About This Lesson
Early and Medieval African Kingdoms introduces students to the varied geography of Africa, including tropical rainforests, savanna (grasslands), and deserts. Students learn about the early African kingdoms of Kush and Aksum, and about the medieval trading kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. Students explore the city of Timbuktu as a center of trade and learning. Students also discover African works of art, including the ritual, ceremonial, and celebratory purposes of many artworks.
This unit includes a Student Reader, Timeline Image Cards, and Teacher Guide, providing Guided Reading Supports and the following Additional Activities: map skills exercises; “Fire on the Mountain” fiction excerpt; a virtual field trip to an archeological site; a video about kingdoms of the Nile; a virtual field trip to Timbuktu; activities about medieval African art; a domain vocabulary activity; and a Unit Assessment.