Financial Literacy Resources
Creative lessons and resources teaching financial literacy to youth K-12.
Paw Prints to Learning
Teach young people about animal welfare and how they CAN make a difference in animals' lives.
Activity
At-a-Glance
Time:
45 Minutes
Materials:
-
Chart paper
- Marker
- A strong rope
- A very heavy object or crate
- “Hug O'War” poem by Shel Silverstein
- Any other tools for moving the heavy object such as:
- Bungee chords
- Heavy duty tape
- Large wooden sticks
Physical Setting:
A room that allows space for the movement of the activity
Sequence:
-
15 minutes for reading poem and introduction discussion
- 20 minutes for activity
- 10 minutes for processing
Age:
- 7-11
Philanthropy is:
- Sharing time, talent and treasure, and taking action for the common good.
Purpose:
- Participants will have the opportunity to demonstrate how teamwork is effective in accomplishing a goal and in being a better philanthropist.
Objectives:
The young person will:
- recognize the importance of cooperation and teamwork.
- discover how philanthropy, teamwork and cooperation go together.
Activity Theme:
“Help other’s boat across and your own will reach the shore.”
~Hindu Proverb
Read Shel Silverstein's poem "Hug O' War" (Attachment One). Explain that we will be looking at what it is like when “everybody wins.” Discuss the difference between competition and cooperation. Ask the students why they think the author will not play tug o’ war. Today we will be doing activities where teamwork and cooperation are important. Ask the group for their definition of cooperation – what do we mean when we say cooperation? Ask participants what we mean when we say teamwork. Tell the participants that we will consider how teamwork and cooperation relate to caring and sharing in community by using your time, talent and treasures.
Activity Steps:
- Ask participants for examples they have where cooperation is important, i.e. team sports, school group projects, family related activities, service projects. Ask participants to share what these experiences were like for them as individuals and for their team. Invite the group to do an activity now that will give them a first-hand look at the effects of cooperation on teamwork.
- Show participants the heavy object that they will be moving during the activity. (Facilitator should determine the distance they must move the object based upon the age and maturity of the group) Show the participants that items are available to assist them in moving the heavy object. (Facilitator may have any number of creative possibilities including a strong rope, bungee cords or tape) Instruct the participants to think of as many ways as possible to move the heavy object. Facilitator records their ideas.
- Ask for a few individual volunteers to try moving the object. Cross out the suggestions from the list that did not work.
- Form groups of approximately 5-6 people. Ask the groups to generate ideas for moving the object, working together in a cooperative way. Add these to the list if they are new. Ask: How do these ideas differ from the ones that were tried and crossed out?
- Instruct the groups that we will now see if they can move the object using one of the group's ideas. Remind them that everyone in the group must participate in some way in moving the object. (One cooperative method that works is to tie a rope around the heavy object and have all of the group members pull together.)
- Once each group has successfully moved the heavy object, begin the processing.
Processing Questions:
- Tell me what happened when an individual working alone attempted to move the heavy object. How did you feel during the attempts where you were not successful?
- Tell me what happened during the second attempt when you cooperated. How did you feel as an individual during the attempt that involved more cooperation?
- What talent(s) did you use during this activity to help the group be successful and how did you use them?
- What are other places in your lives where cooperation is important?
- What do we want to remember about cooperation, and caring and sharing in the community from this activity?
Variation:
Instruct participants to color a picture representing what happens when everyone cooperates in the community.
Supplemental Activity:
Ask participants to check with family members about all the ways cooperation is important in their work or as they volunteer in the community.
Activity Source:
Learning to Give Lesson (K-2) “Hug O' War”
Unit “Philanthropic Behavior”
Additional Resources:
Teamwork - Habitat For Humanity
Learning to Give Lesson (3-5) “Too Big a Task”
Unit “Philanthropy in Literature”
Cooperation
Learning to Give Lesson (K-2) “Cooperative Building”
Unit “Philanthropic Behavior”
Teamwork
Learning to Give Lesson (K-2) “Picture-Go-Round (Responsible Personal Conduct)”
Unit “Growing as a Group”
Attachment One
Hug O' War
I'd rather play at hug o' war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins.
By Shel Silverstein
From the book Where the Sidewalk Ends
Philanthropy Theme Framework :
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