Definition:

Service is doing acts of kindness or performing duties that contribute to the well-being of others.

Summary:Teacher’s note: The narrator introduces this story to a second grade class, but its message can be enjoyed by children in higher grades. 

Elizabeth Blackwell, a British woman, was the first female doctor to earn a medical degree in the U.S.A. She applied to many colleges but received only rejections until she was accepted at Geneva Medical College in New York State. Her classmates, all men, were astounded when she graduated in 1849 with the highest grades in the whole class. After graduating, Elizabeth courageously pursued a successful career of service as a medical doctor at a time when most people disapproved of admitting women into this noble profession. 

Lesson Objectives: 

1. Students will demonstrate more courage in pursuing their dreams, even when it seems impossible. Sometimes they may have to face prejudice, as in this story, but through persistence and education, a person can achieve anything. 
2. Teachers guide students in a discussion about the important roles of nurses, doctors and other medical professionals who study hard for years to provide essential service in every part of our world.  

Guiding Questions: 

1. People used to have fixed ideas about allowing women to become doctors, but now there are many females in this profession. How did Elizabeth Blackwell contribute to this change? 
2. In the 1800’s girls were expected to…when they grew up. (fill in the blank)
3. What was Elizabeth like as a girl? 
4. What kind of responses did Elizabeth get when she told others she wanted to become a doctor? 
5. The word “prejudice” means to have an opinion that’s not based on fact or actual experience. What kind of prejudice did Elizabeth face? 
6. Describe an example of prejudice in a book you’ve read or a movie you’ve seen or something you’ve observed in your community. 
7.  What are some of the services doctors provide? 
8. How have you been helped by a doctor? 
9. Upon graduation, all doctors recite the Hippocratic oath, which is, in simple form, a vow to serve everyone in need of medical attention to the best of their ability. Why do you think they take this oath? Have you ever been involved in an activity in which you had to take an oath? 
10. Would you ever want to serve as a medical professional? Why or why not?