The September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance was established to honor the memories of those who perished on 9/11 and to renew the spirit of service that surrounded the national community after the attacks. You can serve your community by finding a cause you believe in or a way to help others. The ultimate goal of this project is to gain an appreciation for the diverse community in which you live; cultivate a deeper understanding of those who may be different from you; and develop a greater sense of service and compassion in your daily life.
Directions: First, view the following clip:
http://www.911day.org/learning/spirit-volunteerism-911-and-beyond-video
and read the article “Time to Remember” by Celia Shatzman. Then research the sites and consider the community questions below, gather information and choose a community needs of interest. Finally, follow the five stages of Service Learning detailed below in order to complete your service project. Five Stages of Service Learning: Describe what you will do to transform your ideas into action.
1. Investigation
Young people identify community needs of interest and begin their research. During this process, often called “social analysis,” they assess the needs by designing a survey, conducting interviews, using varied media including books and the Internet, and drawing from personal experience and observation. Students then document the extent and nature of the problem and establish a baseline for monitoring progress. Community partners are often identified. If a community partner provides the need, students still investigate to authenticate and document this need. A personal investigation is also of great value during which students interview each other to identify and consolidate each personʼs interests, skills, and talents. These are then referenced, employed, and developed while going through each of the sequential four stages of service-learning.
2. Preparation and Planning
Young people, often working with community partners, outline varied ways they will meet the community need or contribute to improving the situation. Planning may include: developing a common vision for success, deciding what will occur and who will do each part of the work, creating a time line, listing materials and costs, and overseeing any logistics and approvals that must be obtained to move forward. Clarifying roles and responsibilities is key.
3. Action
All participants implement their plans to meet the community need or contribute to the common good. The action most often looks like direct service, indirect service, advocacy, research, or a combination of these approaches to service.
4. Reflection
At each stage, students consider how the experience, knowledge, and skills they are acquiring relate to their own lives and their community. Through varied activities they think about the needs, their actions, their impacts, what worked and did not work, and their contribution. This process includes both analytical and affective response. Final reflections may include measures or other ways to gauge results.
5. Demonstration/Celebration
During demonstration, students provide evidence to others of their influence and accomplishments. They showcase what and how they have learned and their acquired skills and knowledge. In this context of demonstration, along with their partners, students may also plan and carry out a celebration of what they have gained and contributed including both the learning and the service.
*Reproduced with permission from The Complete Guide to Service Learning: Proven Practical Ways to Engage Students in Civic Responsibility, Academic Curriculum, & Social Action by Cathryn Berger Kaye, M.A., © 2010. Free Spirit Publishing, Inc., Minneapolis, MN; 806/703-7322;
Community Questions: Use the following questions to help you think about your relationship to your community, its needs and priorities, and how you might make a difference through a Semester of Service project:
What would you define as “your community”?
Is it your school, your neighborhood, your city?
How would you describe it?
How do you feel about your connection to your community? (Connected? Unconcerned? Needed? Useful? Ignored?)
Why do you feel that way?
How do you think you will you know when the community values your input?
And, how do you think you might feel?
What things about your community make you sad, disappointed, frustrated or even angry?
How might your neighborhood, school or community be a better place?
What do you think that YOU could do to change this for the better?
What important question or need can you address? What issue do you feel the most strongly about?
What legacy might you like to leave in your school or community?
Sample Service Learning Projects:
Gardens for Low-Income Community Members
While researching root causes and effects of poverty, students learn about economics, botany and agriculture, and nutrition. They create personal gardens for the benefit of low-income community members.
Childhood Obesity
Youth learn about the lifelong health and disease risks caused by poor eating and exercise patterns in childhood and the impact it can have on families and society. They use technology to create a website for other students advocating for healthy eating and exercise habits, and advertise the website in flyers posted around their community.
Energy Audits
Students learn about the environmental impact of energy use and explore ways in which individuals and organizations can reduce their energy consumption. They conduct an audit of their school, or senior citizensʼ homes in the community, to determine if there are ways to reduce energy use, and present the results of their audit to the school and community.
Project participants:
Date:
Project Title:
Class Period:
Brief Project Description:
1. Investigation
Due Date: October 12th
Points
(0-20)
Identify community needs of interest and begin research. Assess the needs by designing a survey, conducting interviews, using varied media including books and the Internet, and drawing from personal experience and observation. Then document the extent and nature of the problem and establish a baseline for monitoring progress. Community partners are often identified. If a community partner provides the need, still investigate to verify and document this need. An investigation is also of great value during which you interview each other to identify and consolidate each person’s interests, skills, and talents. These are then referenced, employed, and developed while going through each of the sequential four stages of service-learning.
· Rationale: Detailed outline of the purpose behind your project choice including why you chose this project, how you learned about the need, what community partners you plan to work with (if any), how and why
· Documented extent and nature of the problem you are addressing which should include research/facts
· Preliminary works cited page
2. Preparation and Planning
Due Date: November 10th
Points
(0-20)
Working with community partners, outline varied ways you will meet the community need or contribute to improving the situation. Planning may include: developing a common vision for success, deciding what will occur and who will do each part of the work, creating a time line, listing materials and costs, and overseeing any logistics and approvals that must be obtained to move forward. Clarifying roles and responsibilities is key.
· Action Plan: Detailed outline of ways you will meet the community need or contribute to improving the problem including what will occur, who will do each part of the work, a timeline, list of materials and/or costs, and any logistics or approvals needed.
3. Action
Due Date: December 9th
Points (0-20)
All participants implement their plans to meet the community need or contribute to the common good. The action most often looks like direct service, indirect service, advocacy, research, or a combination of these approaches to service.
Direct Service: students respond to a community need by interacting with and impacting the service recipient or site
Indirect Service: students build infrastructure or capacity to respond to the community need (for example, students pack food boxes at the local Food Bank)
Research and Advocacy Service: students find, gather and report on information to raise awareness of a problem and/or advocate for change in the condition underlying the community need (for example, students meet with elected officials to urge support for additional food subsidy for low-income families).
Proof of service:
Direct Service: Documented hours of service, photographs, artifacts from your hours, community reaction
Indirect Service and Research and Advocacy Service: Emails between participants and organizations, creation of your plan (including research and documentation), community reaction or response to your plan.
4. Reflection
Due Date: January 6th
Points
(0-20)
At each stage, students consider how the experience, knowledge, and skills they are acquiring relate to their own lives and their community. Through varied activities they think about the needs, their actions, their impacts, what worked and did not work, and their contribution. This process includes both analytical and affective response. Final reflections may include measures or other ways to gauge results. Keep a journal throughout the project to record this piece.
· Journal: Complete at least five journal entries for each stage of this project and keep them in a small notebook/notepad/blog. Journal entries should include your personal thoughts, reactions, and life/community connections, goals, accomplishments, successes, obstacles, etc.
5. Demonstration/Celebration
Due Date: January 17th
Points
(0-20)
During demonstration, provide evidence to others of your accomplishments. Showcase what and how you have learned and your acquired skills and knowledge. In this context of demonstration, along with your partners, may also plan and carry out a celebration of what they have gained and contributed including both the learning and the service.
· Presentation: Provide evidence to others of your accomplishments. Showcase what and how you have learned and your acquired skills and knowledge through the use of a brief class presentation using notes, graphics, handouts, slide show, etc., with final works cited page
FINAL GRADE (0-100):
Worth two tests/project grades for 2nd Quarter
6. Investigation
Due Date: October 12th
Points
(0-20)
Identify community needs of interest and begin research. Assess the needs by designing a survey, conducting interviews, using varied media including books and the Internet, and drawing from personal experience and observation. Then document the extent and nature of the problem and establish a baseline for monitoring progress. Community partners are often identified. If a community partner provides the need, still investigate to verify and document this need. An investigation is also of great value during which you interview each other to identify and consolidate each person’s interests, skills, and talents. These are then referenced, employed, and developed while going through each of the sequential four stages of service-learning.
· Rationale: Detailed outline of the purpose behind your project choice including why you chose this project, how you learned about the need, what community partners you plan to work with (if any), how and why
· Documented extent and nature of the problem you are addressing which should include research/facts
· Preliminary works cited page
7. Preparation and Planning
Due Date: November 10th
Points
(0-20)
Working with community partners, outline varied ways you will meet the community need or contribute to improving the situation. Planning may include: developing a common vision for success, deciding what will occur and who will do each part of the work, creating a time line, listing materials and costs, and overseeing any logistics and approvals that must be obtained to move forward. Clarifying roles and responsibilities is key.
· Action Plan: Detailed outline of ways you will meet the community need or contribute to improving the problem including what will occur, who will do each part of the work, a timeline, list of materials and/or costs, and any logistics or approvals needed.
8. Action
Due Date: December 9th
Points
(0-20)
All participants implement their plans to meet the community need or contribute to the common good. The action most often looks like direct service, indirect service, advocacy, research, or a combination of these approaches to service.
Direct Service: students respond to a community need by interacting with and impacting the service recipient or site
Indirect Service: students build infrastructure or capacity to respond to the community need (for example, students pack food boxes at the local Food Bank)
Research and Advocacy Service: students find, gather and report on information to raise awareness of a problem and/or advocate for change in the condition underlying the community need (for example, students meet with elected officials to urge support for additional food subsidy for low-income families)
· Proof of service:
Direct Service: Documented hours of service, photographs, artifacts from your hours, community reaction
Indirect Service and Research and Advocacy Service: Emails between participants and organizations, creation of your plan (including research and documentation), community reaction or response to your plan.
9. Reflection
Due Date: January 6th
Points
(0-20)
At each stage, students consider how the experience, knowledge, and skills they are acquiring relate to their own lives and their community. Through varied activities they think about the needs, their actions, their impacts, what worked and did not work, and their contribution. This process includes both analytical and affective response. Final reflections may include measures or other ways to gauge results. Keep a journal throughout the project to record this piece.
· Journal: Complete at least five journal entries for each stage of this project and keep them in a small notebook/notepad/blog. Journal entries should include your personal thoughts, reactions, and life/community connections, goals, accomplishments, successes, obstacles, etc.
10. Demonstration/Celebration
Due Date: January 17th
Points
(0-20)
During demonstration, provide evidence to others of your accomplishments. Showcase what and how you have learned and your acquired skills and knowledge. In this context of demonstration, along with your partners, may also plan and carry out a celebration of what they have gained and contributed including both the learning and the service.
· Presentation: Provide evidence to others of your accomplishments. Showcase what and how you have learned and your acquired skills and knowledge through the use of a brief class presentation using notes, graphics, handouts, slide show, etc., with final works cited page
FINAL GRADE (0-100):
Worth two tests/project grades for 2nd Quarter
