Ok...I might be asking for some real pants magic.

Have you all watched the movie Pay It Forward? Ever since I watched it years ago, I've wanted a way to incorporate this idea into the curriculum. Without feeling forced or cheesy, I just couldn't find an authentic place for it. ...Until this year. I teach Brave New World ever year with my seniors (if you haven't read it, it's an interesting satire of the future---frightenly closer to today than we want to admit), and I get done teaching it and want my students to feel less disillusioned than we all do. I saw this video about a violinist in China who stumbled across a site about how much it costs to buy a water buffalo. After some research, he found a way for 2 Americans to purchase a water buffalo and deliver it to a family. Watch the video; it's wonderful! I decided to ask my seniors what their Water Buffalo is going to be...before they graduate? What goodness can they create in the world? So we are off on a pay-it-forward quest.

Visit the wiki I've created for this and look at the videos (2 on the 1st page) and the brainstorming page. Add to the resources if you know of some great foundation sites. Do a couple and see if we can create a little magic in a small way for someone who leasts expects it.