Collection basket at Granola Babies
July 28, 2012
It’s in the community room! Thanks Giselle!
http://www.granolababies.com/retail-store-in-oc/cat_154.html
Resources for Kids Learning About Nigeria
July 11, 2012
Homeschooling mini unit with recipes:
This includes the following links. I do want to note that she says 2 languages are spoken in Nigeria and National Geographic says there are at least 250!
Another, with flag & map printables and several other African countries:
http://www.homeschoolcreations.com/Africa.html
Photos and basic overview:
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/places/find/nigeria/
Similar with history timeline, day in the life of a child, products etc.:
http://www.timeforkids.com/destination/nigeria
Another sweet, easy recipe:
http://culturecottage.blogspot.com/search/label/Nigeria
Gourd-carving lesson (no gourd required) written for teachers:
http://www.uni.edu/gai/Nigeria/Lessons/Calabash.html
Free samples of popular Nigerian music:
http://www.motherlandnigeria.com/music.html
Scroll down to find songs in the language of the Isuochi community, Ibo. This site has a lot more I haven’t looked through.
Children’s books:
I highly recommend the books of author Ifeoma Onyefulu. She is Nigerian, living in the U.S. or U.K., and tries through short stories illustrated with photos to show what modern Africa is like. Her book A is For Africa can be a great introduction to the continent. Katya loved Omer’s Favorite Place, about Ethiopia. Most or all of her other books appear to be set in Nigeria. Isaac Olaleye is a another Nigerian author who has written quite a few fictional picture books available locally. I was able to find more fiction for children of various ages on the ocpl.org site by searching in the “subject” field for “Nigeria” and then clicking on “Children’s Literature.” Many but not all are traditional folklore. Older kids, especially girls, may enjoy the various “African princess” titles including the biography At her majesty’s request : an African princess in Victorian England by prolific African-America Young Adult author Walter Dean Myers. African princess : the amazing lives of Africa’s royal women by Joyce Hansen includes the true story of Amina who lived in what is now Nigeria.
Nigerian archaeology:
http://www.archaeology.org/1107/features/nok_nigeria_africa_terracotta.html
For anyone who has a little archaeologist or paleontologist like I do. The Nok culture is 2,000 years old and one of the most advanced ancient cultures in West Africa.
Educational cartoon made in Nigeria, sample about independance day and colonial rule:
http://kidworldcitizen.org/2012/02/23/watch-bino-and-fino-a-new-african-cartoon/
African restaurant in Orange County:
Tana in Anaheim is our family’s #1 favorite restaurant. It features food from Ethiopia, which is in a different region of Africa and has very different food! BUT it is just plain yummy and would be a great addition to any study of the continent in general. Ethiopian staff who are always happy to answer our questions and lots of Ethiopian stuff in the decor make is a fun field trip. Get the sampler platter! There is now a Kenyan restaurant in the same strip center that claims to be the only one in Southern California. It was worth trying once, for us, as the traditional cornmeal starch was really interesting, but the beginning and end of the regional decor is a wooden elephant head and we like the food at Tana a lot more.
Which Books Can the Community Library Use?
July 10, 2012
Please Help Start a Library for Isuochi, Nigeria!
I was lucky enough to meet the Chukwermije family recently. They live in Irvine and hope to fill a shipping container with books for his home community by the end of 2012. Isuochi is a rural community in Abia state in southern Nigeria. The population is 400,000, nearly twice as large as Irvine, CA, but spread out over a much larger area. Access to electricity and pipe borne water is limited. There are currently no community libraries and the schools have very few books.
How you can help:
1. I will be collecting books now through November 15th. The Chukwermijes may be able to accept books after that, so if you realize you’ve just missed the deadline please contact me. Please do look through what you might have sooner than later so we can identify the holes in the collection in time to fill them.
2. Pass this info on! There will be updated info on the website. (Neighbors please do not give my address to the general public! J) I can email you a donation guideline list if you want.
3. See if an organization you’re in (school, church, scouting, book club, etc) might want to participate.
4. Donate as little as 50 cents which would be enough for me to buy a used book.
5. Buy a book off our wish list on Amazon.com called “Creating a Community Library for Isuochi, Nigeria!”
Contact info:
missalexmissalex (at) gmail (dot) com
http://nigerianlibrary.bloggermonkey.com/
In general, books from birth to adulthood, fiction and nonfiction, hardcover and paperback, new and used, all are needed and welcomed.
Here are the more specific things we’re looking for:
Children’s books through high school:
*Activity books that require very few materials (like simple science activities, paper/nature crafts, drawing books, finger plays/group games)
*EXCITING books like sturdy pop-ups, lift the flaps, overlays, books with textures, world wonders/records, etc
*Board books, Early readers, Picture books, Chapter books
*BIG books (poster-sized for teacher read-alouds)
*Books with universal themes (friendships, animals, love)
*Children’s health books including titles about puberty/reproduction
*Books about Africa or African-Americans, or anyone in a rural setting
*Educational children’s science and literary magazines in good condition
*Children’s nonfiction
Teacher materials, also used as reference for older students who may not be able to afford books:
*Brain teasers, flash cards, educational games and puzzles
*Teacher’s resource books
*Textbooks (kindergarten through college) in math, including algebra, geometry, and pre-calculus, English books (focusing on grammar or comprehension), geography, health, science books including general science, biology, chemistry, and physics.
Reference books:
*Accurate up-to-date atlases (If you would like to buy a new book for this project, THIS or a general technology-related title would be the most valuable things to have new.)
*Dictionaries/picture dictionaries for adults or children
*Thesauruses for adults or children
*Encyclopedias/picture encyclopedias less than 15 years old for general use or children
Adult materials:
Very few people can afford medical care, so we are particularly interested in health resources that can be applied without spending money. For example, women’s health (ie fertility and childbirth), yoga/stretching/back care, massage, basic first aid, etc.
*Agriculture
*Animal husbandry/Gardening
*Business
*Current events
*Ecology
*National Geographic, less than 5 years old, especially with articles featuring Africa.
*Fiction and Non-fiction Books about African or African-Americans
*Books like Chicken Soup for the Soul (inspiring stories with life skills lessons)
*Christian titles and teaching materials without a strong American perspective are welcomed. A respectful book on the religions of the world could be a nice addition.
DON’T SEND but donate elsewhere:
*Books with lots of slang, which may be difficult for English learners to follow
*Books for very young children that have many references to appliances and electronics
*Adult paperback romance novels
*United States history or government (but DO SEND books about African-Americans)
*Magazines except for children’s educational magazines and recent National Geographics
*Books about American or religious holidays (Easter, Halloween, Chanukah, etc.)
Thank you!