I am thrilled to announce the we are now officially affiliates of an *awesome* hands-on program that aims to teach kids about world cultures called “Little Passports.” Every month, we will receive a special package in the mail from 10 year old “Sam” and “Sofia” filled with fun souvenirs, letters, stickers, photos, activity sheets. A new country every month! In our first package, we got a passport, an activity sheet, a picture of Sam and Sofia discovering their magical scooter that will carry them on their adventures, a boarding pass with a code for on-line games, a nifty little suitcase (to store all of our materials) and a great world map:

If your family isn’t taking a vacation this summer, Little Passports can help your child “travel” and learn about different cultures around the world. For instance, did you know each year between June 21 and 24, different European countries (Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway and more) celebrate Midsummer’s Eve and Midsummer Day (the longest day of the year!)? Traditionally, people prepare their houses for Midsummer celebrations by decorating their homes with colorful flowers and wreaths.

We extended our learning about Midsummer Day by reading a wonderful book called “The Longest Day: Celebrating the Summer Solstice,” by Wendy Pfeffer. We learned about people in different cultures celebrating the Summer Solstice from ancient times (such as Mesopotamia, the Greeks, and the Medicine Mountain in Wyoming), through the Middle Ages in Lithuania, Bohemia, and Germanic tribes… and even touching on current celebrations in the Arctic Circle, Sweden, and Alaska.

Little Passports has fun facts for your children to learn all sorts of cultural information at their own pace. If you are interested in trying it out, you can sign up for a 1 month trial, 3 month subscription (perfect for summer) or a 1 year subscription. Let me know if you want to try it!

The post Introducing “Little Passports:” Learn about the World appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

June’s pick for our “Around the World in 12 Dishes” series is Spain!! In 1996 I spent a glorious semester studying abroad in Granada, Spain: we loved the winding streets and hidden plazas, the colorful festivals, hiking in the snow-covered Sierra Nevada, drinking tea and admiring the Islamic architecture, exploring the Albaicín and Sacromonte neighborhoods, witnessing the semana santa (Holy Week) processions, and of course studying our Spanish lessons in the courtyards of the incredible Alhambra (an ornate palace and fortress). We lived with host families, who really took care of us and helped us to acclimate to Spanish daily life- from bringing us on family trips to their homes in the countryside of olive groves and serrano ham, to conversing with us in Spanish, to introducing us to typical culinary delights.

One of my favorite dishes from Spain is a simple dish that kids love called “Tortilla de Patata.” Completely different than a corn-dough tortilla, this is more of an omelet with potatoes and onions, and lots of aromatic olive oil- from olives grown and pressed right outside the city of Granada!

Ingredients:

4-6 medium potatoes
1/2 onion cut into “moons”
garlic (optional)
6 large eggs (or more, or less depending on your pan!)
extra virgin olive oil

Recipe:

There are many ways to make tortilla de patata- imagine if someone asked 5 different people to make an omelet… you would get 5 different recipes. Here are two ways to make it, with only a slight variation. You can either cut the potatoes in half and then into “moon” slices, and cook them covered in olive oil until the are soft… or you can make mashed potatoes with a bit of olive oil and use them mashed. Be sure to season the potatoes because they really soak up the salt. For years I was making them with potato slices, and then recently my very good friend from Spain told me to try to mash them first– and now I’m hooked! The whole texture of the plate is different and I love it.

Either way, saute your onions (and if you’d like garlic- some are fervently against garlic, others wouldn’t eat it without it!) in olive oil and season them with salt, and then remove them from the heat. Beat the eggs in a large bowl to a smooth consistency, and then add the cooled down potatoes (or in a hurry just add them hot), salt, and onions.

Now heat up some olive oil in your nonstick skillet and when it’s hot, add the egg/potato mixture. Once the bottom side is set, place a plate over the top, flip the mixture onto the plate, add a bit more olive oil to the pan, and then slide it back into the skillet so the other side can cook. This is messy, and you will get raw egg everywhere the first couple of times:). The smaller the skillet, the easier this step is. See the video below for a visual of making tortilla de patata. I do it exactly like she does in the video and it turns out delicious!

Finally, enjoy your tortilla de patata! Cut it in wedges like a pie and serve for a light lunch/dinner, or on good crusty bread for a snack or appetizer. Let me know how it turns out!

This is the fourth post in the new season of “Around the World in 12 Dishes.” This year we have chosen the following countries:

March – Ireland
April – France
May – Finland
June – Spain
July – Kenya
August – Egypt
September – New Zealand
October – Korea
November – Thailand
December – Jamaica
January – Peru
February – Canada

We are inviting our readers to participate in our culinary adventure.

On our Facebook page and our Google+ community page we have a coloring placemant and a 4 page passport with lots of fun information for each country, plus questions, a spot for a photo of you and your dish, and space to put your own recipe! Each country will also have its own linky, where you can link up your own related posts- we would love to see your posts!

Participating blogs: Adventures In Mommydom, Creative Family Fun, Domestic Goddesque, Enchanted Homeschooling Mom, Glittering Muffins, Here Come The Girls, Juggling with Kids, Kid World Citizen, Kitchen Counter Chronicles, Little Artists, Mermaids’ Makings, Montessori Tidbits, Mummymummymum and The Educators’ Spin On It.

Visit the following links to see how other families are learning about Spain, and please share your adventures learning about Spain here:

The post A Look at Granada, Spain and a Taste of Tortilla de Patata appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

My daughter’s 2 favorite quotes from the Lorax are:

“I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues.”
― Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
― Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

This post is dedicated to all of our wonderfully green trees, the lungs of the Earth, the shelter to millions of creatures, and therefore what is keeping us and all living things alive…. Here are resources to learn about TREES:

Discover your National and State Trees

Check this list of national trees around the world to find your National Tree.

If you are in the United States, see this list to find your state tree. Learn to identify your national and state trees!

Activities about Trees for Kids

Make a neighborhood tree guide.

Visit your local arboretum.

Collect seed pods (and acorns, pinecones, etc) and make a sensory table.

Tie a ribbon on a tree bud, and observe it over the course of several days/weeks. Record your observations.

Make leaf rubbings or bark rubbings.

Plant a tree for Arbor Day! Arbor Day was first celebrated in Nebraska in 1872, founded by J. Sterling Morton. He wanted the state to set aside a day for his fellow citizens and school children to plant trees. Trees were needed as building materials, fuel, and windbreaks for the farms. Also for shade and beauty. Over one million trees were planted on that first arbor day. In 1885 if was made an official holiday in NE. Now it’s celebrated in all 50 states, plus countries around the world such as NZ, Australia, Canada, Brazil, China, Germany, India, Mexico, and England. Check www.arborday.org to learn more. Find out when Arbor Day is celebrated in your country and around the world.

Books about Trees for Kids

I’ve chosen our favorite books about trees for kids, and provided an affiliate amazon link for your convenience (listed in alphabetical order by author’s last name):

Someday a Tree by Eve Bunting is based on a touching true story of a tree that is beloved by a family. One day some poison is spilled near the tree, and the tree slowly begins to die. Despite the family’s and neighbors efforts to save the tree, the leaves turn brown and the trees dies. The inspiring ending teaches children to have hope, and that even little kids can make a positive difference in the world.

Arbor Day Square by Kathryn Galbraith. In this simple story, a small, new town on the prairie misses trees from back home in the east. The families work together to raise money, and bring trees to plant in their town. The settlers put down roots as the trees grow and provide shade for their town square. In the final pictures, mature trees shade a modern town. There is an interesting author’s note in the back of the book that discusses the first Arbor Day, when over 1 million trees were planted in a single day!

Tell Me, Tree: All About Trees for Kids
by Gail Gibbons. In true form, the amazing non-fiction children’s author Gail Gibbons again delivers an incredibly informative science book for kids. In “Tell Me, Trees,” kids learn about the parts of a tree and their functions, the growth of trees, different types of trees, photosynthesis, and how trees are useful to people, animals, and the environment.

The Big Tree, by Bruce Hiscock tells the life story of a sugar maple tree in northern New York State, beginning as a seed during the War for Independence. The book mixes fact and fiction while touching on photosynthesis, counting rings in the stumps to determine the age of trees nearby, the importance of roots and how the system of sap circulates, tapping the trees to make maple syrup, what happens as the buds swell, and turn to flowers and then seeds.

This is the Tree: A Story of the Baobab
by Miriam Moss. The illustrations in this book are phenomenally details, and my kids just poured over them when we were finished reading the story. The baobab tree (also called the “upside-down tree”) has always captured my attention because it is so unusual with its huge trunk used to store water and tiny greenery on top- I learned that they can live to 2000 year old! This book looks at the baobab tree in each season, and the illustrations show the relationship of the animals in the savannah to this important tree.

We Planted a Tree by Diane Muldrow, is a lyrical, poetic story about people around the world planting trees: from urban Brooklyn and Tokyo, to Kenya’s savannah, to the Mediterranean. The youngest kids will enjoy the simple, repetitive text and colorful illustrations, while discovering the common goal of protecting our environment.

A Log’s Life, by Wendy Pfeffer. First of all, the illustrations by Robin Brickman are incredible: they are made of watercolor paper that has been cut, painted, glued and sculpted to make the leaves, plants, and animals in the book- they look exactly like real leaves!!! We wouldn’t get over the intricate details- amazing. The book itself talks about how different types of animals use the tree in different ways, and at different stages of its life cycle. From the squirrels and birds who make nests in the living trunk, to the log ants and pillbugs that live in the decomposing log. This would be a great book to read when studying food chains; teachers can ask students to sort the living things in the book into consumers, producers, and decomposers. Check out this video someone made of the book.

Other “tree” related books I have shared previously are those about Kenyan Wangari Maathai, and the lovely book about tree hugging women in India who stopped deforestation near their village.

On-Line Activities about Trees

A talking acorn teaches kids about trees and the benefits we get from trees (University of Illinois-Champaign).

Tons of games and interactive activities from the BBC and Sesame Street

American Forest Foundation has loads of lessons and activities for families and classes to do with children to learn more about trees and forests!

The post Books, Activities about Trees for Kids appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Natalie Cooper, a Graphic Designer from London who has just published a wonderful children’s book about African musical instruments. Of African-Caribbean descent, Natalie is interested in African history and culture, particularly in that of the diaspora. Her educational children’s book “African Musical Instruments” is a wonderful addition to any home or library that aims to teach children about cultures around the world. The detailed, colorful drawings are perfectly paired with fascinating facts on over 20 unique instruments found throughout Africa. Kids love music, and learning about how distinct rhythms and sounds are made is one way to explore the arts and musical traditions of diverse cultures.

Hi Natalie! Please tell us about yourself, your family, and your heritage.

I am a graphic designer and illustrator from London, England of African-Caribbean descent. My mother’s side is from St Lucia, and my father’s, Jamaica with great-grandparents from Barbados and Cuba. My parents were born in London, UK as was I, and my four siblings. I am the eldest, we are four girls and one boy, we are a close family. Music is always playing in the house!

Click on picture for a larger view of a page from “African Musical Instruments”

I was at a black history event in 2010, the screening of ’500 Years Later’ where I met an Ethiopian gentleman, Samson Isaac, who was looking for a graphic designer to design some children’s books: an African musical instruments colouring book (he was from the music industry and was the manager of Fela Kuti at one stage) and an African patterns colouring book. It took some time to start as I knew nothing on the subject. This developed into my own project when I understood I wasn’t producing the book for him as such; he just felt there was a need for the books! I started by tracing some images of musicians playing and that didn’t work too well so decided to have the instrument on it own but realised quickly it would need some sort of description as well as an introduction to the topic as a whole. Really it was a logical trial and improvement process.

Do you play an instrument? What is your favorite instrument?

I don’t play any African instruments sadly, just guitar and bass, which I have played since I was 15/16 (about 8 years). My favourite African instrument is the Kora, second, Mbira. I love a good drum rhythm. I can’t pick a single favourite instrument, but there is nothing like a good ensemble where the sounds compliment each other. A very good singer always moves me.

How does listening to world music help kids to be more culturally-aware? How can teaching kids about music help them to understand other cultures?

Music is universal, and an aspect of every culture whether its use is purely entertainment or has a societal function, it can be used to tell stories, convey a message or feeling, critique and challenge. Teaching children about music of other cultures can give an insight into the ethos of a people, their myths, legends and stories, past kingdoms, great feats, etc which fosters understanding and can generally just inspire. Exposing children to different cultures is vital in creating worldly and cultured individuals. There are a limited number of types of instruments e.g. wind, percussion etc so people can always identify and make connections with instruments they have in their own culture. It is also interesting to learn about the origins and spread of familiar instruments to see more of what different cultures have in common. It’s world history and we are all citizens of the world.

Why is it important for children to be aware of world cultures? How will it help them in the future?

It is important for anyone but particularly children to be aware of world cultures as it widens ones horizons and a lot of us live in multinational societies. It also gives us a chance to look in our own cosmopolitan cultures and learn about musical traditions we take for granted such as the fact that rock and roll originated in African American blues, country, jazz and gospel music in the 1950s and laid the foundations for pop music today.

This book is also important for African-born and African diaspora children (African-Caribbeans, African-Americans and African Latinos) to help understand and learn about their own cultures and traditions, and to help form positive identity and self-image through knowledge of our rich ancient art forms and cultural tools. With a solid foundation and nurturing, children can achieve anything. In making this book, I have learnt a lot about the origins and cultural traditions behind the music I’ve always known and loved. This was very important to me as it filled in the gaps in my knowledge (and therefore identity) of the relationship between the Caribbean and Africa, which is vital to understand in an equally deeply musical culture. I have also challenged the idea that African cultures only have drums to offer in terms of music with a host of instruments of all kinds.

Here is more information about this incredible book:

African Musical Instruments is an educational children’s book written and illustrated by Natalie Cooper. It includes 21 full colour illustrations of instruments from mainly sub-Saharan Africa, with a little background on each. The book looks at when, where, and with whom it originated; when and how it is played; what the instrument is made of and its cultural significance; religious and spiritual usage; and its spread throughout the continent and indeed the world via enslaved Africans. Other titles include African Musical Instruments: Colouring Book and African Patterns Colouring Book.

If you are interested in learning more, check out AfricanMusicalInstrumentsBook.com, and connect with Natalie on facebook and twitter, where she shares tons of information and cultural notes about African musical instruments. She will be studying for a Masters degree in Migration and Diaspora Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and we look forward to seeing where her future endeavors take her!

The post “African Musical Instruments:” New Book + Author Interview appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

This article was written by Chelsea from Veritable Treasure, who is running a series of posts about introducing the country of Papua New Guinea to children in an effort to raise funds for a teacher training in Papua New Guinea she has organized for September 2013.  We will be randomly selecting two fundraiser participants to receive a copy of Beautiful Rainbow World a beautiful CD which you can find details about at the end of the post!  Be sure to donate before the deadline of 18 June!

I have to start this off by saying this post is not actually about a truly “typical preschool” in Papua New Guinea.  In Papua New Guinea, less than 20% of the population lives in urban areas, and as government school begins at age 7 very few children even attend preschool in the first place.  Preschool is private and therefore a luxury.

In this post I will share my experiences of teaching at one grassroots preschool in a suburb of Port Moresby, the largest city in the country, with children who live in the settlement.  It was started by my parents-in-law (expatriates from New Zealand and Samoa) who wanted to help the children who lived behind their house, who would otherwise have no access to education before beginning Grade 1.

The teachers themselves do not have much formal education (up to grade 6) but are passionate about giving the kids a better start to life.  They have volunteered to teach for a very minimal wage and have been given a basic training for teaching by studying a book called Ruhi Book 3: Teaching Children’s Classes.

There are over 50 children enrolled in this school with between one and three teachers attending every day from 8:30am to 12 noon.

Every day the children start school by reciting the national anthem, the national pledge, and a prayer.  Then they learn about a virtue, such as truthfulness or patience, and work on memorizing a quotation to help them remember the virtue.

After the morning assembly they may sing songs, learn the names of letters, animals, or foods, listen to oral stories, or play.  When I was in PNG we talked a lot about how children under age 7 cannot sit for an hour at a time listening to the teacher but need to have hands-on activities.

Resources are extremely scarce (prone to be stolen and expensive in the first place) so “art” happens once a week as a treat, and may include drawing with markers, cutting, and/or gluing.  It is very special.

Some chalkboards and chalk has been donated to the school, so these are often used for daily lessons.  When books are available, they are very precious and the children can’t wait to get their hands on them.

Around 10:30am the children take a break to eat and spend a few moments outside.  In Port Moresby fruit and other whole foods are very expensive, so mostly the children eat “biscuits” (cookies or crackers), or sometimes fried bread (kind of like doughnuts).  During my time serving as a teacher at the school several of the children offered me portions of their meal in gratitude for my presence.  This was one such offering, which was extremely generous as the children have very little to eat themselves.

After snack and another late morning session the children lay down for a nap.  They do not have anything to lie down on – they simply rest on the wooden floor which the teachers sweep every day to keep clean.

Below you can watch a video I put together to show the “daily routine” at the school.  Like I said at the beginning of the post, all schools are different.  However this is just one example of what preschool can be like in Papua New Guinea.

I hope you had fun learning a bit about preschool in Papua New Guinea!  To learn more about the fundraiser I am holding for a teacher’s training in PNG and to donate please visit this page.

If you give any amount to the fundraiser please make a comment on THIS POST simply informing us that you donated and your name will go into the drawing to receive one of the two copies of Beautiful Rainbow World, a lovely CD from Daria Music.  Any amount great or small is much appreciated!  You may like to consider reading this post and others from the PNG series with your child, and then deciding on an amount to give together.  It is the thought that counts, more than the amount.

Check out the other posts which will give you some more background about the Papua New Guinea including pictures of children, facts about the country, music, a craft, a recipe, and some words in Tok Pisin.

The post Papua New Guinea: A Day at Preschool appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

Though in the age of iPhones and GPSs we seem to be losing paper maps, I still love exploring maps, and believe kids need to learn map skills, and develop their geography awareness.  Because of this I have many activities on Kid World Citizen to help parents and teachers teach children about maps. Kids not only can learn to read them, but to recognize their components and build their own maps. I was recently asked for a list of vocabulary or concepts of maps kids should learn. Here are the geographic terms- and their definitions- that I think are important for kids to be able to identify. Thank you creative commons for the images I was able to adapt!

Absolute Location vs Relative Location:

Absolute Location: describes the exact position of a point, often using latitude and longitude

“Kenya’s latitude and longitude is 1° 00′ N and 38° 00′ E; that is 1° north of the equator, and 38° east of the prime meridian.”

Relative Location: finds the location of a place using other surrounding places, or by using cardinal directions

“Kenya is south of Ethiopia, north of Tanzania, east of Uganda, and west of Somalia and the Indian Ocean.”

Arctic Circle, Antarctic Circle:

Circles of latitude at 66°33 north (Arctic Circle) and 66°33 south (Antarctica Circle)

Axis

The imaginary line between the north and south poles, about which the Earth rotates

Cardinal Directions

The four cardinal points are north, south, east, and west

Compass Rose

A figure on maps to display the orientation of the cardinal directions

Coordinates

A set of values that show an exact position, for example how many degrees east of west of the prime meridian, and north or south of the equator; see the coordinates of famous world cities here or enter a worldwide destination or famous worldwide attraction here, and the tool will give you the latitude and longitude coordinates!

Equator

An imaginary line around the globe, equally dividing the earth into the northern and southern hemisphere

Globe

A spherical representation of the earth (learn how globes are made here)

Goode’s Interrupted Homolosine

A type of map projection (above image) that tries to display the world with accurate sizes and locations of the continents (think of a flattened orange peel!); known as “Goode’s”

Hemispheres

Half of the earth, either divided into northern and southern divided by the equator, or eastern and western divided by a meridian

Intermediate directions

The points that fall between the cardinal directions: Northeast (NE), southeast (SE), southwest (SW), and northwest (NW)

Latitude

The imaginary lines running parallel to the equator on the globe, showing the distance north or south of the equator; measured in degrees

Longitude

The imaginary lines running “up-down” on the globe, showing the distance east or west of the prime meridian; measured in degrees

Map Projections

The different systems of transforming the locations on a sphere into a flat surface (plane)

Mercator Projection

A map projection (above image) that shows longitude and latitude at right angles; distorts the size and shape of large objects

Meridian; Prime Meridian

An imaginary, longitude line running from the North Pole to the South Pole; the Prime Meridian runs through Greenwich, England.  The Prime Meridian is set at o° and divides the earth into the “Western Hemisphere” and the “Eastern Hemisphere”

North Pole/South Pole

North Pole: the northernmost point on the Earth, at 90° north; where the Earth’s axis would meet the surface. The South Pole is found in the Arctic Ocean, 4,261 m (13,980 ft) below shifting sea ice.

South Pole: the southernmost point on Earth, at 90° south; where the Earth’s axis would be the surface. The South Pole is found on Antarctica, a continental land mass.

Physical maps

The purpose of physical maps is to show geography of land types, bodies of water, and landforms such as deserts, mountains, and arctic regions; see above left image

Political maps

The purpose of political maps is to show territorial borders, major cities, and capitals; see above right image

Relief Map or “Raised Relief Map”

A two dimensional map using contour lines or colors to represent terrain and different altitudes; in a “raised” relief map, terrain is represented in 3D

Make your own 3D Salt Dough Map to learn about relief maps and geography (above right image)!

Tropic of Cancer; Tropic of Capricorn

Tropic of Cancer:  the circle of latitude on the Earth that marks the most northerly position at which the Sun may appear directly overhead, at the June solstice. Slightly changing every year, in 2013 it lies around 23° 26′  north of the Equator.

Tropic of Capricorn: is the circle of latitude on the Earth that marks the most southerly latitude at which the Sun can be directly overhead, at the December solstice. Also changing slightly every year, in 2013 it lies around 23° 26 south of the Equator.

Winkle Tripel

A map projection adopted by the National Geographic Society as its standard world projection; most agree that it provides a good balance between size and shape of areas, though Arctic regions are distorted

What map terms am I missing? Leave them in the comments and I will add them to the list!

The post The Language of Maps Kids Should Know appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

Many schools are celebrating an “International Week” as a way to highlight projects completed throughout the year, celebrate the cultural heritage of their students, and of course to learn about different perspectives from around the world. When I ask schools around the world what their students’ favorite activities were for International Week, the #1 answer always has to do with food.

Many people think of kids as picky eaters, who won’t try new foods- which is certainly true in some cases. But under the right conditions, and with the right prompting and preparation, an International Pot-luck during international week might be a way for kids to try different flavors, and learn a bit about cultural cuisines and traditions.

Plan the Details of the Feast

There are several ways to organize an international meal.  First decide who will participate. Will you contain the pot-luck within your class? Within the grade level? As a school? (that could be challenging for large schools, but I have heard of it working!). To raise money for an ESL scholarship, my school used to have all ESL participants make a dish for a pot-luck for the teachers, who then donated money to pay for their amazing meal. We also have asked the International Club parents to bring a dish to share for a teacher appreciation luncheon.

Set Ground Rules for the Kids

Use the global feast as a base to talk about politeness, and not hurting others’ feelings. I tell the students to imagine that someone took the time to prepare this intricate dish and share a bit of their culture with you- and then you stick out your tongue and say you don’t like it! This is a time to be appreciative and try something totally new that you normally wouldn’t be able to try at home.

1. Be polite and use your manners.
2. Take a small amount to taste.
3. No making faces or saying something tastes bad.
4. Show gratitude to the cooks!

Class Discussions

Talk about the ingredients of the food, when it is normally eaten (breakfast, lunch, or dinner), what time of year it is prepared (for a holiday, only in the summer), what utensils are used (if any), and what memories the children associate with the dish. Sometimes we’ll follow up with a youtube video of the preparation of the food, or have a map on hand to point out where the dishes are from. Kids may notice that some similar dishes come from nearby regions (for example the use of corn masa in Latin America or rice dishes from Asia). This is an opportunity to discuss crops and weather, seasonal foods vs imports, and why local diets include certain common ingredients.

Other considerations

When we have a long table filled with new foods, it helps to have place cards to identify the dishes and their ingredients. For example, the large dish in the bottom right of the above picture had a place card that said:

• “Chipaguazu” (name of the dish)
• “Paraguay” (country of origin)
• “Eggs, corn;  Vegetarian” (notes about the ingredients for allergies or dietary restrictions)
• “Milagros Cerpa” (name of the person who brought it in)

At our school, the 2 biggest dietary restrictions come from those who do not eat pork, and those who are vegetarian; thus we labelled our foods to accommodate our needs.

We also collected recipes from participants and made a recipe book for the teachers. In one school, we had the kids type up the recipes, assemble them, and then sold the recipe book to make money for our International Club. Have fun with it!

Does your school have an international week? What types of activities do you do? Have you ever had an international pot-luck? How did the students respond? Join us on facebook for more ideas!

The post Enjoy a Global Feast for International Week appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

Being married to a proud mexicano I am often asked what we do to celebrate 5 de mayo (May 5th, the commemoration of the Battle of Puebla, see more here). Honestly, my husband didn’t celebrate it en grande in his 24 years growing up in Mexico- mostly they learned the history of the war, La Guerra de los Pasteles, and once in a while would get a day off of school. But now living in the US (and especially in Texas) we are embracing May 5th as a day to celebrate Latino heritage. This year we made some beautiful amate paintings, watched folkloric dances, and participated in a fun “cinco de mayo” party by making sopes and other goodies. We told the kids this was a festive time for both Mexico and the US to celebrate Mexican culture, and an opportunity for some to learn more about it.

Here are some ideas for you to learn about Mexican culture with your kids, and celebrate el 5 de mayo:

Check out your local area or a nearby town to see if there are traditional dance performances. Ballet Folklórico ensembles often include several costumes and dances representing regions across Mexico, with lively music and swirling colorful skirts that keep kids enraptured.

Teach your kids about a traditional Mexican folkart called amate /ah-MAH-tay/. Normally painted on the bark of fig trees, these brightly colored scenes can be painted on brown paper bags (learn more about its history and follow instructions here).

Have the kids view google images of beautiful examples of Mexican amate paintings and then create their own whimsical scenes of birds, flowers, and nature (or in the case of my son above, a Chinese dragon:).

Visit a Mexican bakery (look up panadería or pastelería in your local area or a nearby city). Let your kids pick out different pan dulce and then try them at home with good hot chocolate. Cacao was originally prepared in Mexico in 1900 BC. Columbus brought cocoa beans to Spain in 1502 and the rest is history (thank you Aztecs and Mayans!).

Learn the history of the Mexican flag, and the meaning of the colors and central emblem.

Throw out the pre-formed, hard tacos shells and orange cheese and make some authentic Mexican food! Here are recipes for easy and scrumptious dishes:

• Chicken Tinga
• Cochinita Pibil
• Enchiladas Suizas
• Fruit and Veggie plate with Tajin
• Chia Lemonade

How do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo? Any great ideas that I’ve missed? Please share them in the comments!

The post Amate Mexican Folkart and Easy Ways to Celebrate 5 de Mayo appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

May’s destination for our “Around the World in 12 Dishes” series is Finland! Let’s learn about Finland: a Nordic country, which means “Northern Lands,” and bordered by Sweden, Norway (way in the north), Russia to the east, and the Baltic Sea to the south and west. Finns speak Finnish and learn Swedish in school, and Sami is spoken in the northern, Lapland regions. Finland is covered by majestic, green forests, and almost 200,000 icy blue lakes- a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and winter sport athletes!

Before having kids, my husband and I lived in London for a couple of years and were able to travel quite a bit- we spent a couple of weeks in Helsinki, Finland in December (including the shortest day of the year!). It didn’t matter if it was cold, or dark- Finns of all ages were outside walking around, visiting the Christmas markets, playing in the snow, and sitting at open air cafes. I didn’t own a winter coat at the time, but I put on layers, topped by a windbreaker and reveled in the festive atmosphere.

Smoke sauna in sauna building in Enonkoski, Finland (creative commons use)

Once back in our hotel, we would warm up in the sauna- did you know there are 2.2 million saunas in Finland (1 for every 2.5 people)? Saunas are an essential part of Finnish life. In fact, sauna is a Finnish word, and the Finns built their first saunas in the 5th century! We were told that some Finns liked to roll in the snow or dip in a frozen lake after being in the sauna- but we weren’t that brave to try it:).

Even more impressive and noteworthy, the Finnish educational system is consistently ranked as one of the best in the world. Its forward-thinking practices (such as no standardized testing in elementary school) differentiate it from other Western cultures, and inspire educators around the world.

Recently I became friends (virtual friends!) with Annika, a mom from Helsinki who runs the web site Be Bilingual. Her 11 year old daughter Emma recently sent us a package through the Worldwide Culture Swap, all about Finland! She told us about The Moomins (funny animated characters), Angry Birds, their favorite sport of hockey, and Santa’s village.

Lingonberries (creative commons use)

Here are some of the typical dishes found in Finland: artisan breads, especially made from rye, barley, oats and wheat; locally picked mushrooms and berries such as lingonberries (see picture above), wild strawberries, and blueberries; locally caught fish, such as salmon, or pickled herring; different sweet breads such as Karelian pies.

Annika shared with me the recipe for a Finnish Macaroni Casserole:  Suomen Makaronilaatikko. This simple, yet hearty macaroni dish reminds me of comfort food from the US, and I imagine a kid coming home from school, or playing outside in the snow, and then eating this for dinner. It’s been a little hot here where we are, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying this ground beef, macaroni, cheese, and custard casserole in our pajamas and at our picnic table:

This is the third post in the new season of “Around the World in 12 Dishes.” This year we have chosen the following countries:

March – Ireland
April – France
May – Finland
June – Spain
July – Kenya
August – Egypt
September – New Zealand
October – Korea
November – Thailand
December – Jamaica
January – Peru
February – Canada

We are inviting our readers to participate in our culinary adventure.

For each country, there’s coloring placemat and a four page passport with lots of fun information, questions, a spot for a photo of you and your dish and space to put your own recipe, so you and your children can really explore and it will be a nice keepsake! You can find the placemats and passports on our Facebook page and our Google+ community page. Each country will also have its own linky, where you can link up your own related posts- we would love to see your posts!

Participating blogs: Adventures In Mommydom, Creative Family Fun, Domestic Goddesque, Enchanted Homeschooling Mom, Glittering Muffins, Here Come The Girls, Juggling with Kids, Kid World Citizen, Kitchen Counter Chronicles, Little Artists, Mermaids’ Makings, Montessori Tidbits, Mummymummymum and The Educators’ Spin On It.

Visit the following links to see how other families are learning about Finland, and please share your adventures learning about Finland here:

(creative commons use)

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“Each year, approximately 350,000 people attempt to be smuggled through the U.S.-Mexican border…this is one boy’s journey.” SMUGGLED is a new film that tells the story of a 9 year old boy and his mother, as they are smuggled into the US in an attempt to immigrate to a better life. Though it is based on real stories, it is actually fictional/narrative film and received 5 festival awards and 15 official selections in 2012. Here is the official trailer:

Viewers will go on an emotional journey, as Miguel and his mother ride hidden in a compartment below a tour bus, and subsequently Miguel ends up in a police station.  The love between Miguel and his mom, and the challenges they are overcoming in order to make their journey to the US are both thought-provoking and heart-breaking. Though I allowed my 8 year olds to watch it, the intense scenes might be more appropriate for middle schoolers and high schoolers. Note that the film contains spoken Spanish (with subtitles) and English.

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think motivated Miguel and his mom to try to come to the United States?
2. Why would they choose the US as their destination?
3. What are the most difficult challenges Miguel and his mom faced during their journey?
4. Describe each of the characters in the film, using 5 adjectives per person.
5. How was their experience similar and different to immigrants who arrived by ship to Ellis Island?
6. What issues do you predict that will Miguel have to face in his new life in the US?
7. Write a series of 3 journal entries for Miguel, from his perspective. How would you feel during each of the following scenes? What fears would you have? How would you cope?

• from the inside of the bus
• from the police station
• from his final destination

Additional Resources and Lesson Plans

PBS Teachers has an excellent collection immigration lessons for kids such as tracking immigration, discussing what motivates people to immigrate, origins of immigrants, and many more appropriate for grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. They also have an excellent series called “The New American,” which include lesson plans for grades 7-12 that you can download in pdf.

Scholastic Teachers also has a series of immigration lessons for kids in grades 3-5, and Discovery Education has a similar immigration lesson plan with discussion questions, resources and a wonderful list of young adult literature for students in grades 6-8.

The post New Film “Smuggled” and Immigration Lessons for Kids appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

I’ve talked a lot about the benefits of teaching with multicultural literature:  it can transport us to another time and place, kids learn universal human emotions and feelings, quality multicultural books help to dispel negative stereotypes while teaching tolerance and respect, characters can encourage pride in kids’ cultural heritage, and in the case of the book I’m reviewing today- Bijoy and the Big River- multicultural books can teach us about kids around the world, especially when paired with extension activities.

Bijoy and the Big River, by Meera Siriam and Praba Ram is part of the Where I Live series, which showcases children living in different environments. Other books in the series include Postcards from Ura, Aiyappan and the Magic Horse, and My Friend, the Sea. The story follow a young boy home to where his father raises eri silkworms and his mother spins yarn. Bijoy lives in a village near the Burha Luid, which means Grand Old River. He enjoys swimming in the water, playing on the banks of the river with his friends, and watching the fishermen. Riding in a bamboo canoe, and then a large ferry, Bijoy gets to accompany his father to the weaving village, where yarn is transformed into silk.

Pre-Reading Activities

Before reading, ask your children to look at the cover and pictures in the book.

1. What does the title tell us?
2. What do you think the book will talk about?
3. What do you know about rivers? For example, what kind of animals live in the water? What could rivers be used for?
4. What do you know about silkworms? Do you know how they produce silk?

Now read the book. Think of any questions you have, or areas you would like to learn more about.

Post-Reading Activities

Think about the following questions, and see if you can answer them after reading Bijoy and the Big River.

1. In what ways is the Burha Luit- the big river- important to Bijoy’s family and his village?
2. Why is the silk made from eri silkworms known as “Peace Silk?”
3. What sort of transportation did Bijoy and his father use to travel to the weaving village?
4. What sights and wildlife did Bijoy observe on his trip down the river?
5. What sort of food did Bijoy enjoy in the book?
6. What was the author’s purpose in writing this book?

Extend your Learning

Here is a wonderful page about the life cycle of eri silkworms, with close-up photographs.

Bijoy visits the village of Sualkuchi, India, which is the largest village in Assam and also a “weaver’s paradise.” This video shows the process of collecting and processing the silk from the cocoons all the way to the silk weavings.

The following video is a short ad for a a women’s coop, but nicely describes how eri silk is known as “Peace Silk.”

What extension activities do you use when reading multicultural books with your kids?

The post Exploring Multicultural Books: “Bijoy and the Big River” appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

We recently participated in the Worldwide Culture Swap, where families (or schools) exchange cultural packages and learn about another culture. The letter and package was so thoughtful, I though I would share it with you here. Emma’s mom is the founder of Be Bilingual and has written a fabulous practical guide for multilingual families.

Opening our letter and packages from Finland!

Hello, my name is Emma and I’m 11 years old. I have only recently begun learning English at school so my mom is helping me write to you. I live in Vantaa, Finland, which is part of the greater Helsinki area. Helsinki is the capital of Finland and I go to school there. There is what Finland looks like, can you find Helsinki?

Yes, you’re right: it’s in the south, right by the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. As you can see, we have Sweden as our neighbor in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east. Finland is a bilingual country and everyone learns also Swedish at school even if most of us speak Finnish as our mother tongue.

Even though I live in Finland, I’m not only Finnish. My dad is French so that makes me and my little sister Sara, 6, French also. Mom says we’re not half and half, but both Finnish and French. This is why this package will be a bit French too. Here’s a map of Europe, there’s 2000km (1300 miles; it’s as much as from New York to New Orleans) between where we live and where my grandparents live.

At home we speak Finnish and French and my sister and I go to the bilingual Finnish-French school. We go visit our grandparents in France at least twice a year. This past summer we spent 7 weeks with them in Chalon-sur-Saône in the Burgundy region. The region is called Bourgogne in French and as it s happens, that’s also our family name!

I brought you something from France. Please open envelope number 1 and 2 and come back to read where they’re from.

1)   I made this for you with my grandmother, we collected lavender from her garden and made them into what the French call “Pot-pourri.” You can for instance put it in a drawer and it will nicely perfume your clothes.

2)   Special sugar from my grandparents’ region. Blackcurrent (Cassis) is a typical flavor there- I hope you like it!

Back to Finland.

3)  After the sugar from France, you will need to take care of your teeth! Finns have very healthy teeth (for the most part), and this is because of something called Xylitol, a natural sugar extracted from birch trees. Nearly all chewing gum in Finland has Xylitol in it, and children at school usually take Xylitol pastilles after lunch because of its dental benefits. So were sending you a box of these pastilles, which tastes good and are great for your teeth! These you can find in the bag with funny creatures on it. They are called the Moomins and they are characters from books by a famous Finn, Tove Jansson.

All Fins love them and there is even a Moomin theme park, which you can see here.

Go ahead and open more envelopes:

4)   Recognize these birdies? They’re the Angry Birds from Finland! Everyone seems to know them, but do you know why they are angry? It’s because the green pigs have stolen their eggs! I would be angry too! All Finland is crazy about the Angry Birds; there is an “Angry Birds Land”  and close to where we live also a playground with the same theme.

5)   Hockey! That’s the favorite sport in Finland. We’re pretty good at it too, even if we didn’t do too well this past year. The year before we were World Champions after beating our dear archrival Sweden! Here are a few stickers and tattoos, which say “Go Finland!” (The tattoos can be cut in smaller pieces before putting them on so that everyone gets a flag). As you can see, he Finnish flag has white and blue in it. We say the blue is the sky and the thousands of lakes, the white is the snow in the winter and the reflection of clouds in the lakes in the summer.

Next I would like to take you a bit further up north to Lapland. In the summer the sun stays up all day and night. We call it the midnight sun. In the winter however, it’s dark most of the time. Luckily it’s not so bad because of all the white snow- and sauna, another Finnish invention! But now it’s time to introduce you to another famous Finn. I’m sure you know him, but you probably thought, like many others, that he comes from the North Pole. Please open the next envelope (number 6) and I will explain to you how things really are:

6)  You guessed right, I was talking about Santa Claus! He actually comes from the Finnish Lapland, a place called “Korvatunturi,” which translates as “Ear Fell.” As you can see from the brochure and the book we made about his home, it’s possible to meet him and his elves at the Santa Claus Village by the Arctic Circle. Finnish children receive their Christmas gifts already on Christmas Eve, which of course makes sense as this is where Santa Claus and his reindeer take off.

There are other interesting things in Finland and we’ll let you discover some of them on your own. Hope you liked getting to know Finland! If you have any questions, please contact us!!!

Emma also sent us a CD-Rom with pictures and a short film about Finland, plus a CD with children’s songs in Finnish. She also included travel brochures about Finland and about their capital Helsinki, with a children’s map of Helsinki.  What an incredible Culture Swap package!!!!! Thank you so much Emma for sharing a bit of Finnish culture with us!

Would you like to swap a package with another family or classroom from a different country? Sign-up at Worldwide Culture Swap, and tell us what you would send to represent your country! If you do participate, snap a photo of your package before you send it and we’ll post on our facebook page.

The post Explore Finland: Our Worldwide Culture Swap Package appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

To learn more about our environment, start local! Can you identify any trees in your neighborhood? Can your children? In this exercise, kids will do a little research about local trees, and make an identification guide of the trees they find. You might be surprised how quickly kids can learn to identify trees by their leaves, seeds, bark, and overall shape!

To start off, check your local library for local field guides of trees that grow in your state (or area). Often times they have pictures and descriptions of trees and their leaves and seeds. You will use these books after your investigating.

Walking around your neighborhood, have the kids collect leaves and seeds from the trees. We did some bark rubbings, and taped a leaf on each page. Ask the kids:

• What is the shape of the tree?
• How does the texture of the bark feel?
• Does the tree have flowers, fruits, or nuts?
• Can you see any creatures using the trees for food or shelter?

Collect the pages and assemble them to make a specific tree guide for your own neighborhood. The field guides could include the name of each tree, a drawing, a bark rubbing, a leaf from the tree (or leaf rubbing), any information about the tree, and details of where in the neighborhood each kind of tree can be found. This can be adjusted depending on the child’s age and ability.

When you get back home, use your tree identification guides to identify the trees that you found on your hike.

Have the kids label their pages with the proper names, and create a cover for their tree guide. Next time you take a walk, bring your tree guide with you and try to identify the trees you see!

Make a neighborhood tree guide and teach your kids to identify common trees, native to their local community. Get outside and learn about your own environment! 

Additional Resources:

Check this list of national trees around the world to find your National Tree.

If you are in the United States, see this list to find your state tree.

The post Make a Neighborhood Tree Guide appeared first on Kid World Citizen.

I am thrilled to introduce Jenny Buccos, the Series Creator & Director of the multi-award winning ProjectExplorer.org educational series. She began her professional career with Credit Suisse First Boston managing global media projects in Hong Kong, Tokyo, and New York. In 2003, before the existence of YouTube, she founded the online video site ProjectExplorer.org as a means to educate students about global cultures and histories. To date, she has directed/produced more than 400 incredible short films for students.

In February 2013, Jenny was recognized as one of the National School Board Association’s 20 to Watch- “an emerging leader who will shape the world of EDTech for the next 20 years”. In July 2012, she was named a White House Champion of Change. She is a 2010 recipient of a National Award for Citizen Diplomacy; honored alongside Academy Award winner Robert Redford for her exemplary work as a citizen diplomat. Jenny has spoken at three TEDx conferences and regularly lectures on the importance of global competency in primary and secondary education. Check out the exceptional videos, and accompanying articles, lesson plans, and photos at ProjectExplorer.org. You can also follow Jenny around the world (and learn more about global education) on twitter: @goodglobalcitiz (personal) @projectexplorer (organization).

Q1) ProjectExplorer.org has created a phenomenal selection of online global travel videos and lesson plans. How did you come up with the idea?

The idea really grew out of two different things: one was my own experience working abroad, and the other was the desire to encourage global understanding, especially at a young age.

My own global education began when my work with an investment bank sent me abroad to Hong Kong and Japan in 2000. It was an eye opening experience that challenged my own beliefs and sparked my interest in learning more about diverse cultures and histories. The next year, I found myself back in New York, and in the months following 9/11, I noticed some fellow New Yorkers becoming increasingly fearful of the world outside of America’s borders. I began to think about how an early education in global issues and cultures could make a difference in this type of thinking.

It’s simply not feasible to take every student abroad. But, through the internet, I could bring the world to millions of children and give them a more globally focused education. In early 2003, I began to envision an online series, and after three years of research and fundraising the first ProjectExplorer.org series made it’s debut.

Q2. How do you think ProjectExplorer.org will give kids the 21st century skills they will need to be successful and understanding adults?

I believe that now, more than ever, global understanding is a critical skill that students must possess in order to succeed.

ProjectExplorer.org recently polled 223 students & young adults (ages 13 to 25) and found some impressive results on this topic. Of the group: 93% believe “jobs are becoming increasingly international in nature,” and 97% are “curious about world events.” [SOURCE: The Students’ Perspectives on Global Education Survey. This online research was conducted among a national sample of 223 individuals between the ages of 13 and 25, and took place from 14 January to 18 March 2013.]

It’s clear that students want to learn about the world around them and recognize the importance of a global education.

Our multimedia content addresses the need for global competency by providing students virtual passports. This is especially beneficial for those who are not financially able to travel. The programming on ProjectExplorer.org introduces students to new cultures, cuisines, religions and topics of global concern. Currently, we offer 422 short films, 1,764 images, written content, and dozens of cross-curricular lesson plans. All of our materials are offered at multiple grade levels, allowing us to reach students as young as 8 years old, all the way up to high school — and beyond.

Q3. How do you decide which countries to feature and which countries can we expect in the future?

ProjectExplorer.org‘s destinations are largely based on crowd-sourcing. We routinely poll students and educators to understand which topics or regions of the world they would like to learn about most.

For our 2013 series — ProjectExplorer.org‘s 10th anniversary year — we are taking on a 10-country world tour. “The Rise and Fall of the British Empire” will be filmed across 5 continents. Think history class meets the “Amazing Race!”

Q4) What have been your favorite places to visit?

London and Johannesburg! London was on of my first international travel experiences and remains a favorite destination for personal travel. In fact, I’m heading there in a few weeks time. From a professional point of view Johannesburg tops my list. I had amazing collaborators for the ProjectExplorer.org series including Apartheid Museum Founder Dr. John Kani and Noble Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu. I have been back six times since production in 2007 and consider several of the people I met there my “family.”

Thank you so much Jenny for this interview, and for your hardwork at making global education accessible for students. I wholeheartedly agree with your objectives and mission to bring global and cultural awareness to children,and truly admire your work. Appeal: ProjectExplorer.org is a free site and a nonprofit venture, please consider an online donation to support their mission of raising global citizens through virtual travel.

All images © ProjectExplorer.org

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As Earth Day approaches, our attention is focused on tangible ways to help protect our environment. One easy and virtually free way for kids to go green is to start a backyard compost bin. Composting is a natural way for organic (previously living) materials to break down, into a nutrient-rich soil that we can use in our garden. Did you know that in the US we make about 4.43 pounds of waste per person each day? (see epa.gov) That is 250 million TONS of trash per day! We make too much garbage and 13.4% of the waste produced in the US in 2010 was yard trimmings, 13.9% was food scraps. We could be composting this waste, recycling it, and returning it to the ground!

Here are reasons why it’s important to compost, instructions on how to do so with kitchen scraps, and resources (books, clips, and games!) to learn about composting at home.

Reasons to Compost

1). Easy (just throw in your scraps!)

2). Free (after you get the bin, it’s free!)

3). Excellent, organic, chemical-free fertilizer for your garden!

4). Tangible lessons for kids! (environmental and biological science)

5). Less waste! (and less organic material in landfills= less methane gas emissions)

6). Improves soil quality! Soil enriched with compost uses less water, contains more nutrients and good microbes, loosens clay soils, and conserves topsoil.

How to Compost

Choose a spot in your yard that isn’t in the sun the entire day (so it doesn’t dry out). Composting requires a receptacle (or pile) in your yard that you can access daily to drop in your scraps. You can use wooden enclosure, a wire/metal enclosure, a round tumbler bin that you have to spin, or a garbage can-looking bin with vents (click on the types of bin to see pictures in amazon affiliate links).

I usually keep a bowl on my counter to throw scraps in while I’m cooking, and then have my kids go dump them in our compost bin. You should have a mixture of “green stuff” and “brown stuff;” this is the food for the bacteria that will be breaking it down. our compost should also have air ventilation and moisture (I’ve never added water, but in case of a very dry climate you may splash some water on it).

Green: (high in nitrogen) grass cuttings, fruit and vegetables scraps, coffee grounds and tea bags, vegetable plant remains, plants or cuttings from plants. If you have a pet chicken, rabbit or bird, you can add their manure!

Brown: (high in carbon, acts as “fiber”) dead leaves (that you rake), dead plants, dead weeds, cardboard, paper towels (without cleaning chemicals! I put them down when I peel potatoes/carrots), old flowers, natural bedding from small pets, egg shells, hair (from people or pets!).

AVOID: cooked/baked grains (as in bread, pasta, etc); meat/fish or bones; plastic; oil or fat; pet or human feces; weeds that have gone to seed (or else the seeds will sprout with the compost!); glossy paper; coal; and cat litter.

TIP: If you’d like to keep away the flies (though they are doing a job in the compost:) you can always maintain a top layer of brown leaves, and move them to the side when adding your scraps. We do not do this because my kids are in charge, and they prefer to just throw everything on top:).

You will know that the compost is ready by checking the bottom of your bin. We take out about 14 inches of rich, black dirt from the bottom hatch and spread it into our garden every spring!

Resources to Learn about Composting at Home

Books:

Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth, by Mary McKenna Siddals is an excellent book with gorgeous collages. In rhymes, an ingredient for every letter of the alphabet is included in the “recipe” for compost stew. Environmental chefs will learn what to compost so that “Mother Earth will/ have a treat,/ dark and crumbly,/ rich and sweet...”

Compost! Growing Gardens from Your Garbage, by Linda Glaser, is another sweet book that describes how to compost for young kids. I love the simple explanations, and illustrations of a family composting, and then even the kids harvesting their compost for their garden.

Video Clips

Sid the Science Kid learns about his mushy banana:

Very cool! “Creatures of the Compost” video for kids:

A great little video featuring kids, explaining how to compost:

On-Line Games

Can you keep a microbe happy? Feed him, give him water and air, and see if you can help him turn the ingredients into compost humus for your garden.

Compost Crunch! Help the worm find scraps of food and make compost!

Composting Game: Sort the items by dragging them to either the recycling bin or the compost bin.

Get Wallace the Worm to eat the right scraps and avoid the bad ones so that he can make you juicy compost.

Lesson Plans

Mini-compost project in class

Vermicomposting sheet: color a worm!

Compost Ecosystem

Composting with the FBI (fungus, bacteria, and invertebrates)

Compost Science Investigation (CSI) Book

The post {Kids!} How to Compost Kitchen Scraps appeared first on Kid World Citizen.