Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement
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Purpose:
Duration:
One - fifty-five Minute Class Period
Objectives:
The learner will:
- define mastery (in the sense of power and stewardship).
- list the attributes of ethical mastery.
- cite Jewish texts dealing with stewardship of the earth.
- explain how he/she will act as a master of the earth.
- engage their family in a stewardship action plan.
Materials:
- Sets of Index Cards (the number of sets to be determined by the number of learner groups formed)
- Attachment One: What Do We Have to DO?
- Attachment Two: What Will YOU Do…and how will you do it?
Synopsis:
Instructional Procedure(s):
Teacher Note: Sometime during this lesson allow time for the learners to voluntarily share their impressions of their home work assignment School/Home Connection -Lesson One. The following activity can be done in pairs- chevruta-, in small groups or as a whole-class. The number of word card sets required is dependent upon the number of learner groupings.
Day One:
Anticipatory Set:
Provide each assigned group with a set of 20-index cards; each set contains a card bearing one of the following words: CONTROL, SKILL, POWER, PROFICIENCY, APTITUDE, DOMINANCE, KNOWLEDGE, ENLIGHTENED SELF-INTEREST, TALENT, ETHICS, FORCE, INFLUENCE, EXPERTISE, AUTHORITY, AUTHORITARIAN, ADVOCACY, COMMON GOOD, SELF INTEREST, VALUES. Allow a few minutes for the learners to look at their cards and ask any questions about their meaning that they do not understand.
- Inform each group to sort these words into two piles without giving them further instructions. (Teacher Note: If you sense too much frustration tell the groups that some words are more similar to others and some are different than others and that they should do their best to sort them with that idea in mind.) Set a short time limit.
- Once the predetermined amount of time is up, quickly have each group share the criteria they used in sorting their cards (i.e. the words on some cards were kind words, others were not; some cards contained two words, others didn’t. etc...).
- Be sure that the learners understand that there are many ways to sort these cards and there is no right or wrong way when given no criteria.
- Inform the class that they will now sort the cards using criteria. In one pile they are to put the cards whose words indicating the limitless use of personal power (mastery, because one has the power to do so) considered a negative attribute; and the second pile should contain the cards whose words indicate the use of personal power within ethical limits (mastery, because one is committed to the concept of stewardship) considered a positive attribute. Set a reasonable time limit for this activity.
- Once the predetermined amount of time is up, go around the room having each group share one word they placed on the positive side and one word they placed on the negative side. Record these words on a display board in their “agreed” upon column so everyone is able to see them. Do allow time for challenges and debate. (Teacher Note: If at all possible leave these two columns on display for reference in the following lesson.)
Day Two:
- Share with the class that Judaism is not just a vocabulary exercise like the exercise they were involved in earlier. Judaism is a way of life and study is an integral part of it, but study is expected to lead to action.
- Tell the class that they will study a number of texts dealing with Jewish perspectives on the mastery of the earth and that they will then determine how these texts can lead to action.
- Place the learners into chevruta (pairs of study partners), distribute a copy of Learning to Master: What Do We Have to DO? (Attachment One) to each chevruta, and assign each chevruta one of the texts.
- Instruct the pair to read their assigned text, discuss its surface meaning, determine and record in the proper column, the lesson(s) that one might infer from the text; and then, based on the inferred lesson(s) contained in the assigned text, determine how might the lesson(s) lead to action? What should one do (or not do) as a result of the lesson(s) contained in the text?
- Once each chevruta has completed their work for their assigned text, have each chevruta share, in turn, what they wrote while the other groups make notes on their handout of what is being shared.
- When every chevruta has had an opportunity to share, spend a few minutes in reflection. Pointing to the display board where the results of the prior day’s lesson is recorded, lead the learners to conclude that “mastery” of the earth has as much to do with ethical mastery/stewardship as it does with personal power.
- Distribute a copy of What Will YOU Do… and how will you do it? (Attachment Two) to each learner and read through the directions.
- Explain your expectations and deadlines for completion of their individual action plan. Explain that this action plan is intended to involve each learner’s family in helping to decide what one might do, what the intended outcomes are, how the action plan will be done, and what the family can and will do to support the action plan.
Teacher Note: This “action plan” might take the form of a project with an end date, i.e. ‘start a month-long school recycling project’; or it might be the beginning of a long-term family habit, i.e. using cloth shopping bags, buying unpackaged fruits and vegetables, using ‘gray water’ for household use.
Assessment:
Learners will be assessed based on their group discussions and group work, their participation in and contributions made to their chevruta, as well as the completion, thoroughness, and practicality of their proposed “action plans”.
School/Home Connection:
The concluding activity in Attachment Two: Learning to Master: What Will YOU Do… and how will you do it? requires the learners to create and plan an action plan to implement that includes family input and support.
Cross-Curriculum Extensions:
A copy of What do We Have to DO? (Attachment One) could be assigned as a homework that requires the learner to discuss and work through each text with their family in the same manner that it was covered during class. If time permits, a general sharing of these family-shared thoughts and ideas related to these texts could be used to stimulate additional class discussion and reflection.
Lesson Developed By:
Sharon HalperAreyvut
http://www.areyvut.org
Bergenfield, NJ 07621
Handouts:
Handout 1Print Handout 1
What Do We Have to DO?
Mastery of the earth is about “doing” stewardship. Analyze the following traditional Jewish texts, paraphrase their lesson(s), and identify at least one “doing” for each text and lesson(s).
THE TEXT
THE LESSON(S)
Therefore,WE SHOULD (or should not) … Pour not out the water which others may need. Yebamot 11b Speak to the earth, and it shall teach you.
Job 12.8Wherever people stand is holy ground.
Rabbi Elimelech of Lizensk 1717-1787The righteous person senses the feelings of animals.
Proverbs 12:10Regard things as God’s property and use them with a sense of responsibility for wise human purpose. Destroy nothing? Waste nothing! Do not be avaricious!
Samson Raphael Hirsch Horeb #56Whoever breaks vessels, or tears garments, or destroys a building, …, or does away with food in a destructive manner violates the negative mitzvah of bal tashchit (do not waste.) Kiddushin 32a When in your war against a city you have to besiege it a long time in order to capture it, you must not destroy its (fruit) trees…
Deut. 20:19All that man sees – the heaven, the earth, and all that fills it – all these things are the external garments of God.
Shneur Zalman of Liadi, Tanya, Ch. 42If one can live on wheat (relatively easy to grow) and insists on corn (relatively difficult to grow) s/he is breaking the commandment ‘Do not waste.’
Shabbat, 140b
Handout 2Print Handout 2
What Will YOU Do...and how will you do it?
What Will YOU Do… and how will you do it?
The texts have spoken and you have listened. Because these lessons are part of your Jewish heritage, what are they telling you to do? How will you construct personal meaning from their message?
Summarize your decisions below:
The text that most influenced me is:
What I hear it saying is:
I will answer (act) in this way:
I will engage my family in my response and plan what I will do in this way:
Action plan… here is my plan:
i.e Teach my family ‘my’ text.
Tell them what I am thinking about doing and seek input and help.
ACTION PLAN PROPOSAL DUE BY:
REPORT BACK WITH PRELIMINARY RESULTS BY:
Unit Contents:
Overview:We Are Guardians of the Earth (Stewardship) (Private-Religious) Summary
Lessons:
- 1.
- Learning to Master: Some Ideas from Tradition (Private-Religious)
- 2.
- Our Ethics Show: Learning to Master (Private-Religious)
- 3.
- Models of Mastery (Private-Religious)
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