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."
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Unit: Generosity of Spirit Folktales
Unit: From Passion to Career: Leadership Paths
Students read and analyze different leadership types and then create a visual presentation about a "servant leader" who puts the needs of those served first. They may explore the rich Our State of Generosity website to read about...
Unit: Community Health and Safety
The group collaborates to plan, carry out, and reflect on an authentic service project that meets the health and safety needs of the community. This is based on the needs assessment conducted through surveying community members in previous lessons.
Unit: Road Less Traveled
In this lesson, participants read quotes and background on European Americans that exemplify their giving traditions. They listen and summarize passages, and then illustrate one person's view or experience and place the illustration and quote on a classroom...
Unit: Art for the Common Good—Junkanoo!
Junkanoo is a Bahamian Festival that takes place in December. The festival was started by slaves who were restoring some of their native customs that they left behind in Africa. Junkanoo is a nice example of artistic expression communicating aspects of a...
Unit: Early American Influences
Benjamin Franklin's work was in service to making a better world, and he influenced the nonprofit sector. His book, Poor Richards Almanack, makes connections to the common good through personal virtue and actions. The participants choose quotes to create posters that communicate...
Unit: Opening Our Hearts and Hands to Others (Tzedakah)
This lesson focuses on eight levels of tzedakah (charity) that were identified by a great Jewish thinker known as Rabbi Moses Maimonides. Students will investigate various ways to give charity and gain an appreciation of how people give of their time, talent or treasure. They will...
Unit:
The participants investigate the roles of historical and contemporary Latino philanthropists. They will look at the work of César Chávez and Dolores Huerta in the farm labor movement within the historical context of Latino activism in the United States.
Unit: Phil Up on the Arts
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.
Unit: Philanthropy—A Day at the Beach
This lesson is a reflection on the beach clean-up experience.