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Service Learning: Make an Impact

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Kylene Smith

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Service Learning: Make an Impact

Students will define service learning, identify community needs, and brainstorm potential service-learning project ideas relevant to their interests and skills.

Understanding service learning allows students to apply academic knowledge to real-world challenges, develop critical thinking and empathy, and become active, engaged citizens who positively impact their communities.

Audience

11th Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Discussion, brainstorming, and guided exploration of community needs.

Materials

Whiteboard or Projector, Markers or Pens, Service Learning Introduction Slide Deck, Community Needs Brainstorm Worksheet, and Project Idea Cool Down

Prep

Review Materials

10 minutes

  • Review the Service Learning Introduction Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content.
    * Print or prepare to display the Community Needs Brainstorm Worksheet.
    * Ensure you have a whiteboard/projector and markers/pens ready.

Step 1

Warm-Up: What Is Service?

5 minutes

  1. Begin by asking students: "What comes to mind when you hear the word 'service'?"
    2. Allow 1-2 minutes for students to share their initial thoughts and definitions.
    3. Briefly summarize their responses, highlighting common themes.

Step 2

Introduction to Service Learning

10 minutes

  1. Introduce the concept of service learning using the Service Learning Introduction Slide Deck.
    2. Go through slides defining service learning, distinguishing it from volunteering, and emphasizing the 'learning' component.
    3. Discuss the benefits of service learning for students and the community.

Step 3

Brainstorming Community Needs

10 minutes

  1. Distribute the Community Needs Brainstorm Worksheet to each student.
    2. Instruct students to spend 5-7 minutes individually brainstorming needs they observe in their school, local community, or even global community.
    3. After individual brainstorming, facilitate a brief class discussion where students can share 1-2 ideas from their worksheets. Guide them to think broadly (e.g., environmental, social, educational, health).

Step 4

Cool Down: My Project Idea

5 minutes

  1. Distribute the Project Idea Cool Down.
    2. Ask students to reflect on the community needs discussed and brainstorm one initial idea for a service-learning project that could address a need they feel passionate about.
    3. Collect the cool-down slips as an exit ticket.
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Slide Deck

Service Learning: Make an Impact!

What does 'service' mean to you? How can we make a difference?

Welcome students and introduce the topic. Ask them to think about what 'service' means to them.

What is Service Learning?

Service Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.

Define service learning clearly. Emphasize the 'learning' and 'reciprocal' components.

Service Learning vs. Volunteering

  • Volunteering: Helping others, usually one-way.
  • Service Learning: Applying academic knowledge to community needs, reflecting on the experience, and learning from it (two-way).

Explain the key differences between simple volunteering and service learning.

Why is Service Learning Important?

  • For You: Develops leadership, problem-solving, empathy, and job skills.
  • For the Community: Addresses real needs, builds stronger connections.
  • For Your Learning: Connects classroom lessons to real-world issues.

Discuss why service learning is valuable for both students and the community.

Identifying Community Needs

Before we can help, we need to understand where help is needed.

Think about:

  • Your school
  • Your neighborhood
  • Your city/town
  • Global issues

Introduce the idea of identifying needs. Prompt students to start thinking about their community.

Ready to Make a Difference?

Today, we'll start thinking about what impact you can make!

Conclude by looking forward to brainstorming. Reiterate the goal of the lesson.

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Worksheet

Community Needs Brainstorm Worksheet

Name: _____________________________
Date: _____________________________

What is a Community Need?

A community need is a gap or problem that affects a group of people and can be improved through action. It could be something missing, something that isn't working well, or an area where support is lacking.

Instructions:

Think about your school, your local community (neighborhood, town/city), and even broader global issues. What problems or areas for improvement do you see? List as many as you can in the categories below. Be specific!

1. School Community Needs

What challenges or areas for improvement exist within our school?

  1. ____________________________________________________________


  2. ____________________________________________________________


  3. ____________________________________________________________


2. Local Community Needs

What problems or opportunities for improvement do you notice in your neighborhood or town/city?

  1. ____________________________________________________________


  2. ____________________________________________________________


  3. ____________________________________________________________


3. Broader Community / Global Needs

What wider issues (environmental, social, economic) do you see that affect many people or the world?

  1. ____________________________________________________________


  2. ____________________________________________________________


  3. ____________________________________________________________


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