Curriculum Links: Maths 1.1 (a), 1.2 (a), 1.3 (b), 2.3 (a), 2.3 (d), 2.3 (a); PSHE 1.4, 1.5 (a); Citizenship 1.1 (a), 1.3 (c), 2.1 (a), 2.1 (c); Geography 1.1 (a), 1.3 (c), 1.4 (a), 1.7 (a), 1.7 (b).
Learning Objective: To calculate country statistics and represent them as proportions using different commodities.
Learning Outcome: To use an understanding of proportions to creatively represent and compare real-life statistics.
Resources Needed: Measuring wealth statistic sheet, packets of rice, quinoa, raisins, sugar and a jar of honey, scales and other measuring equipment; producer stories from Apicoop, Agrocel and Kasinthula; sets of digit 0 to 9 digit cards (one set for every three pupils)
Preparation: Buy the commodities, cut out and laminate digit cards for starter.
Starter: Arrange the pupils in groups of three and distribute sets of digit cards.The pupils should shuffle the cards and spread them face down on the table in front of them. Tell the children to turn over one card each and show it to their team mates. When sure that each group has turned over three cards, set a challenge…'Show me the biggest three digit number you can make with your three cards'… 'Show me a 3 digit odd number'… and so on. A member of the team reads out the numbers and the leader awards points if the team has used its numbers efficiently. Cards are placed face down on the table, shuffled and the activity is repeated. Within a ten minute period the teams should be asked to show the largest, smallest, an odd, an even, the nearest to 100/200/500 numbers they can make, each challenge given at least twice.
Main Activity: Look at Stan’s Café’s work using rice to represent population and bring statistics to life.
http://www.stanscafe.co.uk/ofallthepeople/index.html. Does the class think that it is effective?
Split the class into groups. Explain that each group will use one commodity to represent and compare one statistic from the UK and the 7 producer countries (e.g. population, % of GDP which comes from trade) The group must decide how they will use the commodities to represent a proportion of the whole amount. (For example if 100g = $1 billion, 430g of sugar = GDP of Malawi)
They then explain their displays and calculations to the rest of the class to look at.
• What does the class learn about the differences between each country?
• Which is the wealthiest country? Why?
• How important is trade to each country? Is it more important to some countries than others?
• Why do students think Fairtrade is important to poorer countries?
• How could Fairtrade help to tackle some of the problems faced by poorer countries? (e.g. life expectancy in Malawi)
• Is wealth only to do with money?
Students read some of the producer stories from Agrocel, Apicoop and Kasinthula before producing graphs and pie charts representing the statistics. They include examples from the producer stories which illustrate the benefits of Fairtrade.
Plenary: Split the class into two teams. A representative of each team stands facing away from the board.
A question is written on the board behind them. On the command of 'Go!' they turn around and race to finish the question. The team that does so first receives the point.
Extension: Data handling tasks using statistics can be set appropriate to year group and level of students.
Click here to download the Producer Stories in Welsh.