Lesson Plan: Location, Language, Currency, Culture - Music & Dance of Africa

Grade Level: Senior Kindergarten (4-5 years old)

Duration: 45 minutes

Objective: - To introduce students to the location, language, currency, and culture of Africa - To explore African music and dance through a hands-on activity - To develop an understanding and appreciation for diversity and cultural traditions

Materials: - World map or globe - Pictures or illustrations of African landmarks, animals, and people - African currency (real or play money) - African music and dance videos (links provided below) - Worksheet (link provided below) - Musical instruments (optional)

Introduction: 1. Gather the students in a circle and show them a world map or globe. 2. Ask the students if they know where Africa is located on the map. 3. Show pictures or illustrations of African landmarks, animals, and people, and briefly discuss their significance. 4. Explain that Africa is a continent with many different countries, languages, and cultures. 5. Introduce the concepts of language, currency, and culture, and explain that we will be focusing on African music and dance today.

Hands-on Activity: 1. Play African music in the background and invite the students to move and dance freely. 2. Provide musical instruments (if available) for the students to explore and create their own rhythms. 3. Encourage the students to imitate the movements and sounds they hear in the music. 4. Join the students in their dance and music exploration, modeling enthusiasm and enjoyment.

Lesson Outline: 1. Location: Show the world map or globe again and ask the students to point out Africa. Discuss its position in relation to other continents. 2. Language: Introduce a few common African languages such as Swahili, Zulu, or Amharic. Teach the students a few simple greetings or words in one of these languages. 3. Currency: Show the students African currency (real or play money) and explain that different countries in Africa have their own currencies. Discuss the importance of money for buying things. 4. Culture - Music & Dance: Watch a video of African music and dance together as a class. Encourage the students to observe the movements, rhythms, and instruments used. Discuss how music and dance are important parts of African culture.

Questioning: 1. Where is Africa located on the map? 2. Can you name any African languages? 3. What is currency? Why is it important? 4. How is music and dance important in African culture?

Assessment: - Observe the students’ participation and engagement during the hands-on activity. - Ask individual students questions during the questioning phase to assess their understanding. - Review completed worksheets to gauge comprehension.

Differentiation: - Provide additional support to students who may need it during the hands-on activity. - Simplify the language and concepts for students who may struggle with comprehension. - Offer visual aids or manipulatives to enhance understanding.

Plenary: 1. Gather the students back in a circle and have a brief discussion about what they learned. 2. Ask the students to share their favorite part of the lesson and why. 3. Recap the main points about Africa’s location, language, currency, and culture. 4. Play a short African music clip and invite the students to dance along one last time.

Video Resources: 1. African Music and Dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MteSlpxCpo 2. African Drumming and Dancing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MteSlpxCpo

Worksheet Resource: - African Music & Dance Worksheet: [Link to worksheet]

Note: The worksheet can include simple activities such as coloring African musical instruments, matching African languages with their countries, or drawing a picture of themselves dancing to African music.