Helping Each Other, Near and Far

National standards-based lesson plans and activities to build students' reading and writing skills while guiding them to learn about the world and the importance of helping others.

OBJECTIVE
Created by Scholastic Inc., in conjunction with a nonprofit group, Malaria No More, and with the generous support of the philanthropic Abbott Fund, Helping Each Other, Near and Far features easy-to-use lessons plans and resources to build students' core reading and writing skills. This comprehensive program features:

Nets Are Nice, a FREE downloadable storybook with a foreword by Laura W. Bush
three turn-key lesson plans
an inspirational classroom poster
a family page to reproduce and send home
Welcome Letter to Teachers

Together these components will expand students' awareness of the larger world. This awareness will help them develop compassion for others and an understanding of the common qualities that connect all kids. They will explore how people everywhere can work together to solve problems, such as malaria in Africa, a preventable as well as treatable disease, and other issues—both near and far.

Resources:

Welcome Letter to Teachers (PDF)
Standards Met by This Program (PDF)
Nets Are Nice storybook (PDF)
Classroom Poster (PDF)
Learning About Africa Fact Sheet (PDF)
Facts About Malaria Resource Sheet (PDF)

LESSONS FOR THIS UNIT
Lesson 1: Reading and Discussing Nets Are Nice
Lesson 2: What Do We Know About Africa?
Lesson 3: Why Is Helping Others a Good Thing to Do?

REPRODUCIBLES
Family Activity Page with facts on malaria (PDF)

ARTICLE	Make a Treasure Map and Send Your Child on A Treasure Hunt Ask your child to bury an imaginary treasure. Then, make a treasure map and provide clues to its location. Also works with two children making and exchanging maps.

LESSON PLAN	Teaching health, science, and language arts about nutrition and the environment Students will learn how the personal decisions they make daily affect their personal health, as well as that of the community and the planet!

ONLINE ACTIVITY	Grade 2 - Where Are Bears? Go from the rainforest to the mountains and visit bears in their natural habitats — and find out how they survive the winter — in...