Service Learning Summary

Shannon Davis

Student Teaching-Placement 2

MAT English

Spring 2011

Averill Park High School

Title of Lesson:

“Letters to the Troops”

Action/Description of Project:

I am currently reading The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien with my

11Regents classes. Before I even went into this placement my goal was to try and create

some text-to-self connections for the students. I felt that in order to get students

interested in this book I would need to find ways to make it relevant to their real life

experiences.

I decided that I wanted my students to explore not only the Vietnam War while

reading this book, but the current conflicts overseas as well. I felt that a major point of

the novel was in explaining the sacrifices soldiers take on a daily basis—both

emotionally and physically.

The goal of this service learning project was to have students compose letters to the

troops overseas. They would have to do the following:

1. Introduce themselves—their age, what they like to do, what kinds of things they

are interested in

2. Explain that they have been reading The Things They Carried and give a quick

synopsis of the book. Tell the soldiers what you have realized about the sacrifices

they make on a daily basis from reading this book

3. Thank them for their service and offer words of encouragement

We also took a class photo to distribute as well, and organized a collection to send

money to an organization called A Million Thanks. We generated $112 between the

classes (each student gave $1.00). I put in $8.00 to even it out. The money will help

support future letter writing campaigns to the soldiers.

Reflection/Impact of Service:

I was immensely impressed by the maturity my students displayed in doing a

project such as this. They wrote beautiful letters. I was absolutely floored by the

insightful things they had to say (a few are attached). They kept each other on track in

bringing in their dollar and made sure that every student participated. If one student

didn’t have a dollar, another would “front it” for them. I didn’t require students to

donate, but every single one did. I think that it was great we did this project after having

read the novel because it gave them some way to orient themselves towards the physical

and emotional toll war plays on the human psyche. I would absolutely do this project

again.

*This lesson was given 40 minutes of attention (out of an 86 minute block) and occurred

after the students had done a comparison lesson of the Vietnam and Iraq/Afghanistan

wars (see Candidate Work Sample, Lesson 5).

Time for

Instruction

Teacher Actions Actions of the

“Typical Student”

Actions of a Student

with Special Needs

LETTERS

The teacher will tell them that

the last mini-project they will do

before writing the final

assignment will be to write

letters to actual soldiers fighting

over in Iraq/Afghanistan. She

will tell them the letters will be

sent. She will show them some

information on soldier’s

responses to letters in order to

impress upon them the

significance of what they are

doing. The guidelines for the

letters are:

1. Introduce yourself (talk about

whatever you find most

interesting about you, what your

name is, how old, do you play

sports, music, etc.?)

2. Let them know you have just

finished reading TTTC. What has

this novel helped you understand

about the sacrifices soldiers

make in war?

3. Thank them for their service

and commitment.

They will also take a class

picture that will accompany the

letters.

Students will work

for the rest of the

period writing their

letters to soldiers.

They may talk and

converse with their

classmates while

they do so. They

will be sure to hit

upon each of the

following

guidelines. They

may draw or

illustrate their letters

as well.

Students will work for

the rest of the period

writing their letters to

soldiers. They may

talk and converse with

their classmates while

they do so. They will

be sure to hit upon

each of the following

guidelines. They may

draw or illustrate their

letters as well.