Social Awareness
Family Resources on Get Involved
Lesson Topic
Introduce students to opportunities to get involved in extra-curricular activities at school, learn about service learning and to encourage students to make friends within their new school.
Essential Question
What ways can I be generous with others at my new school?
Get Involved
If this lesson was used in the classroom: Students learned about involvement in a community service project focused on community gardening and food deserts. In class students discussed how being involved in helping others can be fulfilling. In small groups students developed an idea and a plan for a possible service-learning project within their school.
Getting Ready for the Conversation
The video for this module features a group of students involved in a service-learning project for an urban garden. The students discussed a variety of issues including food insecurity and food deserts.
Conversation Starters and Practice at Home
The first item is for follow-up after viewing the lesson video and participating in class activities.
What service-learning ideas did your group discuss in class? Why did your group choose these ideas?
Why do you think food deserts exist? Do you think food deserts are just an urban problem or could this also be a suburban and rural problem? Why or why not?
If it is possible, plan a garden (even if it is using planting pots) and grow any food you can at home. What did you learn about food systems by doing this?
What actions can we take as a family to help solve the problem of food deserts? Describe why this would help.
School to Home Resources on Get Involved
Lesson Plan
Interactive Reflection > Open/Download Complete PDF Lesson
Students Taking Action
One of the students, Alice, says, “We’re planting a garden in a neighborhood in our community so people can grow food and use it”. What reason does she give for doing this? Why do you think the garden is needed?
How School Gardens Work
Take a look at the Michigan State University Agriculture Extension website resources for starting a school garden. Do you think a school garden would be useful at your school? What would you need to start one either at your school or in your community?
Learning New Skills
While discussing the reason why he is there one of the students says, “the chance to come out and do stuff in the neighborhood…you’re moving and its exciting and you’re actually learning stuff too”. What skills is he learning while working at the garden? Do you agree with him that it is worthwhile? Why or why not?
What Does Your Community Need ?
One of the adults in the community said, “we came to realize that we had a lot of vacant lots”. Planting a garden is the solution they chose to help improve their community. Why do you think they chose planting a garden? What is a need you see in your community or school? What do you think could be done about it? If you are having trouble thinking of an idea try going to the Youth Service America Website at
https://leadasap.ysa.org/ideas/
Additional Reflection Questions > Open/Download PDF
