[ ALL TOGETHER NOW ]
Aperte o PLAY +
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Here you will find: ► Illustrations ► Story (text, audio, video) ► Lesson plan
ANTÔNIO WAS WALKING TO SCHOOL Antônio was walking to school when he noticed that the square across the street had disappeared overnight. The playground equipment was gone, and there was a hoarding around the space, preventing anyone from getting in. Some workers carrying tools were talking near the site, so Antônio went up to them and asked:
— What’s going on?
— Where’s our square?
— What are you guys going to do with the trees?
Antônio was so nervous that he couldn’t even think properly.
— We’re going to cut all the trees down, boys. Haven’t you seen the poster there?
On the wall was a huge sign saying “Coming soon: apartment buildings with full leisure center”. The boy got scared. He ran to school as he needed to tell his friends what was going on. After all, the square was everyone’s meeting point after classes!
Panting, Antônio couldn’t even say ‘good morning’:
— GUYS! OUR DEAR LITTLE SQUARE IS ABOUT TO DISAPPEAR!
Immediately , everyone looked at their friend in shock. Those who were still sleepy suddenly turned wide awake. And boys and girls alike started talking at the same time.
— How come? The square belongs to the children! They can’t take this away from us!
Well … the news really upset the children.
The school bell rang and everyone went into the classroom feeling discouraged. What could they do to change the situation? Teacher Janaína was at the door welcoming her students when she noticed that they were not as excited as they used to be.
— Good morning, class!
No-one answered. She didn’t have a clue about what was happening and repeated more enthusiastically:
— Hello, first-graders! Good morning!
What she heard was a very plain, even dull, “good morning”. Janaína invited the group to sit in a circle and talk. She wanted to know what had happened. Antônio took the lead and explained the situation. He ended his report with a sentence that broke the teacher’s heart:
— Adults never listen to children! If they had heard us, they would know that we want our playground back! They can’t take it away from us just like that.
At that moment, his voice faltered. It was a mix of indignation and sadness.
Their teacher listened attentively and then asked:
— Do you want your little square back?
They all shouted ‘yes’. Janaina went on:
— Then you need to unite. Only by doing this will you be able to promote change!
The students looked at one another, looking impressed. Would they be able to get organized?
The teacher stood up and picked up two books from the bookcase: “The story of Rosa Parks” and “The Story of Antônio Carlos dos Santos - Grandpa”. She read both stories to them.
— Miss, I can’t believe that Rosa was arrested because she refused to give her seat on the bus to a white man! Lelê commented indignantly. It’s outrageous!
— Yes, dear. And things only changed because people like Rosa took a stance on the issue and decided to fight.
— This event happened in the USA, mas Vovô do Ilê is Brazilian and he also had to fight racism.
Janaína smiled at her students and asked:
— So, what are you going to do?
Antonio came up with an idea:
— Let’s organize a demonstration and ‘hug’ our square. Let’s call people’s attention on the Internet. We’ve got people who are pro videomakers. Luiza is a talented designer, so she could make the posters. João is great at the school journal and he could come up with something. Letícia’s uncle is a journalist, so he could give our movement some coverage!
They all got up to start working on their ideas to call people’s attention to the importance of squares and playgrounds for children.
“THE SQUARE BELONGS TO THE CHILDREN!”
“MORE SQUARES, FEWER BUILDINGS!”
“WE WANT TO PLAY!”
“MORE GREEN AREAS, LESS CONCRETE!”
They made such a fuss that they succeeded in attracting the mayor’s attention. The video went viral, and people from everywhere started supporting the children’s movement.
— We are CCC! Creative Children Collective! And we can change the world! Antônio smiled.
Hey you, reading this story… would you like to help us in this campaign? We need children who dream of repurposing what is no longer useful! Shall we walk TOGETHER?
[ LESSON PLAN AND RESOURCES ]
[ LESSON PLAN AND RESOURCES ]
PEDAGOGICAL AIM
PEDAGOGICAL AIM
TO TAKE CARE OF THE COMMUNITY
To develop projects that value the black individuals around me.
Socioemotional skills
I cultivate communities that support each other so that black individuals feel welcomed, heard, and valued because:
I question the imposed reality.
I engage in activist discussions, valuing the black people around me.
I treat other children and adults with respect independently.
I recognize situational demands and opportunities and work collectively to find solutions that benefit the community.
I envision futures free from prejudice and racism.
I address conflicts respectfully.
Maker Skills
Developing knowledge and skills regarding specific processes and practices, such as using stencils, dyeing, or creating useful objects using the learned techniques.
Being proactive and using unconventional methods to enhance my relationship with others and with the world.
The environment
The school as a space for cultivating communities that support each other so that black individuals feel welcomed, heard, and valued.
1) ACTIVATE TO ENGAGE:
Take the children to a spacious area. Distribute some fabrics, cloth strips, or ribbons and tell them that they will listen to some music from the Ilê Ayê group and can dance and move freely with the materials.
Which material moves faster?
Let your ears wander and absorb as much as possible. When the music stops... Statue! Everyone needs to freeze in position. Who can hold their position the longest? Play with the children, encouraging them to experiment with moving while holding various materials.
After playing for a while, sit down and, together with the children, orally list 10 words or phrases related to any aspect they heard. Play the music again and be the scribe as the class tries to add another 10 words or phrases to the list. Listen again and add more words. What have we learned from the lyrics of the songs?
>> Before the story::
Tell the group that they are going to hear a story called "All Together!" Present the illustrations available on the Aperte o PLAY website.
Explore the title and illustrations with the class:
What do you see, what do you imagine, what do you wonder?
What makes you curious?
LET’S SIT DOWN BECAUSE HERE COMES A STORY!
Time for Apertar o PLAY! The teacher may choose between telling the class the story or presenting the audiobook with the dubbed version of the story. These are different challenges to the readers: listening to the audiobook without the images, or holding a story-telling session performed by the teacher with illustrations. There is a third option: press play for the story, either in English or in Portuguese, and at the same time present its scenes. Choose the option that will suit your class best!
>> After the story:
Make students reflect by asking them some questions
How did the children feel at the beginning of the story?
And in the middle? And at the end?
How about Teacher Janaina?
Play the story again if necessary.
HOT TIP
Are you familiar with the story of the strategic intelligence of Ilê Ayê? This Brazilian Afro block was founded on November 1, 1974, and is considered one of the oldest and most traditional Afro blocks in the Carnival of Salvador, Brazil. In the space "granted" by the imposed reality, Ilê grew and won various awards. The name "Ilê Aiyê" means "House of Life" in the Yoruba language, and the block's main objective is to value Afro-Brazilian culture, combat racism, and promote social inclusion.
Press PLAY on Ilê’s playlist here:
2) PLAY TO CREATE:
2) PLAY TO CREATE:
The class receives an invitation to help the CCC - Creative Children Collective!
Hello, Kids!!
We are CCC [Creative Children Collective]! And we can change the world!
Hey, you reading this story... would you like to help us in a campaign?
We need dreamy children to transform things around us and bring the culture of Ilê, with all its colors and stories, to the school. Shall we play TOGETHER to create?
We know that such a mission could only be given to curious children, and we are confident that we can count on your help! Let's stay united in our collective!
Signed, CCC
We have a mission directly from the CCC. They are always deeply involved in wonderful projects and need the help of amazing children. Our mission is to create fabrics using the symbols of Ilê Ayê o make welcoming environments full of color, black culture, music, and celebration.
Take a close look at the fabrics of Ilê Ayê. What are the stitches and lines like? And the shapes, colors, and textures? What do they signify?
Image: Estampa Ilê Aiyê | Source: UOL Notícias.
Choose one or more fabric painting techniques from this inspiration mural we've prepared especially for you. If possible, create some models and make them available for the children to play with freely.
Ask: How are they made?
Encourage them to experiment with hypotheses and broaden their perception of fabric manufacturing. Ask:
What are the components?
What materials are used?
What is the purpose of each material?
Value the creativity and autonomy of the children, allowing them to guide their own learning process. Therefore, provide materials and suggestions, but let the children explore and discover their own ways of expressing themselves.
3) REFLECT TO SHARE:
3) REFLECT TO SHARE:
What do we still need to learn to create other fabrics inspired by the story of Ilê Ayê?
How can we use what we made to celebrate Afro-descendant culture in school?
Bracelets? Scarves? Towels? Huts and little houses?
Image: Fabric houses | Source: Batten Home
[TAKING IT FURTHER]
The Gallery Hour - Rosa Parks e vovô do Ilê
“It's time to blacken the references," as stated by Lélia Gonzales, philosopher, anthropologist, intellectual, and activist in the black and feminist movements. That's why we've created a GALLERY for children, bringing in prominent black figures and references that need to be present in schools. We come from a Eurocentric education, and decolonizing is a complex process. It's important to see and recognize your body, your hair, and your peers; to see successful black individuals; to understand their potential. Every time you, as an educator, are building a project, choosing a story, introducing new references, how about reflecting on these questions:
>> What representations do we present to our children when we tell them a particular story?
>> Do the stories I tell portray black characters in secondary or supporting roles? Have I ever told a story with black people as protagonists in prominent positive roles in society?
With these questions and the urgent need to enrich children's repertoires and references with black representation in mind we created Aperte o Play. And the Gallery is one of the actions we developed.
Click >>HERE<<
to download a gallery kit.
Inside, you'll find the scenery to set up with the children. The scenery, of course, is the school, the space we want to transform! The kit includes various toy art characters. Each illustrated personality allows the children to play with it, introducing and valuing new representations.
In this round, our featured character is Rosa Parks e o Vovô do Ilê.
[ Rosa Parks ]
[ Rosa Parks ]
known as “the mother of the Civil Rights movement” in the United States, became an icon of resistance when she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her brave attitude in 1955 is a milestone in the fight against racial oppression and for equality of rights.
Image: Rosa Parks with changes | Source: Wikipedia
[ Vovô do Ilê ]
[ Vovô do Ilê ]
is an emblematic figure representing the African wisdom and tradition passed down from generation to generation. He symbolizes the strong connection with the African cultural roots and the importance of preserving and valuing these traditions in Brazil, especially in the context of Ilê Aiyê, one of the most important Afro-Brazilian cultural institutions which celebrates the beauty and the richness of African heritage.
Image: Vovô with changes | Source: Correio Braziliense
Print the toy art from our kit and build Rosa Parks' and Vovô do Ilê's little doll with the children. They will be collectible toy arts, and each student can have their own. The teacher may also suggest that it be a collective collection.
Present the toy to the class and ask if anyone knows that personality. Encourage conversation by asking if they can imagine what he does in life. What does he work with? Why is he important?
Right after that, present the real story of the character in question, always valuing his contribution to the world.
With this activity, we want to put into practice, in a playful way, what the Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais para Educação das Relações Étnico-Raciais e para o Ensino de História e Cultura AfroBrasileira e Africana (National Curricular Guidelines for Education in Ethnic-Racial Relations and for the Teaching of Afro-Brazilian and African Culture) say:
[...] “to strengthen, among blacks, and awaken, among whites, the sense of black awareness. Among blacks, they can offer knowledge and security to take pride in their African origin; for whites, they can allow them to identify the influences, contributions, participation, and importance of the history and culture of blacks in their way of being, living, and relating to other people, notably blacks.”
(2004, p. 16-17)
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