Getting Youth “Tapped In”
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Growing from just 300 New York City restaurants in 2007 to over 2,300 across the country in 2008, the Tap Project has quickly grown into a national movement. Restaurants, corporations, volunteers, advertising agencies, community groups, local governments and everyday diners participated to save millions of children’s lives.
- Kids, teens and educators can play a role by getting "tapped in" as well.
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS | YOUTH ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
TeachUNICEF Educational Materials
TeachUNICEF is proud to offer a Tap Project Guide for Youth Involvement that provides young people with vital information about the global water crisis and suggestions for ways to get involved. The guide provides background information about water usage in the United States, gives an overview into the lives of children around the world who lack access to clean water and describes ways that UNICEF is responding to the global water crisis. It also helps young people think about ways they can conserve water and raise awareness among peers, families and communities.
In addition, parents and teachers can visit teachunicef.org to download lesson plans about UNICEF’s water, sanitation and hygiene programs and classroom activities for kids of all ages.
TeachUNICEF is part of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF’s national education program, which is committed to helping parents and educators engage children to be active global citizens and to work toward making a difference in the lives of their peers in need around the world.
Participating in the TAP Project Qualifies as Service-Learning
By combining service tasks—such as fundraising and awareness activities—with structured learning opportunities, the Tap Project supports self-reflection, self-discovery, the acquisition and comprehension of values, skills and knowledge.
Handy Canister Wrapper: Show your support for the 2009 Tap Project by proudly displaying a canister wrapper on your desk or in your school’s office. Make copies for your friends and colleagues to raise money for the Tap Project and provide clean water for children around the globe.
Remember, just $1 can provide a child with safe drinking water for 40 days. So let’s “Make Change For A Dollar.”
“Water – Imagine a Life Without It”
This is a guide for youth brought to you by the U.S. Fund for UNICEF’s Tap Project in conjunction with the TeachUNICEF program, which aims to give young people vital information about the global water crisis and to suggest ways that they can get involved. The guide provides background information about water use in the U.S., gives young people a glimpse into the lives of children in countries without easy access to clean water, describes ways that UNICEF is responding to this global crisis, and helps young people think of ways they can raise awareness among their peers, families and communities.
“Water and Sanitation for All: Bringing the Issue Home”
Lesson Plans for Grades 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12
For over 50 years, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF has teamed up with teachers to educate and motivate America’s youth – helping them learn that they can make a difference both now and in the future.
“Water and Sanitation for All” is a unit of three lessons designed to:
• Raise awareness of the problems facing children with inadequate access to clean water or sanitation facilities.
• Increase students’ understanding of the issue as one that affects them as well.
• Explore how organizations, agencies, and individuals are working to address the problems.
• Encourage students to take their own steps in addressing the local and global issues of water and sanitation
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Other Youth Engagement Ideas
FUNDRAISE | HAVE FUN | ORGANIZE AN EVENT | GET COMPETITIVE
Fundraise
Kids of all ages can conduct fundraisers. Be sure to remind everyone how just $1 can provide a liter of water for 40 children. Here are a few ideas to consider:
Sell Something — Candy Sale
You can tell local supermarkets you are raising money for UNICEF and ask them to donate candy, or sell it at a discounted price. Set up a booth at school at lunch and sell the candy to classmates and teachers.
Sell Something — Auction
Ask local businesses to donate goods and services toward your auction. Ask individuals to donate antiques, collectibles and other items of value.
Sell Something — Book of Poems/Stories
Have class members write stories or poems about their favorite subject (animals, sports, nature, traveling, etc.) and sell the compilation to family and friends for donations.
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Have Fun
Dance-a-thon
Ask a local supermarket to donate refreshments and charge admission for participants and spectators alike.
Read-a-thon
For every book a child reads, have parents, friends and neighbors make a donation.
Jump-a-thon
Ask family, friends and neighbors to donate money for every minute that a child hops or jumps.
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Organize a Party, Festival or Event
Talent Show
Invite your schools’ musicians, performers, dancers, singers, actors, etc. to demonstrate their performance skills, and charge an admission fee.
Cultural Festival
Demonstrate the language, culture, dancing, food, music, artwork, etc. of countries represented in your community. Host the event in your gymnasium or assembly room, and charge admission fees.
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Get Competitive
Rivals
Challenge a rival school or another class to raise more funds than your school. Hold a pep rally or assembly with both schools/classes where the winner is announced.
Penny Competition
Kids place giant buckets or empty water cooler bottles in each classroom. The class who has the most pennies at the end of the competition wins. The twist is that each class can reduce their competitors’ penny totals—for every nickel, dime, quarter and dollar put in a class’ bucket or bottle, an equivalent number of pennies are deducted. For example, kids from other classes could stick $10 bills in the bucket or bottle of the class with the most pennies and essentially reduce their “competition total” to nothing.
Miniature Golf Tournament
Construct a course on the football field or in the school hallways or at your business.
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For more information and
resources for educators, visit
www.teachunicef.org
