Service Learning Activities

My CI group wanted to incorporate Service Learning Activities to do with the kids at the Elementary and Middle Schools while in the Dominican Republic.

Here are some of our ideas!minigarden

Building a mini garden:

  • learning objective:  learn about importance of recycling old resources and environment
  • target audience: elementary and middle school kids
  • time needed: one hour
  • location: community garden, elementary school
  • resources needed: old tires, knife to cut tire, dirt, seasonal plants/vegetables

Making Silly Putty

  • learning objective: learn basic chemistry behind plastics and importance of recyclingputty-2
  • target audience: elementary and middle school students
  • location: elementary school
  • time needed: one hour
  • Directions:
    • Mix glue with food coloring
    • Pour liquid starch into colored glue mixture.
    • Stir and let sit for five minutes.
    • Pull putty out of mixing bowl & set it on a paper towel. Knead putty in hands for 5-10 minutes.
    • Play with it!

Hygiene Simon Says

  • Simon says with body parts (Simon says brush your teeth, Simon says brush your hair, etc
  • Bilingual version: Simon says first in Spanish, then teaches the kids how to say it in English
  • Incorporate reward
  • Learning objective: learn about dental and body hygiene (i.e. showering, brushing teeth, washing hands, etc) and learn English
  • no extra materials needed
  • elementary (or middle school) target audience

Dental Hygiene

  • Learning Objective: Dental hygiene
  • Handout instructions about proper dental hygiene, with instructions about proper teeth brushing
  • Cut the bottoms off of large plastic soda bottles and turn them upside down – they look like teeth! Spray them with whip cream (toothpaste) and apply chocolate chips or any other candy (bacteria/cavities) and  give the kids toothbrushes to brush the teeth clean.
  • target audience: elementary school students (11 and under)
  • ideal location: elementary school/after school program at community center
  • time needed: one hour
  • materials needed: whipped cream, candy (chocolate chips, gummy bears), large plastic soda bottles, toothbrushesadaa82e26272aac7c2a29b917aa94ff9

Sources:

  • http://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-for-kids/homemade-silly-putty/
  • http://www.mixer2mower.com/18-easy-to-make-diy-raised-garden-beds.html/3
  • http://www.instructables.com/id/Used-Tired-Raised-Garden-amp-Tree-Ring/
  • kristin-senseofwonder.blogspot.com