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“How Does The World Eat?” Snack Game
This exercise can be easily adapted for
different age groups. Here we include two versions, the
first is intended for younger kids, and the second comes
from our high school curriculum. The objectives and
materials needed are the same, but the procedure varies
slightly. Both activities are adaptations of Oxfam America’s
Hunger Banquet.
Objective:
This activity helps increase awareness of the unequal
distribution of resources around the world and its effect on
hunger.
Materials Needed:
Crackers, peanuts or other snack food
Procedure:
Version 1:
Divide the class into 4 groups. Distribute the snack to the
class based on the following example for a class of 24
students:
| |
% of
World Population |
Number
of Students |
Number
of Crackers per student |
| Low-income Group |
60% |
14 |
2 |
| Middle-income Group |
25% |
6 |
6 |
| High-Income Group |
12% |
3 |
10 |
| Very High-Income Group |
3% |
1 |
25 |
Discuss the uneven distribution of resources around the
world. Explain that while some people have much more than
they need, many others do not have enough. Be sure to stress
that there are people in poor countries who are well-fed, as
well as people in rich countries like the United States who
are hungry.
Ask the students how they felt when the snack was
distributed. Encourage them to think about how friends share
with each other. Is there any way that communities or
governments can share with each other?
Encourage students to think about the fact that people are
hungry not just in other countries, but in their own state
as well: Ask students to predict who is likely to go hungry
in their community (children, adults, or the elderly).
Brainstorm a list of reasons why it might be difficult for
each of these groups of people to get enough food.
Version 2:
Divide students into groups based on table below. Group
students from each region together so they can clearly see
how the world’s population is distributed. Ask each group to
make a sign to label its region.
Give each group a small bag that contains the corresponding
number of peanuts for that region.
|
Regions |
% of World
Population |
Number of Students |
Number of Peanuts |
|
Asia |
54% |
14 |
34 |
|
Africa |
26% |
5 |
6 |
|
N. America, W. Europe, Japan |
12% |
3 |
18 |
|
Latin America |
5% |
2 |
5 |
|
Eastern Europe |
3% |
1 |
2 |
|
Total |
100% |
25 |
65 |
Ask students how they felt when they saw how the food was
distributed.
Tell the class that less than one-quarter of the world’s
people live in countries where the basic needs for food,
clean water, health care, education, etc. are easily met.
More than three-quarters of the world’s population live in
countries in which basic necessities are not easily
obtained. Explain that these people struggle daily to
survive.
Ask the students to find a way to divide up the peanuts as
equally as possible within each group. In a group of 25
students, three peanuts per student represents the amount of
food needed for an active and healthy life. Ask them how
many have less than three peanuts. How many have three or
more? What are the reactions from the groups?
An important aspect of the food problem is an unequal
distribution of food in the world. Is there a way to share
wealth more equally in the world? How about sharing wealth
in or between various countries, or in our own community?
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