Prelude to Colonisation and Colonial Rule

Enquiry Routes: In what years were World War I (WWI) and World War II (WWII) fought? Who were the factions of the wars? How did the wars involve Africans? Where was the WWI and WWII fought especially in Africa? What role did Africans play in the Word Wars?
Project-Based Learning: With the help of the internet, learners research and create a chronological timeline to show the major historical events in Africa and the world between 1910s to 1940s including the beginning and end of the WWI and WWII.
Technology Enhanced Active Learning (TEAL): Learners watch documentaries and discuss in small groups how Africans were drawn into WWI and WWII.
Experiential Learning: Learners re-enact the participation of African soldiers in WWI and WWII and debrief with a discussion on the role of African soldiers in the World Wars.
Collaborative Learning:
- In mixed-ability groups, learners create a presentation on the role Africans played in WWI and WWII including supply of soldiers, financial support, supply of foodstuffs, supply of raw materials, etc.
- In mixed-gender groups (where possible), learners examine the role African women played in WWI and WWII.
- In small groups, learners create a mind map to explain the impact of the World Wars on political developments in Africa, including constitutional reforms, formation of political parties, quest for self-government, etc.
- In a Jigsaw activity, learners talk about the impact of World War I and World War II on the social developments in Africa including developments in higher education, health care, Africanisation of the civil service, etc.
- In a fishbowl activity, learners discuss impact of the World Wars on the African economy including emergence of a weak economy, increase demand for raw materials, shortage and price hikes, production of cash crops, spread of communist and capitalist ideas.
Cooperative Learning: In small groups, learners create multimedia presentations on the impact of the Second World War on nationalist movements in Africa including breaking the myth of 'superiority' of Europeans; African soldiers learning how to read and write; introduction of new ideas such quest for freedom, liberty, self-government, justice; facilitating nationalist struggles in the colonies; opposing discrimination, emergence of political parties, etc.
Teaching and Learning Resources:
- Primary sources on the Berlin Conference (old photographs, videos, documents, newspaper reports, etc.)
- A chart on the rationale for the Berlin Conference.
- Cartoons on the Berlin Conference
- Map of Africa before and after its partition.
- Internet access
- Computer/ laptop/mobile phone, speaker-out devices.
- Stationery
- A chart on the difference between Direct and Indirect Rule.
- Old African and European maps
- A chart on features of Direct and Indirect Rule.
- A resource person
- Primary sources on WWI and WWII (old photographs, videos, newspaper reports, etc.)
- Documentaries on WWI and WWII
- A chart on impact of the World Wars on Africa
Assessment (3.3.3.AS.3). The document marks these depth-of-knowledge levels for this indicator: Level 3 Strategic reasoning; Level 4 Extended critical thinking and reasoning.