>> Rachel: Woo Im getting sleepy. But before it’s bedtime, it's time for Chompers! Your morning and night toothbrushing show.
Start brushing on the top of your mouth on one side, and brush the inside, outside and chewing side of each tooth.
>> KIDS: 3, 2, 1 brush!
>> Rachel: It’s Heroines Week, and every day this week we have talked about a heroic woman from history. Tonight we’re talking about Wangari Maathai, the woman who started the Green Belt Movement.
Wangari was born in a country in Africa called Kenya. When Wangari was a girl, Kenya was full of strong, lush trees and the beauty of nature was everywhere. But soon, that would change.
Switch to the other side of the top of your mouth, and brush the molars in the way back too.
[Switch Bell]
>> Rachel: People began to cut down the trees so that they could sell the wood or so that they could grow food on the land. Wangari was sad to see the forests disappearing.
But she could do something about it! Wangari had studied the science of living things -- that’s called biological sciences. She had studied so hard that she got a degree called a “doctorate.” It’s really hard to do that! But with her doctorate, Wangari could start to solve the problem of the disappearing forests.
Switch to the bottom of your mouth, and brush in little circles around each tooth.
[Switch Bell]
>> Rachel: Wangari was part of a group whose goal was to help women in Africa. Wangari thought that a great way to help both women and the environment would be to have women plant trees. The trees could supply wood for building and cooking for the women, and it would help keep the forests Wangari loved. She called her project The Green Belt Movement, and soon women all over Africa were planting millions of trees.
Switch to the other side of the bottom of your mouth, and brush your front teeth too.
[Switch Bell]
>> Rachel: Wangari’s project was a great success. Wangari helped women all over Africa plant more than 20 million trees, and in 2004 Wangari received a special prize, called the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Peace prize is given to people who help promote peace on Earth, and Wangari’s Green Belt Project had done just that. For her tireless efforts to help the environment and the women of Africa, Wangari Maathai is tonight’s Chompers Heroine.
That’s it for Chompers tonight, but we’ll be back with more tomorrow. Until then,
>> KIDS: 3, 2, 1 spit.