Northfield Middle School to Pilot Hamar Unit

Four educational studies students at Carleton College are spending winter term developing a unit for 7th graders on Africa and the Hamar which will be used in the Northfield Schools as a pilot project this spring. Faculty members in History, Linguistics, Biology, Economics, Environmental Studies, Geology and Anthropology are advising the students about the content of the unit  while the students put their knowledge of educational pedagogy to work formulating the lesson plans.

Seventh graders will learn about the Hamar in the context of African history and will study their culture, language, and challenges for survival in the modern world. They will learn about the GTLI projects and will hold a fund-raising activity for the Hamar  at the end of the unit.

This new initiative of partnering GTLI with Carleton College to provide educational outreach to students will introduce students to the challenges of developing nations in Africa as they grow into global citizens. By helping the Hamar  they will be participating in a concrete effort to help people in need through academic civic engagement.

The unit will be made available to 7th grade social studies teachers throughout Minnesota next year free of charge.  What a wonderful way to spread the word about GTLI's work with the Hamar and to give children a chance to become involved as well.