This unit will introduce the learners to the manner in which marginalized, disenfranchised and disadvantaged individuals have used the nonprofit sector as an alternative power structure in American society. They will research various local and national organizations, events, and leaders involved with creating positive change for the common good. They will conduct a community survey involving women and minority groups and discover the problems they faced and continue to face. They will report their findings in the school and/or community newspaper. They will create bookmarks about local women and minorities to be given to other schools and the local library to distribute to community members.

As an extension, they will write essays on why the community feels as it does, and agree or disagree with the community's views. After learning about the various nonprofit organizations associated with marginalized, disenfranchised or disadvanaged individuals and/or groups, learners can choose to volunteer their time, talent, and/or treasure to these organizations.

The learners will go out into the community and conduct interviews using the survey that they have created. They will compile the results and share them with the community and/or school through social media or the school and/or local newspaper.

• Interactive Parent/Student Homework:

Dear Parent and/or Guardian,

Learners in _____________________ class will be studying the concept of philanthropy and how marginalized, disenfranchised and/or disadvantaged individuals and groups have used the nonprofit sector as an alternative power structure in American society to make positive changes for the common good. They will be focusing on the time period from 1800 until the present. The learners will be utilizing research methods to find out about woman and minority leaders, past and present, who used or were part of an alternative power structure to create positive change. Parents can work with learners by studying with them the philanthropic vocabulary that we are using in this unit, and encouraging their research efforts. As an experiential component, the learners will be creating a bookmark of a local woman and/or minority leader to be passed out to local schools and members of the community at the local library. They also will be conducting five surveys to see how community members feel about efforts of local women and minority organizations, and to see if there are still problems that need to be solved. We would love to have you participate in the survey! Also, in the future, we may be participating in a job-shadow or volunteer experience in the nonprofit organization of the learner's choice, if it is a local agency. Learning in this unit will be assessed by a unit test, journal writing, completion of five community surveys and a reflection piece on the learners' experience giving the surveys, a two-page written paper on a leader of marginalized, disenfranchised or disadvantaged individuals, a presentation on an organization associated with marginalized, disenfranchised and/or disadvantaged groups, participation in a cooperative learning group in creating a timeline, and completion of a bookmark of a local woman or minority leader.