Our New Classmate

This story is about:

including others
being aware of our

emotions

sharing
resources

Level 3 Chart 4
Steps:

CDRM Competencies

A. Let learners look at the first picture. Ask them to

identify Kapuki and the teacher. Let them describe
what the other children are doing. Ask them to
identify the map on the wall (Uganda).
B. Ask learners how they help new students at their
school.

Including others
Being aware of our emotions
Sharing resources

Learning Outcomes
Give examples of at least three ways children in our
community are different.
Describe how it feels to be a newly arrived pupil at
our school.
Relate a personal story about including and helping
others.

Key Words
classmate, terrible, war, South Sudan, lonely, sad,
language, English, share, snack, break time,

Review Vocabulary

Uganda, teacher, sad, smile, kind, friend

Teacher Guidance Notes

This story should be taught first orally in the language of
instruction so that learners can interact with the key messages in
a language that they understand well. The main objective is to use
the story to teach students important skills, values and behaviours
for life. This story focuses on the importance of helping all children
to feel included at school, even if they are different. In this case, the
different child is a newly arrived classmate from a neighbouring
country, but children may also feel excluded because of age,
appearance or ability. If the langauge of instruction at your school
is not English, you should prepare the lesson by translating the story
into the learners' mother tongue. After introducing and discussing
the story in the learners' mother tongue, the pictures can also be
used to teach English language and literacy by having learners tell
a simpler version of the story, learn the key words in English, and
write sentences describing each picture.

There is a new girl in our class. Her name is

Kapuki. Kapuki comes from South Sudan. She and
her family ran away from a terrible war. They did
not have a home for many years. Now they have
come to live in our village in Uganda. They are
happy here because they are safe.
Today is Today is Kapukis first day at school. She
is lonely and sad. She cannot speak our language,
but she can speak a little English. She is afraid
that she cannot understand the lessons. Now
Kapuki is sitting near the teacher. The teacher is
helping her.
We shall help her, too. We want her to feel happy
at our school. We shall share snacks with her and
invite her to play games at break time. Soon she
will learn our language and become our good
friend.
Mainstreaming Conflict and Disaster Risk Reduction into the Curriculum Project
National Curriculum Development Centre, Republic of Uganda
SAMPLE REVIEW COPY NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION

C. Ask learners what languages the children at their

school can speak. Make a list on the board.
D. Ask the learners questions like these:
What is the new girl's name?
Where is she from?
Why did her family come to Uganda?
What is the teacher doing to help her?
What do the girls want to do? Why?
Do you think Kapuki will be happy at her new
school? Why?

Activities
A. In groups, have learners make a list
of countries that share borders with
Uganda: South Sudan, Kenya,
Tanzania, Rwanda, Democratic
Republic of Congo. Ask each group
to make sentences stating the
location of each country, for
example: "South Sudan lies to the

B. In the same groups, ask learners to make lists of the

languages they know or have heard. Let them give
examples of how to way "Welcome to our school" in as
many languages as they can.
C. In small groups of three, ask learners to make up scenes in
which they show kindness toward another learner from
another district of Uganda or from a neighbouring country.