Definition of Cooperation for children for 4- 7 year olds: Cooperation happens when two or more people help each other to make something good happen. It can also apply to animals or parts of a whole that need each other and work together.  An example of this is the human body – all the parts work together to make you healthy. 

In a nutshell:

Together we can do more

Summary:
This colorfully illustrated book tells a realistic story of resilience and cooperation. A country town in the African nation of Chad is the setting. Children walk to school, excited to begin a new year of education, but they find that there is no building or materials. Everybody chips in to build a structure and finally  classes start when the materials arrive. After nine months of school, vacation begins. However, during the rainy season, the building collapses. After the community works together to reconstruct the school, a joyful new year of learning begins. 

Lesson Objectives: 

1. Students demonstrate more awareness of the circumstances of others in our world who don’t have what they have. 
2. Students learn the phrase, “to take for granted” and are guided to be more aware of how they tend to take certain things for granted.
3. Teachers guide students in a project to serve the unserved in their community/world. 

Guiding Questions: 

1. Locate on a map: the continent of Africa and the country of Chad. 
2. How do the children in the story get to school? How do you get to school? 
3. What happened when they arrived at school? 
4. What are some of the jobs the children did to make a new building? 
5. Why do you think the building fell apart during the rain? 
6. Do you think this story is true? Why or why not? 
7. Have you ever made mud bricks? Try it - get someone to help you. 
8. Have you ever built something with a family member or friends? What happened? 
9. To “take something for granted” is a phrase that means we aren’t thankful for some things we get that others might not get. What are some of the things you take for granted? 
10. Would you like to attend a school like the one in the story? Why or why not?