Magical Service-Learning Projects in Your Classroom
- Investigation is the base of the learning part of service-learning. In this stage, students explore options, ask questions, and conduct research.
- The initial questions may arise from a classroom lesson or from students’ personal interests/giving passions outside of the classroom.
- This is led by student voice and guided by parameters set by the service coach.
- Students gather statistics and identify a real need that can be addressed by student action.
- Establish beginning benchmarks (statistics) to be compared with ending benchmarks in order to measure impact of their action.
Investigation—English Language Arts Example
Mr. Rood’s sixth hour Language Arts class studied writers’ techniques by reading favorite picture books. They decided to share their reading and writing skills with a local elementary school. First they studied the area school test scores to find an elementary that needed literacy help. They contacted the principal and asked for details on how their class could help meet a literacy need. They asked about how much time it would require and what materials the school needed. Some students gathered statistics about reading levels and test scores.
Investigation—Social Studies Example
In Austin, TX a kindergarten class was asked to observe different communities. One of the communities they observed was the community of the “homeless.” As part of the assignment to “investigate,” Mrs. Brucker took her son Connor for a ride in the car and pointed out members of the homeless community. Connor observed that people who are homeless look thirsty and hungry and don’t usually wear socks. The kindergartener reported this observation to his class, and they decided to collect and donate athletic socks that they stuffed with a granola bar, a bottle of water, and the second sock to give to the homeless.
Investigation—Science Example
Joseph and Natalie cringed as they watched a virtual autopsy for science class. The doctor on screen opened up the chest cavity and showed the students a healthy heart. She held the heart in her hand and then compared it to an unhealthy heart. The unhealthy heart was almost twice the size of the healthy heart. “This was a result of a lifetime of eating fatty foods,” said the doctor. After the virtual field trip, Joseph and Natalie agreed that anybody who saw those two hearts would be motivated to eat healthier. They decided to launch a healthy eating campaign at school. They knew they had to get permission from a teacher first, so they set up a meeting and started collecting data. Joseph read about nutrition and the heart. Natalie gathered statistics about illnesses and death from fatty foods. They decided to try to find a doctor’s office that would be willing to partner with them in planning a healthy-eating service project. They gathered their information and prepared a presentation for their homeroom teachers.
