Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE

Age:

• 7-11

Philanthropy is:

• Sharing time, talent and treasure, and taking action for the common good

Purpose:

• Participants will recognize the importance of working together to serve the common good.

Objectives:

The young person will:

• understand the concept of “serving the common good.”
• explore ways that they can promote serving the common good by working together.

Activity Theme:

“The future depends entirely on what each of us does every day.”

~Gloria Steinem,
she speaks out to promote rights for women

The purpose of this activity is to teach young children what it means to serve the common good. The language of philanthropy is very new to children and should to be introduced in a fun way. Before beginning the session, the facilitator needs to hide candy around the room, making certain there is enough for each participant to have one piece.

Activity Steps:

• When the participants arrive announce that they are going to participate in a “Common Good Candy Hunt.” Explain that candy has been hidden around the area, enough pieces for each person to have one. Tell them that the “Common Good Candy Hunt” will have some special rules.
  1. Each member may pick up only one piece of candy.
  2. If they find more than one piece of candy, they may not pick it up, but may help others who have not found a piece of candy find it by giving verbal clues only about its location. An example might be, “it is close to something green” or “it is under something you look at everyday.”
  3. Pointing or leading the others to the candy’s location is not allowed.
  4. No one may eat his or her candy until everyone has a piece.
• Begin the “Common Good Candy Hunt.” Make sure that participants are following the rules. If you notice youth who are not following the rules, call out “Freeze!” When everyone has stopped, explain the rules again, emphasizing the rules that are being broken. Once everyone has found a piece of candy, ask participants to form a circle on the floor and allow the participants to enjoy eating the candy.
• Write the words “Common Good” in the middle of a piece of chart paper. Explain that when they worked together in the Candy Hunt to make sure that everyone had a piece of candy, they were giving everyone an equal chance to enjoy the candy. Making sure everyone has an equal chance to enjoy life (things or opportunities) is serving the common good. Explain that philanthropists consider what is good for everyone, in addition to what is good for themselves. Philanthropists serve the common good. When the participants worked together in the candy hunt they were acting as philanthropists.

Processing Questions:

1. How did different participants find their candy? How did the group work together as a team? How did they cooperate?
2. Think about other “hunts” in which you may have participated. What happens in most hunts? Do most people cooperate with each other to benefit the common good?
3. How might the participants translate the results of the candy hunt into everyday life? Can they give examples when they worked with others to serve the common good?
4. How can they use serving the “common good” with their family or at school? (Write the responses on the chart paper.)

Supplemental Activity:

Have the participants return home and ask a sibling, parent or important adult to discuss what the two of them could do together to serve the common good of their family.

Activity Source:

Adapted from Community Partnerships with Youth Inc.
The Word for Me Is Philanthropy

Additional Resources:

Kindness/Sharing

Learning to Give Lesson (3-5) “Artists Giving Back”

Unit “Why Do People Give?”

Good Deeds

Learning to Give Lesson (K-2) “Friendly Neighbors”

Unit “Philanthropic Literature”

Everyday Philanthropy

Learning to Give Lesson (K-2) “Our Classroom is a Community”

Unit “Living in a Community”

Philanthropy Theme Framework :

Strand Standard Benchmark PHIL I. Definitions of Philanthropy DP 01. Define Philanthropy E 3. Recognize that citizens have a responsibility for the common good, and define core democratic values. PHIL II. Philanthropy and Civil Society PCS01. Self, citizenship, and society E 3. Describe a benefit of group cooperation. PHIL II. Philanthropy and Civil Society PCS05. Philanthropy and Government E 2. Identify why rules are important and how not all behaviors are covered by rules. PHIL III. Philanthropy and the Individual PI 01. Reasons for Individual Philanthropy E 2. Identify why people practice philanthropy related to their own self-interest.