lower primary activities - amazon web servicesalws.s3.amazonaws.com/new alws web site/discover...

Ph: (07) 35114071 Fax: (07) 35114051 email: [email protected] web: www.lca.org.au/alws

Australian Lutheran World Service Learning To Live In Sudan

For further information...

LOWER PRIMARY ACTIVITIES

♦ PICTURE PERFECT?

♦ ACCESS TO RESOURCES

♦ I NEED! I WANT!

♦ CHILDREN’S RIGHTS

♦ CREATE A SCHOOL

♦ SYMBOLS OF PEACE

♦ COMPARE OUR LIVES

♦ AFRICAN DRUM

♦ AFRICAN BOOK

8.




LOWER PRIMARY ACTIVITIES PICTURE PERFECT?

Links to SOSE, The Arts Purpose: To help students understand that people make assumptions based on their perceptions. Introduce visuals of Sudan. Preparation: Photocopy photographs. The choice of picture is important— try and cut each photo strategically into pieces, putting different subjects into different pieces eg. Background/students/teacher/dirt floor they are sitting on. Globe/World Map Procedure: Show students one piece of the picture (perhaps background) and discuss what else could be in the picture. Add a second piece revealing a little more. At each stage discuss what the picture may be about, and ask how they came to that conclusion. When the picture is fully revealed, discuss how we only tend to see part of the picture. Talk about what the students know about Africa (lions, tigers etc) provide links that there are some things about Africa that we don’t see—some people are hungry, don’t go to school, don’t have a house etc. Find Africa on the globe/world map. Pray for the people in Africa.

ACCESS TO RESOURCES Links to SOSE, HPE

Purpose: Gives students a concrete experience of unfair access to resources, verbalise the feelings they experienced and gives them the opportunity to suggest ways to address the issue. Preparation: Box of building materials for each group, arrange the boxes so that the contents are noticeably uneven, such as a few rough off-cuts: ten identical blocks; a small selection of blocks; a bigger selection of assorted blocks and a big box of blocks with farm animals and plastic people; Globe/World map. Procedure: Give the task of building, as a group, with the blocks they are given only. Put students into 4 or 5 groups. Give a box of materials to each group. Record some of the responses as students build, including any reactions to what the other groups have. Pack up and form a sharing circle. Discuss how the activity went and relate it to the fact that people in some countries have better access to things like schools and hospitals than other countries in the world. Revise where Africa is and show Sudan on globe. Talk about Sudan and how there is very little there while we have so much. Lots of the children there don’t even go to school. How could we help them?




LOWER PRIMARY ACTIVITIES

I NEED! I WANT! Links to SOSE, HPE

Purpose: Helps children come to an understanding about the things all people must have in order to live life and the non-essential things or wants. Preparation: A box of essential items which students can touch and manipulate and a box of non-essential items which students can touch and manipulate. Large sheet of paper and a pen. Procedure: Let students handle items. Explain the difference between ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ and sort items into 2 piles. Think of our needs and wants and write them on large sheet of paper in 2 columns. During the discussion ask the students about the needs of other children in the world and whether their needs are met in the same way.

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS Links to SOSE, The Arts

Purpose: Increase understanding of children’s rights which are for all children. Preparation:10 panels of equal size to be put together to form a mural Procedure: Discuss children’s rights (below) and have children identify examples of each one. Adapted version of The Summary of The United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child. All children have the right to: - Be treated the same - Grow up healthy - Have a name and belong to a country - Food and a house - Care if disabled - To be loved by family (preferably) - Go to school - To be safe - To be able to play - Have friends Students work in groups to create a mural consisting of 10 panels –1 for each right—for display. Each group is responsible for painting/decorating a panel. Talk about Sudan and how the Sudanese want to have their rights met too, but only have a few schools, hospitals etc. Entitle mural: Rights of ALL children.

CREATE A SCHOOL Links to SOSE, The Arts

Purpose: To develop an understanding of the needs of the Sudanese Children. Preparation: Photocopy ‘Sudanese School’ Sheet Procedure: What makes up a school? When the kids in Sudan return to their land, they will need a school. There is a building, but that is all. What else is needed to make a school both in the classroom and out? Draw in the things that the students and teachers will need.




LOWER PRIMARY ACTIVITIES SYMBOLS OF PEACE—Links to SOSE, Christian Studies, The Arts Purpose: To give students a history of issues in Sudan and explore what peace means. Preparation: Copies of peace symbols; card for children to draw peace symbols, to be made into a ‘Peace Mobile’. String for mobile; coat hanger (or similar) to hang symbols. Procedure: Explain that in Sudan there has been war and people didn’t feel safe, so they needed to go to another place called a refugee camp until it was safe to go back home. Now the Government has said there will be peace. What does peace mean? Explain what a symbol is—look at various ones in Australian culture. Look at peace symbols on activity sheet. Pray for peace in Sudan. Let children draw their own peace symbol on card and make into a class peace mobile. Put on the top: We pray for Peace in Sudan.

COMPARE OUR LIVES—Links to SOSE, Christian Studies, Maths

Purpose: For children to relate their own life experiences to those of the Sudanese children and to understand that they experience different ways of life. Preparation: Large sheet of butchers paper for timeline; felt pens for drawing pictures; photos from photo pack. Procedure: Discuss what a typical day involves for the children in your class. Put up pictures (in photo pack) of Sudanese children and imagine what a typical day for a Sudanese child would be like. Compare. Discuss that some children don’t go to school in Sudan. ‘How would your life change if you didn’t go to school?’ Create a timetable of the Australian child and the Sudanese child and draw pictures to represent each event ie. Wake up, chores, go to school etc. ‘How would Sudanese children do things differently to/the same as Australian children?’ LOVE GROWS Love grows One by one, Two by two And four by four, Love grows Round like a circle And comes back knocking At my front door. So let me take

We’ll each take The hand of another. One by one, We’ll reach round the world, To our sister and our brothers. Johnson, C 1990 ‘Children's Songs for a Friendly Planet’ in Cooperative Learning, vol 2 no




LOWER PRIMARY ACTIVITIES AFRICAN DRUM

Links to Art, Music Purpose: To experience aspects of African culture Preparation: Drinking cups (Styrofoam, plastic or paper) sticking the cups together can be done prior to the lesson using a low temperature hot glue gun, glue, masking tape, shoe polish, rags, permanent markers Procedure: Glue two cups together, bottom to bottom and let dry (If not done previously). Have the children tear off 4 to 5 inch lengths of masking tape and completely cover the opening at the top and bottom of the cups. Using 3 to 4 inch lengths of masking tape, completely cover the outside of the cups. Brush shoe polish all over the making tape covered cups and then wipe off with rags. Draw geometric or other designs around the top, middle and bottom of the drums with permanent markers. Play some African music and let the children play their drums to the beat.

AFRICAN BOOK Links to Literacy, Arts, Music

Purpose: To help children appreciate different cultures and traditions. Preparation: Pages of A4 paper folded and stapled into a book, old travel magazines about Africa (usually available at Travel Agents), magazines with pictures of Australian children etc., glue and scissors. Procedure: Teachers ask children to cut out various African pictures from magazines. Children glue pictures on to one side of the blank pages. On the other side of the page, they find pictures about Australia. They can then write a story comparing the pictures on each page or dictate one to the teacher/class. Wrap up the lesson by singing: It’s A Small World

It’s a world of laughter, a world of tears, It’s a world of hope and a world of fears. There’s so much that we share that it’s time we’re aware It’s a small world after all. It’s a small world after all; it’s a small world after all, It’s a small world after all; it’s a small, small world.

Sudanese School—What is needed

Peace Symbols

Needs and Wants

Doctors and medicine

Sleep

Clothes

Lollies Fruit and Vegetables

Computers

Shelter McDonalds

Family and safety

scooters Clean water

Birthday cake




UPPER PRIMARY ACTIVITIES

♦ WHERE IS SUDAN?

♦ WAR AND PEACE IN SUDAN

♦ WHAT PREVENTS CHILDREN FROM

GOING TO SCHOOL?

♦ IT’S NOT FAIR!

♦ SOCIAL JUSTICE

♦ THE TWO DONKEYS

♦ WHAT CAN I DO?

♦ GAMES

9.





WHERE IS SUDAN?

Links to SOSE, Technology, English Purpose: To locate Sudan on globe. To find out about Sudan as a country and about its people. Preparation: Globe/Atlas, Facts & Figures information sheet (no. 5) for reference, Facts & Figures sheet (blank) photocopied for students, Useful Websites sheet (located at back of pack) Procedure: Have children locate Africa and then Sudan. Note location of Sudan. What would the climate/land be like? The people? Have students research aspects of Sudan—country facts, war and peace facts and education facts on the internet. Use Websites from Useful Websites sheet as a starting point (note that some websites are for teaching resources). Fill in the bricks on the worksheet and present the findings to the class. As a class, devise questions where children can interview people about their knowledge and attitudes towards Sudanese people. Reflect on these at a later date. Creative Idea: Make a large version of brick house and fill with all the facts the children found for display.

WAR AND PEACE IN SUDAN Links to SOSE, English, Maths

Purpose: To understand the history of Sudan’s issues Preparation:War and Peace information sheet in Awareness Pack, Personal Stories from Sudan—David Majok Mathiang Procedure: As a note taking exercise, read ‘War and Peace’ sheet as a class, discussing words/concepts. Students form a timeline of events that have taken place in Sudan. What would life be like for these people? Read about David Majok Mathiang in the Personal Stories from Sudan. Imagine you are in his shoes—a Sudanese person going back to your homeland after being in a refugee camp for many years. Write a letter to your parents telling them of your experiences, your journeys, your fears and your hopes. Share with the class.





WHAT PREVENTS CHILDREN FROM GOING TO SCHOOL?

Links to SOSE, English Purpose: To question the reasons some children do not attend primary school Preparation: What Prevents Children From Going To School? information sheet (no. 7) and crossword; Education For All information sheet (no. 7) for reference; poster materials. Procedure: Create a celebratory atmosphere as you tell the students that this is the last day they have to ever go to school! Have children list all the things they are going to do in their life instead of going to school. Share with the class. Once they have shared, discuss the realities of the students being able to do all of the things they want to without an education. Their parents’ money will not last forever. What about the state of their house? Who will pay the rent/rates? Electricity? Food? Phone? Etc. Discuss—how valuable is an education? Brainstorm how a good education could affect someone in a developing country? (teacher refer to Education For All information sheet) Unfortunately 117 million children (62 million girls) of primary school age are out of school (see Education For All information sheet for more statistics)

Why? Hand out crossword and ‘What Prevents Children From Going To School?’ information sheet. Have students fill in crossword while reading information sheet. Discuss meaning of ‘Learning to Live in Sudan’ What double meaning does this title suggest? Conduct a Debate— • It would be better to spend money on educating all students than on space research. • It’s not about charity, it’s about justice.




What Prevents Children From Going To School?

Across 3. Many children can't go to school because they live in _________ areas where there are no schools. 6. Lack of ____________ to go to school - there simply are not the schools available! 7. Many more ________ drop out than boys because many teachers (mostly male) discriminate against girls who are seen to be less intelligent. 9. ___________ also stops girls from going to school. They are often needed at home to care for family and do chores while their parents work, or they need to work themselves. 10. A lot of poor countries are in ________. Instead of spending money on education, health and social services, they pay the interest on their loans. Down 1. Sickness and ____________ because of the lack of health facilities 2. Even when education is provided free by the state, there is still the cost of uniforms, books and ____________. 4. If the adults in the family cannot earn enough to survive, the children may have to ________ instead of going to school. 5. Education costs __________ - for teachers, buildings and resources - like books and blackboards 8. Families need to decide the value of education against other ________ such as food and healthcare.





IT’S NOT FAIR! Links to SOSE, The Arts, Christian Studies

Purpose: Children understand the unequal distribution of the world’s resources Preparation: • Crackers/lollies/some sort of food symbol that can be distributed amongst

groups. (You may wish to sort food items ahead of time so you don’t need to count them out during the lesson.)

• 3 large bowls, preferably the same size for effect • Poster card, markers/materials for creating posters Procedure: Divide students into 3 groups to represent high-income countries, middle income countries and low-income countries. Explain that the three groups represent wealthy, medium income and poor countries; describe each group. Allow time for a poster to be made for each group reflecting the wealth of each country group. Put an empty bowl for the crackers in front of each group. Then pour the number of crackers indicated below into each group’s bowl. Explain that this represents the amount of food and money the group gets. Ask the students not to eat anything until the exercise is over. GROUP 1 – HIGH INCOME : 2 STUDENTS This group represents about one in six people in the world who live in “developed” or “first world” countries like Australia, the United States, Canada, Japan and England. Most people make enough money to live comfortably; most children have safe water and good doctors and can go to school. Many people get way more than they need. Each person gets 14 crackers, which are put into the group’s bowl. GROUP 2 – MIDDLE INCOME: 3 STUDENTS This group represents around a quarter of the world’s population who live in countries like Poland, Thailand, South Africa and the Philippines. Though some people do well, others don’t get enough to eat. Many more children die from childhood diseases because they lack access to good health care. Each person gets 7 crackers, which are put into the group’s bowl.




GROUP 3 – LOW INCOME: 5 STUDENTS More than half the people in the world live in “developing” or “Third World countries.” Many of them are in Africa, from Sudan to Ethiopia to Tanzania to Mozambique. Many of them earn less than $2 a day, and lack the food they need and basic health care. The drinking water often makes them sick, and some even die from drinking it. Each person gets half a cracker, that is put into the group’s bowl. If you lived in the poorest group (which would include many countries in Africa), what are some other things you may not have besides food? (education, telephone, car, air conditioning, flush toilets, electricity, television, toys, a doctor nearby, ambulances, a hospital, police protection, running water, drinkable water, toothbrush, hot shower, stereo, nice clothes etc) Consider Sudan; it isn’t just about the lack of food, but about the lack of—schools, teachers, school supplies, hospitals, ambulances, doctors, farming equipment etc. ASK the wealthy group: How does it feel to have so much food, especially when others don’t? Ask low and middle-income groups: How do you feel about the people in the wealthy group? What would you want them to do? Ask all groups: Do some people have more than enough? Is this distribution fair? Why or why not? What would make it fair? PROBLEM SOLVE:: Invite the group to find and implement a solution to the problem of unequal distribution of crackers. Then ask members of each group how they felt about the solution.

Redesign the group poster with a new understanding of the situation in the world, advocating for the rights of all people. Present to class and display.

ASK: What do you think God thinks about some people having so much while others have so little? What do you think God would want us to do about it? How does God want the world to be?

PRAY (before eating the crackers) Loving God, you created a world with enough resources for everyone. Help us to bring fairness into the world so that each person is treated justly. Be with people all over the world who are hungry today and don’t have the things we do, and be with us as we learn how to open a world of possibility by standing with these people, especially in Africa. In your name we pray. Amen.





SOCIAL JUSTICE Links to SOSE, English, Technology, The Arts

Purpose: To enhance understanding of what social justice is and to explore the notion that social justice covers many areas Preparation:internet access (put snakes and ladders game on intranet if possible); graffiti board (may be a special one or just white/blackboard); newspapers for children; scissors; glue; cardboard for each child for mobile; string; hanger for mobile; heading for mobile. Procedure: Play snakes and ladders game on internet at- http://www.globalgang.org.uk/ Discuss how the game made the students feel. Create a graffiti board in the classroom, use this to explore the notion of social justice. Some definitions could include:

Social justice is about restoring equality (Columbians) Social Justice is what faces you in the morning. It is awakening in a house with an adequate water supply, cooking

facilities and sanitation. It is the ability to nourish your children and send them to a school where their education not only equips them for employment but reinforces their knowledge and appreciation of their cultural inheritance. It is the prospect of genuine employment and good health; a life of choices and opportunity, free from discrimination.

Michael Dodson, Annual Report of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner 1993, p. 10

Social Justice always means a struggle. The struggle for those groups who have been made weak or powerless is to find justice. They want to be treated as people with the same worth as others. They want to have the same voice, opportunities and freedoms. They want the same access to power.

O’Donoghue, Moore, Habel & Crotty, Social Justice in Today’s World, Collings Dove, 1993, pp.8-9 The challenge…is not just to think differently but to act differently. ‘The Common Wealth for the Common Good’, Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference (1992), Collins Dove, 1992, p.151 It is not just the matter of eliminating hunger, nor even of reducing poverty…It is rather of building a world

where every man (person), no matter his (their) race, religion or nationality, can live a fully human life… Pope Paul VI, On the Development of Peoples, Populorium Progressio, Encyclical letter of 26 March 1967, Article 47 It means having enough to eat and not being embarrassed because you can’t afford new clothes. Rachel, 12

Social Justice means making sure that everyone is treated equally, no matter how clever or rich they are. Ali, 14





Come up with a class definition of social justice. Choose phrases or sentences from the extracts which you think are powerful statements about social justice. Think of as many issues of social justice eg. Women’s rights, child labour, hunger, water etc. Each person is given a piece of cardboard and can cut it/decorate it/put phrases on it to represent one element of social justice. Use these to create a social justice mobile. As a group, brainstorm what you think the key social justice issues are in Australia today. What about in other countries? Sudan?

Extension Activity: Look through recent/old newspapers. Create a class collage of newspaper headlines to signify the broad range of social justice issues facing us today. Display. Discuss which issues are most urgent.

THE TWO DONKEYS Links to SOSE, English, The Arts

Purpose: Discuss cooperation as an alternative to conflict Gain insights into methods of resolving problems on a personal and global level Discuss the idea of ‘stereotypes’ using stereotyping of donkeys as an example Preparation:Photocopy the sheet ‘The Two Donkeys’ Cut sheet into strips, shuffle and enclose in envelopes Other stories, poems, photos, posters and cartoons of donkeys Procedure: In pairs the students are given an envelope containing the strips of the Donkey Sheet. They are asked to arrange them so that they tell a story (there may be some variations, but should reach the same conclusion). Discuss in groups what the story means to them. Does it say anything about how families, groups or countries should behave? Share with class. Students decide on a title for the story eg. Cooperation is better than conflict, A Fable of Two Nations, Donkeys that Care, Donkey Cooperation, Struggle for Food, Valuing Others. How does this picture relate to the crisis in Sudan? Education in Sudan? Issues in Australia? Complete Worksheet. Explore the notion of peace. Brainstorm other stories/fables/poems about donkeys—bible, Simpson’s Donkey at Gallipoli. The stereotyping of donkeys as stubborn and stupid could be discussed in the final section to lead on to a discussion of stereotyping of people and nations in war and peace.




NAME: _ THE TWO DONKEYS

1. What is the main message that the two donkeys tell you? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Why are donkeys used in this poster? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

3. Why could the donkeys not achieve their aims by themselves? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

4. What did the donkeys do when they realized that they could not achieve their own goals?

________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

5. Did the donkeys achieve their goals? ________________________________________________________________

6. What would or could have happened if the donkeys did not compromise? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

7. Why is cooperation better than conflict? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

8. What is a situation in your life where the donkey message is relevant? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

9. How could this message be a symbol for social justice? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 10. How does this message relate to the situation in Sudan? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________




UPPER PRIMARY ACTIVITIES WHAT CAN I DO?

Links to SOSE, English, Christian Studies, The Arts Purpose:Students can understand that they have a voice which can be heard. Preparation: Photocopy cartoon/poster for students, bibles, fundraising sheet (no. 9) for reference Procedure: Debate with students: Can each person make a difference to the justice issues in the world? Show cartoon/poster to students. Discuss students’ interpretation of cartoon/poster. Yes, individuals can make a difference even though it may not seem so. Read following story and discuss with students:

It Makes A Difference By an anonymous poet As the old man walked down the beach at dawn he noticed a young man ahead of him picking up starfish and flinging them into the sea. Catching up with the youth, he asked him why he was doing this. The answer was that the stranded starfish would die if left until the morning sun. “But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish,” countered the other. “How can your effort make any difference?” The young man looked at the starfish in his hand and threw it to the safety of the waves. “It makes a difference to this one,” he said. Find bible verses that enlighten us about how God wants us to consider those affected by issues of injustice (see Worship sheet no. 14) How could a ripple effect be an example of how individuals can make a difference? List the things that students can do to make a difference. Eg.- • Pray for people dealing with issues of justice • Become aware of and involved in justice issues—Millennium Development Goals;

Make Poverty History; The Micah Challenge • Value education—Keep learning! • Learn to read, reason and communicate to make informed choices and understand

events • Strengthen your skills • Talk to people that are different from you • Learn your rights and those of other people • Find your voice • Fundraise through ALWS towards the Awareness Week Projects in Sudan See fundraising sheet.




Across 3. Something a teacher writes on. 5. A neighbouring country of Sudan 7. Children use these to write with. 9. What children wear to school. 11. The schools which are being funded are located around the ______ region 14. After much war, what are the people hoping to achieve? 15. A group of people who live in the same area. 18. Are there more boys or girls who don't go to school in Sudan? Down 1. Some children must ________ instead of going to school. 2. A type of sport the children would like to play. 4. What Jesus wants us to feel towards these people. 6. Fill in the missing word: It's not about charity, it's about___________. 8. What is it that many children in Africa miss out on? 10. What country is the focus for Awareness Week? 12. What is a person called who flees from their home to another country? 13. Children will learn from these. 16. Everyone has the ________ to an education. 17. ALWS = Australian Lutheran __________ Service




ACTIVITIES USING PHOTO PACK

Before using the photos, please laminate them for future use.

♦ Display the photos and ask the students in groups to brainstorm as many adjectives as they can about the pictures. Both ‘negative’ and ‘positive’ adjectives should be included. Share with class and write them on the blackboard. Discuss the adjectives chosen. It is important that the students begin to realise that first impressions are not necessarily right. Some questions to help this could be:

♦ - Was there a tendency to use the same words or different words ♦ for a photograph? ♦ - Did some photographs only have negative words? ♦ - Does anyone disagree with the labels given? ♦ Students try to ‘read’ a photograph, looking carefully at the details. Write a list

of questions you have about the photo. The aim is to see that a photo is not a mere illustration. It can be a source of information in its own right and a stimulus to inquiry.

♦ Ask 4 questions - 1. Naming the issue -What’s going on which is good/bad for the people? 2. Reflect on the background—What is causing or alleviating the problem? 3. What action has or can be taken—both to relieve any problems in the short term

and to tackle the causes in the long term? 4. Reflect on values—What is a ‘good’ life, a ‘good’ society or ‘good’ development? ♦ Captions—this activity is useful in bringing out different perceptions of a picture.

Ask pairs to write a caption for the same photograph. Write on a strip of paper and display under the photograph. Did people see different things in the same picture? Which caption and picture match best? What do you think the person who wrote this caption was thinking?

♦ Imagine someone else is writing labels, for instance parents or teachers. Would they be different? What labels would the people in the photographs themselves be likely to choose?

♦ Photocopy photos. In pairs students write on paper what they think the people are saying in the photo. Cut out in shape of speech bubble and glue on the photo in relevant position. Ask why they decided to choose that caption.

♦ Use the photos as inspiration for developing a skit about Sudan and its issues.

13.

lower primary activities - amazon web servicesalws.s3.amazonaws.com/new alws web site/discover...

Documents