Guide to Fundays 2.0

Funday MMLearning Life is pleased to announce the launch of our “Fundays 2.0” as of February 10, 2019.  These Fundays, part of Learning Life’s Citizen Diplomacy Initiative (CDI), blend our prior game-based Fundays, family projects and a new fitness challenge, with substantial prizes for up to three top point winners.  Parents and children: please read carefully through the details below to learn about the Fundays, points and prizes.

Context

Since August 2016, Learning Life’s CDI has engaged lower-income families on three continents in internet dialogues and projects to help open the world to more people, democratize diplomacy, and nurture more caring, capable citizens.  CDI now engages families in Washington DC, USA, San Salvador, El Salvador, and Dakar, Senegal.

In 2017 and 2018, Learning Life carried out ten Fundays.  These Fundays 1.0 engaged CDI children in Washington DC in international learning (e.g., geography, globalization, world health) through presentations and games.  The Fundays 1.0 were a supplement to our CDI family projects, which included a photo project in 2017, and a food project in 2018, to be completed at the end of April this year.

Funday Details

This year, Fundays 2.0 combine our fundays and family projects, and add a fitness challenge and prizes.  Between February and April, Fundays 2.0 will occur on two Sundays per month at 2:00-4:30pm EST (DC time).  During each Funday 2.0, the families will move back and forth through two “Move your Mind” (MM) world learning activities, and two “Move Your Body” (MB) physical fitness activities, with twenty minutes devoted to each MM and MB.  More precisely, each Funday 2.0 will occur more or less as follows:

2:00-2:30pm: Families in Washington DC arrive at the Arbor View Community Center at 1212 Southern Avenue SE.

2:30-2:40: Families in DC start with a food tasting to learn about nutrition and world foods.  Families abroad in San Salvador, Dakar connect at the same time or on a different day from home via Facebook video with Learning Life volunteers in metro Washington DC to guide them through the MMs in the families’ native tongue.

2:40-3:00: Families in DC and abroad complete MM 1.

3:00-3:20: Families in DC and abroad complete MB 1.

3:20-3:40: Families in DC and abroad complete MM 2.

3:40-4:00: Families in DC and abroad complete MB 2.

4:00-4:30: Families abroad each conclude and sign off with their respective Learning Life volunteer.  In DC, families and volunteers have a snack, socialize, clean-up, then depart.

The food project Fundays in 2019 will occur on the following Sundays:

February 10, 24
March 10, 24
April 7, 28

Points and Prizes

Starting Sunday, February 24 and ending April 28, each participant 18 years old or under can accumulate points for participating Funday MBin the Fundays, and by improving their knowledge (MMs).  In early July, gifts worth $100, $150 and $200 (in U.S. dollars) will be awarded to up to three participating children who get the most food project points above a minimum point threshold.  Children get project points for the following:

Child attendance: Ten points per Funday the child attends, and a maximum of 50 points for attending the five food project Fundays (February 24, March 10, 24, April 7, 28).  The child must participate and be well engaged in the entire funday to get the 10 points. No points for attending part of a Funday.  Also, five points will be subtracted if the child is distracted, disengaged or combative.

Parent/guardian attendance: Each child gets ten points per Funday that their parent(s) attend, and a maximum of 50 points for attending the five food project Fundays (February 24, March 10, 24, April 7, 28).  The parent(s) must participate in the entire funday.  No points for attending part of a Funday.  No extra points if more than one parent participates out of fairness to kids with only one parent.  A family legal guardian, older sibling, uncle, aunt or other adult member of the family can attend in place of a parent.  Children, parents and family adults are not obliged to attend all Fundays consistently, but the more fundays they attend, the more points participating children gain. 

Knowledge improvement: Each child can gain up to 96 points for improving their knowledge of food culture, nutrition and health from the project pre-survey completed prior to the fundays, to the post-survey that participants will complete after the April 28 funday.  Children have the opportunity to learn the necessary information about food culture, nutrition and health (available at all times free online via Google slides) through the MMs during the Fundays and/or on their own time, so there is ample time to study before the post-survey.   

Questions?  Contact Paul Lachelier at paul@learninglife.info.