Africa Is Not a Country

"Africa is not a country - it is a vast continent made up of 54 nations. If you took the land of the United States and added it to the lands of China, Japan and Europe, Africa would still be bigger.  From the tiny island nations of Comoros, Seychelles and Sao Tome and Principe, to its largest country (Sudan), Africa is the only continent with land in all four hemispheres. Unlike any other continent, it is divided into two almost equal lengths by the equator, and it is nearly as wide as it is long. If you drew a picture of Africa's landscapes on a large pie and cut it into ten equal pieces, only one piece would contain all of its rain forests. Four pieces would represent the deserts; another four would be mostly grass and farmland, and trees. The final piece would hold all of the mountains and cities of this vibrant, beautiful continent, where several hundred million children wake up every morning."  (Burns Knight, Margy; Melnicove, Mark. Africa Is Not a Country. Millbrook Press, 2002. Paperback, p. 2).

Once students recognized that Africa is not a country, but rather a diverse continent, we were able to dive into the multiforms of the physical and human geography of sub-Saharan Africa.  This week was filled with new discoveries and insights as we explored not only the physical geography, but cultural patterns, barriers to economic development, water scarcity, literary themes, visual arts, and the uniqueness of each of the individual countries that make up this distinct continent.

Specifically, students explored the unique cultures of countries within Africa through culture station rotation activities.  Stations included exposure to the Swahili language (a Bantu language that is a trade and governmental language over much of East Africa and in the Congo region), a Google virtual reality expedition to Victoria Falls, tribal mask creations, literacy connection activities, and participating in Mancala and Nim tournaments. Through YouTube Live, we traveled virtually alongside a real-life safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara and South Africa's Kruger National Park. Students were able to ask the safari guides questions and receive answers in real time throughout the entire expedition. Mid-week, students prepared for and participated in Socratic seminars concerning barriers to economic development in Africa. Throughout their group discussions, it was evident that this format helped students build a deeper understanding of the ideas and values associated with this important global issue.  And finally, just today, we were fortunate enough to host special guest, Mr. Fairbanks (Seb's dad, former U.S. Peace Corps teacher in Kenya, Fellow at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University, Rwandan Presidential Advisor, author, entrepreneur, and director of the Akilah Institute for Women - the first women's college in Rwanda), who engaged us in stories about Africa's cultural diversity and presented students with a variety of artifacts to explore, representing important aspects of the cultures throughout Africa. Asante, Mhesimiwa Fairbanks. You had our full attention and interest for those precious forty-five minutes!

Stay tuned following the winter break for information regarding our upcoming project-based learning unit in which students will be challenged to design a transcontinental highway across Africa.

Cultural explorations through station rotations

 

Special guest: the fascinating and engaging, Mr. Fairbanks (left). A student inspects a Rwandan peace basket (right).  These handmade baskets made of natural fibers and grasses, have become symbols of reconciliation following the 1994 genocide.

Live safari excursion in Kenya's Maasai Mara 

SIXTH GRADERS ARE PARTNERING WITH

Students are currently studying the physical and human geography of Africa. Africa’s diverse landscape, range of climates, abundance of natural resources, and rich cultural traditions make for a truly fascinating exploration. Unfortunately, many parts of sub-Saharan Africa are experiencing a crisis.  A crisis that is affecting women, children, families and farmers.  A lack of an all-important resource: WATER.

Clean, safe drinking water is scarce. Today, nearly one billion people in the developing world don't have access to it. Yet, we often take it for granted, we sometimes waste it, and maybe some of us even pay too much to drink it from little plastic bottles.  Water is the foundation of life. And still today, all around the world, far too many people spend their entire day searching for it.  In places like sub-Saharan Africa, time lost gathering water and suffering from water-borne diseases is limiting people's true potential. Education is lost to sickness. Economic development is lost while people are simply trying to survive.  Lack of access to safe water and proper sanitation limits education and food production, it harms health and contributes to a cycle of poverty.  This a REAL problem, affecting REAL people and your children are hoping to make a REAL impact.

Access to clean water can help break the cycle of poverty.

Students have decided to partner with The Water Project, a non-profit organization that provides reliable water projects (wells, sand dams, rainwater catchments, sanitation systems, filtration systems and spring protection) to communities in sub-Saharan Africa who suffer from a lack of access to clean water and proper sanitation. After the winter break, students will participate in a week-long service learning project that aims to take a step closer at solving this global challenge.  The project titled “Be the Change. Bring the Change”, focuses on universal access to clean water and sanitation for people all over the world. Students will have the option of participating in fundraising activities to raise money to help fund a water project in sub-Saharan Africa. Details to follow after the winter break. Go, Global Goals Champions!

Empowering Students To Be the Change the World Needs

The Dalai Lama once said that if all 8-year olds were taught to meditate, we would eliminate violence around the globe in one generation.  Perhaps the same holds true for conscious consumption - if we teach kids the value of material goods, and the people who create them, we could potentially erase inequality around the world in just a few years.

Our current study of countries in sub-Saharan Africa presented an important opportunity to learn about Fair Trade, about responsible consumption, and about the impact our everyday actions have on the world at large.

This week, students conducted an investigation into cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The DRC is world's largest producer of cobalt, a metal produced through a reductive smelting process, which is used in the production of lithium-ion batteries - the kind of batteries found in high-tech products like cell phones, other electronic devices and battery-powered vehicles, among other mass-market products. Aside from understanding some of the uses of cobalt in their own everyday products, students explored how cobalt is extracted from the earth. They were aghast at learning that there are no government regulations concerning cobalt mining in the DRC. Children as young as four are sent to work in cobalt mines for as many as 12-14 hours per day, under some of the most hazardous working conditions one could imagine. Due to their small size, they are often lowered into dangerous, small spaces in underground mines to extract the metal, and spend hours sifting through rock. They work in an environment where they are frequently mistreated and malnourished, and are exposed to toxins that are likely to cause skin conditions and deadly lung diseases - all for less than $1 per day.

As global citizens, we discussed the following questions: How are we responsible for the lives of others?  What can we do to help those who don't have a voice?  How can we become more responsible consumers?  At the close of their investigation and our discussion, students were released with the following message:

Dear Students,

Continue to "be the good" in this world.  Go out there and use your knowledge to make a difference.

Love,

Mrs. Valzania

Students promptly decided that creating powerful messages to raise awareness and change public attitudes and behavior toward the use of lithium batteries containing materials that were irresponsibly produced was a good first step. Student consensus: "What else can we do to stop this from happening?" "I really want to do more to help these kids." This is the result of feeling empowered - of becoming an active global citizen. Just "listen" to their voices: