Title of Project: Activity Books for Sick Children

Grade Level: Third Grade

Number of Students Participating: 60

Contributed by:

Teacher: Theresa Kaufman

School: St. Joseph School

District or County: Cold Spring, Diocese of Covington

Overview/Description of Project:

After hearing about the experience of children at Children’s Hospital and schoolmates that have battled cancer, the students develop technology skills and written language skills by creating activity books including letters of encouragement for children patients at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Goals: To increase awareness of those in need during the holidays.

To promote a giving attitude and a way to share our talents.

To show that community service can be done by children.

Core Content Areas: Computer technology, language arts, writing, art.

STEP BY STEP GUIDE

STEP 1: PREPARATION

1. The teacher invited a guest speaker from the hospital to present to the third grade class.

2. The class discussed what the needs were for the patients and what skills/knowledge they could use to provide support and relief for the patients.

STEP 2: ACTION

The students create activity books, formatting them during their computer/technology class.

The students write letters of hope and encouragement to the recipient of each book.

STEP 3: REFLECTION

The students gather with each other and representatives from the Service Learning Project team to share their experience. The students meet in small groups and share a question and answer period and then do some role playing.

STEP 4: CELEBRATION

The praise and pat on the back given for a sense of accomplishment on a job well done. Also knowing that their work helped brighten someone’s day. They were also allowed to keep a copy for themselves to share with their family and tell how they created it. Typically, sharing thank you notes from the children or hospital representatives would be included in the celebration. Sadly, we did not receive any type of thank you.