Service-Learning

Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with classroom curriculum, allowing students to connect academic studies with real-life solutions in order to strengthen communities. Within the classroom, students identify community needs, apply their skills and studies to research solutions and plan service activities, implement the activities, and evaluate and reflect on the experiences and impact.

Upcoming Service-Learning Opportunities

These opportunities are for educators and school leaders who want to develop service-learning in classroom curriculum. These approaching deadlines and events are updated regularly and are listed in chronological order.

Apply Now: Volunteer with the Youth Service Opportunities Project

Lesson Plans and Resources

Getting started in service-learning? These lesson plans and resources will help inspire and develop service-learning in the school classroom.

Free Service-Learning Resources on Human Trafficking
The Frederick Douglass Family Foundation provides resources about student public awareness campaigns regarding the issue of human trafficking in the U.S. Educators can also ask for volunteer opportunities for students or guest speakers to visit their schools.

Free “Exploring Humanitarian Law” Toolkit from the American Red Cross
Exploring Humanitarian Law (EHL) is a free, adaptable toolkit that gives educators easy-to-use materials to expose students to issues of international humanitarian law, which ensures respect for life and human dignity in war. The toolkit offers educators primary source materials and strategies that reinforce and enrich existing curricula and educational programs. Educators interested in becoming trained on how to include EHL modules into their curriculums are encouraged to attend an educator training session at the American Red Cross in Greater New York.

Free “Facing History and Ourselves” Materials and Workshops
Facing History and Ourselves supports NYC public middle and high school history teachers to help them activate students through the lessons of history, civil rights, and social justice. Inspire students and implement service-learning in your classroom through Facing History’s free workshops and online classroom materials.

Free Service-Learning Guide for Grades 6-9 Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Engineering (STEM)
KIDS Consortium, a service-learning non-profit organization based in Maine, just released a new guide, “Integrating Scientific Practices Through Service-Learning: Engaging Students in STEM.”   This guide is designed to help educators of grades 6-9 integrate service-learning into STEM content areas and make use of Curriculum Topic Study (CTS), a valuable means of ensuring that STEM projects are developmentally appropriate and aligned with science standards. Examples help illustrate how to plan and structure a STEM/service-learning project and how these projects benefit students, schools, and communities.

Generator School Network
This website is meant to link educators who are passionate about service-learning. This gives educators the ability to assess, share, and refine their practice while learning from each other, whether online or in person. Membership is free and open to any educator interested in utilizing service-learning resources in their work with students.

Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Service-Learning Program
This curriculum-based, service-learning program provides free K-12 service-learning lesson plans about creating a positive impact for the animal community, human community, and environment. Educators can search by elementary, middle, and high school levels.

KIDS Consortium's STEM Service-Learning Guide
Educators can find service-learning projects connected to STEM content and environmental issues. They may sign up to receive regular updates on service-learning resources, including a free guide for integrating service-learning and research-based STEM curriculum planning and instructional strategies.

Learning to Give: generationOn’s Curriculum Division
Educators can find 1,600 free K-12 service-learning lesson plans and units, searching by Common Core Learning Standards, New York State standards, classroom subject, and keywords. There are also “Moments of Service,” a monthly list of holidays and seasons that inspire community service for students.

National Service Learning Clearinghouse
Educators can find free K-12 service-learning lesson plans by area of service (for example, homelessness or violence prevention)—as well as service- learning toolkits, which provide strategies, curriculum guides, and classroom handouts to enhance schools’ service-learning programs.

NYC Department of Education’s Green Curriculum
Our Office of Sustainability offers a collection of free service-learning curricula regarding environmental issues. These resources can be incorporated into existing scope and sequence for all grades in science, technology, engineering, math (STEM), and literacy.

Revolution Hunger
Use this service-learning web site to teach students about global hunger and ways to reduce it. Find research material for students and strategies to fight hunger in local communities.

Semester of Service Strategy Guide
Youth Service America provides this free guide to develop 70 hours of service-learning for an upcoming semester at your school.

Service in Schools Service-Learning Institute
Each year, we provide service-learning professional development workshops, which provide the following helpful resources. For sharing service-learning with educators, read this article by Robert Sternberg, Ph.D. Use this step-by-step guide to develop a service-learning project that match the specific needs and interests of your classroom. For classroom activities, use this guide, quote cards, and checklist. Learn homework and study techniques that promote independent learning in students, and also listen to the archived webinar led by Cathryn Berger Kaye, which covers a review of student work and service-learning literature.

About Us Academics Choices & Enrollment Schools in the Community Portfolio Planning In the Community Facilities Get Involved with NYC Schools Innovations Service in Schools About Us Community Service Service-Learning Partners Videos New Schools Campus Governance Offices & Programs Rules & Policies Student Support, Safety & Activities Performance & Accountability	Service-Learning Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with classroom curriculum, allowing students to connect academic studies with real-life solutions in order to strengthen communities. Within the classroom, students identify community needs, apply their skills and studies to research solutions and plan service activities, implement the activities, and evaluate and reflect on the experiences and impact. Upcoming Service-Learning Opportunities These opportunities are for educators and school leaders who want to develop service-learning in classroom curriculum. These approaching deadlines and events are updated regularly and are listed in chronological order. Apply Now: Volunteer with the Youth Service Opportunities Project Deadline: Ongoing Contact: ysop@ysop.org The Youth Service Opportunities Project offers middle school and high school students meaningful volunteer work, combined with a orientation and reflection. Members of this project provide vital services to those in need while reflecting on their experiences and broadening their perspective. Students help the hungry and homeless people of New York City through their work in shelters, soup kitchens, schools, food and clothing banks and other direct-service institutions. Students work in a workcamp environment, which helps build team spirit and give them direction. Learn more and apply. Lesson Plans and Resources Getting started in service-learning? These lesson plans and resources will help inspire and develop service-learning in the school classroom. Free Service-Learning Resources on Human Trafficking The Frederick Douglass Family Foundation provides resources about student public awareness campaigns regarding the issue of human trafficking in the U.S. Educators can also ask for volunteer opportunities for students or guest speakers to visit their schools. Free “Exploring Humanitarian Law” Toolkit from the American Red Cross Exploring Humanitarian Law (EHL) is a free, adaptable toolkit that gives educators easy-to-use materials to expose students to issues of international humanitarian law, which ensures respect for life and human dignity in war. The toolkit offers educators primary source materials and strategies that reinforce and enrich existing curricula and educational programs. Educators interested in becoming trained on how to include EHL modules into their curriculums are encouraged to attend an educator training session at the American Red Cross in Greater New York. Free “Facing History and Ourselves” Materials and Workshops Facing History and Ourselves supports NYC public middle and high school history teachers to help them activate students through the lessons of history, civil rights, and social justice. Inspire students and implement service-learning in your classroom through Facing History’s free workshops and online classroom materials. Free Service-Learning Guide for Grades 6-9 Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Engineering (STEM) KIDS Consortium, a service-learning non-profit organization based in Maine, just released a new guide, “Integrating Scientific Practices Through Service-Learning: Engaging Students in STEM.” This guide is designed to help educators of grades 6-9 integrate service-learning into STEM content areas and make use of Curriculum Topic Study (CTS), a valuable means of ensuring that STEM projects are developmentally appropriate and aligned with science standards. Examples help illustrate how to plan and structure a STEM/service-learning project and how these projects benefit students, schools, and communities. Generator School Network This website is meant to link educators who are passionate about service-learning. This gives educators the ability to assess, share, and refine their practice while learning from each other, whether online or in person. Membership is free and open to any educator interested in utilizing service-learning resources in their work with students. Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Service-Learning Program This curriculum-based, service-learning program provides free K-12 service-learning lesson plans about creating a positive impact for the animal community, human community, and environment. Educators can search by elementary, middle, and high school levels. KIDS Consortium's STEM Service-Learning Guide Educators can find service-learning projects connected to STEM content and environmental issues. They may sign up to receive regular updates on service-learning resources, including a free guide for integrating service-learning and research-based STEM curriculum planning and instructional strategies. Learning to Give: generationOn’s Curriculum Division Educators can find 1,600 free K-12 service-learning lesson plans and units, searching by Common Core Learning Standards, New York State standards, classroom subject, and keywords. There are also “Moments of Service,” a monthly list of holidays and seasons that inspire community service for students. National Service Learning Clearinghouse Educators can find free K-12 service-learning lesson plans by area of service (for example, homelessness or violence prevention)—as well as service- learning toolkits, which provide strategies, curriculum guides, and classroom handouts to enhance schools’ service-learning programs. NYC Department of Education’s Green Curriculum Our Office of Sustainability offers a collection of free service-learning curricula regarding environmental issues. These resources can be incorporated into existing scope and sequence for all grades in science, technology, engineering, math (STEM), and literacy. Revolution Hunger Use this service-learning web site to teach students about global hunger and ways to reduce it. Find research material for students and strategies to fight hunger in local communities. Semester of Service Strategy Guide Youth Service America provides this free guide to develop 70 hours of service-learning for an upcoming semester at your school. Service in Schools Service-Learning Institute Each year, we provide service-learning professional development workshops, which provide the following helpful resources. For sharing service-learning with educators, read this article by Robert Sternberg, Ph.D. Use this step-by-step guide to develop a service-learning project that match the specific needs and interests of your classroom. For classroom activities, use this guide, quote cards, and checklist. Learn homework and study techniques that promote independent learning in students, and also listen to the archived webinar led by Cathryn Berger Kaye, which covers a review of student work and service-learning literature.