African Civilization & African Diaspora

This unit was created by the Impact Public Schools team as part of the 2022 cohort of The 1619 Project Education Network. It is designed for facilitation across approximately ten weeks.

Objectives

Scholars will...

• Utilize curricular resources centering The 1619 Project to further analyze the readings and have rich class discussions
• Describe how learning the history of African civilizations before the Trans-Atlantic slave trade is disrupts stereotypes about Africa. 
• Research an African kingdom and its influence on American culture by creating a multimedia presentation. 
• Analyze why the institution of enslavement existed
• Research and write an informative essay highlighting the strategies and impact of abolitionist leaders

Unit Overview

Scholars will begin this unit by examining the history, culture and achievements of early African civilizations. Scholars will research and create a multimedia presentation on one African civilization highlighting their leaders, art/culture, and achievements.Then, scholars will examine the long, multidimensional history of enslavement. As a culminating task, scholars will research an abolitionist and the impact they made on ending enslavement.

Essential Questions 

1. Why is it important to learn about the history of early African civilizations?
2. What is the history of enslavement in America?
3. Who were the abolitionists and what impact did their work leave on America’s history?

Performance Task

Present on an African Kingdom:

In this project, scholars will examine the history and achievements of one African kingdom. They will create a multimedia presentation highlighting the art/culture, leaders, achievements, connection to the slave trade and influence on American culture. 

Article on Abolitionist Leader:

Scholars will write an informative piece about abolitionist leaders and how their actions impacted the end of enslavement.They will engage in a 6-lesson writing cycle which include the steps of unpacking the prompt, research and planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.  These articles will be compiled into a newspaper for display at a showcase for families and community members.

Thirty 60-minute lessons implemented 3 times a week over the span of 10 weeks for teachers, including pacing, texts and multimedia resources. Download below, or scroll down to review key resources included in the unit plan.

Unit Resources

Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1
Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.2
Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.3
Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.7
Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.9
Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.A
Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related information logically; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.B
Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.C
Link ideas within and across categories of information using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., incontrast, especially).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.D
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.E
Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.

H2.5.1

Analyze and explain how individuals have caused change in United States history

H2.5.2

Analyze and explain how people from various cultural and ethnic groups have shaped United States history

H3.5.2

Explain connections among historical context and people’s perspective

H3.5.3

Describe how people’s perspectives shaped the historical sources they created

H4.5.6

Use information about a historical source, including the maker, date, place of origin, intended audience, and purpose, to judge the extent to which the source is useful for studying a particular topic

African Kingdoms Presentations:

Articles on Abolitionist Leaders: