Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement
generationOn
Purpose:
Using their knowledge of courage, the learners choose a person of courage who is a hero and share that by creating a commemorative "postage stamp."
Duration:
One 20-minute class period
Objectives:
The learner will:
- reflect on an everyday hero they know.
- create a visual about that hero with a rational of how they demonstrate courage.
Service Experience:
Learn more about the stages of service-learning.
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 www.generationon.org.
Materials:
- an 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper for each student
- crayons and/or colored markers
- optional Internet access
Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set:
Tell the learners that the U.S. post office has a Distinguished Americans series, for which they put the images of great people on postage stamps as a tribute to their contributions to society. If the ability to show the Internet is available, go to one of the sites listed in the Bibliographical References to click through some examples of stamps in the Distinguished American series. Discuss the contributions to society of the different people.
- Tell the learners that "everyday" heroes don't usually get put on postage stamps or become famous. Ask them what they think the phrase "everyday hero" means. Make sure they include actions that contribute to society.
- As an example, tell the learners about a personal "everyday hero" [a not-famous person who uses courage to make a difference for the sake of another] of your own and describe the person's actions.
- Ask each student to think of a person who they know or have heard of who has demonstrated the courage of a hero. Tell the learners that this should be an everyday hero. It could be a fellow student, a family member, acquaintances, or someone in the community they have heard about, or it could be themselves. Distribute a piece of paper to each student and have them fold it in half. On one side of the fold they are to design a stamp for their everyday hero. On the other side of the fold students should write the courageous act(s) that makes that person a hero.
- Post the completed stamps around the room and allow the class to do a walk about reading about the acts of courage of their heroes.
Bibliographical References:
- Stamp News. Distinguished American Series Postal Stamp: http://www.stampnews.com/stamps/stamps_2006/stamp_1142410859_637167.html
- Trudeau Institute. Distinguished American Series Postal Stamp: http://trudeauinstitute.org/dynamicPages/template.cfm?ID=140&navTable=tier2nav
- United States Postal Service: Distinguished American Series Postal Stamp: http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2007stamps/definitives/
- Wikipedia "Distinguished American Series" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distinguished_Americans_series
Lesson Developed By:
Betsy FlikkemaAssociate Director
Learning to Give
Barbara Dillbeck
Director
Learning to Give
Handouts:
Unit Contents:
Overview:Character Education: Courage (Grade 6) Summary
Lessons:
- 1.
- Courageous Heroes
- 2.
- Everyday Courage
- 3.
- Courage to Change the World
- 4.
- Stamp of Courage
- 5.
- Heroes and Courage
All rights reserved. Permission is granted to freely use this information for nonprofit (noncommercial), educational purposes only. Copyright must be acknowledged on all copies.
