Exploring Our World: Local and Global Connections · 2nd Year

Active learning ideas

Daily Life in a Kenyan Village

Active learning works for this topic because it lets students experience the physical demands and social bonds of village life firsthand. Moving, talking, and problem-solving together helps 7-8 year olds grasp routines that might otherwise feel abstract or distant.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Primary - People and places in other areas
• NCCA: Primary - Human environments

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Role Play
• 30 min · Pairs

Chore Comparison T-Charts

Pairs watch short videos of Kenyan village life and list chores on T-charts alongside their own daily tasks. They highlight differences like water fetching versus turning on taps. Pairs share one key comparison with the class.

Compare the daily chores of children in Kenya with our own.

Facilitation Tip

Use jerry cans filled with 2-3 liters of water during the Water Relay Challenge so students feel the weight and time involved in fetching water.

What to look for

Provide students with three index cards. On the first, ask them to list one chore children in Kenya do that is different from their own. On the second, ask them to describe one way people get water without taps. On the third, ask them to write one word describing the importance of family in the village.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 40 min · Small Groups

Water Relay Challenge

Small groups fill buckets from a 'river' source using cups, then carry them across the room while balancing loads. They time efforts and discuss physical challenges. Groups chart results and reflect on real distances in Kenya.

Explain how people get the water they need when there are no taps in the house.

Facilitation Tip

Set a timer during the Village Day Role-Play to mimic morning and afternoon schedules, helping students notice how tasks are timed and shared.

What to look for

Facilitate a class discussion using these prompts: 'Imagine you are a child in the Kenyan village. What would be the hardest part of your day and why?' and 'How is the idea of 'community' different or similar to what we experience here?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Role Play
• 45 min · Small Groups

Village Day Role-Play

Small groups draw roles like water carrier or storyteller, then act out a full day using props like buckets and sticks. They perform key scenes for the class. Follow with discussion on community support.

Evaluate the importance of community and family in a rural Kenyan village.

Facilitation Tip

Prepare simple handmade toys like string-and-can rattles before the Community Story Circle to show how materials shape play.

What to look for

Show images of children performing daily tasks in a rural Kenyan village. Ask students to verbally identify the task and then explain one reason why that task is important for the family or village.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 04

• Role Play
• 25 min · Whole Class

Community Story Circle

The whole class sits in a circle to share imagined Kenyan evening stories based on class learnings. Each student adds one sentence. Record stories for a class display comparing to Irish family time.

Compare the daily chores of children in Kenya with our own.

Facilitation Tip

Before the Chore Comparison T-Charts, model how to list one chore and find its Irish equivalent so students understand the comparison structure.

What to look for

Provide students with three index cards. On the first, ask them to list one chore children in Kenya do that is different from their own. On the second, ask them to describe one way people get water without taps. On the third, ask them to write one word describing the importance of family in the village.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with the Water Relay Challenge to ground students in physical realities before moving to discussions. Avoid long lectures about daily life, which can feel distant for children at this age; instead, connect tasks to their own experiences of effort, cooperation, and play. Research shows that concrete, embodied activities help young learners transfer knowledge to new contexts more effectively than passive observation.

Successful learning looks like students comparing Kenyan and Irish chores with clarity, cooperating during challenges, and articulating the importance of community through their own words. They should move from general ideas to specific examples by the end of the activities.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• Children in Kenyan villages do no schooling, only endless chores.

  During the Village Day Role-Play, watch for students who schedule school into the afternoon or evening. If they omit school entirely, ask prompting questions like 'When would children go to school if they need to help with chores first?' to guide them toward balanced schedules.

• Village life lacks any fun or play.

  During the Community Story Circle, watch for students who describe games or toys. If they focus only on chores, invite them to demonstrate the handmade toys used in class to highlight joy in simple materials.

• Kenyan families live in total isolation without community help.

  During the Water Relay Challenge and Village Day Role-Play, watch for students who work independently. If they do, ask them to assign roles like 'water-fetcher' or 'storyteller' to show how tasks are shared across the village.

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Methods used in this brief

• Role Play