Students participate in historic preservation projects that fall along a continuum of student participation. Adults and students need to work to push more projects to be student led rather than students working for adults. A variety of example projects are presented and show how they fall on the continuum. In addition, an example of projects that…

Second grade students learn about philanthropy by creating projects where they work through an inquiry process. Each student works with a group to create community-based projects that support existing local non-profits to enrich the quality of life in an area. Student action is visible through an authentic assessment event that allows students to…

Students used a compass trail to show how they could perform service to their school. When students performed service learning, they completed a real task that was needed for a grateful audience conjoined with academic content in the lesson. Students worked on the school grounds and used content from their regular curriculum while looking for…

In many parts of the less developed world it is women and girls who are expected to provide water for their family. Frequently, young girls are unable to complete school or get jobs because water scarcity means they are forced to walk miles daily to obtain this most basic need. Since the creation of the United Nations Millennium Goals, progress…

Service learning is an accepted practice in many middle and high schools as a means to develop empathy for others and promote character. In elementary classrooms service learning may be considered a one time a year occurrence and carried out as a school-wide project. This article addresses a more integrated approach to service learning, wherein…

This article illustrates how community service-learning can be defined and implemented as a group inquiry project in which students apply academic knowledge and social problem-solving skills. The authors examined eleven different community service-learning projects put into practice by elementary and middle school teachers who participated in…

Two social studies methods instructors created an assignment that places teacher candidates in leadership roles in partnerships with community organizations to plan and implement projects to increase student learning. This article outlines the project requirements, past project results, and student reflections on the collaborative effort. It…

Experiential education, developed more than a century ago, is a guide for instructors interested in helping students capture the meaning of their learning experiences. John Dewey (1963) in Experience and Education emphasized that events are present and operative but that what concerns most people is their meaning. Dewey judged the quality of an…

Reprints a series of "how-to" guidelines concerning service learning from the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago (CFRC). Includes a working definition of service learning, a five-step process for projects, and specific goals to be reached at each stage of the project. (MJP)

Reviews an array of resource organizations useful for developing, implementing and evaluating service learning. Reviews practical "how-to" guidebooks, motivational materials, and resources for academic discussions of service learning. Formats reviewed include workbooks, field guides, ERIC digests, monographs, and anthologies of articles. (MJP)

Profiles a program developed between the schools and community of Anoka, Minnesota. Concerned about the increase in poverty, crime, and youth problems, the community involved the students in an assessment of the town's problems and created a series of service learning projects addressing those problems. (MJP)

Reprints 11 standards for assessing quality in service learning projects from the Alliance for Service-Learning in Education Reform. Each standard provides a rationale and relevant examples. Standards include youth being involved in the planning, program requiring preparation and reflection, and project making a meaningful contribution to the…

Discusses some of the cultural and logistical challenges faced by service learning projects. Theses challenges include a predisposition toward individualism over collective action, lack of time and emphasis on traditional learning. Provides strategies and approaches for overcoming these challenges. Includes a sample questionnaire for parents and…

Offers a compendium of advice, case studies, teaching and organizing suggestions, and lists of resources. Addresses issues of concern to parents and educators alike such as liability, cooperation with social agencies and organizations, curriculum development and design, and locations to find instructional materials. (MJP)

Evaluates three participatory civic education learning programs developed by the Citizenship Education Clearing House: the Election Program, Missouri State Government Program, and the Metropolitan Issues Program. Evaluation consisted of questionnaires, observation, and interviews. Discovers that the programs are both popular and effective. (MJP)