Virtual Field Trip:Tanzania

Third Grade

A research guide to use with StoryWorks Jr paired text:The Boy Who Couldn’t Smileand 1,000 Reasons to Smile

Let’s explore the world together!First stop- AFRICA! We are reading the Story Works article about a young boy who lives in Tanzania. But what do you know about the this place? Let’s learn about the animals, the climate, the land, and most importantly, the people! As we do, take notes and add them to your travel journal.

3 new things to learn about Tanzania

1 Climate

*Most of Tanzania is hot and

dry.

*It is hot and humid in coastal

areas by the ocean.

*Temperate (mild

temperatures) in other areas

*2 rainy seasons

2 Land

Largest country in East

Africa- twice the size of

California● Large plains, mountains,

valleys, and lakes● Tallest mountain in Africa● Three islands● Three of Africa’s largest

lakes● Large plateau with grassland

3 Location

*Eastern edge of central

Africa

*Borders eight countries

*Borders the Indian Ocean

*Capital of Tanzania- Dodoma

3 more new things to learn about Tanzania

1 Food

*Crops- corn, rice, sorghum,

millet, wheat, beans, potatoes

*Also grow coffee, cotton,

cashew nuts, tea, and tobacco

*Spices- cloves- Grown on the

island of Zanzibar

2 Industry

● Farming● Tourism● Finance● Textiles and Clothing● Mining- gold, diamonds,

gems such as tanzanite

3 Problems

*Lack of good water- most people have wells that can dry up

*Poor- many families do not make much money

*School- not all families can afford school or get their children there.

*Healthcare- not all families can get to a doctor

5 facts about the people of Tanzania

1. About 120 tribal groupsMost people in Tanzania are from the Sukuma part of the Bantu group. They speak Sukuma.

2. Polite and courteousYounger people treat older people with respect- “shikamoo” means “I hold your feet.”

3. Language- Swahili (national language) and English (one of the two official languages) plus tribal languages

4. Population of Tanzania- about 50-60 million people

5. Most Tanzanians live in small villages or in the countryside.

4 more facts about the people of Tanzania

1. Football (soccer) is the most popular sport, followed by basketball and rugby.

2. Food that is eaten depends on where you live- spicy food and the use of coconut milk is common near the ocean; mainland foods could be wali (rice), ugali (corn porridge), nyama choma (grilled meat), samaki (fish), and ndizi-nyama (plantains with meat)

3. Did you know that Tanzania grows at least 17 different kinds of bananas that are used for soup, stew, and chips?

4. Breakfast may be maandazi (fried doughnut), chai (tea), and chapati (a kind of flat bread), and for snack you might have kashata (coconut bars) or kabaab (kebab).

Mt. Kilimanjaro

...is the highest free-standing mountain in the world

...is a huge stratovolcano formed of 3 volcanic cones

...takes about 5-9 days to climb

Mt. Kilimanjaro

Even though, it is walkable, it has a lot of risks. The main cause of death is altitude sickness.

Serengeti National Park

...is the home to many animals-wildbeests, zebras, gazelles, lions,

elephants, hyenas, leopards, rhinos, hippos, giraffes, cheetahs, baboons,

crocodiles, owls, eagles, and flamingos and more..

Problem- poaching - people sneak in to kill elephants for their tusks

Serengeti National Park

...has the yearly migration of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles

to find watering holes

Flag of Tanzania

Green- natural resources of the countryYellow- mineral deposits found in TanzaniaBlack- people of Tanzania whose majority is

mostly black AfricanBlue- water bodies across the land

MapCan you find

Tanzania? What countries

surround it?

MoneyTanzanian shilling and banknotes