Manjula

Water & Gratitude

Begin this lesson with 2 minutes of collective silence to encourage focus.

1. Big Question

   “What role does water play in your life?” Facilitate a discussion with students exploring all the different ways water ‘plays a role’ in their life.

   Challenge them to think of water in an active sense, as opposed to something they just “get.” “When do you interact with water? Is its presence in your life unlimited, or are there restraints? How does water come into your life?” In this lesson you’ll be learning about the importance of clean water and encouraging gratitude for access to this resource.

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2. Think In Ecosystems

   Watch the video, I am Manjula, posing the question: “What type of role might water play in Manjula’s life? Is this similar to or different from your own experience?” Begin with this brainstorm as a class.

   “In what way is water a shared experience all over the world? What might be different about our experiences with water?” To delve deeper into this, read the story I am Manjula. In the story, Manjula discusses both the tangible ways she recognizes the benefit of clean water (disease prevention) as well as the soft benefits of doing meaningful work in her community. Check for reading comprehension by making a list of all the benefits of clean water, both in Manjula’s life, their own, and on a broader scale. Practice ecosystem thinking by exploring how far out students can imagine the benefits. For example, if clean water prevents disease, will it also save money? Allow students to attend school more? More schooling will lead to better jobs? Etc. Point out to students, “Manjula is in charge of distributing her community’s source of clean water. What is your source? How do you know it is clean? Where does it come from?” As a class, practice your research skills by researching your community’s source for clean water. Aim to promote students’ awareness of the work that goes into creating and providing access to clean water. Ask, “Who is in charge of purifying water in our community?” You could discuss and experiment with various methods of water purification, such as: Boiling water, making sure to ask, “Where do we get this water from to begin with?” Aquifers (linked here are instructions to create a model aquifer ) Water filtration (linked here are instructions to create a water filter following the process used by many water treatment plants)

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3. Math Integration

   Practice working with volume and division by helping Manjula with water calculations. Reenact the water calculations for which Manjula requests your help (middle of story): all you need is 20L cans, measuring tools, and access to water.

   Begin by estimating whether Manjula works with liters or milliliters when calculating the amount of water in the plant. Students can experiment by trying to fill in a can 1mL by 1mL, and then 1L by 1L. Once they’ve determined liters, ask them to convert to milliliters by asking, “How many milliliters would it take to fill up this can? That would take forever, huh!?” To practice division that works out nicely, next ask students for help determining how many buckets Manjula sold in one day, with the equation 6,000/20. Arriving at that equation will entail students recognizing they first need to multiply 1000L X 6 hours, and then divide that by the size of the bucket (20L). This is also good critical thinking practice. Be sure to ask, “Why might it be important for Manjula to keep track of these numbers?” Near the bottom of the story, Manjula offers additional discussion prompts to support students in estimating volume. And at the very bottom of the story, she provides data that offer the opportunity to practice both division with remainders as well as division that works out nicely. This last data set references her side job, tailoring. To tie it back into the big picture, ask, “Why might it be important for Manjula to have this side job as well?”

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4. Reflection Activity

   Start a class-wide gratitude journal, encouraging each student to begin by writing down one reason why they are grateful for access to clean water.

   Begin a class ritual of adding to the gratitude journal daily. Perhaps students write down something when they enter the class, or at the end of the day. Another version of this is to start a class “jolly jar:” Students write down on a small slip of paper something for which they’re grateful, that made them feel “jolly.” This goes into the jar and at the end of the week, every student pulls one out and shares it with the class.

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Unofficial Leaders

1. Getting Started

   If it’s possible, post or project images of Manjula and the five women leaders that students will learn about in this lesson. Spark curiosity by asking students to name these women. “Today, we’re going to be thinking about unofficial leaders.”

2. Dive Deeper

   Begin by watching the video above, followed up with the story, Manjula and her Community. In the story, Manjula shares that she was the first woman in her community to run a collective water plant.

   Manjula didn’t plan on achieving this, she simply wanted to support her community and provide for her own family. Manjula sees herself as an “unofficial leader”. “How would you describe an unofficial leader? Who are the unofficial leaders that you know?” Encourage students to think on both small and large scales: someone in their family, or even someone in their country. Facilitate an activity exploring other ‘unofficial leaders’ who may be inspiring to your students. Below are some suggestions, or feel free to supplement with others. “It isn’t always easy to be the first person to achieve something. Let’s take a look at some other women who achieved major milestones.” Divide the class into groups and ask each group of students to read the brief description about these women who made history: Maggie Lena Walker: The first woman in America to charter and serve as president of a bank. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf : The world’s first elected Black female president and the entire continent of Africa's first elected female head of state. Marta Vieira da Silva: A Brazilian women's soccer superstar, Marta was named FIFA World Player of the Year a record five consecutive times. Katherine Johnson: A Black mathematician who was considered one of NASA's "human computers", playing a critical role in space exploration's early days. Chien-Shiung Wu: A Chinese-American nuclear physicist known as the “First Lady of Physics”.

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3. Math Integration

   Manjula offers an example of a young, unofficial leader in her community while also providing an opportunity to work with mixed numbers, whole numbers and fractions.

   Manjula shared about Madu, a young friend of hers who sometimes helps out at the WHC. Manjula is impressed by his willingness to help without being asked, and is curious how many people he helps in a week. Students can help calculate this with the data given by first converting numbers into mixed numbers, followed by identifying the the proper equations that will help solve Manjula’s curiosity. This will entail both multiplying whole numbers and fractions as well as adding mixed numbers. Encourage students to design a chart and/or use the number line to practice visual representation. To keep students engaged with the bigger picture of the lesson through the math portion, ask them for examples “of times they themselves have demonstrated leadership qualities, or helped out when they were not asked. What type of impact did it have on others? How did they feel in that position of leadership?”

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4. Debrief Activity

   Choose to facilitate a class discussion or suggest a free write on one or both of the following questions: “What are some of the characteristics that these women may have in common?

   While we might not know a lot about them, we do know their career achievements. What are some of the questions you’d want to ask them if you were to interview them today?” “Each of these women took a path that was not traditional. There weren’t many women who had done it before them, and in most cases they were the first. Why is it difficult to achieve something when you do not have role models before you? What do you see as barriers for people in your community today?”

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Unofficial Leaders

Ask for student volunteers to help rearrange the seats in a circle. Take note of who steps up to this leadership challenge and thank them for it later.

1. Ask A Big Question

   “What does it mean to be a leader?” You can ask students to brainstorm some of the qualities that leaders have, and then write the answers down on the board.

   Examples could include being confident, or brave, or a good listener, or someone who cares about others. Then you can lead a discussion about what it means to be an “official” leader and an “unofficial” leader. “When you hear the word ‘leader,’ who are some of the first people who come to your mind?” Examples could be specific people such as the name of the person who leads your country or a certain teacher, or positions of power such as a politician or someone who runs a company. After you think of obvious leaders, ask students to think of people who have the qualities of leaders but may not be in positions of power. “Take a look at the qualities we wrote on the board– can you think of anyone they apply to, even if they aren’t famous?” Students may share examples such as a parent, or friend, or someone in their community that they look up to. You can then ask students to self-reflect on their own leadership skills. “Can you share a time that you were an ‘unofficial’ leader? How did it make you feel?”

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2. Think In Ecosystems

   Watch the video “I am Manjula” with your class and then ask, “How do you think Manjula is a leader in her family and community?” After students share some ideas from the video, you can read with them the Learning Journey story, “Manjula is a Leader.” To practice reading comprehension, you can ask, “What are some of Manjula’s qualities that make her a good leader?” Examples could include that she helps people in her community access water, or that she is grateful when she receives help, or that she leads by example when teaching her son about saving money.

   You can then write down other people from the story, and ask students to use context clues to imagine how they are leaders also. “What does it mean to ‘lead by example’? Do you think the women who help clean the water facility are good role models? Why or why not? How about Manjula’s young friend Madu? Or her son?”

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3. Math Integration

   Let’s use some leadership qualities to solve math examples! Discuss as a group some of the most important qualities of leaders that you wrote on the board at the beginning of the lesson.

   “How do you think we can use these qualities to help us solve math?” Some ways could include respecting different ideas, or being willing to try new things, or assisting others who may need some help. Once you have some ideas, put them into practice by engaging with the math concepts of addition with 2-digit numbers (page 2), adding 1s and 10s (page 2), bar graphs (page 2), and addition within 20 (page 3) in the story, “Manjula is a Leader.”

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4. Reflection Activity

   Encourage students to take a few minutes to imagine how they can use the leadership qualities you talked about throughout the lesson to help them be good leaders in the future.

   You can lead a discussion with your class, or have students journal to practice their writing. Some prompts could include them being leaders in their community, or in their families, or with a job they are excited to engage with in the future. “What steps can you take today to prepare for a leadership role in the future?”

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