Social Activism

1. Social Activism By: Debbie, Melissa, Jackie, Samantha, and Amy

2. What is social activism? • We want our students to be socially active, but what does this mean? • It means educating them on issues: • ----in their community • ----in their state • ----in the United States • ----in the world • It means getting them involved in their communities, trying to make a difference in a world filled with injustices and apathy. • It means doing service projects, expressing concern about that which is wrong in their environment, and becoming active world citizens, even at a young age.

3. Essential Questions in Social Action and Social Services

4. Essential Questions • How can we learn about different communities? • How can we support the different needs of communities or groups? • Who has access to opportunities for personal growth and development? • What are the sources of conflict between different groups? • How are these groups similar? What do they have in common?

5. More Essential Questions • Do all students have the resources they need to learn about different communities or groups? • What are the causes and effects of change within a group or community? • What are the problems that need solving in our community or another community? • Who has interests in certain communities and why?

6. Service Projects • A great example of social action for the primary grades is taking your class to a retirement home. The children can sing, do artwork, and perform plays for the residents. It brings the residents joy and fulfillment during this time in their lives.

7. Service Projects • A great example for service projects that would be great for upper grades are: • volunteer work at a homeless shelter • bake sales to raise money for a homeless shelters • park renovation and clean-ups • “Welcome to Our School Kits”

8. Service Projects • The “Welcome To Our School Kits” are items that the children in the class make for new students. They make kits out of shoe boxes. In the boxes are pictures of friendly children to meet, a map of the school, a letter from the principal, a free lunch ticket, and activities and puzzles. The children who do the project learn about moral development and caring for others who might be scared, anxious, or just plain feeling alone.

9. Specific Resources • There are many avenues one can take to volunteer their money and time for Social Activism. There are also many ways in which one can find organizations to meet their needs. There are Governmental agencies, Church organizations, Community Volunteers, and Academic Universities that are involved in Social Action. Depending on your wants and needs you should do some research on which organization will benefit you the most. The following sites are some of the most popular related to Social Action:

10. Specific Resources The following two sites are community based. http://www.communityresources.net Mission: enables you to easily sort through many social service, health and disabilities agencies in your area and find one that provides the service you need http://www.uwint.org United Way Mission: Building organizations; of connecting multinational companies and foundations practices throughout philanthropy to local nonprofit dedicated to their clients and communities needs. The following two sites are church related but have different missions. http://www.YMCA.int World Alliance; Young Men's Christian Ass. Mission: Building a human community of justice with love, peace, and reconciliation for the fullness of life for all creation. There global issues include: HV/Aids, Culture of Peace, Spirituality, Youth, Gender, Trade Justice, Disaster relief. http://www1.salvationarmy.org Mission: To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. There issues include: International Health Services, Community Development, Relief work, Global sexual trafficking, tsunami response. The following site is Governmentally funded. http://www.peacecorps.gov Mission: In 1961 JFK established peace corps to promote peace and friendship. The follow sites are Academic Universities that offer services. www.ucdavis.edu www.healthlinks.washington.edu

11. Framework and Curriculum Connection There are connections between the world today and long ago. These connections are created through ordinary and extraordinary people who reflect the continuity of human experience - introducing concepts of courage, self control, justice, heroism, leadership, deliberation and individual responsibility - all of which affect the social world around us and the continuing influence of ideas in the world today. California History-Social Science Content Standards K-12

12. Should student activism be part of social studies? • Student activism should be part of social studies. Getting involved in social activism as a child leads to greater possibility of being active as an adult. Social studies is not just about studying our past and present, it is about our future as well. Social service should serve as a hope for future generations and for humanity.