Books!!!

I mentioned on Twitter (@LTeacher10) that I enjoy giving my students time to read a variety of books that are to do with Social Change.  I am compiling a Google Doc with the books I use.  It is continually growing and I would love your suggestions. 

Some ideas as students read the books:

Write a summary
Connect to a Global Goal with Evidence
Have them rewrite the story from a different perspective
How would it be different if ______?
Split students into different groups and have them read different books on the same topic (perhaps different time periods or locations) then have them share their learning and make connections.
What can we learn from the book? What is the author's message?

Global Read Aloud - Water for South Sudan

We did the Global Read Aloud 2017 in my 5th grade classroom.  We partnered with a school in calendar by partnering the students and having them set up Padlets to connect with each other.  It brought awareness to the plight of refugees as well as the challenges of accessing clean water in South Sudan.  As a read aloud on its own, it develops great discussions around the SDGs.

After reading the book, we explored more about Salva's project Water for South Sudan.  Students were truly inspired by the stories and information provided on the website.  Some of them are looking into promoting the Iron Giraffe Challenge at our school.  I will keep you posted on some of their ideas to promote awareness and fundraise.

We also did a home learning connected to our Maths unit - coordinate planes.  We looked at our water use over a week, just through showering.  This could definitely be adapted for different units and ages.  They could also record how much water they drink per day or total water use including shower, drink, washing dishes, cleaning, etc.  Just looking at showers sparked some good observations of their patterns of behaviour - many students realised that they could probably take less showers.