Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE

Age:

• 7-11

Philanthropy is:

• Sharing time, talent and treasure, and taking action for the common good.

Purpose:

• Participants will see the importance of protecting the environment as a philanthropic action.

Objectives:

The young person will:

• explain the importance of water conservation.
• identify the many uses of water in our daily lives.
• determine the amount of water used in various activities.
• understand that our water supply is limited.
• identify preserving our environment as a philanthropic act.

Activity Theme:

“We did not weave the web of life; we are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.”

~ Chief Seattle, leader of the Suquamish tribe in the Pacific Northwest, most famous for his 1854 speech on environmentalism

Activity Steps:

• Begin by holding up a gallon of water and asking participants to estimate how many gallons of water each of them uses every day. Have participants write down their estimates and put them aside for future reference.

• Divide the participants into small groups of 3-4 people. Ask them to brainstorm all the ways they can think of that they use water every day. Compile a complete list of the answers the groups made. Ask the youth to share the amounts they estimated at the beginning of class. (You will get a very wide range.)
• Distribute Attachment One - Common Water Uses and Amounts showing statistics of how much water various activities use. Using a gallon jug, explain that two-thirds of the people in the world use just thirteen gallons of water each day. Ask how this compares with their estimates. Explain that the average person in the United States uses approximately 100-105 gallons of water each day. Attachment One also provides the group with statistics that show the amount of water it takes to produce several common items we use every day such as a tomato, a gallon of milk, energy to light a light bulb and production of newsprint. Ask for reactions to these statistics.
• Ask the participants to guess how much of the earth's water is available for use by humans and animals. After several estimates, explain that only three percent of the total amount of the earth's water is fresh water; and of that three percent, only one percent is actually available for our use. The rest is too deep underground or locked up in ice caps. (If working with very young children, this percentage can be illustrated by showing a group of 100 objects such as pennies or dried beans and then removing three of them.)
• Explain that being careful about using our natural resources, including water, is called conservation, and practicing conservation is an example of environmental stewardship.

Processing Questions:

1. Why do you think water conservation is important?
2. Why do you think Americans use more water than the people from other nations?
3. What are some ways that you can conserve water everyday?
4. What surprised you the most about what you discovered in this activity?
5. What else would you like to learn about the earth's supply of water?

Variation:

Read and discuss key thoughts and ideas from the speech given by Chief Seattle, Leader of the Susquamish Nation, and compare its relevancy to today's world. Are we listening? What else can we do? (Note: the speech can be found on the Internet or at the local library in this book:

Seattle, Chief . Brother Eagle, Sister Sky: A Message from Chief Seattle. Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0803709692

Plan your own Earth Day for your youth group, community or school. Learn about the first Earth Day held in the late 70's—and how it still relates to the youth of today. This is a great way to do an inter-generational project. Notify the local media. Do your research, planning, prepare ways for people to get involved, learn and have fun. Help the participants understand that they can serve as a good role models for the community. People will follow what you do, not what you say!

Supplemental Activity:

Provide Attachment Two- Recording Sheet for Water Usage for participants to record the amount of water they use for the next 24 hours. Findings can be briefly discussed at the next group meeting.

Activity Source:

Learning to Give Lesson (6-8) “Where Has all the Water Gone?”

Unit “Water Resources and the Role of...”

Additional Resources:

Native Americans

Learning to Give Lesson (3-5) “First Conservationists”

Unit “Real Heroes”

Native Americans

Learning to Give Lesson (3-5) “Native Americans and Giving”

Unit “How Did We Help”

Recycling

Learning to Give Lesson (3-5) “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!”

Unit “Earth Connections”

Philanthropy Theme Framework :

Strand Standard Benchmark PHIL I. Definitions of Philanthropy DP 01. Define Philanthropy E 3. Recognize that citizens have a responsibility for the common good, and define core democratic values. PHIL I. Definitions of Philanthropy DP 04. Operational Characteristics of Nonprofit Organizations E 1. Describe how citizens organize in response to a need. PHIL I. Definitions of Philanthropy DP 05. Role of Foundations E 4. Describe the concept of saving for the future. PHIL II. Philanthropy and Civil Society PCS03. Philanthropy and Economics E 5. Recognize the wise use of resources as stewardship. PHIL II. Philanthropy and Civil Society PCS04. Philanthropy and Geography E 3. Describe the "characteristics of place" related to the school and neighborhood. PHIL II. Philanthropy and Civil Society PCS05. Philanthropy and Government E 3. Discuss the importance of personal virtue, good character, and ethical behavior in a democracy. PHIL III. Philanthropy and the Individual PI 01. Reasons for Individual Philanthropy E 1. Describe one reason why a person might give or volunteer. PHIL III. Philanthropy and the Individual PI 01. Reasons for Individual Philanthropy E 2. Identify why people practice philanthropy related to their own self-interest.