Patchwork Designs > HISTORICALLY SPEAKING KENYA PATCH PROGRAM

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING KENYA PATCH PROGRAM
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1. Kenya is located in east Africa. What is the capital city and what does the flag look like?

2. Many people that reside in Kenya can speak three languages. They speak the language that represents their ethnic group, English, and Swahili. Learn some simple phrases OR words in Swahili.

3. The Kenyans celebrate a variety of holidays and several important festivals throughout the year. Have your own celebration representing a holiday or special event OR learn the meaning of the event OR attend a festive African event OR create a drawing, art project, or craft represent the holiday or festival. Some examples include: Christmas, Jamhuri Day, Camel Derby, Safari Rally, and Mombasa Carnival.

4. There are grasslands called savannas, sandy beaches, mountains, and desserts located in Kenya. Learn more about the terrain area OR a natural park or landmark OR learn more about the seashore or oceanography OR create a craft or picture representing the terrain. Examples include: Mount Kenya, Lake Nakuru National Park, Gedi Ruins, or Lamu Island.

5. There are more than 70 tribal groups located in Kenya. Choose one tribe to learn more about such as their traditional clothing, language and where they reside in Kenya. For extra, create a craft depicting their culture, housing or food they eat.

6. Popular sports in Kenya are soccer and long-distance running. Learn more about a sport, toy, or game that is played in Kenya. Make sure you have proper equipment if you are trying a sport. Some examples include: jacks, cloth dolls, balls, hide and seek, jump rope, hula hoop, manacala, and cricket.

7. Kenya is famous for its wildlife. The country is home to such animals as elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes, rhinoceroses, warthogs, and other wild game. Safari (Swahili meaning “journey”) tours are enjoyed by the thousands of tourists that visit annually. Learn more about an animal that lives in Kenya. Create a craft that involves animals from Kenya, take a pretend safari through books or your imagination, OR name three animals, what they eat and their habitat. ? There is an activity sheet in the back of the manual.

8. Many Kenyans carry fruits and vegetables to and from the markets in bowls or baskets balanced on their heads. The traditional food called ugali, a cornmeal porridge is an important part of their diet. Other basic foods they include fruit, nuts, rice, and beans. Choose a food or recipe to try that represents the Kenyan culture. For extra, try to carry items on your head as your walk, start with a book. Examples include: Samosas, peach chutney, mtori, irio and plantains.

9. Each Ethnic group in Kenya has it’s own stories and myths that have been passed on through the generations. Animal stories are very common and sometimes are enjoyed with a musical instrument. Choose a story read or act out that represents the Kenyans OR learn two proverbs created by Kenyans. [A proverb is a statement that gets you to think about the true meaning of the statement.]

10. Dancing is a very important part of Kenya life. They create their own instruments and enjoy having competitions to see who can jump the highest, line dances, and traditional dances. Learn more about dances or music in Kenya OR watch a dance OR listen to music from Kenya OR create your own instrument.

11. Many residents of Kenya have jobs in the marketplace or street stalls. They are called Jua Kali enterprises, Jua means “sun” and Kali means ‘hot”. They sell things such as food, art, jewelry, and clothing outdoors to support their families. Create a marketplace and trying selling things for money, this could be a yard sale, lemonade stand, bake sale, cookie sale etc. OR you can create a pretend market place of items that represent Kenya, create your own money or use pennies.

12. Kenyans create many artistic items for ceremonies, to sale, or for daily use. Women often wear colorful jewelry such as bracelets, headdress, necklaces. It symbolizes their stage in life and wealth. Create an artistic item OR view artistic creations items from Kenya.

13. The Maasi wear lubegas, long cotton cloths with bold stripes and elaborate designs. Sometimes they have so many necklaces on you can barely see their necks or decorate their skin with beautiful designs using red and white paint. Learn more about the clothing and jewelry worn by the Maasi tribe or any other tribe in Kenya OR create the paper dolls in our manual. The Kenya paperdolls featured in our manual can be used to represent the traditional clothing of three different tribes in Kenya, the Maasai, Samburu, and Turkana.

14. Many Kenyan homes do not have electricity. Sometimes the government sends a truck out into the villages that makes electricity. It also has movies and a projector on the truck so the villagers enjoy a movie night. Watch a movie or documentary that is Kenya landscapes, animals etc. in it OR make a list of all the things that you use electricity for, How can you conserve the use of it, OR conduct a community service project assisting the less fortunate.

This patch program will help its participants learn more about the history and sites in this country. If you have the privilege of visiting this country, you can complete some of these requirements there. It would be helpful to learn more about the country prior to your visit.