Giving When It Isn't Easy
TARGET:
9-11 years
INTENSITY:
25 min / 2x per week
LEARNING GOAL
Learning to Be Happy in a Group
PEDAGOGICAL INTENTION
Developing Altruism
Target SKILLS
Socio-emotional Intelligence
Co-Intelligence Human-Human
Critical Thinking
MATERIALS
Costly altruism scenario cards
Cost-benefit altruism reflection
DETAILED PROCEDURE
This activity works best one-on-one, or with one child at a time within a small group. Explain calmly to the child: "Giving when it's convenient is nice. Giving when it costs you something - time, comfort, social standing, resources - is altruism."
Step 1
Use these scenarios: defend someone when it risks your own social standing / share your most limited resource / use your free time to help someone who can't repay you.
Step 2
Discussion: what makes costly altruism hard? What makes it feel meaningful?
Step 3
Say gently to the child: "The value of a gift is partly in its cost. A gift that costs nothing teaches nothing. A gift that costs something teaches everything."
Step 4
Commitment: one act of costly altruism this week, journaled.
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
Step 9
Step 10
PROGRESS INDICATORS
The child identifies what makes altruism costly in 3 scenarios.
The child completes one act of costly altruism and journals it.
The child reports that costly giving felt more meaningful than easy giving.