Week 1

Our unit will begin by activating students prior knowledge of both how they understand Africa and how they see the difference between English and Social Studies. Beginning a humanities unit of this nature requires to students to integrate two traditionally separated modes for understanding information into one integrated process. For this reason, the first day will be spent on a creative writing activity where students will reflect on how they understand the difference between literary writing and historical or "Social Studies" writing. How are these two written differently? How do those differences affect the types of information that they contain? What is the emotional and intellectual effect of these differences? This activity will help students to begin to understand how their final project will need to utilize both types of writings in order to provide a nuanced perspective on Africa.

Day two will involve a Webquest activity in which students will start to do internet searches to glean basic information about Africa. A worksheet will be provided to guides students in their search, helping them to identify and challenge Western bias as well as find resources that actually come out of Africa so that they do not see the continent from a simple “top-down” perspective.

CHU - Planning Matrix - Week 1