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DISCOVER AFRICA

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Discover AfricaThe Discover Africa crate is an open door to different geographies, cultures, countries, and perspectives. By looking closely at a diverse collection of works of art—pieces with purposes ranging from functional to ceremonial to expressive—we can learn a lot about the people from both the past and present who created them. These pieces tell stories about individual experiences in Africa: how others work, play, create, and interact with one another.

However, the most interesting aspect of the Discover Africa program is the fact that it reveals important similarities between how we live here and how our neighbors on another continent live. By exploring these connections via works of visual art, we find ourselves excited by a continent that is at once far away and yet not completely unlike our own.

Key Concepts

• Works of art from different cultures share commonalities with those from our home.

• Works of art tell stories about the geography, culture, and daily life in other countries.

• African works of art serve different purposes, including functional, ceremonial, and expressive. Sometimes these purposes overlap.

Learning Targets

• I can collaborate with my peers to make observations about works of art.• I can share my understanding of certain art processes and mediums.• I can write or draw to make connections between another culture and my own.

Standards Addressed

• Listed on each activity.

21st Century Skills

• Think Creatively• Reason Effectively• Communicate Clearly• Collaborate with Others

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How to Use These MaterialsThe following pre- and post-visit materials are designed to extend the Discover Africa program beyond the Art Detectives classroom visit. While these activities complement one another and function as a longer curriculum for Discover Africa, we know that every classroom has different needs; for that reason, we’ve designed these materials so that teachers might pick and choose which particular activity (or two, or three!) might best enrich their students’ experience.

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DISCOVER AFRICA

PRE-VISIT MATERIALS

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Vocabulary and Crossword FunGrade Level: 3 and above

Time: 20 minutes

Materials

• Pencil• Puzzle that follows

Process

Use the vocabulary below to complete the crossword puzzle on the following page.

• Africa is the second-largest continent in the world and contains fifty-four countries.

• Bronze is a metal that is mostly made of copper. It has a gold color and is used in sculptures, home items, and other everyday objects.

• Cane is a tall grass that can be used to weave baskets and other goods.• Copper is a metal with an orange-red color. • A cowrie shell is a small, white shell that was considered valuable and was often

used to decorate Kuba (and other African) works of art. • The DR Congo is a country in Central Africa that is home to the Kuba people.• Fiber is something taken from plants or animals—like cotton or grass—that can

be used to make a work of art.• Identity is who a person is based on their personality and beliefs. • The Kuba people live in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa and are

known for creating works of art like beautifully woven cloth.• A manilla is a bracelet that is also used as money in West Africa.• Medium is the material used to make a work of art. For instance, the medium of

an oil portrait is oil paint, while the medium of a sculpture might be metal, glass, wood, or clay.

• �Raffia is a plant fiber that comes from certain types of palm trees. It is woven to make a wide range of objects including hats, bags, baskets, and other items we might wear or use.

• The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa and live primarily in West Africa. There are over 35 million Yoruba people.

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Name: __________________________________

Across

5. Metal made mostly of copper

6. Tall grass used to weave baskets and other goods

9. Bracelet that is also used as money

11. Small, white shell used to decorate works of art

12. Material used to make a work of art

13. Metal with an orange-red color

Down

1. A group of people who live in the Democratic Republic of Congo

2. Something taken from plants or animals to make a work of art

3. A group of people who live primarily in West Africa

4. Plant fiber that comes from palm trees

7. Country in Central Africa where the Kuba people live

8. Second-largest continent in the world

10. Who a person is based on their personality and beliefs

1

7 8

6

2

43

5

9 10

11

13

12

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Visual Arts/Language Arts: Mask MagicGrade Level: K and above (the first worksheet is for grades K-2; the second is for grades 3 and above)

Time: 30 minutes

Materials

• Colored pencils or crayons• Pencil • Printed worksheets

Standards Addressed

Arts and Humanities: VA:Cr2.1.K-8, VA:Cr2.1.I-III, VA:Re7.2.K, VA:Re7.2.3

Writing: W.K.1, W.1.1, W.2.1, W.3.4, W.4.4, W.5.4, W.6.4, W.7.4, W.8.4, W.9-10.4, W.11-12.4

Process

When you think of masks, you might picture the kind you wear on Halloween or onstage in a play. While it’s true that we sometimes use masks to hide who we are, masks can also be used to show another part of ourselves that others might not always see. The masks in the Discover Africa crate can tell us plenty about the people who wore them. For this activity, you’ll create your own mask that shows one part of your personality: serious, happy, angry, funny, excited, or something in between. Instead of making a mask that disguises you, your mask will tell a story about just one part of who you really are!

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My Mask (K–2)

Name: __________________________________My mask shows that I’m:

Here’s what it looks like:

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Masked Me (Grades 3 and above)

Name: __________________________________Create a mask that shows one side of your personality: happy, silly, angry, competitive, wild, serious, thoughtful. Think about the shapes and colors you would include. Which ones symbolize who you are? Color your mask below!

On the back of this sheet, explain what your mask symbolizes and provide three details about the colors or shapes you included and what they stand for.

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Language Arts: Response to a PoemGrade Level: 3 and above

Time: 60 minutes

Materials

• Pen or pencil• Worksheets

Standards Addressed

Reading: RL.3.2, RL.4.2, RL.5.2, RL.6.2, RL.7.2, RL.8.2, RL.9-10.2, RL.11-12.2

Writing: W.3.4, W.4.4, W.5.4, W.6.4, W.7.4, W.8.4, W.9-10.4, W.11-12.4

Process

Please read the poem on the following page. Ask students to summarize the poem. You can also ask them to think about images and which ones stand out most to them.

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Art Detectives: Making Connections

Her Head By Joan Murray

Near Ekuvukeni,in Natal, South Africa,a woman carries water on her head.After a year of drought,when one child in three is at risk of death,she returns from a distant well,carrying water on her head.

The pumpkins are gone,the tomatoes withered,yet the woman carries water on her head.The cattle kraals are empty,the goats gaunt—no milk now for children,but she is carrying water on her head.

The engineers have reversed the river:those with power can keep their power,but one woman is carrying water on her head.In the homelands, where the dusty crowdswatch the empty roads for water trucks,one woman trusts herself with treasure,and carries water on her head.

The sun does not dissuade her,not the dried earth that blows against her,as she carries the water on her head.In a huge and dirty pail,with an idle handle,resting on a narrow can,this woman is carrying water on her head.

This woman, who girds her neckwith safety pins, this onewho carries water on her head,trusts her own head to bring to her peoplewhat they need nowbetween life and death:She is carrying them water on her head.

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Art Detectives: Making Connections, continued

Name: __________________________________

Analyze

Why do you think the poet chooses to repeat the same line again and again (“…she is carrying water on her head”)? What is the poet trying to make us think or feel?

What do you think is the theme of the poem? Why?

Respond

Think about someone you’ve studied or a person you know who is strong like the woman in the poem. Write a poem in which you describe how that person is strong: what they do and why. Be descriptive so that we can picture the person in action and in their surroundings. You may also wish to use repetition like Joan Murray does.

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Social Studies/Language Arts: Family or Friend InterviewGrade Level: 3 and above

Time: 60 minutes

Materials

• Pen or pencil• Attached worksheet

Standards Addressed

Social Studies: SS-EP-2.1.1, SS-EP-5.1.1, SS-06-2.1.1, SS.HS.5.1.1

Speaking and Listening: SL.3.1, SL.4.1, SL.5.1, SL.6.1, SL.7.1, SL.8.1, SL.9-10.1, SL.11-12.1

Process

For this assignment, students will show a family member or friend four different images, each of which is an item from the Discover Africa crate. The student will ask their interview subject some questions about the images; they’ll then record their answers on the attached worksheet. When students return with their completed worksheets, the teacher can ask students to report their data. He/she may ask students to raise their hands to show whether the person they interviewed chose object A, B, C, or D for each answer (and, if desired, record what they report).

The teacher will then facilitate a discussion about the class findings. The discussion might address the following questions:

• Which answer from the person you interviewed surprised you the most?• Would you have answered any of the questions differently than the person

you interviewed?• Which object are you most curious to see in person?• Which object do you have a question about? (Students may wish to record

their questions; they can bring them up in discussion with the Art Detectives facilitator!)

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Discover Africa: A Creative Conversation

Name: __________________________________Directions: Find a family member or friend with whom you’d like to have a conversation about art. Show the person the four images on the following sheet. You may talk about which ones are most interesting to each of you. Record their answers to the questions below.

1) Which object is your favorite? Why?

2) Which object looks to have the most interesting medium, process, and purpose? Why do you think it is the most interesting?

3) Which object seems like the most difficult to make? Why?

4) Which object would you like to know more about? What would you like to know about it?

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C

B

D

Hat Wooden Mask

AnkletWooden Headrest

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DISCOVER AFRICA

POST-VISIT MATERIALS

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Visual Arts: Triptychs

Grade Level: K and above

Time: 60 minutes

Materials

• Newspaper to cover desks• Construction paper or cardboard (enough for each student to cut into three

separate pieces—approx 11”x13” per student)• Pastels or crayons• Image below for students to view (digitally or copies)

Standards Addressed

Arts and Humanities: VA:Cr2.1.K-8, VA:Cr2.1.I-III, VA:Re7.2.K, VA:Re7.2.3

Process

Explain to students that the image on the next page is a triptych from the Yoruba people of Nigeria in the late 19th century. These wood panels tell three separate “chapters” of a story, one that reveals a time of political change for the Yoruba nation. There is a general in the center of the triptych and a king on the right. Above them, there are shapes in the sky that represent birds (and the birds themselves represent the king’s followers). The artists relied on geometric shapes and the simple outlines of people. Students will use geometric shapes and patterns; older students may also think about the symbols these shapes stand for.

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Visual Arts: Triptychs, continued

1) Students think of a story about a great change in their lives. It might be graduating from one grade to another, moving from an old home to a new home, switching schools, or joining a new team. It can be happy or sad, but the moment should be important to them.

2) Students cut their paper or cardboard into three long, thin sections. 3) Students think of the event in three different scenes: a beginning, middle,

and end.4) On the back of each section, students title the scene they plan to compose:

“Before my brother was born,” “When my brother was born,” “After my brother was born.”

5) Students choose four colors with which they want to tell their story.6) Using symbols, patterns, and geometric shapes, students create their

own triptychs.7) Encourage students to capture both the ground and the sky on each piece of

the triptych.8) Optional: At the end, students may write the narrative of their piece to

accompany the display.

Unknown Yoruba artistsAfrican, Nigeria, Ijebu Ode, Yoruba peoplePanels, late 19th centuryWoodGift of Mrs. William B. Belknap 1976.12.1

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Language Arts: Creating the NarrativeGrade Level: 3 and above

Time: 60 minutes

Materials

• Pen or pencil• Attached worksheets• Images (below)

Standards Addressed

Writing: W.3.3, W.4.3, W.5.3, W.6.3, W.7.3, W.8.3, W.9-10.3, W.11-12.3

Art and Humanities: VA:Cr1.1.K, VA:Cr1.1.3, VA:Re7.2.K, VA:Re7.2.3, VA:Re8.1.K-5

Process

As a class, please discuss the following piece from the Speed Art Museum collection after reading the Speed’s description of it on the next page:

Unknown Yoruba artistAfrican, Nigeria, Owo, Yoruba peopleHorse and Rider (Jagunjagun Eleshin), probably 17th 18th centuryWoodPurchased with funds from the Alice Speed Stoll Accessions Trust 2003.15

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Language Arts: Creating the Narrative, continuedDescription: A mounted warrior dressed in body armor and a large helmet sits straight up on his horse with his javelin poised to attack. The lines on his face exaggerate a terrible gaze that is intended to strike fear into the hearts of his foes. Based on this decoration we can determine that the invader is from the northern kingdom of Oyo in Yorubaland and is part of the force that invaded the southern Owo region in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

This piece was likely commissioned as an altarpiece dedicated to Ifa, the god of divination. The unknown sculptor uses intricate carving and zigzag patterns to create detail and character in the clothing, armor and tack on the horse and rider. The sculptural style indicates that it was created in the southern Owo region. Clearly the invaders from the north made a deep impression on the artist and the people who created this piece (www.speedmuseum.org).

Questions for discussion:

• How does this piece make you feel?• What does the expression on the horse rider’s face tell us about him?• What does it tell us about the person who made it?

Prompt: Imagine you are on a long, dangerous journey. Maybe you’re here or maybe you’re in another country, but you’re carrying all of your supplies with you, and you’re traveling into dangerous terrain. Where are you? What have you seen? Where are you going? Once you imagine the place and time period (the setting) for your imaginary journey, please write a diary page in which you explain where you’ve been and where you’re going.

Your writing should be:

• Descriptive• Include sensory details (seeing, feeling, hearing, etc.)• Be clear • Be organized• Allow us to get to know this narrator

Use the attached brainstorming bubble to help you gather your ideas. Then write your diary entry on the following page.

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Thinking

Time Period/Place

Heading Toward

HearingFeeling

Smelling

________________Reason for the journey

Bubble Sheet

Name: __________________________________

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Date:

Dear Diary,

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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Written by: __________________________________

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Social Studies: Letter Across the MilesMany of the works in the Discover Africa crate come from the Kuba people in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Several of these items are functional works of art—in other words, they might be used by a person every day—and nearly all of them have a connection to the natural world. For this particular activity, students will choose an object from Art Detectives and research how the item tells a story about the Kuba way of life and their connection to their environment.

Grade Level: 3 and above

Time: 60 minutes

Materials

• Access to research materials (library or online sources)—grades 5 and above• Colored pencils• Worksheet

Standards Addressed

Social Studies: SS-EP-2.1.1, SS-EP-5.1.1, SS-HS-5.1.1

Reading: RI.3.10, RI.4.10, RI.5.10, RH.6-8.4

Writing: W.3.4, W.4.4, W.5.4, W.6.4, W.7.4, W.8.4, W.9-10.4, W.11-12.4

Process

1) Break students into five groups.2) Each group receives the attached worksheet and one of the following items

to research. The teacher may assign the item or students may choose:• Woven pouch• Headrest• Cone hat• Anklet• Trophy

3) Using research materials—or simply what they learned during their Art Detectives visit—students complete the following worksheet.

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The Kuba People: A Story In a Single Work of Art

Group Members: _________________________________________________

Work of art: ______________________________________________________What does your work of art tell us about the Kuba culture?

What does this work of art tell us about the environment where the Kuba people live?

Name five interesting facts about Kuba culture!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Draw the work of art from memory!

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Context: Supplemental Videos, Links, and Other Materials

Learn More About Africa

• Getting to Know Africa: National Geographic website with facts• Africa for Kids: Information on individual countries• “Art of Africa: The 50 Best African Artists”: article from The Independent• National Museum of African Art

Meet the Kuba People of the Democratic Republic of Congo

• Encyclopedia Britannica: a brief description• Trip Down Memory Lane Blog: photos, culture, history• Governors State University Blog: history and discussion of objects

Discover Art-Making Processes

• Etching versus engraving: a brief article that explains the difference• Kuba weaving• Short BBC Documentary on African Tribal Art (14:58)

Encounter Societies Across the Globe

• Newspaper Map: explore how cultures live across the world by clicking on newspapers from various countries

• If It Were My Home: website that lets you compare life in your country to life in another

• 360 Cities: panoramic photos of cities across the globe