West African Griots and Proverbs

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. Explain the importance of Griots in West African culture

2. Understand and Explain the importance of African Proverbs.

3. Create 4 proverbs that are commonly used by their family and explain its origins.

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/Chunk/Annotate: West African Oral Traditions: Teacher will lead students on a close read of oral traditions in West Africa. Students will be lead on a talk to the text portion so they are guided on what to annotate. Student will use those annotations and understanding of the context to answer two essential questions.

Guided Practice (10 min.)

SDAIE: TPS: Tier 2 & 3 Vocabulary: Teacher will go over the answers to the Vocabulary words and provide further examples.

Independent Practice (20 min.)

SDAIE: CER: Griots Proverb: Students will analyze and answer a QuickWrite based on an African Proverb about Griots. Students will answer the QuickWrite using the Claim, Evidence, Reason model used in their Language Arts class.

SDAIE: Tier 2 & 3 Vocabulary: West African Vocabulary: Students will define the 6 vocabulary terms that will be used in this unit in their own words and then provide a picture or symbol representing the word.

SDAIE: Diads: African Proverb: Students will work with their partners to analyze and draw meaning from 3 African Proverbs. They will have to provide the meaning of the proverb in their own word and then figure out if they can come up with a similar proverb or recall one they have heard before. At home students will talk to their family members and come up with 4 family proverbs they use to provide advice. Proverbs could be entered in home language.

Homework.

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

Closure (2 min.)

1. Clean up.

2. Exit Question

3. Dismiss Class.