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:
50-60 minutes
Materials:
- Local newspaper
- Easel and newsprint
- Markers
Physical Setting:
Large, open space where participants can form a circle and work in small groups
Sequence:
- 10 minutes for an introduction
- 20 minutes for storytelling and discussion
- 10 minutes to review the newspaper for stories
- 10 minutes for reflection and article writing
- 10 minutes for sharing stories/pictures with others
Youth Workers
Passing It On
Youth as Philanthropists
Objectives:
- To encourage participants to share their newfound information about philanthropy with family, friends, and others
- To introduce the concept of serial reciprocity
Activity Theme:
“Life’s most urgent question is: What are you doing for others?”
~Martin Luther King, Jr.
A wonderful story to read for this activity is from the Stone Soup for the World book, published by Conari Press, Berkeley, California, 1998. The story is “Food from the ‘Hood’”, Storyteller, Jeffery Madison, pages 151-153
Other resources for stories include the “Chicken Soup,” series by Jack Canfield, “What Do You Stand for? A Kid’s Guide to Building Character by Barbara Lewis, and “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens” by Sean Covey
The facilitator explains that the group is going to do an activity that is similar to one they might have done when they were younger. It is called “Pass It On.” Have the group form a circle either in chairs, standing or sitting on the floor. If there are more than 15 people partici¬pating, break into groups of 10 to 15 people per group for the activity.
Each group can do the activity simultaneously. Select one person to begin by whispering a sentence to the person to their right, who will in turn pass it on to the next person, to the next person and so on. Each person is to whisper it as clearly as possible to the next without the rest of the group hearing it. Once everyone understands the in¬structions, begin. The sentence to be passed on is: “Doing good for others makes the world a better place for all of us; pass it on.”
When the last person has received the message, ask them to tell aloud to the group what they heard. It might be comical what is finally passed on to the last person. Explain to the group that this act of “passing on good works or deeds”, is called “serial reciprocity.” Write the definition on flip chart paper, blackboard, etc. The facilitator posts the definition for serial reciprocity for the group to see.
Definition: SERIAL RECIPROCITY: Philanthropic acts that encourage more philanthropic acts.
Activity:
The facilitator asks the participants to listen carefully to a story and begin to think how they might “pass on” the work they have been doing and to whom they might “pass it on.” Read the story “Food from the ‘Hood’” to the group or another story you have selected.
Processing:
NOTE: Processing questions are based on using the Food from the ‘Hood story. Facilitator will have to make up similar questions if a different story is used.
After reading the story the facilitator leads the group through a discussion:
- What persons in the story practiced serial reciprocity?
- How did the students who were involved in the garden demonstrate serial reciprocity?
- How did their scholarship program demonstrate serial reciprocity?
- Do you think those students who received the scholarships might begin to “pass it on” as well?
- Would Karla have been able to do what she did without the support of others?
- Do you ever have an idea you want to try but are afraid to do it by yourself? Think of a friend(s) who might have helped you if you had just asked them to.
- Are there things that could be done in this organization that could get started today if you went outside the meeting room and just asked? What might some of these things be?
Application:
NEWSPAPER REVIEW:
The facilitator divides the participants into groups and gives each group several issues of the local newspaper. He/she asks the group to look for examples of serial reciprocity in the newspaper.
NOTE: Several issues of the local newspaper might need to be distributed so a variety of examples is given. The facilitator brings the groups together and asks each group to give an example they found and why the group thought
it demonstrated serial reciprocity.
“YOU PASSING IT ON”
The facilitator gives each person a piece of paper and pencil. The participants are to think of a project or activity they have wanted to do. Now, that each participant is a philanthropist they need to think of how they are able to pass on the role to others. The facilitator gives enough time for each to think of an activity and think of 2 or 3 people whom they could bring together to help with it. That is the practice of serial reciprocity.
The participants are asked to write a newspaper article about their friends doing an activity that involves doing good for others because something good has been done for them. For those who might not want to write, have them draw a picture with a caption underneath.
If time permits, invite the participants to share with each other in large or small groups.
ASSIGNMENT
Over the next week, the participants are to look in their local paper for other examples of serial reciprocity. Ask them to point out these stories to parents, guardians or teachers and explain why it is important to always “pass it on!”