Time

(approx.)

Activity

Method

Day 1

5 min

Instructor asks students to take out a piece of paper or a journal and answer this question:

• Is giving important in society?  Do you think that it should be important?  Why?  What purpose does it serve?

Bell Work

5 min

Students discuss their answers to the question.

Large Group Discussion

2 min

Teacher explains that while we may give all the time, we need to stop and look at why we do it and what it means.  This is especially important when we consider whether and how we should “give” to those in need.

Direct Instruction

3 min

Students make a T-Chart.  On the first side of the chart, students create a list of everything that they have ever received as a gift – for a birthday, holiday, for no reason at all, etc.  (Inform students that this list will be shared).

Independent Work

3 min

On the second side of the chart, students write down everything that they need to survive.  Students should take this seriously, thinking of what they would literally die from doing without.

Independent Work

8 min

Students swap papers with a partner.  Partners look at the list before them, and begin crossing off any items in gift column that do not meet the criteria of “needed to survive” in the second column.  Partners should explain to each other why they are crossing items off of the list.

Partner Work

8 min

Class discusses the types of items that were taken off of the list.  The teacher asks the following questions:

• Does this mean that these gifts do not matter?  Explain.
• Why are we giving each other things that we do not actually need?
• Why do we give each other anything at all?

Teacher writes down key ideas.  For example, it should be noted that we give to express love.

Large Group Discussion

5 min

In partners, students answer the following question:

• What else do people give to you, besides what they can buy and wrap up?

Partner Discussion

5 min

Class discusses answers.  Teacher should summarize with words for what people may give (time, energy, love, shelter, food).  Teacher explains that, before the next class, students should spend some time thinking about what type of giving is most important to their life.

Large Group Discussion

Day Two

5 min

Instructor asks students to take out a piece of paper or a journal and answer this question:

• Have you ever seen or participated in a charity drive?  What types of things do people usually give during these events?  How difficult do you think it is for people to give these things up?

Bell Work

5 min

Class discusses responses.  Teacher lists examples of what people give on the board.  Students answer the following questions:

• What is the value of giving up things like coats, canned food, new toiletries to people in need?
• Is there anything more that people need that we do not always give?  (Think back to our discussion of what people in your life give to you.)
• Keeping in mind our discussion of why people give from yesterday, what might we get out of giving our time, energy, and love to other people?  What might they get out of it?

Large Group Discussion

6 min

Independently, students answer the following questions in writing (answers will be shared):

• What does it mean to be “in need”?  
• What might people need in your family?
• What might people in your school need?
• What might people in your community need?
• What might people in the world at large need?

Independent Work

6 min

In small groups, students share their answers.  Students select or write a single definition for what it means to be “in need.”

Small Group Work

7 min

Students select one member of their group to write the definition that they selected on the board.  As a class, students read and discuss the definitions on the board.

Chalk Talk

8 min

Teacher explains that now, students are at the point where they can decide how they will react to what they know.  Students take time to write on a piece of paper (which will not be shared, not even with the teacher), what they will give and why.

Teacher can have students spread out as they silently write how they will give to:

• People in their family
• People in their school
• People in their community
• People in the world at large

Independent Work and Reflection

5 min

Students fold up their papers and put them away somewhere.  Class discusses the following question:

• If you had to summarize what, for you, was the most important thing that you learned over the last two periods, what would it be?  Why?

Large Group Discussion