SECTION I. Community Service and Philanthropy (gift-giving)  

Note: If you plan use exercises on community service/philanthropy, please let us know before you visit. We will incorporate information in the tour to help students with their project and/or ideas.

At the museum/folk center, students may see projects completed by other students or classes. These include geography, history and crafts. The following questions may aid in discussing community service/philanthropy. It deals with analysis of current information, research of additional information and problem-solving. It also deals with written language as well as visual imagery and three-dimensional concepts.

1.   Philanthropy is largely an American concept. Why do you think this may be so? (For more advanced students: Can you think of examples from history where this is demonstrated?)

2.   People, such as Bill Gates (Microsoft) and Ted Turner (Turner Broadcasting), have given millions to fund nonprofit groups. Why do you think they give away money? [For advanced students: The internet has many sites on philanthropy and giving. Use the internet to find out how Americans give and some idea of how much. How do you think the economy affects people's giving? How does it affect the services a community might offer?

3.   Small communities, particularly in Wyoming, have many worthwhile groups that need help. Make a list of organizations in your community that you can think of that may need help. Ask adults you may know (outside of education) about groups they have given to. Make a list of those groups. Divide by national and local.

4.   Money is not always the only way to help a worthwhile cause. How else can you help?

5.   Choose a group you think does something worthwhile for your community. If you were asked to raise money for them, how would you do it? Why?

6.   Of what value is a museum or folk center?

7.   Think about what you have worked on at school during the past year. Did you find any project especially interesting? If you were to make a display for people to see in a museum, what would it be? Why would you choose that particular project? How would you do the display? For what age group would it be? What difference might this make in what you do? [For more advanced students: Find out what your proposed display would cost.]

8.   Before students visit the museum/folk center: Ask students to think about a display they think would be interesting. Write a paragraph about the display and/or draw a picture of it. (It might be on an event or a person they have studied. This can be conducted on an individual basis or as a class project.)

9.   After students visit the museum/folk center: How has their idea of displays changed? What would they do now? Have students redraw or rewrite their proposal as needed.