September 10, 2009

Fair Trade Curriculum Resources

Source:  NYSUT Social Justice and Labor Center
social justice curriculum

Win Win Solutions: An Introduction to Fair Trade and Cooperative Economics
Equal Exchange’s 124-page curriculum provides a link between personal actions and community efforts to create a more just and sustainable world. This interdisciplinary resource is designed for grades 4-9 and addresses standards from a wide variety of subjects. The flexible structure allows teachers to incorporate individual experiential activities into current lesson plans or use all four units. Addresses national curriculum standards from a variety of subject areas.

Setting a Higher Bar: Global Exchange’s Fair Trade Cocoa Unit for Kids
This full unit from Global Exchange has nine ready-to-use lesson plans using inquiry-based learning and encouraging critical thinking. The unit was written broadly for grades 2-5, but is suitable for younger and older students with adaptation. While primarily a social studies unit integrating language arts, it also includes art, math, and life science. Designed to be supported by the Global Exchange Fair Trade Chocolate Book.

Focus on Fair Trade
Each unit from TransFair USA highlights our global interdependence by focusing on three different Fair Trade foods: Chocolate Explorers (grades K-2), Banana Bonanza (grades 3-6), and Coffee Connections (grades 7-12). Units include lesson plans and address relevant national standards with ideas for accessible, interactive activities on topics ranging from geography, economics, social studies, history, environmental studies, and marketing.

fair trade coloring bookBilingual Coloring Book: Maya Arts and Crafts of Guatemala /Artes y Artesanias Mayas de Guatemala
Pictures and text in this bilingual coloring book illustrate the importance of arts and crafts in the lives of the Maya. Two teacher/parent guides are available online for free download: "Kids and Fair Trade", which contains lessons designed to help children understand how Fair Trade helps address some of the injustices inherent in our present trading system, and "Learning From the Maya About Diversity, Culture and Ecology". For more information about ordering the coloring book or to download teacher guides, visit: www.proartemaya.org.