Building Character through Cross-Age Literature and Service Learning

Grade Level: 9-12

Academic Areas: Language Arts

Duration of service: 1-2 Months - Semester long

Character Virtues: Caring, Civic Virtue and Citizenship

Service Areas: Human Services, Education/Tutoring

Service Learning Project:

During a literature unit including young adult books by Eve Bunting, High school students will be paired with elementary school students and will be broken into three groups. Each group reads a different children’s book by Eve Bunting (i.e. Fly Away Home, Smokey Nights, and Wednesday Surprise). Students then begin a project based on one of the three social issues of homelessness, literacy needs, and gang involvement that she discusses in her children’s books. Each group of elementary and high school students will work together to address the civic issue through a community-based project. For example, the Fly Away Home group could serve at a community meals site, do a clothing drive at school, or they could create posters to be displayed throughout the schools educated other students on homelessness. The Smokey Nights group could design a presentation to inform other students/community members about the importance of conflict resolution and/or the value of individuality; a former gang member could be invited to take part in this presentation. The Wednesday Surprise group could prepare a presentation informing the community of the challenge of literacy needs, bringing in someone who works with individuals with literacy needs; or create alphabet books for emergent readers.

Learning Goal: Students will recognize and describe common and differentiating literary elements used by the author

Standard: ELA 1 and 3

Learning Goal: Students will communicate their observations of author’s techniques as well as express their views on social issues presented through the author’s work.

Standard: ELA 1, 2, and 4

Community need: Elementary and high school students and community members lack an understanding of the following community issues: homelessness, literacy needs, and gang involvement

Possible Community Partners: human service agencies/organizations addressing social issues in the geographical area

Objective: Students address social issues through a variety of means.

Objective: Students educate their peers on civic issues addressed through literature.

Character

Virtue: civic virtue and citizenship

Objective: At the completion of the project, students will have a feeling of belonging and ownership as a result of their dedication and hard work.

Virtue: caring

Objective: Students will gain compassion for the homeless, people with literacy needs, people involved in gangs.

1. Teachers will establish a relationship with an elementary school teacher and classroom willing to partner with the high school students and study the suggested children’s books.
2. High school students will break into three separate groups, each reading a different young adult book by Eve Bunting and a different children’s book by Eve Bunting. They will take part in a literary analysis of the works. Each group’s literature will address a different social issue.
3. Students will research the social issue that was presented through the children’s book (Fly Away Home - homelessness, The Wednesday Surprise - literacy needs, and Smokey Nights - gang involvement). High school students will adapt their research findings to a presentation appropriate to the elementary participants.
4. High school students will establish a relationship with a community-based organization that addresses the civic issue presented in the children’s book.

Key Service Activities  

1. The three groups of high school students will meet with three groups of elementary school students to read their children’s books and present their adapted research on the civic issue presented through the work.
2. Each group of elementary and high school students will work together to address the civic issue through a community-based project. For example, the Fly Away Home group could serve at a community meals site, do a clothing drive at school, or they could create posters to be displayed throughout the schools educated other students on homelessness. The Smokey Nights group could design a presentation to inform other students/community members about the importance of conflict resolution and/or the value of individuality; a former gang member could be invited to take part in this presentation. The Wednesday Surprise group could prepare a presentation informing the community of the challenge of literacy needs, bringing in someone who works with individuals with literacy needs; or create alphabet books for emergent readers.

1. (written) Each HS student will complete a written response to the "What? So What? Now What?" questions: What happened? What was learned? What difference were they able to make through their actions? How will they think or act in the future as a result of this experience? This response could be in the form of a poem, essay, teacher-generated handout, outline, etc. caring/civic virtue and citizenship
2. (oral) Students will meet in their three separate groups to discuss the "What? So What? Now What?" questions. caring/civic virtue and citizenship
3. (performance) Students will prepare a presentation of the "What? So What? Now What?" questions to present to the other groups to which the public is invited. If any product was created during the service learning activity, it should be shared at this time. caring/civic virtue and citizenship

The author, Eve Bunting, will be invited to the school (this could be in the form of a breakfast, a presentation, or community gathering) to see the results of this project. In turn, Bunting will share her inspiration for writing about civic issues. If Bunting is unable to attend she might possibly send a letter which could be read during the celebration. Local politicians and/or people in charge of agencies that were aided may participate in the celebration. Parents and community members will be invited to take part in and help host this event.