I recently read an article about a retired grandma who went back to work when her favorite restaurant was struggling with staffing. While she is now drawing a paycheck, she hopes to be doing her part to support her community.
International Volunteer Day is celebrated on December 5th. Some of my fondest memories are with the work I did with library volunteers, so TeachingBooks has some ideas about the collaborative work you can do with your volunteers. Consider these ideas that volunteers can do from home or school. And remember, volunteers can also be students. It’s a great way to create buy in.
- Create interactive displays with featured titles and/or author resources using Shelf Talkers.
- Design themed booklists and then make bookmarks to share.
- Use Reader’s Theater Scripts to practice fluency and build confidence.
- Access the Complete Books and Poems Collection for students who want to listen and follow along as a book is read aloud.
When you’re thinking about books that model volunteering, search “helpfulness,” “kindness,” “voluntarism,” or social emotional learning to find appropriate titles in TeachingBooks. Here are a few titles to get you started. What titles are your favorites?
Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller and Jen Hill | Picture Book
When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate wants to make her feel better, wondering: What does it mean to be kind?
If Kids Ran the World by Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon | Picture Book
A tribute to peace and a celebration of diverse cultures, this last collaboration by the Dillons captures the wondrous joy of all people, and the unique beauty within each one of us shines forth. If kids ran the world, it would be a better place--for grown-ups, too. *Note: This is the last book they did together.
A Drop of Hope by Keith Calabrese | Fiction Grades 4-8
A well. A wish. And a little drop of hope.
Times are tough. Jobs are scarce and miracles are in short supply. But something strange is happening in If Only, Ohio. An old well has suddenly, impossibly, begun to grant wishes. And three sixth graders are the only ones who know why.
Can We Help?: Kids Volunteering to Help Their Communities by George Ancona | Nonfiction Grades 1-8
With photographs of actual projects, George Ancona celebrates the joy of kids giving back.
Just My Luck by Cammie McGovern | Fiction Grades 4-8
Fourth grade is not going at all how Benny Barrows hoped. He hasn't found a new best friend. He's still not a great bike rider—even though his brother George, who's autistic, can do tricks. And worst of all, he worries his dad's recent accident might be all his fault. Benny tries to take his mom's advice and focus on helping others, and to take things one step at a time. Can he make a difference?
It's Our World, Too!: Young People Who Are Making a Difference by Phillip Hoose | Nonfiction Grades 4-8
This text tells fourteen stories of contemporary children and teenagers who have successfully taken a stand on issues such as racism, sexism, the environment and violence, or who have had undertaken projects to help others in their communities.
Restart by Gordon Korman | Fiction Grades 4-8
Chase doesn't remember falling off the roof. He doesn't remember hitting his head. He doesn't, in fact, remember anything. He wakes up in a hospital room and suddenly has to learn his whole life all over again . . . starting with his own name. He jumps back into his volunteerism— mandatory as a result for his behavior. Can a bully change his life? Can doing something for someone elsereally make a difference--even for you?
The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall | Fiction Grades 4-8
Arthur T. Owens grabbed a brick and hurled it at the trash picker. Arthur had his reasons, and the brick hit the Junk Man in the arm, not the head. But none of that matters to the judge—he is ready to send Arthur to juvie forever. Amazingly, it’s the Junk Man himself who offers an alternative: 120 hours of community service . . . working for him. He resents it, he hates the Junk Man, and has a terrible attitude about the whole thing. Can he change? Can he address his anger? How can a perfect stranger, doing an unusual task make such a difference to Arthur’s future?
About the contributor: Deborah Salyer is a long-time lover of children’s and YA lit. Her seminars and workshops have created piles of books to be read on nightstands from the east to west coasts. She’s also the CA Implementation Specialist for TeachingBooks and a senior presenter at BER.org, What’s New in Children’s Books, K-6. She’s been a member of CSLA since 2001.
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