#worldgeochat is a weekly chat focused on teaching geography and global studies. Chats vary between geography specific topics as well as general teaching and education topics. ALL are welcome in worldgeochat!
Ben from Texas. 6th SS (world cultures), proud owner of a new washing machine that, get this, WORKS. Also, traveling to Argentina in two weeks. #giddy#worldgeochat
A1: 1. AFRICA IS NOT A COUNTRY. 2. Africa is as multicultural as anywhere on earth. 3. Africa is not just sickness and sadness. 4. Wakanda is fictional. ;) #worldgeochat
A1 In no particular order: colonialism, ethnic diversity, sustainable development, resources. These all need to be addressed from the African perspective using local sources for information. #worldgeochat
A1: Dispelling the stereotypes about Africa is one. The rapidly growing young population is a second. The effects of imperialism is a third, and the physical geography of the 2nd largest continent would be the 4th topic.
#worldgeochat
A1
1. It's big, like REALLY big.
2. It's diverse, like REALLY diverse.
3. It's not all bad news - no matter what TV shows.
4. AFRICA IS A CONTINENT, NOT A COUNTRY!!!
#worldgeochat
No, did they address Cape Town? I teach climate change and I think this is going make it really hit home for kids. It's hard for them to understand the potential impact. #worldgeochat
LOL on a night like tonight, THE WASHER. Hit me up tomorrow when my clothes are no longer in a heaping filth pile. Many pics coming soon from South America on @mrhistory123 on IG! #worldgeochat
A1 #worldgeochat
Water
The Danger of a single story (@cheffernan75)
Resources rich but... (why?)
ITS A CONTINENT NOT A COUNTRY WITH 54 NATIONS!!!! (face-palm)
A1: My 4 must teach topics are diversity, impact of imperialism, how awesome Africa is geographically speaking, and what modern countries are like in Africa (challenging stereotypes). #worldgeochat
A1: 1. AFRICA IS NOT A COUNTRY. 2. Africa is as multicultural as anywhere on earth. 3. Africa is not just sickness and sadness. 4. Wakanda is fictional. ;) #worldgeochat
A1: Water, diversity, progress, colonialism. I'm excited to explore more of the Scramble for Africa activity that @JohnHonish shared with me a while ago #worldgeochat
Truth - yesterday's @CNN10 did a great piece on what it would be like to live under the water restrictions they'll be under soon enough! #worldgeochathttps://t.co/ga3qzQOadD
A1
1. It's big, like REALLY big.
2. It's diverse, like REALLY diverse.
3. It's not all bad news - no matter what TV shows.
4. AFRICA IS A CONTINENT, NOT A COUNTRY!!!
#worldgeochat
A2: Some of the topics that we have shared examples from this year are population growth and migration. I also think sustainable development would be good too.
#worldgeochat
A2 African is a great case study for the @GlobalGoals. With so many countries seeking a path to sustainable development, how could you NOT use Africa as a case study?!?! #worldgeochat
A2: How lack of waterways denies growth within the continent. Compare to the United States which has navigable rivers just about everywhere, Africa lacks that. How lack of navigable physical geography adds to lack of trade #worldgeochat
A2 Case studies in Africa? How about Super Urbanization of Lagos; Water Loss in Cape Town; Combating Poaching in East Africa; Disease control in SubSahara; and Battling against Crime across the continent #worldgeochat
A2 African is a great case study for the @GlobalGoals. With so many countries seeking a path to sustainable development, how could you NOT use Africa as a case study?!?! #worldgeochat
The Great Green Wall initiative combines a lot of what we're talking about here—water, cultural and physical diversity, intra-Africa cooperation, development. #worldgeochathttps://t.co/kfjGnue9MN
A1: #worldgeochat the 4 things:
1. African countries are not shitholes. 2. If they are even close to *Bleep territory you can blame colonization. 3. Africa has just as much culture as the US if not more. 4. Africa is a continent not a country.
Q2: I like using the 5 themes of Geography. I start with Human Environment Interaction: You can look at different countries who face the same problems to see how they use resources wisely or combat problems in common like desertification. #worldgeochat
Transportation is a great topic to think about when thinking about Africa. Here is one of our favorite little resources on technology & public transit in Nairobi. #worldgeochathttps://t.co/D69yMk07v8
The Great Green Wall initiative combines a lot of what we're talking about here—water, cultural and physical diversity, intra-Africa cooperation, development. #worldgeochathttps://t.co/kfjGnue9MN
A2 #worldgeochat
as always... my 7 questions for all continents. This usually helps kids creating their own, more nuanced and deeper thinking questions. This is where we jump off from.
A3 We need to hear from more voices in Africa. We need to see it from their eyes and perspective. Today in class we looked at he “eye-ball” development test and how it can be very deceiving in a place like Lagos. #worldgeochat
A3: When discussing Africa, be specific in terms of regions. Lions can be found in southern region. The climate is dry and arid in the Sahara region etc. Don't say things like "visit Germany, India, Africa, etc." #worldgeochat
A3) Maybe stop focussing on Africa as a place and send different students to find out about different diverse cultures and locations that happen to be in Africa #worldgeochat
A3
Use Google Earth and have Ss really explore Africa. When they see cities and forests and deserts and savannas they have to realize that it's not all the same.
#worldgeochat
A3: The TED Talk is fantastic. The lesson that I have used the past couple years was the backlash to Taylor Swift’s Wildest Dream video https://t.co/Wb1gcfhf7d as well as the Delta tweet from the last World Cup. https://t.co/Xldr9mt3od#worldgeochat
A3: When discussing Africa, be specific in terms of regions. Lions can be found in southern region. The climate is dry and arid in the Sahara region etc. Don't say things like "visit Germany, India, Africa, etc." #worldgeochat
A3- study it in regions and not just the whole continent. Show the Ss the total diversity of the continent. Have Ss research and present countries. #worldgeochat
Q2 Honestly, the history and culture of African nations can be used to explore any topic or theme. For example, my class compares Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Sierra Leone & the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a way to study economic development models. #worldgeochat
A3: I try to give several perspectives to show students how different each region of Africa was, but I think what was most successful thing I used this year was a map of languages spoken in Africa. S's had to find the dominant language(s) for each region of Africa #worldgeochat
I showed this this year and asked students to elaborate on stereotypes they know from around the world and why they come about. It helped students gain a lot of insight #worldgeochat
In reply to
@MrBoliek, @cheffernan75, @AdichieSpeaks, @TEDTalks, @Beyonce
Don't know if it fits A3 but I would recommend @Abdi_Iftin's story from @ThisAmerLifehttps://t.co/s7zGzcBjGE He has visited my Ss a few times and his story is fascinating. Plays into our country's debate on immigration as well. #worldgeochat
Honestly, do some work with Visual Literacy here - show pictures and Ss will realize just how different Africa is depending on where and who you're talking to!
#worldgeochat
Q3 #WorldGeoChat This Viral Instagram Changing Perceptions of Africa I found on HuffPost a while back. My girl students love the fashion! https://t.co/PIRiWmaYEW via @artsy
Side question to #worldgeochat... I cover #Africa in two units. M. East and N. Africa, and then, a separate Sub-Saharan Africa unit. Total time for all of it, about three weeks (90 min blocks). Thoughts?
A4 Recent history, but still history, Africa needs to be celebrated for its agricultural influence. The World Bank has highlighted a few, the one on Rwanda is really interesting because it addresses pre and post genocide coffee growing. https://t.co/qs8sQDTE7I#worldgeochat
Another great resource was Folk tales between the Hausa and Yoruba city states in West Africa. In one folk tale the turtle was the hero, and in the folk tale from a group not too far away, the turtle was the enemy. #worldgeochat I wish I could find them again.
A4: I think the Africa the media never shows you is one. I also think highlighting aspects of culture whether it be music, art, or literature is another. The Google Cultural Institute could be one place to start.
#worldgeochat
Ken from Western Oregon Univ & Center for Geography Education in Oregon. As usual showing up late after having to fetch my child from ballet #worldgeochat
A4: Maybe, unfortunately, this falls under conflict, but the birth of jazz music comes from western Africa rhythms, stories, and myths. Something that began in our country was influenced by the beats of western African tribes and the slave trade #worldgeochat
A3 I think a big part of it is referring to places in Africa by name, rather than as a group. I make sure that class materials never just say "an African savannah" or "an African leader." Lumping all 55 recognized countries together tends to muddle things for kids #worldgeochat
A4 - My Ss love when we compare folktales from different African countries with European fairy tales -- so many similarities and yet the differences are fascinating. #worldgeochat
A4 Recent history, but still history, Africa needs to be celebrated for its agricultural influence. The World Bank has highlighted a few, the one on Rwanda is really interesting because it addresses pre and post genocide coffee growing. https://t.co/qs8sQDTE7I#worldgeochat
A4 Study human evolution. All living humans are descended from one human woman (the Mitochondrial Eve) who lived in Africa about 200,000 years ago. Our species began its radiation out of Africa to populate the world about 100,000 years ago. #worldgeochat
#worldgeochat I have to go read my daughter 2 chapters of #FenwayAndHatti so if everyone could just pause all their great ideas, I would appreciate it! 🤗
Q4: I like focusing on the powerful trading empires that existed before Imperialism: Great Zimbabwe, the Hausa, Yoruba, Benin, & Ibo trading states in West Africa, and of course Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. #worldgeochat
Feel like I used 2 spend close to 5+ weeks on Africa. Sometimes more depending on if the project went long (Ss would create a greenscreen news reports):
Child labor Cocao production in Ghana
Water rights (Ethiopia/Sudan/Egypt)
Water crisis in South Africa
et al... #worldgeochat
A3 (b) I also have found that it's helpful to have students hear Ted Talks from people around the continent. This one in particular helped a lot of my students understand the diversity of experiences that people have within Africa. #worldgeochathttps://t.co/dcL8rBKxqj
Basically the only thing I can't create is more time. :( African cultures need so much more attention in American schools. Sad it doesn't get what it deserves. #worldgeochat
These get a nice shout-out in our newly updated reference resource on 'civilization' here. Pretty downloadable map! #worldgeochathttps://t.co/Ppv0XJMeb3
To be honest, my mentor teacher handed me his lesson plans on Africa, and said try these folktales to teach about the city states. I have no idea where he got them. So my source is Gregg Bruno. I will get a copy of Mandela's folktales and let you know. #worldgeochat
teaching ancient Africa THIS WEEK! My students are itching to get to the culture part. They don't get to see that rich culture in most history classes. It is usually transatlantic trade and colonialism. #worldgeochat
A5 Its been a few years, but we had a chance for a letter exchange with a class in Namibia. You could have heard a pin drop as the kids were intently reading their letter. The authenticity of the voice matters. It makes it all much for real for Ss. #worldgeochat
A3 When I was teaching Geography in HS one way I looked at the diversity was having returned Peace Corps Volunteers from different regions come in to our school for an assembly to share their African stories from different regions #worldgeochat
A5
Give them some demographic data and have them make assumptions. Is it better to live in Zimbabwe where the literacy rate is 99% but poverty is EXTREME or a country with the opposite stats.
#worldgeochat
Didn't introduce myself - Krystle Smith from Alabama. I teach 8th ancient world! #worldgeochat (I'll be in and out with grad school work and basketball!)
a5 Thinking critically begins w/knowing how to ask (form?) good, open ended questions that lead deeper into more nuanced questioning. The Ts role is to facilitate that dive down the rabbit hole and allow space to unpack & reflect. #dontbeafraidofthetangentinclass#worldgeochat
I've had so many kids reading The Bitter Side of Sweet. I can't wait for us to talk about it in a few weeks! IT's just great to partner fiction and nonfiction!
@SullivanStories#worldgeochat
In reply to
@ecasey77, @jmgarner2003, @GeoSpiegs, @MrHistory123, @DBQProject, @SullivanStories
agreed. One year I almost completely dropped any study of Asia because I just decided that 10 weeks on Africa with this one class was ...... just worth it. I got in trouble but the kids remembered it for YEARS and still talk about it (they are in collage now) #worldgeochat
A5- I’ve done a development “Shark Tank” where the Ss represent a country and created a plan to improve their level of development through programs or infrastructure projects and seek investment. Got them thinking about how to create possible solutions #worldgeochat
A5 When taught APHG I did some social media exchanges w/ @PeaceCorps volunteers in Africa who put my Ss in contact w/ residents in a couple of countries to humanize the diversity of Africa #worldgeochat
A5. For all my ancient chapters we do a current event study on what is going on where we studied currently. I may do an extended study on how all the resources & empires led to what they’re reading in news now. Fill the time gap some. #worldgeochat
A5: I challenged stereotypes first- we addressed them and then looked at how the media portrays Africa (I researched the #worldgeochat blog: teaching Africa w/out the sadness) Then we looked at pictures from the #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou, and infographics on technology.
I've loved using The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (I use the picture book) to show that with very little assistance, Africa can develop itself!
#worldgeochat
#worldgeochat A5 We watch the doc. Confronting the Truth. ABout the Truth and Reconciliation Commision in S. Africa post Apartheid. I have found my students (which are predominantly minority) really relate to it and we use that as a springboard for social change here in the US
@ecasey77 and I have used music from South Africa to teach Apartheid over the last 4 years. It's such a great way to get Ss thinking about a topic.
#worldgeochat
A6 One of our favorite recent resources is an initiative shared by @zelfstudie, one of our bloggers. Educators around the world are offering free education to refugee students via Skype. And learning as much as they teach. #worldgeochathttps://t.co/BpsJEG8v4x
I modified the @EverydayAfrica lesson and had students create a parallel to their average day to someone in a selected area. Included food, jobs, school, activities, music, and dress, and media.
A6: the BEST resource was shared with me from @Meems852 a few years ago. It’s was an African folk tale project based off of African proverbs. This year my students are researching specific tribes to use as inspiration & sources #worldgeochat
My S's perspectives changed in one day! They could not believe how countries had been misrepresented. They learned there is much more to learn. #worldgeochat
Awe I'm so glad the African Folk Tale Project lives on!! I missed doing that so much this year since I am teaching US History!! Can't wait to see how yours turn out!! #worldgeochat
I think Ed just shared the blog link, but Biko by Peter Gabriel and Lungile Tabalaza by Roger Lucey are 2 of my Ss favorites.
https://t.co/lcrkV7O3RS#worldgeochat
A6: My favorite is Illustrated case studies. S's get in groups, and read a summarized paragraph about the Swahili Coast, Ghana, Great Zimbabwe, Nubia, Ancient Egypt, Axum/Ethiopia. They summarize to three bullets and illustrate one of the facts on poster. #worldgeochat
Way late to the party and REALLY needed this chat too. Gonna have to hit those archives hard tomorrow, I know I can count on you guys for good stuff #worldgeochat
A7: I have to thank @NatGeoEducation for the fabulous maps. I love them and will definitely use them. I also want to thank @cheffernan75 for the #worldgeochat blog post about Teaching Africa without all the sadness. It really helped me structure my unit this year!
These get a nice shout-out in our newly updated reference resource on 'civilization' here. Pretty downloadable map! #worldgeochathttps://t.co/Ppv0XJMeb3
We watched some episodes of this series earlier this year and it led to so many great conversations, especially the episode on the trading empires of West and North Africa. #worldgeochat
I don’t know what question this would answer because I already forgot what they were, but my Ss like to use our #VirtualReality googles to watch #360 videos of safaris! There are a ton more places to explore! #worldgeochat
As the night starts to come to an end, let's give a big thumbs up to @cheffernan75 for moderating tonight's chat!! So many resources were shared tonight, and my mind is a-buzzing! #worldgeochat
Thank you so much @cheffernan75 for hosting tonight and thank you all for all the resources and ideas you shared. I can't get over all of the great stuff was shared tonight! This was AWESOME! #worldgeochat
A6 #worldgeochat I use Transnational Capital Auction (although I simplify what we call it) from the Book Rethinking Globalization. Takes a while to explain but Ss enjoy it & its SHOCKING how fast they race to the bottom. Google Title & you can find it/DM me and I will send it.
