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Families and Neighborhoods
Learners investigate the characteristics of a neighborhood. In this communities lesson, students read the book Franklin's Neighborhood and list people and places in their community. Learners create a neighborhood mural.
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What's Public? What's Private?
Students compare and contrast public and private land. In this philanthropy lesson, students identify public areas in the school and create posters about taking care of various public places.
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Word of the Day
Students use Internet to research definition of an assigned vocabulary word, and brainstorm ideas for how to teach the new word to classmates in an innovative way using a digital format.
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The World In My Community
Students identify products in their community which are imported from other countries. After conducting a personal household survey, students research the product's country of origin. They discover the role imports have upon their...
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Diverse Voices -African American Ventures
Young scholars explore acts of kindness through the eyes of the black community. In this philanthropy instructional activity, students understand that even under inhumane circumstances, people can perform for the common good. Young...
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Ben Franklin the Good Citizen
Students investigate Benjamin Franklin's contributions to society. In this history lesson, students read about Franklin's philanthropic behavior and play a bucket brigade game to re-enact how fires were put out during colonial times.
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Flowers and a Beautiful World: Earth Day (1st)
Young scholars consider caring for their environment. In this environmental stewardship instructional activity, students read Miss Rumphius and discuss how sharing their time, talent, and treasure through volunteering makes the world...
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Who Works for the Common Good in Our Community?
Students examine the role of community service organizations. As a class, they listen as members from local organizations speak to them and answer any questions they have. They respond in their journals to different prompts to end the...
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Nonprofits in Our Community
Young scholars identify nonprofit organizations within their local community. They practice using the yellow pages to locate these organizations. They use an organizer to keep all of the information they gathered organized.
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Rain Garden
High schoolers build rain gardens. In this community service lesson, students study the effectiveness of rain gardens in allowing water to run off. High schoolers build a community rain garden at their school.
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Jane Addams -- Philanthropist in Action
Students examine the philanthropic actions of Jane Addams and discuss why she is seemed as a role model of being a responsible citizen. They organize different types of volunteer opportunities and create ways to serve the common good in...
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A Haring Holiday
Students create a holiday ornament. In this Keith Haring art lesson, students use paper mache to make 3-dimensional ornaments that resemble his work. Students cut out felt shapes of babies, dogs and angels then sew them together and...
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Levies to Decide School Funding
Students interview the district treasurer or other financial officer to see if their school district is planning a levy and conduct other interviews to gather opinions from the community. Students then write an analysis about the...
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At Your Service
Students discuss various volunteer activities and read how New York City organizes its volunteer efforts. They create their own databases compiling volunteer opportunities and write reflective essays on how volunteers help their...
Learning to Give
Closing Ceremonies
Promote volunteerism in your art or writing classes. In this service learning lesson, middle schoolers create promotional materials that include photographs and newspaper articles based on their personal service experiences in local...
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Philanthropy Framework
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,...
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Jet Delivers Books to Kids Overseas
Students identify the function of organizations, then read a news article about an organization called Room to Read that is sending books to poor countries. In this current events lesson plan, the teacher introduces the article with a...
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National Service: Lesson Plan
Students explore and take postions on the concept of mandatory community service. They then debate the issue in class as a learning model.
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Haring Mosaic
Eighth graders design and create a tile mosaic in a public place inspired by the work of artist Keith Haring. For this Haring Mosaic lesson, based on an actual project in Germany, 8th graders study the artist's work, design and...
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Purchasing Power
Young scholars participate in a lemonade sale and record their sales in a journal. In this fundraising lesson, students donate money they have raised from a lemonade sale and make a plan for how the money should be spent.
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Plants are Growing and Changing
Students explore living things. In this agriculture lesson, students read the book A Tree is a Plant and participate in an experiment to explore the patterns of change in living things. Students continue to observe the plant throughout...
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Why Volunteer?
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students explore the spirit of volunteering as they locate news articles or advertisements regarding the topic. Students discuss whom benefits from volunteer...
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Stress Factors and Careers
Ninth graders explore factors that cause stress. They identify stress factors and how to deal with them. They role-play differences in cultures and equity issues and how they are affected by them. They record stresses they have and rate...
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The Joy of a Garden-Earth Day
Students explore the purpose of a garden. In this Earth Day lesson, students read the story The Gardener and complete a Venn diagram comparing life in a city to farm life. Students discuss Earth Day and plant flowers in a garden .