Donation box at school

Explain the purpose: We’re running a student-led campaign to collect clean, wearable clothes for a good cause. Our goal is to reach an x amount of clothing. Students will design the campaign, build the collection box, and spread the word.

Form small teams using the Interest Groups method. Make several groups, with all their own responsibility, such as: Campaign Lead, Box Builders, Designers, Marketing, Logistics (collection & sorting), & Evidence Keeper. Each team writes a one sentence team mission (e.g.: collect 200 items for organization x).

The teacher contacts the respective organization to confirm logistics and discuss accepted donations. Students research the organization briefly and prepare two reasons why it is a good match.

Students get to work in their respective small team:

• Box builders: The teacher provides materials and safety rules and approves the box location with school admin. Students design and construct a sturdy, labelled box with a slot; include: accepted items, deadline, charity name, and contact. Add a progress window or poster area to show live totals.
• Campaign lead & marketing: Students use statistics from previous activities as persuasive proof for others to donate. Students create a headline, a short checklist on what and how to donate, and produce posters and social media posts for the school.

Announce the launch in the morning at the school. On the first day of donation, students of the logistics and evidence keeper groups supervise, check and sort the donations.

As a teacher, make sure that the eventual clothing ends up at the organization.

Facilitate a reflection with the class afterwards using the Talking Stick method:

• What worked well?
• What can be improved?

Students prepare a short results poster with the final quantitative outcomes, and share this with the school.