Students define community and recognize that a class or after-school group is a community because the members share interests and goals and work together. Focus Questions: What is a community and what is my role? What is health and why is it important?
Motivated by the song "This Land is Your Land," learners locate areas on a U.S. map and discuss the definitions of community, philanthropy, and volunteer. They picture themselves as volunteers, helping others.
Participants explore Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s thoughts about serving and taking action. They give examples of service and social action by one person that can change the world.
Youth Activity; Students read about the philanthropy of Madam C.J. Walker, David Robinson, and Jason Crowe, and they begin to tell their own story.
"I do what I do for a simple reason, really; I like to help people." - middle school student
The youth take action by determining ways to reduce their own use of plastic bags and by advocating for ways to reduce the use of plastic bags in their own households, the community, state and nation. To take further action, they may propose ways to influence government officials...
In this lesson, learners read primary documents that illustrate the motivations of the founding fathers of the United States related to philanthropy (government by the people, advocacy, civil rights, shared power). We have a long history of demanding civil rights for a population that was...
In civil society, different people come together to form community. While differences may cause conflict, for the sake of the common good, we practice empathy and respect for others. Students respond to scenarios of differences in opinion. They learn to communicate respectfully with someone of a...
The learners explore the building grounds or neighborhood, looking for places that need extra attention and stewardship. When they find a spot to care for, they must find out who the stakeholders are and interview them. Listening to different perspectives before making a plan of action shows...
This lesson introduces the learner to some of the resources--individual, organizational (for profit and non profit), and governmental-- available to provide forewarning/alert, preparedness programs, as well as relief during and in the aftermath of natural disasters.
In a kid-friendly approach, we look at the components of the U.S. Constitution and put early government-forming events in a context. We distinguish the roles of the three branches of government, especially the structure and responsibilities of our judicial system.