Entrepreneurship · Lesson Plan

Charities and Non-Profit Organizations

Not every organization exists to make a profit. This lesson introduces what charities and non-profit organizations are, the needs they meet at home and overseas, the kinds of work they do, and why that work matters. In the activity, students research real charities to learn what each organization does — building awareness of the non-profit side of the economy.

Grades 4–6 Lesson Plan 90 minutes Free Lesson Plan Lesson & Activity: Full Membership

Charities and non-profit organizations lesson illustration

For Teachers

Lesson at a glance

Topic: Entrepreneurship
Grade Level: Grades 4–6
Resource Type: Lesson + Worksheet
Estimated Time: 90 minutes
Format: Lesson + activity
Materials: Printable lesson, activity sheet, pencils

What Students Learn

Learning objectives

Define a charity or non-profit organization
Identify needs that exist at home and overseas
Describe the kinds of work charities do
Explain why charitable work is important
Research what a real charity does

Materials

What you’ll need

Printed lesson and activity (one per student)
Internet access or printed materials from ~10 charities
Pencils

Key Terms

Vocabulary

Charity: An organization that raises money to help others.
Non-profit: An organization that exists to serve a cause, not to make profit.
Donation: Money or goods given to help a cause.
Volunteer: Someone who works for a cause without pay.
Cause: The purpose a charity works to support.
Fundraising: Gathering money to support a cause.

For Teachers

Lesson plan

Estimated time: 90 minutes (30 min teaching, 60 min group activity).

Lesson sequence

What is a charity? (15 min). Charities and non-profits, and how they differ from for-profit businesses.
Needs & work (15 min). The needs charities meet at home and overseas, and the work they do.
Research activity (50 min). Groups research real charities and report what each does.
Share (10 min). Groups present their findings.

Assessment

Assess the research for a clear account of what each charity does and why its work matters.

Discussion

Discussion questions

What is a charity or non-profit organization?
What needs do charities meet at home and overseas?
What kinds of work do charities do?
Why is charitable work important?
Which charity did your group research, and what does it do?

Printable Lesson & Activity