an Interactive, Fact-Finding Mission for the Classroom

Algonquin College 1385 Woodroffe Ave Ottawa, Ontario K2G-1V8 (613)727-4723 ext.5138

How Big and Diverse is Africa? - An interactive, fact-finding mission for the classroom Grade 5 & 6

Provided by Ottawa Carleton Catholic School Board

Last updated: July 5, 2007

All pictures, maps and graphics associated with lesson plans are the property of Algonquin College, unless otherwise noted or linked. Statistical data and background information has been collected from the CIA World Factbook, public domain reference materials, and (where identified) external resources.

Curriculum and Lesson Plans have been created by partner School Boards [as identified]. These lesson plans and associated resources (photo, video, audio, etc.) are free for use to all teachers within the partner Boards in the delivery of the Ontario K-12 Curriculum. While every effort has been made to maintain the accuracy of the information provided, Algonquin College is not responsible for unintentional data entry errors or omissions.

If you would like to report any errors or corrections for lesson plans, or use copyrighted materials for purposes other than the Ontario Curriculum please contact: Expedition Africa at (613)727-4723 ext. 5138 or email [email protected] Small World Big Picture, Expedition Africa 2006

Table of Contents Summary of Lesson Plan Summary of Lesson Plan...... 2 Grade 5 and 6 Relation to Ministry Guidelines & expected outcomes...... 3 Students will be able to compare Africa to other continents in the world while Grade 5 Social Studies...... 3 assessing how the projection used Grade 6 Social Studies...... 3 OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES...... 3 influences our perceptions. Students will also begin to recognize the diversity of Main Objective...... 3 Africa and see why understanding the Learning Outcomes...... 3 ACTIVITIES...... 4 size of Africa matters in avoiding making generalizations about "Africa" as a ASSESSMENT...... 5 whole. RESOURCES...... 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...... 5 This lesson plan may identify specific resources to support certain activities. Feedback Page...... 7 While the expedition team will attempt to gather all the required resources, we cannot guarantee that all photo, audio, video will be captured as listed.

How Big and Diverse Is Africa Page 2 of 7 Small World Big Picture, Expedition Africa 2006

Relation to Ministry Guidelines & expected outcomes

Grade 5 Social Studies  (specific) construct and read a variety of maps, graphs, diagrams, and/or models to display and interpret information for specific purposes

Grade 6 Social Studies  (specific) use base maps and a variety of information sources to sketch the relative position of places;  (specific) compare various map projections of the world (e.g., Mercator, Peters, Mollweide, Atlantic-centered and Pacific-centered), and analyze their differences to determine the particular bias of each.

OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES

Main Objective To enable student to compare Africa to other continents in the world while assessing how the projection used influences our perceptions. To assist students to recognize the diversity of Africa and to see why understanding the size of Africa matters in avoiding making generalizations about "Africa" as a whole.

Learning Outcomes  students will learn about the “real” size of Africa in relation to other continents  students will learn about the diversity of Africa (e.g.: culture, language, economy, geography)  students will learn about the effect of different maps on human perception of size, place and importance.

ACTIVITIES Teacher Activity Student Activity Preparation  Review the Boston University African Studies introduction on, and tips to teaching about the continent of Africa: www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/tips/six.htm Looking at  Display a traditional world map and explore what the Different class sees when looking at Africa. (NOTE: the Boston Maps: University web site sells another version of an African Challenging map which will challenge student perceptions of the Perception large and diversity of the continent) Using the Boston  In small groups, or as a class, have students Students work University consider the following questions: in small groups map of 1. Look carefully at each of the projections of the world to answer Africa, (see resource at end of plan) questions. traditional map and a 2. Write a brief statement which compares Africa to Students return globe each of the other continents, e.g.,. "Africa is larger to larger group than Australia but smaller than Asia." to compare and 3. Does your perception of the size of each of the discuss their continents differ according to which projection you findings. are looking at?  Introduce the Boston University “How Big is Africa” map or show via a computer projector. Explore with the class as a whole the following: What is the most accurate way of seeing the relative size of the continents? [globe] Why? The places pictured inside the map of Africa include a continent, two countries Class views and two states. Which are which? special map of  Discuss and look at the maps to evaluate whether or Africa and not size affects whether places are continents, discusses size countries, or states. Are the continents all the same and relevance size? Can countries be larger than continents? Which to other two areas are closest in size? (China and the United continents and States) countries.  Compare the number of countries in Europe with the number of countries in Africa  How big is 11,668,545 square miles? What are other ways you could describe this size? For example, Africa is 11,357,866,667 (that’s over 11 billion!!!) football fields. If you were to give each person on earth - that's almost 6 billion people - land in Africa, you could give everyone almost two football fields! )  With what sizes are you familiar so that you can

compare easily in your mind how big this is? (for example, if you are living in California, how many Californias fit into Africa?) Students can  How many times would the United States (or China, write down each or Europe) alone fit inside Africa? other’s ideas on the board  Find out the square mileage for your home province. How many times would it fit inside Africa? Learning  Using the facts provided on Africa (on more Students work www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/materials/handouts/howbig Watching as a class or .html and at the end of this lesson plan), guide a and individually discussion on some specific information on the size and Listening to listening to and diverse composition of Africa and its resources. an responding to Interactive  In computer lab or one projector, teacher and the on-line Tutorial students view the interactive, on-line tutorial on “How tutorial Big is Africa” www.bu.edu/experience/tutorials/africa/

ASSESSMENT For grades 5 and 6  Assess student ability to read maps and locate different locations  Assess student ability to observe and comment on different types of maps, and the significance of these differences  Assess student observations on what they have learned from class discussions and on viewing the Boston University on-line tutorial, “How Big is Africa?”

RESOURCES  Materials from Boston University site: www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/index.html  Traditional maps and globe (see certain maps on last page of this plan)  White or black board  Paper  Lead and colouring pencils  Computer lab or computer projector

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Feedback Page

Please provide us with your feedback on this lesson and/or its available resources. We welcome suggestions for improvements, additional methodologies, and/or new resources you may have found to support the lesson(s).

If you would like to submit your own lesson plan(s) or curriculum idea(s) please contact your school board representative listed at http://www.algonquincollege.com/africa

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How Big and Diverse Is Africa Page 7 of 7