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Plan Number: 035
Title/Lesson/Theme: Exploration and comparison of African views of death, and the practices of burial, funerals, and veneration of ancestors.
Designed by: Mary Kae Hanson
Grade level/Discipline: Grades 9-12/Social Studies
Estimated Time: 3-4 Class Periods
Objectives (what will be assessed?):
Students will work in teams to gather information on the ceremonies and practices surrounding death of a specific African people. Students will be able to summarize and share their findings with the class through a short slide show with an accompanying oral description. Students will be able to compare and identify similarities and differences in practices between the various African people explored.
Description/Background:
Every society develops specific practices and ceremonies to deal with death. By studying a variety of the ceremonies and practices of several African peoples, as well as the importance of several types of art to these practices, students should gain an understanding of an important theme of African society: the importance of the contributions of the individual to community and the transition to venerated ancestor.
Step by Step Procedure:
1. The teacher will introduce the African view of death to the class using the "Introduction" section of the chapter on Death.
2. Students will divide into teams , choose a specific African people, and begin their exploration.
3. The exploration will gather information so that students can describe the process of mourning, funeral practices, and veneration of ancestors of their group.
4. Teams will create a slide show which includes a map showing where the people live, at least five images (both objects and field photos) showing the artworks which play an important part in these practices, and at least one video or audio clip.
5. Each team will share their slide show with the class, explaining and describing the mourning process and funeral practices.
6. Teams will compare the information presented about the different African peoples and identify features common to several groups, as well as unique or different practices.
7. A culminating activity will be a closure discussion by the entire group to discuss their understanding and interpretations of the African view of death and its ceremonies, and its parallels to our own views and practices.
Assignment in CD (essays, chapters):
Chapter on Death, Peoples Database, Images Database, Media Database
Studio Materials Needed:
none
Vocabulary:
As used in the content.
Evaluation/Assessment tool (how will objectives be assessed?:
Individual participation in the team investigations and presentations, as well as class discussion.
Bibliography/Alternative resources:
Websites:
Submitted 7/28/98