Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement
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Philanthropy at Home and Abroad
Unit of 4 lessons
Unit Overview:
Students will look at philanthropy, both globally and locally. They will research perceptions about their community, look at foundations that provide international help and study their local community foundation to see where local resources are used. They will describe reasons for giving and analyze their own motivations for philanthropy. Students will participate in a fundraiser and distribute grants to community organizations.
Unit Purpose:
Learners will research foundations that help to alleviate problems in communities around the world. They will identify the “human characteristics” of their own communities and look at the work of community foundations that work to alleviate local problems. They will identify motivations for giving and explain that philanthropists are abundant in the community. Learners will identify their own personal reasons for “giving,” review community characteristics and needs, raise funds for a philanthropic project, and form a grant-making committee to name recipients for the grants.
Unit Objectives:
The learners will:
- describe how all countries are interrelated.
- determine what types of global issues or needs are affecting the community and nation.
- give examples of the work of foundations that seek to meet needs in other countries.
- evaluate the importance of nonprofit organizations in achieving peace and prosperity.
- describe the community in-depth using location, place, human-environment, interactions, movement and region.
- compare how the community is perceived by students, the media and the community.
- differentiate between local organizations that provide a service to the community.
- define philanthropy, give examples of it and describe motivations for charitable giving.
- describe the work of the local community foundation.
- select personal motivations for giving and describe the reasons why teens volunteer.
- analyze the value of teenage philanthropy to the community and nation.
- analyze “human characteristics of the place” in their community to identify a need, conduct a fundraiser and give a grant to address a need.
Service Experience:
Although lessons in this unit contain service project examples, decisions about service plans and implementation should be made by students, as age appropriate.
Learners will conduct a fundraiser to obtain funds. They will act as a grant-making committee to make decisions about who will receive the funds collected. The local community foundation or another local service organization will receive the funds.
Unit Assessment:
- Students will write a short essay explaining why business and civic organizations are important for peace and prosperity.
- Students will write an essay describing their community from the perceptions of three groups, comparing their points of view.
- Students will design a poster illustrating the motivations for giving and creating a symbol to represent the local community foundation.
- Students will write a reflective piece which describes the value of teen philanthropy and how important it is to the community. They will analyze their own personal motivations for giving and predict personal motivations for giving after participating in a philanthropic project.
School/Home Connection:
- “Copy-and-Paste” Class/School Newsletter Information Insert:
The news is filled with examples of foundations funding special projects to help alleviate suffering in different communities of the world. Our class will research these foundations and look at the work they are doing. We will use the “Five Themes of Geography” to analyze our own community, look at how the media perceives the community as a place to live and work, and survey members of the community for their feelings about advantages and disadvantages of living in the community. This will lead into an analysis of a growing type of foundation—the community foundation. The motivations of people who “give” will be reviewed and the scope of teen volunteering (philanthropy) will be studied. Class members will use Robert’s Rules to conduct a class meeting to determine a fundraiser for our own philanthropy project and will form a grant committee to decide what organization(s) in the community will benefit from our giving. Finally, students will determine if their perceptions about philanthropy and teen giving have changed and predict their future “giving” motivations. We expect to learn a lot about the community and our own motivations throughout this unit.
- Interactive Parent / Student Homework:
Students will survey the community regarding its attitudes about life in the area. Parents may be asked to complete the two questions in the survey (see Attachment Three, Lesson Two: Looking at Our Community).
Notes for Teaching:
A “sister” unit for middle school grades called Advise and Consent (EN/03.00/Pu) gives another look at the work of community foundations. This lesson is also available on the Web site: http://www.learningtogive.org.
State Curriculum and Philanthropy Theme Frameworks:
See individual lessons for benchmark detail.
Lessons Developed By:
Evelyn Nash
Curriculum Consultant
Learning to Give
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