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: A Million Thanks is a project launched by senior high school student, Shauna Fleming in recognition of May’s National Military Appreciation Month. Her idea to send “thank you” cards and notes to soldiers away from home began this nation-wide project. It now has the support of Pontiac, Buick and GMC factories and dealerships all over the United States. Boxes are placed in these factories and dealerships for the month of May to collect cards and letters from anyone who cares to send a card or letter to soldiers. While Shauna is the first to admit, “We can’t thank our soldiers enough,” she goes on to say, “but it doesn’t mean we can’t try.” If you search through her blog, one of the many responses to her efforts, reads, “YOU ARE AMAZING! It makes me so happy to see someone so young doing something so good.”
   
   Discuss: As we think about the sharing of our talents with others who may need encouragement, appreciation, recognition or support, how might we be able to avoid the feeling that our service project could become overwhelming? Do you think our efforts have the potential of being “amazing”? Why or why not? Do you think the fact that we are “so young” limits our ability to participate in projects like ours in some way? Why or why not?
   http://gmamillionthanks.org
   
    
2. Read: Donna Fargo was a Country Western singer in the 1970s. She delighted county music fans with such songs as “The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA” (for which she received a Grammy Award- an award given to recognize outstanding achievements in the record industry ), Funny Face and many, many others. Six times she claimed the number one song on the country charts. Developing multiple sclerosis cut her sing career short. Multiple sclerosis actually means “many scars” and some of its common symptoms include visual problems, fatigue, weakness or paralysis of limbs and psychological changes. In spite of “losing” her singing talent, Ms. Fargo was determined to find another “hidden” talent. As she says, “I began a new way of touching hearts.” She combined her former High School English teaching career experience with her ability to write song lyrics. She began writing inspirational greeting cards, books and calendars encouraging life affirming messages of hope and faith. Her cards are marketed by Blue Mountain Arts and are available in stores nationwide. Her fourth and latest book entitled Ten Golden Rules for Living in This Crazy Mixed-up World offers a common-sense approach for people to realize their lives are sacred and precious.
   
   Discuss: Do you think Ms Fargo would have discovered her “hidden” talent had she not “lost” her original talent? In what ways might our service project “touch hearts”? How can we use our experience and our talents to help others living in this crazy mixed-up world realize their importance, both to us and to themselves?
   
    
3. Read: The names of Russ and Geoff Courtnall are well known among hockey fans. These Canadian brothers were Professional Hockey players. In memory of their father, Archie Courtnall, the brothers recently hosted a fund raiser. They hoped to raise $100,000 to help support The Archie Courtnall Centre. Not only did they raise the $100,000 they initially had hoped to raise, but they raised an additional $700,000 hosting the Courtnall Celebrity Classic Golf Tournament.
   
   The Archie Courtnall Centre  is a Psychiatric Emergency Service Centre, located in Vancouver. It began servicing patients with mental and emotional difficulties in October 2004. The funds raised by this Golf tournament are used to support mental health facilities in the area. Wayne was Gretzky among those playing in the event.
   
   Discuss: In what ways did the Courtnalls use their talents for the common good? Why do you think the Courtnalls would take the time to raise money to support a Center servicing patients with mental and emotional difficulties even after the person they loved the dearest, and who could possibly have benefited from the Center, had died years earlier? As we consider how to use and share our talents during our service project, can you think of a time when you knew of someone who needed an encouraging word. Did you offer help? Why is it important to continue to care even when it seems that the reason for doing so has past?
   
    
4. Read: Henry David Thoreau was an American author, philosopher, and naturalist. He is best known for Walden. Walden is a non-fiction book that chronicled his two year, two month, and two day stay in a cabin near Walden Pond. The cabin was located in a woodland owned by his friend and mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson.
   
   According to the writings of Thoreau, “the bluebird carries the sky on its back”. As Thoreau’s description implies, the Bluebird is an attractive bird featuring blue, or blue and red, feathers. Because of its bright color and cheery song, the Bluebird has always been associated with happiness and a positive attitude. It is also associated with well-being and prosperity. Often reference to the bluebird is found in many European fairy tales and has always been a part of Native American stories.
   
   The phrase “Seeing nothing but blue sky” implies good times without the “storms” of inconvenience, disappointment, or tragedy. According to scientists, color can have a positive or negative impact on us. For example, the results of one study showed that the color of clothing influences the "welcomeness" and "comfortableness” people feel in the presence of people wearing particular colors. Needless to say, blue is one of the most popular colors. It is a peaceful, tranquil color that causes the body to produce calming chemicals. Studies show that people are more productive in blue rooms. They also confirm that weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in gyms that are painted blue.
   
   Discuss: We also say that when someone is feeling sad, they are feeling blue. How do you think these two interpretations of the color blue contrast? In what ways is our service project all about “bringing blue skies” into people’s lives? How can we add color to people’s lives and reflect happiness and a positive attitude in what we do during this event? How does our service event connect to our Blue Sky activity?
   www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html
   
    
5. Read:    
   (Note: Obtain the words to this song from the link and share them with your students.)
   This pop song, I’d like to Teach the World to Sing, originated as an advertising jingle for Coca-Cola in 197. The TV version of this commercial featured young people from around the world holding hands and singing on a hilltop. It was so popular at that time that it was credited with helping Coca-Cola regain its status as the number one soft drink in North America. Without the Coca-Cola references, this song also became a hit in its own right. Promotional recordings were issued by The New Seekers and The Hillside Singers bands. While these recordings were not about promoting Coca-Cola, they were about helping to create a more caring and civil society.
   
   Discuss: Many songs have written about making our world a better place. Why do you think song writers, story tellers, and poets use their music to make social comments like this? As recorded by The New Seekers and The Hilltop Singers, what do you think the lyrics in this song are recommending? Can you think and name other song lyrics or poems that advocate for a better world? As we think through our service event what are some of the things we hope to promote?
   www.lyrics007.com/Lea%20Salonga%
   20Lyrics/I'D%20LIKE%20TO%
   20TEACH%20THE%20WORLD%
   20TO%20SING%20Lyrics.html
   
    
6. Read: Do you recognize any of the names on this list: Willie Nelson, John Mellecamp, Neil Young, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Head, Los Lonely Boys, Arlo Guthrie, Gov’t Mule, Steve Earle, Allison Moorer, Steel Pulse, Shelby Lynne, Nitty Grit Dirt Band, Jimmy Sturr, Pauline Reese, and Danielle Evin?  Each of these individuals and bands performed a free concert for Farm Aid 2006! Since day one, Farm Aid has served as the public defender of America's family farms. Willie Nelson, with colleagues Neil Young and John Mellencamp, founded Farm Aid. They use their voices and the support of the American people to raise awareness and funds to strengthen family farm agriculture. Over the last 21 years, eighty cents of every Farm Aid dollar raised during these concerts has gone to programs supporting family farmers, including grants that help keep farmers on their land. The book entitled Farm Aid: A Song for America written by Holly George-Warren, Dave Hoekstra, and the Founders of Farm Aid with the Foreword written by Willie Nelson, gives a history of these concerts that serve as the grassroots movement for the independent family farm. It tells the 20-year story of Farm Aid and brings to life the power of music to create change.
   
   Discuss: This is an example of musical talent being used to promote and raise funds to support farmers through a nonprofit organization called Farm Aid. As we look to our service project, how are we planning to strength human relationships? How are we planning to gather our friends and classmates around us in support of this effort? What talents might we use in partnership with a local nonprofit organization to bring to life our creative talents to create change? What might be some of the advantages or disadvantages of such a partnership?
   www.farmaid.org/site/PageServer?
   pagename=disasterfund
   
    
7. Read: Little did Eddie Tuduri, a former drummer for the 1960’s Beach Boys Band, know what a healing impact his request for his drumsticks would have. In 1997 Mr. Tuduri was body-surfing near his home in California when a wave slammed him to the bottom of the ocean. His neck was broken and he was left temporary paralyzed. While recovering in the hospital, some of his friends honored his request and brought him his drumsticks. He recalls tapping out some rhythms on the side of his hospital bed. Other patients join in. Some began clapping, some tapped out the rhythm on the side of their bed and another patient tapped on a cow bell.  “I thought we were going to be in trouble,” Mr. Tuduri recalls with a grin.”  Instead, when he later struck up a beat during an occupational rehabilitation class, the therapists noticed that their patients showed improvement in memory, coordination, and other skills. Mr. Tuduric recalls that during one session, an eight year old boy, paralyzed on one side by an aneurysm, walked on his own for the first time. That’s when The Rhythmic Arts Project (TRAP) was born. TRAP is a non profit, rehabilitative program for kids and adults with developmental disabilities. His talent, combined with his compassion for others, is now giving hope to hundreds of patients with developmental disabilities.
   
   Discuss: Why do you think Mr. Tuduric requested his drumsticks while in the hospital? What thoughts do you think ran through his mind when he saw people actually getting better as a result of his talent with rhythm? As we approach our service project, can we truly know the end results of our using our talents during this event? What are some of the ways that we can combine our heart and our talents to share with others during this event?
   
    
8. Read: Major League Baseball players do more than just play the game. They are paid a great deal of money for playing, but when they’re not on the field, Major League Baseball players put their energy into serving their communities. They use their celebrity status to raise awareness of community problems and needs. They also roll up their sleeves and get involved.
   
   In 2002 Volunteers of America and the Major League Baseball Players Association formed a partnership that now operates in eleven major cities. This partnership sponsors Action Team, which is a volunteer program that engages area high school students in a variety of volunteer projects in their community. Presently, more than 5,000 teen volunteers have pitched in and assisted more than 31,000 people in need.  Action Team captains are responsible for spreading the word, as well as for recruiting other teens at their high schools to become involved.  As an active training ground for the next generation of volunteers, experience on the Action Team helps members discover that volunteering is cool, fun and personally rewarding.
   
   Discuss: How are professional athletes using their talents to support this project? Are their appropriate ways to use our status as seniors to help spread the word and promote our service event? Why is it important that we work side by side with our peers and help them to discover that volunteering is cool, fun and personally rewarding?
   
    
9. Read: Netscape® was the original Internet browsing software. Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Netscape®, is credited with having dreamed up the idea. He thought that anyone should be able to connect with anyone else, anywhere, on any computer.
   
   When asked about Netscape’s beginnings, Mr. Andreessen admits that there were plenty of skeptics at the time. “People in the early 1990’s felt that it would be just too complicated for the average citizen to use,” he admits. “It takes people a long time to change their habits and learn new technology, but they did it very quickly and only ten years later there were eight hundred million people on the internet!” When asked why he thought it took such little time for the Internet to catch on, he replied. “People will change their habits quickly when they have a strong reason to do so, and people have an innate urge to connect with other people… people are wired to want to connect with other people…!”
   
   Discuss: In what ways has technology improved people’s ability to connect with each other? In what ways is technology still limited in doing so? If we believe that people are “wired to connect”, in what ways might our service project help contribute to this connectivity? How might our planned activity provide a more meaningful connection than that offered by the technology?
   
    
10. Read: He was a “newbie” to our High School. My fellow senior classmates and I shared our first impressions of him. In quiet whispers behind partially closed locker doors we concluding that he certainly didn’t look like the type to try out for football; even the possibility of track was in question…. perhaps the debate team, chess club, or band… maybe.  So it was that as the school year progressed, he had pretty much faded into the background. To say that he had become invisible would  be a good summation. Now twenty years later, I find myself and many of my classmates and teammates sitting around a table at our high school class reunion trying to recall, with some accuracy, who played what position on which team, who scored which points, where we ended in the league standings and all the while good naturedly complaining about how the pros surely missed out on us when they didn’t sign us to big lucrative contracts. Then he stood and walked to the front of the room. All eyes followed him and the room grew silent just as it had twenty years earlier. He sat down at the piano and began playing many of the popular tunes of our high school days. As the melodies waft through the air, it brought us all back to the night of our senior prom. The local band we had scheduled to play that night had been involved in an automobile accident on the way to our prom. On an evening that was supposed to be a memorable one for high-schoolers, I recall having been elected to take the mike and share the news of the accident. The band was to be the entertainment and beyond that nothing was planned. It seemed inevitable that the news would spell an early end to the evening.  As everyone began to feel the loss of plans gone awry and shared their disappointment in muffled voices to each other, he quietly rose from where he was seated and moved to the piano. For the next four hours he played all the popular songs of our day without a sheet of music in front of him while we danced and laughed and talked the night into morning. So, while we don’t always agree on who did what when on the athletic fields, everyone agrees that the night a “newbie” shared his talent was the highlight of our senior year.
    
    Discuss: The teller of this story is looking back, reminiscing an earlier time that he recalls with a great deal of clarity. What do you think he is trying to share with us? Why do you think it was easier for the group to recall their prom night than it was to recall who played what position on which team, who scored which points, and where the team ended in the league standings? Is talent always visible? Always invisible? We’ve all learned by now that we’re not good at everything. Why is it important that we still get involved and do our best during our service project? What lasting impression are we hoping to leave as our senior legacy?

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:
Tell the students that they have been asked to write an “editorial” newspaper article that will tell the story of their involvement in this recent service project. Since newspaper articles are usually brief and inform their readers by answering the questions Who? What? When? Where? Why?, their article also should be brief and include answers to these five questions. When completed have the students place a symbol on their article that they will recognize as their own when the articles are returned to them. Collect the articles and randomly redistribute them so students will be able to read other student’s work. Depending on time, continue this process until each student has been able to read at least three other articles. Conclude with a brief sharing of students’ thoughts and ideas.

ACTIVITY TWO:
Review the recent service project and have students share their impressions of what took place. Assign students to groups of two and provide each group with a variety of old newspapers. Ask the groups to scan the newspapers looking specifically for articles that speak to a social/societal problem and how this problem was addressed by an individual or a group of individuals.  Have them cut out as many of these types of articles from the newspapers as the designated time permits.  Have them then select one article from among those they have identified, which they feel most closely represents the intent of this recent service project. Collect these articles, one from each group, and randomly reassign them to other groups so that no one group has its original article.  Each group is to look for the similarities and differences they see between the article they have been given and the intent of this recent event and share these similarities and differences with rest of the groups.

ACTIVITY THREE:
Provide each student with a variety of magazines and/or newspapers and instruct the class that they are to locate at least three company logos or slogans. Give each student a copy of the worksheet (below) and instruct them to cut out and attach the three logos or slogans that they have identified to their worksheet.  After a discussion as to why companies might develop and use logos and/or slogans, have the students complete the worksheet. Then have each student briefly share the logo or slogan he/she has selected and why? Distribute a piece of white construction paper to each student. Tell the class that now the challenge is for each of them to come up with their own logo or slogan to be used in promoting this same service project next year and draw/write it on the white construction paper. Once completed, collect and display all of the logos or slogans, without student names.  (NOTE: If the actual intent is to come up with a logo or slogan for use to promote this service project next year, voting for a classroom favorite might be appropriate.)
 

Name__________________

My three logos and/or slogans:

The logo or slogan I selected as having the most public appeal (from among the three logos I have identified) is circled above.

I think this logo or slogan would have more public appeal because….

ACTIVITY FOUR:
Have students consider this scenario. During this service project, if you had been given a digital camera with which to take three pictures for a motivational presentation, which three pictures would you have taken, and why?

 

Photo #1 (Describe the photo)

Why would you choose this photo to include in a motivational presentation?

 

Photo #2 (Describe the photo)

Why would you choose this photo to include in a motivational presentation?

Photo #3 (Describe the photo)

Why would you choose this photo to include in a motivational presentation?
 

Now have each student select their one photo from among the three taken “that will be added to the class album.” Have them share that photo with the class along with the reason for why they selected it as their favorite.  After everyone has an opportunity to share, engage the students in a discussion about similarities and difference in the photos selected as favorites and the reasons for selecting it.