Service Learning in Middle School

As middle school students seek to identify their place in the world, and indeed to form a sense of identity, providing them with opportunities to look outward and make connections is extremely important. ( It's not ALL about you okay?)

One very good way to do that is through service learning projects. Now, depending on your past experience with them, they can range the gamut between an amazing educational experience and well, mortal dread. I've been here and there on that spectrum, but happily (mostly) find that incorporating service learning throughout the curriculum is an extremely positive experience.

What's great about teaching middle school, is that the kiddos have the ability to be more hands on as well as share their opinions.  Whenever we start a service learning cycle in my classroom we follow the following basic structure.

1) Identify a need. I always tell the students to look around them, to identify a problem that they see in our community and in our world.

2) Persuade. Once a need has been identified, the students write/create a persuasive piece to convince us all that their cause is a worthy one. (Whoohoo! Language Arts tie in!)

3) Voting  As opposed to the younger grades, it's important that middle school students have a choice in what they are working for.

4) Research  After the class has identified what issue they want to tackle, the next step is research. We take the time to look at the history and development in the need and to chart data and statistics ( social studies and math)

5) Call to action. At this point in our cycle, we are educating the community about our identified need. In the past my classes have written, given assemblies, performed skits, produced videos, made posters, or given mini lessons in each classroom.

6) Action! The hands on part of service learning. Depending on your project, this could mean meeting at an offsite location, facilitating collections of some kind, assembling an object or two. Earlier this year, there was a completely devastating fire in a community about 100 miles from us.  While help for the humans came right away, a few of the students noticed that the animals weren't so lucky. We were able to skip a couple of steps in the cycle and go right to the "Call to Action". My class was able to collect 4 truckloads of pet and animal supplies to help the displaced or abandoned. It was a fantastic experience to finish loading the last carload ( luckily I had parents willing to caravan and bring all the donations up)

6th Graders sending off the last carload of animal/pet supplies.

7) Reflection/Check-In  If we want students to have total "buy-in", this is a step that we can't forget to include.  We always take the time to write about and discuss our service learning projects. We also make sure to check in after a period of time with the agency that received our help. Any thank you letters or certificates always get hung up on our Accomplishment Wall so that the students can see that they had a positive impact on the world.


How do you incorporate service learning with your students?

Community Involvement

Mandy from Caffeine and Lesson Plans here, blogging about one of my favorite parts about teaching during the holidays... community involvement!

Clipart by Freepik

It's hard to imagine what life would be like without community in our classrooms. So much of what we do is based upon encouraging our students to engage in their classroom and school communities through personal connections, activities, and kindness. It's so natural to extend that community outside of our school walls and into our towns and cities!  For the past few years, I have participated in a few activities a year that help my students give back. I've noticed my students feel more interested in learning about our city and helping people nearby AND within our own classroom. By working together to help others, we are building our own community... which enables us to be better teammates and cooperative learners. It's a win/win! So, here are some ideas for getting your students involved in your local community. 

1. Write a Letter

It seems simple, doesn't it? Just write a letter! Well- here's the thing- it is simple. You and your students can create a batch of letters in just one or two class periods. Their impact is big though. Send them to a local nursing home or hospice around the holidays to bring happiness to the elderly or ill. Write thank you notes to the Firemen and Policemen for all that they do in your community. Let your city councilors, school committee, and Mayor know how much you appreciate their hard work for the school system. Send cheerful "hello" notes to a local shelter for people that are "hard up." Or, just write a letter to someone you admire in the community. Doctors, nurses, mailmen- the options are endless. I always make sure that my students only sign their notes with their first name to maintain confidentiality. 

2. Organize an benefit

Giving to others makes us feel inherently good. Why not capitalize on that? Do something for the community- organize a canned food drive, collect spare change, or ask for old winter coats and hats. See if a representative from the charity can come to your classroom to pick up your donation so your students can see the impact they are having! If not, bring back pictures of the drop off to help them make the connection.

3. Create craft bags

Put together small craft bags for local shelters that cater to families with children. When families are put in a bad situation, any little distraction can be helpful for children. Sometimes nursing homes will be able to use these, as well! I have had success with finding something simple on pinterest, copying easy directions (sometimes with photos), and putting all the necessary bits in a bag. Usually, a messy craft isn't very well received, so I recommend no glitter, minimal glue/paint, and lots of clean-up supplies (if needed). If you want to really stretch your funds, the most inexpensive bags I have made have been a few crayons and some printed our coloring pages. My classroom dropped these off at our local police department to be given to students in crisis. It makes a tough time in life better just a little bit better.

4. Make pet pillows for the local shelter

Take old scraps of fabric or pillowcases, stuff them with batting, and use fabric glue to close them. Instant pet pillows for animals in need of a home! This one can be tricky for younger kids, but my fifth graders had no problem. I did end up running the pillows through my sewing machine as well to ensure the seam would not let go, but I think that could be avoided with a better fabric glue. Don't get yours at the dollar store like I did... lesson learned!

5. Grow plants to donate to public city buildings

Such a fun way to integrate science and community involvement! Last year, my students grew plants in small pots (donated by the local hardware store). We are lucky to have a greenhouse at my school, so we could grow them year round. Once they were flowering, we decorated the pots and brought them to city hall to be displayed. It was fun for the students to see the flowers when they went with their parents to city hall.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Top 3 Service ideas for Middle Schoolers

I live by the phrase "To whom much is given, much is expected."

I like to ask my middle schoolers what they think about this phrase too.  What does it mean?  Do they think it's true?  Why do they think that?  What is expected? 

Generally they come up with the idea of "paying it forward" but they're not really sure how.  So I always have some ready to go ideas that I will share with you today.

#1

Have you ever heard of Operation Christmas Child?  It's an organization that collects shoeboxes full of gifts to give to children in all parts of the world.  For the children who receive these gifts, this is the one and only gift they'll receive for Christmas or for any other reason.  When you tell your middle schoolers that the children won't be getting video games or iPhone or movies or any of the high priced things they hope to receive, they'll be thunderstruck.  They won't believe it's true.  So you might want to show them a video like the one below of children in the poorest countries screaming with glee as they receive their shoebox.

  And then you might just find some students who would like to help you make a class box.  I make one for each class period.  If a student says they can't donate anything to the box, I have them write a letter to the recipient.  This way everyone contributes.

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#2

Another great way to be of service is to form relationships with your local seniors at an assisted living facility.

What began as a Christmas Caroling and Craft event quickly turned into a relationship between my 6th graders and our "Grandfriends".  On our way home after that cool, December day, one student said "When can we go back?" and when everyone else wanted to know the same thing, I knew what we had to do.

    We played BINGO with them, invited them to judge speech contests, had picnic lunches with them and then had the idea to host a 100th birthday party for one our best friends.

It was the most rewarding experience ever as the students thought about someone else and planned events to make these people feel like royalty.  In turn, they taught my students the value of a life well spent with stories of work ethic and good, clean fun without technology.

You may never know the impact such a relationship can have on all involved, but you will see growth in your students that you may never have thought possible.

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#3

One more way to be of service is to spread awareness.  This sounds "cheesy" to students sometimes until you introduce them to the PSA - Public Service Announcement.  I like to show old ones that make important points, but could maybe use a more modern flair to get people's attention.  

Then I challenge students to  create one for something they feel strongly about.  We use things like Animoto.com and iMovie just to name a couple.  Then I get them played on our morning TV announcements.  

Be ready!  Sometimes these PSAs turn into various drives at school and you'll find yourself collecting cans of dog food for the local shelter.  It's all worth it of course, as long as the students are the ones really doing the work.  :)

What do you do at your school to promote service learning?  Join in the conversation by commenting below!

Thanks for stopping by!