One Drop at a Time
As the sun continues to beat down, cumulus clouds form from the rising heat and we wish for even just a drop to cool us. In Rejoice’s P4 classroom, rain fell from poster board clouds sent from Mrs. Dime’s 4th grade class at HIES. The students were nearly as mesmerized as a heavy shower, taking time throughout the class to read each one. Many were taking notes in their notebooks, and some on their hands. Each message sent from their American friends makes an impression.
Galloway students made even larger impressions with their presentation board full of facts, stories and guides on water filtration. The students gasped many times at the alarming statistics about the impact of water on health and survival. Students here are aware of the threats of guinea worm, cholera and river blindness, yet not how far reaching these challenges are. They began their work on their poster board proudly, as they brainstormed in groups and made their plans. We will visit them again in coming weeks to complete their work.
We close the day in Anita’s P4 classroom, it is her birthday today. After our Water lesson, we share the puzzles from St. Andrew’s School 3rd graders. The room falls silent as students work together on these puzzles. They do not grow up playing puzzles here, so this is a particularly challenging task, but patience mostly prevails, along with the deep focus. The intensity of focus appears also to be raising the temperature, as we are all dripping by the end of class. Two puzzles are brought to completion and the excitement shared breaks the intensity of focus.