Do you remember this sociopolitical advocacy campaign curriculum aimed at 1970's elementary-aged children?
October 24, 2010 8:50 AM

'70's Elementary school social studies materials--possibly Unicef?

There were monthly pamphlets and filmstrips (!) about various socio-economic/medical problems in the developing world in my elementary school curriculum--1968-1974. I think they were tied into Unicef somehow, but Google is getting me nowhere.

The example I remember most clearly was one about a little girl in a fishing village who was going blind from vitamin A deficiency. There was always a problem which could be solved, often simply, but the dramatic differences between the ways various cultures around the world lived (and suffered) were emphasized, along with the responsibility of those living in more favorable circumstances to reach out and help beyond national boundaries.

There was nothing religious or evangelical about these programs, I should add. So no sponsorship from missionary organizations.

Does anyone remember these? I wish I had saved them along with my third grade composition notebook. As a teacher, I think they would be an invaluable, if dated resource.

Tangential question: if you don't know what they are, I welcome any and all suggestions as to how to look for them.
posted by emhutchinson to Education (3 answers total)
Any chance this was something from the Weekly Reader?
posted by timsteil at 9:49 AM on October 24, 2010


timsteil, we got Weekly Readers too--this was something different, not glossy, barebones illustrations, printed on stock that could pass for "recycled" by present standards--maybe it was, that long ago?
posted by emhutchinson at 10:34 AM on October 24, 2010


Sounds a little familiar.
Is it possible for you to contact someone at that school or the district? They may still have the filmstrips warehoused and perhaps cataloged. You never know, they could even have a dusty box of pamplets, or at least a kindly librarian or teacher who recalls the materials.
Good luck!
posted by zombiecakes at 8:28 PM on October 24, 2010


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