Today we are going to pair a 3rd grade history homeschool curriculum on Africa with learning how to make a Kente cloth art project. Also, look at my Free Africa Unit Study for more hands-on ideas and for more grade level curriculum on my page How to Homeschool High School.
Africa is made up of 54 different countries with Algeria being the largest country by land area; and by population while Nigeria is the largest.
Some of the things you can dive into to create your own Africa 3rd grade history homeschool curriculum are:
- Learning about the different countries and regions of Africa.
- The diverse cultures and traditions of Africa.
- The geography of Africa, including the mountains, rivers, and deserts.
- Learn about the early civilizations of Africa, such as the Egyptians, Nubians, and Aksumites.
- Studying specific ancient African empires, such as the Ghana Empire, Mali Empire, and Songhai Empire.
- Discuss the contributions of ancient Africans to science, technology, and the arts.
- Discuss the challenges facing modern African nations, such as poverty, disease, and conflict.
- Explore the rich cultural heritage of Africa, including its music, dance, and art.
BOOKS ABOUT AFRICA FOR KIDS
Next, look at some of these books about Africa.
13 Resources for Children Studying About Africa
Add one or two of these books to your study about the art of Africa.
Africa For Kids: People, Places, Culture gives children not only a peek into the land and its people but the artwork of even simple everyday items like weaving and serving plates.
Here is a coloring book filled with African souvenirs to color that is soothing and a great springboard for discussion.
I found this beautiful book of African Patterned Scrapbook paper that can be used for many craft projects.
Atinuke’s first non-fiction title is a major publishing event: a celebration of all 55 countries on the African continent! Her beautifully-written text captures Africa’s unique mix of the modern and the traditional, as she explores its geography, its peoples, its animals, its history, its resources and its cultural diversity. The book divides Africa into five sections: South, East, West, Central and North, each with its own introduction. This is followed by a page per country, containing a delightful mix of friendly, informative text and colourful illustrations.
Enter into the daily life of children in the many countries of modern Africa. Countering stereotypes, Africa Is Not a Country celebrates the extraordinary diversity of this vibrant continent as experienced by children at home, at school, at work, and at play.
With its wide sky and warm earth, Princess Gie Gie’s kingdom is a beautiful land. But clean drinking water is scarce in her small African village. And try as she might, Gie Gie cannot bring the water closer; she cannot make it run clearer. Every morning, she rises before the sun to make the long journey to the well. Instead of a crown, she wears a heavy pot on her head to collect the water. After the voyage home, after boiling the water to drink and clean with, Gie Gie thinks of the trip that tomorrow will bring. And she dreams. She dreams of a day when her village will have cool, crystal-clear water of its own.
Artists Leo and Diane Dillon won their second consecutive Caldecott Medal for this stunning ABC of African culture. "Another virtuoso performance. . . . Such an astute blend of aesthetics and information is admirable, the child's eye will be rewarded many times over."
Omar and his brother Hassan, two Somali boys, have spent a long time in the Dadaab refugee camp. Separated from their mother, they are looked after by a friendly stranger. Life in the camp isn't always easy. The hunger is constant . . . but there's football to look forward to, and now there's a chance Omar will get to go to school . . .With a heart-wrenching fairytale ending, this incredible true story is brought to life by Victoria's stunning illustrations. This book perfectly depicts life in a refugee camp for 8-12 year olds.
When a terrible drought struck William Kamkwamba's tiny village in Malawi, his family lost all of the season's crops, leaving them with nothing to eat and nothing to sell. William began to explore science books in his village library, looking for a solution. There, he came up with the idea that would change his family's life forever: he could build a windmill. Made out of scrap metal and old bicycle parts, William's windmill brought electricity to his home and helped his family pump the water they needed to farm the land. Retold for a younger audience, this exciting memoir shows how, even in a desperate situation, one boy's brilliant idea can light up the world. Complete with photographs, illustrations, and an epilogue that will bring readers up to date on William's story, this is the perfect edition to read and share with the whole family.
Things Fall Apart is the first of three novels in Chinua Achebe's critically acclaimed African Trilogy. It is a classic narrative about Africa's cataclysmic encounter with Europe as it establishes a colonial presence on the continent. Told through the fictional experiences of Okonkwo, a wealthy and fearless Igbo warrior of Umuofia in the late 1800s, Things Fall Apart explores one man's futile resistance to the devaluing of his Igbo traditions by British political andreligious forces and his despair as his community capitulates to the powerful new order. With more than 20 million copies sold and translated into fifty-seven languages, Things Fall Apart provides one of the most illuminating and permanent monuments to African experience. Achebe does not only capture life in a pre-colonial African village, he conveys the tragedy of the loss of that world while broadening our understanding of our contemporary realities.
Those looking for a concise yet informative, visually breathtaking yet affordable East African safari need look no further than this spectacular field guide. Featuring full-color photos of 475 common species of bird, mammal, snake, lizard, insect, tree, and flower, Wildlife of East Africa takes us on an exquisite one-volume tour through the living splendor of the main national parks and game reserves of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Many of the species included--from pelicans to plovers, ostriches to elephants, from the daintiest of antelopes to cattlelike giants, from leopards to lions, baboons to gorillas, chameleons to crocodiles, acacias to aloes--also inhabit neighboring countries. The selection was based on the personal experiences of the authors, wildlife experts who have been leading safaris in the region for more than twenty years.
Heads up: this is a great book but there is a rite of passage and has a part about circumcision.
Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton gives American kids a firsthand look at growing up in Kenya as a member of a tribe of nomads whose livelihood centers on the raising and grazing of cattle. Readers share Lekuton's first encounter with a lion, the epitome of bravery in the warrior tradition. They follow his mischievous antics as a young Maasai cattle herder, coming-of-age initiation, boarding school escapades, soccer success, and journey to America for college. Lekuton's riveting text combines exotic details of nomadic life with the universal experience and emotions of a growing boy.
Fifteen-year-old Amadou counts the things that matter. For two years what has mattered are the number of cacao pods he and his younger brother, Seydou, can chop down in a day. The higher the number the safer they are. The higher the number the closer they are to paying off their debt and returning home. Maybe. The problem is Amadou doesn’t know how much he and Seydou owe, and the bosses won’t tell him. The boys only wanted to make money to help their impoverished family, instead they were tricked into forced labor on a plantation in the Ivory Coast. With no hope of escape, all they can do is try their best to stay alive—until Khadija comes into their lives. She’s the first girl who’s ever come to camp, and she’s a wild thing. She fights bravely every day, attempting escape again and again, reminding Amadou what it means to be free. But finally, the bosses break her, and what happens next to the brother he has always tried to protect almost breaks Amadou. The three band together as family and try just once more to escape.
Along with this unit there are many fantastic crafts, science, geography, history, and art ideas to learn about the rich history and culture of this continent and its many countries.
AFRICA 3RD GRADE HISTORY HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM IDEAS
- The first thing is to pull out a map, globe, or atlas and locate Africa and its countries, including today’s focus, Ghana.
- How to Make An Embroidered African Map Fun Geography Craft
- Learn About African Art For Children And Make Fun Djembe Drums
- Make Your Own African Magazine Beads
- Use these Montessori Flags of Africa as you learn about the different countries within it.
- Map Africa Make a Salt Dough Map to study the geography of Africa, keep it simple for younger children.
- Check out this African Serengeti Facts and Free Color By Number page to focus a bit on the animal science of Africa.
- For some science 8 The Water Princess STEM Activity Ideas and African Clay Pot Craft is part STEM and part art lesson.
Also, look at these facts about the Kente cloths of Ghana.
KENTE CLOTHS OF GHANA
Kente cloths are beautiful and vibrant handwoven textiles that originated from the Ashanti people of Ghana, a country located in West Africa.
They are renowned for their intricate patterns, bold colors, and their cultural significance.
The making of Kente cloth is a complex process that starts with the cultivation of cotton.
The cotton is then spun into yarn, which is then dyed using natural dyes extracted from plants, flowers, and minerals.
The yarn is woven on a horizontal loom using a technique known as “strip weaving.” This technique involves weaving narrow strips of fabric separately and then sewing them together to create a larger cloth.
Kente cloths are adorned with a variety of patterns, each with its unique meaning and symbolism.
Some common patterns include geometric shapes, such as squares, triangles, and diamonds, as well as figurative motifs, such as animals, plants, and Adinkra symbols.
Adinkra symbols represent proverbs, concepts, history, and values.
Kente cloths hold great cultural and historical significance for the Ashanti people.
They are traditionally worn by royalty, chiefs, and other dignitaries during special occasions such as festivals, weddings, and funerals.
And they are also used as decorative pieces and wall hangings in homes and palaces.
Finally, look at how to make a Kente cloth art project.
PAIR A KENTE CLOTH ART PROJECT WITH 3RD GRADE HISTORY HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM
You will need:
- 4-5 colors construction paper
- Glue stick
- Craft paint
- Stamps or objects for stamping
- Scissors
First, start by measuring equal widths lengthwise on a solid piece of cardstock, the width of the ruler was perfect for ours.
Cut the strips, leaving 2” uncut on one end.
Next, we are going to create some unique designs on our other pieces of “cloth” before we weave them together by creating stamps out of random items.
I pulled various shapes from our craft basket, you can use wooden blocks, bottle caps, and even make patterns with hot glue on pieces of wood.
Make puddles of paint on a paper plate and “stamp” designs on 2-4 other colors of construction paper.
Encourage your child to make unique patterns with distinctive shapes and lots of color as real Kente cloth would be.
Allow paint to dry.
Once paint is dry cut your patterned painted pages into strips.
Create a pattern on the cut piece and glue in place, alternating strips on the first one over and under.
Fold back the strips and work on one at a time over and under across the page.
Once you have completed all the strips, glue on the opposite end.
Cut the ends of the base piece that you left undone into a fringe, not quite cutting to the strip woven through.
