25m x 25m
Rotation Activity 3: The staples … the importance of farming in the developing world For this rotation activity, you need the following: A container with 2 ½ kg of rice in to show how much rice is needed each day to feed a family of 6 in a poor area of Cambodia 13kg of rice to show how much rice seed is needed to plant a field of 25mx25m. 4 markers (or buckets) to mark out the rice field Handout Rice … Rice … Rice – one for each student Photos of rice being planted Photos of rice paddies Photos of rice paddies in time of drought and in good times Loaf of bread Laminated statements about helping and teaching people to reach their potential
Take the students to a large grassed area outside. Ask students what staples are when we are talking about food? Ask what the main staples in the world are? (Wheat, corn, beans, rice). Show a loaf of bread, and talk about how bread is our staple in Australia, coming from wheat. Explain that these are grown in poor countries where people live very simply, and the food is often the same for most days of the year. Rice Activity Ask students how rice is grown. Explain that rice seed is planted and little shoots grow. The small rice plants are hand planted in the fields – in water. Discuss with students the need for even the poorest of people have access to land so they can plant and feed their families. If they don’t have land access, then people spiral into deep poverty and live day by day – often with exceptionally little food. They also need to have the rice to plant. Using markers, step out a square 25m x 25m. Ask students how much rice they think would be required to plant the plot. In a bucket have 13kg of rice, showing the amount needed. Hand out the sheet Rice…Rice…Rice and go through the different plots and how much each produces. Make sure that students know that this is the amount of rice needed for ONE person to have enough rice to eat for the year.
25m x 25m
Then talk about enough rice for TWO, FOUR and SIX people. Discuss what rice paddies look like. Discuss that in poor communities, often the whole family has to look after the rice paddies. Often in poor countries, children are the ones that cook the rice each day, as the parents are busy in the field. Talk about ways ALWS helps to make sure they get a better crop: farmer field schools (teaching farmers to grow better crops) teaching about problems with only having a diet of rice, so need to plant some vegetables
developing and building rice banks (enabling families to save some of their rice in case the crop fails)
Poor farmers all over the world go through similar things – doesn’t matter what staple crop they are growing – beans, corn, wheat or rice, and ALWS work with many people in farming communities. Hold up signs and discuss the following two statements: ALWS helps teach people so they can help themselves. ALWS enables people to reach their potential. (Also local organisations, governments, international organisations and more) Closing thoughts: Ask students to reflect on the rice that they ate for morning tea. Ask if they have a deeper appreciation for the people who survive on rice each day, and for the farmers who work so hard to grow the rice. Remind students that staple foods are so essential for the poor people of the world to survive.
Take the students to a large grassed area outside. Ask students what staples are when we are talking about food? Ask what the main staples in the world are? (Wheat, corn, beans, rice). Show a loaf of bread, and talk about how bread is our staple in Australia, coming from wheat. Explain that these are grown in poor countries where people live very simply, and the food is often the same for most days of the year. Rice Activity Ask students how rice is grown. Explain that rice seed is planted and little shoots grow. The small rice plants are hand planted in the fields – in water. Discuss with students the need for even the poorest of people have access to land so they can plant and feed their families. If they don’t have land access, then people spiral into deep poverty and live day by day – often with exceptionally little food. They also need to have the rice to plant. Using markers, step out a square 25m x 25m. Ask students how much rice they think would be required to plant the plot. In a bucket have 13kg of rice, showing the amount needed. Hand out the sheet Rice…Rice…Rice and go through the different plots and how much each produces. Make sure that students know that this is the amount of rice needed for ONE person to have enough rice to eat for the year.
25m x 25m
Then talk about enough rice for TWO, FOUR and SIX people. Discuss what rice paddies look like. Discuss that in poor communities, often the whole family has to look after the rice paddies. Often in poor countries, children are the ones that cook the rice each day, as the parents are busy in the field. Talk about ways ALWS helps to make sure they get a better crop: farmer field schools (teaching farmers to grow better crops) teaching about problems with only having a diet of rice, so need to plant some vegetables
developing and building rice banks (enabling families to save some of their rice in case the crop fails)
Poor farmers all over the world go through similar things – doesn’t matter what staple crop they are growing – beans, corn, wheat or rice, and ALWS work with many people in farming communities. Hold up signs and discuss the following two statements: ALWS helps teach people so they can help themselves. ALWS enables people to reach their potential. (Also local organisations, governments, international organisations and more) Closing thoughts: Ask students to reflect on the rice that they ate for morning tea. Ask if they have a deeper appreciation for the people who survive on rice each day, and for the farmers who work so hard to grow the rice. Remind students that staple foods are so essential for the poor people of the world to survive.
