November 7, 2007

By: Thelma K. from West Jefferson, NC
Comments: 3

I would suggest you first talk to a director of a homeless shelter and ask that very same question. I am sure they will be willing/eager to work with you to make this project meaningful not only for your students, but also for those the homeless shelter helps. I am interested in hearing about this project. Our local "homeless shelter" rotates among churches and I've often wondered how they are able to service so many people without having an actual shelter house. I'd like to get my service club involved with helping the shelter on some level but I worry about liability and supervision. Are you just using parent permission letters?

Posted By: Thelma Kastl
On: 11/3/2007 9:20:11 PM

If you are interested in background information or additional statistics on "the other 90%," the following "Global Issues for Global Citizens." It is edited by Vinay Bhargava. It contains an incredible amount of information... information that is pertinent to us all. The book is divided by the issues that are facing our world. (World Bank, 2006) Thelma Kastl, West Jefferson, NC

Posted By: Nancy Gerber
On: 11/4/2007 11:32:56 AM

Thank you for the recommendation. I recently noyiced a book called "Hungry Planet" by Peter Menzel. He is the guy who did "Material World". Hungry Planet explores what people eat around the world. People are photgraghed with the food they eat in a week. The elementary kids notice roasted guinea pig right away. There is commentary from environmentalists, nutritionists and other experts. Beautiful. I use it with elementary kids, but it would work for older students.

Posted By: Judith Stroman
On: 11/6/2007 8:06:27 PM

This winter I will have a visual art elective that will introduce design and designing for the other 90% in our own neighborhoods. I will work with 5th-8th graders and co-coordinate this project with a parent who works with not just homeless adults but children as well. After a few introductory design exercises, I actually wanted to get the students out into the field, visiting the homeless shelters to interview people there to try to collect information to find a problem thus design a solution for it. When I passed this idea through another adult, his comment was interesting. He stated, what if the problem is about the person drinking too much or takes drugs and this is the cause of their situation, how would you design a solution for that. After he said that I felt very simple/inexperienced because I did not think of these societal issues as well. Are there any other pitfalls that anybody else can foresee or may have done a project similar to this and can share any other concerns or enlightenments with me before I embark upon this journey with my students.

Posted By: Michelle Dalton
On: 11/7/2007 12:10:48 PM

I would suggest you first talk to a director of a homeless shelter and ask that very same question. I am sure they will be willing/eager to work with you to make this project meaningful not only for your students, but also for those the homeless shelter helps. I am interested in hearing about this project. Our local "homeless shelter" rotates among churches and I've often wondered how they are able to service so many people without having an actual shelter house. I'd like to get my service club involved with helping the shelter on some level but I worry about liability and supervision. Are you just using parent permission letters?