Discover Africa

Things to Learn and Do
Choose some aspect of Africa to research and report about. (You may use any sources of interest to you. You may also click on the added links for some great helps.)

African related things to submerse your thinking and learning may include:
-Animals of the desert
-Egyptian Hieroglyphics, how to read and decipher them.
-The island of Madagascar
-learn about the Masai people and make a Masai shield or spear. The Masai of Kenya have long been known for their warrior abilities and the traditional red, black, and white shield can be easily made in replica from cardboard and paint, you can use stickes shells and bells too to dress them up even more.
-Learn about the Shona people. The Shona are known for their sculptures in soapstone. Practice carving. Make your own scupture from a bar of Ivory soap.
-Learn about the Asanti, or Zulu people
- Learn about the various languages spoken in Africa.
-Learn about Camels. Write your own story about an African Adventure with a Camel.
-Research and report on the pyramids of Egypt. Visit a pyramid on the internet. Make your own pyramid or mummy. (Mummy ideas: mummy no. 1, mummy no 2)
-Learn about the path of the Nile River
-Learn what it takes to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain!
-learn about a little known African tribe
- Interview someone who has been to Africa -Deserts of the world- The Kalahari and the Sahara deserts are in Africa
-Study and learn about Elephants
-research an African country
-discover and research an unusual, little known or extinct animal of Africa
-make and play and African instrument (drums)
-Learn to play an African game, like Mancala or Kudoda, (see below)


LEARN KUDODA
Kudoda is played with rock or marbles. To learn you need three marbles. Keep track of your marbles... you do not want to “loose your marbles!” and most of all be sure they are safe from children or pets who might eat them or put them in their mouths.

To play, lay the marbles on a carpet (or grass) in front of you. Gently toss (and be very careful... do not toss the marble too high and do not hit anyone or anything with a flying marble!) one marble into the air and try to catch it. When you have mastered this then you are ready to toss the marble in the air and pick up another before catching the one you threw. When you have mastered this you may be ready to toss one up and pick up the other two before you catch the one you threw. When you have mastered this....and have some friends who have mastered it too, you can play the real game.

KUKODA
Players sit in a circle. In the middle of the circle is a bowl of marbles. Players take turns in the middle, tossing one marble and seeing how many marbles they can pluck from the bowl before catching the one they tossed. High score wins!


MANCALA RULES

Mancala may be the oldest game in known history! There are many ways to play Mancala, but it is best to play with people who play the same game you do. Be sure to make sure everyone is a bit familiar with the rules before beginning the game.

Object: 2 players compete against each other to collect as many marbles as they can before one of the players clears his side of the egg carton of all its marbles.

Place the mancala board, (egg carton0 between the 2 players, lengthwise. (if you ha e made your own board, place the cup or can for your "mancala" at each end. ) The Mancala indentation (or tuna can) to your right is yours. Place 4 marbles in each of the wells on the board (or in the empty egg cups) . Choose a player to go first.

The first player picks up all the marbles in one of his cups. (any one on his own side of the board.) The player then starts to the first cup to the right and starts dropping one marble in each. If he reaches the end of his side, he is to drop one marble in his Mancala, then continue around to the other side of the board. He is not, however, to drop a marble in his opponent's Mancala.

If the player places his last marble in his own Mancala, the player gets to play again. Example: If you start the game, a good play may be to choose the cup that is located 4th from the right. You would pick up 4 marbles, dropping one in each cup and ending in your Mancala. This gives you an extra turn.

If the player drops his last marble on his side of the board in an empty cup, he captures all the marbles in his opponent's bin directly across from that bin. All captured marbles, plus the capturing marble, gets put in the player's Mancala.

NOTE:
Players are not allowed to touch marbles in order to count them. If you touch your marbles, you are to play that cup.

The game ends when one player runs out of marbles on his side of the egg carton.

When the game ends, the other player gets to take all his stones from his side of the egg carton and place in his own Mancala. Strategy sets in by determining whether it is wiser to go out, or play longer, depending on how many stones are in the opposing players cups.