Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cyberspace Safari

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers go on an information gathering hunt on the Internet to study West African empires. They work in teams; meteorologists, bankers, writers, and archaeologists. They collect data on all sorts of topics related to West...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Ancient Civilization of Mali

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Students explore the ancient civilization of Mali and examine various historical and cultural aspects of the civilization. In this ancient civilization of Mali activity, students examine trade with respect to geographic locations,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Ancient Maya

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students explore the culture of the Mayans through a variety of activities. For this lesson about Maya, students analyze pictures in books and on websites, produce scale models of Maya architecture, and create Maya mosaics. Students...
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

Africa Review

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders trace the major events in African history. In this social studies lesson students, create a flowchart depicting the things they learned during this lesson. Students understand the chronology of major events that took...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Seventh Grade Social Studies Test

For Students 7th
In this Georgia social studies assessment worksheet, 7th graders respond to 30 multiple choice questions based on 7th grade social studies skills. 
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
Library of Congress

Loc: Ancient Manuscripts: From the Desert Libraries of Timbuktu

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a collection of primary, historical documents from Timbuktu, Mali during the the 16th through 18th century. The documents cover all aspects of this advanced African civilization.
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...
Interactive
Other

Alnpete Limited: Lepcis Magna Roman Empire in Africa

For Students 9th - 10th
Lepcis Magna is an ancient Roman site in Libya, Africa that is being excavated. Site gives an excellent lesson in archaeological research with lots of pictures and narrative. Be sure to click on the 1996 Dig Season for a slide show of...
Website
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: Collapse: Why Do Civilizations Fall?

For Students 3rd - 8th
Why did great civilizations fall? War, disease, overpopulation or natural disasters? Interactive content and activities allow you, by sifting through archaeological evidence, to investigate the collapse of the Mayan civilization, the...
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.
Graphic
Other

University of Southern Maine: Biblical Jewish Diaspora

For Students 9th - 10th
This site interprets the ancient documents that recorded Jewish diaspora. Discover the trails of these ancient peoples from throughout history. Interesting information about ancient Jewish and African cultures.