Grade: Upper Elementary, ages 8-14

Subjects: Social Studies, World Studies

Estimated time for the activity:

NetAid Game (2 one-hour sessions, 1 for the game, 1 for follow-up and activism plan), ongoing updates (as frequently as decided) with collaborating Indian organization/group

Essential Understanding

Kids who are in our schools don't often think about what the school experience is like for kids in other countries, especially when it isn't a given that all kids are offered an education. This experience and discussion foster sympathy and awareness as well as give students an opportunity and an opening for action and self-reflection.

Overview:

NetAid World Class is an interactive educational activity that teaches young students ages 8-14 how obstacles relating to poverty can keep children from reaching their dreams. More importantly, students are challenged to turn what they've learned into action, planting the first seeds of lifelong advocacy on behalf of the 125 million children not in school around the world.

Background information for Teachers:

Education is a privilege. This activity and follow-up empowers children to have a simulated experience of what an Indian child from the southern state of Tamil Nadu experiences in today's world, related to education. Playing the NetAid game moves kids to want to be active in change. Lots of background information is given as part of the game materials. These are very helpful and easy to use and consult.

NetAid website http://www.netaid.org/

(Look at http://www.netaid.org/global_poverty/education/ specifically) On this site there are pdf files with information about HIV/AIDS, effects of poverty on education, girls education and more.

WI DPI: International education is an umbrella phrase for a vast array of efforts to broaden the experience and awareness levels of students and teachers of world geography, global issues, diverse cultures, and world languages. It embraces all subjects, grade levels, and nationality and ethnic groups.

International Education is not a separate discipline; it is rather an approach to all subject areas taught in schools, an approach, which creates awareness of political, economic, and cultural interdependence that exists across borders. (http://dpi.wi.gov/cal/interntled.html)

Objectives

WI Geography Standard

A.4.7 Identify connections between the local community and other places in Wisconsin, the United States, and the world

A.8.11 Give examples of the causes and consequences of current global issues, such as the expansion of global markets, the urbanization of the developing world, the consumption of natural resources, and the extinction of species, and suggest possible responses by various individuals, groups, and nations

WI Economics Standard

D.4.7 Describe how personal economic decisions, such as deciding what to buy, what to recycle, or how much to contribute to people in need, can affect the lives of people in Wisconsin, the United States, and the world

D.8.4 Describe how investments in human and physical capital, including new technology, affect standard of living and quality of life

Instructional Activities: Explain that this is a game that has students role play and experience frustration and excitement. This is about the privilege of school for Indian children and what things get in the way and also assist youth to attend school.

Materials:

NetAid game

(3 PDF versions of game materials to down load):

http://www.netaid.org/act_now/education-for-all/gce/2005/worldclass_gce.html

Assessment Activities

Student teams (of 3 or 4) will be assessed on their plan for action, and follow-through. The class will generate the rubric together in the following areas: The plan (clear, attainable/reasonable, how many people the action will assist, contacts information cited) action (contacts reached, plan implemented, student-to-student contact, goals reached, ongoing relationship potential), presentation (audience collected, pictures and process shared, all group members participate

Content Standards

Language Arts - letter writing

Social Studies - geography, economics

Mathematics - economic plan, money exchange

Communication Arts - presentation

Performance Standards

(Include only those that will be assessed)

Compare your education experience with the one you simulated today (head, hand, heart writing activity)

Apply the information and experience to select an organization to support, promoting education.

Extension Activities/Discussions:

What are ways we can raise money to help kids afford school?

• Find an orphanage or NGO to sponsor (for on-going relationship if possible, with the school). Have children write pen-pal letters, spare change drive, cooking class, bake sale.
• Write an article in school/district newsletter about this initiative, and see if you can solicit parent support across your school or district.
• Brainstorm long-term support. How does a school or group keep a long-lasting relationship with a group, or orphanage in this case?

* Look at sister school potential (see list provided with schools and organizations visited and contacts on-site) Students can prepare a plan of support, with monetary goals (i.e. books and supplies budget, transportation assistance, uniforms, sponsor a student potential)