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The Achievements and Challenges of Zimbabwe
Here is an excellent set of five short lessons and activities intended to help learners not only gain an understand of current issues in Africa, but build critical thinking, synthesis, analysis, expository writing, research, and...
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Colonialism in Africa
Students examine Africa from a regional perspective. They appreciate the historic and geographic relationships that unite and divide the regions of Africa. Students create a comprehensive document outlining problems in the assigned...
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Strengthening Democracy in Africa
Pupils analyze democratic advances in Africa. In this global issues activity, students research Internet, video, and print sources regarding current political developments in Africa. Pupils create e-collages or digital videos that...
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Reaching Across Borders In Southern Africa
Learners gain a greater understanding of how political borders impact human and environmental development. Then, either individually or as a class, establish a correspondence with a Peace Corps volunteer working in Africa.
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Legacy of Colonialism
Students explore the extent of colonialism from the early periods in the 1500's to the later years in the mid 1900's. They explain how colonization differed in regions around the world and examine the lasting effects on the colonized...
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Life in Ancient Ghana, Mali, and Songhai
Students study the ancient African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. They brainstorm what they know about ancient African kingdoms before investigating the trade and barter situations, and researching one of the kingdoms for an oral...
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On the Road Again
Learners examine migration patterns in Africa and China. They watch excerpts from a documentary, define key vocabulary words, complete various student organizers, and create a poster.
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The Colonization of the United States
Bring the Age of Exploration into the 21st century with this ancestry activity! Learners get a chance to explore the complex genealogy of the Spanish settlers through watching two video clips (approximately five minutes each) featuring...
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Coming to America: A Look at Colonization in the 1600s
Students analyze the European colonization of America. In this colonial America lesson, students use provided Internet resources to research colonization and representative government. Students use their finding to create webpages,...
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Where Did Foods Originate? (Foods of the New World and Old World)
What do papayas, peanuts, pineapples, and potatoes have in common? Why, they are foods explorers brought back to the Old World. Young researchers use the Internet to investigate how New World explorers helped change the Old World's diet....
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Is A Nation Always A Region?
Students define the term, "nation," and analyze the boundaries established in Africa by colonial powers. In small groups, they participate in a simulated United Nations, develop a list of questions, analyze the nations of Africa, and...
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When Things Fall Apart
Learners examine the impact of colonialism on African nations, researching and analyzing post-colonial literature from those countries. They develop and present a creative display of their novel and its historic parallels.
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Tribes And Tribulations
Students explore South African history from pre-colonial times to today. They create a timeline of important events in South African history and reflect on connections between this timeline and the existence of tribal traditions in the...
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Do You Really Know What Wealth Is?
Students examine what it means to have wealth-a concept that turns out to be philosophical as well as economic-and examine the importance of music. They examine the concepts of wealth in Mali and in the United States and consider the...
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Romans in Britain, or Classical Colonialism
Students identify the extent of the Roman Empire on a map of Europe and North Africa. They discuss the reasons behind Roman expansion and occupation. They read Cymbeline and write about the attitudes of 3 characters. Groups stage the scene.
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Colonization: Africa
Students analyze maps of Africa. They label physical features, tribal kingdoms, and European settlements, among other topics on the maps. They write reflective paragraphs on their work.
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Historical Witness: Social Messaging
Research European expansionism and colonialism during the Age of Exploration. Study the Marquise de Miramon and discuss the objects from Japan. Research Europe's expansionism and colonialism during the Age of Exploration by working in...
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The Long Walk Of Nelson Mandela
Pupils are introduced to the influences, philosophies and accomplishments of Nelson Mandela in the context of South Africa's political history. They read summaries, define vocabulary, develop guidelines for creating laws and participate...
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Sanders of the River
Learners examine the British colonial attitudes towards Africa in the 1930s. They watch and discuss excerpts from the film Sanders of the River, from 1935, and answer discussion questions in small groups. Students then write a statement...
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Jamestown Journey Part 1
Fourth graders work to solve one of the major problems facing the Jamestown settlers, the best location to settle upon arrival in Jamestown. Students discuss and review the past European and American events that lead to the...
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Jamestown Journey Part 3
Fourth graders study the economy of Jamestown. In this early settlers lesson, 4th graders read about the trade between the English and the natives in Jamestown. This lesson is part of a larger unit and coincides with the novel The Double...
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Late 19th Century U.S. Foreign Policy
Eleventh graders discover that many of the issues the United States faces today elicit the same type of political, philosophical and moral debate that has divided the country in the past.
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Community Symbols: Heroes and Leaders
Students research the importance of community leaders in portraits. In this art history lesson, students look at the painting "The Ascension of Simon Bolivar on Mount Jamaica" and discuss what they see in the portrait. Students research...
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Using Effective, Evocative Writing as a Model
Students analyze the author's style to learn techniques for strengthening their own writing. They re-read "Music in the Fields" and highlight images that create vivid pictures in their minds-places where Young "shows, not tells" and...