Year 3 go Bananas!!

Following on from our exploration before half term of the journey of a banana from St Lucia to England, this week Year 3 had the opportunity to experience the difficulties Banana farmers in St Lucia face and how this affects their livelihood.

The Banana Challenge !

In groups of four, with limited resources, the children had to make as many bananas as they could in ten minutes. They were then given different scenarios that St Lucian farmers face on a daily basis that affect their ability to gain financial security. Some children had their income reduced as a result of drought, some by ill health and some by falling banana prices. One group managed to increase their income with the help of extra resources provided due to being part of a Fair Trade cooperative. This led to a rich discussion on the benefits of Fair Trade and how it supports and protects workers in small organizations.

We also looked at how the money paid by the consumer is apportioned to the different people who make up the supply chain, which the children thought was very unfair. They were then given the opportunity to make their own decisions on how the money should be divided, which they then had to justify.

Fascinating banana facts we learnt -

A single banana is called a ‘finger’

Bananas grow on plants not trees.

It takes 9 months for a bunch of bananas to grow !