These Australian folktales compare selfish and unselfish behaviors and tell the origin story of our permanent responsibility as caretaker of the land.
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Unit: Generosity of Spirit Folktales
Learners analyze characters in five European folktales, particularly female characters. They analyze what small acts of kindness contribute to both the giver and receiver.
Sometimes you have to give up what you truly love to get what you really want. That can be a hard lesson when you have almost nothing. This lesson looks at who has the responsibility to be generous and what changes can come about because of one’s generosity.
In the featured folktales, we learn the impact of misjudging the character of another, and understand that an evil act does not require a person to return evil with evil.
There are times when a person learns that it is better not to give a generous gift at all if it will be disrespected by the receiver. There are also times a person may realize too late that there is a cost for bad behavior.
As demonstrated in these folktales, even the smallest things, when shared, can be examples of philanthropy.
Learners explore character traits and life lessons through folktales from various American cultures. The stories illustrate the impact of "paying a debt forward" rather than "paying it back."
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.
Unit: Character Education: Courage (Grade 6)
In this lesson, learners recognize that courage is something we need when making a difficult choice about something important. A hero makes courageous choices for the good of all, sometimes risking personal safety and comfort.
Unit: Poetry for the Common Good
We find poetry everywhere: lyrics to songs, commercials, and picture books. Poems express strong emotions and observations of relationships with each other and the world. Sharing their poems to communicate care can be an act of generosity.