Caroline+C.'s+Nobel+Peace

//Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize Winner 1994 //  “We can work together for a better world with men and women of goodwill, those who radiate the intrinsic goodness of humankind.” - Wangari Maathai


 * Subject matter background: **Kenya is located in east-central Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean. It is located between Somalia and Tanzania. Kenya is slightly larger than twice the size of Nevada. Kenya's terrain is composed mostly of low plains that rise into central highlands, which are bisected by the Great Rift Valley. One person who knows about Kenya's land very well, is the Nobel Peace Prize winner of 1994, Wangari Maathai. Maathai was born on April 1st, 1940 in Nyeri, Kenya. She came from a farming family and at a young age, she was taught the importance of soil and nature. Growing up, she was encouraged to do "women's tasks" because the education of women and girls was not valued. When Maathai was seven, her parents were persuaded to send her to school, where she excelled. By 1960, she was offered a scholarship to attend college in the US. She attended Mount St. Scholastica College (now Benedictine College) in Kansas where she earned a bachelor's degree in biology. In 1964, she went on to receive a master's degree in biological science at the University of Pittsburgh. She enjoyed her time in the US, but decided to return to Kenya. In 1971, she completed her doctoral studies in veterinary anatomy at the University of Nairobi and became the first woman in East or Central Africa to earn a Ph.D. She became a professor and joined the National Council of Women of Kenya. While serving the National Council of Women, she found problems with farmland in Kenya and introduced the idea of planting trees to conserve the environment. She began planting trees with groups of women to help improve their quality of life. She named this movement the Green Belt Movement and helped women by planting over 20 million trees on their farms. In 1987, the Movement started a network to expose more African countries. Maathai is not only known for her persistent struggle for environmental conservation, but also for democracy and human rights (particularly women's rights). She established a program in 2003 called Women for Change (WFC), a program to give women, especially young girls, a new sense of empowerment through education. She wants to raise awareness against the cultural problems women in Kenya face, specifically the mistreatment of women by their spouses. Maathai has dedicated her life to environmental and human rights.


 * Instructional ideas:** I think there are many aspects of Wangari Maathai's goals that could implemented into a social studies classroom. A lesson on Kenya alone would be sufficient when introducing Maathai to the students, especially in a 7th grade classroom where Africa one of the major areas being taught. Something more specific I would want students to learn about is the role of women in Africa, especially in Kenya. Women are known as their husband's "property" and are often subjected to violence and do most of the planting and taking care of children. I would have my students read personal accounts from African women and start to understand how every day life is for women in African villages. I could also bring in a video showing the roles of African women. Then, I would have introduce students to Maathai's Women for Change (WFC) program to illustrate the things that are being done to empower women in Kenya. Students could create campaigns urging laws for violence against women in Africa to be passed. They would create a poster illustrating the reasons why women in Africa should receive better treatment, with the help of Wangari Maathai's peace movements. I will be able to assess students by the accuracy of their posters.

Students could also learn about the environmental challenges in Africa today. I would introduce the Green Belt Movement and explain how Maathai wants to encourage countries in Africa to plant more trees. This helps out not only the environment, but also the people of Africa. It allows them to plant more crops and feed their children. There are a number of African countries, besides Kenya, who have gotten involved with this movement. However, there are still some that haven't. I would ask students to write a letter to a particular country in Africa's leader, explaining the importance of Maathai's movement and why it should be used in their country. Since students will be trying to persuade the leader using an argument, I'll be able to see how students understand the material.

http://www.notablebiographies.com/news/Li-Ou/Maathai-Wangari.html http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/africa/kenya/discriminationwomen.html
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