One way to empower young people to make a difference in their school, their community and their world is to teach them about giving.

Learning to Give offers lesson plans, activities and resources to educate youth about the power of philanthropy — sharing time, talent, and treasure.

You can use these ideas yourself, or talk to your child’s teacher about incorporating them into next fall’s lesson plan.

1. Traditions
Grades 3-5
Students will learn the vocabulary of philanthropy, use literature to discover acts of philanthropy in the making of quilts, and participate in their own quilting bee.

2. Earth Connections
Grade 3-5
Students will expand their awareness of the earth through the study of some traditional Native American beliefs about the concept of “Mother Earth.”

3. Global Garbage
Grades 6-8
This unit is designed to promote an understanding of the adverse effects of the careless actions of people.

4. Environmental Groups and the Three Economic Sectors
Grades 9-12
Students will learn about the three economic sectors: profit, nonprofit, and government.

5. Watch Me Grow!
Grades K-2
The purpose is for students to see the interconnectedness of nature and its importance in their lives

6. Building a Mini-Park and Bird Sanctuary
Grades 3-5
Students will take an active role and gain pride in adding beauty to their surroundings.

7. The Four R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, RESPECT!
Grades K-2
Through four quick and easy lessons, this unit emphasizes the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling with a particular focus on the significance of respecting our environment.

8. Pitch In! – A Philanthropic Puppet Project
Grades 3-5
Students will study philanthropists and environmentalists through literature and research environmental issues.

Learning to Give units and lessons tie together service and learning, core academics, and real world learning.

These eight ideas are a small sample of more than 1,200 Learning to Give lessons correlated to state academic standards, that link learning and service.