Out of this world, AMAZING! Incredible. These words seem to do this club injustice. This is one club you will want to learn more about.
Droves of middle school students attend the Up to You monthly club meeting to learn more about international injustices such as world hunger, poverty, lack of clean water, and human trafficking. On this particular Tuesday, the afternoon bell rings, middle school students pile into the gregarious, up-beat, go-getter, Ms. C. Wood's classroom. The mastermind behind the club. They are learning about social injustices, but not in the typical way. These students learn by doing. Ms. Wood and her outstanding team sponsors (Mrs. B. Wood, Mrs. Sexton, Mrs. Connally, Mrs. Maulding, and Mr. Harris) have ingeniously designed tasks for students to complete while learning about social injustices.
Today's Topic: Rice Field Slaves
On my visit, students began by watching a You Tube Video on a bonded servant (born into slavery) in the rice fields. For 18 hours a day he works separating rice so we can eat it. Yep, that would be the equivalent of two consecutive school days working - in the heat, with no shoes, and little water. Not to mention the verbal and physically abusive conditions. You could hear a pin drop as students watch, moved by the words of this slave - longing for freedom. Eager to learn more. We learn best by doing. Next step? Complete four tasks to simulate the environment/conditions of slavery. Students work in teams of 3 or 4. They have 30 minutes to complete all four tasks. Incentives? Oh yes, Ms. Wood knows how to motivate her middle schoolers if their team is first or second to complete the four tasks they receive a
penny necklace. A necklace to serve as a reminder that everyone has value. The winning teams earns $5 to go towards a gift basket for a teacher of their choice. Learn more about the
End It Movement.
Task 1: Digging for Dinner
As students enter they read information pertaining to the task in relation slavery. In this task, Student separate rice from sand, shells, rocks, and dirt for their dinner. A huge bin filled with rice and these other particles are placed on a table, using an aluminium foil pie tin with holes, students sift out rice, enough to make a half cup. A half cup of clean rice that is. Once complete students eagerly get the task signed off and zoom to the next station.
Task 2: Money Talks
At this task, students optimize bartering skills. In order to receive the ingredients to make dough (salt, flour, water) they have to give something (purse, shoe, phone, etc). Recipe? Nope. Students experiment with various amounts until the ingredients form a dough mixture.
Task 3: Chasing Waterfalls
Clean water. A luxury we take for granted. Along with many others -
First World Problems, Read by Third World People. The challenge: students use a coffee filter to pour dirty water through to get clean water into their water bottle. They need half a water bottle full of clean water for their check off at this task.
Task 4: Grind it Out
At this task, students are given coffee beans, using lots of creativity and ingenuity they are to quickly make them into coffee grounds.
Meaningful words from teachers/students
A teacher says, "I haven't seen this much passion in teaching in a long time."
A fellow colleague says, "She (Ms. C. Wood) is beyond amazing, she comes up with all these ideas herself."
A 7th graders perspective " Up to You club is an eye opening interactive club. We do things that other slaves do on a day to day basis. The first club meeting, we had to go fetch water in huge Home Depot buckets and carry it a long way without spilling very much water. (If we had a certain amount full, we received our club shirt). It took forever because my team had to keep stopping to re-grip. I hope that Up to You will continue for a long, long, time."
Oh and all those cute adorable signs? Yes, Ms. C. Wood is not only brilliant in curriculum development and instruction, but a rockstar DIYer!
We are more than thankful to have her at our middle school. She is admired by colleagues and treasured by students.
