Aishwarya Rai

‘QUEEN’ of Bollywood, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and boxing ace Amir Khan are to feature in a new teaching pack that celebrates the lives of black and Asian achievers.

The pack, Did You Know? 2, by West Yorkshire diversity in education publishers Primary Colours, features 10 illustrated biographies of inspirational black and Asian people that also include president-elect Barack Obama, racing driver Lewis Hamilton and author Malorie Blackman.

Aimed at upper primary pupils, the book is narrated by ten year old Naz who travels through time, meeting the famous personalities.

The Did You Know? 2 pack is to be launched this Friday (16 January) to mark the inauguration of the first African American US President, Barack Obama and aims to provide British schoolchildren with inspirational role models of ethnic minority origin.

The pack comes complete with suggested teaching activities, extensive web links and thought-provoking questions to stimulate classroom debate.

Ten posters of the characters are also part of the pack, ideal for display in the classroom and around the school.

Co-written by Primary Colours creative director Pete Tidy and practising deputy head teacher Shazia Azhar, the pack addresses many areas of the curriculum, especially literacy, geography, and PHSE and citizenship.

Shazia also co-wrote the pack’s predecessor, Did You Know? which was published in 2006 and featured Asian achievers including former Rugby League International Ikram Butt and Lord Nazir Ahmed.

Speaking about the books she said: “In my ten years in teaching in multi-ethnic schools I’ve always struggled to find inspirational texts for children about the achievements of black and Asian people.

“With the Did You Know? books we have tried to give children inspirational ethnic minority role models and heroes for the 21st Century, teaching them how to appreciate the range of national, religious and ethnic identities in the United Kingdom in a fun and interesting way.”

The Did You Know? 2 teaching pack is priced at £125. The book also features; scientist George Washington-Carver, civil rights activist Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, prisoner of conscience Aung San Suu Kyi and Benazir Bhutto.

Each pack contains 16 copies of the children’s book (including teachers’ notes), 1 poster pack (10 A4 colour posters) and a CD ROM containing pdf versions of the book, posters, and web links. Copies can be ordered online at www.primarycolours.net or by calling 01484 421620.