The Salmonberry School: Bringing About The World That Ought To Be


The Salmonberry School, located on beautiful Orcas Island in Washington State, has a strong multi-cultural focus and a dedication to help students become socially and environmentally responsible citizens. A quote on the school's website reads:

"We do more than prepare students for the world, that is: we help them bring about the world that ought to be."

The school's focus on cooperative community learning as a gateway to building "confidence, compassion and responsibility" fits in nicely with the collaborative leadership initiatives that have characterized student involvement with Amman Imman over the last year.

Paul Freedman, the school's founder and director, became aware of the potential connection between his school's mission and the Amman Imman project when he heard about the situation the Azawak at a presentation at Goddard College back in January, 2007. Paul has been wanting to involve his students in an Amman Imman initiative ever since.

Paul writes:
I am FINALLY getting around to participating with my primary class in an Amman Imman project beginning in late November! We are in the middle of an integrated thematic unit on water, and the project will be our culmination. Our intermediate class is also looking at water and plans to participate in an Amman Imman project later in the year.

I've been finding all kinds of great curriculum on line. I thought you might like to see a few of my favorite pages:

International water crisis
http://www.water.org/waterpartners.aspx?pgID=920

Peace Corp water work in Africa http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/educators/enrichment/africa/index.html

Water usage facts and fun elementary level game
http://www.water.org/FileUploads/ODfetchapail.pdf

Links to Science- based water lessons
http://www.proteacher.com/110056.shtml

In a newsletter to parents of students in his primary class, Paul outlines his plan for using the valuable lessons learned about water scarcity in the Azawak to enhance his student's appreciation of water. The student's will raise their awareness of their own water usage by dropping coins in water bottles strategically placed by water sources around the school.

Additionally, the school plans to use the project to augment their curriculum as the student's learn about African geography and Saharan cultures.

The school seeks to inform their parent community about the project by linking to the Amman Imman website, this blog and the various Youtube videos available for people to learn about the conditions in the Azawak and Amman Imman's work to provide water by constructing permanent water boreholes.

You can read the entirety of Paul's November 26 newsletter article about how his school plans to implement the Amman Imman project at this link: Salmonberry Primary Newsletter, Nov. 26.

Paul plans to keep us informed of his school's progress as they learn about the Azawak region.


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