Student SERVICE LEARNING
HANDBOOK
Civics & Economics
O’Leary / MichaeLian 2015 - 2016
In-Class: Introduction Day
Read the following statements and circle your answers.
1. I understand what it means to be an active member of my community.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Not sure
Agree
Strongly agree
Agree
Strongly agree
2. I feel like I am an active member of my community.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Not sure
3. I think it is important to understand the needs and problems facing my community.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Not sure
Agree
Strongly agree
4. I believe I have a good understanding of the problems facing my community.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Not sure
Agree
Strongly agree
5. I feel I can have a positive impact on the community in which I live.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Not sure
Agree
Strongly agree
6. I think I have a responsibility to serve the community in which I live.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Not sure
Agree
Strongly agree
Agree
Strongly agree
7. I have worked on a service project before.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Not sure
8. Finish this sentence: I think the biggest problem facing my community is
SERVICE LEARNING IMPLEMENTATION, SUMMARY AND PRESENTATION RUBRIC
Checklist for Final Submission:
_____ Include a copy of the Action Plan (original plan of service learning done in December)
_____ Include artifacts (evidence such as photographs, flyers, etc.) of time spent in service-learning activities
_____ Include your journal reflections of 2 paragraphs for each of the 3 days of service-learning. Remember the questions:
1. What did I do?
2. What did I learn?
3. How did I help?
4. What else could I have done or do in the future?
_____ Include the 1-2 page summary reflection answering the required questions
4 - Excellent
Understanding the purpose
and benefit of ServiceLearning (Shown in
Summary Reflection)
Investigation of a
community issue (Shown in
Action Plan)
Development of a realistic
action plan (Shown in Action
Plan)
Implementation of the
service project (Shown in
Journal Reflections and
Artifacts)
Successful interaction within
a group (Shown in Journal
Reflections)
Completion and
Presentation of the finished
project ON TIME
TOTAL: _____ / 28 points
3 - Proficient
2 – Needs Improvement
1 - Missing
UNDERSTANDING “SERVICE-LEARNING” VS. “COMMUNITY SERVICE”
Service learning is a community service on steroids, with learning being the first goal and the
service as the second goal. Although you may say, “Well, it sounds rude to put the service
second when you are trying to help people,” the group being helped will not get less service
due to this process, but more.
Everything you do as part of the service learning process will be connected to what you are
learning in the classroom. You will have done research on problems you are facing as citizens in
a community. You will come up with a plan to address those problems, you will actually do the
service and make a real contribution as a citizen, and then you’ll reflect back on the process.
Your reflections will include what you learned and how you improved your citizenship skills, the
impact of your project on the community and how you will continue to be an ACTIVE citizen.
Service learning provides real LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM, combined with SERVICE in the
COMMUNITY.
For an activity to be an academic service learning project it must:





support learning in the classroom by integrating meaningful connections to the core
curriculum;
include student voice and choice;
provide real hands-on assistance that strengthens the community
student and teacher reflection;
student recognition.
Community Service or Service Learning?
SCENARIOS
Washington M.S. holds a school-wide canned food
drive and delivers the food to a local organization
Mercury M.S. adopts a family to give gifts to for the
holidays
Canary M. S. donates needed items to a homeless
shelter while studying poverty in U.S. History
After researching the reasons for low number of
voters at the polls, students help register voters at
the mall
Students pull weeds and pick up litter to help out a
state park
Students grow vegetables in a garden after studying
hunger in their community
Students do active service as a part of their learning
about the responsibilities of good citizenship
Students mow the lawns of citizens that are unable
to do it themselves do to age or disability
COMMUNITY SERVICE
SERVICE
LEARNING
RATIONALE
Day One (In-Class Introduction Day)
Learning Target/Objective: I will be able to explain how service-learning connects my classroom study of Civics
with the real life application of citizenship skills.
Activities:
1. Pre-Survey on Service Learning
2. Service Learning vs. Community Service
3. Reflection: How do I feel about doing “real-life” service in the community as a part of my classroom
learning? What do I get out of giving back to the community?
OUTLINE / PROCESS / SCHEDULE TO COMPLETE THE SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT
1. Investigation (Mid-December)
a. Determine what is needed in your community/county – by:
 Talking to your families
 Speaking with community officials
 Checking volunteer groups online in your area
 Investigating public agencies
 Thinking about anything you might have heard on the news
2. Community Partner (Mid-December)
a. When you have determined the project you would like to do (and with whom, if anyone), there
are some research steps that need to take place:
 Is there an organization that needs to be contacted about the project? How does this
organization feel about your project idea? Can you be of benefit to this organization?
 What further information do you need to know/understand to proceed with this
project?
 What roles exist for you in carrying out this project? Is there a role in which you feel you
are a good fit?
 What other similar projects exist? What can be learned from these?
3. Planning (Mid-December)

Create a tentative plan of what project steps need to be taken (these may be modified as
the project progresses)
4. Implementation and Reflection (December - March)




Complete activities of active service in your program on three separation occasions
outside the classroom
Keep artifacts as proof of your activities, such as photos, flyers, handouts, etc.
Log a reflective journal of at least 2 paragraphs (per student) after each experience,
answering the following questions:
o What did I do?
o What did I learn?
o How did I help?
o What else could I have done or do in the future?
Be ready to reflect in class by the assigned check points (to be determined in class)
o Mid-January
o Mid-February
5. Presentations on Experience (Final Reflections and Presentations due March 26/27)


Prepare a presentation (PPT, written portfolio, Prezi, MovieMaker, or other format)) to
showcase what you learned over your experience (your reflections come in handy here)
Present your presentation and share with the class – be ready to share with other
students in the school!
Team / Individual Action Plan
Team Members (you may work alone):
Team Name / Project Name (How does the name reflect the work you will be doing?)
Community organization you are working with:
Name of your expert:
How the teamwork will be broken down (What will you DO?):
Rules of the Road
1.____________________________________________________________________________
2.____________________________________________________________________________
3.____________________________________________________________________________
4.____________________________________________________________________________
5.____________________________________________________________________________
What?
What is the problem being described?
Where?
Where is the problem occurring?
Why?
Why is the problem occurring?
So What? Why do we care that the problem is occurring?
SERVICE LEARNING MAP
Below is a service learning effectiveness map. Some projects may have high levels of one quadrant, but low levels or none of the other
quadrants. For example, students may be studying how serving the community is a part of being a good citizen (high learning), but
they do not participate in any hands-on activities demonstrating good citizenship. This type of service would fall in quadrant 2.
Likewise, some projects may have high levels of service - students help clean-up the W&OD Trail, but do not consider how doing so is
connected to what they are learning in class. This project would fall in quadrant III). Our goal with students is to shoot for quadrant I.
High Learning
I
2
High Service
Low Service
4
3
Low Learning
Post-Project Survey (Conclusion Day - Late March)
Read the following statements and circle your answers.
I feel like I am an active member of my community.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Not sure
Agree
Strongly agree
I think it is important to understand the needs and problems facing my community.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Not sure
Agree
Strongly agree
I believe I have a good understanding of the problems facing my community.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Not sure
Agree
Strongly agree
I feel I can have a positive impact on the community in which I live.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Not sure
Agree
Strongly agree
I think I have a responsibility to serve the community in which I live.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Not sure
Agree
Strongly agree
Agree
Strongly agree
I will work on solving community problems in the future.
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Not sure
Finish this sentence: I think the biggest problem facing my community is
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
1-2 Page Summary Reflection (typed, double-spaced)
(to be included with your presentation AND your journal reflections)
Answer ALL of the following questions:
1. In what ways has this project contributed to your personal development
(responsibility, respectfulness, empathy, citizenship, collaborative skills,
leadership etc)?
2. Why did you choose this activity?
3. What were your expectations prior to starting?
4. Describe the experiences with the people you met – both with members
of the organization and the members of the community served.
5. How has this experience changed your views about service learning?
6. Describe some skills you learned through this experience that could be
used in your everyday life/workforce.