Medieval West African Empires & Kingdoms Unit Bundle Reading Simulation Project

Tired of using boring curriculum? Then use a West African Empires Unit that is engaging for students and provides flexibility for teachers that covers African geography, Ghana, Mali and Songhai Empires. 

This unit is perfect for veteran and new teachers! It includes 12 activities to engage, excite and support middle school students. Let World History Rawks plan, so you can Rawk!

Activities included

• Theme based Bellringers helps students build their writing skills while studying Greece. Each bell ringer is focused on one theme such as government and one writing skill such as using key terms.
• The Africa Map Activity to support geography skills and help students develop their understanding of the locations they are studying.
• In the Empire Report Card Activities, students examine each empire by reading theme based differentiated articles and answering questions. They then assign the empire a grade. This activity easily fosters lively class discussions and allows students to form arguments on the best and the worst empires. Answer keys included.
• The Hexagonal Thinking Activities are fun and interactive review or pre-writing activities that support the Report Card Activities.
• With the Documentary Handouts, teachers will provide yet another opportunity to dive deep into African history by providing learning experience for visual learners. Answer key included. The PBS documentary is available for purchase or rental on Amazon. This bundle has been discounted more for this reason.
• In the Decline and Fall Simulation students will read passages on the decline of the Ghana, Mali and Songhai Empires. They will then experience forces that have brought down one of these empires in a simulation. They will work together and against each other, battle invaders by playing Rock, Paper, Scissors, suffer the impacts of internal rivalries or rebellion by rolling dice and more. By the end, students will identify which dynasty's decline the class simulated. Finally, students will gain an understanding of how oftentimes, the forces contributing to a civilization's decline were outside of their control.
• The West African Mosque Project is a fun 3D craft that lets students show what they've learned about Mali and Songhai Empires.
• Each activity includes numerous closure opportunities such as letters, ACEs, digital posters that will help provide a consistent focus on writing skills throughout the year while allowing for easy differentiation. The majority of activities include a printable and Google Form quizzes.
• Finally, the Unit Tests include a question bank, study guide, test and modified test! Answer keys included.
• A pacing guide with tips on how to best plan and implement the unit is included as a bonus file. 

Terms and Topics covered

• African geography, central Asian camel, Berbers, Trans Saharan Trade Route, savannah, Sahara Desert, Niger and Senegal Rivers, iron ore, Ghana, ghanas, Tunka Manin, Koumbi Saleh, salt, gold, kinship, clan, Council of Elders, labor specialization, animism, ancestor worship, oral tradition, griots, Almoravids, Mali, Sundiata, Malinke, mansa, Mansa Musa, inflation, Timbuktu, Sankore Mosque, hajj, Ishak al - Sahili, Great Mosque of Djenne, Songhai, Sunni Ali, Askia Muhammad, Taghaza, Kinship, sharia, Timbuktu Manuscripts, coup, muskets.

❤️ With a variety of activities, you will more easily be able to engage your students! And with multiple extension options you can easily adjust the length of the unit to your needs.

Each activity has at least one extension activity to help you assess or extend an activity such as quizzes, writing activities and a collaborative poster! Even better, each unit includes question, bank, regular and modified assessments as well as a study guide.

Teachers like you said the following about units ...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Tara said, "Great resource! I love having something that is easy & ready to go! Thank you!"

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rebecca S. said, "I love this sellers resources and will be back for more! Very engaging and easy to use for both teacher and student!!"

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Greg B said, "I ditched the textbook for this and the kids told me they prefer these lessons verses the textbook. Making the pyramid was a blast! The report card was informative and the kids enjoyed being the teacher. Overall, excellent!"

✅ Easy prep! Just familiarize yourself with each activity and you are good to go. Of course, if you have any questions, email me at middleschool@worldhistoryrawks.com.

Let World History Rawks plan, so you can Rawk! Scroll up to see the other units and bundles this resource is included in!

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