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Bare Necessities-Helping Others (Kindergarten)

Lesson 1:

From Unit Bare Necessities - Helping Others (Kindergarten)

Lesson

Handouts

Academic Standards

Philanthropy Framework

Kindergarten-2nd Grade

Subjects:

Language Arts, Library / Technology, Philanthropy and Social Studies

Key Words/Concepts click to view

ELA:	Group Discussions; Listening; Understanding/Interpretation
PHIL:	11 lesson genOn; 12 lesson genOn; Caring/Sharing; Community; Giving; Hunger; Responsibility
SOC:	Citizenship/Civic Engagement; Civic Responsibility/Virtue; Common Good; Good Character; Personal Virtue

Focus Question(s):

How might individuals and society address the issues of poverty, homelessness and hunger, and their underlying causes?

NOTE: Prior to this lesson, use the Blue Sky Activity in which students envision a better world. If you already have a Blue Sky display, revisit it before beginning this lesson.

Purpose:

This lesson will help students identify a person’s basic needs, realize that many people in the world are lacking the resources to meet these needs, and why this may occur. Students will be guided and encouraged to think of ways they can help people in need get the resources they need.

Duration:

One 30 minute class period

Objectives:

The learner will:

differentiate between wants and needs.
give reasons why certain resources are necessary to sustain life.
compile a list of ways he/she can help people who lack basic resources.

Materials:

Poster board and pictures of wants and needs either drawn, or cut and pasted from magazines. (see Instructional Procedure)

Teacher Preparation:

It is important to be sensitive to the possibility that someone in your class may have some personal experience with homelessness, hunger and poverty.

Instructional Procedure(s):

Anticipatory Set:
Prepare a poster with two headings: Wants and Needs. Sketch or cut out a variety of pictures from magazines of:

Needs (e.g. a house, food, water, and clothing)

Wants (e.g. doll or stuffed animal, DVD player, palm pilot, diamond necklace, car)

Display the poster in front of the class and read the two words to the students. Show the pictures to the students and ask them to identify what is pictured. Explain that some of the pictures display "needs" - things that all people must have to stay alive, and that some pictures display "wants" - those things that make life easier or that we would like to have.

Engage the students in a discussion about each picture and ask them to help you sort the pictures into the two categories. Ask for student volunteers to help you attach the pictures in the correct area on the poster. Have the students tell which items are necessities and why.
For example:

House – keeps you warm, provides you with a place to stay, provides you with a place to sleep, is a place to put your belongings

Clothes – keep you warm, protect your body, and cover our bodies

Water - our bodies need water to stay alive

Food – prevents you from being hungry, gives you energy, gives you nourishment, and helps keep you healthy

Share with the students that wants, such as a doll or stuffed animal might make them feel happier and safer as they go to bed, but that they could stay alive without it, and that a car would make life easier for the family to go places, but they could walk instead.
Discuss with the students that some people lack basic necessities. They might not have shelter or a place to call home. Some people don't have clothes that fit properly or clothes that protect them from the cold or heat. Some people can't afford to buy enough food, or the right food, to keep their bodies healthy.
Review or introduce the word "philanthropy": to give time, talent and treasure for the common good. Discuss why we should care about others who lack the basic needs.
Ask the students if they would like to be philanthropists by doing something to help people get what they need for life. In a guided discussion, have them brainstorm ways to help those who lack basic necessities. What might people have at their houses they would be willing to give? For example, people can give clothing or toys. They can give food to people who are hungry.
Write the students’ ideas on the board. Have them come to consensus on one idea that they can do as a class project. Examples of projects include clothing drive, canned food drive, or toy drive.

Assessment:

Assessment will be based on the students’ participation in class through observation of their questions, enthusiasm, and ideas.

Learning Link(s): (click to view)

Have an idea for a Learning Link?

Submit your idea here.

If your Link is accepted for publication on the Web site you will be credited with your name, school, and city.

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.

Read: Trees are very important. Their leaves clean our air. Their branches give birds a place to build their nests. They give us shade from the hot sun. Their trunks give builders wood to build houses. They are used to make the paper that we use when we color and write. But what good are a tree’s roots? They don’t clean the air. Birds can’t build nests in them. They can’t give us any shade. We don’t use them to build our houses or make paper. I guess roots are not important. But wait a minute. Without its roots a tree would not be able to stand up. Without its roots the tree would not be able to drink water from the ground or get the food in the soil. Without its roots a tree would die. I guess tree roots really are important after all!

Discuss: When we bring something to give to our drive event how are we being like the roots of a tree? Who are we helping to be able to get food? Why is it important that everyone have enough food to eat and water to drink?

Read: Kindra got a kitty for her birthday. It was just the one she wanted. Her mother had sat down with her and told her about her responsibilities for feeding and taking care of her new kitty long before it arrived. Mother wanted to be sure that Kindra knew how important it is to take good care of her pet. Kindra agreed. A few weeks after the kitty arrived, mother asked Kendra how it was going.

“It’s so much fun,” Kendra said. “This kitty is so polite!”

Mother looked curious. “What do you mean, polite?” she asked.

“Well when she’s hungry she says please and when she has eaten she says thank you.” Kendra relied proudly.

“And how does she do that?” mother asked.

“When she looks up at me and cocks her head, I know that she’s hungry. I think she’s asking me to please feed her. And when she’s finished eating she licks her lips and cleans her face. I think that’s her way of tell me thank you.”

“I see what you mean,” said mother.

Discuss: During our service event there are people who are in need of our help. They can’t always ask us to please help them and they can’t always thank us for helping them. Is that OK? How will we know that things are going all right during our service event? In what ways could it be fun?

Read: Once there was a painter. He was asked to paint a very big and difficult picture. The painter knew that it would take him a long time to paint the picture. At first he was worried. How could he ever get it done? Then he got an idea. He decided that each day he would paint for one hour. Day after day he would paint of one hour. Soon before he realized it, the painting was finished. “I only did a little bit each day,” he told the buyer of the painting.

Discuss: Hunger is a very “big picture”! Will we ever be able to get food to all the people who don’t have any food? How is our drive event doing a little bit each day to help people in need? Why is it important that we each do something to help people in need?

Read: Strange things have been going on in our school. Two days ago we saw some of the older students come into the building. They were bringing in cans and boxes of food. Yesterday a table appeared in the hallway. And today that table is beginning to be piled up with cans and boxes of food. It was a mystery. We told our teacher about the mystery we had discovered. She told us to sit down and she would try to solve the mystery with us. Ms. Justin told her class that during this time of year some people give or donate food to help other people that don’t have enough food. She told them that the school is participating in a school-wide food collection drive. Ms. Justin said that everyone, all students, teachers, helpers and anyone else that wants to, can bring in food items that will be given to a local organization. That organization will give it out to anyone that needs it.

Discuss: Why was it important that this mystery be solved? Why is it important that everyone who wants to participate in our drive event? How will our drive be more successful if our class participates?

Read: “But dad, I really need a new backpack,” Brady begged. “All the other kids at school have new Spiderman backpacks except me.”

“Didn’t we just get you a new backpack before school started this year?” dad asked.

“Yeah, but I want one like the other kids have,” Brady whined.

“So which is it Brady? Do you need one or do you just want one? Dad explained, “When you need something, it is important because without it you may not stay alive. When you want something you really don’t need it to stay alive.” Brady looked confused. Dad continued, “We just ate dinner didn’t we?“

“Yes,” Brady agreed.

“So you wouldn’t really need anything else to eat right now would you?” Dad asked.

“No, I guess not.” Brady replied.

“So if I offered you a peanut butter candy bar right now, would you take it because you needed or because you wanted it? Brady understood.

Discuss: Did Brady need a new backpack or did he want a new backpack? Our drive event wants to get the items we collect to the people who need them. Why is this important?

Read: This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine…. Do you know this song? It was written and sung long ago by slaves. Slaves were people who were forced to work with no pay. They sang this song because they were sad. They didn’t feel very important. Today this song is often sung by young children. Today it is sung as a much happier song. It has come to mean that no matter how small we are we can still do something. Even a very small candle in a dark room lights up the room.

Discuss: During our drive event we are asked to bring things to school to give to people in need. How can we let our light shine even though we may be small? Do you think what we give will make people happier? Why or why not?

Read: Many students have a favorite stuffed animal. Some carry their stuffed animal wherever they go. Some play with it during the day. Others like to take their stuffed animal to bed with them at night. They are called stuffed animals because they are usually filled with foam rubber, feathers, or other soft material. When we say we are stuffed, we usually mean that we are full. We’ve eaten too much.

Discuss: We are collecting food during our drive event to give to people who are not stuffed. In fact, many of them are very hungry. How will our food help to fill them up?

Read: Sometimes we forget to wear our jackets when it is cool outdoors. Sometimes we forget to wear our boots when it is raining or snowing outdoors. Sometimes we forget to wear our mittens or gloves when it’s really cold outdoors. Most parents and teachers remind us to wear our jackets, boots, mittens, or gloves when they think we should. They remind us because they want us to be warm and dry.

Discuss: Sometimes we forget that not everyone is warm and dry. Sometimes we forget that not everyone has enough food or clothing to wear. How does our service event help remind us that there are people who are hungry and cold? What can we do to help these people?

Read: Did you know that and adult anteater is just about our size? Did you know that an anteater gets its name because it eats ants and their cousins the termites? In fact, they eat 30,000 of them a day! So if you were bringing food to our drive event for an anteater you’ve have to bring ants or termites. But our food drive is for people. People like to eat many different things. They certainly do not like to eat ants or termites!

Discuss: What are some things people like to eat? Why is it important to bring food to our drive event that people might like?

Read: “Smile…say cheese”. Most people don’t mind having their picture taken. Sometimes it’s the “Smile…say cheese part” that is hard. Maybe we just don’t feel like smiling or saying cheese. Maybe we are not happy about something. Maybe we didn’t get the gift we wanted. Maybe somebody else got the biggest piece of birthday cake. Maybe somebody else is playing the game we wanted to play. Maybe we were just told we couldn’t watch our favorite TV show because we didn’t do our chores. But some people don’t smile because they are hungry. Some don’t smile because they are cold. Some don’t smile because they have homes. When we help people in need their smile is almost automatic. That means it just happens! When we help people in need our smile is almost automatic. It’s almost impossible to help someone and not smile.

Discuss: In what way does our helping others make a beautiful picture? Why do you think people who are helped smile? Why do you think people who help others can’t help but smile? How might our service event bring smiles to the faces of those we help?

Reflection: (click to view)

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:
Have the students share what they know about quilts (e.g. they are warm, soft, cuddly, usually made out of pieces of materials sewn together, etc) as you provide the students with 4 ¼” by 5 ½” sheet of paper-- an 8 ½” x 11” sheet of paper cut in half. Tell the students that they will be helping to make a “quilt” and that each person will contribute one piece to be added to the quilt. Have each student draw a picture of what they did during the Event activity using crayons or markers. When they have completed their drawings have them take turns bringing their “quilt piece” to you and telling the class about their drawing which will then be added to the “quilt.” Display the “quilt” as it is being sewn together to form a “Caring Blanket.” When everyone has contributed their piece to the blanket, ask the students how their “Caring Blanket” may have made someone feel warm inside.

ACTIVITY TWO:
Provide each student with a yellow cutout of a happy face and a sad face. Have the students decide which face represents how they felt as they were helping during the Event activity. Have each student bring their chosen “face” to the display area entitled “Our Faces”/”Our Helping Mirror.” As the students hand you their “faces” display them in as much of a circle as you can. When everyone’s face is displayed, ask the students if most of the faces were happy or sad. Using black heavy string or yarn and common pins/tacks, make the mouth of the face, over the ‘sea of faces’ that represents how the majority of the students felt.

ACTIVITY THREE:
Playing the game “Duck, Duck, Goose,” model for the students how the person who is “IT” will walk around the circle of students tapping them lightly on the head saying, “caring” “sharing” “helping” “giving,” or any combination of these words. However when the person who is IT taps someone on the head and says “philanthropy” or “philanthropist” that person is now IT and must stand and tell the class how he or she cared, shared, helped, or gave to someone during the Event. The new IT person now walks around the circle following the model. If some is dubbed “Philanthropist” and they have nothing they can think of to share, have the IT person continue to follow the model until he or she finds someone to be IT who is willing and able to share. (NOTE: Make every effort to be sure that everyone has an opportunity to be IT and to share.)

ACTIVITY FOUR: Cut out an outline of a star on yellow construction paper for each student. Have each student come to the front of the class in turn and whisper to you what they did during the Event. Write what they did on their star. Have the student hold up his/her star while you tell the class the word(s) that is written on it. Celebrate each recipient as they hold their star with hand clapping/a cheer, etc. Have each student then place his or her star on the display board entitled “Super Stars.” After everyone has had a turn, ask the class if they think that the stars in the sky help to make things a little brighter at night. Draw a comparison as to how all of their deeds certainly helped to make the world a brighter place. Thank and applaud the students as a class.

Bibliographical References:

Adapted from the Learning to Give Lesson The Bare Necessities:
http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit411/lesson1.html

Lesson Developed By:

Pamela McIntosh
Detroit Public Schools
Woodward Elementary School
Detroit, MI 48208

Handouts:

Academic Standards:

State/Country:

Philanthropy Framework:

Comments

Cindy, LEAGUE Coach – Atlanta, GA1/15/2011 10:36:37 PM

This was a great lesson to show students a different perspective. Students were able to understand the difference between a "need" and a "want". This lesson was a great lead into our lesson about "Homelessness".