Empower Nonprofits with Student Skills
Inquiry Framework
Question Framework
Driving Question
The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we use our unique skills and talents to creatively support a nonprofit organization in addressing a real-life community or global challenge?Essential Questions
Supporting questions that break down major concepts.- What is a nonprofit organization and how does it impact community and global challenges?
- In what ways can personal skills be utilized to support a cause or solve a problem?
- How can research and communication aid in understanding and solving real-world problems?
- What steps are involved in planning and executing a project to support a nonprofit cause?
- How do collaboration and teamwork contribute to successfully addressing community needs?
- What role does creativity play in developing solutions for nonprofit organizations?
Standards & Learning Goals
Learning Goals
By the end of this project, students will be able to:- Students will understand what nonprofit organizations are and the roles they play in addressing community and global issues.
- Students will research a variety of nonprofits to identify a specific problem to address using their personal skills.
- Students will collaborate with peers to develop and execute a project that utilizes their skills in support of a nonprofit cause.
- Students will develop creativity and problem-solving skills by designing a solution to a real-world challenge a nonprofit faces.
- Students will practice communication skills by engaging with nonprofit representatives and presenting their final projects.
Common Core Standards
Next Generation Science Standards
National Core Arts Standards
Entry Events
Events that will be used to introduce the project to studentsTech for Good (Virtual Reality Tour)
Students start by wearing virtual reality headsets that immerse them in a day in the life of a local nonprofit organization. This simulation shows the organization's initiatives, challenges, and impact on the community, sparking curiosity and empathy. It launches students into thinking about how they can contribute using their unique skills.Mystery Challenge Boxes
Students receive a mystery box filled with objects and clues related to a specific nonprofit challenge or cause (e.g., a stethoscope for health, a plush animal for wildlife conservation). As they explore these items, students hypothesize how each represents a problem nonprofits face, leading to inquiry and creative solutions.Meet the Change-Makers
Invite guest speakers from various nonprofits to share their stories through dynamic presentations or interactive Q&A sessions. Hearing firsthand from change-makers excites students and prompts them to consider how they might also create positive change with their skills and interests.Community Scavenger Hunt
Organize a scavenger hunt where students explore their community to find examples of nonprofit work and its effects. Each 'discovery' point emphasizes a specific challenge or success in nonprofit efforts, building a narrative that encourages students to think about their potential contributions.Passion Fair
Transform the classroom into a fair where each student showcases a hobby or talent they are passionate about. This event highlights the diversity of skills that can make an impact, leading into discussions on how these interests can align with helping nonprofits and addressing community issues.Portfolio Activities
Portfolio Activities
These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.Discovering Nonprofits
In this initial activity, students will explore various nonprofit organizations to understand their missions, the challenges they face, and their impact on the community and the world. This foundational research will equip them with the necessary context to choose a cause they care about.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA group presentation summarizing their assigned nonprofit's mission, challenges, and community impact.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.Skill Spotlight
In this activity, students will identify and showcase their personal skills and talents that can be utilized to support nonprofit causes. They'll participate in a classroom 'Passion Fair' to learn how diverse skills can make a significant impact.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA 'Passion Fair' where students showcase their skills and explore their potential application in nonprofit support.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsNA-VA.3-5.5: Reflect on how art communicates stories and ideas, and use creative skills to develop a project.Collaboration Station
In this collaborative activity, students will work in groups to brainstorm and plan a specific project utilizing their skills to support a chosen nonprofit challenge. They will learn how to effectively communicate and delegate project tasks.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed project plan created by each group, ready to be executed as a real-world application to support a nonprofit.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts.Designing Solutions
Students will now focus on the execution of their project plans. They'll consider constraints like resources and time, define specific goals, and use creativity to implement their solutions.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityCompleted projects that creatively address a nonprofit challenge using the team's identified skills.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsNGSS.3-5-ETS1-1: Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.Presentation Gala
In this capstone activity, students will present their completed projects and share their experiences, highlighting how they utilized their unique skills to make a difference. This will also be an opportunity for students to reflect on their learning journey.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA formal presentation of the completed project and a reflective narrative on the student's development and impact.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic; NA-VA.3-5.5: Use creative skills to develop a project.Rubric & Reflection
Portfolio Rubric
Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolioNonprofit Project Rubric - Grade 3
Research and Understanding
Assessment of students' ability to conduct research on nonprofit organizations and understand their missions, challenges, and impacts.Content Knowledge
Measures understanding of nonprofit organizations' missions, challenges, and community impacts.
Exemplary
4 PointsDemonstrates a thorough and insightful understanding of the nonprofit organization including comprehensive details about their mission, challenges, and community impact.
Proficient
3 PointsShows a solid understanding of the nonprofit organization with clear and accurate details about their mission, challenges, and community impact.
Developing
2 PointsDisplays a basic understanding of the nonprofit organization with some correct but superficial details.
Beginning
1 PointsExhibits minimal understanding of the nonprofit organization, with inaccurate or missing details.
Research Skills
Evaluates how effectively students conduct research and gather information about their assigned nonprofit.
Exemplary
4 PointsGathers a wide range of relevant and reliable information from multiple sources and documents their findings thoroughly.
Proficient
3 PointsGathers relevant information from reliable sources and documents their findings adequately.
Developing
2 PointsGathers some relevant information, but from limited or less reliable sources, with incomplete documentation.
Beginning
1 PointsStruggles to gather relevant information or relies on unreliable sources with minimal documentation.
Creative Skill Application
Assessment of how students apply their personal skills creatively to the nonprofit project.Skill Identification Connection
How well students identify and connect their personal skills to nonprofit needs.
Exemplary
4 PointsIdentifies a diverse array of personal skills and expertly connects them to the nonprofit's needs with innovative ideas.
Proficient
3 PointsIdentifies relevant personal skills and connects them to the nonprofit's needs with practical ideas.
Developing
2 PointsIdentifies some personal skills with limited connections to the nonprofit's needs.
Beginning
1 PointsStruggles to identify personal skills or make connections to nonprofit needs.
Originality and Creativity
Measures the originality and creativity of the project ideas and solutions.
Exemplary
4 PointsDevelops highly original, creative, and effective solutions that comprehensively address the nonprofit's challenges.
Proficient
3 PointsGenerates original and creative solutions that adequately address the nonprofit's challenges.
Developing
2 PointsProduces some original ideas, but solutions are conventional and partially address the nonprofit's challenges.
Beginning
1 PointsStruggles to generate original ideas and fails to effectively address the nonprofit's challenges.
Collaboration and Communication
Evaluation of students' ability to work effectively in groups and communicate ideas.Teamwork and Collaboration
Assesses students' collaboration and teamwork skills in project planning and execution.
Exemplary
4 PointsConsistently leads and actively participates in group work, contributing ideas and facilitating effective collaboration.
Proficient
3 PointsParticipates actively in group work, contributing useful ideas and supporting effective collaboration.
Developing
2 PointsParticipates in group work with some contribution, but inconsistently supports collaboration.
Beginning
1 PointsStruggles to participate in group work and requires frequent support to collaborate effectively.
Communication Clarity
Evaluates the clarity and effectiveness of students' presentations and project communications.
Exemplary
4 PointsPresents ideas clearly, confidently, and engages the audience with thorough explanations and visual aids.
Proficient
3 PointsPresents ideas clearly with adequate explanations and some supplemental visual aids.
Developing
2 PointsPresents ideas that are sometimes unclear, with explanations that lack depth and minimal visual support.
Beginning
1 PointsPresents unclear ideas with insufficient explanations and lack of visual aids.
Problem Solving and Execution
Assessment of how students execute their project plans and solve problems during implementation.Project Execution
How effectively students implement their project plan and achieve set goals.
Exemplary
4 PointsExecutes the project plan methodically, meeting all goals and making necessary adjustments to overcome challenges.
Proficient
3 PointsSuccessfully executes the project plan, meeting most goals and adjusting to overcome some challenges.
Developing
2 PointsAttempts to execute the project plan but meets some goals inconsistently or struggles to adjust to challenges effectively.
Beginning
1 PointsStruggles to execute the project plan and fails to meet goals without effective problem-solving practices.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Evaluates students' critical thinking in addressing project challenges creatively and effectively.
Exemplary
4 PointsExhibits outstanding critical thinking, anticipating issues and creatively solving problems with innovative strategies.
Proficient
3 PointsDemonstrates strong critical thinking, solving problems with effective strategies.
Developing
2 PointsShows basic critical thinking with some success in solving straightforward problems.
Beginning
1 PointsDemonstrates minimal critical thinking, struggling to solve even basic issues.