African Communities and Villages

Correlation to State Content Standards

7.4: Students analyze the geographic, political, and economic, religious, and social structures of the sub-Saharan civilizations of Ghana and Mali in Medieval Africa.

7.4.1: Study the Niger River and the relationship of vegetation zones of forest, savannah, and desert to trade in gold, salt, food, and slaves; and the growth of the Ghana and Mali empires.

7.4.5: Describe the importance of written and oral traditions in the transmission of African history and culture.

Expected Student Outcomes (Objective)

Students will be able to:

1. Identify the beginnings of communities and the creations of villages in West Africa.

2. Explain the importance of Griots in West African culture.

Common Core Literacy Standard

RH 2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

RH 4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.

WHST 4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose and audience.

WHST 9. Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis reflection, and research.

Anticipatory Set (3 min.)

Daily Journals: Students will read and answer the essential question dealing with "This Day in History."

Direct Instruction (10 min.)

SDAIE: Close Read/Talk to Text: Early Communities and Villages: Teacher will lead students on a close read of Africa's Geography and a closer look at the 4 vegetation zones in West Africa. As students read the chunked reading, they will be asked to find pictures dealing with the geography that they will place next to the corresponding paragraphs.

Guided Practice (10 min.)

SDAIE: TPS: Annotations/Map Activity: Teacher will go over the answers to the annotations and Map labeling skills. Teacher will discuss and elaborate further on answers.

Independent Practice (15 min.)

SDAIE: Visual/Map Skills: Africa Geography Map: Students will be given a map of Africa and a series of items to label on the map ranging from vegetation zones, rivers, and important points of interest.

SDAIE: Visual/Map Skills: West Africa Map: Students will use the reading from the section Geography and Trade to help them label the West Africa Map. They will also provide a visual that represents the type of vegetation zone and items that could be traded within those zones. Teacher will provide were to add items like salt and gold that were not mention in the reading.

Homework.

EdPuzzle Geography of Africa due by Friday at 5 p.m.

Closure (2 min.)

1. Clean up.

2. Exit Question

3. Dismiss Class.