Helena Reid MINW Elementary Course 1 2012 2013

Geography Interdependencies Human Interdependencies

Human Interdependencies
Where Do We Get Our Food From ? Purpose For the child to understand that his/her various needs are satisfied by the cooperation of many people. For the child to examine production of a commodity, with focus upon the tasks undertaken by each individual involved. This is a key to later exploration. Materials Card Set A1 "Where Do We Get Our Food From? - Bread" Books which focus on the production and origins of the goods that we consume. Notes There are some great songs that highlight some of the concepts in this lesson: Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley Grow, and Bread, Where Does It Come From? Introducing these around the same time as the lessons makes the children very receptive to the songs, and they will often want to add their own verses as they explore material. Though the materials are very simple, the children find satisfaction in using their reasoning minds to make the chain of production apparent to themselves. The cards provide something to manipulate, something concrete to anchor the spoken language experience theyre engaged in. The cards also help the children to order the sequences that give rise to the products we discuss. The cards can serve as reminders as well, for the childrens independent work, or they can be models if the children want to make a set of interdependencies cards of their own for some product they choose. When you are doing this work emphasize the work of the human being not the technology.
This material provides the cornerstone of how we think of the human beings. These presentations appear deceptively simple. Don't let the lack of sophistication fool you. Their purpose is to illustrate the interdependency among people. These are materialized abstraction of a profound human truth. Bring those ideas to the child in a positive and developmental appropriate way. We have to start with the most positive and loving big picture. We get our needs met by all of us working together. The material provides ways to make some discoveries more apparent to them. Give the children something concrete to guide and focus conversations. Reinforce themes of gratitude particularly toward the unknown heroes who help us meet our needs.

Helena Reid MINW Elementary Course 1 2012 2013

Geography Interdependencies Human Interdependencies

Introductory Activities: Indirect preparation for this work is given in all the great stories, the themes of interdependency, gratitude, cosmic tasks. Specifically the story of communication in sign. Whose work made our lives today possible. There is also Indirect preparations in timelines of human beings. Making shelter... Instead of focusing on the people of the past they are focusing on the people of today. Where Do We Get Our Food From ? Presentation
Have a conversation. Get these ideas out in spoken language then use the materials for repetition. Child's name what did you have for breakfast this morning? or Does anyone want to tell me what they had for breakfast? Elicit responses until you get to someone who had bread products for breakfast or volunteer yourself. Where did my bread come from? I bought the bread at the grocery store. How did the bread get to the grocery store? Where did the bread come from? A bakery That's right and the bakery did they just make and grind the wheat themselves or did they make the bread from flour? from flour Right and where did they get the flour from? A flour store A miller. A miller is someone who grinds up wheat into flour. Did the miller make the wheat that he ground into flour or did he get it from someone? He got it from a farmer. Somebody had to grow that wheat. It takes many people and a lot of work to bring that bread to my kitchen table for toast. I have a material that will help us focus more on where we get our bread from. Arrange the cards ahead of time so that they are in order for the presentation. As you mention each profession lay out the cards in order from right to left. We talked about having toast for breakfast and where does our bread come from. I bought my bread at the store but the shopkeeper didn't make the bread. A baker made the bread but the baker did not grind that grain into flour. That was the work of the miller. Where did the miller get the grain? Somebody had that job. That person was the farmer.

Farmer

Miller

Baker

Shopkeeper

Helena Reid MINW Elementary Course 1 2012 2013

Geography Interdependencies Human Interdependencies

So far we have just 4 people. The farmer, miller, baker and the storekeeper. As you mention the transporters lay the cards out and stagger them between the existing cards: How did the miller get the grain from the farmer? Someone had to take it from the farmer to the miller. That person is called a transporter. How did the flour get from the miller to the baker. Someone had to take it from the miller to the baker. So we need another transporter. And the baker. How did he get the bread to the storekeeper? Does he leave the bread cooking in the oven and go out and make deliveries all by himself? No someone had to take the bread from the bakery and deliver it to the grocery store. So we have another transporter. Now we can move the grain all the way from farm to the store.
Transporter Transporter Transporter

Farmer

Miller

Baker

Shopkeeper

Do you think just one person did all of these jobs? Does the baker, mix the flour, water, salt and yeast together, knead the dough, bake it in the oven, take it out and sell it to each customer without any help? When we make bread what do we start with? dough So in a big bakery to make dough we need a dough maker. Dough goes into the oven so we need an oven tender. Bread comes out of the oven. Does it just go out the door like that without a bag or anything? No we have to have a packager.
Transporter Transporter Transporter

Farmer

Miller Baker

Shopkeeper

Dough Maker

Oven Tender

Packager

Helena Reid MINW Elementary Course 1 2012 2013

Geography Interdependencies Human Interdependencies

I am sure that the baker is not the only person who needs help. Who puts the gas in the trucks that transport the wheat, flower and bread? So we need a gas station attendant but we dont have a card for that. If the trucks need parts or repairs who does that? A mechanic does that and we dont have a card for that either. All of these people had to work in order for me to have toast this morning. Imagine what it would be like if we had to do all this work ourselves? Transfer: Now you know about the cards and you can take them out anytime you like. Another Day: Where do we get our clothing? "This one is about clothing"

Follow Up: Reading a nonfiction book such as From Tree to Paper. Books that focus on one particular commodity. Ladybird series. Going Out: Encourage the children to go out and observe work happening in society to to to to a a a a farm chocolatier coffee roaster bakery

The point of these exercises with the materials is that they serve as a way for the children to articulate the impressions they have recorded from all of these sources.

Helena Reid MINW Elementary Course 1 2012 2013

Geography Interdependencies Human Interdependencies

What Does the Farmer Produce? Purpose

To draw the child's attention to the primary production task performed by the farmer For the children to encounter the idea that people produce a variety of goods that we use to satisfy our needs.

Materials "What Does the Farmer Produce?" (Card Set B1) Farmer card from "Where Do We Get Our Food From? - Bread" (Card Set A1) Other Sets "Where Do We Get Our Food?" Presentation
I have some more cards to show you. Today let's look at what does the farmer produce. Take out farmer card from the Card Set A1 and place it in the center. As you name each type arrange in an orbit around the card you placed in the center Some farmers have orchards with trees and they grow fruit. Some farmers grow vegetables. Some farmers grow cotton, that's not even something we eat and it will be used to make fabric for clothing. Some farmers raise livestock for people who eat meat. Some farmers raise chickens and other types of poultry. Some farmers raise cows so we can have dairy products. Some farmers take care of sheep so that we can use the body covering of the sheep to make wool. Some farmers even grow silkworms that are used to make silk fabric.

Poultry Products Wheat

Dairy Products

Silk

Farmer

Wool

Cotton

Livestock

Fruit Vegetables

The farmer produces many different things that we need. Transfer:

Helena Reid MINW Elementary Course 1 2012 2013

Geography Interdependencies Human Interdependencies

You might want to use these cards to tell your own story or make your own cards.

Extension: Who Depends on the Farmer? Note This extension highlights the fact that the farmer is the 'primary producer'. Materials Wheat card from "What Does the Farmer Produce?" (Card Set B1) "Where Do We Get Our Food From? - Bread" (Card Set A1) Presentation
I have some more work with these cards for you. We already talked about all the different things that a farmer produces. Today we are going to talk about the people that depend on the wheat the farmer produces. Place the wheat card in the center and leave a space for the Farmer card. As each profession is mentioned arrange in an orbit leaving the middle space blank. What happens with the wheat? It gets milled. The miller needs the wheat that the farmer grows. What does the miller do with that wheat? He turns it into flour and sells it to the bakery. The baker needs the wheat that the farmer grows. Then what happens? The baker turns the flour into bread and sells it to the store. The storekeeper needs the wheat that the farmer grows. How does the storekeeper get the bread? A transporter delivers it and how does the wheat get from the farm to the miller and the flour from the miller to the bakery? More transporters. All the transporters also depend on the farmer growing the wheat. Plus all the people we mentioned before like the dough maker, the oven tender and the packager. They also depend on the wheat the farmer grows.

Baker

Miller

Shopkeeper

Dough Maker Transporter

Wheat Farmer Oven Tender Transporter Transporter

Packager

Helena Reid MINW Elementary Course 1 2012 2013

Geography Interdependencies Human Interdependencies

Add in the farmer card in the center of the orbit. Look at all the people whose work depends on the wheat that the farmer grows. Transfer: Do you want to try a different product such as wool or cotton and see who depends on the farmer that grows those things? You can make your own cards to help tell your story. Notes: Have Materials for Independent Research Additional language: the helpers at the mill and the farm. The mechanic that fixes the trucks and the gas station attendant that fills the trucks with gas. We dont have cards for them but they also depend on the wheat the farmer produces.

Helena Reid MINW Elementary Course 1 2012 2013

Geography Interdependencies Human Interdependencies

Whom Does the Farmer Need? Purpose For the child to become aware that each primary producer is dependent upon members of the community for the products and services that they can provide. To develop an awareness of the fact that we depend upon one

another. To develop an awareness of the operation of economic activities of everyday life. Materials Set of cards: "Whom Does the Farmer Need?" (Card Set C1) Presentation
We talked about all the people who depend on the farmer and the farmers ability to grow crops such as wheat. But today we are going to talk about whom does the farmer need. Arrange the farmer card in the center of the table. As you mention each person arrange them in an orbit around the farmer.

Grocer

Transporter

Mason

Carpenter Dressmaker

Farmer

Tool Maker

Baker

Butche r

Shoemaker

Does the farmer ever need to go to the store and buy something? Sure the farmer doesn't grow everything he needs. So the farmer needs the grocer. Does the farmer live in a house or a barn? Yes, he does. So he needs a carpenter. What if the farmer needs a new plow or a part for his plow? Where does he go? He goes to a tool maker. So the farmer needs a toolmaker. If the farmer has animals and wants to build a fence made out bricks to keep them from running away he needs a mason. Also if his house has a chimney he needs a mason to build it. So the farmer might need a mason. To do his or her work outside does the farmer need to wear special boots or shoes or do they work barefoot? The farmer needs a shoemaker.

Helena Reid MINW Elementary Course 1 2012 2013

Geography Interdependencies Human Interdependencies

What about clothing? Does the farmer wear clothing or do they work naked? The farmer needs a dressmaker. That just means a person who makes clothing, not just dresses. The farmer also needs a baker - he might buy bread or a birthday cake from a bakery if he doesn't make his own. The farmer needs a butcher to buy food for his family or if he owns livestock to sell it. So the farmer needs a butcher The farmer also needs transporters both to get things to the farm (like equipment and food for the animals or plants) and to get things out of the farm - such as crops and food products, like eggs. So the farmer needs a transporter. The farmer depends on all these other people to meet his needs. Transfer: What else can you think about the farmer might need? What about a veterinarian to help take care of his animals? A doctor?, etc. We just have these cards but if you want to add more about whom the farmer needs you can make your own cards. Extensions: Represent as needed: We have talked about all the people that the farmer needs. What about the baker? Whom does the baker need? Re-form the orbit. Pull a different card. Continue as time and interest allow. All of us depend on so many others to meet our needs.

Helena Reid MINW Elementary Course 1 2012 2013

Geography Interdependencies Human Interdependencies

The Flow of Goods Purpose

Introduction to the barter system of exchange. For the child to see in more detail how people depend upon one another. Increased awareness that goods are exchanged among people, and that the medium of exchange today is money.

Materials Set of cards: "Whom Does the Farmer Need?" (Card Set C1) Large paper, ruler Colored pencilsset aside green to stand for money. Presentation
Today we are going to do some more work with the Human Interdependency material. Lay a piece of paper on the table and arrange the farmer card as well as a selection of cards from the Whom Does the Farmer Need set around the edges of the paper.
Grocer Transporter

Shoemaker

Dressmaker

Tool Maker

Baker

Farmer

Do you remember when we talked about everyone the farmer needs? Today we are going to do something similar. Lets look at the shoemaker. What does the shoemaker make? Shoes. Does the grocer wear shoes do to do his work? Yes, he does. Lets draw an arrow from the shoemaker to the grocer. What about the transporter? Does he wear shoes to do his job? Yes, he does. Continue drawing an arrow from the shoe-maker to all the other professions on the array. Use one color.

Helena Reid MINW Elementary Course 1 2012 2013

Geography Interdependencies Human Interdependencies

Grocer

Transporter

Shoemaker

Dressmaker

Tool Maker

Baker

Farmer

Now lets look at who else needs whom. Lets look at the grocer. Does the shoemaker ever need to eat food and so he goes to the grocery store to buy food? Yes, he does. Lets draw an arrow from the grocer to the shoe-maker. Lets make all the arrows from the grocer a different color than the shoemakers arrows. What about the transporter. Does he ever buy groceries? Yes, he does. Lets draw another arrow. Etc Continue drawing arrows from starting person to each other person on the array. Different colored arrows for each starting person. Don't use the color green. Each producer to each consumer.

Grocer

Transporter

Shoemaker

Dressmaker

Tool Maker

Baker

Farmer

Wow look at how connected we all are by what we need.

Helena Reid MINW Elementary Course 1 2012 2013

Geography Interdependencies Human Interdependencies

Transfer: You can do this with the other cards or with cards you make yourself.

The Tax Bowl Purpose For the child to become aware that a community has certain needs. Further exploration of the place of money in an economy. For the child to see that the people can pool their resources in order to answer the general needs of the community. An entity can be set up to deliver such goods and services as roads, electricity, water, fuel, disposal, and waste recycling. Some goods and services may be deemed essential and therefore provided by the government directly, or provided subject to government regulation. Set of cards: "Whom Does the Farmer Need?" (Card Set C1) Paper Colored pencils Small bowl or a card depicting red bowl

Materials

Notes for the Adult Any personal feelings that the adult may have about taxation should be put aside for this presentation. The children will encounter a variety of opinions about taxation as they study the subject. They will begin to form their own opinions, and this often results in group discussion. Presentation
Let's put out some of our human interdependency cards out again. A long time ago when people needed something they would just bring something they had to exchange. So if you were a farmer who raised chickens and you wanted to buy something you would just bring eggs or chickens whenever you wanted to buy something. Nowadays people don't just go out and exchange whatever they need. It's not always easy to exchange things that way. People invented money as a way to make these exchanges easier. Lay a piece of paper and a selection of cards from the Whom Does the Farmer Need set around the edges of the paper.
Transporter

Grocer

Carpen ter Farmer

Dressmaker

Helena Reid MINW Elementary Course 1 2012 2013

Geography Interdependencies Human Interdependencies

Baker

The carpenter goes to the grocery store to get some groceries. When the grocer sells groceries to the carpenter that means the carpenter gives the grocer some money in exchange for the groceries. I am going to use this green pencil for money and this brown pencil for goods. Continue until you have 2 sets of arrows between every producer and consumer.

Grocer

Transporter

Carpen ter

Dressmaker

Baker

Farmer

Here we see the flow of goods and the exchange money for goods. Now all of these people the carpenter, the grocer, the transporter, the dressmaker, the farmer and the baker they have things that they all need to get their jobs done. Things like roads, reservoirs, libraries, policemen and firemen. Add the small pot to the middle of the array. They put a little bit of our money in a pot to pay for those things that everybody needs. The carpenter gives a little bit of money. The grocer gives a little bit of money. The transporter gives a little bit of money and so does everyone else. We call that money taxes. Everybody pays their taxes so we can all have those things we need. Transfer: Have a conversation with the child about the tax money. How do we make decisions about how to use this money. These decisions are made by government. This is an opportunity to start talking about the government. Here we are also emphasizing

Helena Reid MINW Elementary Course 1 2012 2013

Geography Interdependencies Human Interdependencies

the people whose job it is to decide what we are going to do with this money.

Materials:
Human Interdependency 3 Sets of Cards: Set A Set B Set C Packets within those sets. Set A1 Where do we get our food bread? Farmer Miller Baker Shopkeeper Transporter Transporter Transporter Dough maker Oven tender Package Set C1 Whom Does the Farmer Needs? Transporter Grocer Tool maker Carpenter Baker Farmer Shoemaker Butcher Mason Dressmaker Where do we get our clothing? Transporter Dress maker Transporter Set B1 What Does the Farmer Produce? Wheat Poultry Products Dairy Products Silk Livestock Wool Cotton Vegetables Fruit Where do we get our Meat? Stock Farmer Butcher Transporter Where do we get our food insert title? You can have multiple food sets.

Helena Reid MINW Elementary Course 1 2012 2013

Geography Interdependencies Human Interdependencies

Shopkeeper Textile Maker

Shopkeeper Transporter Slaughter Transporter