... SPRING 1998

REGIONALLY C ONNECTED: AGEOGRAPHICAL S TUDY OF A FRICA BY

REGIONS

Regina Gilyard Thomas

The continent of Africa is vast. It consistsof 54 countries engulfing the southernmostand the northernmost part of the continent. Itwould probably take a year to complete an in-depth study of Africa. These activities willfocus on each geographic region.

Suggested time: 6 - 9 week periodGrade Level: Intermediate grades (4 - 6)

Goals: The students will be able to:1. Locate Africa on a map/globe.2. Locate and label each of the five

regions.3. Name at least five major countries in

each region.

Copyright: MAGELLAN Geographix

a. natural resource (major)b. craftsc. foodd. flage. traditional ceremoniesf. riversg. languageh. climate/physical featuresi. population

Vocabulary: Languages:physical features Hausa, Ngoni,griots Zulu, Yorubacultures

Regions: North Africa

West AfricaCentral AfricaSouthern AfricaEast Africa

Products:cocoa, coffee, tea,gold, diamonds, oil etc.

ActivitiesStudents will work in cooperative groups

to research and compile a formative report andproject related to one of the five regions ofAfrica. Students will present an oral and visualpresentation.

Introduction:Teacher introduces students to Africa.a. KWL (What do you know about Africa,

what you want to know, and what have youlearned. First reactions to “Africa.”

... SPRING 1998

b. Comparison (size)Students will be given copies of maps

(drawn to equal ratio) of China, the USA, Eu-rope, Argentina, New Zealand and Africa(larger).

c. Map.Use map and overhead projector to show

how the maps of other regions compare in sizeto the size of Africa. (Each map should be adifferent color.)

d. Literature/videoShow students video, “Journey to Africa”

Part 1 and discuss the video.e. Writing: Journal

Students will imagine that they are goingon an African journey. Each day they will writeabout some experience (something theyhave learned).

f. Cooperative GroupsStudents will be divided into groups for

regional study. They will create a logo for theirregion.

g. Speakers:Speakers will be invited to class to share

knowledge and experiences with students.h. Research

Groups will work in the media center to

Master Kora Player, Djimo Kouyate, introducing students at the YMCA to African music

answer specific questions related to theirregion (listed under goals).

i. Presentation/ProjectsEach group will present an oral as well

as visual report.j. African Culture Day

As a culminating activity class willinvite speakers, parents, etc. to a festival (food,clothing).

k. TimelineStudents will make a timeline identify-

ing facts found relevant to a country in aspecific region.

l. Graphic Map/CollageStudents will collect materials from

newspapers and journals using a map outlineand make a collage placing articles in areasrelevant to the article. Use different items(provided by teacher) such as rice, coloredgrits, beans, chocolates, pictures of materialsincluding gold, copper, etc. to outline eachregion.

m.Crafts/FlagsStudents will, through the art teacher,

construct masks and make flags with explana-tion of their meanings.

... SPRING 1998

by Amy Callahan

This unit is designed for primary agedchildren in an elementary school setting, thelessons are very basic, but may be expanded touse with more advanced students. A basic themethat runs through all the lessons is that while weare all very much alike, the human experience isone shared by people all over the world. Theemphasis is also that we should celebrate eachother’s differences because they are what makethe world an interesting and diverse place tolive. Acceptance is a key concept for smallchildren to learn, and will help them in allaspects of their lives. The following lessons willteach students about Africa, but also reinforcethe idea of acceptance and tolerance of others.

Lesson 1: Getting Familiar with Africa

On the first day of teaching about Africastart a “K-W-L” chart. Together with the class,complete the “what we know” and “what wewant to learn” sections on chart paper. Leave the“what we learned” space empty to complete atthe end of the unit. Write all responses, even ifthey are inaccurate. The students will have achance at the end of the unit to correct inaccu-rate information and discuss stereotypes.

Show the children a map of Africa andalso where it is on the globe or world map. Pointout where Africa is in relation to where we live,and how we would get there if we were to travelthere. On the map of Africa, discuss the generalfeatures of the land (the deserts, rain forest,rivers, oceans, etc.). Discuss the diversity of thelandscape, and how different people wouldadapt to live differently in each region. Discusswhy more people would live near tropical areasinstead of the desert regions. Have studentsponder the question of whether all Africanpeople are alike. Use pictures to show thedifferent African peoples.

Lesson 2: Life in the Desert

Read The Day of Ahmed’s Secret by FlorenceHeide and Judith Gilliard to the class. Thefollowing are suggested discussion topics.

Explore why Ahmed may or may not looklike the stereotypical “African.” Discuss how somany different kinds of people live on the samecontinent, but in different countries, and areeach unique.

Compare how life in Cairo would bedifferent or similar to an American big city(New York, Miami, Los Angeles). Contrast thetraditional and modern elements of city life thatare shown in the book.

-Ahmed works to help his family. Have thestudents draw a picture or write about whatthey do to help their families at home.

-Ahmed eats beans and rice for lunch.Prepare a beans and rice dish and eat it together.

-Find Cairo on the map. Point out thedesert on one side and the Nile River on theother. Discuss why it would be beneficial to liveby a river.

-Bring in books about the pyramids andother Egyptian landmarks.

Ahmed learned to write his name. Havestudents draw or write about an accomplish-ment that they were very proud of.

Lesson 3: West African NamesThe Akan people of West Africa name their

children according to the day of the week onwhich the child is born. They believe that peopleborn on the same day of the week have the samekind of soul.

Have the children ask their parents onwhat day of the week they were born. Also havethem find out how they got their names. Trans-late there names into Akan names. Label theirnew “names” on their desks. Graph how many

TEACHING T OLER-○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

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ANCE AND A CCEPTANCE

... SPRING 1998

students there are with each name. Teach stu-dents the days of the week in the language theAkan speak.

Lesson 4: Making Ethiopian Flat Bread

You will be making a flat and airy roundbread called injera. Find Ethiopia on the map.Let the students help measure the ingredients. Itwould be helpful to have volunteers during theactivity.

Ingredients4 cups self-rising flour1 cup whole wheat flour1 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups club sodawatervegetable oil to grease frying panUtensilsmeasuring cups and spoonslarge mixing bowl and spoon, spatulaclean clothlarge platter10-inch nonstick frying panDirections:1. Combine flours and baking powder in a

bowl. Add club soda and 4 cups water. Mix intoa smooth, fairly thin batter.

2. Heat the frying pan. When a drop ofwater bounces on the pan’s surface, dip enoughbatter from the bowl to cover the bottom of thepan. Pour it in quickly, at once. Swirl the pan sothat the entire bottom is evenly coated then set itback on heat.

3. When the moisture has evaporated and

small holes appear on the surface of the batter,remove injera. It should be cooked on one sideand browned. If your first try is too pasty andundercooked, you may need to cook it a littlelonger or to make the next one thinner. Becareful not to cook it too long; it should be softenough to fold.

4. Stack the injera one on top of the other asyou cook, covering them with a clean cloth toprevent their drying out. To serve, lay them on aplatter overlapping. Serves six to eight. May beserved with meats, fish or vegetables. (Recipefrom African Crafts, by Judith Corwin.)

Lesson 5: Swahili Math

Number English Swahili1 one moja2 two mbili3 three tatu4 four nne5 five tano6 six sita7 seven saba8 eight nane9 nine tisa10 ten kumi

Directions: Read the problem that is writtenwith Swahili number words. Translate theSwahili number words into English numberwords by looking at the chart. Last, translate the

Names in the Akan LanguageDays of the Week Girl’s Names Boy’s NamesDwoda (Monday) Adwoa KwadwoBenada (Tuesday) Abena KwabenaWukuda (Wednesday) Akua KwakuYawda (Thursday) Yaa YawFida (Friday) Afua KofiMemendeda (Saturday) Ama KwameKwasida (Sunday) Akosua Kwasi

... SPRING 1998

number sentence into symbols. Note:kutoa = minusongeza = plusni = equals

1. Saba kutoa nne ni __________. ______ kutoa ______ ni ________. _______ - ______ = __________.

2. Tatu ongeza sita ni _________. ______ ongeza ______ ni _______. ______ + _______ ni ________.

3. Moja kutoa tano ni _________. ______ kutoa ______ ni ________. ______ - _______ = __________.

4. Tisa ongeza mbili ni ________. ______ ongeza ______ ni ________. ______ + _______ ni ________.

5. Sita ongez tatu ni _________. ______ ongeza ______ ni ________. ______ + _______ ni ________.

6. Saba kutoa tatu ni __________. ______ kutoa _______ ni ________. ______ - _______ ni _________.

Make up more problems of your own.

Lesson 7: The Diversity of People

Read the book Ashanti to Zulu: AfricanTraditions by Margaret Musgrove. The bookdescribes 26 different groups of African people(one for each letter of the alphabet) You maywant to read this book more than one daybecause there is a lot of content that can bediscussed. Tell the children that this book repre-sents only a small number of African people,and that there are many other ethnic groups inAfrica. Compare this concept to the people ofthe United States. Many activities can be donein conjunction with reading this book. If youhave limited time, pick and choose activitiesthat work best with your classroom. The follow-ing is a list of suggested activities.

A (Ashanti) Discuss the way names mightbe chosen for the kente and the significance ofeach name. Design your own kente (on paper)and name it.

B (Baule) Discuss the legend, and why thecrocodile is a sacred animal to the Baule people.Make up a legend of your own with a specialanimal in it.

C (Chagga) Compare and contrast the wayChagga children and American children growup. What American groups have names thatsound brave and proud (sports teams, schools,etc.)? Brainstorm possibilities for a class name.Vote and graph the votes. Make a banner an-nouncing the new name, mascot and color.

D (Dogon) Compare how the Dogonpeople farm to the way Americans farm (moun-tains vs. fields). Discuss how they adapt to theirenvironment to meet their needs.

E (Ewe) Discuss drums, and their signifi-cance to the Ewe people. If possible, get a guestspeaker to bring in an authentic drum anddemonstrate. If not, check-out a tape of Africandrumming and let the children dance to thebeat. Borrow a bongo drum from the musicdepartment, and demonstrate how differentsounds are made. Discuss how the drums wereused for sending news far away and how thetelephone has replaced them.

F (Fanti) Bring in a gourd to show how acalabash looks. Discuss the concept of ancestorsand how it is very important to honor them.Talk about grandparents and about how theyare respected. Write letters to the students’grandparents, telling them why they respectthem.

G (Ga) Bring in some yams, cook and eatthem. Contrast the way the Ga eat fufu to theway Americans typically eat (table manners).

H (Hausa) Briefly discuss terms used whentalking about religion, such as “Islam” and

... SPRING 1998

“mosque.” Compare terminology to othernames of churches, temples, etc.

I (Ikoma) Bring in honey for the kids totaste, perhaps on graham crackers with peanutbutter. Talk about how bees make the honey andbirds like to eat it (as well as people). Point outthe way they honor the bird and the way theygive thanks for their blessings.

J (Jie) Discuss farmers and the roles theyplay in the community. Have the children nametheir pets (real or imaginary) for their colors andmarkings - keeping in mind that they will haveto adopt these same names! Put tags on theirdesks with their new names.

K (Kung) Show the students where thedeserts in Africa are, as well as the deserts in theUnited States. Discuss ways that people wholive in the desert have to adapt to the environ-ment. Have kids estimate the size of an ostrichshell.

L (Lozi) Find the Zambezi River on themap. Discuss how people who live on the riverare different from the people who live in thedesert. Talk about how there is such a diversityin United States also.

M (Masai) Compare the roles of the Masaimen and women with gender roles in America.

N (Ndaka) Compare a wedding ceremonyof the Ndaka people to wedding customs ofAmericans.

O (Ouadi) Discuss the differences andsimilarities between shopping in a Ouadi mar-ket and shopping in the United States.

P (Pondo) Brainstorm games that thechildren like to play. Discuss whether the kidswould like to play a game like this. Why or whynot? Discuss how games have rules and whatyou get when you win.

Q (Quimbande) Compare and contrastfamily life for a Quimbande child to an Ameri-

can child. What would be the advantages anddisadvantages of living differently?

R (Rendille) Discuss the concept of no-madic people and how life would be differentfor them if they stayed in one place. Also discusswhat might make them move from one place toanother.

S (Sotho) Again compare wedding customs,also discussing Ndaka ceremonies. Brainstormwhy the bride would hold a doll and name itafter her first child.

T (Tuareg) Compare the way the Tuaregpeople socialize to the way the children’s fami-lies celebrate together. Have children draw andwrite about how their families spend timetogether.

U (Uge) Discuss how kola nuts are used asa sign of friendship and welcome. Discuss howAmericans show the same to newcomers. Roleplay ways that the students could make a newstudent feel comfortable in the classroom.

V (Vai) Compare how the Vai people andAmericans carry things from place to place. Letthe children try walking across the room with anobject or basket on their heads.

W (Wagenia) Point out where the CongoRiver is on the map. Compare how Wageniapeople fish and how Americans fish. Measurehow long some of their traps are (10 ft. X 15 ft.)Estimate other objects that would weigh about200 pounds.

X (Xhosa) Show the kids where SouthAfrica is on the map. Discuss how they use redsoil to dye their blankets. Contrast how theydress to the way the children dress.

Y (Yoruba) If possible, show pictures ofsome statues that the Yoruba people havecarved. Discuss how statues represent importantpeople or spirits. Brainstorm any statues that thechildren have seen and their significance to ourculture.

... SPRING 1998

Z (Zulu) Discuss the importance of dancein different cultures. Explore how differentdances would be appropriate for differentoccasions.

Point out where each of these ethnic groupsreside in Africa. There is a map in the back of thebook. The main point of this book is to demon-strate that their are many different Africancultures and traditions.

Conclusion: EvaluationFinish your “K-W-L” chart together in

class. Fill in “what we learned” column, allow-ing every child to contribute at least one idea.Go back and read the “what we know” column,pointing out any stereotypes or misinformation.Also read the “what we want to learn” columnto find out if the children’s questions weresatisfactorily answered.

Allow each child to write a book “FiveThings I Know About Africa.” The childrenmust think of five legitimate things theylearned, write them on a sheet of paper, and editwith the teacher. They can then transfer theircorrected sentences onto blank paper (one fact

per page). They should also add colorful illus-trations to their books. The books should in-clude a title page, dedication and cover. Bind thebooks with a machine or staple the pages to-gether. This is a good assessment to determinewhether the students really learned anythingabout Africa, and a great language arts activity.This book takes a while to construct, so allow aweek. Put the books in the school library orreading center to share with other children.

As a conclusion, discuss the idea thatalthough we have many differences, we are allvery much alike as people. We all share thesame experiences, such as birth, death, the needto eat, and sleep. We also share emotions such asfear, happiness, sadness and have the need fortogetherness with other people.

ReferencesCorwin, Judith Hoffman. 1990. African

Crafts. New York: Franklin Watts.Heide, Forence Parry & Gilliland, Jugith

Heide. 1990. The Day of Ahmed’s Secret. NewYork: Scholastic, Inc.

Musgrave, Margaret. 1976. Ashanti to Zulu:

... SPRING 1998

by Eva M. Bradshaw

Objectives: Students will -develop an awareness of the diversity of

ethnic groups in Africa;- become acquainted with physical and

political features of Africa;- develop a sense of pride and unity in

working cooperatively with each other.

Goals: The student will be able to- interpret maps, globes and atlases;- compare and contrast relationships

between geographical locations and the life of the different ethnic groups in Africa;

- incorporate the elements of writing through art, music, literature, and poetry.

Key Words1. hemisphere 7. natural resources2. latitude 8. regions3. longitude 9. savanna grassland4. continent 10. rainforest5. country 11. desert6. equator

Preplanning- Take pictures or collect a photo from each

student to put on a passport.- Xerox and laminate a map of Africa and

tape one to each student’s passport.- Checkout globes or desk maps from the

library.- Put key words on a chart to post in the

classroom.- Inform the resource teachers about the

unit on Africa.- Set up an African Museum in the class

room.- Contact guest speakers.

Materials Needed-markers- copies of a seek and find crossword

puzzle with names of the African countries

- butcher paper-a large map of Africa with the names of

the different countries on it.- books about Africa- globes- materials for passport

Procedure1. Begin by letting the students know about

the unit that will be explored2. Generate a class discussion:

- What is the difference between a coun- try and a continent?

- How many continents are there?- Locate the continents on the globe.- Which continent is the largest?- Africa is bounded by two oceans. (name them and their location)- Share briefly about how Africa is divided into two regions.- Let students work in cooperative groups to find the African countries on the word search puzzle.- Talk briefly about the number of coun- tries found in Africa.- Give each team a region in Africa andlet them decide which country theywould like to do research on.- Pass out project outline.

EXPLORING NIGERIA

Materials Needed1. newsprint2. assorted construction paper3. markers or crayons4. straws5. pieces of cloth about 4 ft. X 1 ft.

EXPLORING C OUNTRIES IN A FRICA:A C OOPERATIVE L EARNING A PPROACH

... SPRING 1998

6. scissors7. rulers8. fabric paints and vegetables in a print

center9. strips of tagboard of about 20 in. X 4 in.10. balloons11. paper mache’ mixture12. thread or yarn13. beads14. dyed macaroni (optional)15. egg cartons16. stones, dried beans, etc.17. pictures depicting the different ethnic

groups in Nigeria

Procedure- Introduce the students to Nigeria.- Review what they have learned about

Africa.- Have students locate Nigeria on their map.- Students should color in Nigeria on their

map.- Read a folktale from Nigeria titled, The

Right Way to Ride a Donkey, by Besty Franco

Folktale Follow-upEthnic Groups in NigeriaYorubaIgboHausa

Art Activities- Making African masks- Headwraps for girls- Hats for boys- Vegetable printing with fabric paint- Beaded jewelry- Calabashes- Weaving a map of Africa- Drums

-Celebrating the New Yam FestivalThe New Yam Festival is celebrated all over

Nigeria when the yams are ready to be har-vested.

Foods Needed-baked yams or sweet potatoes- peanut oil, palm oil or butter (to go on the

yam)- fruit juice

GamesAyo (EYE-yoh)

Materials Needed:- an egg carton- a small container for either side of the egg carton- 36 to 48 small stones, dried beans, etc.

Rules for the game:The game begins with four beans in each

cup. To start the game, one player picks up thebeans in any one of her home cups and movescounter-clockwise placing the beans in each cupuntil she uses up her beans. Next, her opponentpicks up beans in any of her cups and repeat sthe process. Beans are captured when a playerdrops her last bean into an opponent’s cup thatalready contains one or two beans. The playerwho captures the majority of the beans is thewinner.

Culminating Activities-Make post cards-Each cooperative team could set up anarea

with their arts and crafts- Let the different teams in the classroom

bargain against each other using Nigerian money

- Cut and paste pictures to make a pop-up book- Write poetry — Cinquain, Haiku,

or Acrostic- Invite a guest speaker to come and talk to

the students about African art- Each student could make a Nigerian flag.

... SPRING 1998

IntroductionThe goals of this unit are to increase and

enhance awareness and appreciation of theKenyan people and their culture and to makemulticultural connection between our lifestylesand customs to those of people living in Kenya.

Background InformationOfficial Name: Republic of KenyaLand and climate: Kenya is located on the

eastern side of the continent of Africa. Kenyaconsists of four geographical regions: the coast,savannas, highlands and the Rift Valley.

Population: 26.7 million.Language: Swahili is the national language

and English is the official language.Government: Kenya is a republic headed

by a president.National Motto: Harambee (“Let’s PullTogether”).Religion: Kenya has religious freedom.Capital: Nairobi.

Themes1. Kenya is a land of great diversity.2. Some Kenyans live in large cities, how-

ever most people live in the countryside.3. Many interesting animals live in Kenya.4. Kenya celebrates its heritage through

expressive art forms.5. People in Kenya have special

celebrations that honor their culture.

IntroductionDevelop a KWL Chart:What we know about Kenya;

What we want to learn about Kenya;What we learned about Kenya.

The following is a simple one-week plan toteach young children:

1. Today is ________________. We are goingto take an imaginary trip to Kenya.

2. Today is ________________. We are goingto learn where people live in Kenya.

3. Today is _________________. We aregoing to learn about Kenyan art forms.

4. Today is _________________. We aregoing to celebrate the Kenyan holiday ofKenyatta Day.

Journal Writing (Daily)1. Write about your imaginary trip to

Kenya.2. Brainstorm a list of things that were sold

at the market.3. Draw a picture of your favorite Kenyan

animal.4. Write a letter to Rabbit telling her how to

get the long one out of her house.5. Tell why Kenyans celebrate Jomo

Kenyatta’s birthday.

Literature1. It Takes a Village - Jane Cowen-Fletcher.2. Who’s in Rabbit’s House? - Verna

Aardema.3. Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain - Verna

Aadema.4. Take a Trip to Kenya - Keith Lye.5. A New True Book Kenya - Karen

Jacobsen.6. Kenya In Pictures - Ifeoma Onyefulu.7. Afro-Bets First Book about Africa -

KENYA: T HROUGH THE E YES OF

THE Y OUNG C HILD

by Martha Brown

... SPRING 1998

Veronica Ellis.8. Count Your Way Through Africa - Jim

Haskins.

Learning Centers1. Art- Kenya flag, Kenya masks, Kenyan

thatched-roof house2. Construction - Kenyan city or village3. Dramatic play - Kenyan market, a trip to

Kenya and the Kenyan Village fromHome

4. Media - Kenyan Cultural Center5. Manipulatives - Basket weaving,

playdough and animal carvingsMath1. Tell about objects from Kenya2. Counting beads3. Animals great and small4. Counting drum beats5. Favorite Kenyan fruit6. African design patterns

Science1. Some fruits float and some sink2. Animal tracks

3. Kenyan rainforest4. Spices5. Run, run as fast as you can

Music/Movement1. Basket balancing2. Musical paint3. Skafu (scarf) dancing4. Mwanvuli (umbrella) dance5. Zamani says (like Simon says)

Cooking1. Fried Bananas (Ndizi Kaanga)

Dip slices into lemon juice.Fry with margarine.Sprinkle with sugar and nutmeg.

2. French Fried Sweet PototoesFry with vegetable oil.Sprinkle with salt, sugar or cinnamon.

3. Mango SnowSteam sliced mangoes until soft.Puree cooled mangoes in a blender withsugar.Chill or serve immediately.

Copyright MAGELLAN Geographix

... SPRING 1998

GoalsThe student will learn the following:1. Africa’s position as it relates to the other

continents;2. The position of the equator;3. Africa is surrounded by two oceans, the

Atlantic and the Indian Ocean;4. The size of Africa compared to the

United States;5. That there are more than 50 countries,

not states, in Africa;6. The location of some African countries

according to their region ;7. Some African themes in literature;8. Five different African games - a game

from one country in each of the regions;9. Students will be tested over information

presented.

Teaching Materials:Large world mapOverhead of worksheet - United States and

AfricaOverhead - regions of AfricaPoster to help in learning continent names.

Example:Asia AnAfrica AfricanAntarctica AntelopeN. America Needs AirS. America Sunshine AndAustralia AnEurope Elephant

(An African Antelope Needs Air, SunshineAnd An Elephant).

Student Materials:

A FIRST LOOK AT AFRICA: 4TH GRADE

Students will accumulate materials for afolder containing:

1. Title of unit2. Name of continents worksheet3. United States and Africa worksheet4. Introduction: regions of Africa

worksheet5. Facts about Africa worksheet6. Five worksheets - one for each region of

Africa - containing names of countries ofthat region and directions forplaying a game from that region

7. Puzzle maze to find names of individualAfrican countries8. Unit test

TEACHER PLANDay 1Use large map of the world.Today we are going to begin our study of

Africa by figuring out just where Africa is inrelation to other continents of the world.

The biggest continent of the world is Asia.Who thinks they can find Asia on the big map?

Now, who can find the topic of our studyon the big map - Africa? Africa is the secondlargest continent in the world. Notice that on abig map Africa appears to be right in the centerof the map.

Let us locate the other continents. Can youname any of them? (Locate Antarctica, SouthAmerica, North America, Australia and Europe.)

Pass out worksheet, “Name the Conti-nents,” and have children write down the namesof the continents as listed on the worksheet. Callattention to the special memory tool and play amemory game by having students line up infront of the room to see if they can remember thenames of the seven continents if someone readsthe words from the fun memory sentence- - AnAfrican Antelope Needs Air, Sunshine, And An

by CarolHinkson

... SPRING 1998

Elephant.Discuss the fact that the equator runs

through the center of Africa and how this affectsthe countries in that part of Africa.

Call attention to the Atlantic and Indianoceans surrounding the continent of Africa.

Day 2Pass out worksheets “United States of

America and Africa” and “Facts About Africa.”Review what was learned yesterday. Check

to see who memorized the names of the sevencontinents.

Discuss “United States and Africa” map.Present the fact that Africa contains more than50 countries.

Day 3Pass out two handouts - “Regions of Af-

rica” and “North Africa.” As you can see on themap of Africa there are five different regions.

Today, we will learn a little bit about thecountries that are in North Africa. Would some-one read the names of the countries that arefound on your sheet? Do not memorize them;just be familiar with them. Write the names ofthe countries that you listed down on yourpaper.

There are two other things that I wouldlike to do as we take a look at these countriesfrom North Africa. First, I want you to under-stand that we have many fictional books in ourlibrary that come from all parts of Africa. Today,I am going to read one that has its backgroundin Egypt. It is called “The Egyptian Polar Bear”by JoAn Adinolf. (Teacher reads the book anddiscusses it with children.)

The other important thing I want us toremember is that just as boys and girls in theU.S.A. like to play games and have fun, so dochildren in Africa. So, let us read the “Sheep andHyena” game, and then see if we can learn toplay the game.*

Day 4Teacher passes out East Africa Worksheet.Teacher reviews the names of the North

African countries learned on the previous day.

The teacher then asks a student to read thenames of the countries found in East Africa.Have the students copy the East African countrynames on to their worksheets. Teacher reads astory depicting life in some part of EasternAfrica.

Day 5Teacher passes out Central Africa

worksheet. Teacher reviews the names of Northand East African countries. Students read thenames of the Central African countries and copythem onto their worksheets.

The teacher reads “Africa - Brothers andSisters” by Virginia Kroll and discusses thebook. Students read and discuss playing thegame “Bokwek” from the Congo, and take partin the game.

BOKWEK:Ages: TeenPlayers: 20 or more; Two groupsSupplies: beans, corn, or stonesActivity: hunting, chasing, runningAppeal: Competition, problem solving

Players are divided into two or more teams.Each team draws a large circle in which it placescolored beans, stones, grains of corn, or anyother objects different from those used byanother team. The players run from theiropponents and avoid being caught. The teamthat steals all the beans, stones, or corn wins thegame.

Day 6Teacher passes out West Africa worksheet.Teacher reviews the names of North Afri-

can East, and Central African countries. Astudent is asked to read the names of the WestAfrican countries and all students copy themonto their worksheets. Teacher reads and dis-cusses “The Black Snowman” by Phil Mendez .Students read and discuss playing the game“Catch Your Tail” from West Africa, and takepart in playing the game.

Day 7Teacher passes out Southern Africa

worksheet. Teacher reviews the countries of

... SPRING 1998

Central and West Africa and today’s Southern African country names. Students are asked to copySouthern African country names onto their worksheets. Teacher reads “Muhla, The Fair One” byLinda Ghan, and “Mufaro’s Daughters” by Joseph Steptoe. Students read about the “Melon Dance”from South Africa and take part in playing the game.

MELON DANCE:

This game can be played by 10 to 20 students outdoor or in a gymnasium. The players encirclea center player who holds a small melon. The center player runs about the circle, waving her armswhile throwing and catching the melon. The other players imitate her movements. Suddenly, shestops, leaps into the air and throws the melon between her feet toward the player behind her. Thesecond player must catch the melon without moving from her place. If she fails, the center playerremains the leader; otherwise the second player becomes the leader. The leader may try to catch theothers off guard and even pretend to throw the melon several times before actually doing it. A ballmay be used instead of a melon.

SAMPLE TEST1. Write a complete sentence listing the names of the seven continents.2. In one complete sentence, write the names of the two oceans that surround Africa.3. In one sentence, tell what the important map line is that runs through the middle of Africa.4. Describe one of the games from Africa that you enjoyed playing.5. Write one sentence about one of the storybooks we read as we studied the different regions

of Africa.

... SPRING 1998

In teaching geography, I take a thoroughapproach, incorporating the five themes ofgeography, which are: location, place, humanenvironment interaction, movement and re-gions.

It is important to orient the students tothe area first through the use of maps andactivities designed to study the physical geogra-phy, climate, vegetation, and resources of eachcontinent or region of the world.

Next, we study the historical context ofinhabitants, including outside influences. Thenwe proceed to study the present day life of thepeople, and how it is shaped by the land itself,the history of the people, and in turn, how thepeople change the environment to suit theirneeds. This would include cultural aspects ofthe many peoples of the region.

Finally, we try to look at possible futures- what ifs? to facilitate problem-solving andcritical thinking skills.

In my previous teachings of the conti-nent of Africa, especially the area south of theSahara, I have: (a) ignored the area entirely forlack of time; ( b) used the occasion and my lackof knowledge as an excuse to do student gener-ated reports through individual or group re-ports; (c) only covered certain countries, i.e.South Africa; or (d) covered the area quickly andmoved on. None of these proved to be satisfac-tory in themselves, but each approach containedqualities worth repeating.

The Summer Institute on African Studiesoffered through the Center for African Studies atthe University of Florida has provided me withboth new content, and time to rethink myapproach and methods for teaching about thecontinent.

A WHOLESOME WAY OF TEACHING

HIGH SCHOOL GEOGRAPHY

Context: The class is a seventh gradegeography class that meets for 55 minutes a day,five times a week. The course lasts two semes-ters.

Approach: Using the five themes of geogra-phy, the students will study the regions ofAfrica:

1. North Africa2. West Africa3. Central Africa4. East Africa5. Southern Africa

The students will study:A. Introduction to Africa

1. preconceived notions and biasB. physical geographyC. climate, vegetation, and resourcesD. historical context

1. influence of Arabs, Europeans and Americans2. religious influence

E. culture1. literature - proverbs and stories2. religion3. homes/architecture4. music5. clothing

There will be at least one activity for eachsection (A - E) allowing for both teacher’s choiceand students’ preference in the activities to becompleted. Teaching strategies will include classdiscussion, mini-lectures, audio-visual presenta-tions, map work, cooperative learning groups,writing assignments, group presentations,teacher read alouds, small group discussionsand art activities.

by Sue Reed

... SPRING 1998

The student text is “Prentice Hall WorldGeography,” 1993 edition. Chapters 24 - 27 willbe used.

STUDENT PERFORMANCE STANDARDSThe student will: 1.Employ a geographic perspective to

identify, analyze, and predict solutions to geo-graphic issues or concerns.

2.Explain how geographic factors affectthe cultural, economic, and political activities ofspecific African nations.

3.Define geography as a spatial study; onethat is concerned with the arrangement andinteraction of people and places over space.

4.Use systematic approaches to study andanalyze the people of Africa and their environ-ments.

5.Demonstrate an understanding of theinterdependence of Africa’s cultures, populationpatterns, and physical features.

6.Use maps, globes, charts, graphs, andother tools of geography to gather and interpretdata and to draw conclusions about physicaland human patterns on the African continent.

7.Interpret and read information on maps. 8.Gather and interpret data from various

types of maps to draw valid conclusions. 9.Use maps, globes, and other models to

interpret spatial relationships.10. Apply the concepts of location, place,

human environment interactions, movementand region.

11. Determine both the absolute and rela-tive location of Africa’s nations.

12. Describe the human and physicalcharacteristics of Africa’s nations.

13. Recognize the relationships within thecontinent of Africa.

14. Identify the changes and diffusion ofpopulation, ideas and other phenomena on thecontinent of Africa.

15. Understand concepts of transition andchange.

16. Compare the uneven distribution ofnations that are going through a form of transi-tion.

17. Identify characteristics of Africannations that are going through a form of transi-tion.

18. Describe geography as a dynamic studythat analyzes change.

PROCEDURE

A. Introduction to Africa

Week 1Introduce the unit of study by assessing

students’ background knowledge of Africa. Askthem what they think they already know. Use awebbing diagram to organize their ideas andhave the students copy down what is created onthe board. Using this as a springboard, intro-duce the following list of words, one at a timeand discuss the appropriateness/inappropriate-ness of bias. Discuss also the more appropriatewords.

Biased word Unbiased word1. native African, people2. pygmy Mbuti3. witch doctor Healer, herbalist, minister,

religious leader4. tribe ethnic group5. hut dwelling, home, residence6. jungle tropical rain forestDiscuss the slang terms that are relevant to

students today that are also biased.

Activity 1Have the students, in groups, come up

with their own list of slang terms and an equallist of more appropriate words to use. Comparelists as a class.

Have students name or describe otherstereotypical images of Africa or Africans.

B. Physical Aspects

Activity 2Tell the students that they will be using

five regions to classify and define the vastcontinent of Africa.

... SPRING 1998

Each group will identify the five regions,pick one country from each region to researchand compile a notebook of research materialsand crafts to present to the class at the end of theunit.

1. Distribute the African countries outlinemap. Referring to atlases, wall maps, etc., havestudents color code each region of the map.These will be used for future reference through-out the unit.

2. Distribute the African political map, andhave the student groups pick one country fromeach region to research. This will include alma-nac information and flags, as well as culturalinformation on ethnic groups, and currentevents newspaper and magazine articles. Eachstudent will color code the countries of his orher group’s choice in each region. Eachcountry’s name and capital will also be put onthe map.

3. Distribute the physical map of Africa.Referring to their books, have the students labelthe physical features including the Sahara, GreatRift Valley, Kalahari, Nile, Congo River, ZaireRiver, Niger River, Mt. Kilmanjaro. Also labeloceans and seas that surround Africa.

Remind students to be on the look out fornewspaper and magazine articles relating to thefive countries they are to research. Each articleshould be mounted on a piece of colored paperand put into the group folder.

Week 3C. Climate, Vegetation and Resources

Display a map of the world and discusslatitude zones (i.e. low, middle, high latitudes)and remind students that countries in the samezone have similar climates. Tell the students thatelevation and proximity to water affect climategreatly. Higher elevation creates a colder climateand proximity to a large body of water creates amilder climate. The discussion can be as detailedas the teacher desires.

Activity 3Distribute physical maps, and have each

student, in their groups, read and label climateregions vegetation regions, and natural re-

sources of the five countries the group haschosen to research.

All activities will be kept in a section ofthe student’s folder, to be turned in as a presen-tation at the end of the unit.

Activity 4The groups will begin to work on the flags

of the five nations they have chosen to research.Colored paper, tag board and scissors should beprovided for construction of the flags.

D. Historical ContextIn this section the teacher will discuss

the history of the continent noting ancientkingdoms of the Pharaohs, Nok, Mali, Ghanaand Niger. Muslim and Christian influencesshould be discussed. European influences,including the slave trade and the division ofAfrica by the Europeans in 1884, should beemphasized. The consequences of Europeanconquest should be discussed, and in particular,apartheid in South Africa. The teachers shouldalso discuss the struggles for independence byusing a case study of one African country.

Activity 5After studying King Mansa Musa and

his kingdom of Mali, the students will discusshis famous journey to Mecca. Discussion alsoshould mention the Hajj — pilgrimage toMecca— and reiterate previous material onIslam and its importance in North Africa bothreligiously and economically. A discussion ofbarter as a means of trade should be discussed.Most trading within the African continent wasconducted using a barter system. The students,in their groups, will be given a site of a caravan,and their task will be to :

1. plot the route on a map.2. discuss the route and what provisions

will be needed for the king and his court andtheir animals.

3. research the kingdom or country andlist the resources of that area using the resourcemap created in Activity 2.

4. create an item to take on the trip whichcan be bought or traded for something else.

You can have a trade day in which

... SPRING 1998

students can practice what they have learnedabout bartering. An entire class period can easilybe used for this activity, but time can be short-ened by the teacher becoming the “go-between”for faster bartering.

Week 3E. Cultural Aspects of Africa

This unit is designed to give students anopportunity to research the countries they havechosen to discover, ethnic groups, and use thisas a springboard to discuss aspects of culture.Discussion, lectures, readings and researchshould focus on both differences and similari-ties.

Activity 6Students will study and interpret African

proverbs using similar sayings and proverbs.You may use the following proverbs fromAfrican Proverbs by Charlotte and Wolfe Leslau:

1. Two flavors confuse the palate.2. A single stick may smoke, but it will

not burn.3. The fool is thirsty in the midst of

water.4. When one is in love, a cliff becomes a

meadow.5. A pretty basket does not prevent

worries.6. To try and to fail, is not laziness.

Distribute a sheet with five of six Africanproverbs on it. Have students brainstorm mean-ing and interpretations as a group and as a class,writing down the interpretations.

As a group, students will take fiveAfrican proverbs and match them with fivesimilar American proverbs, noting the differ-ences. They will then take three African prov-erbs and create three American proverbs fromthem.

Activity 7Students will listen to an African story

and list the character’s names and meaningsand use this as a discussion activity. Mufaro’sBeautiful Daughters by John Steptoe will be used.

Students will be asked questions concern-

ing the characters and their names. A proverbcould be invented to provide the moral of thestory.

1. LiteratureTell students that proverbs are sayings

that contain some element of wisdom or em-body a commonly accepted belief. Proverbsoften influence decisions and in some Africancommunities people habitually recite proverbsin decision making. Proverbs are a part of mostcultures.

Give examples of common Americanproverbs and ask students to interpret theirmeanings:

“A stitch in time saves nine.”“Don’t cry over spilled milk.”“He who laughs last, laughs best.”“A penny saved is a penny earned.”

2. ReligionAfrican religions are a mosaic of many

self-contained and locally rooted traditions. Thismakes it difficult to generalize about them ordescribe them as any one certain form of wor-ship. Most traditional African religions arebased on the belief in one god and some lesserdieties who play a large part in the daily lives ofpeople.

The discussion will center around tradi-tional African religious ideas. Several creationstories can be introduced to show a commontheme contained in many religions. The DarkChild by Camara Laye will be used to discussthe role of supernatural, and totems amongsome African ethnic groups. Local museumexhibits and personalities, as well as books onthe subject will be used to give the students the“flavor” of different regions of Africa. Theteacher will discuss differences of importedreligions including Christianity, Islam andJudaism and their impact on African societies.

3. Homes/ArchitectureActivity 8

Using books and texts as reference, thestudents will seek to dispel stereotypes aboutwhat “Africans” use as homes and buildings.Pre-colonial traditions, as well as Arabic and

... SPRING 1998

western influences, will be looked at and dis-cussed. Climate and available materials will alsobe discussed as factors that influence architec-ture.

Activity 9Student groups will prepare a collage

showing how climate, building materials avail-able and economics determine choice of hous-ing. Comparisons with other cultures will alsobe incorporated.

4. MusicStudents will listen to a mini lecture on

traditional African music and how it has influ-enced contemporary popular music includingjazz, rock and gospel. Students can makemusical instruments/create their own musicalcompositions.

5. ClothingThis discussion and activity will focus on

similarities and differences. Most Africans todaywear shirts and pants, or skirts and dresses aswell as traditional cloths and styles of dress.

Focus will be on cloth used to maketraditional style dress; particularly, the popularKente cloth of the Ashanti people and theAdinkra cloth.

Week 4

Review can be conducted as a teacherdirected activity. One method of review is asfollows:

Review using Bloom’s Taxonomy:Bloom’s Taxonomy is a well-known

strategy for teaching critical thinking skills inany subject area. It consists of six differentthinking levels arranged in a hierarchy ofdifficulty. The six levels are: knowledge (learnthe information), comprehension (understandthe information), application (use the informa-tion), analysis (break the information down intocomponent parts), synthesis (put the informa-tion together in new and different ways) andevaluation (judge the information).

Activity 10 - See Bloom’s Taxonomy sheeton Africa.

Evaluation:Each activity will be put into a folder for

the group to present. Points could be assigned toeach activity for creative and cognitive content.

ExtensionsThe book Things Fall Apart by Chinua

Achebe can be read and studied. The book andmovie, Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Patoncan be viewed, read and discussed.

Students can have fun studying African cloth such as these varieties of styles from Nigeria

... SPRING 1998

Slave Trade and ColonialismThe voyage from Europe to Africa below

the Sahara was extremely difficult. The seaswere stormy, there were few safe harbors, andthe land was unmapped. However, in the early1400s, it finally became possible to reach Africaby the Atlantic. The first people to reach thewestern coast were the Portuguese. By the1470s, Portuguese ships had found their way tothe gold fields of West Africa and had builtprosperous trading posts there.

Gold was the primary attraction forEuropeans at first. But in time, they found amore profitable commodity along the WestAfrican Coast — slaves. Labor was needed forthe large Spanish and Portuguese plantationsjust beginning in the West Indies and Brazil, andlater in North America.

During the nearly four centuries of theslave trade, an estimated 30 to 60 million Afri-cans were transported to the Americas to be soldin slave markets. Many died before they arrived.

The results of the slave trade were tragicnot only for those sold, but for the societies thatthey left behind.

Britain led the way in putting an end toslavery by passing a law against it at home in1772 and abolishing it in its colonies in 1834.France followed the lead in 1848 and endedslavery in its colonies in 1860. The United Statesmade slave importation illegal in 1808 but didnot emancipate slaves in the country until 1865.

The slave trade began to diminish to-ward the end of the 18th century, but Europeaninterests in Africa began to grow for otherreasons. The African people were not given achance to recover from the harsh reality of theslave trade because the Europeans were nowlooking to conquer the continent itself because

of its wealth in mineral resources and fertileland — all of which were scarce in Europe.

The scramble for territory in Africaamong European powers was so fierce that aconference was called in Berlin in 1884 to decideupon rules for colonizing African lands. Africawas carved up with no regard for traditionalethnic land divisions. In many cases, the ethniclands were split in two — one half beingcontroled by the British the other by the French.

Despite great resistance, by 1914 all ofWest Africa except Liberia was under Europeanrule. Colonization greatly affected West Africa,setting the modern political boundaries andcreating the region’s economic dependence onexport of raw materials.

Objective: Students will demonstrate theirunderstanding of:

1.) the impact of the slave trade on African societies2.) colonization in West Africa through small group discussions and simulation.

Resources: drinking straws, masking tape,scissors.

Suggested Time: Each activity - one classperiod.

ActivitiesA. Students will simulate a community

working together to design a structure.

Procedure:1. After reading the lesson text with the

class, divide the class into three groups.2. Explain that the task for each community

is to build the most creative and tallest free-standing structure by the end of the class period.Emphasize the importance of working as ateam.

AND I NDEPENDENCE

by Garnet Messer

WEST A FRICA: S LAVE TRADE, C OLONIALISM,

... SPRING 1998

3. Once the students get into the task, beginto gradually remove members of one group andplace them in the other two groups. By the endof the period, one group should only have 2 to 3members.

Note: There will be a lot of frustrationamong the students. It is important, however,that the teacher not intervene. The teacher willbe allowed to help students debrief and workthrough their frustrations at the end ot thesimulation.

4. Declare a winner by testing to see whichstructure is free-standing and creative.

5. Debrief: Allow students to discuss whichparts of the activity were most frustrating.Compare the experience with the slave trade:people being uprooted out of their communities,placed in unfamiliar environments, overcrowd-ing and the loss of skilled labor.

B. Students will engage in small groupdiscussions about colonialism in West Africa.

1. On index cards, write the followingquestions and have students discuss them intheir groups. After groups have had adequatetime to discuss questions, bring the whole classback together and ask each group to sharesomething interesting that came out of theirdiscussion.

A. Are there any positive things that could have resulted from colonization?B. How did colonization affect the West African Kingdoms?C. Consider the current problems/issues occuring in West African countries today. Can any of them be traced to colonization?