History of Colonization (Africa) Circa 14 Weeks
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Unit Description
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In the first unit of study, I tend to focus on the continent of Africa. I think this region’s history and current issues introduce concepts that can built upon throughout the year.
I start the unit with the celebration of the African King, Mansa Musa. As a class, we examine how natural resources made his kingdom wealthy and powerful. We also learn how Islam spread throughout North Africa due to trading. Students will explore how after Mansa Musa’s death, his empire began to splinter into different kingdoms. I then have students play a World War 1 game where the key to winning is getting resources to make their country stronger. This introduces the concepts of colonization and resources extraction. With guns, germs, and steel on their side, we learn about European motivations during the Scramble for Africa. Overtime, African countries gained their independence(CNI). We learn about South Africa under the system of apartheid. We explore how Nelson Mandela used nationalism and symbols to fight injustice in his country. We will then look to the Congo where we study their path to independence and empathize with the rangers protecting endangered gorillas in Virunga National Park. Students will create GoFundMe campaigns to bring about lasting change in the region. Students will then learn how countries in the Northeast Africa have to work together to share water in the Aswan river basin. Students will represent different African countries in a summit/meeting where they will use evidence to advocate for their country's position. Finally, students will look at the long-term impact of the different units/concepts examined throughout the semester. They will gather data in order to analyze the quality of live in different African countries. *As a general note, I would be very hesitant to bring up the slave trade with this unit. You can teach the region and the necessary standards without explicitly having a lesson cycle centered on this topic. |
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2019 Unit Resources
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This section contains resources that correspond sequentially to the unit description above.
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Last Updated
08/20/19 |
Mansa Musa - Patterson
The purpose of this lesson cycle is to set up a broader Africa unit in a positive way. Students learn about Mansa Musa’s wealth that was based on access to natural resources and about the differences between primary and secondary sources. Students will also practice identifying text evidence and the proper use of in text citations. 3A – Explain costs and benefits of the diffusion of culture, ideas, and goods (SS.7.13). Students will learn how the great Mali King Mansa Musa helped spread Islam throughout Northern Africa due to hierarchal diffusion. 3B – Explain the economic motivations for colonization around the world (SS.7.22). Students will learn how the rumors of Mansa Musa’s wealth and power indirectly lead to the colonization of Africa. There is a PowerPoint that contains visuals for this lesson cycle. The file is too large to upload. Please email [email protected]. The presentation has been drastically revised for the 2019 school year. |
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Last Updated
08/30/19 |
Great Powers (World War 1) - Patterson
In this lesson cycle, students will play a game where European countries go to war with each other. A successful strategy requires teams to focus on acquiring as many resources as possible. During the debrief, students will make connections to how the game reflects real life motivations for colonization. 3B – Explain the economic motivations for colonization around the world (SS.7.22). There is a PowerPoint that contains visuals for this lesson cycle. The file is too large to upload. Please email [email protected]. The presentation has been drastically revised for the 2019 school year. |
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Last Updated
09/04/19 |
Scramble for Africa (Colonization) - Patterson
The purpose of this lesson cycle is for students to understand the long-term impact of European colonization on Africa. Students will work in teams to play an academic game similar to the board game Risk. They will conquer territory with the objective of securing resources for their European countries based off historical needs. Students will understand the hidden costs of colonization indigenous cultures by analyzing a short story. 3A – Explain costs and benefits of the diffusion of culture, ideas, and goods (SS.7.13). Students will learn how colonization impacted Africa through the diffusion of religion, languages, and ideas. 3C – Assess the impact of colonization on indigenous cultures around the world (SS.7.14). Student will assess the emotional and financial impact of European colonization by analyzing the short story The Invaders. There is a PowerPoint that contains visuals for this lesson cycle. The file is too large to upload. Please email [email protected]. The presentation has been drastically revised for the 2019 school year. |
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Last Updated
10/01/19 |
Colonialism, Nationalism, Independence - Patterson
The purpose of this lesson cycle is for students to understand how African countries earned their independence after World War II. Students will learn about the ideas of nationalism, cultural diffusion, and reparations. Students will create a PowerPoint that examines a specific African country, a thematic map using raw data, and take a stance on the long-term impact of colonization on indigenous cultures. In the culminating rigorous task, students are asked to connect colonization to issues in modern African countries. Students are asked to take a stance on reparations. Standard Assessed 3C – Assess the impact of colonization on indigenous cultures around the world (SS.7.14). Students will examine how colonization impacted indigenous cultures through cultural diffusion. There is a PowerPoint that contains visuals for this lesson cycle. The file is too large to upload. Please email [email protected]. The presentation has been drastically revised for the 2019 school year. |
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Last Updated
09/24/19 |
Apartheid - Patterson
The purpose of this lesson cycle is for students to understand the relatively abstract concept of apartheid by playing a simulation, watching a movie to understand context and analyzing poetry. Students also start to understand the significance of symbols, flags, and national anthems to encourage solidarity. 3C – Assess the impact of colonization on indigenous cultures around the world (SS.7.14). Students will assess the long-term impact of apartheid on the people of South Africa. There is a PowerPoint that contains visuals for this lesson cycle and a student movie/note sheet. The files are too large to upload. Please email [email protected]. The presentation has been drastically revised for the 2019 school year. |
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Last Updated
10/01/19 |
Assessment and Review - Patterson
These resources help students reflect on the important ideas from our African unit so far. Also included is a summative assessment. The level 4 is written in a way that requires computers. |
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Last Updated
11/05/19 |
Aswan Dam - Patterson
The purpose of this lesson cycle is for students to understand how geography and access to natural resources shapes modern Africa. Students work in groups to learn about how countries need to share water from the Nile River and participate in an African Union summit to resolve the rebuilding of the Aswan Dam. Culminating activity requires students to understand population distribution patterns in North Africa. Students must also grasp the significance of the region relying on one communal water source. Students will evaluate a scenario where one country’s decision can impact the quality of life for the entire region. Scarcity 3A - Describe the challenges countries face to feed their growing populations (SS. 7.18 & 7.23). 3B - Explain how countries are responding to issue of food security (SS. 7.14 & 7.17). 3C - Evaluate the role of the government in protecting water sources (SS. 7.17 & 7.26). Students will learn about challenges to food and water supply faced by different countries. Students will examine the effectiveness of different programs designed to improve food security. Students will evaluate the role of governments to protect the water supply. There is a PowerPoint that contains visuals for this lesson cycle. The file is too large to upload. Please email [email protected]. The presentation has been drastically revised for the 2019 school year. |
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Last Updated
02/03/2020 |
Virunga - Patterson
The purpose of this lesson cycle is for students to examine how rangers in the Virunga National Park bring about positive change in the Congo. Teams investigate dangers facing mountain gorillas and the environment. Students will raise awareness by creating a social media campaign by focusing on Iowans can bring about positive change. 7.17 Explain how and why individuals, governments, and other groups, bring about positive change in the world. SS.7.27 Analyze how Iowa is helping bring about meaningful change in the world. There is a PowerPoint that contains visuals for this lesson cycle. The file is too large to upload. Please email [email protected]. The presentation has been drastically revised for the 2020 school year. |
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Last Updated
12/18/18 |
Burner Boys of Ghana - Patterson
This lesson cycle requires students to create an action plan to improve the average quality of life in a traditionally marginalized community. Students will determine if their action plan has been implemented in Skid Row, Los Angeles. Students will revise their action plan and outline steps leaders should take. Students will also reflect on the validity of information that is averaged from millions of data points. |
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Potential Lesson Cycle Ideas: Ivory Game, Long Walk to Water, positive African growth, migration, arms trafficking
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Additional Resources
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Below are resources that have been used in past years that pertain to a Sub-Saharan African unit.
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Last Updated
08/17/17 |
Africa Vocabulary - Patterson
These resources are a starting point when introducing vocabulary connected to both North and Sub-Saharan Africa. You can either front load the definitions or embed them into other lesson cycles. |
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Last Updated
08/23/16 |
Intro to Region - Patterson
This lesson cycle introduces students to the first region of study. Students will also become familiar with academic vocabulary.
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Last Updated
09/09/15 |
Slave Trade Simulation - Brennan
Students will learn about terrible conditions during the Atlantic Slave Trade. This resource also includes several videos to supplement the learning. If you decide to use this resource, there is a list of supplies on page 1. |
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Last Updated
10/15/2014 |
Barriers to Development - James Spittler
In this lesson cycle, students will learn about barriers to development that face African nations. Students will rotate through a series of a interactive learning centers after completing an anticipatory set. Technology is required. |
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Last Updated
11/01/15 |
Developed vs. Underdeveloped Countries - Maxwell
Students will gain a basic understanding of what it means for a country to be developed, developing, or underdeveloped. Students will determine if an African country they have been assigned is developed, developing, or underdeveloped. |
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Last Updated
10/02/14 |
Great Zimbabwe - Kimberlin
The attachments to the right are from from the British Museum website, they help students understand that colonizers didn't "help" the people they colonized. The resources explain how ancient African kingdoms were advanced civilizations for their time period. The resource then go on to examine how Zimbabwe honors their past history on their currency.
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Last Updated
11/15/15 |
List of DBQs Pertaining to Africa
DBQ: What Was the Driving Force Behind European Imperialism in Africa? DBQ: What Drove the Sugar Trade? DBQ: How Did Colonialism Affect Kenya? DBQ: How did the Nile shape Ancient Egypt? DBQ: Mansa Musa's Hajj: A Personal Journey Email [email protected] for these resources, they can't be reposted online due to copyright infringement. |
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Last Updated
09/25/13 |
Geographic Analysis Level 3 & 4 - Oswalt/Tegler
The resource to the right is a tiered assessment that that target thematic map literacy. It includes a level 3 & 4 questions. |
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Last Updated
08/28/13 |
Africa Tic-Tac-Toe Project -Calisesi
This resource contains a series of student choice projects allow students to gain further knowledge in different parts of the content. The students are also able to choose what medium they would like to use to express their findings. The ideas in this resource could prove excellent level 4 projects. |
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Last Updated
08/28/13 |
Conrad the Cranky Croc - Calisesi
This fun activity is a great introduction the region. Students follow Conrad the Cranky Croc as he tries to find his long lost love. |
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