Developing awareness of patriotism through service-learning
Abstract
As part of their social studies curriculum, 8th grade students at Elkhorn Middle School in Franklin County, Kentucky, took part in three service-learning projects aimed at developing patriotism — creating flag books for elementary students, designing a floral garden in the shape of a flag, and cleaning up grave sites of veterans. These projects were based on the PARC concept of preparation, action, reflection, and celebration. This effective practice was excerpted from the book, Linking Learning and Serving in Middle School: Teaching Core Content Through Service Learning, written by Kentucky teachers, compiled by the Kentucky Department of Education, and published with funds by the Corporation for National and Community Service in 2000.Issue
Providing engaging service-learning opportunities for students to learn about patriotism.Action
At Elkhorn Middle School in Franklin County, Kentucky, students study patriotism as part of their social studies curriculum. Eighth grade students at Elkhorn became involved in one of three projects aimed at developing awareness of patriotism. These lessons were excerpted from the book, Linking Learning and Serving in Middle School: Teaching Core Content Through Service Learning, written by Kentucky teachers.
Effective practices based on the PARC method (preparation, action, reflection and celebration) of service-learning included the following:
PREPARATION
Floral Garden: Students designed a floral garden to display their patriotism. They brainstormed ideas and decided to plant a garden in the shape and color of the U.S. flag. They studied gardening techniques, chose flowers (tulips) appropriate for the floral garden, placed the order for bulbs, and designed the garden based on the horticultural needs of the tulips.
Flag Books: Students studied the history of the U.S. flag and designed an age appropriate book about it for elementary school students. They brainstormed what information the book should contain, then the students broke into groups with each working on a different section of the book. Using teamwork the students collated and bound each book that contained activities such as word searches and coloring pages.
Cemetery/Veteran Project: Students obtained a list from the local Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter (VFW) that showed local veterans that were buried in the Frankfort Cemetery. Each student drew a name of a veteran from a hat and researched the major historical events that occurred during the life of their veteran.
ACTION
Floral Garden: Students spent one day planting the garden using the design they had prepared and the planting techniques they had studied.
Flag Books: Students attended two elementary schools where each 8th grader was assigned one child to read the flag book with, and to discuss respect for the American flag. Each child was given a flag book, as well as an American flag pencil, bookmark, and eraser.
Cemetery/Veteran Project: Students went to the cemetery and located their veteran's grave site. They cleaned the gravestone using a mild cleaning solution, removed debris from the area, and placed an American flag on each grave. They also made a chalk rubbing of their veteran's gravestone. Upon returning to school, they displayed these rubbings as a "Hallway of Unknown Heroes."
REFLECTION AND CELEBRATION
- All students spent time talking and writing about how they felt towards their projects, what they learned, and what they would do differently next time.
- The local newspaper and cable access channel covered this project, recognizing the important contributions the students had made to their community.
- Many students who were involved in the project took their families to visit the veteran's grave on Veteran's Day.
Context
According to the Kentucky Department of Education, the four key steps to service-learning include preparation, action, reflection, and celebration.
Preparation is an essential component of a successful service-learning project. It is important that students are oriented to the project and are prepared for what they will be doing. Students should know what is expected of them and what to expect from the project. Without preparation, students may become frustrated or confused, especially if they are going to be working with people or in situations that are unfamiliar to them.
A few ideas for preparation activities include:
Inviting a guest speaker from the community to talk to the students
This provides the background information about the issue the students will be addressing which will help them understand why they are doing the service.
Assigning research to the students
Providing a topic for the students to research will give them the time and attention necessary to learn about the issue the service project is trying to address.
Holding open discussions with the students
Simply gathering the students in a circle and discussing the issue at hand can provide a wonderful learning experience. This forum, if conducted in an open and honest way by the facilitator, can help students freely discuss their stereotypes about people different than themselves. Although these ideas might not be pleasant to hear, it is important that students have the freedom to express their opinions, This would also give the teacher a chance to teach about counter stereotypes. It is equally important to do this after the project to find out if their opinions have changed.
Action can take three forms:
Direct action puts students face to face with the service recipients.
Indirect action benefits the community as a whole rather than a particular person or group.
Advocacy gives students a chance to voice their opinions on issues of importance to their community.
Reflection involves the use of critical thinking skills in order to help students prepare for, succeed in, and learn from the service experience. The many ways to reflect are limited only by the imagination of the teacher and students. When planning for reflection activities, remember that not everyone learns in the same way. Offer a variety of ways and let students choose which one they would like to use to analyze their experience.
Celebration recognizes students for their efforts and helps them understand that they did make a difference.
Citation
Linking Learning and Serving in Middle School: Teaching Core Content Through Service Learning, lessons submitted by Kentucky teachers, compiled by the Kentucky Department of Education, and published with funds by the Corporation for National and Community Service in 2000.Outcome
Students learn core academic concepts through service-learning. In this case:- Students used math skills to design the floral garden and to determine the number of bulbs needed.
- Students used science skills and learned about plants and gardening through the garden project. They determined which flowers to plant, how deep to plant the bulbs, and how much space was needed for proper growth. They also studied soil properties, erosion, and weathering.
- Students used social study skills as they studied democratic principles and applied them directly through their service projects.
- Students used art and humanities skills as they designed flag books for elementary students, made chalk rubbings of veteran gravestones, and constructed a "Hallway of Unknown Heroes" using the chalk drawings.
- Additionally, students learned teamwork skills as they conducted their service projects.
Posted On
November 14, 2002For More Information