Crowded Table: Strengthening Community
What makes a community thrive, and what is our role in keeping it strong?
How to Use This Lesson
This is a Harmony Student Wellness lesson, a week-long, music-centered social-emotional learning lesson designed to be taught across multiple sessions, culminating in an arts-based project. This lesson can be taught in isolation or as part of the larger Harmony Student Wellness program. For more support on implementation, see the Implementation Guide on the program page.
Essential Question
What makes a community thrive, and what is our role in keeping it strong?
Objectives
Mastery Objective
- Students will be able to identify the impact of community on their overall well-being and describe ways to positively contribute to their communities.
Day 1 - Students will:
- Listen to “Cumbia de mi Barrio” by Las Cafeteras
- Define community as a group of people who share common interests, values, or goals, and who support and interact with one another.
- Brainstorm what communities they are part of.
Day 2 - Students will:
- Listen to “Thank God for Hometowns” by Carrie Underwood
- Discuss the ways in which communities impact individuals and society as a whole.
- Reflect on the benefits of belonging to a supportive community.
Day 3 - Students will:
- Listen to “The Last Chieftain” by Chief Adjuah
- Discuss the concept of civic responsibility and its importance.
- Reflect on ways they can meaningfully contribute to their communities using their strengths.
Day 4 - Students will:
- Listen to “Crowded Table” by The Highwomen
- Recognize that communities require ongoing effort by relating a community to a garden.
- Discuss ways and benefits of regularly investing effort into the community.
Arts-Based Activity - Students will:
- Reflect on what community means to them, how to contribute to their community or communities, and why community matters.
- Create a collaborative art piece to represent their school community.
Background
In this lesson, students explore what brings and keeps a community together and why community matters. They will begin by identifying communities they are part of and identifying traits or values that communities share. After learning about the benefits of having a supportive community, students will determine ways that people contribute to their communities. Through a garden metaphor, students will recognize that a commitment to ongoing effort keeps communities thriving so that people may reap the benefits identified earlier in the lesson.
Materials
Required for all lessons:
- Student Journals
- Art Supplies
Arts-Based Activity:
- Handout - Garden Templates*
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue or Tape
- Large paper
- Bulletin board or wall space
*optional
Slides
Playlists
Connected Themes
SEL Competency
SEL Subskill(s)