Families of Brazil

Grades 4-8. Portraying the social culture and rhythms of everyday life from two youngsters' viewpoints, this program explores the daily lives of two Brazilian children: fifth-grader Luisa, who lives on a farm, and a preschooler Guido, who resides in an apartment in Rio de Janeiro. The youngsters are observed from early morning wake-up through bedtime. Viewers meet the important people in the young Brazilians' lives, observe their daily routines, and become familiar with their lifestyles. Other titles in the series include Families of Japan and the recently released Families of China and Families of Puerto Rico. Although it is an oversimplification to generalize about Brazilian life based on one program, this offers young viewers a chance to recognize and observe cultural differences and similarities.

-Carol Holzberg

Families of Brazil

Gr 1-5. This live-action production, seventh in the series, takes viewers through a typical day in the lives of two families in Brazil. Narrated first person in a child's voice and from a child's point of view, the video spotlights the culture of Brazil, including food, clothing, housing and education. Luisa, a farm girl living with her mother, father, brother and grandmother, is our window to her world for the first half of the video. School, which only lasts a half-day, is an hour's drive from the farm. All the children wear school shirts and study the Portuguese language. Luisa shows us her farmhouse and the local supermarket. Next we meet Guido, a five-year-old Brazilian boy living in an apartment in Rio with his mother, father, and brother. Guido's mom rides a modern subway to her government job. They shop at the supermarket and take clothes to the cleaners. His dad has a high tech computer job. Guido attends school for a half day. No music or graphics intrude on this slice-of-life video. Viewers have the opportunity to tag along with Guido and Luisa foe one day and learn about their lifestyles. Students studying world cultures, other countries or children around the world will enjoy learning about life in Brazil through the eyes of these two youngsters. Teachers will appreciate the simplicity and straightforward approach of these stories told to children by other children. - Marilyn Hersh, Hillside Elementary School, Farmington Hills, MI.

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Families of China

K-Gr 5. Families of China is an excellent way to introduce young children to life in China today. The two 15-minuet clips on the tape provide an interesting contrast of lifestyles. In the first, the young boy narrator describes a day in his rural farming village located in the tea-growing region of southern China. Students will realize instantly that life there is far more primitive than in any other place in the United States. While the boy's mother has a washing machine in the basement (which she has to manually fill with water), viewers see other women washing clothes and vegetables in a ditch. The daily visit to the open-air market will open many children's eyes to the way food is still sold in some countries today. A good part of the segment focuses on food and cooking. The other major aspect is the school and the reservational way that education is held among citizens. American students will be amazed to learn that each child brings raw rice to school, washes and soaks the rice before school begins, and then leaves their packet of rice for a cook to steam in a common steamer. This way of life is in vivid contrast to that of the second clip which shows a day in the life of a large port city girl. Her parents are professionals, and the city life will be more understandable to our students. Both segments present examples of clothing, culture, and types of housing in such a way that students will begin to comprehend that China is made up of many different ethnic groups and cultures. This exceptional production will greatly enhance any elementary study of China. - Linda R. Steele, Western Elementary School, Georgetown, KY.

Families of Japan

Gr. 1-5. The daily routines of two Japanese fourth-graders (Seichi and Ayako) are documented through home and school footage and voice-over explanations. Seichi is seen helping his siblings with chores on their farm before walking to school, where his activities include classroom lessons, lunch, and tooth brushing. Seichi is also observed shopping and socializing on the weekend. Urban-dweller Ayako is similarly spotlighted. Interestingly, both children reside with grandmothers who enjoy watching televised sumo wrestling and fathers who miss dinner because they work late. Like The Global Family three videos that visit families in India, Thailand, and Mexico, this is an excellent introduction to children in other countries. -Sue Ellen Beauregard

Families of Sweden

This live-action video focuses on children's life in Sweden. It contains two segments, each following a different Swedish child-an older boy and a younger girl-through a typical day. Narrated in the first person, in a child's voice, the segments are not dramatic. Instead, they show real-life activities such as school, family life, meal preparation, and recreation. This is a look at today's Sweden, complete with recycling, computers, car seats, and ATM cards. With no comparisons or judgments made, the video gives a picture of what life is like in a loving family in another country. Audio quality is excellent and the video quality, while not exceptional, is good. This is an interesting series that will give children and intriguing taste of another culture, while allowing them to compare and contrast it with their own. Teachers will find this a valuable addition to country studies. - Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA.

Global Families Series Review:

"Family life in different countries is the focus of this live-action series. Each video contains two segments that follow a different from morning to bedtime. Narrated in the first person, in a child's voice, the segments show real-life activities, people and places. Food, school, recreation, religion, work, housing, transportation, and a typical daily routine are all clearly covered. The use of two children shows regional differences. The video makes no comparisons or judgments; merely showing what life is like in a loving family in a foreign culture. Beliefs that shape family life are briefly introduced when appropriate. Audio quality is excellent and the video quality, while not exceptional, is good. Some brief nudity is included in the Thailand video, showing young boys swimming. This excellent series will give children an intriguing taste of another culture, and allow them to compare and contrast it with their own. Teachers will find this a useful addition to the study of other countries, adding flavor to the facts."

--Teresa Bateman. Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA.

Global Families Series

Each 30-minute video in the Global Families Series documents a day in the life of an urban and rural family in a given country. The programs, targeted to ages 5 to 10, are narrated by children, and experiences are seen from a child's point of view. Viewers see what others eat, how food is obtained, prepared, and preserved, how people bathe, what others wear, how clothes and houses are cleaned, what kinds of houses others live in, where the inhabitants sleep, cook and eat, and what others do in their free time. We follow family members to school and work. "Families of India," "Families of Thailand" and "Families of Mexico" are currently available at $19.95 each. "Families of India" won a Telly award upon its release last year.

The Global Families Series

"Visiting the homes of children in various countries (India, Thailand, and Mexico), these similarly formatted videos follow the children's daily routines and their parents' activities from early morning to bedtime. A child in an urban setting and another from a rural area of each country are introduced, allowing for comparisons in lifestyles. Although the productions lack technical polish, they are well done; the children (ages 5 to 10 years) are engaging and usually nonchalant about being on camera. An English-speaking child narrates each segment, and voice-over narrators represent each child. These portraits of everyday living are excellent for both public schools and libraries." - Debra McLeod

Families of India

In this fascinating look at life in India, seen through the eyes of a young boy and girl, we're first introduced to Raja, whom we follow from home to school. Here, viewers see a typical day of prayer, exercise, instruction, and friendly play: later, back at home, the family is eating, taking a walk, and visiting a Hindu temple. Viewers then meet Bavika, whose extended family lives in an apartment compound, and are introduced to Indian rural life and farming. Families of India feels like a cinema verite documentary - at times the camerawork is a little unsteady, and the edits are choppy, but overall, the concept is well presented. Being able to walk through a typical day in the shoes of a child gives us a rather unique glimpse into a country and its people. Kids can identify with many universals- love of play, familial togetherness and (of course) the excitement of getting out of school! At the same time, seeing cultural differences- such as eating with one's hands or sitting on the floor rather than in chairs- in this context, makes "strange" things about another country non-threatening and easier to understand and appreciate. The narration, by children, is articulate and fact-filled. (E. Gieschen)