The tale of the orange juice
Aim: To begin to understand the interdependence of people around the world by examining how food is grown and processed.
Time: 1 hour.
Age: 5-7
What you need:
- A variety of oranges;
- The tale of the orange juice picture sequence (Resource sheet 1);
- The tale of the orange juice picture cards (Resource sheet 2, print out and laminate, one set);
- Carton of orange juice and world map (for the Extension/homework activities only).
Teacher notes:
This activity helps pupils to understand the basic principles of global trade. The purpose is to explore where an everyday item comes from and how it reaches us, and encourage pupils to make links between their own lives and the lives of other people around the world.
It also creates a better understanding of the product supply chain and acts as an excellent starting point for considering Fair Trade as a human rights issue.
What to do:
Ask the children what they ate for supper last night or for breakfast this morning.
- How did it get onto their plate?
- Where did it all come from?
- What were the processes involved in growing, moving and preparing it?
- Who did the work?
- Now get the children to peel, divide, taste and squeeze the juice out of the oranges you’ve brought to class – perhaps use a juicer or squeezer.
Discussion:
Next, ask the class:
- Where do oranges come from?
- How do they get here?
- How many hands were needed to grow the orange, water it, harvest it, clean, peel, squeeze and pour it, transport it and sell it before the juice ends up on your dinner table?
Picture cards
Explain to the class that they will now tell and act out the story of orange juice – effectively the supply chain and how it passes through many hands, stages and processes from planting to drinking.
Randomly scatter ‘The tale of the orange juice’picture cards on a table.
Ask the children to try to arrange the cards in sequence.
Check it’s correct (or rearrange) by using ‘The tale of the orange juice picture’ sequence sheet and then tell ‘The tale of the Orange Juice’using the pictures.
Divide the class into pairs, and hand a different The tale of the orange juice picture card to them. They must:
•work out what their picture means and how to explain it in a few words;
•plan a mime using their hands to show the action of the worker or the machine in their picture.
Bring all the children together sitting in a circle. In sequence, ask each pair to stand up, display their picture, tell their part of the story and act out their hand mime.
To a rhythm:
Repeat the process – but this time to a rhythm. Everyone must clap their hands and then smack their thighs three times in rhythm. The first pair stands up, shows their picture, says their words and acts out their mime. Then all the other children copy this mime, and the clapping resumes. The next pair stands up, and so on round the circle. This display could be repeated in assembly.
Discussion:
•Ask pupils if they think everyone involved in this story is treated fairly and receives a fair wage?
•Ask pupils if they know what ‘Fair Trade’ means?
•What can pupils do to try to ensure that people around the world are paid a fair wage?
Extension/homework:
•Ask older pupils to trace the orange juice’s journey on the world map. Most oranges come from Brazil, the USA, China, Spain, Mexico, India and Israel.
•Pupils could investigate whether Fair Trade productsare used in their school.
Source: Adapted from Lift Off, Amnesty International
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