present project charts. Distribute Sample Letters (see Resources) to guide their letter-writing drafts. Groups will report back to the class in the next session.
  • Will we need space for the event? If so, where? Who will we need to contact or ask for permission?
  • About how much time will it take to plan and carry out?

Session Four:

Anticipatory Set: (Estimated Time: 10 minutes)

Introduce today’s theme: Partnerships. We form partnerships when we team up with others to get a job done. Define partnership as a relationship involving close cooperation between parties, having shared rights and responsibilities. Play the game Balloon Walk to practice working in partnerships. Move students into partner teams. Each team of two receives one balloon. Each pair must work together to carry the balloon from one end of the room to the other by walking with the balloon between their backs. Ask the following reflection questions:

• How did you work as partners to achieve the goal?
• What was important about working as a team?
• How will we use what we learned about working with others as we plan our service project?

• Review fundraising and sponsorship ideas from the previous session:
• Donation ideas: Letter-writing to local businesses, presenting project planning charts and diagrams to local banks, businesses, local TV and radio stations, and partnering with PTA and other parent-teacher groups.
• Continue to discuss and add other ideas to the class list. Students add additional details and ideas to the Network and Inform sections of their IGNITE Books.
• Have individuals, pairs, or small groups report to the class on their efforts, sharing first drafts of letters and other communications and opportunities. Work together to refine and finalize letters. Add relevant information to Service Project Planning Worksheet
• If you have Internet access, go to www.handsonnetwork to search for organizations in your area that might already be doing something similar. Those organizations might be able to help—or maybe you can help them.
• Use a local phonebook and/or newspaper to search for organizations that are active in the community.
• Encourage students to take on appropriate individual responsibilities, based on their breakdown of the Project Task List in the last session. For example, some students may write letters while others role-play to prepare to approach a business in person or by phone. Work with your group to determine how best to spend group time.
• Discuss the importance of the “I” in IGNITE: Inform. Brainstorm additional ways to inform others about good health and the service project. Have students expand and add details to the I page of their IGNITE Books. For example:
  • Design flyers or write letters to inform other students, parents, community members and the media aboutyour project.
  • Add to an ongoing project bulletin board.
• Have students work independently or with one or two partners to create an item to inform the community for the service project. Add their plans to the Service Project Task List chart, with a deadline of the next session. Begin planning at the end of this session by providing any needed art materials.

Session Five:

Anticipatory Set:  (Estimated Time: 10 minutes)

• What did each team need to do to play? (Hold the ship and run with it, then get inside/on top of it, and race to the finish line.)
• In what ways did each crew use teamwork to succeed? (Answers may include encouraging others and following instructions)

• Distribute students’ IGNITE Booklets.
• Students share/display their Inform task assignments (posters, flyers) from the previous session. Invite students to make comments, including editorial and encouraging notes.
• Finalize Inform task projects and plan to display around the school or community. Have small teams of students volunteer to distribute or put up posters, as appropriate.
• Add notes to the Inform page of IGNITE Books about completing tasks.
• Finalize Networking tasks. Identify who will call or meet with specific potential partners, sponsors, and those willing to donate materials, time, and/or expertise. Have small teams of students volunteer to deliver letters, make phone calls, and lead meetings. Add this information to Service Project Task List. The deadline for these tasks is the next session.
• Check that all needed materials have been collected and created as appropriate for the project. If there are outstanding components, list them and have small groups of volunteers take on the task of collecting or creating as needed.

Session Six:

Anticipatory Set (Estimated Time: 5 minutes) Today's session is the implementation of the service project.

• Why is this event so important?
• What are our goals for the day?
• How will we show others that we are excited about our service project?
• How will we know that today was a success?

• Guide students as they carry out their service projects.
• Be available to facilitate without giving directions or solving problems for the students. Set the parameters for time and place, help them brainstorm solutions to issues that arise, and give moral support, as needed.
• At the end of the day, service project activity, or presentation, distribute Community Response Forms (Handout 5) to willing participants.
• Set up a box nearby for completed response forms.

Session Seven:

Anticipatory Set: (Estimated Time: 5 minutes)

Say, "Today’s theme is Celebration. We celebrate by recognizing and demonstrating our accomplishments and by thanking others who helped to make our project successful."

• Invite volunteers, community members, family, and other students to an event at which students share the results of their service project.
• Before the event, gather all the data, pictures, and examples of the classroom work done in preparation for the service action.
• Display the data in the meeting space. Have students prepare and practice presentations (some may have been prepared in previous sessions).
• On the day of the celebration/demonstration, welcome students and guests and explain that today is a celebration of our service project.
• Allow some time for students to present and share their projects.
• Move students and guests into small reflection groups and ask them to answer the following questions:
  • Through this service project, what did you learn about yourself?
  • What did you learn about working with others?
  • What did you learn about your community and your relationship to the community?
  • What went well?
  • What would you change about this project?
  • How did your project contribute to improving the community’s health?
  • How will you use what you learned through this experience?
  • What surprised you most about yourself, others, or the community?
     
• Ask each small group to share three of its responses with the class.
• Thank those who helped to make the project happen.
• Send thank you letters to anyone who donated time, money, and/or supplies including local organizations, businesses, parents, teachers, principals, etc.  
• Exit card: Have students write about their efficacy as assets to their community: What contribution did you make to the health of your community? What do you think you might do next?

Have each student complete the Service Project Checklist (Handout 6), adding notes to describe what they did for each part of the project.