Third grade students at Riverbend in Wanda Brubaker’s class have been involved in a research project focusing on Africa.  The project has integrated reading, writing, language arts, social studies, and science.  Mrs. Brubaker’s students have been exploring economic and social roles of African people and comparing those roles to those of people in their own communities.  Two North Carolina social studies curriculum goals state that third grade students will “explain the relationship between people and geography in real life situations”, and also “to analyze the multiple roles that individuals perform in communities.” 

Mrs. Brubaker provided a very tangible way for the students to meet these goals when she hosted guest speaker, Erika Lovingood, to speak to the children.  Ms. Lovingood spent ten days in Kenya, Africa, on a missionary trip.  The main purpose of the mission trip was to begin work on a water purification system that would provide local clean water for the residents of the small community of Kisumu (about 3,000 people).  Ms. Lovingood talked to the students about the hardships, dangers and ill effects of the lack of clean water.  She also shared other information and artifacts from her trip which helped deepen students’ understanding of African people and their culture.  Students looked at African hats, baskets, shoes, and money.  Mrs. Brubaker’s class will be collecting pennies this school year to sponsor needy children in Africa.

Photos Courtesy of Riverbend Elementary School

Tags: Riverbend Elementary