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Story Tent

Growing Up Global: Early Years Global Education Handbook

Elementary

Description

Story Tent is part of a larger compilation entitled Growing Up Global: Early Years Global Education Handbook. This resource book and supporting CD demonstrates how global education can be introduced to students at a very young age (five and under) through the use of fun activities such as songs, games, poems and recipes. The resource contains background information, suggested activities, such as songs and games, stories, book lists, useful website links, ideas for extension learning and a resource CD with pictures, colour photos and reproducible sheets.

Story Tent has students create and use a story tent which is an intimate space for students to share stories and add excitement to other activities. The resource provides teachers with instructions to make a tent and how to decorate and personalize it.

Caribbean Bananas - With the help of adults, students decorate a side panel of the story tent using bananas and leaves made out of felt to raise awareness of Fair trade.

Ghanaian Weaving- Students decorate a tent panel inspired by weaving and symbols from Ghana.

Chinese Tangrams- Students decorate a story tent using Chinese tangrams, they create their own design.

Indian Puppets- Students decorate a panel of the story tent inspired by designs from India. They create glove puppets which are sewn to the inside of the tent, they trace their hand or foot and decorate it with designs inspired by Mehndi paintings.

Global Garden - Students participate in a treasure hunt, looking for plants and garden creatures made out of scrap materials.They find the hidden treasures and use them to decorate a story tent with a garden theme.

South African Chicken - Students decorate a story tent with a design inspired by South African toys made from recycled materials. The panel is decorated with a chicken which is a popular theme in South Africa.

One of the key messages of this resource is that sometimes people have to live in tents if their home is damaged; other people choose to.

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

  • To develop childrens' awareness of the wider world through cultural similarities and differences.
  • To appreciate the different cultures.

Strengths

  • The activities are very age-appropriate for students five and under.
  • The resource is available to download immediately.
  • Well organized, easy to use and supplies all necessary materials.
  • Excellent background information, list of website links and extensive book list.
  • Each lesson plan includes learning objectives, goals, materials needed and detailed teaching instructions.

Weaknesses

  • The activities suggested do not always attain their learning objectives.
  • No opportunities for students to share what they have learned with their parents or peers.
  • No assessment methods/rubrics provided
  • The resource lacks a significant action component.
  • No outdoor activities suggested.
  • No case studies to reflect the issue of homeless people.

    • Relevant Curriculum Units

    The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.

    • Step 1Select a province
    • Alberta
      • Step 2Select a grade level
      • Grade 1
        • Step 3Select a subject
        • Social Studies
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Active citizenship contributes to the vitality of communities that can promote pluralism among diverse people in a democratic society
      • Grade 2
        • Step 3Select a subject
        • Social Studies
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Exploring connections strengthens our understandings of relationships to help us make meaning of the world.
    • Manitoba
      • Step 2Select a grade level
      • Kindergarten
        • Step 3Select a subject
        • Arts
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Visual Arts
      • Grade 1
        • Step 3Select a subject
        • Arts
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Visual Arts
        • Social Studies
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          • Connecting with Others
      • Grade 2
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        • Arts
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Visual Arts
      • Grade 3
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        • Arts
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          • Visual Arts
      • Grade 4
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        • Arts
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Visual Arts
    • New Brunswick
      • Step 2Select a grade level
      • Kindergarten
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        • Social Studies
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • You and Your World:Place and Community
        • Visual Art
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Visual Arts: Create
      • Grade 1
        • Step 3Select a subject
        • Social Studies
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • You and Your World: Community
          • You and Your World:Groups
        • Visual Art
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Visual Arts: Create
      • Grade 2
        • Step 3Select a subject
        • Visual Art
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Visual Arts: Create
    • Newfoundland & Labrador
    • Northwest Territories
      • Step 2Select a grade level
      • Grade 1
        • Step 3Select a subject
        • Arts
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Arts Education 1: Visual Art
    • Nunavut
      • Step 2Select a grade level
      • Kindergarten
        • Step 3Select a subject
        • Arts
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Arts: Exploring Our World
        • Social Studies
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Being Together: Citizenship
          • Being Together: Culture & Community
          • Being Together: Global Connections
      • Grade 1
        • Step 3Select a subject
        • Social Studies
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Connecting and Belonging: Global Connections
    • Ontario
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      • Grade 1
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        • Social Studies
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          • People and Environments: The Local Community
    • Prince Edward Island
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      • Grade 1
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        • Social Studies
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Interactions: Groups
    • Quebec
      • Step 2Select a grade level
      • Grade 1
        • Step 3Select a subject
        • Arts
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Arts: Visual Arts:To appreciate works of art, media images, personal productions and those of classmates
        • Social Studies
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • To construct his/her representation of space, time and society
    • Saskatchewan
      • Step 2Select a grade level
      • Kindergarten
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        • Arts
          • Step 4Relevant matches
          • Arts: Exploring Our World

    Themes Addressed

    • Human Rights (1)

      • Cultural Diversity

    Sustainability Education Principles

    Principle Rating Explanation
    Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Satisfactory
    • The decorating of the story tent panels develops students' awareness of the different cultures in the world.
    Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
    • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
    • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
    • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
    Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Poor/Not considered
    • Not considered in this resource.
    Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

    Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

    • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
    • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
    • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
    Respects Complexity Poor/Not considered
    • Not considered in this resource.
    Respects Complexity:

    The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

    Acting on Learning Poor/Not considered
    • No suggestions of action experiences in which students can work to make positive change in their communities.
    Acting on Learning:

    Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

    • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
    • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
    • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
    Values Education Poor/Not considered

    Students are not given an opportunity to clarify their own values. 

    Values Education:

    Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

    Empathy & Respect for Humans Good
    • The decorating of the tent panels helps develop the students awareness of the different cultures in the world.
    Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
    Personal Affinity with Earth Poor/Not considered
    • No outdoor activities are suggested.
    Personal Affinity with Earth:

    Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

    • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
    • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
    • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
    Locally-Focused Learning Satisfactory
    • The tasks in the resource encourage children to undertake activities cooperatively.
    • Some of the activities use recycled materials in their decorations which helps foster a sense of responsibility for the environment.
    Locally-Focused Learning:

    Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

    • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
    • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
    • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
    Past, Present & Future Poor/Not considered
    Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

    Pedagogical Approaches

    Principle Rating Explanation
    Open-Ended Instruction Satisfactory
    • The decorating of the tent panels is very teacher directed. Some panels are decorated following explicit instructions while others allow the students to be a little creative.
    Open-Ended Instruction :

    Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

    Integrated Learning Good
    • Social Studies
    • Art
    • Math
    • Music
    Integrated Learning:

    Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

    • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
    • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
    • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
    Inquiry Learning Poor/Not considered
    Inquiry Learning:

    Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

    • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
    • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
    • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

     

    Differentiated Instruction Poor/Not considered
    Differentiated Instruction:

    Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

    • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
    • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
    • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
    Experiential Learning Satisfactory
    Experiential Learning:

    Authentic learning experiences are provided

    • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
    • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
    • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
    Cooperative Learning Satisfactory
    • Students work in groups to decorate the different panels of the story tent.
    Cooperative Learning:

    Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

    • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
    • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
    • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
    Assessment & Evaluation Poor/Not considered
    • No assessment methods/rubrics are provided
    Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
    Peer Teaching Poor/Not considered
    Peer Teaching:

    Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

    • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
    • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
    Case Studies Poor/Not considered
    Case Studies:

    Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

    Locus of Control Poor/Not considered
    Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.