Building Character by Helping the School

GRADE LEVEL: Kindergarten

CONTENT--LEARNING ABOUT:

• Character Traits
• Cause and Effect

SERVICE NEED: There is a pile of woodchips on the playground. The students cannot play on the playground for several days after it rains because of the mud. If the students spread the woodchips, the pile would be out of the way and the students could play more quickly after rain showers.

SERVICE IDEA: Serve the school community by making the playground more usable.

PREPARATION: Students will listen to books about character traits such as courtesy, respect, pride, and accomplishment. We will talk about the cause of the mud and the effect that spreading the wood chips will have on the playground.

ACTION: Students will carry small buckets full of woodchips to the playground areas and pour the woodchips where they are needed. An adult will fill the buckets with woodchips and two adults will be directing students to make sure the woodchips are poured in the proper places.

REFLECTION: Students will journal about what they did to help the school, how it benefited other people, and how they feel as a result of their work.

DEMONSTRATION: We will ask the newspaper to come take photographs of the students working and get comments from some of the students.

YOUTH VOICE AND CHOICE: Students will discuss other actions that they could take to improve playground usability.

CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS:

English/Language Arts: Students will write journals after completion of service learning.

• ELAKR6.a, g, h
• ELAKW1.a, b, c, d, e
  
  
• ELAKW2.a, b, c, d, e (for narrative)
• ELAKLSV1.b, f, g

Social Studies: Students will learn about several character traits.

• SSKCG2

Science: Students will discuss the effects of the rain on the dirt and the woodchips.

• SKCS1.a
• SKP1.a, b

Other: Because students will be walking to move the woodchips, they will work their gross motor skills.

• PEK1.a, b

SKILL DEVELOPMENT:

• Writing narratives
• Determine cause and effect
• Demonstrating positive character traits

BOOKS:

• The Little Red Hen
• Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
• Cherries and Cherry Pits by Vera Williams

Community Contacts: Union Recorder

______________________________________________

Photographs of Wet Playground: It rained for three days straight, then was sunny for three days prior to these photographs.









Evidence of Approval





Evidence of implementation

Evidence of Student Reflection

CM reflects: "We helped the school by picking up the woodchips."

D.D. reflects: "This is me going to get some more woodships. Miss Bales, I thought it was a good thing to do."

M.W. reflects: "Yesterday we put a lot of woodhips on the playground and hopefully the woodchips will cover the dirt."