Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement
generationOn
Purpose:
Students are introduced to philanthropy and service-learning. They learn about different needs in the community and community organizations that address these needs. Students are introduced to the full scope of the Project Based Learning (PBL) project. They establish the "Knows and Need to Knows" for the project.
Duration:
Two 45-Minute Class Periods
Objectives:
The learner will:
- define philanthropy as "the giving of one's time, talent or treasure or taking voluntary action for the common good ."
- select issue areas of interest to address through a project.
- brainstorm examples of ways to share their time, talent, and treasure or take action for the common good.
Vocabulary:
- philanthropy: the giving of one's time, talent or treasure or taking voluntary action for the common good
- service-learning: goes beyond volunteerism, community service and youth service by connecting the service experience to the school curriculum and by requiring students to reflect on the meaning they attach to the service they performed
- common good: working together with other members of the community for the greater benefit of all; promoting the welfare of the community
- project-based learning (PBL): the use of in-depth and rigorous classroom projects to facilitate learning and assess student competence. Students use technology and inquiry to respond to a complex issue, problem or challenge. PBL focuses on student-centered inquiry and group learning with the teacher acting as facilitator.
- community needs: conditions that are essential to improving a community
Materials:
- student copies of handouts
- index cards or paper for Exit Tickets (see Assessment for explanation of exit tickets)
Teacher Preparation:
In advance of Day One, contact local nonprofit organizations to invite them to speak to youth (in small break-out sessions) about their mission and why their services are important in the community. Invite someone from the local community foundation or a local philanthropists who can speak to the whole class about the importance of philanthropy, volunteering, and civic engagement.
Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set:
Have a guest speaker from a local community foundation speak to the class about the importance of philanthropy, volunteering, and civic engagement. Encourage the speaker to give specific examples of community needs that cannot be met by government and business, and need intervention from the civil society sector.
Day One:
- After the initial guest speaker presentation, set up booths where other guest speakers share information about the mission and work of their specific nonprofit organizations.
- Have students break out into small groups and visit with the other speakers on a rotating or choice basis. (This could also be spread out among classrooms with students changing classrooms to visit speakers about issue areas that are important to them.)
- Students complete an exit ticket after attending sessions. See Assessment below.
Day Two:
- Students complete the Problem Statement (Handout One) to explain how they plan to address the driving question of "How can students create positive change in our community? This may start out as individual or small group brainstorming, and may end up as a class problem statement. The class may agree on one statement (which can change as the project develops), or they may decide to work in two or more smaller groups.
- Students will also complete Handout Two: "Knows and Need to Knows" either as a class or in small groups.
- If students struggle with developing ideas, have them reference Handout Three: "A Dozen Types of Community Needs."
Youth Voice:
The students have an opportunity to express their preference and opinion when answering the question on the Exit Ticket.
Assessment:
Exit ticket
At the end of Day One, have students submit an index card as they exit the room. On the card, the student defines philanthropy in his or her own words and describes the community need that interests him or her the most. The ideas arise from the different speakers presenting on different issue areas.
School/Home Connection:
For homework after Day One, students ask parents/guardians/neighbors about service projects or volunteering with which they participate. Students gather information from their parents/guardians/neighbors about potential service organizations and issue areas and needs to address in the community.
Cross-Curriculum Extensions:
Technology: Conduct internet research about volunteer opportunities and local community needs.
Reflection: (click to view)
Handouts:
Handout 1Print Handout 1
Problem Statement
Driving Question: How can students create positive change in our community?
Write a Problem Statement –- How you will answer the Driving Question. Note: For ideas, you may refer to Handout Three that lists several issue areas and examples of community partner organizations.
Brainstorming Area
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Task:
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Teacher Signature
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Complete Problem Statement
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Brainstorm
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Knows and Need to Knows (Handout Two)
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Handout 2Print Handout 2
Knows and Need to Knows
What do you already know about the topic? What skills do you have? What do you already know about the project expectations and resources?
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Skills |
Project |
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What do you need to know about the topic? What skills do you need to have to complete the research or project? What do you need to find out about the project expectations and resources?
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Skills |
Project |
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Handout 3Print Handout 3
A Dozen Types of Community Needs
Center for Global Ethics
Unit Contents:
Overview:Power of Children (The) Summary
Lessons:
- 1.
- Speaking of the Community--Step One: Identify the Problem
- 2.
- Righteous Rubrics--Step Two: Solution Criteria
- 3.
- What Do You Propose?--Step Three: Solution Research
- 4.
- Two, Four, Six, Eight, Let's All Collaborate--
Step Four: Picking a Solution - 5.
- The Expo Experience--Step Five: Create and Run Solution
- 6.
- Mirror, Mirror--Step Six: Reflection
All rights reserved. Permission is granted to freely use this information for nonprofit (noncommercial), educational purposes only. Copyright must be acknowledged on all copies.
