Title of Project: Hooray for Hats
Grade Level: 1st Grade
Number of Students Participating: 40
Contributed by: Stephanie Eby- EDG 693
School: Arnett Elementary (Erlanger-Elsmere Independent)
County: Kenton County
Date: 2011/2012 School Year (TBD)
Description of Plan:
Students will learn about the devastating disease cancer through books and websites and how it can effect children their own age. Next, students will research the Hats Off For Cancer organization and learn how to be helpful citizens by designing and contributing hats for cancer patients at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital or other local organizations and writing encouraging letters of support to these children. Finally, students will learn that being thoughtful can really help brighten someone’s day.
Who will be involved in the plan:
1. First Grade Teachers and Students: All first grade teachers and students will be asked to work on this service learning project to help brighten the spirits of children in need of some sunshine. Teachers and students will create hats and write letters to give to the Hats Off For Cancer organization.
2. Parents/ Guardians: A letter will be sent home informing parents/ guardians about the service learning project. The date and time of the service learning project will be included in the note. Parents will be asked to donate their time or materials to help decorate the hat. The note will also indicate that there will be an ice cream party at the end of the project. All are invited to attend the party and a special invitation should be extended to family members or friends who are cancer survivors.
3. School Counselor- The school counselor will be asked to assist with this project. The counselor will be used to assist with the hat making. The counselor will also be available to discuss emotional issues with students who may have personally experienced the effects of cancer (ex: relatives who have had cancer: parents, grandparents, close friends etc.)
3. School Counselor- The school counselor will be asked to assist with this project. The counselor will be used to assist with the hat making. The counselor will also be available to discuss emotional issues with students who may have personally experienced the effects of cancer (ex: relatives who have had cancer: parents, grandparents, close friends etc.)
4. Hats Off For Cancer Coordinator:
-Let Dennis know when the hat drive will begin and when it will end
School Disciplines/ Standards Addressed: Below I have provided a list of Kentucky Academic Expectations, Program of Studies and Core Content Standards for this Service Learning Project
Academic Expectations:
1.2 Students make sense of the variety of materials they read.
1.11 Students write using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and
information to different audiences for different purposes.
1.13 Students make sense of ideas and communicate ideas with the visual arts.
1.16 Students use computers and other kinds of technology to collect, organize, and communicate
information and ideas.
2.7 Students understand number concepts and use numbers appropriately and accurately.
2.17 Students interact effectively and work cooperatively with the many ethnic and cultural groups of
our nation and world.
2.26 Through the arts and humanities, students recognize that although people are different, they
share some common experiences and attitudes.
2.32 Students demonstrate strategies for becoming and remaining mentally and emotionally healthy
information to different audiences for different purposes.
Program of Studies and Core Content
Arts and Humanities:
AH-P-HA-U-2
Students will understand that the arts help us understand others’ (often very different) ways of thinking, working, and expressing ourselves.
Mathematics:
MA-P-NPO-U-1
Students will understand that numbers, ways of representing numbers, relationships between numbers and number systems are ways of representing real-world quantities.
Practical Living:
PL-P-PW-S-PPH4
Students will recognize indicators of mental/emotional, social, and physical health during childhood.
Social Studies:
SS-P-CS-U-3
Students will understand that interactions among individuals and groups assume various forms (e.g., compromise, cooperation, conflict, competition).
SS-P-CS-S-2
Students will investigate social institutions (e.g., schools) in the community
Technology:
T-P-ICP-U-1
Students will understand that technology is used in all content areas to support directed and independent learning.
T-P-ICP-S-C2
Students will participate in group projects and learning activities using technology communications.
Writing:
EL-P-WC-S-3
Students will write for a variety of authentic purposes and audiences:
EL-P-WS-S-1
Students will use complete and correct sentences of various structures and lengths (e.g. simple, compound) to enhance meaning throughout a piece of writing; apply unconventional sentence structures to achieve intended effect on audience.
WR-E-1.1.0
Purpose/Audience: Students will establish and maintain a focused purpose to communicate with an authentic audience.
Activities and Timeline:
Activity | Time Length |
-Students will learn about the project Hats Off For Cancer. Together we will visit the website www.hatsoffforcancer.org Next we will read: I Can Too! (Girls: Cancer Kids Can Too!) By: Cristine Thomas I Can Too! (Boys: Cancer Kids Can Too!) By: Cristine Thomas - Finally, we will discuss the Hats Off For Cancer Project - A note will be sent home to parents explaining the service learning project - The note will ask: -for donations to decorate the hats - volunteers on the specified date and time | 1st week - We will give a week’s time length to collect items for the hats - |
-Mrs. Eby ordered hats to be decorated - Children count out 40 hats (1 per child) - Each child gets a hat and begins to decorate their hat with various materials (cut-outs, markers, ribbon, yarn, etc.) - Volunteers will be asked to help assist children with cutting and glue. - Students will allow one day for glue to dry - | 2nd Week- Day 1 -Distribution of hats and decorating will take 1 day. -A note will be sent home to parents asking for a head count for the ice cream party. |
- Students will place all hats in plastic bags - Students will discuss why they have to place hats in plastic bags (germs) - Students will create a “happy card” for the patients - Students will write some motivating words in the card - Teacher will collect cards and place them in a big envelope to be sent with the hats | Day 2 |
- Students will orally reflect on “Why it was important to create the hats?” - Students will orally reflect on “How they helped a this particular organization?” - Students will write in their journals: “Why it feels good to help others?” - Mrs. Eby will contact the Hats Off For Cancer organization and deliver the hats and letters to the specified hospital or organization | Day 3 |
-An ice cream party will be held to celebrate being a good citizen -Students, parents, relatives are welcome to attend (an extra special invitation will be extended to relatives that are cancer survivors) | Day 4 |
Note: Jason Brubaker (Community Recorder ) Will be contacted at the beginning of this project -Pictures will be taken throughout this process to be displayed at the ending celebration |
Benefits for my students:
1. Students will learn that there are ways to help others in the community.
2. Students will learn that sometimes people get sick and we need to raise their spirits.
3. Students will learn that doing something for someone else can be fun and rewarding.
4. Students will show their creative abilities by decorating/ designing their own hats.
5. Students will learn how to reflect on their service learning project.
6. Students will reflect in their journals “Why it feels good to help others?”
Measuring Success for this Project:
- Looking at the creative hats being designed will show that the students are using their creative abilities.
- Listening to oral reflections by students will determine if the students really understood the purpose of this service learning project. (Did the students really understand why the created the hats?)
- Listening to the students read their responses to the question “Why it feels good to help others” will really show that the students understood the true concept of this service learning project.
Ending Celebration: (Day 4- Last Day)
-An ice cream party will be held in the school cafeteria to celebrate being good citizens.
- Students will be allowed to invite parents and other relatives to share in the celebration.
- A special invitation will be extended to family members and friends that are cancer survivors.
- A special invitation will be extended to the members of Hats Off For Cancer organization.
- Pictures will be displayed and journals will be read reflecting the events of this service learning project.
