EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY: Howard Gardner is prominently known for his theory of different intelligences. Gardner explains that there are many different forms of intelligences that are present in all humans, the capacity to which we use each, varies, however. This lesson caters to linguistic, logical-mathematical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal learning styles. Pictures accompany the lesson for visual learners; there is discussion and an interactive resource activity for social learners, reading maps for logical-mathematical learners, varied reading from both the textbook and a separate article, as well as verbal questions and small bits of writing throughout these three connected instructional units.

TITLE: Chapter 10: Africa South of the Sahara Section 1

CONTEXT: Students will have previously completed a unit on Egypt as their background for Africa. This lesson represents the first of five classes (5 hours) on Africa south of the Sahara desert, highlighting geographic features, economics, culture, history and governments.

DESIRED RESULTS: I would like the students to develop their map literacy and be able to use maps, whether political, geographic, street, weather, etc. in their everyday lives after the practice within this lesson. I would also like for students to be able to explain why Africa has more than just the commonly assumed climate region; the desert.

Objectives: Students will be able to identify the Sahara desert on a map and describe three major climate regions of Africa with 90% accuracy by the end of the lesson.

State Standards: 7.1.12.A. - Analyze data and issues form a spatial perspective using appropriate geographic tools (physical, spatial, human) 7.1.3.B. -Identify and locate places and regions 7.3.6.C. -Describe human characteristics of places and regions by their settlement characteristics 8.4.6.A. –Identify and explain how individuals and groups made significant political and cultural contributions to world history. 8.4.6.C. –Identify and explain how continuality and change has affected belief systems, commerce and industry, innovations, settlement patterns, social organizations, transportation and women’s roles in world history.

EVIDENCE: I will be able to gauge student comprehension of the lesson mainly through informal questioning. A verbal question and answer session at the end will help me get a feel for what the whole class has taken in. In addition, the summative assessment at the end of the full chapter will contain many questions from this lesson, the data from which I will be able to tell how well the class took in the knowledge and was able to implement it.

LEARNING PLAN: Rationale: Many students have not learned anything about Africa before this year and this unit in class. Students need a solid background on the geography, climate regions, etc. to understand African life at large in the upcoming lessons.

Materials: Laptop; smart board, notebooks, World Cultures and Geography textbook; large map of Africa

Procedures: Do Now (10 minutes): Students will view the British imperialism cartoon on page 289 in their textbooks and write their responses to the following questions for later sharing with the class: -Where do you think the man is from? -How is the man dressed? -What do you think this cartoon represents? Students will share their ideas and I will tell them what the cartoon symbolizes and who is represented in the piece.

Group Discussion (5 minutes): I will ask the class what they think, by using their previous knowledge, what the pros and cons are of being a colony. I will field their responses, and then I will explain the concept of being a colony. As a class we will discuss the overall benefits and drawbacks of being a colony.

Map Activity (5 minutes): Students will be called up to the board to find the Sahara on a map. I will then share facts about the Sahara desert. Students will share their ideas on the following questions: -Do deserts always have to be cold? -When you think of Africa, what types of climates and environments do you envision? To conclude this activity I will tell the students about cold deserts, hot deserts, the Sahara, and the differing climate zones of Africa south of the Sahara.

Group Reading/ Vocabulary (30 minutes): Students will first copy down the vocabulary words off the board so they can complete the definitions during the lesson. Students will then popcorn read out loud and when the class gets to a bold vocabulary word, the word will be defined on the smart board for the class’s study guide which will be a list of vocabulary definitions in their notebooks. Certain vocabulary words will have a picture from the internet to better explain the geographic formations for visual learners. Students will be taught the content in the chapter and I will answer any questions they have.

Review of Key Points (5 minutes): As an exit ticket strategy, the class will have to share 5 things they learned from the lesson. The ideas/definitions they learned must be in their own words.

Differentiation: Students will learn both visually, with the pictures I showed on the smart board, as well as through the text via the book. Students will be discussing in this lesson, as well as visually use a map as part of the map activity.

REFLECTION: Throughout this lesson I will cognizant of students’ retention of knowledge and their overall interest. By watching what works and what does not work, I will be able to tweak the lesson for later usage. Certain aspects that work will be adapted and implemented in future lesson plans. I will always remember this lesson as one which the students were most interested in. I feel that the pictures of Africa to go along with the different vocabulary terms really grabbed the students’ interest. The vocabulary terms such as “plateau” and “savanna” have come up later in our textbook as well as English class and students have retained this knowledge and utilized it outside of this lesson. My desired results were obtained, and I was able to utilize this particular lesson as an example of how to visually grab students’ brains.

TITLE: Chapter 10: Africa South of the Sahara Section 1 Continued…

CONTEXT: The previous class period the students learned started investigating the chapter by learning about the physical geography of much of Africa, as well as desertification and drought.

DESIRED RESULTS: I would like for students to be able to be able to explain the difference between a renewable resource and a nonrenewable resource and be able to distinguish between

each. Students will be able to better understand our economy, gasoline prices, etc. after this lesson.

Objectives: Students will be able to distinguish a nonrenewable resource from a renewable resource by describing two facts about each by the end of the lesson.

State Standards: 7.1.12.A. - Analyze data and issues form a spatial perspective using appropriate geographic tools (physical, spatial, human) 7.1.3.B. -Identify and locate places and regions 7.3.6.C. -Describe human characteristics of places and regions by their settlement characteristics 8.4.6.A. –Identify and explain how individuals and groups made significant political and cultural contributions to world history. 8.4.6.C. –Identify and explain how continuality and change has affected belief systems, commerce and industry, innovations, settlement patterns, social organizations, transportation and women’s roles in world history.

EVIDENCE: My students will show their understanding of the unit through their participation in the resource game. If the majority of students are answering the questions correctly, I will know that my lesson was successful. In addition, the list of natural resources will help me understand who did not quite get the lesson and who needs re-teaching. The review questions will be another level of gauging comprehension.

LEARNING PLAN: Rationale: My students studied the difference between primary products and secondary products before I arrived. However, I learned very quickly that their recall was not there. In addition, or textbook described renewable and nonrenewable resources. However, there was little depth to the textbook’s coverage of these two types of resources, therefore, I created an extended activity. Materials: Laptop; smart board; notebooks, World Cultures and Geography textbook

Procedures: Do Now (10 minutes): Without looking in their notes, students will list three facts they remember about Africa from the previous class period’s lesson.

Reading/Vocabulary (20 minutes): Students will continue reading the chapter out loud as a class shifting the reader responsibilities from student to student. When a vocabulary word is found, students will put the definition in their own collective words as a class and this definition will go on the board for the vocabulary list. Picture off the internet will be used to further explain some of the geographical vocabulary. Additionally, the images will help differentiate the lesson.

Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Activity (20 minutes): Students will make T charts in their notes and will individually write down their ideas for what is a renewable resource and what is a nonrenewable resource. At the end of the allotted time, students will combine their best answers for a master list which will help students understand the concept of renewable vs. nonrenewable. I will then ask students what they believe are the positives for renewable resources. Students who come up with the most nonrenewable resources on their list will receive a prize.

Resource Review Game (5 minutes): I will put photos of either renewable or nonrenewable resources on the smart board and students will answer if that resource is renewable or nonrenewable in a game.

Wrap Up (5 minutes): I will ask the students the following questions as a review of the unit: -What are the major climate regions of Southern Africa? -What are the causes of desertification? -What are savannas?

Differentiation: Pictures will be presented as needed for vocabulary words or tricky names and terms for which the students are not familiar. A visual understanding is important for visual learners as well as for the entire class for understanding the concepts. Students will learn by doing by making T chart lists and sharing these lists with the class.

REFLECTION: Throughout this lesson I will be watching to make sure students comprehend the material. Additionally, I will be keeping watch to see how students learn most effectively. If students really seem to be answering questions correctly and asking thought provoking questions I will know that they followed along and were listening to the lesson. If students have trouble with comprehending the material in the textbook, I will know to dedicate more time to that aspect of the lesson the next time I teach it. If students can complete the questions with at least 80% accuracy, I will know that I have done a good job.

This lesson will be one which I will remember went both the best as far as classroom management as well as class interaction. Students were engaged, and interested, jumping out of their seats to share their examples for renewable and nonrenewable resources. Some of my worst behavioral students may have felt like they knew the answers and had something valuable to contribute because they were engaged, enthusiastic, and very well engaged. This was an excellently executed lesson.

TITLE: Chapter 10 Section 2: African Cultures and Empires

CONTEXT: Students will have previously learned about the geography and physical aspects of Africa south of the Sahara desert. Students will have investigated the differences between renewable and nonrenewable resources.

DESIRED RESULTS: Students must understand the heritage of not only their classmates, but their own roots, as the earliest human bones have been found there. The salt trade is important to understand current, real-world economics. Students will be able to understand and analyze the importance of the Bantu migration as its effect was sweeping across Africa as far as spreading a uniform culture and language tree.

Objectives: Students will be able to describe the importance of the salt trade and the Bantu migration by recalling facts with 80% accuracy by the end of the lesson.

State Standards:

7.1.12.A. - Analyze data and issues form a spatial perspective using appropriate geographic tools (physical, spatial, human) 7.1.3.B. -Identify and locate places and regions 7.3.6.C. -Describe human characteristics of places and regions by their settlement characteristics 8.4.6.A. –Identify and explain how individuals and groups made significant political and cultural contributions to world history. 8.4.6.C. –Identify and explain how continuality and change has affected belief systems, commerce and industry, innovations, settlement patterns, social organizations, transportation and women’s roles in world history.

EVIDENCE: To figure out if I obtained my desired results, I will use the chapter test at the end of the complete learning unit. In addition, informal questioning throughout the lesson paired with exit ticket questions will give me a solid grasp on the retention of facts and concepts that day directly after the lesson.

LEARNING PLAN: Rationale: Many students do not have any knowledge of how the precious stones that prevalent in today’s society are obtained. To understand Africa’s economy in the area students must first learn about the history or trade in Africa. Then, students can understand where salt, gold, etc. come from and how they are mined.

Materials: Smart board; notebooks; World Cultures and Geography textbook

Procedures: Do Now (5 minutes): Students will copy down the vocabulary words from the board into their notebooks so they can fill in the definitions as we come to them in the reading.

Group Reading/Vocabulary (30 minutes): Students will popcorn read out loud and when the class gets to a bold vocabulary word in the textbook the word will be defined on the smart board for the class study guide which will be a list of vocabulary definitions in their notebooks. Certain vocabulary words will have a picture from the internet to better explain the geographic formations for visual learners. Students will be taught the content in the chapter and I will answer any questions they have.

Salt Trade Reading (10 minutes): Students will read an article about the Saharan salt trade. Accompanying this article will be a series of pictures so that students can visualize what a caravan is like and what the journey is like from the salt mines to the markets many miles away.

Gold Mining Pictures (5 minutes): I will show students a series of pictures about mining gold in Africa. Students will ask questions about the photos and I will in turn as the students what they believe is going on. Finally, I will explain what is happening in each photo, and each part of the mining process.

Review (10 minutes): Students will be asked the following questions for a review of the key points of the lesson: -Why was Ghana called “the land of gold?”

-Where did the Bantu migrate from? -What languages fall under the Bantu language umbrella? -Why was salt important to Africans? -Who was Mansa Musa?

Differentiation: This lesson is differentiated through many avenues. First, students will view pictures off the internet which accompany this lesson. Next, students will read an outside the textbook article on the trans-Saharan salt trade. The photos of gold mining in Africa will come from National Geographic.

REFLECTION: I will be watching for student understanding and what students themselves believed what were the most important aspects of the lesson. Understanding what students believe connects most to their world will help me tailor future plans to include these values. This lesson was one which students definitely remember. For about two weeks after this lesson, students would answer “salt” or “gold” for just about everything. The importance of these two resources to Africa definitely appeared in student answers later in the semester. I used their interest in the salt trade to expand and I made another supplementary lesson on the subject because I saw how interested students were.