All people have need for and deserve friendship and belonging. In this lesson, we explore the elements of community relationships, like kindness, inclusion, listening, and trust. The children compile pages to make a big book that teaches others to be caring community members. 

This lesson introduces Alfred Nobel and his legacy, the Nobel Peace Prize. 

Depictions of hunger in excerpts from Jane Eyre and Oliver Twist provide concrete images of hunger as learners determine its causes and decide whether to support a change in U.S. public policy related to the issue.

Through discussion of the book The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss, we learn about tolerance and the value of diversity in community. 

With guidance from a local environmental agency, prepare the youth in advance of volunteering their time to clean up a lake or river for the common good. Arrange a field trip that includes picking up trash and recording the data. 

Young people read about the talents and interests of people who took action for the common good during the Civil War and Reconstruction. The youth identify some of their own talents and match them to nonprofit organizations they can support today.

Through discussion of the book The Seven Chinese Brothers, learners recognize that using our talents and working together to help others has benefits greater than the opportunity cost (what we gave up to take generous action). 

Young people discuss and debate the issues related to ethical consumerism and the common good, and consider how their spending habits reflect their values.

Learners relate enlightened self-interest to caring by discussing a quote from Alexis de Tocqueville about the American tradition of democracy.

Learners talk about the uses of water and understand its importance to our world.