WATER
We are glad to introduce the Term Three topic to you: Water. If there is one topic that is almost perpetually on our lips today it is the topic water. And we do not usually have much good to say about it. Water is one of our basic needs and yet is also a source of conflict. So the Peace Builders this term will explore the topic of water and see how they can be agents of peace vis-à-vis water. We have sent club session guidelines to help facilitate fun learning of this topic.

During this term we shall also celebrate the International Day of Peace. This is celebrated every year on September 21st. Since our term theme is water, we shall highlight the issue of Peace and Water during the International Day of Peace activities. We have put together some information about the International Day of Peace and have also thrown in a suggested activity with the hope that the Peace Builders will take the lead on that day to sensitize the school community on the issue of Peace and Water.

International Day of Peace – September 21 (Skit for Monday Morning Assembly)

Moving like the Water Cycle (Try doing this to ‘Water Music’) then talk about how water is a source of life and conflict conflict too. Inform the school that Peace Builders will be looking into ways of building peace this term where water is concerned. Feel free to convey this in poetry or song form.

Being an evaporating puddle. Students crouch down on the ground or the floor in groups. They are being raindrops in “puddles.” One student plays the role of the Sun. He or she climbs up on a chair and gently waves arms to send energy down to all the puddles. The sun chants, “Energy, energy, evaporate raindrops!” The raindrops begin to stir and move a little. Then they slowly begin to stand up, waving their arms out, fingers outstretched. Quietly, all together, they chant, “evaporation, now we’re vapour, evaporation, now we’re vapour.” The raindrops reach up as they “evaporate” to a standing position. Then they can begin to act like water vapour. They continue to wave their arms and slowly drift off in different directions to the music, still chanting, “evaporation, now we’re vapour, evaporation, now we’re vapour.”

Being a condensing raindrop. The Sun steps down from the chair. Now a second student, who is the Cold Wind steps up on the chair. This student chants, “Cool, cool, condense again raindrops! The raindrops who have become water vapour float back towards the Cold Wind. They now reach up with their hands and fingers close together, coming near one another. They quietly change their chant to “condensation, now we’re a cloud, condensation,now we’re a cloud.” When they have “condensed” back again into their groups, they begin to make “raining” movements with their arms and fingers. Then they change their chant to “precipitation, now we’re rain, precipitation, now we’re rain.” They bend down lower and lower, “raining” with their fingers, until they have “rained” back into their puddles. When they are back down in their original positions in puddles, the raindrops chant, “rain has fallen, we’re puddles again, rain has fallen, we’re puddles again.”

Courtesy Great Lakes Kids, Canada.