Class Session #11: Library Field Trip

Class Session #11: Library Field Trip!

Pre-class: Connect with a local public library, art studio, or school library to arrange a time for the students to present their books and help put up a correlating art display.
Create: Invite students to create paper leaves with the word “generosity” written in multiple languages from around the world, such as the example languages below. Guide students in adding crumpled tissue to bring autumn colors to the leaves in the display.
Generosidad (Spanish), Ukarimu (Swahili), Shu 恕 (Chinese), Generosus (Latin), Sakha (Arabic), Generosité (French), Udaara (Hindi), Tzedakah (Hebrew), Kandai-sa 寛大 (Japanese), Generosità (Italian), Gwandai 관대 (Korean)
Engage–Create: Invite students to help create a large paper tree to tape on the wall of the exhibition site, where their books will go on display for the public. Students can then tape up their generosity leaves, or ask the teacher for help in doing this
Explore–Create: Invite students to suggest any other elements to add to the display that would help communicate generosity as cross-cultural, intergenerational, and ecological. The teacher can work with the librarian, curator, or other public official to post a description of the display on cross-cultural, intergenerational, and ecological generosity.

Review: Review with students the characteristics of a good audience. [Listen, be still, think of a good question about the book during discussion time, etc.]
Elaborate–Reading: Invite students to read their books to the class, one at a time. If helpful, break the class into 2–3 groups, and engage the waiting groups in silent reading in another area. Ask a librarian to help find and lay out children’s books on cross-cultural and ecological generosity, for students to read quietly while waiting for their turn.
Evaluate–Discuss:
1. What were similarities in how we have experienced generosity across family and cultural heritages?
2. Do the similarities evidence that generosity is important across cultures?
3. Were there any differences or surprises you heard in one another’s stories?
4. What about similarities in how generosity is expressed ecologically?