africa for elementary school kids

Traditional African Society

Africa is the 2nd largest continent in the world, next to Asia.

Africa is HUGE!

Africa is almost an island.

Egypt connects to Asia.

Africa is about 4 times the size of the United States.

• Africa has a flag to represent each of their countries, just like UK have a flag. Here are some to show you.

Countries in Africa also have leaders, just like UK have a Prime Minister.

British PM

David Cameron

Nigeria’s President

Goodluck Jonathan

Traditional African ReligionANIMISM

1. Belief in one remote Supreme Being.

3. Ancestor veneration.

4. Belief in magic, charms, and fetishes.

5. Diviner mediator between the tribe and God.

2. A world of spirits (good & bad) in all things.

Religion• Africans profess a wide variety of

religious beliefs.The World Book Encyclopedia claims that there are 150 million African Muslims and 130 million African Christians, while Encyclopedia Britannica estimates that approximately 46.5% of all Africans are Christians and another 40.5% are Muslims. A small number of Africans are Hindu, Baha’i, or have beliefs from the Judaic tradition.

African Diviner (Shaman)

World of the Spirits

Dogon “Spirit House”

Ancestors

Kisokolo Initiation Costume,

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Other Religions in Africa

ISLAM 25% * Nigeria largest sub-Saharan Muslim countries.

CHRISTIANITY 20%

African Culture

An African’s “Search for Identity”

1. Nuclear Family2. Extended Family3. Age-Set

4. Clan

5. Lineage (ancestry)

TRIBE (communal living)

Music and Dance• Common African music is samba, blues, jazz, reggae, rap,

and rock and roll. Later the introduction of Afrobeat and Highlife music was introduced. Recently African hip hop has become popular.

• A variety of musical instruments are used, including drums (most widely used), bells, musical bow, lute, flute, and trumpet.

• African dances are important mode of communication and dancers use gestures, masks, costumes, body painting and a number of visual devices. With urbanisation and modernisation, modern African dance and music exhibit influences assimilated from several other cultures.

Legends of Africa

• Shaka was a Zulu leader.• He is widely known for transforming the Zulu

tribe from a small clan into the beginnings of a nation that held sway over the large portion of Southern Africa. One Encyclopædia Britannica article confirms that he was something of a military genius for his reforms and innovations. Other writers take a more limited view of his achievements.

Art

• Africa has a rich tradition of arts and crafts. African arts and crafts find expression in a variety of woodcarvings, brass and leather art works. African arts and crafts also include sculpture, paintings

• pottery, ceremonial and religious headgear and dress.

• African culture has always placed importance on personal appearance and jewellery.

• Masks are made with elaborate designs and are important part of African culture. Masks are used in various ceremonies.

Mask With Headcloth, Zaire (19c)

Tribal Mark scarification

Languages• By most estimates, Africa contains well over a

thousand languages,most of African origin and a few of European origin. Africa is the most continent in the world where different languages are spoken.

• There are four major language families native to Africa.

• The Afro-Asiaticlanguage• The Nilo-Saharan language • The Niger-Congo language • The Khoisan languages.

1000 different languages; 1000+ different tribes

Cuisine• Africa is a huge continent and the food and drink of Africa

reflect local influences, including use of food products like peppers, peanuts and maize. The African cuisine is a combination of traditional fruits and vegetables, milk and meat products. The African village diet is often milk, curds and whey.

• Traditional African cuisine is characterized by use of starch accompanied by stew containing meat or vegetables. Cassava and yams are the main root vegetables. Africans also use steamed greens with hot spices. Dishes of steamed or boiled green vegetables, peas, beans and cereals, starchy cassava, yams and sweet potatoes are widely eaten. Watermelon, banana and plantain are some of the more familiar fruits.

Children in Africa

• There are about 748 million people living in Africa.

• Many of them are children like you!

Let’s take a look at the children in Africa.

They like to play...

dress up…and read!

Just like you!

Here are some of the books they read

These are all written in a language called Swahili.

Swahili is one of many languages spoken in Africa.

Swahili is different from English

Children Books in English, French & Local Languages

Look at these school’s in Africa!

Children in Africa are even involved in other activities

This is a group of children singing in a choir.

Children in Africa love to play sports just as much as you do!

Boy’s football

Girls’ Football

Some children in the play

ground.Playing sand games

School play ground just as fun!

Questions??