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Girl Child Project
Read and discuss autobiographical essays about the daily lives of girls from Georgia, Guyana, and Uganda.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Identify and describe activities of daily life for girls living in Georgia, Guyana, and Uganda.
- Compare and contrast their own culture with those of other children around the world.
- Describe their daily lives through a storytelling activity.
Materials
- Copies of or online access to Girl Child Project Personal Essays.
- Girl Child Project Activities [PDF]
Vocabulary
Behaviors: observable actions
Beliefs: ideas and viewpoints one perceives to be true
Community: a group of people who share common interests, beliefs, and/or cultural background
Culture: a system of beliefs, values, and assumptions transmitted from generation to generation about life that guide behavior and are shared by a group of people which includes customs, language, and material artifacts.
Traditions: beliefs or customs shared among generations.
Procedures
- Divide students into small groups.
- Assign one country and/or personal essay to each group.
- Provide students copies of personal essays.
- After groups are finished reading, ask learners to review and discuss the question below.
- Facilitator should assist in and encourage group discussions as needed.
- After learners have had time to discuss each question, encourage volunteers to share ideas and responses with the large group.
- Pass out copies of the Tell Your Story activity (page 7) to each group and give students time to brainstorm and answer questions about their own lives as a follow-up activity.
Discussion Questions
- Look on a map and find the country described in the personal essay you read. What are some other countries that surround it?
- Does the girl you read about go to school? What does she study?
- What does the girl do for fun?
- What food do the girl and her family eat?
- What are some of the chores the girl does regularly?
- What was your favorite part of this personal essay?
- When you read your story, where there any parts of the story that are similar to your life here in the US?
- What did you think of the story you read? What was unique? What was surprising to you?
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
Everyone has a culture. It shapes how we see the world, ourselves, and others.
The lives of girls and boys are unique around the world. While there are differences in the way people live around the world, there are many similarities that people share.
Standards
National Association for the Education of Young Children
2.B.05 Areas of Development: Social-Emotional Development- pro-social behavior
2.L.03 Cognitive Development: Social Studies- understanding of diversity
2.L.05 Cognitive Development: Social Studies- community
2.L.09 Cognitive Development: Social Studies- contribute to classroom and community
National Social Studies Standards
Thematic Strand I: Culture
Thematic Strand IV: Individual Development & Identity
National Geography Standards
Essential Element 1: The World in Spatial Terms
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy
Reading: Informational Text
- Key Ideas and Details: describe connections; group reading
Writing
- Research to Build and Present Knowledge: recall information from experiences
Speaking and Listening
- Comprehension and Collaboration: explain ideas and understanding; respond to specific questions
- Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas: describe familiar people places things and events
Language
- Knowledge of Language: choose words and phrases for effect
- Vocabulary Acquisition and Use: use words and phrases acquired through reading and being read to
This lesson plan was developed as part of the Girl Child Project. For the project, Peace Corps Volunteers around the world collected and shared stories of girls in their communities to celebrate their various paths toward opportunity and success.
Supporting resources
A personal essay about day-to-day life for Aber, a girl from Kitgum in North-central Uganda.
A personal essay about day-to-day life for Adiya, a girl from an urban mining town in Guyana.
A personal essay about day-to-day life for Akello, a girl from Pabo in northern Uganda.
A personal essay about day-to-day life for Nelly, a girl from Mbale in Eastern Uganda.
A personal essay about day-to-day life for Devi, a girl from the eastern coastal region of Guyana.
A personal essay about day-to-day life for Sohia, a girl from the Kakheti Region of Georgia.
A personal essay about day-to-day life for Tatia, a girl from the Racha region of Georgia.
A personal essay about day-to-day life for Lucine, a girl from the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of Georgia.
A personal essay about day-to-day life for Amwato Catherine, a girl from Soroti in Northeastern Uganda.
A personal essay about day-to-day life for Marlana, a girl from the Hinterland Savannah region of Guyana.
A personal essay about day-to-day life for Nato, a girl from Adjara in Southern Georgia.
A personal essay about day-to-day life for Mary, a girl from the Hinterland River Community in Guyana.
