Crafts:
Online and Computer Based Activities:
- Africa at Pete's PowerPoint
- PBS Kids - Africa (great site)
- Time for Kids - South Africa
- Clean Water, Clear Choice
Science
- have children add green glitter to cups of water to represent germs (review germs from the news-2-you flu unit) and offer them a variety of materials to use to attempt to filter out the germs such as a coffee filter, burlap, and cheesecloth. Compare the results of filtered to unfiltered water. Possible embedded concepts - clean vs. dirty, conservation of liquids, more and less, sanitation in relation to hygiene and clean water
- collect a variety of actual pumps such as hand soap pumps, the pump off of a large container of laundry detergent, bicycle pump or the pump part of a water gun (you may need to break it apart) have students predict what will happen if they activate the pump and then compare to what actually happens. Possible embedded concepts - up and down, press, stop and go
Sensory
- after you make drums you can dance and play to South African music
- fill a sensory tub with water and various pumps (see science) and allow students to explore. Possible embedded concepts - wet vs. dry, hot vs. cold, up vs. down
- if your school has one go to the playground and use the merry-go-round if not try spinning on other toys/physical therapy items (sit and spin, stand pivot disc)
- try out African dancing (see videos above for ideas)
