When times are hard, it is sometimes difficult to remember that the things that count are not material, and the people who make a difference in our lives are the ones we often take for granted. We read five Jewish folktales that reveal gifts of generosity in everyday events of life. Through...
Wealth may be measured in something other than money. We may feel wealthy if we have a loving family or good health. Community wealth may be in relationships, respectful leaders, and good places to visit.
Through folktales from around the world, learners explore humans' important role as caretakers of the Earth and the role of civil society in environmental stewardship.
In this lesson we learn the history of the Indigenous people who lived in our specific area. We learn that language matters, and there is a respectful way to talk about the heritage of a person who was first to live in an area.
Introduce the philanthropic behavior of Native Americans through the speech attributed to Chief Seattle, using the book Brother Eagle, Sister Sky: The Words of Chief Seattle.
This beautiful documentary The Gift of All: a Community of Givers shares the motivations and attributes of the generous people interviewed. In response, the learners create their own short biographies of philanthropists in their community.
Introduce the folksinger, Woody Guthrie, and his legendary song This Land Is Your Land. Talk about ways we are generous for the good of others. This can be by lifting someone's spirits or taking care of the land we all share.
Students gain empathy and use language to describe the mixed feelings that come with being new to a community. They watch and discuss video clips and compare character traits. Then they read a book and discuss how the book guides them to welcome new students to the classroom as the year...
Learners use visual literacy skills to analyze the components and message of an image. The students identify issues that are meaningful to them and create a simple image/message and then design a social media campaign to advocate for their issue.
We learn about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her leadership of the woman's suffrage movement. At the time it was hard for some people to see that women deserved equality or that change was possible, but her persistence and organization techniques helped raise awareness and involvement....