Beacon Press 7 | Page 11

Do some Justice – Save Mother Earth! Shenaz Nanwani, Year 6 The Year 8 students have been learning about Ecological Footprints which is how much the Earth can take in terms of human consumption or what people use from nature in order to survive. Recent Studies show that on average we are using 1.5 Earth planets, way above the desirable consumption capacity. Students compared various countries’ ecological footprints and were surprised to find out that the least global hectare, a unit used to measure Ecological footprints, belonged to underdeveloped countries. Students also learned about justice and injustice not just geographically, but historically as well. In History, students created a timeline of the holocaust. When asked what they felt about the Holocaust, Sophie Razmovski answered: “I was terrified and disturbed to find out that the hatred of one man killed millions of innocent people.” It did not stop in 1945. Students researched on genocides that happened in different parts of the world and found the shocking truth that it still occurred in the past two decades. In Language Arts, students analysed the language used by JB Priestly’s play, ‘An Inspector Calls’ and explored its true-to-life themes. This was followed on by other stories related to the Holocaust, such as ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ and ‘The Book Thief’. “It is a very powerful book. It really conveys the message - how people should be more responsible,” says Bhavish when asked what he thought about ‘An Inspector Calls’. What makes the whole idea stick is the fact that human beings use natural resources wastefully and the consequences has led to poverty and war. On Ecological Footprints, Esperanza said: “Ecological Footprints are very interesting to learn about.” The world has enough resources to provide for everyone; the problem lies in its distribution. Students had their Exit Point on Friday, April 04, which aimed to create a school-wide awareness of the importance of taking care of the environment through multiple campaign strategies, ranging from a puppet show and song number for the Years 1 and 2 to a documentary and website presentation for the Middle School. Students delivered their reflective speeches in front of different age groups. 11