15 & 16 I
It’s Debatable
Should You Have to Do Community Service? STUDENT HANDBOOK, PAGE 46
Objectives: Students will read opposing viewpoints about whether or not community service should be mandatory for teens; students will also summarize the viewpoints. 1 Warm-up: Start a discussion with students about community service. • What is community service? • What does the word voluntary mean? What does the word mandatory mean? 2 Read: “Should You Have to Do Community Service?” First read: You may read the article aloud; you may also ask students to read with partners or independently. If you decide to read the article aloud, start by telling students that this article contains opposing sides to an issue. As students read, ask them to point out the opinions or arguments that each author makes in the article. Second read: Ask students to read with partners or independently. (You can always read aloud if that works best with your students.) Instruct students: As you read, take notes on the main ideas that you’d include in a summary of each viewpoint. After students finish reading, ask for a summary of each point of view. (On the one hand, kids shouldn’t be forced to do community service because most already have full schedules. Also, students don’t experience the benefits of volunteering if they are forced to participate. On the other hand, volunteering has been shown to help students develop skills and insights that will help them later in life.) (Summarize) 3 After Reading: Use these questions to check students’ understanding. You may wish to ask them to go back to the article to highlight where they found the answers. 1. What are some ways that people volunteer during the holiday season? (They prepare or serve Thanksgiving meals at soup kitchens, take part in fundraisers for charity, or collect and donate winter coats for people who need them.) 2. How would you best summarize Ellison O’Grady’s opinion about community service? (Community service should not be mandatory because that makes it feel like a chore. Instead, schools should offer a variety of different opportunities for students to serve others.)
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