It's a wrap - Lyfta live lessons: Countdown to Earth Day

Asalif in Ethiopian Treasures

Schools from across the UK and beyond took part in this latest series of Lyfta live lessons and had the opportunity to explore Asalif's story and to take part in our exciting #EarthDayInventor competition in the countdown to Earth Day.

Our trainer Noel started the lesson by introducing the Lyfta globe and talking with students about what they could do to have a positive impact for our planet during Earth Hour and in the countdown to Earth Day. Then he clicked on a pin on the globe to transport us to the outskirts of Addis Ababa to explore a 360 scene where we saw Asalif in his modest home. Students shared observations and questions as we explored the space:

"What is the financial situation of the family here?"

"What is the boy making?"

"Do they have electricity in their home?"

"Does he like living there?"

"What do they eat?"

"Where do they get their supplies from?"

We were then transported to explore several other 360° scenes to learn more about Asalif's life and the area. We saw outside the family home, where a huge condominium has been built and considered together the need and environmental impact of a development like this being built. The final 360° we explored in the lesson was the Bole district in the city of Addis Ababa.

Before we entered the space, students were asked to make some predictions about the city and imagine what it might look like. The space we discovered was clearly a surprise for many students:

"We didn't expect it to be so modern"

"Looks quite similar to where we live actually!"

"Addis Ababa reminds us of New York!"

Next we watched the film together and learned more about 10-year-old Asalif. We saw how he uses his ingenuity to gather and reuse discarded materials he finds and turns them into useful inventions.Students gave some very thoughtful reactions and were clearly inspired:

"He is investigative and persevering , resourceful and positive."

"Sometimes we don't value all the things we have as we should"

"No matter where you live and what you have, you can still be an inventor"

"He is very forward thinking. He sees a problem and tries to solve it."

"He not only made something new, but he was also saving the environment."

"We thought that he was like Iron Man - making things out of anything!"

Next we shared information about an exciting opportunity for students to show their own ingenuity. We invited them to use their creativity and inventiveness to take part in our #EarthDayInventor competition and be in with a chance ofwinning a bundle of sustainability books worth £100!

Some brave children came on to the camera to share ideas with everyone else on what they might invent:

"We could create something we have never even thought about before like him"

"I'd like to make a piece of art with wood and pieces of clothing - with the background in wood, and using the old clothing as if it were paint."

"I'd like to make something for a theme park - a rollercoaster or ride."

"I'm going to make a magnetic snack train"

"I'm going to make a fort. I'll take a huge cardboard box and cut it into pieces and then stick them together into a fort."

"I'm going to make a submarine using a water bottle"

We are very much looking forward to seeing these inventions made and submitted as competition entries!

Missed the live lessons? No problem!

Ethiopian Treasures Live Lesson Trailer

You can still take part in the competition. Enjoy exclusive, free access to Ethiopian Treasures until 31st March!

If you were not able to take part in our live lessons, never fear! You can still take part in the competition by accessing Ethiopian Treasures with a free Lyfta Starter account. If you don't yet have a free account, sign up here. It takes just 30 seconds and no credit card is required.

The judging panel will select the winning creation based on which they deem to be the most inventive and innovative.Read more about the competition and how to enter here.

Lyfta Live lessons - what are they?

Lyfta live lessons are delivered by our engagement team live, via Zoom, bringing together many different schools for a shared Lyfta experience.

Since we started our live lessons, under a year ago, we have delivered sessions to over a 1150 classes in total (over 35,000 student sessions)!

New to Lyfta?

Our Lyfta storyworlds are at the heart of what we do, offering learners intimate windows into the lives of people from across the globe. Students and teachers can explore real human stories through 360° spaces and soundscapes, high-quality documentary films, and rich media articles. Our Lyfta films depict personal stories that open up a wider, societal issue.

Our live lessons provide a great opportunity to experience some of the content with your students with no preparation required.

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