Adrienne’s OLLI — Online Learning Lesson Idea — Making a Difference

Published in

Simbi

8 min readMay 19, 2021

I originally created OLLIs when schools in my province of British Columbia shut down last spring due to Covid-19. While many are now back in class, I know there are many districts still juggling virtual and in-class support. (Shout out to my teacher friends in Alberta and Ontario who are working online at the moment!) These OLLIs can be used both in class and virtually person. Either way, I hope you find some ideas that you can use with your students to lighten your load just a little this year!

Click here to check out previous OLLI lessons and anchor books on my blog!

The Inspiration

You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. — Jane Goodall

An essential goal for teachers in the 21st century is to try to help students understand that they are in important part of the global community. No matter our age, our actions can affect and contribute to the world. Most children living in North America don’t really understand that; for the most part, they are among the most privileged in the world. Because of that privilege, they have a responsibility as a global citizen to be mindful and helpful of others. And while we may not able to take our students to Africa to help build a school, as this year winds down, we can help bring awareness that our actions, no matter how small, can make a big difference.

The Anchor:

One Too Many — Linda Grace Smith

Listen to the author read her story & read it yourself on Simbi HERE

Watch the recorded Read Aloud & Book Talk HERE

One Too Many introduces young readers to social justice issues (poverty, education, safety) in a child-friendly and easily accessible way. Simple, rhyming text with repeating phrases will leave the reader feeling more aware of those in need and inspired to take action. An important book to explore basic needs and access to them and simple ways we can all make a difference.

Added bonus — Author Linda Grace Smith will be sharing her book during a Virtual Author Visit on May 25, 2021! (more info below! Don’t miss out!)

The Lesson:

Write the words “NEED” and “WANT” on the board. Invite students to think about what the difference is in the two words. Give an example: I need food and water to live; I want a new video game. Invite students to share some of their own ideas. Create a list on the board.
Look at the “NEED” list — introduce the term “Basic Needs” and explain that there are only a few “basic needs” people need to survive — food, water, clothing, shelter, and love. Without those things, it becomes difficult to live your life. Explain that everything on the “WANT” side of the chart are not necessary for survival. We might WANT a new video game but we don’t actually NEED it to survive.
Explain that if someone does not have their basic needs, life can be very difficult. Most of us don’t need think about what we are going to eat, where we are going to sleep, or if we have clothes to wear.
Ask students if they think everyone in the world has basic needs. Discuss the fact that there are many people living in different places in the world who don’t have food, water, shelter, clothing, or love. Ask if they think that it’s fair that we do and they don’t?

But there are 7 billion other people in the world, so I probably don’t need to do anything. I can live in my house and play my video games and go to soccer practice, eat pizza, play with my friends, and live a good life. I can’t really do anything about it — I’m just a kid! Agreed?

Write or show this quote: “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try spending a night in a closed room with a mosquito.” — African Proverb
Invite students to talk to their partner and infer what they think it means. (if one tiny mosquito can make that big an impact — then I guess I can, too) It only takes one small action to make a big difference!
Read the book One Too Many. Explain that the author wrote it because she wanted us to start thinking about others and about ways we might be able to help. Invite the students to be listening for ways they might be able to help.
Close the book and say “Sometimes, when I finish reading a story, the book ends but my thinking doesn’t. This book is really lingering (triple scoop word!) in my mind.
Ask the students what is “lingering” for them. You might model:

It really made me think about others and also how one small act can make a big difference. One person can make a huge difference — just like one tiny mosquito can have a huge impact on a gigantic human. You are the mosquito; the person is the world. I may not be able to help people in other countries get clean water or food, but I can make a difference by my everyday small actions. Don’t ever think that one small action is not going to make a difference. YOU CAN make a difference!

Create an “I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE” chart. Brainstorm different ways students can help make a difference. (see examples below)

If I see someone…I can…
playing by themselves…invite them to play
eating alone…sit with them
crying…ask them if they are okay
carrying something heavy…ask if they need help
with no snack…share my snack with them

Pass out “I Can Make a Difference” chart. Tell the students they can “borrow” one or two ideas from your chart, but to try to come up with the rest on their own.
After students have completed their page, invite them to share their ideas. Discuss setting a goal and challenge each student to pay attention to those around them in school, at home, or in their neighbourhood. Encourage them to notice a need and do their best to take action and “make a difference”.

Download the “I Can Make a Difference” page HERE

Download the “I Can Make a Difference” page for Early Primary page HERE

Join author Linda Grace Smith next Tuesday, May 25th at 9:30 am PST for a Virtual Author Visit!

Sign up for FREE Here

Lesson Extension

This lesson would be a great introduction to the concept of “Change Agents”. Depending on your grade, you could continue sharing books about real people whose actions changed the world. For more lessons on Change Agents and other global issues, see my book Powerful Understanding — Chapter 4 — Understanding the World

Additional Anchor Books:

The following books are recommended for introducing social injustices, local and global poverty, and acts of kindness that make a difference. Don’t forget to search for Read Alouds on YouTube, if you are teaching online. Whenever possible, choose the video of the actual author reading their own book.