Classroom Activities
The first step in the unit would be to introduce and teach the different biomes of Africa to all students. The students will be able to explore the biomes across Africa and make observations. The biodiverse plant and animal life on the continent of Africa would then be introduced to all students in a broad form. Each grade level within the classroom would then have a separate biome to study. Within that biome, the students would first focus on plant life. This is because Maria Montessori believed animal life is dependent on plant life.64 Student research will be guided to find the diversity in the predominant plant life or to find different kinds of plants in different layers of the biomes. Students would then focus on the animal life within the biomes. Their research could include a description of what a chosen animal eats, how it lives in the biome, as well as any special adaptations it possesses. Students will also have the opportunity to compare the different plants and animals within their biome in Africa and research how they are interconnected. Students would then focus on the people of Africa, mainly those that live in indigenous cultures. Students would research how they interconnect to the biodiversity of a particular biome.
Activity One – African Plants
In this activity, students will learn, in depth, about a plant of their own choosing from their assigned biome. This plant should be prevalent in the lives of the indigenous people that inhabit the biome. After classroom instruction, interaction with Montessori nomenclature, videos, and puzzles the student will research their plant using books from the classroom, Epic, or a child friendly search engine. The research will include many things. For first year students and some second grade students their research should include: the name of this plant, the region it grows in, how it reproduces, the relationship to the indigenous people of the biome, is it harmful or useful, and where the plant grows. For the remaining second and third year students, they would also need to include: where the plant fits on the Plant Kingdom Chart, whether it is flowering or non-flowering, what kinds of animals, if any, eat the plant, do any animals use this plant as a home, do humans eat this plant and if so, how is it prepared, and if it is used for anything else, like fuel, clothing, medicine, or decoration.
After completing the writing process and publishing their research paper, the student will then either draw a picture of their plant or make a model of their plant using a self-selected medium. This could include any artistic medium they chose including clay, colored pencils, or any other three-dimensional models. All students would have to label the parts of the plant including its root, stem, branches, leaf, seed, and fruit. Once complete, students would have an opportunity to share their research with their classmates with an “author’s chair.”
Activity Two – African Animals
In this activity, students will learn, in depth, about an animal of their own choosing from their assigned biome. This animal should be prevalent in the lives of the indigenous people that inhabit the biome. After classroom instruction and interaction with Montessori nomenclature, the student will research their animal using books from the classroom, Epic, or a child friendly search engine. The research will include many things. For first year students and some second grade students would need to include: the name of the animal they chose to research, if the animal is a vertebrate or invertebrate, if the animal lives on land, water, or both, what the animal eats; if the animal lays eggs or gives birth to live babies and if the animal is harmful or useful to humans. For higher second year students and third year students, they would also need to include additional findings in their research such as: the specific classification for this animal, how the animal adapts to its biome, if it could it live elsewhere in the world, what kind of shelter, if any, the animal needs, how long it takes to mature into an adult, what special community or group the animals live in, and how this group helps the animal to survive.
After completing the writing process and publishing their research paper, the student will then either draw a picture of their animal or make a model of their animal out of a self-selected medium. This could include any artistic medium they chose including clay, colored pencils, three dimensional models, or dioramas of the animal in their biome. Second- and third-year students would have to label the parts of the animal and point out any unique and interesting features. Once complete, students would have an opportunity to share their research with their classmates with an “author’s chair.”
Activity Three – Indigenous People of Africa
It is important for students to study the culture of other people. It will lead them to an understanding and awareness of other cultures and ultimately an appreciation for the diversity of the world. In Activity 3, students will study the indigenous people of their specific biome.
After researching the indigenous people of their specific biome, the students will write about a day in the life of a person living in this biome. This can include how they survive, what language they speak, what they wear, what they eat, what kind of work they do, and what tools they use to do that work. Other things that should be included is their relationship with nature, their culture views on biodiversity, and if they view nature as existing to serve humans. The project should include how the biome meets the fundamental needs of the people.
There are also additional questions that the students may seek to answer when conducting their research. These questions include: how the conditions of their assigned biome affect how the indigenous people’s basic needs are met, if temperature, rainfall, weather, or season affect the food that can be grown or gathered in a biome and if that influences the way people eat, does temperature, rainfall, weather, or season affect the animals that people use for food in a biome, if the people in the biome eat meat, do they eat wild or domesticated animals and how are domesticated animals adapted to that biome, and how does a biome influence the way people dress.
Activity Four – Culminating Activity
The last activity of the unit is a culmination of the first three activities. The students will create a portfolio, either on paper or virtual of their research regarding their particular biome. If in the classroom, the unit will end with an in person continent celebration. The students will plan a celebration (in person or virtual) for the school’s stakeholders that showcases what they learned. This would include their research and art show to highlight the completed student work.
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