1. Village Society In West Africa
with a focus on
Religion and Politics
World History Institute Lesson Plan
Summer 2008
By: Wilma Romasoc

2. Requirements: California content standard addressed
7.4 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structure of the sub-Saharan civilizations of Ghana and Mali in Medieval Africa
- Analyze the importance of family, labor specialization and regional commerce in the development of states and cities in West Africa. (through vocabulary study.)
Historical and Social Science Analysis Skills
-Students understand and distinguish relevant from irrelevant information, essential from incidental information, and verifiable from unverifiable information in historical narratives and stories.

3. General Objective: Student Objectives:
Identify and describe what aspects of religion affected West African Society and how kinship affected the village government.
Student Objectives:
By the end of this lesson:
You will define vocabulary terms in small groups.
You will sort words into categories.
You will identify and explain the influences religion had on Western African village life.
You will describe the role of Kinship and its effects on village government in Western Africa.
You will write two paragraphs answering the essential questions.
You will write a thesis statement at the end of the lesson

4. Lesson Plan Details
Estimated length of lesson: 90 minutes or 2 45-minute periods
Materials:
Houghton Mifflin “Across the Centuries” Textbook (Chapter 5, Lesson 4, pg ) copy provided
Folder that contains 2 separate envelopes for each set of vocabulary (envelope 1=vocabulary words and envelope 2= additional vocabulary words)
Dictionary and Textbook Glossary

5. Directions: Hand out vocabulary worksheet
Divide class into small groups of 4
Hand out the folder; have one member of the group open envelope #1 containing the first set of vocabulary words
Have each member define terms in its historical context
Sort words into categories and justify these categories
Repeat steps 3-5 using the envelope labeled #2
As a class, provide definitions and list other word forms (i.e inherit, inheritance)
Read text containing vocabulary pg
Have the students read the two essential questions
Have the students use all vocabulary terms from envelopes #1 and #2 to answer these questions
Have students present their responses as teacher writes them on the board
Have each student write a thesis statement focused on the effect of family ties on religious and political views in the West African Village Society

6. Envelope #1 Vocabulary List
Diviner
Ancestor worship
Kinship
Interact
Rituals
Drought
Disaster
Clan
Matrilineal
Bilateral System
Nuclear Family
Extended Family
Social Pressure

7. Envelope #2 Vocabulary List
Divinity
Inherit
Respect
Villager’s Survival
Influence
Masks
Spirits
Determines position
Ancestors
Music
Dancing
Curb bad behavior
As a result of
In response to

8. Essential Questions
Directions: Use the words in envelopes #1 & #2 to write 2 paragraphs answering the following essential questions:
1)How did kinship affect the village government in West Africa?
2) What aspects of religion influenced the village society of West Africa?

9. Assessment
Write a sentence for each of the following vocabulary words related to the context of the chapter.
Kinship
Diviner
Ancestor Worship
Clan
Matrilineal
Social Pressure
Bilateral System
Nuclear Family
Extended Family
Rituals

10. Other forms of assessment
Teacher observation of student’s participation and responses
Performance assessment-have students create sketches of 5 vocabulary words and write a caption explaining the meaning of the words