Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement
generationOn
Unit Purpose:
Learners play a game that helps them identify qualities in others that make them trustworthy. They explore what it means to develop reciprocal trust within different communities. Students learn about public trust and identify characteristics of public figures that merit trust. They also discuss how they can use their own time, talent, and treasure to support trustworthy politicians, sports figures, corporations, and celebrities. Learners brainstorm the traits of a community of trusted learners, describing what it would look like if students and teachers in a classroom felt a high level of trust with each other. And finally, they compare two communities to which they belong using a Venn diagram and descriptive words related to trustworthiness.
Focus Question: What role does trustworthiness play in relationships and life success? How can developing trustworthiness equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?
Unit Objectives:
The learner will:
- identify people he or she trusts.
- play a game in which partners depend on each other.
- brainstorm actions that build trust and actions that break down trust.
- define trustworthy.
- identify different communities with which he or she is engaged.
- read a scenario and discuss how businesses can earn and lose trust.
- brainstorm ways to earn trust in communities and identify trustworthy behavior.
- identify attributes of public trust.
- discuss how to promote public trust.
- brainstorm facts, benefits, judgments, feelings, and possibilities of having a classroom that feels like a community of trusted learners.
- rate his or her homeroom community on a continuum of trustworthiness.
- identify words the class has used and defined in this unit related to trust.
- choose two communities to which he or she belongs.
- compare and contrast the two communities in a Venn diagram.
- write a reflection on the analysis.
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 generationon.org.
Notes for Teaching:
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.
