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THEME 3: "HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?"
Although Ghana is not a large country—about the size of Oregon—its
climate and terrain are highly variable, ranging from warm, tropical rainforests
to hot, dry plains. Since climate and terrain largely determine what will
grow in a certain area, it is not surprising that variability in these
factors has a large impact on agriculture in Ghana. Working in cooperative
learning groups, students will explore Ghanaian agriculture from four
perspectives: home gardener, farmer, environmentalist, and nutritionist.
In addition to learning about this fundamental aspect of the Ghanaian
economy, students will examine the preconceptions that they have—from
magazine photos, adventure movies, and news stories—about Ghana and
the people who live there.
Laying the Groundwork
Ask students:
- Can you tell me what the Ghanaian landscape looks like in your mind's
eye?
- Describe what you think the weather is like.
- Where did you get these ideas from?
- What do you think farming and gardening are like in Ghana?
- What might be some challenges faced by Ghanaian farmers and gardeners?
- Based on your expectations about Ghanaian climate and terrain, what
types of plants do you think they might grow?
- What questions do you have about farming and gardening in Ghana?
On the board:
- Compile a list of the characteristics ascribed to Ghana by your students.
Keep this list in a visible spot throughout the entire theme. Students
can use it to fill out the first two columns of their KWL charts.
Contact with Ghanaian students:
- Invite students to ask their Ghanaian school partners—through
letters— questions to determine what preconceptions they
may have about farming in the United States. Students in the
U.S. evaluate the accuracy of these notions based on their region
of the country, state, town, and individual experiences or lifestyles.
Ask students: Are these ideas accurate? Are any of them surprising?
What might have led the Ghanaian students to develop these images?
What do you think is the most effective way to help your Ghanaian
school partner better understand farming and gardening in the
United States? Encourage students to follow through with their
suggestions.
DIVIDE YOUR CLASS INTO FOUR GROUPS: HOME GARDENERS, FARMERS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS,
AND NUTRITIONISTS.
HOME GARDENER (Grades K-4)
Exploration
Students can explore some of the following questions:
- What plants do Ghanaian home gardeners grow? Do gardeners across the
country grow the same plants? How do they choose which plants to grow?
How are these the same as or different from the plants that Americans
grow?
- What have they planted in the past? Are you familiar with these plants?
- Native Americans used plant parts in jewelry and artwork. Do Ghanaians
do the same? Visit several museum Web sites to view African art pieces.
- What plants and plant parts do they use? How can you find out the
significance of these plants or plant parts in Ghanaian society?
Helpful sites:
Food
and Agriculture Organization: Food and Nutrition for Africa
About.com:
Africa for visitors
The
University of Pennsylvania's African Studies page
The
West African Vegetable Homepage
Making Connections
- Have students refer to the list of characteristics compiled by the
class at the beginning of this theme. How might you modify those
ideas based on the new information you have learned?
- Use the information you gathered to complete your KWL chart.
Branching Out
How can you use what you have learned?
- After seeing some genuine art samples—either in a museum
or on the Web—create your own jewelry or artwork made from
plants. Have your teacher get the necessary supplies and teach
the rest of the class how to recreate your design. Take photos
of your artwork to send to your Ghanaian school partner.
HOME GARDENER (Grades 5-8)
Exploration
Students can explore some of the following questions:
- What plants do Ghanaian home gardeners grow? Do gardeners across the
country grow the same plants? How do they choose which plants to grow?
How are these the same as or different from the plants that Americans
grow?
- Who is typically responsible for maintaining the home gardens? Is
it a full time job or a hobby?
- What tools and techniques do they use to prepare, plant, and
harvest their gardens? How are these the same as or different
from the tools and techniques we use in the United States?
- What problems might Ghanaians face when trying to start and maintain
a home garden? How are they able to overcome these obstacles?
- How do Ghanaians prepare foods from their gardens? How does garden
food preparation compare with that of U.S. gardens? Which plants
are used for purposes other than food (e.g., medicinal)?
Helpful sites:
Food
and Agriculture Organization: Food and Nutrition for Africa
Food and Agriculture
Organization
On
the Line: Virtual Journey of Ghana
The
West African Vegetable Homepage
Making Connections
- Based on what you have learned, develop a plan for a Ghanaian garden.
In what region of the country is this garden located? Be sure to include
plants in this garden plan that will do well in the climate of this
region. Consult your Ghanaian school partner for advice.
- Refer to the list of characteristics you compiled at the beginning
of this theme. Are any of the plants you suggested for this
list found in your Ghanaian garden plan? How might you modify
those ideas based on the new information that you have learned?
What can you summarize about home gardens in Ghana? Why should
you avoid generalizing about Ghana or Africa?
- Complete the information in your KWL chart.
Branching Out
How can you use what you have learned?
- Locate some recipes from Africa that use foods from your Ghanaian
garden plan. Use the University
of Pennsylvania African Studies Web site. Choose one recipe
and prepare it for the class to try. Can you find recipes for
traditional Ghanaian home garden foods in the cookbooks that
you have at home?
- Share the recipes you find with your classmates.
HOME GARDENER (Grades 9-12)
Exploration
Students can explore some of the following questions:
- What plants do Ghanaian home gardeners grow? Do gardeners
across the country grow the same plants? How do they choose
which plants to grow? How are these the same as or different
from the plants that Americans grow?
- What have they planted in the past? Are you familiar with
these plants?
- What is the purpose of home gardens in Ghana? Do home gardens
serve the same purpose in the United States?
- How can we find out how Ghanaians value plants? Often when
people value objects—like plants—they express how
they feel about them in stories, myths, or folktales. This is
also how they pass along information about the history, culture,
and beliefs of their people. Can you find any evidence of this
in African, or more specifically Ghanaian, literature? Based
on these writings, can you infer which plants are valued the
most? What important roles do these plants play in the lives
of Ghanaian people?
Helpful sites:
Food
and Agriculture Organization: Food and Nutrition for Africa
Africa
Access Review
Yale-New
Haven Teachers Institute: Multiculturalism through African Folk
Tales
Ghana.com
The
West African Vegetable Homepage
Making Connections
- Can you think of examples in American literature where plants are
represented in similar ways? Are there Native American tales that reference
plants? Are the plants that Native Americans value the same as or different
than those valued in Ghanaian or African literature? Why do you think
this is so?
- Refer to the list of characteristics you compiled at the beginning
of this theme. How might you modify those ideas based on the
new information you have learned? What new questions do you
have?
- Complete the information in your KWL chart.
Branching Out
- The media frequently highlight the starvation taking place in parts
of Africa. Based on what you now know about home gardens in Ghana, what
do you think about the media's coverage of the hunger problem? How does
the food situation impact the relationship between plants and people
in Ghana? Do people in the United States share a similar relationship
with plants?
How can you use what you have learned?
- After reading several samples of Ghanaian or African literature
that incorporate plants, choose a typical Ghanaian home garden
plant, research its value in Ghanaian society, and write your
own folktale about it to share with the class.
FARMER (K-4)
Exploration
Students can explore some of the following questions:
- What is the history of farming in Ghana? Have Ghanaians always
been farmers? If not, how did they get their food historically?
- When and why did they become a farm-based society?
- What was the first crop grown in Ghana? Who grew this crop? Why was
this crop grown?
- What crops are grown in Ghana today?
- Are these the same as or different from crops that are grown in the
U.S.? In your state?
A day in the life:
- Brainstorm what the daily life of a farmer in Ghana might be like.
- How can you find out what their daily life is actually like? Brainstorm
how you might gather this information, then try out your ideas. How
closely did your vision match reality?
- What types of difficulties do Ghanaian farmers encounter? How do they
overcome these? Do farmers in the United States face similar difficulties?
Helpful sites:
University
of Pennsylvania African Studies Center
The
"Working in Ghana" Project
Ghana—A
Country Study
Food and Agriculture Organization
Navrongo
and Lawra Homepage
The
West African Vegetable Homepage
Making Connections
- Contact a local farmer in your state and interview him or her about
daily farm life. Compare and contrast the lives of the Ghanaian and
American farmer. How do they compare with your predictions?
- Use the information you have gathered to complete your KWL chart.
Branching Out
- Are there any practices used by Ghanaian farmers that might benefit
the American farmer you interviewed, or vice versa? How could you share
this information with the farmers? Brainstorm what kinds of materials
you could use to effectively convey this information.
FARMER (5-8)
Exploration
Students can explore some of the following questions:
- What is the history of farming in Ghana? Have Ghanaians always
been farmers? If not, how did they get their food historically?
- When and why did they become a farm-based society?
- What was the first crop grown in Ghana? Who grew this crop? Why was
this crop grown?
- What crops are grown in Ghana today?
- Are these the same as or different from crops that are grown in the
U.S.? In your state?
- What role does agriculture play in Ghana's economy?
From hand to mouth:
- Brainstorm what products you think are made from the agricultural
plants grown in Ghana.
- Which of these products do you use in your daily life? Do we grow
some of the same plants that are used to make these products in the
US? Which ones?
- Are the agricultural products made in Ghana used domestically? Are
there some big, money-making export crops raised in Ghana? What type
of impact does trade export of these crop products have on the welfare
of this country?
Helpful sites:
Mbendi:
Information for Africa
On
the Line: Virtual Journey of Ghana: Food
Ghana—A
Country Study
Navrongo
and Lawra Homepage
The
West African Vegetable Homepage
The
University of Pennsylvania African Studies page
Food and Agriculture
Organization
Making Connections
- Although cocoa production has declined in Ghana, in the 1960's Ghana
was the world's largest producer of cocoa. What are the difficulties
associated with cocoa production that may have contributed to its decline?
What other factors contributed? How have cocoa farmers attempted to
make a comeback? What effect, if any, did the decline in cocoa production
have on the people and economy of Ghana?
- Make some candy bars! Visit the Thinking
Fountain site to learn how.
- Complete the information in your KWL chart.
Branching Out
- Who do you think should benefit the most from the sale of
an agricultural product? Examine the concept of fair trade.
- How could you use the information that you have just learned
to help others become conscientious shoppers?
- Brainstorm what factors you think you should—or do—consider
before you purchase a product. How often are these factors a
consideration for you when you are buying a product? What do
you think is the most important factor that most people consider
when they are buying a product?
Helpful sites:
The
American Museum of Natural History
Ghana—A
Country Study
FARMER (9-12)
Exploration
Students can explore some of the following questions:
- What is the history of farming in Ghana? Have Ghanaians always
been farmers? If not, how did they get their food historically?
- When and why did they become a farm-based society?
- What was the first crop grown in Ghana? Who grew this crop? Why was
this crop grown?
- What crops are grown in Ghana today?
- How do they compare with crops that are grown in the U.S.? In your
state?
- Are the same crops grown all over the country? What factors determine
what crops are grown in different parts of the country? Where does the
majority of farming take place in Ghana?
- What land is used for farming? What characteristics does a Ghanaian
farmer consider when choosing farmland? How is farmland created in Ghana?
- What techniques and practices are used to farm in Ghana? How do these
compare with those used in the U.S.?
Helpful sites:
Ghana—A
Country Study
Food and Agriculture
Organization
University
of Pennsylvania African Studies Center
Navrongo
and Lawra Homepage
The
West African Vegetable Homepage
Making Connections
- There is a natural conflict over land use between farmers
and environmentalists in Ghana. Your student farmers and environmentalists
should use the information they have gathered to formally debate
their positions concerning farming in Ghana.
- Are there compromises that those on each side of the debate
could make to resolve this issue?
- Complete the information in your KWL chart.
Branching Out
- Contact PeaceCorp volunteers living in or near your community,
especially those who were involved in agricultural programs
in Ghana. They might come to your class to answer questions
and talk about their experiences while working in Ghana. Contact
World Wise Schools Office (800) 424-8580 (ext. 2283) to locate
volunteers living nearby.
- If a PeaceCorp volunteer does not live nearby, visit the Friends
of Ghana Web site to hear the accounts of other PeaceCorp
volunteers who served in Ghana.
ENVIRONMENTALIST (K-4)
Exploration
- Using the resources you used in Theme 1: Sense of Place, reproduce
a map of Ghana and a map of the United States (same scale). Paste as
many maps of Ghana inside the United States map as will fit. How many
fit?
- Visit the Animal
Info site for Ghana to find out how many mammals there are in Ghana.
Since the United States is __ times larger than Ghana, how many mammals
would you guess there are in the United States (based on the number
found in Ghana)?
- Now visit the Animal
Info site for the U.S. to see how accurate your guesses are. Were
you close? What does this tell you about the biodiversity—the variety
of living things in an area—of Ghana?
- Where do the majority of wildlife live in Ghana?
- What types of activities have been taking place in this ecosystem
that might threaten the wildlife that live there?
- Why do the activities taking place in this ecosystem pose a threat?
Helpful sites:
Conservation
International: West Africa
World
Resources Institute
The
Conservation Agriculture Network: Sustainable Agriculture in West
Africa
Rainforest
Alliance
Making Connections
- Why do you think it is important to protect the rainforest ecosystem
in Ghana? How do you think that we might benefit from these rainforests?
- Brainstorm things that you can do—like buying rainforest friendly
products—to help preserve the rainforest in places like Ghana.
Are there ecosystems in the United States that are being used in a non-sustainable
way? How could you find out if anything is being done to protect these
ecosystems? What can you do?
- Complete the information in your KWL chart.
Branching Out
- How can you use what you have learned to educate others about the
rainforest destruction taking place in Ghana? How can you help
others to care for the environment? Brainstorm how best to share
this information and then do so. Use whatever method you choose
to inform your classmates.
ENVIRONMENTALIST (5-8)
Exploration
- The most important export crop in Ghana is cocoa.
Students can explore some of the following questions:
- Where is cocoa grown in Ghana? Where does it grow best? What factors
make this location ideal for growing cocoa?
- What problems are associated with using this location for cocoa production?
- Why is it important to preserve this land? Are there plants and animals
that are unique to this area? Why is it important to protect them?
- What is being done to help protect any species that are unique to
Ghana?
- Choose a plant or animal that can be found in the Ghanaian rainforest.
Use the Internet to find out about your organism. What does this organism
need to survive? How does the rainforest meet these needs? Is this organism
found in other parts of the world or is it unique to Ghana? Is this
organism in danger of becoming extinct? If so, why?
Helpful sites:
Rainforest
Alliance Conservation Programs
Rainforest
Alliance Activities for Kids & Teachers
Africanconservation.org:
Ghana
Biodiversity
Support Program
World
Resources Institute
Conservation
International: West Africa
Animal
Info - Ghana
Making Connections
- What is biodiversity? Why do you think it is important to maintain
biodiversity in our world's natural ecosystems?
- What effect do you think the loss of biodiversity has on humans?
- Complete the information in your KWL chart.
Helpful sites:
Biodiversity Support Program
Branching Out
- Is this situation unique to Ghana? Are there species in other parts
of the world or the U.S. that are being threatened by human activities?
- What can you do?
- Are there ways that you can act locally to preserve biodiversity in
places like Ghana?
- How will you inform your schoolmates about what you have learned and
what actions they can take to prevent a further loss in biodiversity?
ENVIRONMENTALIST (9-12)
Exploration
- The most important export crop in Ghana is cocoa.
Students can explore some of the following questions:
- Where is cocoa grown in Ghana? Where does it grow best? What factors
make this location ideal for growing cocoa?
- What problems are associated with using this location for cocoa production?
- Why is this land worth protecting? Gather the information you think
would be necessary to convince a cocoa farmer that this practice
is damaging.
- Can you think of another way to produce cocoa without causing this
damage?
- Who produces the majority of cocoa in Ghana? Do they rely on this
crop to survive? Do these same people rely on the rainforest for things
other than cocoa production?
On the map:
- Print out a blank map of Ghana from About.com.
Next, visit Conservation
International's site. These are maps of the Upper Guinea
Forest Ecosystem in West Africa. Using the maps to identify
the country boundaries, locate the land in Ghana that is covered
by rainforest and transfer this information—using colored
pencils—to the blank map of Ghana. Based on the information
that you have obtained through your Web quest, what percentage
of rainforest is being destroyed by non-sustainable agriculture?
Black out that percentage of the rainforest on the map that
you have just compiled. Is it a large enough area to warrant
concern? How do you decide what " large enough" means?
Helpful sites:
Rainforest
Alliance Conservation Programs
Rainforest
Alliance Activities for Kids & Teachers
Jamieson's
The
American Museum of Natural History
Conservation
International
Making Connections
- There is a natural conflict over land use between farmers
and environmentalists in Ghana. Your student farmers and environmentalists
should use the information they have gathered to formally debate
their positions concerning farming in Ghana.
- What types of compromises might be made by those on each side of the
debate to address this issue?
- Complete the information in your KWL chart.
Helpful sites:
Biodiversity
Support Program
Branching Out
- Is this situation unique to Ghana? How are humans practicing non-sustainable
agriculture in other parts of the world? In the United States?
- What can you do?
- Are there ways in which you can act locally to preserve the environment
in places like Ghana?
- Search the Web for organizations that sell environmentally friendly
products. How do these places ensure that environmentally-friendly practices
are being used?
- How will you inform your schoolmates and your Ghanaian school partners
about what you have learned and what actions they can take to prevent
further damage?
Helpful sites:
Green Consciousness
Movement
Rainforest
Action Network
The
Rainforest Alliance
NUTRITIONIST (K-4)
Exploration
- Conduct a search on the Internet for "food" and
"Ghana." What kind of information do you find? How
are food-related issues the same as or different from those
facing Americans? What would you—as a nutritionist in Ghana—focus
on?
- What types of food do they eat everyday? Are you able to
find any popular recipes? What do Ghanaian students learn about
nutrition in school? How does this compare to what you have
learned in school about nutrition?
- Why are malnutrition and starvation bad?
- What are the root causes of malnutrition and starvation?
Helpful sites:
Kids
Can Make a Difference
Bread
for the World
Hunger: Myths
and Realities
Making Connections
- What does it mean to you to be hungry? What do you do when you are
hungry?
- If you were among the people in Ghana who are starving, what do you
think you might do to find food?
- Complete the information in your KWL chart.
Branching Out
- After researching the problems with overcoming starvation
and malnutrition in Ghana, brainstorm some solutions. Could
you follow through with any of your ideas and actually make
a difference, either locally or in Ghana?
- Following a recipe you identified through research or from
the
University of Pennsylvania African Studies Web site, prepare
a Ghanaian dish to share with your classmates.
NUTRITIONIST (5-8)
Exploration
Students can explore some of the following questions:
- What is the most important export crop in Ghana? What products have
you eaten that are produced from this crop plant?
- Learn about the history of this crop at the
American Museum of Natural History Web site and make a time-line
of its history, including how people through the years have consumed
it.
- What is the history of this crop in Ghana? How has the crop affected
Ghanaians' lives?
- What are the health benefits associated with products made from this
crop?
Helpful sites:
Mbendi:
Information for Africa
Godiva.com
Jamieson's
Science
News Online
CNN
OnHealth
Making Connections
- Now that you are aware of the benefits of cocoa, it is time to receive
some of those benefits! Visit Jamieson's
Web site to choose a recipe to prepare for your classmates.
- Complete the information in your KWL chart.
Branching Out
- How will you share this information about the benefits of
Ghana's most important export crop with other people?
NUTRITIONIST (9-12)
Exploration
Students can explore some of the following questions:
- What are the root causes of malnutrition and starvation? In Ghana,
specifically?
- What resources do people need to have to overcome hunger?
- What is being done to improve the hunger situation in Africa? In Ghana?
- What role are women playing in the fight to end hunger in Ghana?
Helpful sites:
Hunger: Myths
and Realities
The Hunger Project
Bread
for the World
Kids
Can Make a Difference
Making Connections
- Are there people going hungry in your state? In your community?
- How do the causes of hunger locally compare with the causes of hunger
in Ghana?
- Are there organizations in your area that are focused on the hunger
problem?
Branching Out
- What can you do about hunger in Ghana? In the United States?
- After researching the problems with overcoming starvation and malnutrition
in Ghana, brainstorm some solutions. Could you follow through
with any of your ideas and actually make a difference, either
locally or in Ghana?
Helpful sites:
Kids
Can Make a Difference
Wrapping Up
- Since student groups explored different topics related to agriculture
in Ghana, we recommend that you close this theme by having each group—home
gardeners, farmers, environmentalists, and nutritionists—develop
a presentation, using the appropriate resources and technologies (e.g.
Hyperstudio, play, posterboard), to share with their classmates what
they have learned.
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© 2008
National Gardening Association