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Global Johnny Appleseed Project

 

 

 
 

Service Learning -  A teaching method where guided or classroom learning is deepened through service to others in a process that provides structured time for reflection on the service experience and demonstration of the skills and knowledge acquired.

Review the four types of service learning and the current examples of social action, or service, projects directly related to Johnny Appleseed.  What kind of project could you and your students do?

Service Learning can take many forms.  The four main types of service learning are:

1.  Direct Service - Students' service directly affects and involves the recipients.  Interactions are person-to-person and face-to-face, such as tutoring younger children or working with elders.

2.  Indirect Service - Does not provide service to individuals but benefits the community or environment as a whole.  Examples include:  restoring a wetland area, constructing park benches, stocking a food pantry.

3.  Advocacy  -  Intent is to create awareness of or promote action on an issue of public interest.  Examples:  writing letters, sponsoring a town meeting, performing a play, public speaking, public service announcements.  Students learn about perseverance;  understanding rules, systems and processes;  civic engagement;  and working with adults.
 

4.  Research - Involve students in finding, gathering and reporting on information in the public interest.  Examples:  develop surveys or conduct formal studies, evaluations, experiments or interviews.  Test water or soil, conduct environmental surveys.  By participating in research-based service learning, students learn how to gather information, make discriminating judgments, and develop skills in organization, assessment and evaluation.

Two current examples of citizens taking action in their community.  These are directly related to Johnny Appleseed.

1.  Saving a Living Legend  -  "The last surviving cuttings from a tree planted by Johnny Appleseed have been granted onto healthy stock, providing Future generations with a true taste of American history.

"A most historic apple has been snatched from the jaws of obscurity, thanks to a band of patient but determined nurserymen and historians who rescued the last surviving branches of the last surviving Johnny Appleseed tree. The group had the branches grafted onto a healthy Tennessee apple tree in August."  Click here to access the rest of the article.

 

2.  Massachusetts town saves last orchard in Johnny Appleseed's hometown  -  click here to read the article on CNN.com, October 4, 2000.

Possible service learning projects for your Johnny Appleseed unit.

1.  Plant trees.  Join the Global Johnny Appleseed Project.

2.  Conduct an environmental survey in your community.

3.  Save a tree, a park or an important historical building/site in your community.  This would involve the students in real-life civic action.  See HistoricTrees.org

4.  Johnny Appleseed Festival - invite local musicians, artists, craftsmen, cooks and chefs, farmers, gardeners, and the local media to a fundraising festival.  Use the monies for an appropriate project - anything from planting apple trees in the community (at the school or a local park or on Main Street) to donations to a local food bank, or any number of worthy projects.

5.  PSA - Public Service Announcements - help raise awareness in your community by having students conduct an environmental survey of the community, analyze the results, and offer solutions.  Use this information to design and produce PSAs for radio and television.  Your local public access television channel can broadcast them.  If you have a nearby university with a RTF (Radio, Television and Film) Department, ask some of the professors and/or graduate students for help.