[ WHAT KIND OF TREE ]
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VACATION TIME, FINALLY! Leticia was very excited, packing up to spend a few days at her grandmother’s house. It had already become a tradition: every year she went to Dona Angela’s small farm to walk barefoot in the yard, eat the delicious food that only her grandma cooked for her, and do no homework at all. Lelê’s parents took her there, and she didn’t even look back at them!
— Hi, Granny! Bye, Mom; bye, Dad! I’m out to the yard!
During the January vacation period, her grandfather Luiz Paulo had made a seesaw with tires with the help of his granddaughter. She painted it yellow, and he found a way to hang it on a tree. The yard was Letícia’s favorite place. She used to spend the whole day climbing up trees, eating freshly-picked fruit, playing among the branches, taking pictures of birds, drawing, and taking naps in a hammock.
— Letícia doesn’t think of anything else when she is hanging from the trees! Be careful not to fall, right? “Your vacation has barely started. Grandpa and I are stopping by at our neighbour to pick up some parcels. If you need anything, call us.
The girl was so excited that she didn’t realize that she was very tired. Her mom had given her a book called “Sankofa” for her to read during these days at her grandparents’ house. Enjoying the blue sky, she lay in the shade of a tree in the yard and began to read… until suddenly she heard a “Hey”.
— Why, I thought I was alone! Who’s calling?
— Heeeey!! — a voice continued to call, and Letícia didn’t know where it came from..
— Who’s there?
— Me, why! You’re lying on me and can’t even recognize my voice?
— A TREE IS TALKING TO ME??? she asked, feeling scared.
— Gosh! I’m not any tree. I saw you being born, did you know that? I witnessed your first steps, and I was here when you tried a small bit of mango - you loved it!
— Wow! Mango is my favorite fruit… But how can a tree talk? Are you a magic tree? What’s your name? Where do you come from?
She had so many questions that the tree started laughing. And as it laughed, its branches swung and some leaves fell. Very calmly, the tree answered all of Letícia’s questions. She was now standing, astonished, looking at a talking tree!
— Come closer, Letícia. Climb up on my branches so we can have a chat. It’s time for you to know a bit about our story. I am a Tamarind tree! Many people love the fruit that I bear. But do you know where I come from?
In less than five seconds the girl had already climbed the Tamarind tree. She sat on a steady branch and tried to guess where the tree was from.
— I came straight from the African savannas. My roots come from there. Here, in this yard, you’ll find several trees and plants from Africa. We were brought here, you know?
Letícia listened attentively to every word of the tree. During their chat, the Tamarind tree showed the girl which trees and plants came from Africa.
— Besides me, there is the Flame-of-the-forest tree. You’ll bump into it in front of the house. It came from Madagascar! Beautiful, magnificent, colorful. The ground around it looks like a carpet, so beautiful! Your grandmother takes good care of us. There, near the fence, is the Spathodea! It comes from Central Africa, and its flowers are orange or yellow. So lovely!
— So none of you are from here! You’re African, the girl said, seeming to be greatly impressed with these discoveries.
— Yes. Myself, the Flame-of-the-forest tree, the Spathodea, the plants your family loves to have in the garden, like Sansevieria, Agapanthus, Calla lily and even Aloe! All of them are from Africa… but I’m here to show you that we are not the only ones that came from Africa…
— Really, Mr. Tamarind tree? What else is there? Any other plants? Birds?
— YOU!
— ME?
— Yes, Letícia! You! Look at the color of your skin. Look at your family. Do you know your roots? Your great-great-great-grandparents were brought from Africa. But you’re not the only one. ALL MANKIND COMES FROM THERE!
Letícia was speechless. Her great-great-great grandparents, her great- grandparents, your grandparents, she… all came from Africa. Leticia could understand this. But … all humankind too?
— Many scientists research and defend the theory that humankind originated in Africa and from there it spread over other continents. That is why it is said that Africa is the Cradle of Humankind. Everyone came from Africa.
— We need to spread this all over the world, Tamarind tree! Spread the news… knowing this changes everything!
— Yes, my dear girl. For now, I’m glad that YOU know this, that you’ve discovered your roots, that you like where you came from so that you can think about where you’re going.
— Look! The book I’m reading is about this! SANKOFA! A bird that flies forward, but whose head is turned backward, and it carries an egg in its beak…
— That’s right! Moving forward, flying, but there’s no problem looking backward, going back and rescuing what one has left behind. And the egg in the beak of the bird means the future and what is to come! Thank you, Letícia, for looking backward and finding me.
When the girl is about to thank the Tamarind tree, she hears a voice calling her from the kitchen. It is her grandmother, saying that lunch is ready. Letícia realizes that she is no longer sitting on the branch of the tree, but lying in its shade. Has it all been a dream? Letícia can’t tell. She stands up and hugs the Tamarind tree, which drops a fruit as a gift. She hears a whisper – “Hey! Time to look forward! And whenever you need, come back to your roots.”
How about discovering where the trees we find in our way are from?
[ ATIVIDADES E SEQUÊNCIA DIDÁTICA ]
[ ATIVIDADES E SEQUÊNCIA DIDÁTICA ]
PEDAGOGICAL AIM
PEDAGOGICAL AIM
TO TAKE CARE OF ONESELF
To develop personal interests and a sense of purpose
Socioemotional skills
I can develop personal interests and a sense of purpose because:
I take care of my self-esteem, understand myself as powerful, and realize that my life is a possible and relevant existence.
I recognize my strengths and limitations with a well-founded sense of confidence.
I recognize and value historical and sociocultural elements that constitute the identity of people of black origin.
I value the importance of black presence in the world [different levels of power, different places] as something natural.
I am open and curious about the wisdom and scientific, historical, and mathematical artifacts of African origin.
I have real references about Africa and about black people.
I use planning and organizational skills and take initiatives for the anti-racist cause.
I use stress management strategies when necessary.
I recognize that my mind and body are connected to ancestry.
Maker skills
I use planning and organizational skills and take initiatives for the anti-racist cause.
I am curious and willing to learn about how to positively impact the world.
I value experimenting, testing, making mistakes, learning, and creating in unusual ways with available materials.
The environment
The school as a space that respects the real references of Africa
1) ACTIVATE TO ENGAGE:
Take the class to a cozy place, preferably in nature, and let the children explore some games freely for some time.
Follow the exploration closely, making provocations:
Imagine you are a tree...
What is the tree that bears guava called?
Let's list all the plants we know.
And what kind of tree are you?
How do we move when a gentle breeze blows?
And when the wind is strong?
How do we connect?
We are thirsty! What happens?
Look, it's raining!
Fruits and seeds have arrived!
>> Before the story:
Show the children a map and tell them that they are going to visit a very special place where all HUMANITY CAME FROM! A beautiful, rich land full of history and wisdom. Can you guess? Draw a large map on the floor, highlighting Africa. Invite the children to sit in a circle next to the line outlining the map and explore the illustrations:
Who are the characters? And the title?
What do the various regions of the African continent look like?
How many countries are there?
Who tells this story?
What symbols appear?
What do they represent?
Be the scribe of the class, writing down what they say in speech bubbles. Place them all in a visible place to record what they say, think, and know at this moment.
Let’s sit down because here comes a story!
Time for Apertar o PLAY! Show the children the illustrations of the story which are on the site Aperte o PLAY+. 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:
Revisit the records in the speech bubbles with the children:
What did we know before the story?
What do we know now?
Have you ever stopped to observe the Flamboyant? - a beautiful and colorful giant that came all the way from Madagascar! And the Spathodea, with its orange and yellow flowers, which came straight from Central Africa.
Many families love to plant in their backyard plants like Sansevieria, Agapanthus, Calla Lily, and even the Maranta. Imagine you are one of the plants in the story. How does your voice change in each example?
What do you call for when you need help from your family?
How do you ask for help when you're scared?
What do you call a friend when you're mad at them? Do they all sound the same? Why do you say that?
Did you know that trees use a magical underground superhighway, the 'Wide Connection Network,' to talk to and help each other? Imagine a secret network of trees! Grab pieces of string and clay and create a tree village. What if each piece of string represented a secret that these trees would like to share? What would they be?
Did you know that the children in the documentary '“Me Liga Na Lata” (‘Call me on my Can Phone’) also connect to tell their stories? How do they use a tin can phone, a conductor wire to bring culture from one region to another in a simple and fun way that only the little ones can do? Make your own tin can phone to connect people and nature around you.
2) PLAY TO CREATE:
2) PLAY TO CREATE:
Africa is the cradle of humanity. Everyone came from there! Let's play to create objects, spaces, or materials so that everyone knows that Africa is the cradle of humanity. You can join your group and create patterned fabrics with Adinkra symbols, build a treehouse, or create an ancestral planting territory. Shall we play?
Our Adinkra symbol mosaic. Show images of some Adinkra symbols, discussing their origin and meanings. Show the Sankofa Adinkra and ask:
What are the lines like?
And the shapes?
And the textures?
What does the tamarind tree from the story ”Pé de Quê” tell us about this symbol?
Suggest going for an outdoor walk to collect natural materials that will be used in the activity. Remind the children to respect nature by picking up only items that are already on the ground and not removing anything from plants or trees.
Distribute sheets of paper or cardboard and Adinkra symbol prints among the children. Now, encourage them to use the collected natural elements to replicate the Adinkra symbols on their sheets. With colored pencils, the children can add details to their drawings, complementing the representation of the symbols with natural elements.
Display the children's creations and what they said in a location where everyone can see and appreciate.
Our ancestral fabrics
Use natural dyes to paint Adinkras on fabrics.
Our treehouse
Remember how Letícia loved to climb trees and how she talked to the Tamarind tree? What if she had her own little house in that tree to celebrate the Sankofa philosophy? What would it look like?
Brainstorming
Ask the children to imagine what they would like to have in their own treehouse. Would it have windows? A rope ladder? Maybe a slide?
Constructing:
Using materials from nature, the children can start building their treehouses. They can improvise the walls, floors, and roofs.
Decorating:
What do we need in our house? How can we use Adinkra symbols for decoration?
Presenting:
Finally, each group of children presents their treehouse, explaining what they added and why. This promotes public speaking skills and creativity.
Our Ancestral Planting Space
Use the available space (small pots, flower beds, or jars) to plant the plants that came from Africa. What do they need to live? Who can help us find a suitable space? How can we get the materials? How can we organize ourselves to take care of them? What can we play with?
3) REFLECT TO SHARE:
3) REFLECT TO SHARE:
Allow the children to showcase their creations to the class or school community. Encourage them to explain how they reached those results.
Reflect to improve:
Visualize
Visualize
Imagine how they could be changed.
Restructure
Restructure
Rethink how we could use them to help spread the great news of the story.
Seek your source of resources
Seek your source of resources
Who could assist us with information, advice, and instructions?
Test
Test
Create models and conduct tests; try things out to see what works.
[TAKING IT FURTHER]
Suggest, "Let's help other children play to create objects, spaces, or materials to spread the news that Africa is the cradle of humanity."
Invite other classes and use tin can phones to share everything they created and learned.
The Gallery Hour
“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 the 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.
Print the toy art from our kit and build Mandela'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.
Image: Lélia Gonzalez with changes | Source: Wikipedia
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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