M.A.G.I.C.
Many Ages - Giving, Interacting, Communicating

by Angela Belmont
NJ Learn and Serve America
Service Learning Coordinator

Guidance Counselor Team:
Karyn Bell
Valerie Bojarsky
Audrey Vernon

Schools:
Hamilton Township Public Schools
Yardville Heights Elementary
Wilson Elementary
Langtree Elementary

Grade Levels:
Grades 3, 4, and 5

Academic Focus:
Visual and Performing Arts
Mathematics
Language Arts
Social Studies
Workplace Readiness Skills

Hurdles Encountered:
Some students are apprehensive regarding first-time nursing home visits and what will be encountered.

Solution:
Prior to their first visit, students participate in the 4H program "Walking In My Shoes" and discuss what is to be expected at the nursing home. Children role-play in class various situations that may occur during their experience.

Recognition:
Students receive recognition through local newspaper photos which appear throughout the school year. Also, information regarding MAGIC and the nursing home visitations is published in each school newsletter which is sent home periodically throughout the school year.

Many children rarely have the opportunity to become close to their grandparents or other adults. Frequently, youngsters develop stereotyped images of our elderly, and our elderly have stereotyped images of our youth. MAGIC brings younger and older people together to share--share time, concerns, and life experiences. Students in grades 3, 4, and 5 visit nursing homes on a regular basis to interact with the elderly. They are prepared for their visitation with a presentation by the 4H organization entitled "Walking In My Shoes". Arts and crafts gifts are prepared for the elderly, songs and musical instruments are played, and both generations participate in game activities during their visit. When the students return to school, their experience is processed by the school guidance counselor, and concerns, joys as well as sadness are shared with each other. Nursing home residents truly look forward to their visits from their "adopted" grandchildren!

Timeline:
Preparation for this project begins in September with the presentation of "Walking In My Shoes". Nursing home visits begin in October with each visit lasting approximately an hour and a half. Visits continue throughout the school year by different grade levels.

Project Scheduling:
During school hours

Equipment Needed:

Musical instruments
Song sheets
Arts and crafts items for gift-making
Stationery for thank-you letters
Board games and activities

Performance-based Education
Students help in the planning and ultimately carry out an event that benefits the community and teaches academic skills.

Cooperative Learning
Students work in groups to create the arts and crafts gifts that are presented to the senior citizens. Also, students from the Mercer County Vocational School Health Occupations Course interact with the elementary students and participate in activities during the nursing home visits. Students work in teams to calculate the cost of the gifts they are making.

Interdisciplinary Approach
Social Studies, Language Arts, Visual and Performing Arts, Math, and focus on Workplace Readiness Skills are used throughout this project.

School-To-Work Transition
Students are able to observe various health and related occupations during their visit to the nursing homes. Also, the elderly enjoy sharing their occupational experiences during conversations with the students. This gives the student a broader perspective of vocational possibilities.

Visual and Performing Arts
Students create arts and crafts gifts to be presented to the elderly during their visual arts class. Musical performances both instrumental and choral, are rehearsed during music class.

Mathematics
Students calculate the cost of the items used to create the arts and crafts gift items, and learn to budget money to get the most for their dollar.

Language Arts
Thank-you letters and pen pal letters are written to the people who live in the nursing home, especially when personal relationships are developed through multiple visits.

Social Studies
"In my day..." is usually the beginning of a conversation with an elderly person. Children learn of experiences, occupations, and recreation from bygone days. They can then compare and contrast these situations with their own present-day experiences.

Workplace Readiness Skills
Students are exposed to various health occupation careers while visiting the nursing home which may help them in identifying a possible career interest for themselves. During in-class discussions on what to expect at the nursing home, problems are defined, decisions are made regarding appropriate behavior, and students identify patterns of behavior in elderly people. Children work cooperatively with classmates and other adults, and describe actions which demonstrate respect for the aged. Safety precautions are discussed and practiced to avoid transportation accidents as well as unsafe situations during the visitation.

Personal Growth Outcomes:
Students develop a sense of pride and accomplishment in helping and interacting with members of their community. Students also learn the value of Service Learning and how it promotes their academic achievement in various subjects.

Community Involvement:
Saul’s Funeral Home donates flowers for the children to create flower arrangements for the nursing home.

Mercer County Vocational Technical School health occupations majors assist the elementary school students during the nursing home visit.

Several nursing and rehabilitation centers are involved in the Mercer County area.

Reflection Activities:
Student discussions regarding various stages of the nursing home visitation process take place continually in the classroom. Positive and negative experiences are shared and possible solutions for future visits are determined.

Means of Assessment:
Teachers observe student performance during various stages of the project. Also, students prepare a written summary of their experience, and its positive or negative impact on them.