You and a team of explorers have the opportunity to explore one of the following African kingdoms - Axum, Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Zimbabwe, or Benin. Your group will investigate the kingdom using the Internet. In this WebQuest, you will use the power of teamwork and the abundant resources on the Internet to learn all about one of these African kingdoms. Each explorer on your team will be responsible for examining one aspect of the kingdom. Then you will come together to present your findings to the class in a HyperStudio presentation.
How have the geographic, historic, economic, and cultural characteristics of your African kingdom influenced Africa and the world?
In this WebQuest, you will be working together with a group of students in class. Each group will represent a group of explorers sent to Africa to study the kingdom.
Use the Internet information linked below to find information on the geography, history, economy, and religion, art and architecture of your kingdom.
- African Empires - This site contains time lines of the African kingdoms.
- Early African Kingdoms - This link provides other links to many sources on African kingdoms.
- LookSmart--African History - This link provides more links to many topics on African kingdoms.
- Ghana, Mali, Songhai--Kingdoms Built on Trade - This link describes the economy based on trade.
- West African Kingdoms - This link gives the history of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.
- The Culture of West Africa - This link is a reading on the culture of West Africa.
- African Prehistory - This link provides the history for all groups.
- The Collapse of Mali and Songhai - This link tells why these two kingdoms ended.
- Axum - This link provides the history and pictures of Axum.
- Images from World History - This link contains pictures of artifacts and sites in Axum.
- Kingdom of Mali - This link tell the history of Mali.
- Saharan Trade - This link gives pictures and maps Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.
- Zimbabwe Slide Show - This link is a slide show on the Ruins of the Great Zimbabwe.
- Images from the Great Zimbabwe - This link is a series of pictures and captions on Zimbabwe.
- Great Zimbabwe - This link gives information on the Great Zimbabwe.
- The Riddle of Great Zimbabwe - This link contains information and pictures.
- African Art and Architecture - This link is from Encarta Online and gives information on African art for all groups.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Individuals or pairs from your larger WebQuest team will explore one of the roles below.
2. Read through the files linked to your group. If you print out the files, underline the passages that you feel are the most important. If you look at the files on the computer, copy sections you feel are important by dragging the mouse across the passage and copying / pasting it into a word processor or other writing software.
3. Note: Remember to write down or copy/paste the URL of the file you take the passage from so you can quickly go back to it if you need to to prove your point.
4. Be prepared to focus what you've learned into one main opinion that answers the Big Quest(ion) or Task based on what you have learned from the links for your role.Geographer--You will study the surroundings of your kingdom.
Use the Internet information linked above to answer these questions specifically related to geography:
1. Where was your kingdom located?
2. What were its natural surroundings?
3. How did geography affect your kingdom?
4. How did your kingdom change its environment?
Historian--You will research the history of your kingdom.
Use the Internet information linked above to answer these questions specifically related to history:
1. How did your kingdom begin?
2. What factors led to the growth of your kingdom?
3. Who were the important people?
4. What caused the decline of your kingdom?
Economist--You will investigate the economy of the kingdom.
Use the Internet information linked above to answer these questions specifically related to the daily life of the people in your kingdom:
1. What were the roles/jobs of women and how were they treated?
2. What were the roles/jobs of men?
3. How important was farming to the economy?
4. How important was trade, what items were traded, and with whom did they trade?
Anthropologist--You will examine religion and art.
Use the Internet information linked above to answer these questions specifically related to religion, and art:
1. What were some of their important religious beliefs?
2. What types of art were created?
3. What were some examples of the architecture of the kingdom?
4. How was art and architecture related to religion?
You have all learned about a different part of the African kingdom. Now group members will return to the larger WebQuest team with their new expertise. You must all now answer the Task / Quest(ion) as a group. Use information, pictures, movies, facts, opinions, etc. from the Web pages you explored as part of your HyperStudio presentation.
You and your teammates have learned a lot by dividing up into different roles. Now's the time to put your learning into a HyperStudio presentation you'll show to the rest of the class for real world feedback. Together you will create a slide show that contains the information and perspectives that you've gained. Here's the process:
1. You should begin your presentation with a title page.
2. Your second slide should continue with an introduction.
3. Your next slides should present information and graphics from each group member.
4. Your last slide should contain your conclusions rewording the task and you group's answer.
Each member of the group is responsible for creating 2 slides based on information he or she has gathered.
So you and your team of explorers have completed the safari through an African Kingdom. You have learned about the geography, history, economy, religion and art and architecture of the kingdom. Now you should be ready to share your slide show with the class.
Content by Mrs. Sanacora,
Social Studies Teacher, Calhoun High School.
Last revised Wed March 21 2001.