Thursday, May 15, 2008

Lesson Plan: Other Resources and Activities

Extension Activities

1. Research and create a timeline that illustrates the history of the British in Africa. What brought the British to the continent? What roles have they played in the development of the region? What areas are and were controlled by the British, and for what purposes?
2. The article described an episode when an outraged husband threatened to kill his wife because she had been sexually assaulted. Do you think that such a reaction is justified? Why or why not? Write a journal entry from the point of the view of either the husband or the wife, and then write a one-page reflection.
3. Write a poem - humorous or serious -- that includes as many stereotypes as possible, including a moral at the end of the poem that might suggest rethinking or challenging the act of generalizing about a group of people.


Interdisciplinary Connections

American History - Create an illustrated timeline charting the evolution of women's rights in the United States, highlighting milestones in the women's movement over the past century.


Civics - The article mentioned the lawsuit on behalf of many of the women who have claimed to be rape victims of British soldiers. How do group lawsuits or "class actions" work? What are the considerations for such suits? What are the benefits and disadvantages of such suits? What are the potential compensations for victims in rape cases? Research the guidelines that govern the terms of class action suits in Kenya, the United Kingdom or the United States.


Fine Arts - Create a fashion show detailing the different cultural attire in regions of Africa. For each fashion entry, write a description for the "script" that explains the particular event or ceremony and/or the particular season or time of year that such a fashion would be worn.


Science - What is the Samburu National Reserve? What animals are protected within the reserve? Describe the idea behind, successes of, and challenges faced by animal reserves in the wild.


Teaching with The Times

Clip articles from the newspaper that focus on a population that is challenging traditional roles or stereotypes. Write a summation of the activities and goals of these groups. Then write an analytical essay about the challenges faced when confronting these traditional roles.

Other Information on the Web

The Human Rights Watch Web site offers detailed information about women's rights in different regions of the world (http://www.hrw.org/women/).
About.com summarizes traditional gender stereotypes and suggests strategies to avoid them (http://womensissues.about.com/cs/genderstereotypes/a/aagenderstereo.htm).

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