Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement
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Unit Purpose:
Students will recognize that even important people in the world do not have unlimited power. Constitutionally, the President of the United States is limited by the “advise and consent” rule, among others. The learners will look at the importance of limiting government and analyze the importance of citizen participation in their communities. How the common good benefits when citizens and students participate in their communities and schools will be identified. The role of nonprofits and foundations will be analyzed. Students will research the local community foundation, raise funds, learn parliamentary procedure, and form a Youth Advisory Committee which will complete grant applications and make recommendations to a Board of Directors for dispensing of the funds.
Unit Duration:
Twelve 50 minute class periods
Unit Objectives:
The learners will:
- describe the “advise and consent” model of making decisions in government and business.
- describe the importance of placing limits on government.
- identify how the common good is benefited by an active citizenry.
- define philanthropy and describe how active participation of citizens and students in the community and the school can be philanthropic.
- identify and give examples of work of the four sectors (business, government, nonprofit, household) of the economy.
- relate foundations to the improvement of the common good.
- give examples of how community foundations aid the community.
- explain how Youth Advisory Committees use a form of advise and consent when making recommendations to Boards of Directors.
- conduct a business meeting using simplified parliamentary procedure.
Service Experience:
- Students will design posters to illustrate the work of foundations and will put the exhibit on display for the information of other classes in the school (see Lesson Two: Who Should Do It?).
- The learners will raise funds in a one-day fund raiser, conduct a survey to determine community need, complete a grant application, present their request to a board of directors and fund a project to improve the common good.
Unit Assessment:
- In student journals, students will answer the question, “What are the advantages to a community (school) when no one person is allowed to make all decisions?”
- Students will design a poster illustrating the work of a specific foundation.
- Students will complete a practice exercise using the skills of parliamentary procedure to conduct a business meeting.
- Students will complete a journal entry on the concept of “advise and consent” and community foundations.
- Students will write a short paper addressing the following topics:
- how community foundations benefit from Youth Advisory Committees
- how the “advise and consent” model shares decision making in government and business
- what was learned by serving as a director or grant writer.
- how community foundations benefit from Youth Advisory Committees
School/Home Connection:
- “Copy-and-Paste” Class/School Newsletter Information Insert:
The civics class is involved in a unit called “Advise and Consent,” learning about how some of the President’s decisions are subject to “checks and balances” by the United States Senate. As part of this unit, students are also learning that the government does not do everything when it comes to services needed by the public. Families, businesses and nonprofit organizations also provide some of these needed services. One of the types of nonprofit organizations they are learning about is the community foundation. The community foundation provides help to various organizations which serve the community. Students will gain the experience of what it is like to serve on a community foundation by earning a small amount of money through a one-day fund-raising activity; conducting a survey of the community to determine its needs; researching groups that provide assistance; writing and presenting a proposal to fund a community need, and selecting a recipient for the funds raised. Their final decision will be subject to the “advise and consent” idea since it will be made by a small student “board of directors” which will take the “advice” of the presenters or reject it for a valid reason.
- Interactive Parent / Student Homework:
- Students will ask a parent or relative to describe an important decision he or she made in which others gave advice. The advantages or disadvantages of asking for or receiving advice in this circumstance should be included (see Lesson One: Limits of Power, Attachment One: Interactive Parent/Student Homework).
- Students will ask a parent or relative as well as other students and community members to complete a survey question (see Lesson Four: Youth Advisory Committee in Action, Attachment One: Letter to Parents).
- Students will ask a parent or relative to describe an important decision he or she made in which others gave advice. The advantages or disadvantages of asking for or receiving advice in this circumstance should be included (see Lesson One: Limits of Power, Attachment One: Interactive Parent/Student Homework).
Notes for Teaching:
In this unit students will use Roberts’ Rules of Order to conduct business and make decisions regarding fundraisers and how to dispense the money for the common good. Feel free to use as little or as much of Roberts’ Rules as is necessary to get decisions made in a timely, yet orderly, way. Since funds will be raised and money distributed, it is important to get administrative approval as early as possible and follow school procedures regarding service activities. Since this unit will take approximately two weeks, amend the curricular content of the lessons as fits your course content. Remember that the focus of this lesson should not be on raising funds for a service project. As a result, the fundraiser should not take large amounts of time as it will change the focus of the lesson from having students make decisions on behalf of the community through Youth Advisory Committees to raising money.
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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