As part of the Unit of Inquiry ‘Rights and Responsibilities’, Grade 4 students welcomed two representatives from UNICEF, M Guy de Vaugiraud and Mme Annie Laval, to their French classes in January. Monsieur Vaugirard talked about the role of UNICEF in the world and described the international convention of children’s rights. The discussions were serious and far-reaching, and poverty and the plight of child soldiers were among the topics raised. Our students listened and contributed to discussions with great maturity. For those whose French wasn’t quite up to following the thread, teachers provided occasional translations of the key parts, but the bar was set high and students were challenged to practise their French in a real-world, meaningful context.
To put their new knowledge into action, the students then moved on, together with Madame Laval, into the creative process of making UNICEF Dolls, continuously in French, bien sûr! The children were enthusiastic about this excellent PYP (Primary Years Programme) project, which combined social sciences, arts and French, as well as community action.
The charming dolls will be sold later this spring, and all proceeds will go towards UNICEF projects around the world. All dolls are very different, reflecting not only the diversity of the world, but that of ISP, as well!
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