Teacher Resources

The teacher resources provided on this site are courtesy of Cathryn Berger Kaye, author and leading international expert in service learning, with some additional links provided by RandomKid ("rk")

What a pleasure to assemble these resources for you!

We know that with a teacher’s demanding schedule, having a site that provides you with a myriad of tools to advance how students engage in RandomKid projects can make all the difference as your students make a world of difference. As an international service learning consultant I travel over 130 days a year to provide professional development opportunities and advance how learning can be applied to real needs facing our local and global communities. Most importantly, I listen to teachers and find out what they need and what questions they want answered. Based on what educators say to us, we have gathered current and accessible resources we know will be practical and helpful.

Do visit this site often. With frequent updates, you are sure to find just what you need to advance service learning and the impact your students will have as they transform their ideas into action!  If you have any specific questions, let us know at teachers@randomkid.org.

Click on the world issue below to find educator resources for each specific topic. For projects and idea starters, click on the associated links.

Clean Water
Health and Nutrition
Education
Disaster Relief
Environment
Animal Welfare
Random Issues

Resources provided include:
 
•    Sample Lesson Plans – GoToServiceLearning presents examples of best practice service learning experiences meeting state mandated academic standards, each uploaded onto the site according to an easy-to-use searchable template. Here, you will find out how teachers connect classroom content with student initiative, resulting in youth who are actively engaged in learning while making significant contributions to their communities. Whether you teach science, math, art, history, languages, English, technology, or a myriad of other important subjects, take a look. You will find outstanding lesson plans that incorporate a wide variety of service themes at all grade levels. Search this site and explore the plans, all submitted by teachers just like you! Additional lesson plans can be found at Learn and Serve America’s National Service-Learning Clearinghouse.

•    Curriculum Webs – these road maps to academic connections can jump start your learning outcomes and be a place to start when brainstorm with your colleagues. All of these webs are drawn from The Complete Guide to Service Learning: Proven, Practical Proven, Practical Ways to Engage Students in Civic Responsibility, Academic Curriculum, & Social Action (revised and updated 2nd edition with CD-Rom) by Cathryn Berger Kaye, M.A., Free Spirit Publishing, 2010)
   
•    Book Recommendations – find fiction and nonfiction connected with each issue, exciting literature students will want to read to better understand the topic, to develop empathy through the experiences of others, and to know what other kids and teens are doing to help out. All titles are contributed by our service learning expert, Cathryn Berger Kaye.
   
•    Service-Learning Guides – these complete study guides take your students through the Five Stages of Service Learning. You will find several already posted, provided as part of the Water Planet Challenge by EarthEcho International, and more are in development.
   
•    Articles and Web links – for further reading about the process and practice of service learning, along with information, resources, videos and opportunities related to each world issue.