The Other Side of the World

Curriculum Download Center

 

Your students are about to participate in a program that covers topics in Social Studies (geography, other cultures), English (reading, listening, writing) and Math (using multiple operations to solve multi-step word problems) They’ll learn about specific issues in world poverty and consider their own social responsibilities. The KidKnits program is activity-based, and students will also have opportunities to reflect on what they’ve learned and plan for future action. While doing all of that, they’re going to have fun learning a new craft and making their very own KidKnits hat.

Module 1: What is poverty?

Overview

In this module students will understand the meaning of extreme poverty and will come to know where in the world people suffer from extreme poverty. This file outlines all activities, articulates core curricula linkages, and provides a timeline for teaching this first module

Presentation

This presentation will help to put into perspective the meaning of poverty in the world, using specific examples comparing the United States to other countries, including Rwanda. The presentation also includes a brief overview of the KidKnits program.

Lesson Plan

In this detailed lesson plan, find step-by-step instructions on how to present Module 1 in your classroom, including facts and figures about world poverty.

Worksheet

Using this worksheet, students are led through an activity of grocery shopping for their family on $1 per day.

Module 2: Where in the world?

Overview

In this module, students are given an opportunity to learn about Rwanda, and will compare and contrast life in Rwanda to life in their own community. The introduction contains proposed schedule, linkages to core curricula, and materials needed.

Lesson Plan

In this detailed lesson plan, find instructions on how to present Module 2 to your classroom, including facts and figures about Rwanda, and instructions on the Rwanda “Similarities and Differences” activity.

Presentation

This presentation gives a short overview of the country of Rwanda including climate, geograpy, and some information about life in Rwanda. In includes a short version of the similarities and differences exercise.

Activity

Through this interactive activity, students will come to learn about similarities and differences between Rwanda and their own community. While many aspects of life in Rwanda are different, students will come to know that in many ways, children around the world are the same.

Language

Language is an important part of culture. With this worksheet students can learn to count to 10 in Kinyarwanda, and learn other key words and phrases in the native language of Rwanda.

Module 3: The Dignity of Work & How the Yarn is Made

Overview

Module 3 highglights the importance of work, and dives into detail on the specific work of the widows in Rwanda supported through KidKnits.  A video helps to explain how the yarn is made, and additional activities give students a chance to consider various critical steps in producing enough yarn to satisfy KidKnits’ customers.

Lesson Plan

In this detailed lesson plan, step by step instructions are given to show your students how the yarn is made, and to introduce the importance of work. Discussion questions are offered, as is an optional mathematics worksheet.

Worksheet

KidKnits brings out many interesting business challenges. This worksheet will help students understand some of the challenges in producing yarn. How many sheep are needed? How much land is needed for those sheep? How many women can be employed through the yarn production process?

Video

In this short video from our Rwandan partner, True Vineyard Ministries, students are taken through a detailed photographic journey of how the merino sheep’s wool is transformed into beautiful yarn. Other video resources from our partner can also be found through this link.

Module 4: Changes that Matter

Overview

Module 4 brings your students face to face with lives in Rwanda, before and after KidKnits, through a read-aloud play developed by award winning playwright Wim Coleman. Full schedule and core curricula tie-ins are provided in this module’s introduction.

Lesson Plan

Step by step instructions are presented in this lesson plan for Module 4.  Discussion questions are offered for further depth around the lessons learned from this classroom play.

Play

Wim Coleman is a widely published and award-winning playwright who has written this read-aloud play entitled “Ruhengiri Days” to help students understand the impact of a program like KidKnits, and changes that have come in the lives of real families in Rwanda.

Worksheet

As an optional exercise to extend the learning experience from “Ruhengiri Days” this worksheet offers vocabulary and reading comprehension questions from the play.

Module 5: The Other Side of the World

Overview

Students will consider, “Where is the other side of the world?” and learn that it may be in their own community.  Students are challenged and empowered to believe that they can make a difference in a life on the other side of the world.

Lesson Plan

Instructions how to present Module 5 in your classroom, including discussion questions, and suggestions for additional activities.

Video

In this short video, students are shown that the other side of the world may be a place like Rwanda, but just as likely, it may be in their own city, school, neighborhood, or home.

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