Puzzle and History Card

Puzzle and History Card
-(Language Game, More ESD Activities, Improve Listening and Observation)-

This is a simple game that can be used to tell about history (village, town, people history, etc). As an alternative, this method can also be use to learn English or local language. A group of participant, or single participant can play this game in approximately 5 to 20 minutes (it depends with difficulty level)

Objectives:
Participants are invited to understand more deeply about history and how history may affects the current conditions in the area
 
Time allocation: approximately 5-20 minutes
Tools and materials: some history cards (with picture and naration)

Step by Step:

• Write a history, divide it into 10-20 paragraph and put each paragraph in one card. You also can draw pictures in the card to make it cool. All of these cards, we call it "Puzzle and History Card Package".
• Facilitator gives participants a card package which has been scrambled.
• Facilitator tells participants to work together to arrange the pieces of card over the past five minutes into right sequence.
• After five minutes the facilitator asks participants to present their cards (to tell story based on card sequence). Facilitator may asks their opinion.
• After they expressed opinion, facilitator set the cards into right sequence, and re-tell the whole story again.

Facilitation Tips:

• Make story and translate it into 3 different language (example, I divide it into Indonesian, English and Sundanese (Indonesian local language) in one package of card. So participants will need more time to ask somebody (friend) who fluent in other language - and because of that they will learn other language or culture from different people.
•  Facilitators are expected not only re-read cards, but add the story outside the story cards so that participants get more informations.
• Don't forget to remember correct sequence before scramble the cards :) 

To see puzzle and history cards example, you can download  here

Global Warming and Climate Change Wave

Global Warming and Climate Change Wave

-(Nature Game, More ESD Activities)-

Needs: more than 8 people, paper sign to show participants role

1. At the beginning of the game, the facilitator asked the participants:
- What do they know about global warming.
- What are the characteristics of global warming.
- Local phenomenon around them that indicate the occurrence of global warming and climate change.

2. 8 people the role of the participants were divided into:
- (Expansion of) Factory / Industrial
- Forests / Plants (degradation)
- Carbon in the air
- Temperature
- Ice in the polar
- Mainland
- Animals and plants
- Mankind
If the number of participants exceeds 8 role, then two or three participants may play same role. For example 2 people can play the role of "industry" or 2 people can play a role "in the polar ice". You may do other variation too.

3. Participants were given an explanation about the natural balance of the system, what is happening today in the world, namely in the event of increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the air:

The number of factories and industrial expansion led to reduction in forest area on earth (relate it with land use or enery resources), also resulted in reduction in the number of animals and plants that inhabit the forest. If the forest is gone, while the industry still pollute the air, so the result is high concentration of carbondioxide in the air.

Increasing the amount of carbon in the air causes the air in the earth is getting hotter (if the participant had not understood, then the facilitator can provide the parable about the heat in the car that bronzed sun; carbon gases which can be described as heat-trapping gases in the earth) and cause the melting of ice (in the pole), and sea water expand (because of heat - remember that objects expand when heated - including water).

Rising water temperatures and rising sea levels caused the sinking of small islands, off the coral reefs, and cause the death of the fish, animal or immigration. Many animals and plants die from this cause.
In the end, this loss will also be experienced by mankind, in connection reduced food sources, crop failure, natural disasters (drought, heavy rain - caused drastic changes in season, etc.).

4. The facilitator collects the participants in the form of the line sideways. They old hand together (see picture for example). Increasing is symbolized by raising the position of the hand, and declining is symbolized by lowering the position of the hand.

5. Each participant acted as their respective roles. Example, when A (acting as the expansion of the industry) raises his hand, then one hand is holding onto B with A (acting as forests) will go up. One hand B is holding hands with C (carbon in the air) will go down, while one hand is holding hands with C D (warming of the earth) will rise, and so on ...

This illustrates increasing of some roles will influence other roles.

6. Simulate this game. The facilitator will serve as a starter. The trick is to raise or lower the hands of a particular role (as a good start, start from the role of "industrial expansion" for all participants to catch the message).

7. Then play the game. The facilitator can help to explain or explore the opinions of the participants who were carrying out its role. Ask some key questions:
- Why did they raise or lower the arm?
- In addition to increase participants awareness , ask participants to tell other cause / effect from his role. For example, when Budi (carbon in the air) raised his hand, ask - about how if participants live in a place of high air pollution? ; Or other questions: do you also feel that it happened in your place? How it can be like that? You may do some variation for your question.

8. If all participant understand clearly about first step, the facilitator can connect the initial role (industrial expansion) with the role of the end (mankind). Explain that in extreme situations, the human race can be reduced in number due to a major disaster, which then would affect the industrial expansion (decline).

9. Give good feedback that development needs to consider the effects of development on the environment. Development needs to consider the sustainability of life itself.

10. Ask their opinion, what businesses can do to reduce or prevent global warming that has occurred at this time.

Five Wind Directions

Five Wind Directions
-(Nature Game, More ESD Activities, Facilitation Technique, Discussion, Communication, Enhancing Group Dynamics, Improve Listening and Observation, Analysis )-

This is a very interesting game we played about a year ago in ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) training in Bogor. This is a method that we can play again and again for many topics because its flexibility with issues.

Mr. M Saleh from JPL (Jaringan Pendidikan Lingkungan) / Indonesian Environment Education Network show us this game and we do a lot of discussion in this game regarding some hot issues.

This "Five Wind Direction" (sorry, I rename this game cos I don't know its real name) I think is one of the game that very effective to share information between participants.

There is no conclusion in this game since the goal of this game is to collect information and to brainstorm participants

Needs
About 15-50 participants (advance level)

First you must tell a story, and ask questions. Let say:
"In Bogor (where they lived), particularly in Pamoyanan village (where most of them have school), there is a plan about building a big factory complex. Many people feel happy cos they think it will open many opportunities for people who seek job, and the other thinks the opposite: it will pollute the river, destroy the small forest near the village and damage water reservement"

Ask participants
- Who agree (>75%) with factory complex build stand in north point
- Who disagree (<25%)>
- Who "kind of agree" (>50%) with factory complex build stand in west point
- Who "kind of disagree" (<50%)>

After first step ask someone who wants to give opinion about their stand. Facilitate other participants to give other opinion and let them exchange information and discussion.

Participants can move and stand in other direction after some opinions (let say, after every 5 opinions given, or every 3 minutes).
You will see that there is some change about their stand after some opinions being talked.

As facilitator you can give some new information while the discussion happened. Ask key questions to participants when they give opinion.

Don't worry... yes, maybe it can be a hot discussion between participants... keep be a good facilitator ^^ ! Don't forget to do some hand shake between participants after this game...

Ah yes, why I name this game: five wind direction, because sometimes there are participants who become extremely poled, or a participant who didn't choose any direction (always moving every time) - that's the fifth wind direction: extreme pole, or as a wanderer (joke ^^)

ESD Cryptology

ESD Cryptology
-(Nature Game, Math Game, More ESD Activities)-

We did a Treasure Hunting Game a couple days ago in Bogor Botanical Garden. This is what we do in first stop for the groups that compete each other: to solve secret information (related with environment-history issues) with mathematic equation.

In another modification, we also can relate topics such as social, biology, history, language to this game. It was fun and I bet that your kids will pay serious attention to mathematic

This is an example: we ask when the Bogor Botanical Garden officially recognized as Botanical Garden. The answer included the exact date-month-year; but for this case I present only mathematic equation to solve date only:

Needs
Paper and pen

In the paper there are some questions to be solved:

No	TASK :
1	Summarize all this number to the right, then you get A
	27	14	31	64	18
2	For B, multiply A with 312
3	B - 51678 = C
4	Reverse all C number from the right to the left, then you get D
5	Divide D with 15, then you get E
6	Asume that all the digit in D are independent from each other
	Summarize all this number to the right, then you get F
7	(F - 18) X 6 = G (final answer)

Correct Answer
A	246
B	76752
C	25074
D	47052
E	3,136.8
F	21
G	18

The final answer is 18 (date number from 18 May 1817).

We make 3 task to the groups because the group is large (10 kids) so everybody get busy. 1 task for date, 1 task for month, 1 task to guess year.

This game is good to get attention from kids about small issues but you must be prepared to expand the issues by do more activity.

We play this game as a part of Treasure Hunting activity, under the tree, but in the school maybe you can do this activity as a kind of homework, after the class finish, to relate it with another subject tomorrow.

Don't stick only with this writing. I know you can modify it to open discussion in language, biology, social issues.

Special example (for expert level): how to convert answer into alphabet
In alphabetical order asume that 23 is (d), G answer is (i)
(I reverse the alphabet from behind, so 1 = z, 26 = a)
Then translate this number into alphabet
4	26	7	22	9
ANSWER : WATER

Vegetables Lover Game

Vegetables Lover Game

-(More ESD Activities)-

Do you find difficulties to make your kids eat vegetables? Hehee - well, looks we have same problem all around the world - Here is some suggestion for you: home schooling teachers, environment facilitator, parents, or just for curious sister who want to help her brother...

And as usual, why don't we make this thing greener and environment related? Or to discuss social issues while do some shopping in the traditional market?

Needs

Kitchen, some other material (sugar, salt, etc) for cooking

First, share your information about vegetables: how important carrot, corn, cucumber, etc. Well, just try to make an interesting story about the veg (LOL). After this you can draw or write a poem for the veg they like in a paper (don't tell them that this is being a part of our plan).

Then, challenge them to make a delicious food from the veg they choose (draw, write before). They can add other material such as sugar, chocolate, salt, orange, egg, or even other veg and do some simple cook like fry or boil it, or add some ice and milk in it.

You may suggest food that is normal ^^ like omelet, or create a new fantasy food such as: banana burn rainbow carrot.

I skip the shopping thing. You also can do some shopping before and therefore your discussion will be richer (talk about price, occupation, etc).

You can use these questions after the food is ready:

- Is your food is good (hehehe)?

- Why do you think that food is different in every place / country (try to relate it with crop availability, climate, transportation, culture, appetite)?

- Why some people like one kind of food, while other hate it (try to relate it with species method to survival in this world - food choice differentiation)

- Is it good to keep food or vegetables biodiversity? (ask again: what do you think if we only provide carrot for each one of you?)

- You go on with other questions ... ^^

Picture taken from http://cooking-books.blogspot.com

Ingredients Detective

Ingredients Detective
-(More ESD Activities)-

This is an activity I suggest to teachers when you feel you also can conduct such a fun activity that would last a semester. We also can put some topic such as biodiversity, biology, economic, social, language, etc. As an extra we can encourage children to talk better for their self confidence.

Question that I must ask you before we agree/not to do this activity: if you are a kid, would you happily tell me about your favorite snack, and then show me the snack in front of the class; so some of your friend (and me) oh course can taste the snack you like? If you say yes, than we can go on with this activity... ^^

What is special for this activity is that everybody can do it: with small groups, personal, in front of class, etc.

Needs
Different kind of snacks, library or internet to find information

First, we can decide how to conduct this activity - is it for 1-2 hours, or for a semester (3-5 minutes each)? We also can do it personally or by group. For instance, we can choose a kid present this activity for 3-5 minutes after class is over and it may last for one semester.

Second step for homework: tell that everybody (or groups) must choose a snack they like. Then they must choose one or two ingredients that come from nature, for example: chocolate, sugar, salt, palm oil, orange, milk, strawberry, wheat, sugar, etc.

Then give time. Let them search information about these ingredients like:
- Which place (local) produced these things?
- Can you find local language for these ingredients?
- How much is this thing in local market?
- IS there any use of these ingredients for anything else?
- Etc...

You can start then, give chances to kids, to tell the class about their favorite snack: why the like it (is this because the taste, color, shape, size, packing?). And then we may encourage children to present the story about some nature ingredients in it.

Don't forget to share the snack with others (included me of course) after presentation. Ask other children about the snack - do they like it also?

Picture taken from http://www.gourmetgiftbaskets.com and http://open.salon.com

Taste from the Market

Taste from the Market
-(More ESD Activities)-

Are you still worried after read some of our games / experiments explanation? Well, don't worry - there are also some simple methods that we can practice - even without jumping and running...

This is an activity we can run in our school. It also involves sport, business, economic and social values.

I believe that environmental education (EE) is being a part of education for sustainable development (ESD), that's the reason that I always relate everything in these modules with social, economic, environment and humanity values.

STEP 1, GO TO TRADITIONAL MARKET:
- Divide children into small groups of 4-5 kids. Mention the job they have to do: as buyer, as treasurer (who responsible for the money), as picker, as writer (who responsible with the note).
- You can choose right time to go to the market. I think you can use time from sport, art, economic or biology lesson (well, from my opinion we will do / talk about it so why don't we go ^^ ? ).
- Make a list for things they want to buy (fruits / vegetables / spices, etc). Count and predict how much they will spend (2-3 USD) and then give the money to the treasurer. They will do bargain to get better price (and therefore they will learn about social values and economic at once).
- Tell them, they can choose to cooperate and buy with other groups, so they can get cheaper prize (and learn about team work).

STEP 2, DISCUSSION:
- Cut fruits into small pieces and give it for all children. For vegetables (carrot, cucumber, potato) you may cook it first. For spices (cinnamon, ginger, pepper, clove, chili) you can use sense of smell to identify items.
- Ask them about the taste, prize (which one is cheaper and why?)
- How a merchant determine the item prize? (mention transportation, loading effectiveness, tax, seed - fertilizer prize, etc).
- Discuss about exotic / local / endemic species (if they buy it). What is the difference between this species with others?

Tips:
- For smaller children you must limit the things they buy. 1 or 2 items are enough and you need more facilitator / teachers to accompany.
- Seek for exotic / local / endemic items. You can discuss more about biodiversity in your specific place.
- There are differences between buying items in local and hypermarket. Try to encourage children to shop in local market. Discuss the benefit, to give them deeper understanding about the social, economic and humanity value they brought when they spend their money for the local community.

Picture taken from http://indonesia-tomorrow.com

Seed Thrower

Seed Thrower
-(More ESD Activities)-

I wonder, if this activity can be applied to chidren.

There's a story about an old man that use his handmade catapult to throw seed deep into the forest / canyon. I watched the documenter in DAAI TV, a local TV station in Indonesia.

He use a wooden catapult, and many seeds (from different species, such as jackfruit, rambutan, durian, rubber seeds, etc), and throw it with pray, hoping that it will grow safely into a tree.

I wonder, can we also do same activity with the children? If a wooden catapult is not easy to make, then we can use a 2 rubber and a plastic from a candy. Look at my example.

Then we can collect some seeds after eat fruits (rambutan, duku, water melon, jackfruit,...) and then take a walk together near a garden or river bank (that generally need to be planted).

You can do sport, art, biology and environment at once. How fun it is ^_^ !

Notes: when the journalist ask the man about his hobby, he just said "I did it for fun and I hope it will greener this forest someday. I hope..., at least I try..."

Picture taken from http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/3573/71984778do1.jpg

Answer and Grouping

Answer and Grouping
-(Nature Game, Facilitation Technique, Ice Breaker, Grouping, More ESD Activities)-

This is a game that we can use again and again, with only small modification- as an introduction games, ice breaker or energizing game, I prefer to modify, relate it with environment issues. But sure, you can also modify it into mathematic, biology, social science, language game, etc.

Needs
Pencils, papers, questions

Give papers and pencils to participants. The idea is simple: we give
questions (multiple choices are better). The children answer it by
writing answer in paper, and then in count 3 they must find a group
who write same answer with them (by moving,asking).

Purpose - to know each other / environment issues. Questions (sample):
- Which one is your favorite pet: dog, cat, turtle, fish, bird,
reptile?
- Which one is your favorite recreation place: beach, mountain,
forest, garden, lake-river, sea?
- Which one is your favorite social-environment friendly actor / artist: John Lennon, U2, Anggun, Leonardo Di Caprio, Sting, Elizabeth Taylor?

Purpose - to test environment / biology knowledge. Questions (sample):
- Which one doing photosynthesis: zooplankton, phytoplankton, mushroom, fungi, bacteria, and virus?

Purpose - to test language knowledge. Questions (sample):
- What Sundanese (traditional) language is having same meaning with "sit”: diuk, ulin, sare, lumpat?

And more...

Hints:
- Remember, for competition game, add some modification like squat / squat-walking for group who give false answer - until another question offered.
- Don’t forget to tell them to shake hand every time they do grouping,
with other group member. It will cheer the atmosphere.
- Remember, this is only an opening game. Prepare a discussion related with the topic you play.

Exchange Gift from Nature

Exchange Gift from Nature
-(More ESD Activities)-

This idea came when my organization, RMI try to exchange post card between children from Sumatra, Java and some other islands in Indonesia, as part of program campaign in water and environment issues.

The results are amazing. Hundreds of postcards tell different stories from different kids regarding their opinion, hope and worry. They exchange information from polluted river, illegal logging, to water exploitation by private company, and more.

Well, I have more ideas too...

In RMI postcard exchange program, we used NGOs, teachers, and private network. Basically, it won't be difficult too for these ideas.

Let we try to find some interesting object near our environment. It can be a bird feather, a rock, piece of wood, some sands, a leaf, sketches or drawing or other thing that interesting for different kids.

Yes, every kid must choose their own thing. Then they will write a note to tell their "invisible" friend why they think that thing is interesting for them (you can encourage them to see cultural, economic, environment, biology, art aspect from the thing; help them ^^ expand their imagination and knowledge).

Then help them to pack the thing (with the note). We can use envelope /simple box/ etc for packing.

And then we can start exchange all the things with children from other school. After you get same kind of stuff from kids (from another school) we can open it together and learn about many things.

My suggestions are:
- Use internet and find other teachers that like to join the exchange activity (well, exchange stuff with people from different place is interesting don't you think?).
- Or just do it when you have a meeting with your colleagues. Don't think too complicated, even your neighbors can help you. Sample quantity doesn't matter. How you describe and encourage children to know better is matter.
- Notes are important. While you help children to observe their environment, you also help them to increase their knowledge and write better!

Picture taken from http://valuestockphoto.com

Step of Knowledge

Step of Knowledge
-(More ESD Activities, Facilitation Technique)-

This is an activity to re-check children knowledges after a presentation or a lecture. Many of us hate a formal test because it raise our tension, so why don't we make a fun one ?

Needs
A bunch of participants (children are acceptable ^_^)

What we will do are by make a start and finish point for everybody who wants to participate in this game. Two lines or rocks are acceptable.

Then you must make some questions (number of questions are depend on how far is the distance between start and finish point). You also may consider the step range for every children.

For example, this is my activity (you may change it according the situation happened in your class)
1. Make a question. If the answer is right/acceptable, the kids who answer can step forward (he/she can make a big step - it is also a sport game ^^)
2. If the answer is wrong, the kid has to squat and stay still
3. More questions. If the answer is right, from last position the kids have to jump forward and make a stand up position again (yeah, so it's more difficult for somebody who answer fault answer before cos he/she isn't in best position - but he/she still can make a jump and stand up again - and now his/her position is become normal again
4. You will see a race here. The winner will be the first one who reach finish line. Maybe as a gift, you can give permission to come home early; or as gift to other kids (as bonus, so the other kids can ask the winner to help them; you can arrange another rules for that)

Some modification:
- Use "face backward" rather than squat
- Use winner answer (ask the audience) as bonus point (e.q. for everybody who has cross half range, for everybody who answer correctly one special questions, for every correct 3 questions - you can modify it according the situation happened)
- Make a non linear circuit. You can use tree, turn point, etc so children will not get bored

Ok, that's it. You can also give special offer, such as give an apple for the first two kids who reach some range, or a consequence : to write poems for children who didn't reach the finish line...

World Cafe Discussion Technique

World Cafe Discussion Technique

-(More ESD Activities, Discussion, Enhancing Group Dynamics)-

World Cafe is a new technique for me to have a kind of discussion.We did this activity in ANGOC - ToT in Philippine 15-21 September 2009.

We also can use this technique to other workshop participants. A senior high school students or higher may do this technique, because this discussion need a lot of informations and knowledges from participants.

Needs
Manila paper, color spidol, 1 facilitator, 1 notulen

First, divide participants into groups consist 3-5 participants (beside facilitator and notulen). In my ToT, there are 20 participants, so they form 5 groups, sitting in each table.

Well, let aside the ToT material. I will only tell you the concepts of this activity is to make an open discussion between people. Everybody can move to other groups an make a conversation. So, yes, somebody can come to you, in the middle of discussion and there is a basic rule that everybody who come late must join the topic that already discussed (no interuption first please).

Don't forget that in each table, there are a facilitator and notulen that have anchor functions. It means that everybody can move to other table, but not this 2 person (well, if everybody move isn't that difficult to know previous discussion?)

Let say, we make a 2 session with 4 questions that is :
- What is the problem of environmental issues in your area ?
- Kind of strategy you implement in that condition
- What thing you are not reccomend (according to your experiences) - in implement this activity ?
- Next plan to do in the future - why ?

For every session you can give 30 to 60 minutes. The idea is not to tell everybody exactly what happened (naration) but to get people participation (fresh idea, question asked) unless they need to know your information. Just telling everybody your feeling and dominate the discussion is not what I mean (it sometimes happened if the facilitator forgot their function).

Everybody freely moving all around. In my country Indonesia this is what thet tell you as WARUNG KOPI (cofee shop) discussion. Sometimes it's hotter in the parliament itself ^_^
My questions in previous paragraph are freely to be modify... you are welcome to do that...

HIP-HIP and HOOREEE

HIP-HIP and HOOREEE
-(More ESD Activities, Ice Breaker)-

This is a game for fun, an ice breaker game that I got from my friend in Philippines when we are attending the ToT in land rights advocacy. The students of Xavier University at Cagayan de Oro, told us that this is a game to welcome their neighbouring friends (included me also ^^)

Although it is simple game, we have a lot of fun to do this game. When you are teaching something, or conduct a training and when a session need an energizer, this is a game to choose.

Needs
About 5 to 15 participants

The rule of this game is to obey trainer instructions. There is two basic rules while they appoint participants:
1. When trainer appoint someone, a participant must clap 2 times and say HIP-HIP
2. For second appointment participants must raise her/his hands and say HOOREEE

Trainer can choose any participants to do first and second instructions. So the participants must concentrate their concentrations while playing this game, so they will not getting eliminated.

Do the instructions fast and you as a trainer also can repeat the instructions for the same man or different man. Make your instructions unpredictable. You always can make a randomize appointment and everybody will shock and need concentrate hard to play this game.

It's not really a nature game, but maybe you can modified some move and yel. My suggestions are :
- Use this activity to learn about language. You can add new move and use some English / local language for the substitution of HIP-HIP and HOOREEE
- After some practice you can start to make a competition. Ask the participants to make a circle so you can choose participants faster / effectively
- This game also suitable for they who wants to popularize some words and symbol. Repetition for middle or long term also good to influence people minds. For example, you also can affect people behaviour (children) if you change the order like this :
First appointment : Shout "THROW (the garbage)!" - action : using hand like throwing something
Second order : Shout "NOOO !" - action : jump and make raise an X with her/his body (hand and foot)...

Thank you for my Pinoy friends. I hope you also have fun with this game...

Picture : ANGOC ToT participants (Srilanka vs Nepal) in action, the last one to be eliminated

The Spider Web and The Fly

The Spider Web and The Fly

-(Nature Game, More ESD Activities, Facilitation Technique, Analysis, Discussion, Enhancing Group Dynamics)-

This is a kind of more complicated game that we used to play for teenager / adult. This is a very effective game / training method to show relation between many factors in natural resources management.

Latipah Hendarti and Mia Siscawati from RMI play this game - usually in ToT / Community Organizer Training, to help participants realize, that there are many factors that influence one occurred problem. I give 9 point to this method. It help a lot, but as facilitator you must support participants with questions and information once this game is started

Needs
- A complete story about a condition in natural resource management (or you also can play this game with other topic).
- A big roll of rope
- Some meta plan papers (color paper)
- Whiteboard or large size of paper
- Glue / cello tape

Story Example:
Diah was a 15 years young girls, she lived with her mother in a village called Desa Babar Sari. Her father left the family when she was 2 - to married another women. It happened a lot in Desa Kemuning, a district where divorce number is high.

Diah stop learn in the school when she was 12 to give a chance to one of her brothers (there are 3 more kids in this family). Her brother passed away 2 years ago because nerve illness, after 5 years of un-safe diving.

Diah work help her mother to cook and process fishes. The family work to support fish industry in this local fisherman village. It is a small scale industry that provide only a little amount of reward. They, each only got Rp 6000 (about 0,6 USD) a day for their 10 hours work and this isn't enough to support the family.

The village is also not in a good situation. The health facility is poor, the school is far (10 km walk) and the transportation is bad (need a boat that only come once a week to go to nearest town).

One day, some investor came to this island. They want to buy this land to build a luxury resort. The village must be removed. The offer is poor because they want to relocate villager into deeper area, to become farmer. After a riot, some mysterious people came and burn the village, including Diah's house

After this happen, 2 months later his mother died and from now on she must take care his family. One of her younger brother now also stop school to support this family.

METHOD


GAME
- One participant play as Diah (the fly), stand in the center of the circle (being played by another participants). Tie (circle) the rope into Diah.
-Ask a question to participants: according to your opinion, what things are causing this (Diah) situation ?
- If there are any opinion from participants (one man one opinion), give the roll to him/her. Tie the rope again to Diah, then. An observer notes the keyword from participant in meta plan, so the answers will being record by observer.
- Ask the questions to another participants. When they answer the question, give him/her the roll again. After some answers, the rope will looks like a web.
- And everybody can say their opinions. Repetition for answers and participants is acceptable. Notes: don't forget to encourage participants to give clear explanation about their opinion by give questions...

REFLECTION
- After make a category for every opinion (written in meta plan); for example : economy, culture, environment, health, education, ... issues and place the meta plan papers in right groups (the participants can place his/her paper him/herself, we can begin the discussion
- I leave the discussion to you (you can facilitate by yourself)
- Say the magic words : according to you, how we can make Dinah free from this situation ? Try to discuss more... and don't forget, Dinah must say something too... do you agree with that ^^ ?

ESD Cooking Class

ESD Cooking Class
-(More ESD Activities)-

Yesterday, I found an interesting book in my shelves. This book, writen by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, tell a story about Toto Chan - a little girl that learn in a different kind of school; a wonderful school that allow kids to do creativity and in my opinion a kind of ideal school we always dream about.

(well, what you are waiting for - buy or rent the book quickly : A little Girl in the Window).

There's a chapter where a great but simple ideas being implemented to make children eat vegetables. It also make all children happy. This activity called "food from the sea and the land" - it give children a chalange, how they can bring and eat a lunch that consist both of them. Parents are happy teir kids eat vehetables, children are happy to play this game, and everything going to the right direction.

Well, lets start our local ideas. The idea basicly a modification from that books:
- Divide children into groups
- Choose some unique vegetables that came from some district (I mean every district generaly have a special kind of unique vegetables produced, right? Example : West Java-oncom hitam, West Sumatra-hot chili, Papua-sagu). Write the district name in papers.
- Every groups has to choose one piece of paper randomly
- Tell them that they have to cook a food by using that vegetables
- You may help them to find the recipe in the net (well, or just cook with only one kind of vegetables and make some variants!)

What you need to discuss (while eating) are :
- Relation between agriculture and cultural factors for the foods
- Vitamin and mineral for the vegetable, and use for health

If your class is bussy, just make the food in home. Bring it to the class and share the informations. 10 minutes are acceptable, don't you agree with that ? (and the food will always make children happy, right?)

Picture taken from http://www.gandhibali.org/images/cooking_class.jpg and http://www.kanaivasu.org/modules/My_eGallery/gallery/kanaivasuaceh/auida/training/tariningbersih.jpg

Games to Learn Languages and Environment

Games to Learn Languages and Environment
-(More ESD Activities, Language Game)-

I suggest this activity to support children to learn about language in interesting way. As this site is an environmental friendly, then I connect language and environment issues in one activity (well, at least one of them)...

You have some choice : you can learn local language or English with this kind of activity

MAKE A SONG
- Translate an environment related song, and try to sing it in local language. You need to change some words to keep the melody fit.
- For an expert, they should compose a song with local language and relate it with environment issues

CARD GAME
- Play the game as usual, but change the number pronounce into local language / English. In my country - a card game called "Tepuk Nyamuk" or hit the mosquito is very popular. The main idea is to learn about number

COLLECT THE OBJECT
- Divide children into groups. Give a time to the kids to collect some objects. Then after 5 to 10 minutes, everyone comeback and sit in circle. Try to name the objects in local language / English. The winner is the groups who collect as many objects and can name the objects in the right writing / spelling

COOK A FOOD
In the kitchen, try to cook something, but please say every ingredients in local language / English.

BLINDMAN SEARCHING
Tie a handkerchief to make a blindfold for a kid. Put some object about 10-15 meter, far from them. Then after that, another kid give some instruction in local language / English so their friend can found the object - with his / her eyes closed

DICTIONARY GAME
I have a Rp 5.500 (about 1/2 USD) small dictionary and it help me a lot (it also help me write this modules). Lets assume that we have an English dictionary. Play with page number and line number.
A kids choose 139 and 3 it means we open page number 139 and then we read line number 3 : (in my book it is) MALE. So I ask the children what is the mean of the words in my national language (=laki-laki, pria), and then translate it into local language (=jajaka in Sundanese).Then another kids can choose another 2 number..., and then another kids...

I dedicate this module for Sita Rani,my friend and all teachers in RMI alternative school in Cimande - Bogor. Good luck, Sis !

Picture taken from http://getfancy.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/easy_english_dictionary2.jpg and https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZdaoqnR-c_T047RAsbJcrVRolsuU16cUiqdIpLhyphenhyphen5duPaGOtdumWtJ-528uMVEOT6WtLBKRWyrKhRdep4RiSu3OT0Hm3UGd_i4txM4M64KKU3VSJnMAxvsoRnCCFoMGosL679FKaLMee/s320/maEN+tepuk+nyamuk.jpg

Traditional Beverages Competition

Traditional Beverages Competition
-(More ESD Activities)-

I got this inspiration when I read a magazine in an ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) forum, a couple days ago. It is a magazine published by PPLH Seloliman and in the last page I found they give a recipe to make a kind of traditional Javanese beverage, wedang jahe.

Then I wonder, wow - we can make such an activity to become more ESD like and everybody can do this activity easily in their biology, art, or social class. With some add here and here we can also make it in language class.

This is my suggestion for this activity, I called it : traditional beverage competition

Needs
Many kind of spice-at least it will be ginger, cinnamon, greater galingale, tea, coffee, etc ; sugar, honey, milk, etc

First, children should seek spice information from books or from the web. They should found information about the use of this spice in health issues. Lets make them learn biology...

And make a competition between groups or personal - who can make a better taste of traditional beverage, and use as many ingredients. Don't stick with my suggestion to make only a Javanese traditional beverage. We can make other traditional beverages : Korean, Balinese , or Indian beverages.

Hints : support kids to make an unique, tasteful and rich in ingredients so they can win this competition. The kids also had to explain ingredient use in health issues, related with plant biology components ; or try to explain social / culture issues, like
- local / national beverage culture
- economic value in this industry

We may also support the kids and relate it to economic issues by make an enterpreneur activity. Sell some cup of traditional drink, or pack the ingredients in nice package will be good.

Picture taken from http://dywdyw.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/bras.jpg and www.indonetwork.co.id

Draw and Stick the Interview

Draw and Stick the Interview
-(More ESD Activities, Diagramming and Evaluation, Facilitation Technique, Improve Listening and Observation)-

We have played this activity in July 09 when we facilitate some teenager from TOTAL E&P INDONESIE, when we held a Green Camp for their family.

First, we divide participants into a group consist 4-6 teens. We facilitate them to make a discussion with the villager. Each group had different topics, that is health, culture, education, economic and environment issues.

We told that although they have different issues, they may ask anything, because a lot of things are related and the info should help them make a better understanding about the situation.

We gave them this question:
1. What is the situation there? Is there any problem?
2. Which people / stakeholder is involved in this situation?
3. If the situation is not ideal, can you give us the ideal situation?
4. What is the reflection / insight for yourself regarding this situation?
5. Is there anything that you can do to make this situation better?

Notes: this questions are replaceable. We gave this key question only to help them understand better. The use of this question is not in the interview process, but in presentation activity.

After that we split into groups and for some couple hours the kids stay with villagers.

The presentation needs a large paper with some glue, scissor, decoration paper, spidol, or crayon.

The rules are simple: only one kids in a group can draw, write or stick something in large paper while their friend only can watch the working one. After 1 or 2 minutes we may blow the whistle and number 2 will replace number 1 draw, write a poem, stick leaves or anything that can describe the situation they catch from the interview / discussion.

After the whistle blow, number 2 is replaced by number 3 and so on. Back to number 1 again after final number.

Hints:
- You also can make number 3 and 4 go together with special rules (modification). The order is like this : After next whistle, 2 kids will go together.
- In final minutes, lets make them stand together... "after next whistle, all do the draw..."

You will be amazed how good their presentation will be. Still first they must describe their writing, drawing, poems, etc and we can use the key qestioner to help them explain better about the situation, their feel and their ideas to the people.

Well, social analysis topics can be fun and colorful too, right?