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ELA 4: Wangari Maathai Biography 59 Views


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Description:

Wangari has shown us that it just takes one person to make a real difference in the world. Deforestation? Start planting trees. Hunger? Start planting fruit trees. Too many trees? Start planting...nothing. Nailed it.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:03

[Coop and Dino singing]

00:13

The world's a rough place. [Men fighting in the street]

00:15

There are so many problems and sometimes, it feels like we'll never solve them.

00:19

Luckily, Wangari Maathai didn't feel the same way. [Wangari Maathai holding a plant]

00:22

Wangari Maathai was the founder of the Green Belt Movement and the first African woman

00:26

to win a Nobel Peace Laureate.

00:28

Why stop at one major accomplishment if you can have two? [Wangari pointing to her awards on a shelf]

00:32

That's how we live our lives, too! Except…we swap in "chocolate chip cookie" for "major

00:36

accomplishment."

00:37

She grew up in Kenya, moved to the United States, and graduated as a biologist from [Wangari holding a plant with a biology degree]

00:41

Mount St. Scholastica College in Kansas at the age of 24.

00:45

Then she returned to Kenya, and saw that her home was suffering from deforestation, which

00:49

is when trees are cleared, transforming forests into cleared land. [Coop discussing deforestation]

00:52

So, Wangari motivated the poor women in her home to do something about it: she had them

00:57

plant trees.

00:58

Sounds easy, huh? [Digger appears on deforested land]

00:59

And even though people tried to stop her, Wangari never gave up. She continued to encourage

01:03

others with her persistence, positive attitude, and super-cool name.

01:07

And this story has a happy ending! Over 35 million trees were planted and the area where [Bird-eye view of trees in a forest]

01:12

Wangari lived has become green and lush all over again. So take that, deforestation.

01:17

Wangari also helped people see that small actions matter and, if you're really passionate [Young boy holding dirty pants and socks]

01:21

about something, you can make a difference.

01:24

Yup, you. You right there, watching this video. You can make a difference.

01:29

And even though she didn't do it for the glory, Wangari received several honors and awards [Wangari holding several awards]

01:32

anyway, as she should have. So what can we learn from Wangari's experiences?

01:36

Well, let's think about the steps that Wangari and her fellow Kenyans followed to come up

01:40

with their action plan.

01:41

First, they discussed the problem: deforestation. [Coop talking about Wangari's action plan]

01:44

Then they found a solution: plant some trees.

01:46

They learned the steps necessary and the materials they would need: tree seeds, water, dirt,

01:51

and poop.

01:52

We’re not even joking with that one. Gardening is messy work. [Father and son gardening]

01:55

Sometimes they had to adapt their plan. They didn't always have the materials they needed

01:58

and the work was really hard, but they persevered.

02:02

These steps aren't just useful for solving issues of deforestation. Apply these general

02:06

steps to a problem you see in your community and, as unbelievable as it might seem, you [Man falls off edge of a cliff]

02:10

might just make the world a better place.

02:12

Just…maybe leave the "poop" step out, if you're working in a soup kitchen, or something…

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