There is something magical about taking the globe off of a classroom shelf. The kids always lean in for the best vantage point. They never want the teacher to stop talking about places on the map. They simply love it. There is no other item in my classroom that evokes more questions than a globe. Last year, as I walked around our school, I noticed most of the globes we had were stamped with the U.S.S.R. A country that simply doesn’t exist. Hmmmm….. I do believe our kids deserved better. Our kids needed to know that there is a balance in understanding the world. I wanted them to know that in order to be truly proud of where you come from, you need to know about where others come from and value that knowledge. Thus, I developed a program at our school called World Wonders Day.
I wanted a day where kids could become globally literate and explore the world, pour over maps, appreciate their citizenship, feel the good that comes from being diverse. Kids were mesmerized by Paris and Japan. They built Acropolis’ out of paper rolls and Eiffel Towers out of spaghetti and marshmallows. Moreover, they listened to tall tales from Down Under and folklore from Erin’s green shores. As predicted, the kids ate it up! Additionally, they programmed Beebots to scoot across the continents and calculated how long it would take to fly from Peru to Poland. The idea was not to simply be a culture day.
Instead, to start seeing how the world works as one entity. I’m trying. I’m trying to be the teacher that lets kids see the potential around them, that walk away a bit more patriotic, a bit more impressed with another culture, a bit more understanding of something unfamiliar. After all, isn’t that the best kind of teachable moment there is? What does your school or community do to promote global citizenship? How do you instill those great lessons in your household?
Which world globe could work for you?
Check out these age appropriate globes that are perfect for exploring! Note that some of the links below are affiliate links. I only recommend products & brands I love and that I think you would love, too!
