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• IN TH IS TEACHER ’S GU IDE •

2 Prereading Activities

3 Get Set to Read (Anticipation Guide)

4 Discussion and Writing Questions

5–6 It’s in the Reading (Reading Comprehension)

7 Everything Visual (Graphic Skills)

8 Cross-Curricular Extensions

9–12 Answer Keys to Blackline Masters

Dear Educator,

Take an unforgettable journeythrough the kingdoms of the vastAfrican continent—from Egypt to

Zimbabwe—with KIDS DISCOVER!While reading African Kingdoms, yourstudents will learn about the fascinat-ing topics at right.

This Teacher’s Guide is filled withactivity ideas and blackline masters to help your students enjoy and learnmore from African Kingdoms. Select oradapt the activities that suit your students’ needs best.

Thank you for making KIDS DISCOVERa part of your classroom.

Sincerely,

KIDS DISCOVER

P.S. We would love to hear from you! E-mail your comments and ideas [email protected]

P A G E S WHAT ’S IN AFRICAN KINGDOMS2–3 Come to Africa

From Egypt to Zimbabwe, travelers and storytellers keep theancient kingdoms alive

4–5 Kingdoms of the NileThe pyramids, mummies, and golden tombs of Egypt andKush

6–7 Ghana: Land of GoldHow did gold and salt help create the first of the great WestAfrican trading empires?

8–9 Mali and SonghaiMali’s 300 years of great power and Songhai’s 100 years asthe richest and most powerful empire in western Africa

10–11 Brass sculptures by the Ife people of BeninAn up-close photo of realistic brass heads from around A.D.1000

12–13 Kings and Queens of Grasslands and Forests: Hausa andBeninHausa and Benin–smaller kingdoms in the grasslands andforests of western Africa

14–15 Ashanti Kings, Then and NowThe past and present Ashanti kingdom, in what is todayGhana

16–17 The Mystery of the Great Zimbabwe

Meet ing the Standards✔ World History: Classical Traditions,Major Religions, and Giant Empires,1000 BCE-300 CE✔ World History: Expanding Zones ofExchange and Encounter, 300-1000 CE–National Standards for History

✔ Visit www.kidsdiscover.com/standardsto find out more about how KIDSDISCOVER meets state and nationalstandards.

Teacher’s GuideTeacher’s GuideAfrican Kingdoms

KIDSDISCOVER

MEET EGYPT’S FAMOUS BEARDED LADYMANSA MUSA PUSHES MALI TO THE ATLANTIC

HOUSES BUILT OF SALT

........................... www.kidsdiscover.com ...........................KIDS DISCOVER • 149 Fifth Avenue, 12th Floor • New York, NY 10010 • T: 212–677–4457 • F: 212–353–8030

AFRICAN KINGDOMS 1© KIDS DISCOVER

African Kingdoms

Discuss ion

To get students thinking about how this topicrelates to their interests and lives, ask:

✔ Would you like to visit Africa? What would you wantto see?

✔ What does the word “kingdom” mean to you?

KWL Chart

On chart paper, draw threecolumns and label them

K (“What we Know”), W(“What we Want to know” or“What we think we Willlearn”), and L (“What weLearned”). Ask: What do youalready know about African king-

doms? List students’ responses in the K column. Inthe W column, list students’ questions and com-ments about what they want to learn or what theythink they will learn by reading African Kingdoms.(See box below for key terms students may bringup.) At the end of the unit, have students fill inthe L column listing what they learned. Finally,ask students to correct any inaccurate informationwritten in the K column.

Get Set to Read (Anticipation Guide)

Copy and distribute the Get Set to Read black-line master (page 3 of this Teacher’s Guide).

Explain to students that this Anticipation Guide willhelp them find out what they know and whatmisconceptions they have about the topic. Get Setto Read is a list of statements—some true, somefalse. Ask students to write whether they thinkeach statement is true or false in the BeforeReading column. Be sure to tell students that it isnot a test and they will not be graded on theiranswers. The activity can be completed in a vari-ety of ways for differentiated instruction:

◆ Have students work on their own or in smallgroups to complete the entire page.

◆ Assign pairs of students to focus on two state-ments and to become “experts” on these topics.

◆ Ask students to complete the Before Reading col-umn on their own, and then tabulate the class’sanswers on the chalkboard, on an overheadtransparency, or on your classroom computer.

◆ Review the statements orally with the entire class.

If you predict that students will need assistancefinding the answers, complete the Page Numbercolumn before copying Get Set to Read.

Prev iew

Distribute African Kingdoms and model how topreview it. Examine titles, headings, words in

boldface type, pictures, charts, and captions. Thenhave students add new information to the KWLchart. If students will only be reading a few pagesat one sitting, preview only the selected pages.

African Kingdoms

KIDSDISCOVER



PREREADING ACTIVIT IES

KEY TERMS✔ Great Zimbabwe✔ Kush (Nubia)✔ Ghana✔ Mali✔ Songhai✔ Hausa

✔ Benin✔ Ashanti✔ Shona✔ Nile✔ kente cloth✔ Islam

B efore distr ibut ing KIDS DISCOVER African Kingdoms ,act ivate students’ pr ior knowledge and set a purpose for

reading with these act iv i t ies.

BE WORD WISE WITH POWER VOCABULARY!

You have exclusive access to additional resources including PowerVocabulary blackline masters for every available KIDS DISCOVERtitle! These activities introduce students to 15 specialized and

general-use vocabulary words from each KiDS DISCOVER title. Workingwith both types of words helps students develop vocabulary, improvecomprehension, and read fluently. Follow the links from your Teacher’sToolbox CD-ROM and find your title to access these valuable resources:


◆ Vocabulary cards

◆ Crossword puzzle

◆ Word find

◆ Matching

◆ Cloze sentences

◆ Dictionary list


Name ____________________________________________ Date _________________

Get Set to ReadWhat do you know about the kingdoms of Africa? In Before Reading, write true if you think the

statement is true. Write false if you think the statement is not true. Then read KIDS DISCOVERAfrican Kingdoms. Check back to find out if you were correct. Write the correct answer and thepage number where you found it.

CHALLENGE: Rewrite each false sentence in a way that makes it true.

1. The Sahara covers an area almost aslarge as the United States.

2. Annual floods along the Nile Riverleave rich soil that the Egyptian people used to raise crops.

3. By 100 B.C., the kingdom of Aksumwas well-known as an ironmakingcenter.

4. In parts of Africa, salt was so valu-able that it could be traded for anequal amount of gold.

5. Mansa Musa brought the Islamicreligion to sub-Saharan Africa.

6. Songhai ruler Askia Muhammedorganized the first trade network inwestern Africa.

7. Girls in northern Nigeria celebrate aspecial holiday in honor of theHausa ruler Hatshepsut.

8. In the kingdom of Benin, importantevents were recorded in pictures onmetal plaques because the people didnot have a written language.

9. Kente cloth symbolized power andwas once worn only by members ofthe Ashanti royal family.

10. The builders of Great Zimbabwesplit large boulders into smallerbuilding blocks by placing theboulders in boiling water.

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Before Reading After Reading Page Number

African Kingdoms

KIDSDISCOVER




All pagesSome people believe that serving as the ruler of a

nation would be a wonderful thing. Others feel differently. Ask:

✔ Would you want to be a ruler of a nation? Whatadvantages and disadvantages do you think therewould be?

Pages 2–3✔ Why do you think every village had a griot, a poet

or storyteller who recited long tales of events fromthe distant past?

✔ How do you think accounts from the griots and foreign travelers differed?

Pages 4–5In ancient Egypt, pharaohs held complete control

over their people. Ask:

✔ What advantages and disadvantages do you see inthis type of rule? Would you like to live in a countrywhere a ruler holds absolute power? Explain.

Pages 6–7The kings of Ghana, for example, displayed their

great wealth at the royal court. Ask:

✔ Do you think rulers of countries should have a greatdeal more wealth than the people they rule? Explainyour answer.

Pages 8–9✔ Why do you think having control of the gold and

salt trade routes was so important?

Pages 10–11✔ Has anyone ever used a mold to create something,

like a sculpture? What did you make? How did youmake it?

Pages 12–13On page 12, this

Hausa proverb appears:“Better to live at peacethan at palace.”

✔ What does thisproverb mean to you?Do you agree with theproverb? Why or whynot?

Pages 14–15Kente cloth, shown

on page 14 of the issue, symbolized power. Ask:

✔ If you were to design a cloth to symbolize power,what colors would you have the cloth be? Why?

Pages 16–17A picture at the bottom of page 16 shows a high

cone-shaped tower. Ask:

✔ How do you think the people of Great Zimbabwecould have used the tower?

All pagesMost of the African kingdoms described in this

issue no longer exist. Ask:

✔ What do you think is the major reason that a king-dom, empire, or nation collapses? Explain. Whatqualities do you think are most important for rulersto have in order to ensure that a kingdom thrives?Explain.

All pages✔ Of all the African kingdoms you read about, which

would you have most liked to visit? Why?

African Kingdoms

KIDSDISCOVER



DISCUSSION & WRITING QUESTIONS

Use the fo l lowing quest ions as ora l d iscuss ion s tar ters or forjourna l ing. For addi t iona l in -c lass d iscuss ion and wr i t ing

quest ions , adapt the quest ions on the read ing comprehens ionblack l ine masters on pages 5 and 6.

Studentswill love

readingKIDS DISCOVER

during silent reading time.



African Kingdoms

KIDSDISCOVER



It’s in the ReadingAfter reading KIDS DISCOVER African Kingdoms, choose the best answer for each question.

Fill in the circle.

1. A griot is a _____.❍ A. stool used by African rulers❍ B. brass plaque❍ C. poet or storyteller❍ D. staff carried by a royal official

2. Unlike Egyptian pyramids, Kush pyramids have _____.❍ A. tombs inside❍ B. four sides❍ C. flat tops❍ D. round bases

3. Egyptians included furniture and food in pyramids because _____.❍ A. people often lived in the pyramids before they died❍ B. the dead person will need these things in the afterlife❍ C. they wanted people to be comfortable when they visited the pyramids❍ D. the furniture and food was contaminated by disease

4. West African kingdoms grew strong and wealthy by _____.❍ A. participating in the slave trade❍ B. building walls around their cities❍ C. sending ambassadors, or representatives, to other countries❍ D. controlling trade routes where gold and salt were exchanged

Find your answers on the pages shown in the book icon next to each question.

Name ____________________________________________ Date _________________

2 3

4 5

4 5

6 7

5. Ghana’s kings surrounded themselves with gold when receiving visitorsat the royal court in order to _____.

❍ A. show the products they wish to trade❍ B. display their great wealth❍ C. make visitors feel at home❍ D. ward off evil spirits

6 7


6. The value of gold dropped after Mansa Musa’s visit to Egypt because_____.

❍ A. he gave so much away that it was no longer hard to find❍ B. no one wanted to wear gold after seeing so much of it❍ C. the gold he brought was of lower quality than what was common

in Egypt❍ D. people were inspired by him to give all of their gold away too

7. In the lost-wax method of bronze work, the first step is to _____.❍ A. sculpt the figure in wax❍ B. break the clay mold❍ C. pour melted brass into the mold❍ D. put the clay mold in a kiln

8. The people of Benin traded all of the following with the Portugueseexcept _____.

❍ A. ivory❍ B. slaves❍ C. bronze❍ D. spices

11. Which ancient African ruler do you admire most? Why?____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

8 9

10 11

12 13

It’s in the Reading (continued)


9. When they saw the Ashanti royal court in Kumasi, the British merchantswere _____.

❍ A. shocked by its wastefulness❍ B. confused by all the noise and colors❍ C. saddened because no one would buy their goods❍ D. impressed by the rich display

10. The 35-foot walls of Great Zimbabwe were made without _____.❍ A. mortar❍ B. gates❍ C. tools❍ D. stones

14 15

16 17

African Kingdoms

KIDSDISCOVER


HOUSES BUILT OF SALTName ____________________________________________ Date _________________

Everything VisualArtists sometimes use their own experiences, other people’s written accounts, fragments of

artifacts, and their imaginations to create pictures of what the past might have been like. Studythe pictures on pages 7, 14, and 17 and the map on page 8. These are all artist renditions of cer-tain details or events. Use your observations to answer the questions.

1. The picture on page 7 shows the court of King Tunka Menin. Which details from the text areshown in the picture?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2. How do you think the artist knew how the king might have dressed?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

3. Compare the illustration of Tunka Menin with the photograph of the modern Ashanti king onpage 15. How are these pictures alike? How are they different?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

4. Abraham Cresques drew the map on page 8 decades after Mansa Musa’s reign. On what didhe base his drawing of the king?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

5. Why do you think he included a picture of the king and the trader on the map?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

6. Compare the artist rendering on page 17 to the photographs of the ruins on page 16. Whichelements of the picture are probably from the artist’s imagination? Which can you see in thephotographs?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________


Geography, MathHelp students gain some perspective on the vast

size of Africa. Using a map or atlas with a mileagekey or scale, ask students to figure out how manymiles Africa covers from north to south; from eastto west at its widest point. Then have students fig-ure out the distance of the United States from northto south, and east to west. Students can also use anatlas to find out how many square miles Africa andthe United States are, and compare.

Art , GeographyUsing a recent map of Africa as a guide, have

students draw their own freehand maps of Africa.Students should label all the current-day countriesand their capitals. As students read AfricanKingdoms, they should use the small maps on eachpage spread to color on their own maps where thekingdoms were or are. Students should make acolor-coded key with the kingdoms’ names toinclude with the map.

MathOn page 4 of the issue, students learn that a tithe

is one tenth of a person’s income or produce that ispaid as a religious contribution to the pharaoh.Have students do some calculations to determinehow much money or produce a person would haveto give to the pharaoh if the income is $20,000?$45,000? $65,000? Or if a person’s land produced40 potatoes? 15 potatoes? 22,000 potatoes?

ArtSeveral decorative thrones and staffs are shown in

this issue, including the ones on page 3. Encouragestudents to draw a picture of their own throne orstaff that would show their power and standing insociety. Students should include animals or humanfigures that symbolize their power or somethingabout them. Students should then write a brief para-graph explaining the meaning behind the animalsor symbols they chose.

History,Language Arts

Have students makeup a game around thetheme of African king-doms. Younger studentsmight work in groupsand draw a maze ormake up a word searchusing words from theissue. Older studentsmight do an acrostic, atrivia game, or a boardgame.

ScienceSalt is a highly prized item in many parts of the

world. Have students find out information aboutsalt and write a report giving details about why it isso important and how people around the world useit. Be sure to have students try the salt mine experi-ment described on page 18 of the issue.

ArtPlaques and sculptures were used to record impor-

tant events in the history of the oba’s reign inBenin. Have students use clay to create a sculpturethat commemorates an important event in theirlives. Have students refer to pages 12–13 for exam-ples of Benin plaques.

African Kingdoms

KIDSDISCOVER



CROSS-CURRICULAR EXTENSIONS

H ave students t ry these act iv i t ies to expand the i r knowledgeand interest in Afr ican k ingdoms.



Read KIDS

DISCOVERaloud

to demonstrate fluency, expressive

reading, and how to read

nonfiction texts.

African Kingdoms

KIDSDISCOVER



Get Set to Read What do you know about the kingdoms of Africa? In Before Reading, write true if you think the

statement is true. Write false if you think the statement is not true. Then read KIDS DISCOVERAfrican Kingdoms. Check back to find out if you were correct. Write the correct answer and itspage number.

CHALLENGE: Rewrite each false sentence in a way that makes it true.

1. The Sahara covers an area almost aslarge as the United States.

2. Annual floods along the Nile Riverleave rich soil that the Egyptian people used to raise crops.

3. By 100 B.C., the kingdom of AksumKush was well-known as an iron-making center.

4. In parts of Africa, salt was so valuable that it could be traded foran equal amount of gold.

5. Mansa Musa North African merchants and travelers broughtthe Islamic religion to sub-SaharanAfrica.

6. Songhai ruler Askia Muhammedorganized the first trade networkpermanent paid army and full-time navy in western Africa.

7. Girls in northern Nigeria celebrate aspecial holiday in honor of theHausa ruler Hatshepsut Amina.

8. In the kingdom of Benin, importantevents were recorded in pictures onmetal plaques because the people didnot have a written language.

9. Kente cloth symbolized power andwas once worn only by members ofthe Ashanti royal family.

10. The builders of Great Zimbabwesplit large boulders into smallerbuilding blocks by placing theboulders in boiling water heatingthe boulders in a fire then coolingthem quickly in cold water.

True

True

False

True

False

False

False

True

True

False

p. 2

p. 4

p. 5

p. 6

p. 8

p. 9

p. 12

p. 13

p. 14

p. 17

Before Reading After Reading Page Number

ANSWER KEY


African Kingdoms

KIDSDISCOVER



It’s in the ReadingAfter reading KIDS DISCOVER African Kingdoms, choose the best answer for each question.

Fill in the circle.

1. A griot is a _____.❍ A. stool used by African rulers❍ B. brass plaque● C. poet or storyteller (content vocabulary) ❍ D. staff carried by a royal official

2. Unlike Egyptian pyramids, Kush pyramids have _____.❍ A. tombs inside❍ B. four sides● C. flat tops (comparison and contrast) ❍ D. round bases

3. Egyptians included furniture and food in pyramids because _____.❍ A. people often lived in the pyramids before they died● B. the dead person will need these things in the afterlife

(draw conclusions) ❍ C. they wanted people to be comfortable when they visited the pyramids❍ D. the furniture and food was contaminated by disease

4. West African kingdoms grew strong and wealthy by _____.❍ A. participating in the slave trade❍ B. building walls around their cities❍ C. sending ambassadors, or representatives, to other countries● D. controlling trade routes where gold and salt were exchanged

(main idea)

Find your answers on the pages shown in the book icon next to each question.

2 3

4 5

4 5

6 7

5. Ghana’s kings surrounded themselves with gold when receiving visitorsat the royal court in order to _____.

❍ A. show the products they wish to trade● B. display their great wealth (inferences)❍ C. make visitors feel at home❍ D. ward off evil spirits

6 7

ANSWER KEY


6. The value of gold dropped after Mansa Musa’s visit to Egypt because_____.

● A. he gave so much away that it was no longer hard to find (cause and effect)

❍ B. no one wanted to wear gold after seeing so much of it❍ C. the gold he brought was of lower quality than what was common

in Egypt❍ D. people were inspired by him to give all of their gold away too

7. In the lost-wax method of bronze work, the first step is to _____.● A. sculpt the figure in wax (sequence)❍ B. break the clay mold❍ C. pour melted brass into the mold❍ D. put the clay mold in a kiln

8. The people of Benin traded all of the following with the Portugueseexcept _____.

❍ A. ivory❍ B. slaves● C. bronze (details)❍ D. spices

8 9

10 11

10 11

It’s in the Reading (continued)


11. Which ancient African ruler do you admire most? Why?

Answers will vary, but students should explain what the actions of theirchosen ruler reflect about his or her character and why that makes theperson admirable.

9. When they saw the Ashanti royal court in Kumasi, the British merchantswere _____.

❍ A. shocked by its wastefulness❍ B. confused by all the noise and colors❍ C. saddened because no one would buy their goods● D. impressed by the rich display (make inferences)

10. The 35-foot walls of Great Zimbabwe were made without _____.● A. mortar (details)❍ B. gates❍ C. tools❍ D. stones

14 15

16 17

ANSWER KEYAfrican Kingdoms

KIDSDISCOVER



Everything VisualArtists sometimes use their own experiences, other people’s written accounts, fragments of

artifacts, and their imaginations to create pictures of what the past might have been like. Studythe pictures on pages 7, 14, and 17 and the map on page 8. These are all artist renditions of cer-tain details or events. Use your observations to answer the questions.

1. The picture on page 7 shows the court of King Tunka Menin. Which details from the text areshown in the picture?

2. How do you think the artist knew how the king might have dressed?

3. Compare the illustration of Tunka Menin with the photograph of the modern Ashanti king onpage 15. How are these pictures alike? How are they different?

4. Abraham Cresques drew the map on page 8 decades after Mansa Musa’s reign. On what didhe base his drawing of the king?

5. Why do you think he included a picture of the king and the trader on the map?

6. Compare the artist rendering on page 17 to the photographs of the ruins on page 16. Whichelements of the picture are probably from the artist’s imagination? Which can you see in thephotographs?

The picture shows several of the king’s attendants with gold shields and swords, the princeswith gold in their hair, one of his advisors sitting on the ground, and a guard dog with a

gold collar.

The artist might have seen samples of the cloth or might have based the design and colors onmodern patterns he or she had seen. The details of the jewelry may have been seen in

artifacts from that time period. The artist may also have read details about the king in thewritings of someone who had once been to his court.


These pictures show similar scenes, with the king surrounded by advisors and attendants and wearing impressive jewelry and clothing. However, we can know the details in the

photograph with certainty, while the illustration shows only what someone thinks the scene might have looked like.

Cresques based his drawing of Mansa Musa on what he imagined the king must have lookedlike. However, he may have read some details that gave him clues.

Mali was still an important kingdom when Cresques drew this map. He may have included the drawings to reflect some of the impressive wealth of the kingdom and to highlight its

significance as a trading center.

The looks, dress, and activities of the people are probably from the artist’s imagination, as arethe shapes, sizes, and positions of most of the houses. The wall, tower, and the foundations of

some buildings can be seen in the ruins.

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