The Mystery of Medieval Africa
WebQuest on Medieval Africa
Created by
Miss Poletti, Mrs. Patterson, & Ms. Russac, Buckley Country Day School - March 2001

Introduction | The Tasks | Resources | The Process | #Project | Conclusion |

On your journey, you and your team of explorers will visit one of the following African kingdoms: Ghana, Mali, or Songhai. Each group will explore the kingdom using the Internet, textbook, and library resources. Teamwork is necessary for the expedition to succeed. The role of each explorer is to examine one important aspect of their kingdom.

The Quest: What characteristics influenced your African kingdom?

Resources: Use only the Internet links listed below to find information for your African kingdom. The links were carefully selected to meet the task of answering the questions for each explorer's role. Be creative in exploring the information so that you answer these questions as fully and insightfully as you can.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Individual explorers for each kingdom will meet as a group to decide which roles they will take to complete the WebQuest.

2. Explorers should read the information in the links provided for this project.

3. Remember to write down the URL of the Web site you use in order to properly list your source of information on your bibliography, and in case you need to go back to find out more information.

4. Stay focused on the role you have chosen. The group can only succeed if each explorer completes its task.

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to geography:

1. Where was your kingdom located? Show where your kingdom is located on a map.

2. What were its natural surroundings?

3. How did geography affect your kingdom?

4. How did your kingdom change its environment?

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to history:

1. How did your kingdom begin? Provide specific dates.

2. What factors led to the growth of your kingdom?

3. Who were the important people?

4. What caused the decline of your kingdom? When?

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to daily life in the kingdom:

1. Was agriculture important in their economy? Why?

2. Did they use money? Was trade important?

3. Who were their trading partners? What did they trade?

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to religion and art.

1. Were the people religious?

2. What were their beliefs?

3. What types of art were created? Find examples of the type of art.

4. Identify the architecture of the kingdom. What types of
buildings did they have? How were they used?

Each explorer in the group has researched their African kingdom from a different point of view. You must all now answer the Task / Quest(ion) as a group: What geographic, historic, economic and cultural characteristics influenced your African kingdom? The panel of explorers from each kingdom will present their findings to the class.

 Conclusion

As explorers, you have just uncovered the mysteries of Medieval African kingdoms. You have learned a lot about the different aspects of society during this time in history, and should be ready to share your work with the class.