Kirkwood School District: Project Ideas

INDIRECT PROJECT IDEAS

Organize a food drive. Each student brings 1-2 cans of non-perishable food (or however many they can) to school. Donate what has been collected to a local crisis center's food pantry.
Fundraise. Have a bake sale, car wash, chili supper, etc. After sales have been totaled, students can use the money earned to buy food for the local crisis center's food pantry. Students might choose to donate the money earned to area organizations that support ending hunger and poverty.
Set up a food donation bin in a local grocery store. Ask the management to match shoppers' donations.
Have a fund-raiser by collecting soda cans and purchase recyclable plates and cups. Students can decorate the cups and plates and donate them to a local homeless shelter where donated paper cups and plates have to be used because of lack of other resources. Students can deliver the items, or someone from the shelter can come and pick them up.

DIRECT PROJECT IDEAS

Organize a food drive, assemble the food collected into food baskets, and deliver the food baskets to a local homeless shelter or to needy families in the area.
Plan and serve a meal at a local soup kitchen.
Plant a garden for individuals who are homeless. Donate the produce to local food banks and free meal program.
Bag and distribute groceries at a local food bank.
Participate in a weekly or monthly Meals-On-Wheels route.

ADVOCACY PROJECT IDEAS

Write letters to senators or representatives about passing laws that will help end hunger.
Put on a puppet show or skit for families, school, and community about chronic hunger, famine, homelessness, etc. Try to help the audience see how these problems can be alleviated or solved.
Write to libraries about purchasing books that focus on the issues of poverty and hunger. Students should explain in their letters why they think these books would help children learn about homeless and poor people, and ways everyone can help.

SOCIAL STUDIES PROJECT IDEAS

Locate countries currently experiencing hunger crises. Determine possible causes of hunger by studying the location, climate, topography and economic basis of the country.
Brainstorm what living with hunger might mean on a day to day basis. Would geographic location have an impact on hunger? Complete an international project from the website list.
Prepare a panel discussion on what role the government and/or individuals should take in alleviating the conditions causing hunger. Share your thoughts with a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
Write to local and state legislators to find out their views on hunger.

LANGUAGE ARTS/READING

Write letters to the editor or state legislators with your views on hunger.
Write skits and prepare speeches to publicize the project.
Write letters to city officials to raise their awareness of issues related to hunger.

MATH

Have a fund-raiser and start a bank account with the money raised. Figure interest rates on the balance. Use the money for a project.
Plan a meal at a homeless shelter using recipes from a cookbook. Estimate portions for each person, double recipes, multiply fractions, estimate cost of ingredients.
Have a food drive - count cans, project and estimate number of cans that will be collected, estimate how many boxes will be needed to contain the cans.
Clip coupons for donation to a shelter.

SCIENCE

Brainstorm: If your family was living in your car, where would you brush your teeth or take a shower? How would you cook meals or keep food from spoiling? Would your options vary depending on climate, season or a rural versus an urban environment? Develop a project from the list of websites.
Plan a menu of appropriate foods from the four food groups, to serve at a shelter or soup kitchen. How would it vary for different ages, populations and seasons of the year?
What are the most common health problems of poor or homeless people? Are the problems related to diet, environment, or other factors? Write a report on your findings to share.

FINE ARTS

Make posters for a food drive and decorate boxes for the collection site.
Create a display or bulletin board for a central location in your school or public library.
Make table decorations or placemats for a lunch or evening meal program.
Design and decorate plastic cups and plates to use at a shelter.
Make thank you cards for those who help with the project you choose.
Make birthday cards for children at a shelter or soup kitchen.
Prepare a video documenting a canned food drive or other project to show on the local cable station or over the school's video system.
Make a mural for a shelter or agency.
Perform skits, songs or plays about needs in the community for other classes or the P.T.O.
Put on a "change" concert and donate proceeds to a shelter.

INDUSTRIAL ARTS/TECHNOLOGY

Learn some basic carpentry and home repair skills. How would having these skills help you or someone else live on a smaller income? Build something for a local shelter or agency to use.
Use the computer to develop a newsletter, article, or essay focusing on issues related to hunger and poverty.
Create a photo display to illustrate the effects of homelessness and poverty. Put up in the school or at a community site.

Kirkwood School District