LEARNING ABOUT THE IVORY COAST
This week, students continued to learn about West Africa as we explored the Ivory Coast--Côte d’Ivoire. Once again, we reviewed what we have learned about Africa thus far--from the geography (grasslands to jungle to deserts), the animals (elephants, hippos, rhinos, monkeys and more) and storytelling with the djembe and conga drums.
The Ivory Coast has a French-Colonial legacy and beautiful beaches as well as all of the other features I mentioned about Africa, making it an excellent location for export prospering, but also turmoil and the oppression of colonial explorers.
Did you know that the Ivory Coast produces up to 70% of the world's cocoa? Our music students learned all about what the cocoa tree and pods look like, and the process of making chocolate. We explored a bag of cocoa powder and enjoyed the scent of it. We even got to taste some chocolate chips--yum!
Check out the fun videos, pictures and questions below to extend the learning for your child!
A special note from your teacher...
Though chocolate is a wonderful treat that we all enjoy, when I partake in its sweetness I can't help but think of all the strife and hard work that goes in to each pound of cocoa powder. Though we did not discuss it in class, the cocoa industry is, unfortunately, full of slave labor, including youth. It may not be the most pleasant thing to think about as you enjoy the delicious treat that has been around 3,000 years, but you can read some more about the struggle of West African's Ivory Coast slave labor here. There are a few ways that you can become involved in the solution, but I think a great start is by recognizing the privilege and comfort we have in our first-world nation, and trying to impart some of that knowledge to our children. =)
OUR AFRICA POEM IN ACTION!
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR CHILD
1. Did you learn about the Ivory Coast today? Where is the Ivory Coast? In Africa! (Specifically, West Africa)
2. How does cocoa or chocolate grow? In pods on trees! The beans are inside the pods.
3. Did you taste chocolate? Tell me about it!