With your middle schoolers, develop concepts such as philanthropy, civic responsibility, community service, and common good. Discuss famous philanthropists and what we can each give of our time, talent and treasure to better our...

Students explore ways to volunteer. In this volunteerism and philanthropy lesson, students brainstorm how the early Americans benefited from philanthropy, then discuss how others benefit from our philanthropy and how we choose ways to...

Financial literacy is generally focused on personal spending and saving, but consider an opportunity to talk to your pupils about how charitable giving can also factor into money management and how it can enhance life for both...

Students prepare to build and plant a garden. In this service learning instructional activity, students take all the necessary steps to prepare a community garden for planting and reflect on the experience.

The first of a three-part series on bullying, this plan has class members present skits about bullying, write and sign an anti-bullying pledge, and complete a service project. For the skit, learners use information from previous lessons...

Young scholars discuss the benefits of volunteering. In this creating volunteers instructional activity, students consider philanthropic actions and opportunity costs. Young scholars create a song and visual aid about being a volunteer.

Students become community philanthropists. In this social studies lesson, students learn the definition of philanthropy and apply it to Martin Luther King, Jr. The next day, students complete 3 T-charts for 3 historical figures. Finally,...

Students brainstorm how an action to benefit others is a type of philanthropy. They identify the commonwealth approach to philanthropy, plan and carry out a philanthropic action in their community and reflect how their action qualifies...

Young scholars examine Benjamin Franklin's community service in Philadelphia. In this American history famous heroes instructional activity, students make text-to-self-and-world connections between the Philadelphia community service...

Study order of operations using a peanut butter and jelly sandwich activity as your guide. The class watches you make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich based on a volunteer's instructions. They discuss the importance of following...

Youngster learn the importance of cooperation and sharing through a fun art project! Following a brief introductory discussion in which the class brainstorms how they can use their hands to share, youngster get divided into pairs to...

Students participate in an activity that will allow them to create a gift for a nursing home patient and give their gift to someone who needs a caring hand. In this community service lesson, students learn compassion, and also understand...

Pupils explore kind behavior. In this values development and literacy lesson plan, students listen to The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, then generate a class list of ways the tree helped the boy and ways in which the boy helped the...

Young scholars discover what a Relief Office does. For this volunteer lesson, students investigate what a Relief Office does, and who helps run it. Young scholars discuss ways he/she could become a volunteer.

Students perform songs from previous philanthropy lessons. In this music lesson, students create a video of songs and give it to a local shelter. Students are encouraged to be creative and sing songs such as "What Can I Do for You" and...

Students participate in a service learning project. For this philanthropy lesson, students volunteer their time at a local soup kitchen and reflect upon the experience in a journal.

Students use the folk singer Woody Guthrie's song 'This Land is Your Land' to learn about the responsibility of every person to take care of each other and the land. In this land preservation lesson, students sing the song, learn...

Young scholars explore the meaning of the word philanthropy and identify examples of philanthropy in their home, school and community. They design a poster to communicate the meaning and impact of philanthropy.

Students evaluate how volunteering helps others. In this philanthropy instructional activity, students define what a volunteer is and brainstorm a group volunteer project to implement in the school. Students write an essay describing how...

Students participate in a holiday giving activity to learn about community involvement. For this community outreach lesson, students discuss giving and receiving as well as the gift of time. Students prepare songs and holiday cards to...

Students reflect upon and express affective and cognitive learning experience as a result of a direct service experience. In this service learning lesson, students examine and analyze symbolism portrayed in literature and its...

Young scholars gather information from a senior friend to write a biography. In this living history books lesson, students organize information to complete a book about their senior friend. Detailed teacher instructions for completing...

Students conduct individual interviews to find out how people in their own communities provide services to others. In this interview lesson, students broaden their perspectives on the meaning of the common good by conducting interviews...

Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students find an act of philanthropy in a book and then illustrate 4 examples people doing good for others.