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.
To accomplish a goal together through the use of teamwork skills, problem solving, risk taking and perseverance.
Turnstile is a problem solving activity that gets many students out of their comfort zone. Although it looks like a simple jump rope activity...
The young people create a video by compiling recordings of the songs and acting they did as a group to communicate the meaning of acting for the common good. They share their video with a local hospital, retirement community, or preschool as entertainment.
Learners look at different scenarios and explore the pros and cons of acting with integrity when no one is watching.
Learners define bullying and describe what bullying behavior looks and feels like. In contrast, they experience the feelings of being helpful and nice to peers when they need it.
Youth Activity: Youth explore the meaning of "common good," which is part of the definition of philanthropy.
"A community is only as good as its most unhealthy part." - anonymous
Students determine which community need they want to address with a service project. Once a priority need has been determined, they research related nonprofit organizations with a student-generated list of questions.
The learners define and explain the importance of civic engagement and responsible citizenship. They explore the reasons why people may hesitate to become involved in solving problems and consider ways in which they can be "part of the solution" rather than a "part of the problem."
The learners break down the steps of decision-making in taking responsibility and apply it to a responsibility that is harder to follow.
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).