AFRICALITERATURE FOCUS UNIT

EDU 315BY MATT WEBER

Literature Selection Brining the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema and illustrated by

Beatriz Vidal We All Went on Safari: a counting journey through Tanzania by Laurie

Krebs and illustrated by Julia Cairns Swahili Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book by Muriel Feelings Ananse the Spider by S. Harold Collins Africa (Rookie Read about Geography) by Allan Fowler Africa is Not a Country by Margy Burns Knight Shadow by Marcia Brown The Mzungu Boy by Meja Mwangi A is for Africa by Ifeoma Onyefulu Rookie Read About the World: Africa by Allan Fowler Why Do Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears? by Verna Aardema Jaha and Jamil Went Down the Hill by Virginia Kroll African Animals ABC by Philippa Alys Browne Short stories on audio CD

Instructional Focus

Students will take part in a thematic unit on Africa and African culture. This unit will integrate all the major areas of study. Students will learn all about the various aspects of Africa and its culture in the following subjects: mathematics, science, social studies, music, art, and physical education.

Students will read a selection of books about Africa and participate in a number of writing activities. Students will also be involved with the other language arts areas (talking, listening, viewing, and visually representing).

Students will understand the physical features of Africa, and its unique culture.

Students will learn about African music and instruments and play some of their fun games and sports. Students will explore their beautiful artwork.

Cont…

Students will learn about African animals and the different topographic features of Africa. Students will learn about the unique clothing, food, and jewelry of Africa. Students will do research of various topics such as countries, vegetation, etc. Students will learn about the metric system and African currency. Students will explore all of these topics and many more.

Language Arts Strategies

Compare/Contrast: Students will compare and contrast aspects of African culture and United States culture.

Activate Background Knowledge: Students will think about what they already know about Africa, what they want to know, and finally what they have learned after the unit.

Connecting and Brainstorming: Students will be able to relate Africa and its culture to the United States customs, traditions, holidays, and culture.

Setting Purposes: Students will decide some main ideas that they want to learn about Africa.

Questioning: Students will expand their knowledge by asking questions about topics or ideas that are not clear or confusing since this is a new and unique culture.

Summarizing: Students will identify the big ideas about Africa that they will remember and take with them for the rest of their lives.

Cont…

Playing with Language: Students will study a new language (Swahili) and also learn about a sign language that Africans use.

Proofreading: Students will check for any grammatical or mechanical errors for their writing assignments.

Language Arts Skills

Print: Students will identify high-frequency words associated with Africa.

Comprehension: Students will be able to identify what are facts and opinions in various African literature. Students will compare and contrast the cultures of Africa and the United States.

Language: Students will use correct grammar and proper paragraph format with all writing assignments.

Reference: Students will make graphs, charts, Venn diagrams, and KWL charts. Students will also read magazines, newspapers, and other reading materials from Africa.

Study: Students will make predictions about books and preview the background information of books and authors. Students will read informational books and other sources to collect information for the various activities throughout the unit.

Grouping Patterns

Individual: Students will read African literature, informational books, newspapers, and magazines. Students will write journal entries, poems, letters, and other papers. Students will earn and spend African currency. All art projects (masks, jewelry, baskets, fans, and clothing). Use KWL charts, Venn diagrams. Unscramble letters of names of African countries, African map with topographic features, and dances.

Small group: small group discussions, physical education safari, Egyptian relay, African countries bean bag toss, African dances, African games and activities, topographic obstacle course, pyramid art project, African instruments for music, topographic features on African map, country paper, African tribes research, measurement conversions, miles calculations, sequential patterns, math safari, buddy reading, peer conferencing

Cont…

Whole class: grand conversations, spelling relay, big African map (fitting countries together on map), comparing of African and United States culture, Venn diagrams, KWL charts and minilessons

Language Arts: Reading Activities

Students will read African magazines and information books

Students will read various books independently, in small groups, and buddy reading

Teacher will read aloud various books while students read along with their own copy of book

Students will read poetry (Jaha and Jamil Went Down the Hill by Virginia Kroll as an example)

Students will read various reports being done throughout the unit (peer conferencing)

Language Arts: Writing Activities

Students will write in their journals daily about anything from the unit that they liked, disliked, reactions, opinions, things they’ve learned, etc.

Students will write poems about Africa after reading Jaha and Jamil Went Down the Hill by Virginia Kroll

Students will write reports about animals, vegetation, topographic features, and African countries

Students will write African vocabulary words on the word wall throughout the unit

Students will write letters to a student in Africa (possibly turn into a pen pal activity)

Language Arts: Listening Activities

Students will listen to The Mzungu Boy by Meja Mwangi as the teacher reads it aloud each day

Students will listen to CD of short stories being read in class

Students will listen to other students as they present assignments, writings, and projects

Students will listen to African music and instruments Students will listen in small group and whole group grand

conversations Students will listen as teacher talks about different

aspects of Africa

Language Arts: Talking Activities

Students will read aloud written reports, poems, and other assignments

Students will participate in whole class grand conversations discussing different topics of African culture

Students will discuss in small groups the books that are being read in class

Students will present to the class the different artwork that they made during the unit and the reasoning behind some of the designs that they made

Language Arts: Viewing Activities

Students will watch video clips and movies about Africa Students will use internet as a research tool for the

reports and writing assignments that will be assigned and Microsoft Word for typing out reports

Students will view artwork, sculptures, paintings, etc. Students will look at different photographs of African

people, their dress, food, and other aspects of their culture. (students could bring in photos that they found and/or teacher can have photos ready as well)

Students will look at illustrations in books being read to get another perspective on Africa

Language Arts: Visually Representing

Students will draw an African map and draw in major topographic areas and other important features

Students will fit together all the countries of Africa on a big Africa map

Students will create their own pyramids, jewelry, and African masks

Students will design baskets, clothing, and fans Students will create topographic features out of various

materials (playdough, clay, etc.) Students will chart climates and temperatures of different

African areas Students will post photos throughout the unit on the “Wall

of Africa” (a wall in the classroom dedicated completely to Africa)

Mathematics Activities Students will earn fake African currency that replicates what it would

actually look like and have opportunity to spend currency in the class store (talk about currency and compare it to US currency and have them do conversions)

Students will choose a country and using a line graph, graph their population growth over a certain period of time (example: graph population every 10 years for 100 years)

Students will convert basic measurements from the metric system to the English units

Students will construct a sequential pattern of African symbols with a few spots having missing links. Then the other students in the class have to identify the missing links in the pattern.(Discuss African symbols and what they mean)

Students will calculate the amount of miles that are between a chosen state in the US and a country in Africa (example: How many miles between Oregon and Sudan?) They will draw a line from one to the other and use key to measure miles (try to find the fastest path, east or west?)

African math games Chart temperatures of Africa and North Dakota (compare)

Science Activities Students will choose an African animal and research basic facts

about them as a report and present it to the class Students will chart winter temperatures in Africa and in North Dakota

and compare the two areas Students will make out of clay/playdough the different land features

of Africa Students will differentiate between the climates of Africa (choose 3

countries from different regions in Africa and compare them) Students will research different types of vegetation, trees, and

shrubs in Africa and create a report Students will learn about nutrition in Africa and health risks Students will identify the diseases and illnesses common in Africa Students will research a major topographic feature in Africa and write

a few paragraphs about it (connected with the clay land features) Major weather patterns in Africa Study earth (study rocks, volcanoes, lakes, etc.)

Social Studies Activities

Students will fit together all the countries of Africa on a big map as a whole class

Students will identify different African countries by unscrambling letters in envelopes (near the end of unit once students are somewhat familiar with the names)

Students will draw their own African map, drawing in major topographic features and other important features

Students will choose a country to research; they will find basic facts about that country and type it as a report. They will present it to the class.

Students will briefly learn about the Swahili language and its significance. Also, the sign language they use (Ananse the Spider by S. Harold Collins and Swahili Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book by Muriel Feelings)

Students will research various tribes around Africa describing them using pictures and having a few sentences per picture

Cont…

Students will learn about the clothing, jewelry, and food of Africa (bring in samples of all of these). Students will also learn about African holidays and celebrations. Students will compare and contrast all of these aspects to the United States

Students will compare African markets to United States stores

Art Activities

Students will work in groups and create their own pyramids out of different materials that will be available

Students will create (decorate) their own masks (ones used at ceremonies)

Students will make jewelry such as bracelets, necklaces, etc. Students will be given an African basket and create their own

unique pattern on the basket using markers, paint, etc. Students will design own African fan and decorate it Students will learn about various artwork, pottery, sculptures,

and paintings from Africa students will design and decorate their own African clothing (Give background information before starting each project)

Music Activities

Students will listen to African music and make comparisons to United States music using a Venn Diagram

Students will learn about African instruments and play them

Students will learn about ceremonial dances with music and learn what the dance moves stand for

Students will learn about music Africans use during special ceremonies or events

Physical Education Activities

Students will race on teams on a safari around the gymnasium (ride on scooters and have different stations with an African theme)

Students will do an Egyptian relay outside (one station will be a mummy; another will be a pharoah, etc. They must dress up one group member at each station and move on to next station and then one more group member and so forth)

Students will learn how to dance different African dances Students will play various African games and sports activities Students will participate in a topographic obstacle course (climb

mountains, swim in rivers, etc. using different equipment) Spelling relay using African countries as words (two teams line up

in vertical lines and race one another, one student at a time runs up to board and writes one letter and the next person writes next letter until word is complete, team that finishes first gets a point)

Technology

Living Landscapes: Earthscapes - Wild Africa (Movie about African landscapes and animals, etc.)

Expedition Africa (movie about Africa) Africa Geographic (magazine about African wildlife, plants,

and ecosystem) National Geographic: Africa (magazine) Masks: The Art of Expression by John Mack (book on art) Africa : The Art of a Continent by Tom Phillips (book on art) Africa Adorned by Angela Fisher (book on art) Hands-On Africa: Art Activities for All Ages by Yvonne Y.

Merrill (book on art) http://www.hamillgallery.com/ (African paintings,

sculptures, pottery, etc.)

Cont…

Math Games & Activities from Around the World by Claudia Zaslavsky (math games)

Juba this and Juba that: 100 African-American games for children by Darlene Powell Hopson, Derek S. Hopson, Thomas Clavin (games, activities, and dances)

African Dance by Kariamu Welsh, Elizabeth A. Hanley, Jacques D'Amboise (dances)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFgBhMVgLtg (dancing) http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhSLKQeltrY&feature=related (dancing)

Meeting the Sangomas and Other Short Stories from Africa, Peru, Mexico, and India [Audio CD] by Angeline de Launey

Computer lab will be used to do research for projects and to type out the written reports.

Assessment

Reports will be graded based on a rubric (five-point scoring rubric)

Completion grade for some assignments Participation in music, physical education, and group work Vocabulary tests for all new words throughout the unit 6+1 writing traits will also be used for some writing

assignments Portfolio assessment with checklist for all the assignments

throughout the unit (papers, charts, maps, etc.) Poetry assessment numerical score sheet for poems Art rubric for all artwork

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Thursday Friday

L.A. • Read aloud: The Mzungu Boy

• Journal• Rookie Read • Grand

conversation about Africa (KWL)

• Read aloud: The Mzungu Boy

• Journal• Watch

video

• Read aloud: The Mzungu Boy

• Journal• Read

magazin-es

• Write letters

• Read Aloud: The Mzungu Boy

• Journal• Grand

Conver-sation (African reading materials

• Read Aloud: The Mzungu Boy

• Journal• Poems

about Africa (Jaha and Jamil Went Down Hill)

P.E. African games African games

African games

Math Metric system Metric system

Metric system

Population research

Line graphs (pop.)

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Thursday Friday

Social Studies

Topographic features

Topographic features

Country research

Country research

African map (fit countries together)

Art Pyramids Pyramids African masks

Music African music

Significance of ceremonial music

Science

Climates Climates (research climates)

Compare Africa and North Dakota

Diseases/il-lnesses

Diseases/il-lnesses

unMonday Tuesday Wednesda

y• Thursda

yFriday

L.A. • Read aloud: The Mzungu Boy

• Journal• Read African

Animals ABC• Grand

conversation about African climates

• Read aloud: The Mzungu Boy

• Journal• present

country facts

• Peer conferenc-ing of writing assignme-nts

• Read aloud: The Mzungu Boy

• Journal• Read

short stories

• Grand conversat-ion about African culture

• Read aloud: The Mzungu Boy

• Journal• Read

short stories

• Present topograp-hic feature

• Small group conversat-ion about African culture

• Read aloud: The Mzungu Boy

• Journal• View

African photos

P.E. Safari Dances Dances

Math Calculate miles Calculate miles

Sequential patterns

Sequential patterns

currency

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Thursday Friday

Social Studies

Swahili Language (Swahili Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book by Muriel Feelings)

Sign language (Ananse the Spider by S. Harold Collins)

African culture (clothing,j-ewelry, food)

African culture (celebration and holidays)

Unscramble letters of African countries

Art Learn about African artwork (show examples)

African artwork

Jewelry

Music Ceremonial dances with music

Ceremonial dances with music

Science

Study earth (study rocks, volcanoes, lakes,etc.)

Study earth (study rocks, volcanoes, lakes,etc.)

Study earth (study rocks, volcanoes, lakes,etc.)

Weather patterns

Weather patterns

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Thursday Friday

L.A. • Read aloud: The Mzungu Boy

• Journal• Small group

discussion (art & music)

• CD of short stories

• Read aloud: The Mzungu Boy

• Journal• Short

stories (buddy reading)

• Read aloud: The Mzungu Boy

• Journal• Present

vegetati-on reports

• Read aloud: The Mzungu Boy

• Journal• Read

African literature

• Read aloud: The Mzungu Boy

• Journal• Present

artwork over unit

• Video

• Grand conversat-ion (markets and stores

P.E. Egyptian Relay Spelling relay

Topographic obstacle course

Math currency Chart temps.

Math games

Math games

Math games

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Thursday Friday

Social Studies

Tribes of Africa Tribes of Africa

Topographic maps

Topographic maps

African markets/US stores

Art Jewelry Baskets Clothing

Music African instruments

African instruments

Science

Discuss Vegetation

Vegetation research

Foods native to Africa

Nutrition Nutrition