This character education mini-lesson is not intended to be a service learning lesson or to meet the K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice. The character education units will be most effective when taught in conjunction with a student-designed service project that provides a real world setting in which students can develop and practice good character and leadership skills.  For ideas and suggestions for organizing service events go to generationon.org.

Anticipatory Set

Write the word philanthropy on the board. Give the definition of philanthropy as giving time, talent, or treasure or taking action for the common good. Ask the students how being fair benefits the common good.  Discuss. Review and use the class definition of fairness during the discussion.

• Choose or allow the students to choose one of the quotes below to reflect on in their character education journal. Tell them to explain what the quote tells them about fairness, taking action for the common good, and personal responsibility.

1. "Prejudice covers the reasonless dislike of a person, the proofless distrust of anyone from another race or religion, the rejection without trial of a new idea or thing ... and is an acquired attitude." --Colonel Oveta Culp Hobby (Texas lawyer, journalist, and politician; colonial/director of the Women's Army Corps)
2. "There is enough for all. The earth is a generous mother; she will provide in plentiful abundance food for all her children if they will but cultivate her soil in justice and in peace." --Bourke Coekran (19th century politician and orator)
3. "Cowardice asks the question - is it safe? Expediency asks the question - is it politic? Vanity asks the question - is it popular? But conscience asks the question - is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular; but one must take it because it is right." --Martin Luther King, Jr. 

• As an alternative, they may describe a time when they experienced or observed unfairness and how they responded or wished they had responded as a philanthropist.