This was a really eye opening week for me and showed me some perspective on living conditions that I didn't think I needed but found it to be quite humbling. I walked away from this week feeling very blessed and content in my living conditions. This was supposed to be a book club for the kids and something for me to have readily available for the kids if I needed an activity for them, but I feel as if I am learning right along-side them! It has been really neat to read about other cultures and compare and contrast with the kids on how we do things similar and different here in the United States. Alivia was able to express more during this week but Nolan did ask some good questions about why some people live in remote villages, why some people don't have roofs over their heads, and why people in Africa eat certain foods. I think Alivia felt fortunate to live where we live and have the opportunities that we do here in the United States. She didn't realize that some people in this world don't have the opportunity to go to school or even the privilege to learn (some women in different tribes and cultures do not/did not allow girls to learn how to read or write).
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| We colored in the areas we read about |
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| The book titles about Africa that we enjoyed |
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| This book was written from the perspective of a young girl who wished that the water would come to her instead of her and her mother having to walk to a river miles away. The young girls and women couldn't even drink the water when they finally reached the river because they had to sterilize it back at their home to make it safe. This is a true story of an African girl who had to make this trip daily with her mom to bring back water for her family and how she wished there was a water option closer. She grew up and has made it her mission to install water wells in African villages so she can help people to have a better quality life and safe drinking water without traveling for miles. Inspiring, adorable illustrations, and easy to connect with the main character's emotions! |
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| These books are written about Wangari Maathai who was the founder of the green movement and nick named Mama Miti or Mother of the Trees. These books were inspiring because she fought to have an early education as an female and went on to get her doctorate degree. She struggled with seeing the trees in Kenya destroyed and that it caused water and food shortages. She decided to introduce the idea of re-planting trees and giving people seeds of hope and change by education Kenyan people to replant trees. Because of her ideas and efforts, she was the first African American woman and environmentalist to win a Nobel Peace Prize. She seriously changed her environment by implementing this green movement. What an encouraging woman! |
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| This was a sweet book about a boy who saved his money to buy a bicycle to help his mom bring items to sell in the market. It showed and talked about African money and market life. It was also a great example of a child saving money for a goal, which we have been discussing this summer. |
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| Alivia and Nolan made the game Kigogo (or mancala) with an egg carton. Here's How to play if you are interesting in making one with your kids too. |
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| This movie was amazing! Alivia and Nolan soaked it up and enjoyed it (well Nolan made it 3/4ths of the way before needing a break. He is getting used to "real" movies, as Alivia calls them). I really enjoyed it and found it to be inspirational. It is about a young girl who lives with her poor family and earns money by selling items at the markets and in the streets. One day she stumbles upon a group playing chess and gets invited to join. This is a true story about her journey of living on the streets to becoming a chess queen. Her and her family had to endure so much in their living conditions and she has to believe in herself and listen to her support group to achieve the success she did. Here is some more information on the chess (and soccer club) and the people in the movie http://www.queenofkatwe.com/. |
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