The University of Arizona

The University of Arizona

Service Learning

Lesson plans that reinforce numerous financial topics and provide opportunities for outreach projects to peers, family member and communities.

Full Service Learning Lessons

Service Learning Tool	Service Type	Description	Lesson Plan Integration
Gaining with Goals	Advocacy	Participants create posters or videos to help others learn the importance of setting goals and how to use the SMART goals process.	Introductory level: Go for the Goal! Advanced level: Setting Financial Goals
Savers Challenge	Indirect	Students will propose a Savers Challenge to elementary age students. Elementary students will be challenged to bring in loose change or a portion of money they have saved to donate to a charitable organization.	Introductory level: Pay Yourself First Advanced level: Choose to Save and Savings Tools
Get a Job Peer Clinic	Direct	Students deliver a week-long in-school or after-school drop-in workshops to help peers prepare resumes, fill out job applications, draft cover letters and practice interviewing skills. Students prepare a promotional campaign to advertise the free walk-in clinics and then take turns conducting the event.	Advanced level: Get a Job
Let's Invest with Lawn Boy	Direct	Introduces the concepts of investing and introductory economic principles using the novel “Lawn Boy” by Gary Paulson. High school students will partner with a class or classes from a nearby middle school (Gr 6-7) or elementary school (Gr 5) to conduct their direct service project. Students will create teachable lessons and design a presentation to deliver in-person to younger students after reading the novel Lawn Boy.	Into or Advanced Level: Investing with Lawn Boy

Lessons with service learning idea opportunities

Lesson Plan	Idea(s)
Intro Level: Digital Citizenship Advanced Level: Protecting Yourself Against Fraud	Advocacy or Direct Service project with elementary or middle grades to promote being a good digital citizen & safe habits to use online Direct service activity to help older Americans be aware of fraud and other dangers when online
Introduction to Depository Institutions	Advocacy campaign about “Getting Banked” Fees paid by those who are “unbanked” and “underbanked”
Paying Your Income Taxes	Students stage walk-in clinic hours to help their peers file income taxes. Student volunteers will have completed the TCT lesson “Paying Your Income Taxes”, and have demonstrated skills for correctly filing tax forms Teacher secures VITA brochures as resources to help students work with peers to file income taxes.
Estate Planning	Indirect Service project where high school students create brochures, informational pamphlets or even media presentations to inform others about the importance of writing a will, having a letter of last instruction, etc. Arrange to share the promotional literature at local Senior Citizen Centers, nursing homes, etc.
The Lorax Active Learning Tool	Students can make an impact in their community by conducting a “teens for jeans campaign” or a “comeback clothes campaign” by having students donate items to a shelter or local organization.

Lessons and ideas for motivating students to serve

Lesson Plan	Ideas
Giving to Others	Can Money buy Happiness? worksheet Giving Quotes - Set up as QR Codes; think which one appeals to you most Pay it Forward planning sheet
Live Well, Do Good Things	Links to stories about the power of philanthropy from celebrity donors and ordinary people who do extraordinary things. Remember. Honor. Teach. The story of the entrepreneur from Maine who started “Wreaths Across America”
Receiving from Family, Friends, and Non-Profits	Use the 3-page Information Sheet to help students understand being part of a community and how, in times of need, that network can be a source of giving and receiving
Motivational Video Clips and Websites
Can Money Buy Happiness?	Video explains psychology of giving to others
TOMS Shoe Founder	Young teen interviews Blake Mycoskie on why he started this company
Pay it Forward Day	Annual day celebrated world-wide in April. Ideas available on this webpage. #FinLit Month
30 Ways to GIve to Others	Article that shares 30 ways to give back without donating money
Believe in Good	Video showing man giving to others every day & feeling happiness
Kindness 101 with Steve Hartman	Educator group - see his stories of kindness and follow how others are using them in their classrooms