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The Million-Mile Journey

Grades: 
6, 7, 8
Subjects: 
Arts Education
Language Arts
Philanthropy
Social Studies
Keywords & Concepts: 
Chronology
Communities
Cultural/Historical Contexts
Good Character
Group Discussions
Human Characteristics of Place
Immigration
Maps
October
Personal Virtue
Philanthropic Traditions
Timelines
Visual Arts

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 timeline in relation to the others' illustrations and quotes (and historical context). They each report on their person in timeline order and discuss similarities across European American views.

Duration 
PrintOne 45-Minute Session
Objectives 
  • summarize a European American perspective and place in context. 
  • illustrate a concept adn viewpoint related to European philanthropy.
Materials 
  • copies of the quotes and backgrounds of 15 European Americans
  • white paper
  • banner paper set up as a timeline, starting with 1625 and moving in 25-year intervals up to 1850 with space for illustrations and quotes
  • copies of the Vocabulary List from Lesson One
Bibliography 

Halamandaris,Val. Caring Quotes: A Compendium of Caring Thought. Washington, D.C.: Caring Publishing, 1994. ISBN: 1886450013

Related Resources 

Instructions

Print

  1. Anticipatory Set:

    Have participants help identify/locate the following countries on a map: England, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Ireland, and Germany. Discuss the early American history of European settlers from these countries -- why they came, where they settled, and what traditions they brought along (food, language, giving traditions). 

  2. Working in groups of four, participants read together a copy of Historic Excerpts of The Europeans (handout). They may take turns reading aloud. Once they have completed the reading, instruct them to put the examples in chronological order.

  3. There are 15 people on the handout. Assign each historical person to a pair of of youth. The pair rereads their person's quote or summary and discusses how they will illustrate a representation of the person or quote about giving. They will glue their illustration and quote to a class timeline.  

  4. When the timeline is done, discuss the timeline as a whole class. Each pair briefly summarizes the giving philosophy of their person in order of the timeline. 

    Discuss the key themes and similarities of the different European Americans. What are the key ideas and traditions, and what are the unique ideas? Write some of these summary statements and display with the timeline for others to learn from.

  5. Have participants refer to their Vocabulary List from Lesson One and discuss the words that relate to the overall views of the Europeans in regard to philanthropy. 

Philanthropy Framework

  1. Strand PHIL.II Philanthropy and Civil Society
    1. Standard PCS 02. Diverse Cultures
      1. Benchmark MS.1 Examine several examples of philanthropic traditions practiced in diverse cultures.