AFRICA
Physical Features, Resources & Population Distribution
Unit Description
 In this unit, students will investigate the relationship between the physical/natural characteristics of Africa and its regional patterns of cultural development and change. Students will begin the unit by analyzing stereotypes that Americans have about Africa and Africans. Students will work cooperatively to investigate the cultural, economic and political characteristics of Africa historically and in contemporary Africa. Students will study the ancient kingdoms, European colonization, the slave trade, and the formation of modern African nations. Teachers may use the milestone assessment, "Revenge and Rebellion," as a culminating activity for their study of contemporary civil strife in Africa or conduct a simulated debate to answer the question, "should there be a United States of Africa?" This unit should take approximately 4-6 weeks to teach.

MARYLAND LEARNING OUTCOMES AND INDICATORS for this unit.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS

KEY QUESTIONS:

1. How have the physical/natural and human-made features of places defined regions and their patterns of change? (CS GEO. 2.0)

UNIT QUESTIONS:

  1. What are the physical/natural features of Africa?
  2. How did the physical features of Africa affect the pattern of human settlement? How did they form boundaries between different regions?
  3. How is Africa's population distribution related to its physical features?
  4. Which region of Africa is the densest in terms of population?
  5. What are Africa's natural resources?

ESSENTIAL CONTENT/CONCEPTS
I. Physical Features of Africa
A. Location
1. Absolute
2. Relative
B. Landforms
1. coastal plains
2. interior plateaus
3. eastern highlands
4. Mount Kenya
5. Mount Kilamanjaro
6. Great Rift Valley
7. Sahara Desert
8. Sahel
C. Rivers
1. Niger
2. Zaire
3. Zambezi
D. Victoria Lake
E. Climate
1. rain forest
2. savannah
3. steppe
4. desert
5. desert
6. Mediterranean
7. humid subtropical
8. vertical
II. Population: Characteristics and Distribution
A. Diffusing stereotypes of Africans and Africa
B. Population: 732 million people (Population Reference Bureau, 1996)
C. Distribution
1. Nigeria (103.9 million, PRB, 1996)
2. Egypt (63.7 million, PRB, 1996)
3. Ethiopia (57.2 million, PRB, 1996)
D. Density
1. Highest population density: Mauritus (1,540 people/square mile, Geography: The World and its People, Glencoe, 1998).
E. Regions
1. Religious/cultural
2. Population distribution
3. Geographic
III. Natural Resources of Africa
A. cocoa
B. gold
C. ivory
D. rubber
E. palm oil (used in soap)
F. cotton (textiles)
G. gum (paper, fabrics)
H. diamonds
I. fish
J. bananas
K. platinum
L. copper
M. oil
N. cobalt

STUDENT OUTCOMES