The New York Geographic Alliance
presents
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The New
York State Geographic Alliance, in conjunction with the National
Geographic Society would like to invite New York State Educators
to Celebrate Africa during National
Geographic Awareness Week in November or at any time throughout the school
year. The Celebrate Africa initiative is the first of annual initiatives
by National Geographic which will focus on each of the continents.
We invite you to explore this website and the many links and ideas we have
made available to you, as you and your students “Celebrate Africa!”
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EDUCATOR EVENTSHere is a list of resources and opportunities for yourselves and your students to broaden your knowledge of Africa. |
• New York Geographic
Alliance GEOFEST! will be held at
Hunter College in New York City on October 21st. Visit
our webpage! • Stop by the New York Geographic Alliance both (as well as other presenters, too) at the New York State Social Studies Convention in Rochester, March 21 – 23 Visit the NYSCSS Web Site! • Do you have a local art museum? Ask if they have African art exhibits or curators who are experts in African art willing to share their expertise. • Is there a local university in your region? Many universities have African art displays, as well as dance and music presentations. • Often, local universities hold symposiums and/or workshops for area teachers or outreach programs with African specialists who will come to your school (usually for a small honorarium) • If you would like to receive a map of Africa for classroom use, please e-mail us using your school e-mail or mail us on school letterhead with your mailing information: Send us an email request! Send your request by ground mail to: Virginia Figura
New York Geographic Alliance Dept. of Geography and Planning Buffalo State College 1300 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, NY 14222 • Ask your local newspaper to carry the articles written for Geography Awareness Week, which will be available in November. The five articles will be on a general overview of Africa, Habitats, Wildlife, Contemporary Issues and Culture. Encourage your local newspapers to carry these brief and informative articles by contacting your Newspapers in Education representative. |
| COMMUNITY EVENTS This section is to provide you with ideas for showcasing your students’ work. 
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• Display any student
work on Africa at your local library. They are often looking
for items to spotlight. • Hold an African Appreciation festival at the local Boys and Girls club, or utilize local scouting associations to help host. This could also be utilized in any facility that offers an after school enrichment/study program. • Sponsor an event in conjunction with any celebrations in your community related to Africa/African heritage. • Plan an event with a local zoo. Many local zoos either have existing programs at the zoo related to Africa or will have speakers available to come to your school. |
| SCHOOL EVENTS How you can involve your school in Celebrate Africa! 
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• This is an
election year. Ask an elected official to speak to your
classes about African issues, economic development, AIDS, human rights,
Darfur, etc. • Contact your local hospitals. Are there any health care professionals who have participated in Doctors without Borders or similar programs who would be willing to speak to your classes? • Contact the Peace Corp. Are there any former African volunteers in your area? • Sponsor an all school event; each class can take a hallway to celebrate Africa with music, food, art, map displays. • Use morning announcements to give a proverb a day or an African greeting celebrating the variety of African languages. • Sponsor a fund raiser for the American Red Cross Measles Initiative which combats Measles and Malaria in Africa and other parts of the world, or other worthy causes. (http://www.measlesinitiative.org/index3.asp) Use the fundraiser to showcase what students know about Africa with billboards and displays. • Have older students read /perform books about Africa to younger students. • Have a poster contest on topics of interest to varying levels, ie; habitat, culture, problems. Approach your local newspaper to help sponsor such a contest and publish the winners. • Invite someone from Africa to come and speak to students. Often churches are good resources for this. • Use your university to get connected with their International Programs to find speakers as well. |
| WEBSITES Connect to one of these websites to learn more about Africa
and Geography Awareness Week.
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• http://www.buffalostate.edu/orgs/NYGA.
Please contact this website for a wealth of links to other Africa specific
sites. • http://www.ngsednet.org/ Since National Geographic is underwriting this program, please be sure to investigate their website. You will be asked to ‘join’, and it requires nothing more than your school e-mail and address. Be sure to log on when you have a big, hot cup of coffee and some time to explore because it is a vast treasure trove of information! Be sure to avail yourselves of the National Geographic subscription for educators for $1 per month! • http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/. In conjunction with the Ednet site, this site provides maps, activities and lessons adaptable from 2nd to 12th grade. • https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/index.html This is a most interesting site which proves through the use of DNA that all humans are descended from a group of African ancestors. • http://cgi.nationalgeographic.com/channel/video/cgi-bin/NGPortal.pl?bitrate=400k is the site for the Mega-flyover. This is a MUST if you have video capabilities. If you have trouble with this link, search the National Geographic site for ‘Megaflyover Africa’ • http://www9.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/wildcamafrica/index.html If you want your students to explore the wildlife of Africa, take them to Pete’s Pond in Mashatu, Botswana. This is a real-time video of a watering hole. They are awaiting parts for the camera as I write this (September, 2006) but hope it will be functional very soon. • http://blackboard.ocmboces.org/bin/common/category.pl?type=COURSE&category_id=_46_1 This website is a collection of photos and lessons created by 12 Central New York Teachers who traveled to South Africa for 5 weeks during the summer of 2004. When you get to the website, scroll down to “South Africa.” Do not search, it won’t let you. There are also some wonderful links within the site which were compiled by Colleen Zawadzki. This is worth a look. • http://www.mywonderfulworld.org While this website is not specifically focused on Africa, it is a wonderful place to get your students ‘tuned in’ to geography. Check it out! |
| MEDIA COVERAGE |
If
you are able to pursue any of these activities, we would LOVE
to hear from you. Take photos! Invite the press! Just
let us know! How?? Click on the link below and fill out the simple form. We will forward your news on to National Geographic. You can send it to Gail Goff via email or by surface mail. Download the Activity Report Form! |
How many of the flags shown on this webpage can you recognize? Click here to see the answers!
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