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Nonprofits in Our World and Community (6-8)

Unit of 4 lessons

6th-8th Grade

Subjects:

Language Arts, Library / Technology, Philanthropy and Social Studies

Key Words/Concepts click to view

Lesson 1 :	SOC:	11 genOn; Civil Society; Compare/Contrast; Contemporary Issues; For-Profit; Nonprofit
Lesson 2 :	SOC:	11 genOn; For-Profit; Guidestar.org; Inquiry; Nonprofit; Research
Lesson 3 :	ELA:	Career Opportunities; Interview; Questioning; Research
	SOC:	11 genOn; For-Profit; Nonprofit
Lesson 4 :	ELA:	Group Discussions; Interview; Reflection
	SOC:	11 genOn; For-Profit; Nonprofit

Unit Overview:

This unit fits into a larger theme of careers, but will focus only on knowledge and careers in the nonprofit sector. Students will begin with a basic look at nonprofit organizations. They will then research one particular organization and present their findings to the class. Based upon the nonprofit that they researched and studied, they will prepare for and then interview employees of that specific nonprofit. After conducting the interview, students will share the information they learned with the rest of the class. Finally, students will be asked to evaluate if/how this experience has changed their impression of nonprofit organizations in their community.

Unit Purpose:

By means of research, personal interviews with nonprofit representatives, and classroom presentations, students will be introduced to the nonprofit sector allowing them to recognize the essential role this sector plays in their lives and opportunities for careers in the sector.

Unit Objectives:

The learner will:

identify local and national nonprofits, evaluate the impact of the organizations, and compare them to the for-profit sector.

research the membership, responsibilities, and work of a local nonprofit.

obtain information about local nonprofits during an interview.

reflect in writing about the relationship between their lives and nonprofit organizations.

summarize information about jobs in the nonprofit sector.

share information with their peers.present information to the class.

Unit Assessment:

Students will turn in Recording Sheets I and II from Lesson One: Introduction to Nonprofits (Attachment Two) and (Attachment Three), as well as the Summary and Reflection (Attachment Four). Following the students’ research of local and national nonprofits- Lesson Two: What Does a Nonprofit Do, and for Whom?: Internet Sites of National Nonprofit Organizations (Attachment One), students will record and hand in Lesson Two: What Does a Nonprofit Do, and for Whom? (Attachment Two). Additionally, students will turn in a list of questions (general and specific) in interview format for community members who have jobs in a nonprofit organization. Students will be graded on the presentation they give to the class based on their interview. Students will also need to take notes on the information learned from other students’ presentations. Finally, students will write a one-page reflection response based on their experience with the contents of this unit.

Notes for Teaching:

It will be essential for the teacher to make arrangements in advance for the students to interview representatives of the nonprofit sector in person, by phone or by e-mail. (Lesson Three: Nonprofits in Our Community).