Today students watched a documentary about the life of Nelson Mandela.  As they watched, they also took notes in their logbook.  The video can be viewed for free on YouTube.

Next students did a self and peer logbook check.  They turned in their scores and took their logbooks home with them.

Logbook Check #3:

• Homework: The Scramble for Africa (Notes) 
• Homework: Imperialism Case Study (Notes)
• Resistance to Colonialism
• "Pink Cheeks" Questions
• Laguna Interior Monologues (Alternate Assignment)
• Homework: New Nations in Africa (Notes)
• Homework: The Challenge of Democracy in Africa (Notes)
• Nelson Mandela (Bio & Speech) Questions 
• Analyzing 3 Types of Nigerian Art 
• Africa Crossword Puzzle
• Nelson Mandela Documentary Notes

Finally students received the take-home test over the Africa unit. 

Today students discussed Nelson Mandela and his legacy in South Africa.

Next they completed an art history lesson about 3 types of African Art, Urban, Traditional, and International.  Students who missed the lesson can use the slides to finish the assignment.

Homework: Africa Crossword Puzzle
Logbook check on Thursday!

Today the classes went over the homework The Challenge of Democracy in Africa and discussed both Nigeria and South Africa's struggles with independence.

Students read and answered questions about a short biography of Nelson Mandela and over his inaugural speech.  Most students took these home to finish as homework.

Today the class went over the homework New Nations in Africa.  Then students read about the nation of Nigeria, looking at how it gained independence and what challenges colonialism created for the new government.  Students were asked to work in groups making decisions about Nigeria's future.  They created a map of what they wanted and chose a government and flag, all under the time pressure of the old colonial government leaving soon.

Homework: The Challenge of Democracy in Africa

In order to learn more about the consequences of colonialism and to understand the nationalist perspective of people asking for independence, students completed a simulation.  They represented citizens of the fictional island of Laguna which had been colonized by Europeans.  Students wrote reflections before and after about their experiences.

This assignment can't really be done without an entire class of people.  So I am linking to an alternate assignment for students who missed this day of class.

Homework: New Nations in Africa

Today students read an article written from the perspective of an African chief as he watched his tribe undergo the difficulties of colonialism.  The article is called "The Coming of the Pink Cheeks" and after reading students answered 5 questions about what they read.  The above link includes both the article and the questions.

Today the class did a what-would-you-do? activity that allowed them to think about how they would respond to colonialism.  Groups of students portrayed Africans confronted with the difficult choices, and inequality of colonialism and had to decide what the best course of action would be.

If you missed class today, please come to tutorial, or after school to make up this assignment.

Today students went over the homework (Imperialism Case Study: Nigeria).

Next they completed an assignment called Analyzing Imperial Motives.  Students discussed 5 reasons why European countries became colonial powers, then looked at 15 pictures.  For each picture students wrote down both what they saw happening and what motives they thought were leading to the actions depicted.

This is a complex assignment that will need to be done in the classroom (where the 15 pictures are currently hanging up).  Students who missed this assignment should come to tuorial, after school, or during 4th or 7th periods to make it up.

Students spent the day reading about and discussing the one part of Africa that successfully resisted European colonization.  They compared an American textbook excerpt with one from an Ethiopian textbook and completed a small writing assignment of their opinions.

If you missed this lesson, both the question and documents can be found by following the link.