Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Medieval African Kingdoms

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders examine the geography and political history of West Africa. They role-play as applicants to a company that transports customers to any historic time period. Working in teams, they create promotional products encouraging...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Gift of the Nile: Egypt and its River

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students begin with a piece of a puzzle that shows an artifact from ancient Egypt. They find others who have pieces that go with their puzzle piece. Students work in these groups to construct a relief map of the Nile River Valley.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Middle Passage: a Journey of Endurance

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students determine that thriving African cultures engaged in international trade and exploration before the emergence of European civilization. The study ancient Ghana, its geographic locale, the diversity therein to include its people,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Look At Those Leaves!

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scholars collect, observe, sort, and measure leaves. In this leaf lesson, students take a walk to collect leaves. They bring the leaves back into the classroom to observe, sort, and measure them. They visit a website to learn more...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using the Patterns and Symbols of Mali Mud Cloth to Convey Identity

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students participate in relating the role of the arts in defining identity. They examine the community in West African society and how members of that community define their role. They view how artifacts, music and performance can...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Cultural Geography of Egypt

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars describe Egypt's historical, cultural and recreational sites and activities. They explain Egyptian customs and conduct; and apply what they have learned to create a travel brochure about Egypt.
Handout
CommonLit

Common Lit: Text Sets: Ancient Civilizations Around the World

For Students 9th - 10th
Collection of 21 Grade-Leveled texts (4-11) on the topic "Ancient Civilizations Around the World." Learn about ancient and medieval civilizations from South America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East in this text set. [Free account...
Website
Emory University

Emory University: Odyssey Online: Ancient Civilizations

For Students 9th - 10th
Brief studies of the peoples, mythology, daily life, death and burial, writings and archaeology of civilizations in the Near East, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Africa, and the Ancient Americas.
Lesson Plan
PBS

Wnet: Thirteen: This Just In! Nile Network News Update

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Site offers interdisciplinary lesson plans on Ancient Egypt.Learners will thoroughly research many aspects of life in Ancient Egypt. Lessons will culminate with students presenting their research findings using, a T.V News Show format....
Handout
Understanding Slavery Initiative

Understanding Slavery Initiative: Africa Before Transatlantic Enslavement

For Students 9th - 10th
The history of West Africa provides a context for learning about the transatlantic slave trade. Discover the rich cultural traditions and economic networks that existed in the West African empires such as Ghana, Mali, and Songhay long...
Website
Emory University

Emory University: Odyssey Online

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Odyssey Online is a resource for both students and teachers as they explore world mythology in reading, writing, history, and art classes. Providing sections on Near Eastern, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and African mythology, Odyssey uses...
Website
Other

Mali: Ancient Crossroads of Africa

For Students 9th - 10th
Very thorough web site featuring a guide for teaching the history, geography, and economics of the early West African empire of Mali. By clicking on the links on top, you will uncover a wealth of resources providing information,...
Website
BBC

Bbc: The Story of Africa Great Zimbabwe

For Students 9th - 10th
A site on the ancient African civilization Great Zimbabwe presents some background information on the civilization, such as who the rulers were, the Great Zimbabwe monument, and the decline of the empire. Archived.
Article
A&E Television

History.com: Why the Nile River Was So Important to Ancient Egypt

For Students 9th - 10th
From nourishing agricultural soil to serving as a transportation route, the Nile was vital to ancient Egypt's civilization. The Nile, which flows northward for 4,160 miles from east-central Africa to the Mediterranean, provided ancient...
Interactive
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: African Voices

For Students 9th - 10th
This site is the web presence of "African Voices," a permanent exhibition at the National Museum of Natural History. It explores the "diversity, dynamism, and global influence of Africa's peoples and cultures." Includes art, texts, and...
Interactive
Other

Bradshaw Foundation: Journey of Mankind

For Students 9th - 10th
An interactive map that shows how early humans traveled out of Africa and spread throughout the world. Starts from pre-150,000 B.C. and shows the history of how humans were able to populate the world. At each step there is information...
Interactive
National Geographic Kids

National Geographic Kids: Egypt

For Students 3rd - 8th
Click-through facts-and-photo file about Egypt's geography, nature, history, people and culture, and government. Includes a map of the country that pinpoints its African location and a video about the ancient civilization that flourished...
Website
PBS

Pbs: The Swahili People

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a site from the PBS series "Wonders of the African World." This brief but detailed article gives information about the origins and history of the Swahili people.
Handout
Countries and Their Cultures

Countries and Their Cultures: Assyrians

For Students 9th - 10th
Ancient Assyrians were inhabitants of one the world's earliest civilizations, Mesopotamia, which began to emerge around 3500 B . C . The Assyrians invented the world's first written language and the 360-degree circle, established...
Handout
Other

Bradshaw Foundation: Volcanic Winter and Modern Humans

For Students 9th - 10th
Explanation of the volcanic winter that happened about 20,000 years ago that destroyed most of the human population not living in Africa. Explains how these early people coped with this 1000 years of nuclear winter and how when it was...