Good afternoon families of KG1 students,
As part of our current line of inquiry into the consequences of water usage, we explored what happens when people and animals do not have easy access to clean, drinkable water, as we are fortunate to have.
We began by reading The Water Princess by Susan Verde, based on the real-life childhood experience of Georgie Badiel who grew up in Burkina Faso. It tells the story of “Princess Gie Gie,” who must walk long distances each day with her mother to collect clean water for drinking, cooking, and bathing. We discussed how she feels about this (tired, frustrated, angry) and compared it to our own experiences of accessing clean water. To deepen their understanding, the children took part in a hands-on challenge: working in teams of three, they carried a bucket partially filled with water from the classroom to a tree at the in the middle of the playground. Even though it was a short distance and they could work together, the children realised that the task was difficult, requiring several rest stops. This experience helped us reflect on how fortunate we are to have easy access to clean water and led us to think about how everyone should have the same opportunity. You can see some photos of this activity below.
Today we looked at photographs of dried-up water holes and reflected on what we could see, what we thought, and what we wondered about what we could see. In small groups we then read The Water Hole by Graeme Base, which illustrates a water hole gradually shrinking with each page. The book features different animals gathering at the water hole, expressing concern about the depleting water supply. Happily, at the end of the book, when the water hole has completely dried up and there are no animals or plants left, rain finally begins to fall. The plants start to grow again, and the animals return, reinforcing once again the vital role that water plays in sustaining life.
Wishing you all a good weekend,
Kristina, Buthaina and Rahma
