Habitat on the globe // France-Canada-China // Primary schools

Chinese, Canadian and French children exchange
their ideas about environmental protection

Goals

The theme of habitat ("home") is close to students' everyday life. They may become aware of luxuriance and fragility of their environment. In the 3 countries, children may suggest and exchange ideas about environmental protection.

Students have been asked to consider the linguistic diversity by describing their drawings in two languages. Exchanging notebooks, children are confronted to different languages and writings (French, English, Chinese and Uyghur). Because environmental protection also means cultural protection.

Habitat on the Globe aims at connecting 14 Chinese, Canadian and French primary schools . In short, Chinese, Canadian and French pupils are invited to meditate on different ways to inhabit the environment. Then each pupil should choose a kind of housing that he or she wants to draw: either his or her present housing, or an ideal bio-housing in harmony with the environment. Each element of the drawing should be shortly described by a double-legend in the pupil's language and in a foreign language. Finally, all the drawings should be assembled into a collective notebook and given to us.

What next?

‘Habitat on the globe’ project is the first step of a meeting: the linked schools may continue the dialogue thanks to ATI - Ad Terram Incognitam internet platform, where more than 40 schools are connected.

Exchange

In May and June 2005, French and Canadian schools delivered their notebooks, which travelled with us from July to September around China. From Shanghai to Canton and from Tibetan high plateau to Taklamakan desert , on the Silk Road, we delivered drawings made by French and Canadian children to 8 Chinese schools. During fall 2005, we will deliver the Chinese drawings to French and Canadian schools. Each school of the 3 countries will also receive a cd including all the drawings and pictures of our trip.