Overcoming Obstacles
Introduction to Service Learning
Introduce scholars to Service Learning with a lesson that distinguishes between Service Learning and Community Service. After reading about others involved in Service Learning, class members generate a list of issues in their communities...
Curated OER
Service Projects in the Dominican Republic
Learners examine the role of Peace Corps volunteers. In this service instructional activity, students investigate service projects that feature agriculture, small business, education, environmental education, and health concerns in the...
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Cinderella
Explore positive and negative character traits and universal themes in the story of Cinderella with primary learners. Story elements are reviewed and discussion questions are listed. Learners practice retelling the story and begin a...
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A Lifetime of Service
Students research Peace Corp volunteer Mary Ann Camp. In this Peace Corp research lesson, students research analyze Camp's roles in the Peace Corp. Students research Mary Ann's Peace Corps work and watch a video about Mary Ann's Peace...
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Project-Based Learning: Community Service
Community service is the basis for a project based learning experience. Your class participates in four weekly activities that require them to research community issues and contribute their time and talent to assist those in need. This...
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Service Learning/Then and Now
Eighth graders explore service learning projects. They work, in groups, to choose a video project. Students collect information and present it in a storyboard. Next, they use music, video clips, and still pictures to create their video...
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Read to Learn
Students explore the concept of community helpers. For this community helper lesson, students brainstorm the community helpers in their neighborhood after reading a book about jobs in the community. Students then host a community...
Newseum
Civil Rights: The Five Freedoms
After a close reading of the First Amendment and the five freedoms it guarantees, class members examine the civil rights timeline to see how civil rights groups applied these freedoms to create change. Using the issue the class chose in...
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Persuasive Writers
Use the power of the pen to persuade others to get involved in community issues! Individuals reflect on personal service learning activities and the writing process. They compose essays regarding service to others. While designed for...
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Cancer Banner Art Installation
Students complete a service learning project to raise money for Relay for Life. In this service learning lesson, students discuss installation art and watch a video about Pepon Osorio. Students review articles about service projects and...
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Be the Change: Core Values
How do core values and identity contribute to citizenship and leadership? After engaging in a series of activities that explore core values, writers craft a children’s story that focuses on one value. They arrange to read their story to...
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Making Service Count
Young scholars investigate the importance of community service by creating their own project ideas. In this volunteering instructional activity, students research stories of Peace Corps Volunteers and how they were able to have a...
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Reading Fluency
Aid readers in achieving fluency! Hone in on appropriate pacing, accurate pronunciation, and varied intonation through modeling and ample practice. In one-minute bursts, individuals rehearse reading a passage aloud, recording where they...
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Word-O for Fluency
Primary learners look, say, write, and read their high frequency words while playing the game Word-O. This game aids in reading fluency. Consider this for a center activity or small group. This game can also be played independently....
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Service Learning
Young scholars view video clips to define service learning. In this civics lesson, students read quotes, take a survey, and define altruism. Young scholars view video clips and evaluate the motivation and impact of those who perform...
ReadWriteThink
Living the Dream: 100 Acts of Kindness
Inspire kindness in and out of school with a lesson that challenges scholars to perform 100 acts of kindness during the time between Martin Luther King Jr. Day to Valentine's day. Leading up to a celebration of friendship, learners...
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Jim Murphy, The Great Fire - Grade 6
The Great Fire by Jim Murphy provides the text for a study of the Chicago fire of 1871. The plan is designed as a close reading activity so that all learners have the same background information require for writing. Richly detailed, the...
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Cultural Connections
High schoolers explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students examine the impact of the works of Cesar Chavez, George Washington Carver, Sunderlal Buhuguna, and Abdul Sattar Edhi.
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Helping Others
Students explore philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students read The Seven Chinese Brothers, identify the elements of the story, and then go out in the world to help others by sharing their talents.
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What's in a Garden?
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students plan a garden. Students write a paragraph in their journals giving their recommendation on how their garden should be laid out.
Deliberating in a Democracy
National Service
Uncle Sam wants you to serve! Scholars investigate the role of mandatory national service in an open democracy. They research, watch a video, and hold a debate surrounding the issue of requiring one year of service to gain a better...
Maryland Department of Education
The Concept of Identity Lesson 1: Close Reading/Socratic Seminar
John Knowles' A Separate Peace provides readers with an opportunity to develop their close reading and analytical skills as they look for what Knowles feels are the factors that shape our identity.
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Read 'n' Give -- Planning Our Book Drive
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students design and implement a book drive to benefit their community.
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Reading for Pennies: Penny Drive
Students investigate what philanthropy is. In this service learning lesson, students examine reasons that people donate money to causes and implement their own fund-raising drive based on their reading goals.