Africa Projects: Select One
1. Tracing the Sound: African music has found its way into many types of popular music
that American listen to today. Choose a type of music that has been influenced
significantly by African culture, such as jazz, gospel, rap or blues. Through research,
trace the history and development of that music, from its African roots to its
contemporary form. Find several examples of the music, and play selections for your
classmates. Create handouts that illustrate the African influences in your selections.
2. Theme collage: Select one theme that is prevalent in Things Fall Apart, such as war,
anger, fear, tradition, change or cultural conflict. Select a minimum of ten quotes from
the novel that illustrate the theme, and place them on a collage, including photographs
that also illustrate the theme.
3. Imagine you have just won an all-expenses-paid, month-long trip to Africa. You can
spend as much money as you want, but you need to plan the trip. Use the internet to
research your travel plans. Plan to present to the class in a creative, visual manner. You
will need to decide:
-what cities you will visit (3 ore more places)
-what you will do in each place
-how you will get there
-where you will stay
-what official documents you will need to take
-what health or safety precautions you need to take
-what you need to know about the language and culture of the places you visit
-what the rules are for buying things in Africa and bringing them home
-how much your trip will cost
-include one day of service in which you contribute aid to any need in Africa
4. The Screen Version: Bring a scene from Things Fall Apart to life for your class by
videotaping your production of it. Create a script based on dialogue or description in
the novel. Research and gather costumes and tape your scene in a locale as closely in
keeping with the setting of the novel as your circumstances allow.
5. Part 1: Imagine the District Commissioner is able to devote one chapter to Okonkwo in
his new book. Given his observations and bias, what did he write? Write that chapter
from his point of view. Part 2: Imagine Okonkwo wrote a suicide note to his village
Umofia. Use quotes and evidence from the story, as well as your own inferences, to
write that letter.
6. Research genocide in Africa, specifically Rwanda and Darfur. Why is there a conflict,
what peoples are being killed, and what are the details of the wars? Additionally, what
is being done to aid the struggling villages? How can we help? Compile your
information into a commercial-style presentation with the hopes of persuading your
peers to take action.
7. BYOP: Don’t like the choices above? Bring your idea to Mrs. Morgan for approval and
you can create your own project! Be sure to get approval first or no credit will be given.
Africa Projects: Select One
1. Tracing the Sound: African music has found its way into many types of popular music
that American listen to today. Choose a type of music that has been influenced
significantly by African culture, such as jazz, gospel, rap or blues. Through research,
trace the history and development of that music, from its African roots to its
contemporary form. Find several examples of the music, and play selections for your
classmates. Create handouts that illustrate the African influences in your selections.
2. Theme collage: Select one theme that is prevalent in Things Fall Apart, such as war,
anger, fear, tradition, change or cultural conflict. Select a minimum of ten quotes from
the novel that illustrate the theme, and place them on a collage, including photographs
that also illustrate the theme.
3. Imagine you have just won an all-expenses-paid, month-long trip to Africa. You can
spend as much money as you want, but you need to plan the trip. Use the internet to
research your travel plans. Plan to present to the class in a creative, visual manner. You
will need to decide:
-what cities you will visit (3 ore more places)
-what you will do in each place
-how you will get there
-where you will stay
-what official documents you will need to take
-what health or safety precautions you need to take
-what you need to know about the language and culture of the places you visit
-what the rules are for buying things in Africa and bringing them home
-how much your trip will cost
-include one day of service in which you contribute aid to any need in Africa
4. The Screen Version: Bring a scene from Things Fall Apart to life for your class by
videotaping your production of it. Create a script based on dialogue or description in
the novel. Research and gather costumes and tape your scene in a locale as closely in
keeping with the setting of the novel as your circumstances allow.
5. Part 1: Imagine the District Commissioner is able to devote one chapter to Okonkwo in
his new book. Given his observations and bias, what did he write? Write that chapter
from his point of view. Part 2: Imagine Okonkwo wrote a suicide note to his village
Umofia. Use quotes and evidence from the story, as well as your own inferences, to
write that letter.
6. Research genocide in Africa, specifically Rwanda and Darfur. Why is there a conflict,
what peoples are being killed, and what are the details of the wars? Additionally, what
is being done to aid the struggling villages? How can we help? Compile your
information into a commercial-style presentation with the hopes of persuading your
peers to take action.
7. BYOP: Don’t like the choices above? Bring your idea to Mrs. Morgan for approval and
you can create your own project! Be sure to get approval first or no credit will be given.