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Adopt-A-Cop Grade Level: 2-5 Academic Areas: Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, Art Duration of service: Year Long Character Virtues: Respect, Civic Virtue and Citizenship Service Areas: Public Safety, Homeland Security
Materials Needed: bus, mural materials, intro and finale celebration materials Total Cost of Project: $50 – 500 Time Needed for Project: October – May , 30 – 45 minutes/week Time Needed for Teacher Preparation: varies Experience in CE Needed: moderate Experience in SL Needed: moderate
Service Learning Project: Adopt-a-Cop program is a year-long program in which a third-grade classroom forms a relationship with a local police officer to foster a positive bond. This program will take place within the school as well as the community. Students will develop an awareness of the roles and responsibilities of local police officers, state troopers, sheriff, deputy, NFTA and BMHA authorities. Through the students’ interaction with the police officers, they will develop a trust and respect for police officers within their community. Students will write letters of appreciation to their local police officers. Students will create a mural with the help of a local artist to develop a positive perception of police officers by all members of the community. A celebration will be held to donate the mural to the community.
Goals and Objectives Academic Learning Goal: Students will understand the role of and citizens’ perceptions of police officers. Standard: Science, SS 5 Learning Goal: Students will be able to compare and contrast the roles of deputies, sheriffs, state troopers, and police officers. Standard: ELA 3 Service Community need: Lack of positive relationships between police officers and youth. Possible Community Partners: Police Department, web site developer, local artist Objective: Students will help foster positive relationships between police officers and youth in the community through the creation of a mural. Objective: Students will demonstrate their increased awareness of the roles and responsibilities of police officers by writing letters of appreciation to the police officers with whom they’ve formed a partnership. Character Virtue: Respect Objective: Students will understand that police officers are dependable, honorable, and reliable members of the community. Virtue: Civic Virtue and Citizenship Objective: Students will begin questioning and making sense of the role of police officers in their community.
Key Activities Key Planning
Activities 1. Teachers will meet with police officers to determine scope and sequence of the project (see example below). September: Pre Assessment/Intro Celebration October: Safety November: Oh Give Thanks! December: Let’s Celebrate January: Peace February: Love March: Let’s Sing a Song April: Think Spring May: Let’s Celebrate – Post Assessment June: Finale – Appreciation Celebration with Parents and Community 2. Students will visit local Police Station to develop basic background knowledge. Key Service
Activities 1. Students will create a mural depicting positive roles of police officers in their community. The mural will be hung in a highly visible place in the community 2. Students will write letters of appreciation to their local police officers. Key Reflection
Activities 1. (oral) There will be a class meeting in which each child shares one to three words they think best describe their thoughts on the project. 2.
(written – respect) Throughout the project,
students will keep a journal reflecting their perceptions of the roles and
responsibilities of police officers, with a particular emphasis on beginning
and end. 3. (performance – civic virtue and citizenship) Along with police officer, students will role play specific situations in which police are involved and discuss how respect and trustworthiness are evident or missing from both.. Celebration
Activity Intro: Fellowship with friends Finale: Appreciation Celebration Students will host a community celebration to unveil the mural. Parents and community members will be invited to the unveiling of the mural. |
