CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES: GRADE 4-6
Individual Lessons overview
Individual Lessons overview
1. A Day in the life:
At Buddy2Buddy, creating a sense of connection between the children in the sending country with those in the
receiving country is extremely important. The students have the chance to connect their everyday life to that
of a child in Africa through the viewing of two videos: one from a child of the Masai tribe of East Africa, and the
other a child from Tanzania. Then, through classroom discussion, students will identify what they perceive as
similarities and differences between themselves and those children. They will use a Comic Strip to draw and
compare their lives. As an extra resource, there is an infographic poster that may be posted, and discussed,
explaining the dangers of kerosene use.
2. How Important is Electricity to my Daily Life?:
Bringing awareness to students about their own daily energy use, and their dependence on it, is the focus
of this lesson. By bringing this awareness to students, students will be able to build on their sense of
responsibility to the planet with a plan of action. Students will begin by identifying items they know that use
electricity, and will document their activities through a 3 Day, 4 Day or 5 Day Journal. Following this, students
will reflect on their own energy use and the importance of being responsible for taking care of our Earth.
3. Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy:
Understanding the differences between renewable and nonrenewable energies is important for our future
leaders of tomorrow. Through this lesson, students will watch a game-show to learn about the differences,
followed by a cut-and-sort activity where students will learn what the different types of energies are, how they
work, and the advantages and disadvantages to using them both. Included in the lesson are both a student
copy and a teacher answer key.
4. Country Connection:
At Buddy2Buddy, connections are created not only student-to-student, but country-to-country. Through
this lesson and the use of technology, students will (either individually or as a class) learn details about the
receiving country. The Country Connection Internet Resource provides teachers with specific, kid-friendly
sites that students may learn about a variety of different countries, depending on the where the Solarbuddy
is going. Provided in the resources are sites for: Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Papua New Guinea. There are also sites
provided with general information on Africa and India. Teachers may choose to have their students learn
about a variety of countries or focus on the country that are receiving the Solarbuddys. Students complete
Country Connections, to learn more about the country that is receiving the Solar Buddy.
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES: GRADE 4-6
Individual Lessons overview
5. Letter Writing:
Writing a letter to the student receiving the Solarbuddy is how we connect the students on a very personal
level to those receiving them. Provided in this lesson is a detailed guide of what students can include in
their letters, as well as templates for both beginner, intermediate, and advanced students. As an additional
resource, teachers may choose to show the Youtube video The Life of a Letter that shows how a letter goes
from its place of origin to its destination.
6. Power Off, Solar On!:
Giving the students the chance to use the lights in a dark setting can not only be exciting for the students, but
really have an impact on their understanding of what it is like to live without electricity. Students will take their
lights into a predetermined room, beginning with the lights off, while the teacher has the students switch them
on while guiding them through a script. This script is included in the lesson and helps students to understand
the seriousness of energy poverty as well as the opportunity the Solarbuddy is providing the student who is
receiving it. Students will then have the chance to read or complete a short lesson in the room, while using
the lights. Finally, the teacher will guide the students through deeper reflection through questioning and
discussion.