About This Lesson
This lesson explores the remarkable life and wide-ranging impact of Dolly Parton—not just as a country music icon, but as a powerful force for education, public health and kindness. Students will examine how her hit song “9 to 5” became a labor history anthem, her founding of the Imagination Library to provide free books to millions of children and her contributions to the funding of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The lesson also invites students to reflect on Parton’s belief in helping others shine, and how celebrity leadership can be used to promote literacy, equity and compassion. Suitable for music, social studies or character education classrooms, this lesson encourages students to consider what it truly means to use your platform for good.
