Learning to Give
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Purpose:
The learners will explore the more typical objective of games by identifying games that they are familiar with and identifying how a ‘winner’ is determined in these games. The learners will explore their personal feelings and share how they feel when they win and when they lose. They will then be introduced to a game in which no one loses and everyone is a winner.
Duration:
One 30–45 minute class period
Objectives:
The learner will:
- identify games that they play, i.e. board games, video games, sports games, card games, etc.
- identify how a winner is determined in each of these games.
- learn and practice how to play a new game—the Giving Game—in which everyone is a winner.
- understand the concept of "passing on" an act of kindness.
- participate in playing the Giving Game.
Service Experience:
Having received permission from their families to participate, the learners will be encouraged to perform at least one kind act, leaving the Giving Game Card with the recipient of the kind act.
Materials:
- A Giving Game Card for each learner
- How to Play the Giving Game (Attachment One)
- Kind Acts Idea List (Attachment Two)
- Parent /Guardian Letter (Attachment Three)
Teacher Preparation:
Teacher Note: Before teaching this lesson, read and understand the Giving Game by accessing the information on the Giving Game Web site: www.givinggame.org. Share this site with your learners as appropriate.
Prior to distributing the Giving Game Cards to the learners, record the learner’s name along with his/her particular Giving Game Card ID in order to maintain a record of who receives which card. This will allow you to enter information on the web site for those of your learners who don't have Internet access at home or for those whose families who are unable to help. It will also allow you to periodically go back and track where the cards have traveled and the acts of kindness that have been done. To assist you in entering Internet data, you may wish to ask a student from a higher class level or an adult volunteer to help with this recording
process.
Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set:
Ask learners to share the names of some of their favorite games. List the names of these games on the display board. Draw a T-Chart on the display board, title the Left Column "Me/My Team" and title the Right Column "Everyone". Have each learner who shared the name of their favorite game share with the class, in more detail and focus, what the objective of their game is and how a "winner" is determined. Tell the class to listen carefully. As each learner finishes sharing information about their game, ask the class to decide if the object of the game just described is to have one winner/one team winner, OR if the object of the game is that everyone who plays the game is a winner. After each learner has shared the objective of their game and the class has placed the name of each game in one of the two columns, ask the learners what conclusions they can draw from the information described in the T-Chart. Obviously, they will note that most games are designed to have one winner or a team winner. Ask learners if they could think of, and share with the rest of the class, a game in which everyone might be a winner. Tell the learners that you are going to teach them a new game, a game in which everyone is a winner.
- Distribute the Giving Game Cards.
- Take a minute to have the learners look at the logo and have them share what they think the logo might mean.
- If the learners are able, have them chorally read the playing directions found on the back of the Giving Game Card. If this is not appropriate, read the playing directions to the learners.
- Provide the learners with the pictorial depiction of how the Giving Game is played How to Play the Giving Game(Attachment One). Review this to ensure their understanding.
- Tell the learners that they will receive a letter to take home to their family that will explain the game and will ask their family to help them play the Game.
- Tell the learners to begin to think of "kind acts" they might do. Read the partial list (Attachment Two), talk about some of these ideas, and have learners share with each other additional possibilities that could be added to the list. (Teacher Note: For additional "kind act" ideas, log on to www.learningtogive.org, click on the Youth Workers tab, then on "Youth Activity Index." Under ages 7-11, locate the activity entitled "ABCs of Philanthropy," select it and scroll down to Attachment One.)
- Have the learners briefly share some of the acts they are thinking of doing.
- Ask the learners to role play some of the Kind Acts listed (Attachment One) and/or those that the learners shared in order to model the behavior. Have them role play doing the act and then giving the card to the act’s recipient. Have that person do another act and pass the card on so that the learners understand how the card travels with the kind acts.
- Some time after the Giving Game is underway, provide a venue that gives learners a chance to share with their classmates the kind acts that they performed and how they are feeling about the act, as well as the game.
Assessment:
Teacher observation of the learners sharing the kind acts that they did and talking about how it made them feel for everyone to be a winner. If a pictorial display of the kind acts is assigned, teacher observation of the depiction as well as the oral explanation given by each artist will give indication of understanding and involvement.
School/Home Connection:
Interactive Parent/Student Homework
The learners will be given a letter about the Giving Game and the Giving Game Card to share with their family, seeking their permission to play the game, as well as to solicit their family’s assistance in playing the game. Families will be encouraged to help their child select, report, and ‘record’ their feelings concerning their act(s) either in writing or in picture that will be returned to the teacher.
Extension:
Periodically during the school year, provide time for learners to reflect on the kind acts they performed and how they are feeling about the game. Create a display board of artwork depicting ‘kind acts’ with a written or dictated sentence describing the act.
Bibliographical References:
- Giving Game Web site: www.givinggame.org
- Learning to Give Web site: www.learningtogive.org
Lesson Developed By:
Dennis VanHaitsmaCurriculum Consultant
Learning to Give
Handouts:
Handout 1Print Handout 1
How to Play the Giving Game
Teacher Note: Be sure to remind the learners that once they give their Giving Game Card away they may request additional cards and repeat the process as many times as they choose to do so.
Handout 2Print Handout 2
List of Ideas of Kind Acts
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Help a friend who is feeling sad
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Make my bed without being told
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Set the table for dinner
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Share my things with my brothers/sister
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Say something nice to someone
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Make a card for someone who is sick
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Help rake the leaves
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Clean my room
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Do my brother’s/sister’s chores
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Be friendly to a lonely person
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Wash the dishes
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Draw a picture to give to someone
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Allow my brother/sister to choose the TV program we watch
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Share my crayons/pencils with a classmate
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Say, "I’m sorry" after I did something that hurt someone
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Introduce yourself to a new student
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Open and hold the door for someone
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Pick up a piece of trash left behind by someone else
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Smile
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Invite someone to join in a playground game
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Say "Thanks" when someone helps me
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Be polite
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Pick up something that someone dropped and give it back to them
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Return a lost item to the "Lost and Found"
(Teacher Note: For additional "kind act’" ideas, log on to www.learningtogive.org, click on the Youth Workers tab, then on "Youth Activity Index." Under ages 7-11, locate the lesson entitled
ABCs of Philanthropy, select it and scroll down to Attachment One.)
Handout 3Print Handout 3
Parent/Guardian Letter
Dear Family,
Today, we talked about "winning" and "losing" in our classroom and we decided that no one really feels good about losing (unless, of course, they are on a diet). We all decided that winning is more fun. We also talked about how there typically are winners and losers in the games that we play, but today we discovered a new game. One in which everyone is a winner!!! The name of this game is the Giving Game and this is how it is played (see www.givinggame.org).
First—Perform a kind act for someone else, such as paying for a cup of coffee or soda for the person behind you in line. The act of kindness can be done secretly or be known to the person.
Second—Leave a Game Card with your kind act. Each Game Card has a unique ID number. Cards have instructions on the back so the person receiving the kind act knows how to play the Giving Game.
Third—The Web site can track the Card(s). Since each Game Card has a unique ID number, you can register your Card(s) at the site, allowing you to record your kind act
stories and read the stories of others. As your Card travels from one kind person to
another, you can see what's happening, who's involved and which cities and countries
it reaches!
Our hope is that everyone in our class will be able to play in this game, at least once.
As a family member, your role will be to:
1) encourage your child to participate.
2) record the GGID # on the back of the Giving Game Card for later "tracking."
3) help your child decide on a kind act that s/he can do .
4) help your child understand and give the Giving Game Card away to the person who receives their kind act.
5) if you have access to a computer and Internet, help you child log onto the www.givinggame.org Web site and record his/her kind act, OR,
6) help your child write about or illustrate their kind act and send this to his/her teacher for recording on the Web site.
7) decide if you or your child would like to continue to play the game by obtaining additional vinyl or printed Giving Game Cards from www.givinggame.org.
8) continue to support/encourage your child in doing kind acts.
We hope that you will enjoy helping your child play this Game in which everyone is a winner!
Respectfully,
Unit Contents:
Overview:Giving Game—Let the Games Begin! Summary
Lessons:
- 1.
- Giving Game—Let the Games Begin!
All rights reserved. Permission is granted to freely use this information for nonprofit (noncommercial), educational purposes only. Copyright must be acknowledged on all copies.
Comments
I really think this is a good lesson plan and or game. I would be sure to recommend it to other peers and group memmbers.
I am excited about doing this with my Kindergarteners this year. The examples are really down-to-earth, and achievable by 5-year-olds. Thank you for such a great way to share kindness with others!