Kindergarten-2nd Grade
Subjects:
Language Arts, Library / Technology, Philanthropy and Social Studies
Key Words/Concepts click to view
| ELA: | Miss Tizzy; Brainstorming; Cause/Effect; Questioning; Reflection; Social/Cultural Issues; Teamwork; Understanding; Universal Themes; Vocabulary |
| PHIL: | 1 lesson genOn; Act of Kindness; Compliments; Family; Justice; Kindness; Neighborhood; Serial Reciprocity; Sharing; Time/Talent/Treasure; Volunteer |
| SOC: | Communities; Justice; Volunteerism |
Focus Question(s):
What is a world citizen's responsibility to promote and advocate for justice and kindness?
NOTE: Prior to this lesson, use the Blue Sky Activity in which students envision a better world. If you already have a Blue Sky display, revisit it before beginning this lesson.
Purpose:
The purpose of this lesson is to introduce children to literature that reinforces the concept of unconditional kindness and demonstrates the idea that a good deed deserves another. Students will begin to understand that one act of kindness can lead to other acts of kindness and that acts of kindness are acts of philanthropy, giving of one's time, talent and/or treasures for the good of others.
Duration:
One 30 minute class period
Objectives:
The learner will:
- define the term philanthropy.
- define unconditional kindness.
- hypothesize why certain events take place.
- brainstorm how to show kindness to others.
Materials:
- Story Miss Tizzy by Libba Moore Gray
- School/Home Connection - Learner copies of Attachment One: My Act of Kindness
- (Optional - Art Connection) Socks, wiggly eyes, felt and glue
- Handout 1
- My Act of Kindness - School/Home Connection
Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set:
Ask the students to think about family members or the people that live in their neighborhood. Do they know their neighbors? Do they like to do things with their family members or any of their neighbors? Ask for volunteers to share with the class some of the things that they do with these people. Can they think of something kind that they or their family has done for a neighbor or, can they think of something kind that a family member or neighbor has done for them? Ask students to share any experience and talk about how it made them feel.
Hold up a copy of the book Miss Tizzy. Ask the students to share what they think the book might be about.
- Do a picture walk-through of the story and ask how Miss Tizzy is the same or different from people they know and with whom they spend time. Discuss the pictures to identify how the characters feel about Miss Tizzy based on what they see in their facial expressions.
- Read the book to the class, having the children interact with the pages and what the characters in the story are doing.
- Ask students what it means when we say "a good deed done for others will come back to you." Have them give examples from Miss Tizzy. Ask students if they think it is hard to be nice to someone. Does it take a little extra effort or time? Would the results of friendship be worth the extra time or effort?
- Write the word philanthropy on the board. Ask for volunteers to share what they think the word means. Tell them that the word philanthropy means "giving of your time, talent or treasure for others." Discuss why philanthropy is a desirable thing, using examples from the story and real life. Explain that doing acts of kindness is one way of being a "philanthropist."
- Ask students to reflect on whether there is someone in their lives (in their class, school, family, neighborhood) who needs a little extra help or a kind word. Ask each student to make a plan for something they could do for someone else. Explain that they will be taking home a note to their families, asking them to help in doing an act of kindness. (Attachment One: My Act of Kindness).They should write or draw their plan, carry it out, evaluate how the plan worked and how it felt. (It may be as simple as a phone call to a lonely relative or bringing a treat to an elderly neighbor.)
Assessment:
Assess whether students can name the days of the week. Evaluate student understanding of the benefits of philanthropy through their participation in the discussion and the results of their plan.
Learning Link(s): (click to view)
Have an idea for a Learning Link?
If your Link is accepted for publication on the Web site you will be credited with your name, school, and city.
These Learning Links provide ten quick-and-easy, five-minute mini-lessons to promote student thought and dialogue about service and civic engagement. You may use as many of them as you wish, and in whatever order best meets your needs and the interest of your students. The purpose of these mini-lessons is to provide a deeper understanding of philanthropy (the giving of time, talent, and treasure for the common good) and to reinforce the lesson focus. These Learning Links also promote the development of character traits, civic engagement, and student leadership. As appropriate to your grade level, it is recommended that students play an active leadership role in presenting these mini-lessons to their classmates.
- Read: Artemes joined the other boys and girls practicing on the basketball court. Artemes didn’t see anyone he knew. The children threw the balls toward the hoop, but not many made it in. Nobody passed a ball to Artemes. They didn’t even seem to notice him. Artemes wheeled his chair to a ball lying on the floor. He picked it up and shot it. It went right in. Several children said, “Wow! You’re good!” Soon, Artemes was playing along with everyone else.
Discuss: Sometimes we don’t know how to act around people with special needs. Do you think it is okay to be nervous around something that is new? What do you say when someone new joins in? How can you be kind and fair to someone with a special need?
- Read: Ruby and her mom lived in a cave the woods. They gathered berries for dinner and ate fish from the stream. When Ruby went to school, the other bears didn’t play with her. They said she was dirty and smelled like fish. They asked her why she didn’t live in a house. Ruby played games alone at recess. She ran up trees and did somersaults in the grass while the other cubs played baseball and tag. One day Paula asked Ruby if she could play with her. The two bears tumbled and laughed together all recess. The next day Paula asked Ruby to teach her to climb trees. Paula found out that Ruby was interesting and fun. Ruby and Paula became best friends.
Discuss: The other bears thought Ruby was not okay because she didn’t live in a house. What did Paula find out about Ruby? In what ways would our world be better if everyone was the same? In what ways is our world better because people are so different?
- Read: Do you know what the word “contagious” means? It means that something can be passed or spread from one person to another. In some cases it means that something is “catching,” like a cold or the flu. If you have a cold or flu and you spend a lot of time with your family and friends they might “catch” the germs or virus and also come down with a cold or flu. In that case “contagious” is not a good thing. At other times contagious might be a good thing. If you are always kind and caring when you spend time with family and friends, they might “catch” that kindness and caring from you. Then they will also treat others with kindness and caring. Kindness can be contagious!
Discuss: What are some things you might do to show kindness and love to people in your family? What are some things you might do to show kindness and caring to your friends or classmates? What are some other good things that might be “contagious”?
- Read: Do you remember what “contagious” means? It means something can be spread from one person to another. We talked about “kindness is contagious.” I wonder if laughter is contagious. Let’s try an experiment. While we are experimenting, look around the room and observe everyone’s faces. Listen to how the room sounds and think about how the room feels. Here’s the experiment: let’s all laugh! (Allow time for the laughter to spread and become genuine.) Good!
Discuss: What did you notice happening in our classroom when we all laughed? How did our faces change? How did the feeling in the room change? Do you think you can show kindness to others by sharing laughter? Is there a time when laughing is not okay?
- Read: There is a song called “I Think You Are Wonderful.” Here are some of the words to the song:
“I think you’re wonderful, when somebody says that to me
I feel wonderful as wonderful can be
It makes me want to say the same thing to somebody too
And by the way I’ve been meaning to say, I think you’re wonderful too.”
(Teacher Note:As an alternative to reading the verse of the song, play the Red Grammer song found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPg7i9nIEf0.)
Telling someone nice things about them is called giving a compliment. Telling someone they are “wonderful” is one way to give a compliment.
Discuss: How do you feel when someone tells you something they like about you, such as “I think you are wonderful” or “you are a good friend” or “you are fun to play with”? Let’s make a list of things we can notice about others in our class that are compliments. What other words could you use to tell someone nice things about who they are? What words might tell about how they act, how they look, or how they get along with other people? Let’s all try to give at least one compliment to someone in our class each day. (Note: If time allows view the related “ABCs of You” song with compliments for each letter of the alphabet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aFqWtYAcZ0&feature=related)
- Read: People who take long trips often look at a road map. A map helps to show them the way to go. It doesn’t make them go that way. It just shows them the way. It is up to the driver to take the roads the map suggests. Sometimes there are detours on the road. Detours make it so people can’t go on the road that they want to go on. They have to take a different way to get where they want to go. Maps are also helpful when this happens.
Discuss: Why is it important that we know what we are going to do during our King Day project? Do you think it is important that we have a plan? How can our plan help us if we run into a problem?
- Read: Phil and Jorie were bouncing a ball in their grandmother’s living room. Their mother had told them to stop bouncing the ball inside. She told them to go outside to bounce the ball. As they were going outdoors, Phil bounced the ball one more time. Jorie missed it. It sent one of grandmother’s favorite vases crashing to the floor. It broke into a million pieces. Both Phil and Jorie felt very sad. They apologized to grandmother. She said that it was all right. But they wanted to do something that showed they were really sorry. They felt that it would only be fair if they took money from their piggy bank. They would buy grandma a new vase.
Discuss: Do you think Phil and Jorie broke grandmother’s vase on purpose? Why do you think they felt so sad? How did they choose to make it right? What do you think they would need to do to make sure that it doesn’t happen again? Do we always hurt people’s feelings on purpose? During our King Day project what are some things we can do to help people not feel sad? During our King Day project what are some things we can do to make things fair for everyone?
- Read: Farmer Read was walking by his barn one day. He heard a terrible noise inside. It was a noise that typically doesn’t come from a barn. It wasn’t a moo, or a cluck, or an oink. It sounded like more like a screech. He went to investigate. He found a blue jay flapping its wings. It was trying to get out of the barn through a closed window. Carefully Farmer Read opened the window. The blue jay flew to its freedom. Farmer Read told his wife. “I don’t know how that bird got into the barn. I do know that if he hadn’t made all the noise I never would have known he was in trouble.
Discuss: What do you think would have happened had the blue jay not made all that noise in the barn? Do people who need our help always let us know that they need our help? During our King Day project how can we be kind to people who we know would like a friend? How can we be kind to people who don’t seem to want a friend?
- Read: Both Kareen and Jordan loved their home town baseball team. They went to watch many of the team’s games. They even knew most of the players’ names. One day they were asked by their teacher to describe the team. They started by saying there were 25 players on the team. “That’s the same number of kids in their room,” Kareen said. They went on to talk about the team. Some players were tall. Others were short. Some were big. Others were small. Some were fast. Others were slower. Some had brown hair. Some had black. Some were outfielders. Others were infielders. Some were pitchers. Others were catchers. Some had long names. Others had short names. When they finished describing the team the teacher asked, “How is our class like a team?” Everybody raised their hand.
Discuss: How is our classroom like a team? Is everybody the same? During our King Day project how can we work together as a team? Does that mean everybody has to be the same? Does that mean everybody has to do the same job? Why is it important that everybody gets to play on our King Day project team?
- Read:
Remember to always say “Please”
And cover your nose when you sneeze.
Remember to always say “Thank you”
And give it your best in all that you do.
Eat all you take before asking for more
And kindly offer to hold open the door.
Welcome others to play in your game
Even though everyone is not the same.
Remember to always be kind and fair
And offer your help because you care.
Even though you may not always win
You’ll be the best you that’s ever been.
Discuss: Can you think of other things that adults tell you are important to remember? Why do you think they tell you these things? During our King Day project how are we trying to be kind, helpful and fair? Is it always easy to be kind, helpful, and fair? Why or why not? Is it hard to not win? Is it okay to not win? How can we be the best we can be?
Curriculum Connection:
Art: Make sock puppets. The follow-up art lesson will use a sock, wiggly eyes, and precut felt for ears, noses, and other features. Students will glue the eyes and felt onto the sock. When puppets are dry, group students in teams to plan and perform a puppet show based on the story, Miss Tizzy.
School/Home Connection:
Give the learners a copy of Attachment One: My Act of Kindness. Ask them to share the story Miss Tizzy with family members and fill out the attachment. Have the learners return the attachment and ask them to share some of their answers.
Reflection: (click to view)
Reflection plays a very important role in promoting student learning. The following suggested activities are ways to help students reflect on their learning after they have participated in a service event. Choose one or more of the activities most appropriate to the service event and your students.
ACTIVITY ONE:
Have the students share what they know about quilts (e.g. they are warm, soft, cuddly, usually made out of pieces of materials sewn together, etc) as you provide the students with 4 ¼” by 5 ½” sheet of paper-- an 8 ½” x 11” sheet of paper cut in half. Tell the students that they will be helping to make a “quilt” and that each person will contribute one piece to be added to the quilt. Have each students draw a picture of what they did during the King Day project using crayons or markers. When they have completed their drawings have them take turns bringing their “quilt piece” to you and telling the class about their drawing which will then be added to the “quilt.” Display the “quilt” as it is being sewn together to form a “Caring Blanket.” When everyone has contributed their piece to the blanket, ask the students how their “Caring Blanket” may have made someone feel warm inside.
ACTIVITY TWO:
Provide each student with a yellow cutout of a happy face and a sad face. Have the students decide which face represents how they felt as they were helping during the King Day project. Have each student bring their chosen “face” to the display area entitled “Our Faces”/”Our Helping Mirror.” As the students hand you their “faces” display them in as much of a circle as you can. When everyone’s face is displayed, ask the students if most of the faces were happy or sad. Using black heavy string or yarn and common pins/tacks, make the mouth of the face, over the ‘sea of faces’ that represents how the majority of the students felt.
ACTIVITY THREE:
Playing the game “Duck, Duck, Goose,” model for the students how the person who is “IT” will walk around the circle of students tapping them lightly on the head saying, “caring” “sharing” “helping” “giving,” or any combination of these words. However when the person who is IT taps someone on the head and says “philanthropy” or “philanthropist” that person is now IT and must stand and tell the class how he or she cared, shared, helped, or gave to someone during the King Day project. The new IT person now walks around the circle following the model. If some is dubbed “Philanthropist” and they have nothing they can think of to share, have the IT person continue to follow the model until he or she finds someone to be IT who is willing and able to share. (NOTE: Make every effort to be sure that everyone has an opportunity to be IT and to share.)
ACTIVITY FOUR:
Cut out an outline of a star on yellow construction paper for each student. Have each student come to the front of the class in turn and whisper to you what they did during the King Day project. Write what they did on their star. Have the student hold up his/her star while you tell the class the word(s) that is written on it. Celebrate each recipient as they hold their star with hand clapping/a cheer, etc. Have each student then place his or her star on the display board entitled “Super Stars.” After everyone has had a turn, ask the class if they think that the stars in the sky help to make things a little brighter at night. Draw a comparison as to how all of their deeds certainly helped to make the world a brighter place. Thank and applaud the students as a class.
Bibliographical References:
Lesson Developed By:
Pamela McIntosh
Detroit Public Schools
Woodward Elementary School
Detroit, MI 48208
Handouts:
My Act of Kindness - School/Home Connection
Dear Family,
In class today, we read a book about a woman and the children in her neighborhood. Many of the neighbors thought Miss Tizzy was odd, but the children loved her for the special attention she gave to them. When Miss Tizzy was ill, the children got together and did something nice just for her. In our discussion of the story, we learned about philanthropy, which is the giving of time, talent, or treasure for the common good. We also talked about how a good deed done for others will come back to you. For a home challenge, and as part of our class participation in The LEAGUE's King Day Event, we are asking students, with the help of their family members, to do something kind for another family member or a neighbor who may need a little extra help. The kind deed may be as simple as bringing a treat, or as generous as helping with yard work. You and your child can decide. When your child has performed the act of kindness, help your child write about the experience explaining the act and describing how it felt.
Describe what you did for a family member or a neighbor.
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How did your family member or neighbor respond to the kindness?
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How did you feel after your act of kindness?
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