School life
In a Madagascar classroom
Local school customs vary. The best way to learn about a class's day is to ask them directly.
All country briefings
Africa · Country briefing
Madagascar
A child-friendly mission briefing for Thursday 19 November - capital, climate, school day, languages, fun facts, native animals, and five questions to ask the class on the other side of the world.
- CapitalAntananarivo
- Population~32 million
- Time zoneAfrica/Nairobi (UTC +3)
- CurrencyMalagasy ariary (MGA)
Madagascar, with Antananarivo marked
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Climate in November: End of dry season or start of wet season; warm.
The capital
Antananarivo
Photo · Wikimedia Commons
Fun facts
What makes Madagascar a bit special.
Baobabs - the upside-down trees
Huge swollen trunks that hold water - some are over 1,000 years old
Open lesson
The Avenue of the Baobabs
A dirt road in western Madagascar lined with giant trees as tall as houses
Open lesson
The world's fourth-biggest island
Bigger than France or California - and packed with animals found nowhere else
Open lesson
Vanilla - the orchid in your ice cream
Madagascar grows more vanilla than any other country in the world
Open lesson
Tsingy - the stone forests
A landscape of razor-sharp limestone spires, taller than houses
Open lesson
How Madagascar broke off from Africa
88 million years alone - which is why its animals are so strange
Open lesson
Tap any card to open a class-ready mini-lesson - for the teacher to walk through, or an older child to read aloud.
Native animals
Wildlife your partner class might know best.
- 🐒
Lemurs - found nowhere else on Earth
Around 100 kinds of lemur, all living wild in Madagascar - and only Madagascar
Open lesson
- 🦎
Chameleons - colour-changing acrobats
More than half of all chameleon species on Earth live in Madagascar
Open lesson
- 🐒
Ring-tailed lemur - the sunbather of Madagascar
Black-and-white striped tail, big golden eyes, and a love of morning sunshine
Open lesson
- 🐆
Fossa - the top predator of Madagascar
Looks like a cat, climbs like a monkey, and hunts lemurs in the treetops
Open lesson
- 👆
Aye-aye - the weirdest animal in Madagascar
A nocturnal lemur with bat ears, rodent teeth, and a long bony tapping finger
Open lesson
Tap any animal to open a class-ready lesson about it.
Greetings to learn
Say hello like a local
- Hello!French
Five questions to ask
Conversation starters
- 01What does your school day look like?
- 02What do you eat at lunch?
- 03What games do you play at break?
- 04What's the weather like today?
- 05What do you wish more children around the world knew about your country?
What not to assume
Friendly cautions
- ℹMadagascar has many regions and communities - there is no single experience.
- ℹClimate, food, and traditions can vary widely from one part of the country to another.
Culture
Food, music, sport, festivals.
Food
Music
Sport
Festivals
Tap any chip to open a class-ready lesson - what it is, why it matters, fun facts.
Reflection prompts
- “What's something you'd love to share about your school day?”
- “What's the most surprising thing you'd love to ask the other class?”
Could your class meet Madagascar?
Choose Madagascarwhen you register - we’ll show you the time-zone feasibility.