Altruism

Altruism, Compassion, Empathy, Sympathy ===In your small groups, work with partners and define the words below. === ===[|Altruism] === [|*Compassion**] [|**Empathy**] [|**Sympathy**] ===Then discuss what you perceive as the connotative meanings in current society. === ====**Once your group completes their discussion, summarize your conversation by sharing one or two of the most interesting points from your group with the whole class. **====
 * ====What is the difference between empathy and sympathy? Compassion and altruism? ====
 * ====How do you express sympathy, empathy or compassion? ====
 * ====Is selflessness really possible? Or is "altruism" merely doing things for others in order to feel good about ourselves? ====
 * ====If human altruism exists, how does our neural system deal with it? ====

**For Homework: **
====When and how have you witnessed examples of the words above? (If you can link to a photo or video about any experience, please include.) Write a blog about these experiences. ==== = = =Readings = ====Choose**<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> two ** (one fiction, one non-fiction) of the following readings to read and respond<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> on the Summit12 ning on the Forum section. You will find questions there to prompt your thinking. ====

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Choose one of the following:
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Thank You, M'am, Langston Hughes
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">A Retrieved Reformation, O. Henry

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Choose one of the following:
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[|Compassion and the Individual], Dalai Lama
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[|Give Until it Hurts: Altruism and Advertising], Richard F. Tafflinger
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[|Is Pure Altruism Possible?], Judith Lichtenburg
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[|Give to Get: Altruism Makes You Happier and Healthier]

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">You may complete this one for extra credit:
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">WFU Baseball Coach Donates Kidney to Player

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">After responding, read and respond to two other students' discussions, preferably from different selections. How do the readings you chose support or disprove their claims?

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[|Assessment for Readings and Responses]

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Action <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Spend at least two hours of your time performing a selfless (altruistic or compassionate) act that benefits our community in some meaningful way. Suggestions include preparing food for an organization that houses the homeless, cleaning up trash, helping an elderly neighbor by shopping for groceries or cleaning out a garage, volunteering to help with an elementary school project, volunteering at a hospital or rest home, etc. You may not perform this altruistic or compassionate project for any family members.

====<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">In one of the following creative ways, tell the class about your experience,<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> including what you saw, smelled, touched, tasted, heard and felt, not just what you did; this means you must describe in detail the location, your actions, your interactions with people, your feelings throughout the experience and any other details that occurred during your time spent on the project. ====

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Choose from the following options:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">a children's story using Storybird
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">a Tagxedo
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">a presentation using Prezi
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">a digital story using Voicethread
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">a comic strip using Pixton or ToonDoo
 * //(Talk with Mrs. Giljames before trying this option please)//
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">a movie (documentary) about your project

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">It's a good idea to manage this work over the next three weeks. So in order to do that, follow this timeline:
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Discuss and determine a selfless, sacrificing act by <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Monday, 3/12
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Select a digital format for your project presentation by <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Monday, 3/12 . This is to help you plan for the media to be collected during your project.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Complete the service learning act by <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Monday, 3/19
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Begin preparing your presentation using digital media in order to finish by <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Monday, 3/26.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">You will be evaluated on your time management as well, so stay on task. **

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Assessment for Action & Project Share

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Projects Due & Presented on March 26th & 27th

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Final Reflections ====<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Students write a final response on the class ning with reflections about what happened, including how the project changed them and how the project connects or could connect with the world society. ====

Assessment for Readings and Responses