PossibleActivitiesfor‘PayItForward’WeekHighSchool:

“PayItForward”cardsThisactivitycanbedoneschool-wideorinindividualclassrooms.Eachstudentisaskedtodothreegooddeedsduringtheweek.Onedeedisforsomeoneattheirschoolandtheothertwocanbecompletedathome,inschool,orduringextra-curricularactivities.Therecipientofoneofthestudent’sgooddeedswillalsoreceivea“PayItForward”cardthatasksthemtopayitforward.Thiscreatesachainreactionofpositiveactions.Youmaywanttobrainstormideasforgooddeedsathomeorinthecommunity.Videos:Clipfromthemovie“PayItForward”Clipdemonstratingthe“PayItForward”philosophyAfterwatchingaclipabout“PayitForward,”splituptheclassintosmallgroupsandinstructthemtofindsomewaystopayitforwardtothecommunityandthenhavethempresenttheirideastotheclass.Eachstudentthenpicksonegooddeedtodo.Attheendoftheweek,askstudentshowtheydidinaccomplishingtheirgooddeedsandhowitmadethemfeel.AddressingaCommunityNeed:Studentsareplacedinsmallgroups.Eachgroupresearchesacommunityneedthattheymightbeinterestedinaddressing.[Theteachercouldhaveamasterlistfromwhichthechildrenchoose].Forexample:

BackpacksfortheHomeless:Thegrouporganizesafundraisertopurchasesimplebackpacks,whichtheythenfillwithboughtordonateditemssuitableforthehomeless.Theseitemscouldbebooks[ingoodcondition],sunglasses,toothpasteandtoothbrush,soap,deodorant,shampoo,vest,socks,perfume,magazines,gloves,sunhats,beanies,scarves,etc.Manyfamilieshavediscardedbackpacks–abackpackdrivecouldbequiteproductive.

Reflection:Studentsareaskedtodoagooddeedeachdayoftheweekifpossible.Thursday,theychooseoneofthosegooddeedsandwriteaboutit-specificallygivingdetailson:whattheactofkindnesswas;towhomitwasrendered;describetherecipient’sreaction;describethefeelingyoufeltyourself.ThesepapersarehandedinonaFridayandjustafewreadoutanonymously.Thepapersarehandedbacktothestudentssothattheycanreflectontheirrandomactsofkindness.Literacywitha“PayitForward”purpose:

Studentscouldtalkwithafamilymemberandmakenotesonthestoriestheyimpart.Youmaywanttohelpdraftinterviewquestionstobreaktheice.Backatschool,theywouldthenpublishthesestoriesina‘book.’Thebookwouldthenbegivenbacktothefamilymemberwithathoughtfulcardandofcoursethe“PayItForward”cardattached.HistoryofKindness:Studentsresearchanhistoricalpersonwhoselflesslymadeadifferenceintheworld.Thentheygiveaverbalreportontheirchosenperson.Iftimeallows,theycanmakeupa'Whoisit?'onthatidentity–classmateshavetoguesswhoitisbyaskingquestions.NewspaperReportsonKindness:Scanlocalnewspapersandfindreportsofkindness.Theywouldsummarizeandattachtothearticletoandthenturnitin.ORWritenewspaperarticleaboutanactofkindnessyouobserve.Pretenditisforthefrontpageofamajornewspaperandgiveadramaticheadline.Publishinschoolpaper.

Ifyouhaveideasnotlistedaboveorwanttomodifyanyoftheactivitieslisted,pleasefeelfreetodoso.Youknowyourstudentsandwhatwillresonatewiththem.Please

shareyourstoriesofkindnesswithusonsocialmediausingthehashtag#SanJuanForAll,andhelpusspreadjoy!