OWL+

Ownership and Leadership: Pathway for (Endangered) Languages’ Use in School

The Ox Cart Wheel


The aim of this activity is not only to develop language skills, but also to acquire some cultural competences, namely getting to know/making contact with the “modus vivendi” and the tools for working the land of a few decades ago in Terra de Miranda. At the same time, intergenerational contact can be developed between the students and older generations (in the family or in neighbourhood relations)

 

  1. The teacher should provide the students with a picture of a traditional Mirandese ox cart, where all its component parts are clearly visible and identifiable.

Optionally, students can be asked to draw the same image.

  1. The teacher asks the students to find out the names of the parts that make up the ox cart (as homework), the materials they are made of and, at the same time, the functions that the ox cart had in the past (or even today): what jobs were done, how they were done, at what time of year… from their parents or grandparents or even from a neighbour who can tell them.
  2. In the next lesson, the teacher shows an image of an ox cart (which can be subtitled) and asks the students to identify the various components (always clarifying any spelling doubts that arise) (15′)
  3. After identifying all the components and the materials they are made of, the students are asked to list the jobs the ox cart was used for and the time of year when it was used (which the students will be able to indicate by having asked at home) (10′)
  4. At the same time, these occupations are recorded on the board (or on the projection) and a brief comparison is made with the way these works are done today (or if they are no longer done) (10′)
  5. Students will be able to comment orally on the contrasts between the way of life of a few decades ago and today, highlighting the strong changes that have taken place in this area. (10′)