Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement
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Unit Purpose:
Learners recognize that famous philanthropists started with small acts of kindness before they performed the influential acts that we remember them for. Learners define caring through discussion of examples and create an acrostic using the word CARING. Learners get inspiration from the work and words of Mother Teresa about performing small acts of kindness. The unit is culminated with the learners selecting a project and making a plan for carrying out a small act of kindness with a group or individually. After reflecting on their experience with performing an act of kindness, they will compare their experience to the message in a folktale, and write about the impact of a single small act of caring.
Focus Questions:
What role does caring play in relationships and life success? How can developing caring equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?
Unit Duration:
Three 20 minute lessons
Unit Objectives:
The learner will:
- identify individuals from history as philanthropists.
- define philanthropy as giving time, talent, and treasure for the common good.
- define caring.
- write an acrostic using the word caring.
- state that any individual can demonstrate caring through performing acts of kindness.
- design a bookmark.
- reflect on the caring work and words of Mother Teresa.
- brainstorm ideas for acts of caring.
- select their favorite ideas from the brainstormed list.
- work in groups to make a plan for carrying out an act of kindness and caring.
- describe their act of kindness from the previous lesson.
- read a folktale about a brave parrot whose small act has a ripple effect.
- write about the impact of a small act and make a plan for a future act of caring.
Service Experience:
This character education mini-lesson is not intended to be a service learning lesson or to meet the K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice. The character education units will be most effective when taught in conjunction with a student-designed service project that provides a real world setting in which students can develop and practice good character and leadership skills. For ideas and suggestions for organizing service events go to The League.
School/Home Connection:
Lesson One: Students bring home a "Perform Random Acts of Kindness" bookmark. They ask their families for ideas of simple acts of kindness they can perform. They write a list of ideas on the back of the bookmark and bring the bookmark to the next class period.
Notes for Teaching:
It is recommended that learners keep a journal to record their learning and reflections about the character traits studied.
State Curriculum and Philanthropy Theme Frameworks:
See individual lessons for benchmark detail.
Lessons Developed By:
Barbara Dillbeck
Director
Learning to Give
Betsy Flikkema
Associate Director
Learning to Give
All rights reserved. Permission is granted to freely use this information for nonprofit (noncommercial), educational purposes only. Copyright must be acknowledged on all copies.
