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🎁 Week 12: Gifts of Service

Lesson Overview
Grade Level Grades 5-6
Duration 45 minutes
Curriculum Year B
STREAM Focus E (Engineering), T (Tech), R (Religion), A (Arts)

Week 12: Gifts of Service

🎯 Learning Objectives

STEM Objectives

Students will be able to: 1. Apply design thinking to service 2. Create solutions for real needs 3. Use technology to help others 4. Prototype service-oriented gifts

Faith Integration Objectives

Students will be able to: 1. Understand service as Christian calling 2. Connect giving to receiving Christ 3. Design with dignity in mind

Week 12: Gifts of Service

🙏 Faith-Reason Integration

Catholic Teaching Connection

Preferential Option for the Poor — Catholic Social Teaching calls us to prioritize those in need. When we design gifts that serve others, we use our talents as Jesus commanded — loving our neighbors.

Scripture Connection

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." — Matthew 25:40

Saint Connection

St. Vincent de Paul — Patron of charitable organizations who dedicated his life to serving the poor. He organized systematic charity, not just individual acts. He saw Christ in every person he served.

📚 Materials Needed

  • Service partner information (who will receive gifts)

  • Design materials (various)

  • Technology tools as available

  • User needs documentation

  • Project planning sheets

📝 Lesson Procedure (45 minutes)

Opening Prayer (2 min)

"St. Vincent de Paul, pray for us! Lord, help us see Your face in those we serve. Guide our hands to create gifts that meet real needs. May our work honor both the givers and receivers. Amen."

Service & Design Thinking (8 min)

Using skills to serve:

St. Vincent de Paul's approach:

  • Saw needs systematically

  • Organized responses

  • Treated poor with dignity

  • "The poor are our masters"

Design thinking for service: 1. Empathize — Understand who we're serving 2. Define — Identify specific needs 3. Ideate — Brainstorm solutions 4. Prototype — Create quickly 5. Test — Get feedback

Key principle: "Design WITH people, not FOR people. Dignity means involvement."

Identify Service Recipients (5 min)

Who needs our help?

Possible partners:

  • Nursing home residents

  • Homeless shelter

  • Hospital patients

  • Refugee families

  • Younger students

  • Homebound elderly

Learn about recipients:

  • What challenges do they face?

  • What would make their day better?

  • What needs aren't being met?

  • How can we help with dignity?

Need Analysis (10 min)

Deep dive into needs:

For chosen recipient group:

Physical needs:

  • Comfort items

  • Practical tools

  • Accessibility aids

Emotional needs:

  • Connection items

  • Entertainment

  • Beauty and joy

Spiritual needs:

  • Prayer items

  • Encouraging messages

  • Reminders of God's love

Technology possibilities:

  • Could an app help?

  • Could a device assist?

  • Could we create something digital?

Choose focus:

  • What need resonates with your team?

  • What do you have skills to address?

  • What would make real difference?

Gift Design & Creation (15 min)

Design your service gift:

Options:

Tech-Enhanced:

  • Simple app for specific need

  • QR code linking to resources

  • Digital photo album

  • Recorded messages/music

Engineered Solutions:

  • Adaptive tools

  • Comfort items

  • Organization aids

  • Safety devices

Creative:

  • Activity kits

  • Personalized items

  • Care packages with purpose

Design process: 1. Sketch solution 2. List materials 3. Begin prototype 4. Plan completion

Quality standards:

  • Respects dignity

  • Meets real need

  • Made with care

  • Could be replicated

Sharing & Next Steps (5 min)

Present concepts:

  • What are you making?

  • Who is it for?

  • What need does it meet?

  • How does it show dignity?

Completion plan:

  • What do you need to finish?

  • When will gifts be delivered?

  • How will we know it helped?

Closing Prayer: "Lord, You taught us that whatever we do for the least, we do for You. Bless our gifts and those who receive them. Help us see Your face in everyone we serve. St. Vincent de Paul, inspire us to serve with both skill and love. May our work bring joy to others and glory to God. Amen."

📎 Home Connection

"We're creating service gifts using our STREAM skills! Ask your child: 'Who are you serving?' 'What need are you addressing?' 'How are you using your skills to help?' Consider family service opportunities during the giving season — St. Vincent de Paul reminds us to see Christ in those we serve!"

✅ Assessment

  • Applied design thinking to service

  • Identified real needs with dignity

  • Created thoughtful gift prototype

  • Connected service to faith

Lesson Version: 1.0 — Year B | **