These Learning Links provide ten quick-and-easy, five-minute mini-lessons to promote student thought and dialogue about service and civic engagement. You may use as many of them as you wish, and in whatever order best meets your needs and the interest of your students. The purpose of these mini-lessons is to provide a deeper understanding of philanthropy (the giving of time, talent, and treasure for the common good) and to reinforce the lesson focus. These Learning Links also promote the development of character traits, civic engagement, and student leadership. As appropriate to your grade level, it is recommended that students play an active leadership role in presenting these mini-lessons to their classmates.

1. Read: “Ew! You went in that?'" That’s what people say when you tell them that you went into the Hackensack River.The Hackensack River located in New Jersey is so polluted that it's unsafe for swimming, fishing, and/or aquatic life. This is true of one in three rivers in the United States. Water: River Warriors is a teen water cleanup project. Since it began a number of years ago, naturalist Bill Sheehan agrees that though the river is still polluted, "the quality of the water is much cleaner than it was…and the habitats are getting better all the time." So much better, in fact, that Sheehan began offering eco-cruises to show people the abundance of turtles, fish, and water birds in the river. Sheehan credits teenagers for removing trash that can harm wildlife. It is not uncommon by the end of the six-hour shift that the teens would remove enough trash to fill more than two large dump trucks. They hope people will see all the trash that comes out of the river and it will encourage them to care more about environmental issues. “Maybe they will think twice before they throw garbage in the river." said one of the students involved in the project. “You wouldn’t believe the stuff we find in this river!” So what did these teens find? They found balloons and plastic bags, twenty shopping carts, assorted car parts, a garage door, a bike, an armchair, a kitchen sink, loads of cans, bottles, and tires to mention only a few things.
   
   Discuss:  Depending on what projects we take on during our Earth Day event, we may have to go into places and do things that are not always pleasant. How can we work around unpleasantness, get the job done, and do it safely? Projects like the Water: River Warriors bring attention to environmental problems and issues. In what ways might our Earth Day event do the same? Why might it be important that people begin to care more about environmental issues?
   
    
2. Read: Look around you. You may be lucky enough not to see a lot of junk, garbage, and debris where you are. That’s because someone at sometime picked up that piece of paper, that bottle or can, that banana peel, or whatever was carelessly tossed where you are now looking. If no one had ever done that, you would be standing knee-deep in trash. Just because you can’t see it now doesn’t mean it wasn’t there at some time. This is a similar problem that NASA (National Aeronautics Space Association) is now facing. Look up into space. From where you stand you can’t see any junk, garbage or debris but that’s not because there is none up there. The U.S. Space Surveillance Network estimates that there are 12,000 pieces of space junk that are baseball-size and larger. A greater problem is the more than 100,000 smaller pieces of Space Junk too small to track. It is still capable of doing some real damage to space orbiters, communication systems, and satellites. Zipping around at 6 miles per second even a speck of paint can damage shuttle windows. Scientists are very aware of the need to clean up space so that those who travel and explore don’t end up “knee deep” in trash.
   
   Discuss: In what ways is our Earth Day event not only making things better for today, but also better for tomorrow? Why might it be important to carefully look around to see what needs to be done? How can we thank those who have helped to take care of our world so far? What can we do help reduce and perhaps even eliminate trash?
   
    
3. Read: The July 2007 edition of People Magazine carried the story of Mark Pastore. Mark is the top chef at a famous San Francisco restaurant. There he serves only specially filtered tap water to his customers. At no cost! He is convinced that saying “no” to bottled water and can be greener; meaning it is more “environmental friendly” than one might first think. And it would appear that he is right! Each American consumes an average of 166 bottles of bottled water each year. Did you know that eight out of ten of those bottles wind up in a landfill?  Given the way that those bottles are now constructed it takes 1000 years for the plastic to decompose!
   
   Discuss: Given this information, what is one very simple thing we can do to conserve one of our world’s most precious resources? If drinking tap water is not advisable, what can we do with our water bottles to make using them more “green”? How is our planned Earth Day event addressing our need to be environmentally “green”?
   
    
4. Read: Skate Parks are becoming very popular. They are parks built for skateboarders to enjoy. They also are able to develop their sport and technique using the structures these park provide. A skate park may contain half-pipes, quarter pipes, handrails, trick boxes, vert ramps, pyramids, banked ramps, full pipes, stairs and any number of other trick-oriented objects. Many urban areas are facing widespread property damage caused by skateboarding. Creating skate parks have all but eliminated these problems. Park and Recreation Director, Tom Gordon said in a recent interview that the kids who use the skate park in his community have a sense of ownership in the park. “I think they take pride in the facility. We have the usual litter problems, but we do not have any vandalism.”
   
   Discuss: In what ways can someone take ownership in something that he/she does not own? What do you think Mr. Gordon meant when he said that the kids had a sense of ownership in their skate park? Why would having a sense of ownership in something that didn’t belong to them stop kids from vandalizing the park? How is our Earth Day event showing our pride and a sense of ownership in our school and community?
   
    
5. Read: This story comes out of Denver, Colorado. During a violent snowstorm the Denver airport had to be closed for two days. This caused thousands of travelers to be stranded.  An equal number of motorists were also snowbound on the highways. This particular story tells of six cars stranded on a Denver freeway ramp. It was brutally cold. Death by freezing was a very real possibility for anyone caught in the storm. These six stranded motorists, however, found a way to survive. Rather than each remaining in his or her car running the motor and trying to keep warm, they congregated in one car and remained in it until the fuel level dropped to a quarter of a tank. Then they moved to the next car and did the same thing. When a snowplow finally freed them, all were safe and warm and all had enough fuel to find a motel until they could return home.
   
   Discuss: Using common sense, six strangers worked together to survive the ordeal that might not otherwise have resulted in a positive outcome. In what ways can our working together, even though we may not know each other well, help our Earth Day event be a successful one?  How can we convince others to “congregate” around this event?
   
    
6. Read: Because spiders can be creepy, they often provoke fear. But not everyone has this same reaction. Ancient Romans carried spider charms to bring good luck in business. Many Chinese people believe that a spider dangling from its web is good luck. In Native American tradition, the spider represents Grandmother, the link between past and future. In some parts of the world people still believe that to kill a spider brings that person bad luck. While the largest spiders in the world include the South American Goliath Tarantula - some so big their legs can span a dinner plate - most spiders are so small and live such hidden lives that most of us never see them. Typically, spiders trap insects using their delicately spun webs. The spider silk used to make these webs are considered one of the seven great wonders of the animal kingdom. Why? Our modern-day technology is still unable to reproduce, a substance that is tougher, stronger and more flexible than a strand of spider silk! Surely a good reason to respect nature. There is an Ethiopian Proverb that goes like this: When spiders unite, they can tie down a lion.
   
   Discuss: As we approach our Earth Day event what nature might we encounter? What does it mean to respect nature? Why is it important that we respect even the creepiest of animals and insects? The Ethiopian Proverb talks about the strength of spider webs. What truth does this proverb hold for us as we work together on the projects of our Earth Day event?
   
    
7. Read:  Are you a “clutter bug” or just someone who collects things and fails to organize them? Messy bedrooms are often the cause of family disagreements. One parent describes the situation as “…kids who can’t seem to part with anything”. Well, you’ll be happy to know that child psychologists are on our side. They say that our parents need to “respect our space and our privacy”. They need to allow us to accumulate the stuff that really matters to us. After all, it’s just part of growing up. As one teenager put it, “While my space may seem like a mess to my family, to me it's sort of like a shrine to all the things that make me tick.” On the other hand there is an equally legitimate question that many parents ask, “What responsibility do our teenagers have to “respect” the fact that adults own their space?”
   
   Discuss: These questions are good ones to think about when it comes to our Earth’s environment as well. Yes, we all have certain “rights” to our space and to our privacy, but do we have any “responsibility” to everyone else who shares our Earth’s environment? Why or why not? How is our Earth Day event trying to show our “responsibility” to those who “own” our school, live in our community, and our world? How can we claim our space and privacy in this world and still be respectful of everyone else “rights” and “responsibilities”?
   
    
8. Read: In mid-November a rancher in Nevada spotted two bull elk that had locked horns while sparring. They couldn't untangle themselves. A little over a week after the first spotting, wildlife biologist Tom Donham, game warden, Brian Eller, and Bureau of Land Management wildlife biologist, Bryson Code, headed out to see what they could do. Donham said, “When we arrived where the rancher had last seen them, we found them pretty quickly. They were both lying on the ground. One of them was in a very uncomfortable looking position with his head directly above the other’s head and his nose pointing straight up to the sky. We wondered how they had survived their ordeal this long!” The elk may have been sparring at the outset, but Donham and Eller both reported that they used teamwork to run together for nearly a mile to evade them. "It looked like they had been doing it all their lives; serious cooperation if I've ever seen it," Donham chuckled. Using a tranquilizer dart gun and a hand saw they were finally successful in separating the two. Eventually both elk walked away after the tranquilizer had worn off.
   
   "If these two bulls had not been discovered, and we never got the call, more than likely they would have both died. Watching the bulls walk away, and knowing that we probably saved them from a slow death was definitely one of those moments that makes this job rewarding," admits Donham.
   
   Discuss: Are there other occasions that come to your mind, when nature seems to need a helping hand? How can our Earth Day event be considered a helping hand effort? Do you anticipating having a similar feeling as that expressed by Donham after participating in our Earth Day event with? Why or why not?
   
    
9. Read: Countless puzzle-books and computer games feature mazes and labyrinths. Most people are not aware that mazes and labyrinths are quite different from each other. A maze features complex branching passages creating a puzzle.  You must navigate through a puzzle to reach the final destination. To do this successfully, must make choices as to which direction you wish to go. It is very probable that you will actually lose you way and get lost.
   
   A labyrinth is usually a single-path to a center. It is not designed to be difficult to navigate. In recent years, there has been a new interest in labyrinths. This has inspired a revival in labyrinth building. Many newly-made labyrinths exist today in churches and parks. Some are even constructed in cornfields! Throughout history labyrinths have provided its users with an opportunity to focus their attention on the path ahead knowing that it will lead to “the center”. Labyrinths were used to help achieve a contemplative state. This is a form of meditation. When you walk around a labyrinth, you seem to lose track of the direction you are waking and of the outside world. This focus helps quiet the mind. The result is a relaxed mental attitude.
   
   Discuss:  Why is it important that we have a goal for our Earth Day event? How can we ensure an easy passage to our goal? How will good planning help us avoid a “maze-like” event? What are some ways that we could focus our attention on what needs to be done and still enjoy a relaxed and fun filled day?
    
10. Read: Graffiti. We’ve all seen it.  Maybe some of us have done it. We often see it on walls, bridges, railroad cars, and even restaurant restrooms and tables. Any “unauthorized writing or drawing on a surface in a public place” is considered graffiti. Historians tell us that graffiti has existed at least since the days of ancient civilizations, such as Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. However, it has changed over time. Today we call it "modern graffiti". While most of it still involves the public defacing of a surface, spray paint, markers, and other similar materials are now being used. When graffiti painting is done without the property owner's consent, it is considered vandalism. Vandalism is punishable by law in most countries. While it can and has been used to communicate social and political messages and as a form of advertising, graffiti when “authorized” is also considered a modern art form. It too can be seen on walls as well as in art galleries around the world. There is an ancient saying that “a rose bush in a vegetable garden is still a weed”. So one might conclude that art where it is not wanted is graffiti.
    
    Discuss: The majority of the graffiti in the world today is the result of someone wanting to leave their name, gang symbol, or other such markings to indicate that they had been there. How can our involvement in our Earth Day event leave our “mark” indicating that we have been there? In what ways will our “mark” be more like art than graffiti?

 

Reflection plays a very important role in promoting student learning. The following suggested activities are ways to help students reflect on their learning after they have participated in a service event.  Choose one or more of the activities most appropriate to the service event and your students.

ACTIVITY ONE: Give each student four sticky notes. On one of the sticky notes have the students write their response, using one or two words, to the question, “How did you feel about participating in the event prior to actually being involved?” On the second sticky note have the students write their response to the question, “How did you feel while being involved in this Event?” On the third sticky note, have the students respond to this question, “How did you feel after the Event was over?” And on the fourth sticky note have the students respond to the question, “What could I do differently in the future?” 
Place the following headings on the display board: Before, During, After, Future. Have students come and place their sticky notes under the appropriate heading on the display board.  Allow time for them to walk around to view and read the comments of others. Encourage them to note similarities and differences.  Involve the class in a discussion using the prompt,”What did you learn from reading everyone’s comments?”

ACTIVITY TWO: Give each student three sheets of multi-colored construction paper, one sheet of white construction paper, a pair of scissors, and a black marker (assorted colored pens are optional).  Using one of the sheets of multi-colored construction paper for each shape, ask each student to draw and cut out the following shapes: 1) a head, with a “light bulb” drawn in it; 2) a body, with a “heart” drawn in it, and; 3) limbs-two arms and two legs.  Ask the students to think about what the “light bulb” and “heart” might represent. (NOTE: The ‘light bulb” is an icon often identified with “ideas”. The “heart” as an icon is often identified with “feelings.”) Ask the students what they think the “arms and legs” might represent. (NOTE: Arms and legs are often associated with going places and doing things.) Now have the students use their sheet of white construction paper to cut out three “word bubbles.” (See Example) Have them write words or phrases that represent how their head (mind), their body (heart) and their arms and legs were involved in the Event.

Said another way, one ‘bubble’ for the head (what they thought about the Event),
one “bubble” for the body (how they felt about the Event), and one ‘bubble’ for the limbs (what they did for the Event).  When completed, call the first student to the bulletin board-type display area entitled  “Join the Crowd” (or some similarly appropriate title).Have each student, in turn, pen his/her designed cutout head along with its “bubble” on the display board. Share some of the responses. Now have each student come and pen his/her cutout body beneath their head along with its bubble. Share some of the responses. Finally, have each student pen his/her designed cutout arms and legs on their body along with the “bubble.” Share some of the responses. Have students walk past the ‘crowd’ and read the “bubble”. Discuss findings, comparisons, and final thoughts.

ACTIVITY THREE: Assign the students to one of four groups and distribute a white sheet of square paper, preferably 21.5” x 21.5” (the official size of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd base in Major League Baseball), a pair of scissors for each student, a glue stick/paste and a variety of magazines and newspapers.  Tell them that they are to go look through these magazines and newspapers to cut out pictures and /or words that could be used to describe their involvement in the recent service project. Once they have cut out as many pictures or words as they can, in the allotted time, as a group they are to decide which pictures and/or words will be included on their group base. Tell them to glue the pictures and/or words to their base.  When completed they are to offer their base for display in the area marked “Let’s Play Ball” or “Covering All the Bases,” etc (Note: You may wish to display the base in the traditional diamond shape to add more realism and invite interested students to complete the ballpark design. If time allows, ask the students how participating in this service project is like playing baseball/participating in sports.)

ACTIVITY FOUR: Using the name of the service project, have students brainstorm words or short phrases, the letters of which when properly placed, form some sort of crossword puzzle-like creation.  These words should ‘describe’ the activity, the feelings, and/or the impact of the Event for the individual student involved.   

When the students have each completed their own crossword puzzle, instruct them to draw an outline of the pattern around their words (See above), have them shade-in the interior of the form with a light color pencil or crayon, so as not to cover up the words, and then cut out the form along the outline. Display these crossword puzzles forms in an area entitled, “The Shape of Our Service” or “We’re in Great Shape”, “Join the Crowd” or etc.