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These books offer primary source readings focusing on significant eras of world history and the pivotal role of the Middle East. Each "crossroad" examines a particular juncture in world history through the cultural and economic crosscurrents that existed at the time. The eras identified include: (1) "The Medieval Period"; (2) "The Pre-Colonial Period"; (3) "The Colonial Period"; and (4) "The Modern Period." Introductory essays for the teacher include: (1) "The Crusading Era" (Jill N. Claster); (2) "The Dynamics of Cultural Encounters" (Lila Abu-Lughod); (3) "The Colonial Period" (Zachary Lockman); and (4) "The Muslim Middle East: Cultural Crossroads" (Mona Mikhail). Teaching methodology is offered with various teaching insights and strategies. Additional teacher readings are titled: (1) "Islam: Stereotypes Still Prevail"; (2) "Early Islamic Civilization in Global Perspective"; (3) "The Crescent Obscured"; (4) "Mathematics and Astronomy"; (5) "Tamburlaine the Great"; (6) "Samarkand"; and (7) "Arab Noise and Ramadan Nights: Rai, Rap and Franco-Maghrebi Identities." (EH)

This packet of materials was created to accompany the exhibit "The Sphinx and the Pyramids: 100 Years of American Archaeology at Giza" at the Semitic Museum of Harvard University. The lessons and teacher's guide focus on the following: (1) "The Mystery of the Secret Tomb" where students take on the role of an archaeologist by attempting to solve a real mystery; (2) "Keeping a Record" where students learn what an artifact is; (3) "Working with George Reisner" where students become familiar with the work and life of George Reisner; (4) "Draw the Sphinx" where students draw what they think the sphinx might look like; (5) "Archaeology Puzzle" where students will understand the condition of artifacts when archaeologists find them; (6) "Reisner's Artifacts" where students complete a"lot sheet" similar to those used by archaeologists today; (7) "Create Your Own Cartouche" where students will be able to identify a cartouche and its purpose; and (8) "Working for the Pharaoh" where students will understand the significance of the work of the scribe. (EH)

These books offer primary source readings focusing on issues of identity and personality in the Middle East. Individual sections of the books examine a particular issue in personality development through the perspectives of Islamic religion and cultural tradition. The issues of identity include: (1) "Religion"; (2) "Community"; (3) "Ethnicity"; (4) "Nationalism"; and (5) "Gender." Unique to the teacher's guide are three essays that provide additional background information: (1) "Thinking about Identity" (Lila Abu Lughod); (2) "Muhammad, the Qur'an and Muslim Identity" (Frank E. Peters); and (3) "Identity and the Literacy Context" (Mona N. Mikhail). Insights and strategies are offered in the teacher's guide to accompany the student readings. Appended materials in the teacher's guide include: a student worksheet on religion, eight teacher readings, and 26 references. The student reader contains maps of the Muslim world. (EH)

This interdisciplinary unit provides students in grades kindergarten through seventh grade an opportunity to understand diversity through a study of Africa as a diverse continent. The project is designed to provide all elementary students with cultural enrichment by exposing them to African music, art, storytelling, and movement. This project can be adapted to other cultures as a yearly project. The goal of the African Connection project is to cultivate an appreciation and awareness of the African culture. Student outcomes include: (1) developing an awareness of Africa as a complex continent; (2) demonstrating acceptance of diversity; (4) understanding the historic importance of Africa; (5) creating art and musical instruments; and (6) performing traditional dance. (EH)

This book discusses foreign policy issues and provides background information on current topics. This edition examines the following major issues: (1) "Conflict in Former Yugoslavia: Quest for Solutions" (Susan L. Woodward); (2) "South Africa: Forging a Democratic Union" (Jean Herskovits); (3) "Environmental Crisis in Former Soviet Bloc: Whose Problem? Who Pays?" (William Sweet); (4) "Trade with the Pacific Rim: Pressure or Cooperation?" (Jinny St. Goar); (5) "Defense: Redefining U.S. Needs and Priorities" (David C. Morrison); (6) "Argentina, Brazil, Chile: Democracy and Market Economics" (Jacqueline Mazza); (7) "Islam and Politics: Egypt, Algeria, and Tunisia" (Lawrence G. Potter); and (8) "New World Disorder? U.S. in Search of a Role" (James Chace). The activity book contains activities on each subject and six handout master sheets pertaining to the world area under study. (EH)

This activity book accompanies the permanent "Africa Exhibit" at the Field Museum in Chicago (Illinois). The exhibit and the activities are designed to help students become aware of the diversity of Africa, its peoples and cultures, and its rich history. Some activities are intended for use at the exhibit while others ask students to apply themes from the Africa Exhibit to their own lives. The activities can be done prior to a visit, during a visit, or upon returning to the classroom after seeing the exhibit. Reproducible student pages are part of the booklet. (EH)

This document presents lesson plans for instruction concerning the history and geography of the continent of Africa. Topics include: (1) "The Challenge of Teaching African History and Culture" (Robert Hamilton); (2) "A Physical Overview of Africa" (Robert Hamilton and Kim Lilly); (3) "A Cultural Overview of Africa" (Robert Hamilton and Kim Lilly); (4) "Early Christianity in Egypt and Ethiopia" (Dona J. Stewart); (5) "Islam" (Dona J. Stewart and Robert Hamilton); (6) "The Saharan Caravan Trade" (George Burson); (7) "African Diaspora" (Walter F. Urbanek); (8) "Zimbabwe" (Sylvia C. Udall); (9) "African Runaway Slave Communities: Palmares and Florida" (Linda B. Mager); (10) "Christianity in Africa: 1500 to the Present" (Robert Hamilton); and (11) "Modern Africa" (George Burson). The document also includes a list of maps, a foreword and preface, acknowledgements, and a discussion of the challenges of teaching African history and culture. The topical chapters include student readings, discussion questions, a sample test consisting of term matching, true or false questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each chapter also presents a listing of suggestions for further reading. (SG)

The curriculum projects described in this collection were developed by U.S. classroom teachers who traveled to Tanzania and Zambia as part of the Fulbright-Hays teacher exchange program in the summer of 1992. The included projects are as follows: "Curriculum Project: Tanzania/Zambia Seminar Abroad '92" (Donelle Blubaugh); "East Africa and Its Women: A Unit Designed for Twelfth Grade Modern Problems Classes" (Thom Brzoska); "An African Unit Using Resource Based Learning" (Doris Cosley); "International Pen Pal Project" (Ellen Icolari); "Kickin' It in Khangas" (Betty Lau and Susan Renaud); "A View From Kilimanjaro" (Jean McCall); "To Be or Not To Be: A Question of Survival." (Carol E. Murphy--Middle School Curriculum, Diane Isaacs--High School Curriculum); "Teaching Africa through the Arts" (Tamara Sax); "Developing Nations: Tanzania and Zambia" (Bob Scheele); "Africa Alive" (Mary Lillian Smith); and "Introduction to Africa" (Marilyn Strelau). (DB)

This unit is intended to dispel misconceptions students may have about Africa and its people, and to help students to develop a greater appreciation of that land and its people. The unit focuses upon the physical aspects of Africa and the customs, religion, and attitudes of its people. Ten lessons are included: (1) The continent of Africa; (2) The topography of Africa and stereotypes; (3) Weather and dress; (4) The desert and a day in the life of African teens; (5) Pyramids and religions in Africa; (6) The rainforest and African cuisine and etiquette; (7) The savanna and its effects on people; (8) African exports and its international effects; (9) The unit nears the end--an African meal; and (10) Written exam and "fun with Africa." A bibliography also is included. (DB)

California State Standard 7.4 is delineated in the following manner: "Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the sub-Saharan civilizations of Ghana and Mali in Medieval Africa. Seventh-grade students focus on the Niger River and the growth of the Mali and Ghana empires; analyze the importance of family, labor specialization, and regional commerce in urban development in West Africa; trace the growth of Arabic in government, trade, and Islamic scholarship in West Africa; describe the role of the trans-Saharan caravan trade in West Africa; and describe the importance of written and oral traditions in transmitting African culture and history. This model lesson uses as a sample topic, a correlated lesson with language arts ethical and cultural insights from African proverbs and folktales. The lesson discusses the uses and significance of the topic; presentation and activities ("Beginning the Topic"; "Developing the Topic"; "Culminating the Topic"); activities for other topics; extended and correlated activities; resources for the sample topic; and visual and performing arts resources. Eight appendixes provide additional information and a selection of African proverbs and folktales. (BT)

This teacher resource book and student text is part of a continuing series on current and historical international issues, placing special emphasis on the importance of educating students in their participatory role as citizens. The unit draws students into the international debate about how to respond to the imperialism that brutally disfigured the Congo in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. After examining the nature of pre-colonial central African societies, students use primary and secondary readings to develop an understanding of how European power politics contributed to one of the most shocking examples of European colonization in Africa. While the history of the Congo Free State, later the Belgian Congo, is atypical of European imperialism of this era, this unit confronts students with a dramatic story that provides the foundation for assessing the moral, political, cultural, and economic issues raised by colonialism in general. This unit examines the roles played by private citizens in mobilizing a grassroots human rights movement. Students have the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of both governmental and non-governmental actors in effecting changes in official policies. Materials are included to help students understand how the colonial experience has shaped events in the Congo Basin throughout the post-colonial era. The teacher's book includes five- and three-day lesson plans. (BT)

Provides information on the inspiration for Alexis Preller's painting "Mapogga Rondawel," specifically addressing the Ndebele tribe's round, thatched houses called rondawels. Offers ideas for accompanying activities. Includes a reproduction of the painting and examines the painting in detail. (CMK)

Compares the values of the Akan people of West Africa and African-American cultures and works of art that embody these values. Describes each artwork (Akan crown, African-American Head Wrap, Asafo Flags, and the Harriet Powers quilt) and provides questions and activities appropriate for middle school students. (CMK)

This unit uses a case study of the Kingdom of the Kongo (Congo) to answer questions about the trans-Atlantic slave trade from an African perspective. The unit is appropriate for use in any study of the history of sub-Saharan Africa. Because it focuses on the African perspective of events surrounding the slave trade, it supports in-depth studies of the slave trade or slavery in general. The unit contains objectives, correlations to the National History Standards, teacher background materials, lesson plans, student resources, and a selected bibliography. The six lessons focus on working with primary source documents to understand the complexity of the slave trade, tracing events from 1488, the date of first contact between Africans of the Congo River region with the Portuguese. The unit includes a set of short historical fiction integrated into five of the six lessons. These stories recount the experiences of individuals who witnessed the encounter between Kongo and the Portuguese. Although the lessons are recommended for grades 7-11, they can be adapted for other grade levels. An 11-item bibliography concludes the unit. (BT)

Six hundred and sixty-two listings of instructional materials for teaching about Africa are presented in this annotated bibliography to help teachers identify materials that will assist them in developing courses and units of study. Materials are identified that can be used by precollegiate teachers of all subject areas. This handbook is arranged by grade levels--preschool to grade three, grades 4-6, and grades 7-12. Within each section materials are divided by geographic region and listed alphabetically according to their instructional formats. The region divisions include Africa (general), Western, Eastern/Central, and Southern. Types of materials include multimedia, books, filmstrips and slides, records and tapes, maps and transparencies, duplicating masters, and pictures and charts. Entries include title, price, publisher and description. A list of publishers and distributors is included for ordering materials. The handbook concludes with two evaluation forms which may assist teachers in selecting materials on the basis of their cross-cultural value and for purposes of general assessments. (JR)

An interdisciplinary focus on the teaching of African geography is presented in this module, arranged by three major topics. Topic I stresses the African view that water is the sustainer of life, presents a case study of the Nile River, and discusses the significance of rivers as natural boundaries that delineate political units. Topic II gives examples of the city as the symbol of modern life throughout Africa and presents information on East African coastal cities, "new" cities, colonial cities, capital cities, traditional cities, and rejuvenated cities. The challenges of urbanization and upgrading rural life are discussed. Topic III discusses economic and political independence. It presents information on how pre- and postcolonial Africa produced and distributed its goods and services. Also investigated is the economic potential of regional groupings. A bibliography, a list of institutions that deal with developing nations, and a map of Africa are included. (Author/DB)