Year 4 Explorers Activity went GloCal
Year 4 Explorers Activity went GloCal
![Year 4 Explorers Activity went GloCal]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1778810694/britishschoolmanilaorg/z2gp0ispdkpf3zab4bn2/ServiceandSustainabilityNews_21.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1778810694/britishschoolmanilaorg/z2gp0ispdkpf3zab4bn2/ServiceandSustainabilityNews_21.png","width":400}])
Primary School
Food Heritage, Community, and GloCal Citizenship
As part of the new Year 4 Global Citizenship Education (GCE) Explorers topic, students recently took part in a rich day of outdoor experiential learning focussed on Filipino food heritage, sustainability, and community connection.
The experience was centred on a visit by Chef Lawrence “Lao” Castillo, whose passion and advocacy for Filipino food heritage inspired students to think more deeply about the relationship among food, people, culture, and place. Through storytelling, discussion, tasting experiences, and exploration, students began to understand that food is much more than something we simply eat—it is deeply connected to identity, tradition, livelihoods, and community well-being.
Chef Lao helped students explore how supporting local ingredients and traditional recipes can positively impact farming and fishing communities across the Philippines. By creating greater awareness and demand for local produce, communities are better able to preserve cultural traditions, sustain livelihoods, and protect valuable knowledge that might otherwise be lost over time.
Tap left or right to see more photos
This was a powerful example of “GloCal Citizenship” in action—encouraging students to think about global issues such as sustainability, food systems, and cultural preservation, while also recognising the importance of local action and local connection. Through food heritage, students were encouraged to feel more connected to Filipino culture, customs, traditions, and communities.
The learning extended beyond the classroom through an outdoor orienteering and nature trail activity around the BSM campus. Using maps and navigation skills, students explored different areas of the school site while identifying native and exotic trees and plants connected to Filipino food heritage. Along the trail, they discovered the medicinal, nutritional, and cultural uses of various species and began to see the campus itself as a living learning environment.
Throughout the day, students demonstrated curiosity, reflection, and a growing sense of connection to both people and place, reinforcing in the children a deeper sense of belonging within both their school community and the wider cultural landscape of the Philippines. Experiences such as these highlight the important role that service and sustainability education can play in helping young learners develop empathy, cultural understanding, systems thinking, and a deeper appreciation of the communities and environments around them.
Thank you for your compassion and support.
The Service & Sustainability team
RELATED LINKS
- Service & Sustainability