| Exploring
Contemporary Africa: Lessons
on South Africa
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In July of 2001,
fifteen teachers from across the Pacific Northwest traveled to South Africa
and Swaziland as part of a Fulbright Study Abroad Program to study the
cultures and societies of southern Africa. Their mission was to
gather first-hand information and resources for teaching about contemporary,
post-apartheid southern Africa in the classroom.
Based on their travels,
the group produced a collection of lesson plans and resources adaptable
to a broad range of classroom subjects and grade levels. Exploring
Contemporary Africa contains personal stories, interviews and anecdotes
on life in post-apartheid southern Africa, focusing on economics, education,
government and society.
Lesson Titles and Preview
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1.
Africa Before and After the Arrival of the Europeans (coming soon)
Carmella
Phillips, Walla Walla High School
This
lesson is designed to show the progression of African history. South Africa
moves from its earliest stages of village life to a highly technological
and sophisticated civilization. The lesson will examine the transitions
and changes throughout southern Africa and develop studentís curiosity
in critically examining the complexities of Africa.
2.
Race as a Social Construct: Understanding Apartheid In South Africa
(coming soon)
Cynthia
Chan Imanaka, Seattle Central Community College
Darice Johnson, African American Academy
Henterson Carlisle, African American Academy
A
6-part unit focuses on race in South Africa. Students are challenged
to think critically about race, while interactively relating to race issues
in the United States and internationally and the implications it has on
a people and country. The unit informs students about various ethnic backgrounds
in South Africa with an objective to celebrate rather than condemn diversity.
Karmin
Tomlinson, Oregon City High School
Students create visual representations
of a character from the novel Born in Soweto--written about post-apartheid
Soweto, South Africa--by analyzing the impact of township living on black
South Africans in the post-apartheid era.
Keith
Forest, Mercer Island High School
Events
in South Africa today are a reaction to years of apartheid that allowed
a minority to control and exclude the majority from participating in society.
This lesson examines how events in a countryís history can lead
to suppression of freedom and individual rights for its citizens, and
the political and economic difficulties South Africa faces in developing
after years of legislated oppression.
Ryan
Hauck, Marysville-Pilchuck High School
This lesson analyzes the political, economic, social, and
historical legacy of apartheid land laws and their effect on past and
present lives of South Africans. The lesson discusses the consequences
of ethnic discrimination, interprets the current state of land issues
in South Africa, and assesses future goals and efforts to reduce inequities
in South Africa.
6.
Black Secondary Education in South Africa: Historical
(coming soon)
Carmella
Phillips, Walla Walla High School
This lesson enables students to understand how townships created an underclass
that was excluded from legitimate educational opportunities. In
addition, this lesson compares black education in the U.S. with that in
South Africa during the 1950ís and 1960ís.
7.
Examining the Use of Sanctions and their Role in
South Africa Today (coming
soon)
Joanne
Dufour
This 3-part unit addresses the divestment movement and the
sanctions policy regarding South Africa. Socially responsible corporate
policies ‚ while significant for taking the moral high ground during the
period of divestment ‚ have not always been economically rewarded.
This unit urges students to consider whether sanctions as a policy alternative
are passé.
8.
Lessons from South Africaís New Democracy: The 1996 Constitution
Wendy
Ewbank, Seattle Girls School
This
lesson deepens studentsí understanding of the United States Constitution
- its foundation and enduring principles ‚ and also introduces them to
the 1996 South African Constitution. Students will contemplate what
a constitution really is and what it can mean to a nation.
Darellene
Canada, Lakes High School
This lesson analyzes the question of amnesty for perpetrators
without reparations for survivors. Students examine the success
of democratic reform movements in challenging the South African government.
Ryan
Hauck, Marysville-Pilchuck High School
This
lesson analyzes the past, present, and future role that South Africa will
play in foreign affairs with other African nations and with the United
States. This lesson challenges students to use critical thinking
skills to evaluate and develop a research project considering U.S.-South
African relations.
11. South African
Trade (coming
soon)
Keith
Forest, Mercer Island High School
This
lesson is designed for student groups to interpret data and to stimulate
discussion on South African Trade. It familiarizes students with
how statistics are used to make economic loan decisions, simulating the
actual process that bank and lending agencies follow.
Shannon
Carey, Bainbridge Island High School
This lesson enables students to understand the scope of the
AIDS pandemic in South Africa through a provocative PowerPoint
presentation.
Students may develop their own PowerPoint presentations, identifying major
societal, cultural, political, and economic factors contributing to the
spread of AIDS. (Note: the PowerPoint presentation is hosted by
Curriki, follow the link above and click on the PowerPoint icon to download.)
Shannon
Carey, Bainbridge Island High School
Students develop public policy initiatives in the areas of
health care, education, government, and the international community, and
youth in response to the AIDS pandemic. Students present and compete
for funding from the AIDS trust fund in a mock U.N. hearing session.
Candy
Hamilton, College Place Middle School
This lesson is designed for students to gain a greater understanding
of events that shaped South African literature. The lesson introduces
students to different social, political, economic and cultural aspects
of South African life through varied perspectives reflected in powerful
South African novels and films.
Karmin
Tomlinson, Oregon City High School
Sabrina B, Author of ìBeing Differentî
This lesson enables students to relate to personal stereotyping
experiences using the context of apartheid. Through discussion
and creative writing, students compare and contrast personal experiences
with discrimination.
Karmin
Tomlinson, Oregon City High School
Students explain the meaning of proverbs from the Zulu and
Xhosa tribes in South Africa by comparing similar proverbs from American
culture. Students creatively illustrate their interpretation visually
and through a skit to assess their comprehension of the proverbs.
17. ìState of the
Nation Addressî ó Interpreting Political Cartoons (coming
soon)
Karmin
Tomlinson, Oregon City High School
This lesson is designed to broaden studentsí understanding
of political cartoons, enhance studentsí critical thinking skills, and
expose them to current issues in South Africa. Students create
their own political cartoons to show their comprehension of speeches made
by Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki.
18. Crossword Puzzles-South
Africa-Political; South Africa-Culture; Swaziland Puzzle (coming soon)
Karmin
Tomlinson, Oregon City High School
Students
complete a crossword puzzle identifying people, places and terms associated
with South African and Swaziland history, politics, and culture as a review
for a unit on South Africa and/or Swaziland.
19. South African
Freedom Songs (coming
soon)
Darrellene
Canada, Lakes High School
This
lesson analyzes the importance of national anthems and freedom songs during
both the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and the Civil Rights
movement in the United States. This lesson examines how music can
meaningfully tell a countryís stories and history.
Brandon
Frederick, Decatur High School
Daniel Docter, Hamilton International Middle School
This lesson examines how townships where the government forcibly
resettled blacks into separate residential areas became the center of
the fight against apartheid and a visible symbol of its brutality. Today,
t ownships continue to illustrate the legacy of apartheid.
21. Growth of Townships
(coming soon)
Brandon
Frederick, Decatur High School
Daniel Docter, Hamilton International Middle School
This interactive lesson simulates how and where townships
were created. Students predict the potential social problems within
townships and propose probable solutions to these problems.
22. Comparing and
Contrasting American Life in South Africa Townships (coming
soon)
Brandon
Frederick, Decatur High School
Daniel Docter, Hamilton International Middle School
In
this lesson, students will draw parallels between their own lifestyles
and those of people living in a township by examining and interpreting
photos of townships in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
23. A Joint Venture
for South Africa and Swaziland (coming
soon)
Daniel
Docter, Hamilton International Middle School
Keith Forest, Mercer Island High School
This
lesson examines how issues spanning national borders affect two countries
differently through assessing, in a debate format, the political, cultural,
and economic advantages and disadvantages of the project.
In order for both countries to succeed, students will have to compromise
on economic, social, and political issues in facing both countries.
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