Instructions for Week 5: Africa Museum Project

Welcome to class! This week we are going to be working on a group project.

We will be studying societies in Africa! As part of this project we will be
creating a display to be presented in the classroom. The display/final product
needs to tell the visitors to the museum about the history of your society as
well as the government, culture, and geography of the region after 300 CE
and prior to 1500 CE.
All week you will be working with your classmates. Some of this can be done
outside of class and some of it you may want to be working together. Please
use our class discussion board for this project to post any questions you may
have about issues that come up. You can also feel free to email me or stop
by my room to ask questions! I will make sure to respond to discussion board
questions and emails within 24 hours.

Week Schedule:
Monday: Complete Steps 1 and 2 using your groups discussion
Step 1: Product and Assignment: With your partners find out what region you
are assigned to research. Review the assignment, resources and all directions,
ask any questions you may have to your teacher. Next, please decide on what
kind of final product you will create.
Step 2: Division of Labor: Use the checklist on the assignment page to divide up
the tasks each student will complete, making sure to note the pieces that will
be created by each student.
Tuesday: Work on Step 3
Step 3: Basic Understanding of African Society & Digging Deeper into the Topic:
Begin to research your portions of the project, use the group resources and
videos found. Use the resources attached, on the website, and your textbook
(Chapter 15) to fill out your knowledge and complete your portion of the project
Wednesday: Continue working on Step 3. Post your responses to the 3
questions in the discussion board.
Thursday: Work on Steps 4 and 5
Step 4: Compile and Complete- With your group, start to piece together
your information to form a complete picture.
Step 5: Synthesis- Create your "news of the day" by selecting a part of
your society and writing an article from the perspective of the person
living at the time. You will not need to complete the analysis and fill out
the normal sheet for current events, rather you are writing an article from
the time that will take your knowledge of the area and events and bring
the reader into the action of the time.

Friday: Continue completing steps 4 and 5. This might be a good day to

come into school and work together as a group to practice and put
everything together if you are making a display.
All projects will be presented to the class on the following Monday!

Grading:
For this project, all assignments must be completed and all products are due
on Monday. If you are unable to present on Monday due to missing pieces or
incomplete work, you will have 1 week to complete the work and receive a
20% deduction on your final project. Because of the nature of the group
project, there will be no opportunities to re-do the project afterwards for a
better grade.
As a part of this project you will have a group grade and an individual grade.
Please examine both of the rubrics below as well as your project
requirements to ensure you are completing all requirements.
Use your classmates and myself as a resource and Im sure you will all be
successful in this project. I look forward to seeing your projects!!

Individual Grading
CATEGORY

Exemplary (5)

Use of Class Used time well during

each class period.
Time

Focused on getting the

project done. Never
distracted others.

Division of
Labor

This group member

contributed a significant
amount of time and effort
to the group project and
was integral member of
the team.

Presentation You participated in the

Very Good (4-3)

Developing (2)

Beginning (1-0)

Used time well during

each class period. Usually
focused on getting the
project done and never
distracted others.

Used some of the time

well. There was some
focus on getting the
project done but
occasionally distracted
others.

Did not use class

time to focus on the
project OR often
distracted others.

This member contributed

satisfactory amount of
time and energy to the
project and did their fair
share of work.

This member
contributed a little less
time and energy than
he or she could (and
should) have
contributed to the
project.

This member of the

group contributed
very little time and
energy, if any, to the
group's preparation
or presentation.

You presented information

presentation without
in the presentation but
using notes and were
may have used notes.
fully able to explain your
portion of the project.

You did not understand You did not

the information you
participate in the
presented and/or did
presentation.
not present your share
of information

Creation of
News story

At least 1 page typed,

double spaced news
article about an event in
the particular region and
time period and is
historically accurate or
within the realm of
possibility.

.5 page typed, double

spaced news article about
an event in the particular
region and time period
and is historically accurate
or within the realm of
possibility.

Paragraph page hand

written article about an
event in the particular
region and time period
and is historically
accurate or within the
realm of possibility.

Title for a possible

article provided or
lacked detail and
was not accurate or
within the realm of
possibility.

Individual: _______ / 20 + GROUP _______ / 50=

_______ / 70
NAMES__________________________________________
CATEGORY

Exemplary (5)

Very Good (4-3)

Developing (2)

Map of
Region

A large colored,
student-made map,
which includes labels,
major cities and
important physical
features

Student-made map
that includes some
labels, but may not
be colored and/or is
small. It includes all
important physical
features

Student-made maps, No map included or

but has no labels and map is not studentno color, missing
made.
important features
and is of a small size.

Timeline of
Key Events

Events displayed and

discussed on a
timeline (7 minimum).
The events are
explained well to the
class and serve a
purpose in the
presentation.

Events displayed and

discussed on a
timeline (7
minimum). The
events are explained
well to the class and
serve a purpose in
the presentation.

Events displayed and

discussed on a
timeline (7
minimum). The
events are explained
well to the class and
serve a purpose in
the presentation.

Events displayed and

discussed on a
timeline (7
minimum). The
events are explained
well to the class and
serve a purpose in
the presentation.

Governments are
explained in complete structure is explained minimally explained.
accurate detail
in some detail
(Less that 3 facts)
and

Government
descriptions are
missing or have very
little information
and/or are
inaccurate.

Interaction

Comparisons are
made with 2 other
regions

Comparisons are
made to at least 1
other region.

1 comparison to
another region.

Does not compare to

other regions.

Cultural
Artifact
X2

Two very creative 3-D

representations of the
culture is shared and
explained. Plaques
have accurate and
detailed information.
Represents major part
of civilization.

One very creative 3D representation of

the culture is shared
and explained. Or
two decent artifacts
with plaques.
Represents major
part of civilization.

A 3-D representation No 3-D object

of the culture is
explained or made.
shared but is
minimal. May have a
plaque, but does not
thorough
explanation. May not
be a major part of
the civilization.

Government The governments are Governmental

Beginning (1-0)

Cultural
Description
x2

Culture is thorough
and detailed w/ many
facts about societal
roles, religion,
language & econ
development. A clear
picture of the culture
emerges from
presentation.

Culture is explained
w/ facts about
societal roles,
religion, language &
econ development.
Some detail, but
missing 1 section.
Some idea of society
from presentation.

Culture is explained
but may be missing a
large amount of
information about
one or more of
religion, language
econ development.
Minimal idea of
society from
presentation.

Missing two or more

categories of
information and
cannot explain
society though
information.

Attractivenes The presentation is

exceptionally
s

The presentation is
attractive in terms of
design, layout and
neatness. Colorful!

The presentation is
acceptably attractive
though it may be a
bit messy. Little color.

The presentation is
distractingly messy
or very poorly
designed. It is not
attractive. Little to no
color.

Citations

A majority of
information has a
source citation.

A minority of
information has a
source citation.

No information has a
source citation.

attractive in terms of
design, layout, and
neatness. Colorful!
All information has a
source citation.

Notes:

Group Score: _______ / 50