Monday, September 16, 2013

Fundamental Needs of People


Lower Elementary is beginning to study the Fundamental Needs of People.
 
Fundamental needs are divided into two. Humans start off with material needs. As you may have already guessed this includes more than just food and clothing. Humans also need shelter, safety and other factors that contribute to a secure and comfortable existence. The second fundamental need is spiritual in nature. When all the basic needs are provided, humans have a desire for artistic, cultural, social and religious expression and interaction.
 
In the month of September, we introduce the fundamental needs of people by reading the story of Robinson Crusoe. "Shipwrecked in a storm at sea, Robinson Crusoe is washed up on a remote and desolate island. As he struggles to piece together a life for himself, Crusoe's physical, moral and spiritual values are tested to the limit. For 24 years he remains in solitude and learns to tame and master the island, until he finally comes across another human being" (Amazon.com)
 
We ask the children, "What would you need to survive" and watch them begin to understand the difference between a want (toys, furniture) and a need (food, water).

We also begin to branch out and talk about the different categories of needs (shelter, clothing, medical care) and what belongs in each category and has belonged throughout history.

 

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