Africa
description
Transcript of Africa
Africa7th Grade UBD – Unit 2 – Africa
Preview
Africa’s Diverse Population- Most Africans live in places where trade, industry, climate, soil, or natural resources allow large numbers of people to support their families.
Location and Landforms- Africa is the second-largest continent. It is more than three times the size of the United States.
Reach Into Your Background
Think about the state in which you live. What different landforms are in your state? Are there any mountains or valleys? How do these landforms affect your daily life?
(5 minutes)
Partner ActivityWork with a
neighbor and compare your answer with theirs. What things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)
Key Ideas- Africa’s Diverse Population
Africa is the fastest growing region in the world.
Farmers are moving to cities because they hope for better opportunities and young people want to find jobs.
French and English are the most common languages spoken in Africa.
Africa Most Africans live in
places where trade, industry, climate, soil, or natural resources allow large numbers of people to support their families.
Vast areas of Africa, like deserts and rain forests, are less populated. This is because they
lack the rich soil, rainfall, and minerals to support large populations.
Rapid Population Growth
Africa is the fastest growing region in the world.
Challenges HIV/AIDS Medical Care Safe Drinking Water Good Housing
Tap ProjectVideo- Tap Project
Rural and Urban Two thirds of
Africa’s population lives in rural areas.
Farmers are moving to cities because they hope for better opportunities and young people want to find jobs.
Urban growth is increasing.
Diversity of People
Africa is a place of diversity because many different groups live there. Africans belong to more
than 2,000 ethnic groups and speak more than 1,000 languages!
Key TermEthnic Group- A large collection of people with the same cultural background, united by language, religion, or ancestry.
Languages
French and English are the most common languages spoken in Africa because the United Kingdom and France have ruled there.
Questions
1. Where do most Africans live?
2. Why are French and English the most common languages spoken in Africa?
Answers
1. Where do most Africans live? Two thirds of African’s population lives in rural
areas.2. Why are French and English the most
common languages spoken in Africa? French and English are the most common
languages because the United Kingdom and France have ruled there.
Key Ideas-Location and Landforms Africa is the second-largest continent. Africa is more than three times the size of the
United States. Africa has few rivers compared to other
countries. The Sahel is a semi-arid land of dry grass, 200 to
700 miles wide, that stretches across the continent.
Geography
Nicknamed the "plateau continent”. Few natural harbors. Boats can not travel
easily upstream or downstream due to rapids and waterfalls near the mouths of rivers.
Key Term
Plateau- A flat or gently rolling land that is higher than nearby areas.
Eyewitness To HistoryReading Activity- Eyewitness To History 1
Lakes
Africa has few lakes. Yet Africa’s three largest lakes are among the largest in the world.▪ All are population
centers.
Rivers
Africa has few rivers compared to other countries. Although many rivers
are long they are very bad for transportation.▪ Dry up▪ Waterfalls▪ Rapids
Carrying WaterVideo- Carrying Water
Key Term
Continental Drift- The theory that the continents slowly and constantly move within the Earth.
Eyewitness To HistoryReading Activity- Eyewitness To History 2
Tropics The Tropics are a
region of the Earth surrounding the equator. They are generally hot year-round.
Tropical climates are dry and hot or wet and hot, except where the elevations of mountains or highlands affect climate.
Key Term
Tropics- Is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. They are generally hot year-round.
Rainforests Along the Equator,
both heat and rainfall are plentiful. Thick, lush, tropical rain forests thrive here.
A single tree can have as many as 50 kinds of plants growing on it.
Constant heavy rains cause leaching.
Key Term
Leaching- Is when heavy rains wash away and dissolve soil.
Savanna
The Savanna is a large open area of grass where few trees and bushes appear.
Rain falls only in summer in the savanna.
Desert
African deserts are not flat at all or colorless.
Rugged mountain ranges rise out of the shifting sand dunes.
Dry Grasslands
The Sahel is a semi-arid land of dry grass, 200 to 700 miles wide, that stretches across the continent.
The Sahel only receives 4 to 24 inches of rain per year.
Drought
A drought is a period of time when there is very little rain or no rain at all. It is a constant threat in many countries.
Periods of little rainfall can last for years.
Key Term
Drought- A period of time when there is very little rain or no rain at all.
Questions
1. What is Africa's nickname?2. Although Africa's rivers are
long, why are they bad for transportation?
3. How many inches of rainfall does the Sahel receive per year?
Answers
1. What is Africa's nickname? Africa is nicknamed the "plateau continent”.
2. Although Africa's rivers are long, why are they bad for transportation?
Although many rivers are long, they are very bad for transportation because they dry up, have waterfalls, and many rapids.
3. How many inches of rainfall does the Sahel receive per year?
The Sahel only receives 4 to 24 inches of rain per year.
Independent Activity
What has been the
“muddiest” point so
far in this lesson? That
is, what topic remains
the least clear to you?
(4 minutes)
Partner Activity Work with a
neighbor and compare your muddiest point with theirs. Compare what things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)