Ideas for Service Learning

Sorry for typos; just fixrd them. Whether you are looking for service or action-basec learning, here are some ideas. Kathryn Berger Kaye has wonderful resources for getting you started. You can also sign up for Global Youth Service Day which is coming up quickly. Be sure to log your event on their site. Builders Club, a middle school service club sponsored by Kiwanis Intl. has helpful and student friendly resources. Taking It Global and What Can Kids Do are great sites to understand how to develop service and action that are authentic and inspired from social and academic need. They have some action-based units and student created projects and books such as Forty Cent Tip (student interviews of immigrants whose economic and social status change with their move to the U. S.) that are available for use and/or purchase for your classroom or library. In our area students identified the need for safer routes to walk and roll to school. It opened up a lot of opportunities for investigation and action. Another great place to start is setting up an energy challenge between schools or througout your district. We are doing this is San Diego and students are using monitoring devices to understand how much electricity is used by printers, fridges, toasters, etc. and suggesting ways to save at school and home.  Give students the floor...what are the problems they see ? It might be as simple as giving students the lead or coordinator role of investigating trash can lids to deter seagulls from spreading trash at lunch to homeless outreach. Have fun getting involved and make it student led.