Follow Cathryn Berger Kaye http://www.cbkassociates.com/resources/
(Many of you have her book in your library and probably just don’t know it. Kid’s Guide to Service Learning…one of the best!!!!!)
It’s not current but the quality is there and can serve as a jumping off spot. There are short explanations on everything students need to start service and take action icluding forms to use for power surveys, interviewing, writing a grant, etc. She gives examples of students who have taken action and their projects, etc.
http://www.buildersclub.org/Home.aspx
There are a lot of resources on their page for service. OR…Set up a Builders Club working with your local Kiwanis and be part of a really fun collaborative kid-oriented service club. I have learned a lot being a Builders Club Advisor. Builders Club has a lot of ideas on their webpage for service that is more of a whole school focus. For schools new to IB Community Project or service learning start by providing a lot of structured opportunities and then put the kiddos in charge of running the events as their service. As they gain confidence they'll take on more responsibility and the culture of student initiated service will begin to take root.
http://www.ysa.org/ (Awesome One Stop Shop) and http://www.gysd.org/
http://www.tigweb.org/about/our-programs/
When you are ready to get started make sure you start with the kiddos first. What are needs they see, hear, feel in their classrooms, school, and in their neighborhoods close to home/school? A lot of these are one and done type events when you are starting, and the sustainability factor is lacking, but just jump and start somewhere then the project can be taken on by a younger child and become more sustainable as the years progress.
Here are some examples of one-n-done kiddo service projects in our school:
-Campaign not to feed the seagulls on campus and design a brochure on ways to deter them from coming into school yards
-Caring for kittens at local shelter and spreading the word for need to spay and neuter pets
-Ongoing collection drive at local hotels for hygiene items for homeless
-Food drives, Trick or Treat for UNICEF, Read to Feed in collaboration with organizations that provide a lot of support and resources for the student coordinator
-Student organized beach or canyon clean ups and then use collected debris in art class and debris data in math and science class
Service Learning examples:
Here are some of the service learning events that my students led in my Spanish class:
1) Investigate organizations that serve Spanish speakers and design events for their clients
2) Design and host a Quinceanera for teens in a teen shelter.
3) Design and use Spanish to narrate a “surf/beach/summer fashion show” that collects new beach wear for homeless teens.
4) Host a Mother's Day fashion show for Spanish Speaking moms at the school.
5) A group of students who surf can plan a surf lesson and beach BBQ in Spanish for a group of kiddos who speak Spanish in the foster system, invited from a newcomers class at another school, or are delegates visiting from another country.
Hope this helps. I LOVE service learning.
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