Students are introduced to early civilizations in east Africa by learning about Aksum in Ethiopia. Then they examine more broadly the east African kingdoms and trade networks. Next, they explore the Great Zimbabwe in southern Africa. They analyze how colonialism in southern Africa was different from that of other parts of Africa. Finally, they write imaginatively about what daily life would have been like in ancient Aksum.
Students are introduced to the experience objectives and to the guiding question about what is unique in the early history of east and southern Africa. They view an image of a castle in Gondar, Ethiopia, then contribute to a word cloud by sharing what comes to mind when they think about Ethiopia. Students watch The Ark of the Covenant: Aksum to learn about Ethiopia’s ancient religious and historical significance, and then post to a collaborative wall explaining what surprised them about Ethiopia based on the video. They conclude by reading a brief note that they will explore the history of Ethiopia and other parts of east and southern Africa in more depth.
Teacher MovesReview the lesson objectives and frame the experience as an exploration of early east and southern African civilizations and colonialism. Discuss student word cloud and wall responses, surfacing varied prior conceptions of Ethiopia (for example, famine versus rich religious and historical traditions) and connecting these ideas to the content they will study.
Students view images related to east African history and read selected sections—“Pre-history: The Origins of Modern Humans,” “Early East African Kingdoms and Trade Networks,” and “European Colonialism”—from The Region Called East Africa to trace human origins, regional kingdoms, trade networks, and colonial impacts. As they read, they complete a three-part graphic organizer, taking notes on each section. They then answer several multiple-choice questions that check understanding of key ideas such as the significance of “Lucy,” early trade partners, the role of European and Arab slave traders, the location of Aksum, and which country colonized Somalia.
Teacher MovesUse student notes and responses to the comprehension questions to identify understandings and misconceptions, and to guide follow-up discussion.
Students shift focus to southern Africa by reading History of Africa during the Time of the Kingdom of Great Zimbabwe to learn about the geography, political organization, and economic life of Great Zimbabwe. They answer multiple-choice questions about the rivers that bounded Great Zimbabwe and whether it was organized as a centralized state. Next, they read the section “Why Southern Africa Is Different” from What Do We Know about Southern Africa? to examine how colonialism in southern Africa differed from other parts of Africa. Students post to a collaborative wall explaining, in their own words and with textual evidence, how southern African colonialism was different, then review classmates’ posts and respond to at least two with a question or positive comment.
Teacher MovesEmphasize in discussion that southern African colonies were often settled by Europeans, which shaped colonialism’s tone and structure differently from other regions. Use student wall posts and replies to reinforce this distinction and clarify key points from the readings.
Students read Lifestyle of Axumites to learn about daily life in ancient Axum, including food, clothing, work, and environment. Drawing on details from the reading, they imagine themselves as a child living at the height of the Kingdom of Axum and write a letter to their future self describing a typical day, including sensory and everyday details such as what they eat and wear, what they do, and what they see and smell.
Teacher MovesInvite students to share an interesting or exemplary letter with the class and use it to prompt brief discussion about daily life in Axum and how it connects to earlier content on Axum’s society, economy, and religion.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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