Heropalooza!
Serving Others through Kindness
6thGrade Language Arts & Social Studies
Mrs. Hill
Your Name
______
November 30, 2015
Dear Parents & Guardians,
At PLMS, we believe that “giving back” to one’s community in which one lives is an important part of meaningful citizenship in our culture. In Language Arts, we will be conducting a theme study on “Unlikely Heroes”. As a final project, the 6th graders will themselves become “unlikely heroes” to someone in our community by completing ten hours of Service Learning between now and April 18th, 2016. This project will encourage students to meet the citizenship end target of the Issaquah School District, There will be opportunities to complete at least six of their hours every month through school planned activities. We will celebrate our service during PLMS’s annual Heropaloozaevent on April 19th, 2016. Parents, supervisors and others related to the student’s project are invited to come. We are looking for a team of parents that are willing to meet, plan and orchestrate our Heropalooza event. Please contact Jill Knutson at if you are interested in being on this exciting committee.
Serving others is the right thing to do. Feedback from students who have participated in previous years says it all…
“It’s fun to help someone else do something they couldn’t do alone.”
“I loved working with friends on a project that helped others.”
“It made me feel good about myself, knowing that I was helping someone in need.”
“It gave me confidence to try new things.”
“I got to meet people I didn’t know before.”
“It looks good when you go to college.”
Service Learning involves planning, service and written reflection.
Today, students were given a packet that includes the guidelines and procedures for researching and contacting non-profit agencies. I encourage students to select service that they will enjoy and to work with friends if desired and when possible. This is also a rewarding activity to do as a family.
The completed Service Learning Project is due MondayApril 18th, 2016, but I will have check points with the students throughout the year.
I will ask that you please acknowledge the receipt of this letter and packet by signing below and returning it with your child to school by Friday, December 6th, 2015. Thank you for your support in this important aspect of your student’s education.
Sincerely,
Eric Ensey, Angie Hardy, Kris Hill, Jill Knutson, Stephanie Bullard & Lauren Roon
Student’s Name: ______
Parent/Guardian Name (please print): ______
Parent/Guardian Signature: ______
“I am only one; but I am still one. I cannot do everything, but I still can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do.” --Helen Keller
SERVICE LEARNING REQUIREMENTS PAGE
Goal: Participate in service to one’s community through the self-selection of a project that can utilize one’s interests and strengths.
The Process:
Read parent letter. Have parents read and sign parent letter. Tear it from packet and return it to school on ______Keep all other paperwork at home or in binder.
Participate in class discussion about REQUIREMENTS. Ask questions and write down answers that are important to you.
Check out websites, talk to friends, family, teachers, coaches, pastors, scout leaders, etc, looking for service opportunities.
Select several that you are interested in and begin to make contacts via phone or email.
Turn in your Service Learning Proposal on or before December 9th.
Begin your service work. Be sure to note the dates and hours worked so that it will be easy to know when your hours have been completed.
When you have finished the required hours, be sure to have the supervisor sign off on the enclosed check sheet (you fill in the dates, etc.) for verification. Occasionally, the “advisor” is a parent or guardian. Just let your teacher know if this is the case. These sheets will be collected by your teacher on presentation day.
Reflection and Poster:
Following your service experience, you will reflect on four questions, each about a paragraph in length. Reflections must be typed. If you worked with more than one organization, reflect on the organization where you think you made the greatest impact.
Reflection Questions:
- What inspired you to pick this as your project?
- Explain what organization you worked with, who they are and what they do. Use their website or interview someone to get this information.
- Explain what you did for your service.
- How do you think your service benefited this organization, the people it serves and/or the community (local or international)?
- By performing this service, no matter how big or small, you became an “unlikely hero” to someone else. How were you an “unlikely hero”? In other words, what impact did this experience have on you?
There will be an alternative assignment available upon request.
Presentation Requirements:
Students will participate in PLMS’ annual Community Service Fair. In class, we will cover all the ways you can “participate.”
Poster-For your presentation, you will create an attractive 3-paneled poster to be displayed as inspiration to others. This is the type of poster used at science fairs. Don’t wait until the last second to buy your poster board. They sell out fast!! If you are doing your project with a friend, only one board is required. Since there are two or more people completing this board, it should show extra effort.
Posters will include (see examples of past boards on website):
- The name or names of the organization or individual served--BOLDLY and COLORFULLY displayed.
- Your name proudly displayed!
- Your typed reflections. Reflections should stand out, with borders or colorful paper backing them.
- A minimum of three pictures of you performing your service. If taking pictures is not allowed at your organization, find pictures on the Internet of the outside of the building, or of things representing what you did. You might need to get creative, but this is doable!
- A colorful border for your poster so that it stands out.
- Include contact information for your agency or organization.
OPTIONAL: when you perform your service, capture it on video. Then, make a video of the experience. Using video editing software like iMovie, Adobe Premiere, Windows Movie Maker, etc, make a short video. You may use a school laptop to show your video while people browse the fair. If it’s top-notch, we may even show it on the BIG SCREEN! This is a great thing to do with a friend.
As we get closer to this event, we will discuss it in greater detail. Some class time will be provided to work on documents, but plan on much of this work being done at home.
If you do little bits at a time, this project will be very manageable and enjoyable. If you wait until the last minute, however…
Service Learning Criteria:
Must involve at least 10 hours of service.
Six hours can be from school service events. Four hours must be done in an independent or group service project.
No retroactive service (Start date: November 2015 – April 18th, 2016).
Hours required for other organization memberships (Girl/Boy Scouts, Honor Society, church, temple, etc…) can apply.
Students may work alone or with others. Always more fun with a friend or two!
No babysitting for siblings or family members is allowed, but babysitting for an organization or for a larger community event is okay (for no pay).
Chore assistance for seniors is allowed.
Any hours with a religious institution must be for actual service you perform that is beyond your weekly duties. Simply attending services does not count. See IDEAS page for more information.
Volunteering for charitable school wide events (i.e. food drive, clothing drive) is okay if you’re going above and beyond (collecting, publicizing, organizing, etc…).You must help out, not just donate.
30 Hour Famine counts only for the hours you spend serving. Watching movies and NOT eating does not count.
Working with an organization is one possibility. Designing your own Service Learning project is another option. See IDEAS page for more details.
You can do a variety of activities as long as ittotals 10 hours.
All service choices must be approved by your teacheron or beforeWednesday, December 9th, 2015. We understand that things may change after that. If that happens, just keep us informed.
Ideas and Scenarios for Service Learning Project
Serving as a Part of a Larger Project
Julia’s life was packed;soccer three times a week, violin once a week and tons of homework. She knew she was busy, so for her Service Learning Project she wanted to make an impact, but do something that was already established. In her church bulletin, she read about an A.I.D.S. Kits for Africa night sponsored by a relief organization called World Vision. She called the church and told them about her Service Project requirement and asked how she could help. It turned out that they needed help mailing out information to the church members. They also needed someone to create a professional looking brochure for the event. Julia was great with computers and loved making creative documents.
She volunteered to spend four hours at the church addressing envelopes, making the brochure and doing whatever side jobs for the event were needed. Caught up in the action, Julia composed an email and sent it to all her friends and family members, telling them about the event. This took her two hours. On a sunny night in April, the night of the event, Julia worked for four more hours, making A.I.D.S kits, pouring punch, folding chairs, etc. Lots of her friends and family showed up. The night was a huge success. Julia had completed her hours, used her skills and had a great time doing it. Most importantly, she knew her efforts were going to change someone’s life, even on a continent far away.
Serving as a Group
Jon, Jordan and Abbey were great friends. They had worked together on school projects before and loved it every time. Sure they messed around a lot, but when it was time to get things done the three of them always came through. They were excited about their Service Learning Project, but weren’t sure what to do. They wanted to be original. They looked around, but weren’t passionate about anything. Jon’s mom, Anita, was friends with lots of people and knew a teacher, Kim, in Bellevue that worked with special needs students. Kim ran an afterschool program that combined tutoring with fun and games. Kim wondered if Jon, Jordan and Abbey would be interested in tutoring special needs students with their homework and then running games afterwards in the school’s gym.
The three friends dubbed themselves The Three Tutoring Amigos and took on the job. Each Tuesday from 4-6 for a month, the three buddies tutored kids and ran games like basketball, volleyball and freeze tag. The students loved it. Jordan was good with a video camera so he captured lots of their service hours on video. The service at the school gave them eight hours each of service learning. They were each able to find two more hours of service volunteering for an auction at Sunny Hills, their former elementary. The three of them produced a great video (even though this was optional) and everyone loved it at the Community Service Fair.
Being Creative for Organizations that Don’t Allow Young Volunteers
Kris loves animals, especially yellow Labrador Retrievers. She really wants to spend her volunteer hours at the Humane Society, but they don’t allow volunteers that are in sixth grade. Instead of spending her hours at the Humane Society, Kris writes a letter describing the work that the Humane Society does and sends it out in her neighborhood. In her letter, Kris states that she wants to raise money for the organization by walking dogs of her neighbors and collecting dog food to donate. The money she earns walking neighbors’ dogs she donates to the Humane Society.
Working with a Religious Organization
Joe spends every week at his religious organization working with young kids in the nursery. The toys and books in the nursery are old and worn and falling apart but the religious organization doesn’t have money to replace them. He loves spending time with his friends at the religious institution and wants to spend his service learning hours working together. They organize a night out for parents and babysit. The money that Joe and his friends earn they donate to the religious institution to buy new books and toys for the nursery.
Creating your Own Project
Rachel’s next door neighbor was an elderly lady named Lynda. She was a sweet woman, always offering the neighborhood kids cookies when they were playing in the street. Rachel noticed that Lynda was alone almost all the time. She also noticed that because of her age, she was not able to maintain her yard and her house like she probably wanted to. Lots of Rachel’s friends were working at various organizations, but Rachel saw a need in her own neighborhood. Rachel’s mom talked to Lynda and asked her if Rachel and a friend could help her with household chores. Lynda was thrilled for the extra help and the company.
Rachel and her friend Morgan spent three hours one Saturday helping Lynda with everything from vacuuming to laundry…they even weeded her flower garden in the rain. They felt so good about it that they came back on four different Saturdays to help Lynda. They worked more than their 10 hours, but didn’t care. Rachel’s mom took pictures of the girls working and they had plenty of great photos to use for their poster. Rachel and Morgan were so proud of helping Lynda and it showed in their poster display. The best part for the girls, however, was inviting Lynda to come to the Community Service Fair to meet the teacher and some of Rachel and Morgan’s friends. The whole project was a beaming success.
Working with a Sports Team:
You already help out by coaching a younger sports team. That’s great! But that doesn’t count as service for this project. However, you learn that your organization is collecting soccer equipment for kids in Africa. You organize donations in your neighborhood and collect soccer equipment (jerseys, balls, shin guards, cleats, etc…) and give them to your coach who will donate them to a charitable organization.
**** NOTE: Any service with a sports team must go to a charitable cause. Refereeing or being a ball boy is not considered a charitable cause.
Service Learning Opportunities Research
Do a “Google Search,” ask your friends and neighbors, look in the “Volunteer” section of the Issaquah Press…to find local agencies/organizations that need volunteers. The Human Society, Animal Rescue agencies, Food Banks, Baby Corners, Special Olympic competitions, American Red Cross, and Environmental projects are just a few ideas. Fill out the chart below with the information you find. Due date:______
Name of Agency / Website Address(if available) / Phone Number / What They Do
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SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL
Name______
What is service learning?
Service learning is a wonderful opportunity to provide a service to your community. It is a chance to use your talents and gifts to help others.
Service Learning Promotes Responsible and Involved Citizenship
Describe your proposed service opportunity and how it helps a REAL need in the community (Sammamish/Seattle, Washington, USA, Africa, etc…):
Name of organization/group or individual you are serving:
Services you plan to perform:
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Estimated dates of service (I am aware that these may change):
Which of the five categories will this meet?
Animals
Poverty (Homelessness, Hunger, Education, Water)
Environment
Health
Other: ______
“I SHOWED UP” SHEET
Your name:______
Organization or Person you worked for:
______
What I did:
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Dates of Service and hours served (ex. Jan 17-3hrs)
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Supervisor’s Name: ______
Supervisor’s Signature:______
Supervisor’s Phone or email:______
Supervisor’s Comments (optional):