Have your students spend time exploring different types of African Homes. They can create a gallery by working in groups and choosing a home to draw and decorate. You can also take this a step further and have them work in groups to recreate a home using boxes and misc. craft materials listed above.
Here are various types of African Heritage Homes:
Bemileke cluster houses with tall cone roofs made of grass
Mousgoum mud cone houses molded of mud and stones and marked with vertical lines to channel the rain.
Malian village compounds, including round-top houses for the extended family, granaries, and walls.
Nuba linked houses, which feature red clay walls, pointed cone roofs, and pig and goat houses.
Asante steep thatched wood-frame houses joined in a circle and linked by mud walls.
Somolo multistory mud roofs and central granary and grinding room
Zulu semispherical framework houses covered with grass mats and arranged in a ring protected by a woven twig fence.
Yoruba courtyard houses with carved posts, thatched roofs around the outer rooms, and open central court.
Caribbean balcony houses with an African flair.
You can also have students draw families and figures in the houses. Encourage them to use multicultural skin toned art materials and supplies.
games to play...
songs to sing...
Candy Corn Bingo
bingo form on pumpkin shaped cutout
candy corn
Program a bingo form with whatever skill is appropriate for your grade level (letters, numbers, shapes). Laminate for future use. Make enough for entire class. Each child will use candy corn for their markers. After playing the children can enjoy the candy corn for a snack!
10 acorns, leaves, pumpkins, or other seasonal small items
Give each child his/her own acorn (or leaf, pumpkin, or other seasonal item). If there are less than 10 children, some may get two. Sing to the tune of "Ten Little Indians".
One little, two little, three little acorns
four little, five little, six little acorns
seven little, eight little, nine little acorns
ten acorns in a row
Each child places his/her acorn on the floor, lining them up in a row. This is a good opportunity to discuss that an acorn is food for squirrels and that it is also a seed that grows into an oak tree.Give each child his/her own acorn (or leaf, pumpkin, or other seasonal item). If there are less than 10 children, some may get two. Sing to the tune of "Ten Little Indians". "One little, two little, three little acorns, four little, five little, six little acorns, seven little, eight little, nine little acorns, ten acorns in a row". Each child places his/her acorn on the floor, lining them up in a row. This is a good opportunity to discuss that an acorn is food for squirrels and that it is also a seed that grows into an oak tree.
wax paper
Elmer's glue
black permanent marker
hole puncher
black yarn
Squeeze about 2 tablespoons of glue onto a piece of wax paper. Pick the wax paper up and let the glue move around. You can move the glue in any direction you wish. When you have the shape you like put the wax paper in a dry warm place to dry. When the glue has dried, peel the shape off of the wax paper. Punch a hole close to an edge make two round eyes and a round mouth with the permanent marker. Cut a piece of yarn long enough so that the gluey ghost hangs comfortable around your neck. Tie a knot in the yarn.
Oreo cookies
frosting mix
red licorice ropes
chocolate chips or red hots
Split the cookies and put three lengths of red rope licorice across the frosting, letting about 2 inches hang out both sides for legs. Add a little canned frosting and put the cookies back together. Put two small dollops of frosting on edge of cookie and add two chips or red hots for eyes. *you can also use black licorice.
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