African Masks

African Masks
7th Grade
Social Studies

"The use of masks is based on social customs, conventions, and religious observances that are common to all mankind. Persons are usually recognized most easily by their faces, and so the face can be thought to represent the whole person. Putting on a mask, then, is often seen as becoming another person or being—replacing one face with another." (Encyclopedia Britannica)

1. TASK

Topic Question: Each year, we have created African masks at JMS. How could our class use the African masks to represent the African countries Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Sudan?

Research Questions:

What is important to present about each country?
Do we have any tools that could help us select the best information about each country? (What are 5 Concepts?)
Since our "museum visitors" will not understand the symbols on our masks, what could we provide to explain our art?

4 Concept Questions:

Conflict and Change
1. Did my country experience a nationalistic movement that led to independence? (WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, HOW, and WHY)
2. What conflicts/issues is my country facing? (examples: corruption, disease, economic struggles, and war)
3. What leaders are important to my country?
Culture
1. What ethnic groups and/or tribes exist/existed in my country? (Arab, Ashanti, Swahili, Bantu, etc.)
2. List the religious groups found in your country and explain their belief systems
3. What is the literacy rate? Why is this important?
Human Environmental Interaction
1. What environmental problems exist in my country?
2. How do humans and population impact your country's environment?
3. How does water pollution and distribution impact your country?
4. What is the soil quality (arable land) of my country? Describe how your country is affected by deforestation and desertification.

Location/Resources

What are the important physical features in your country and how do these features impact your country (examples: population, ability to trade, etc.)?

What climates/biomes are in my country? (desert/rainforest/savannah, etc.)

What natural resources are in my country?

Economically, what does your country specialize in?

2. FIND INFORMATION

Here are the recommended websites, books, and magazines to help you find the answers to your questions:

Your best resource is your textbook. For additional information:

Encyclopedia Britannica Online (search by country)
World Data Analyst (Ethnic and religious groups, literacy rate, natural resources, exports)
InfoPlease Countries
PBS regions of Africa
ThinkQuest regions of Africa
Environmental Outlook on Africa
Conserve Africa Environment (by country)

Subject books and Encyclopedias available on table/cart!

3. USE INFORMATION

Record your notes using the following Note-taking organizer.
Re-read your notes. Decide what information is most important to representing your country.
Create an informational "museum plaque" to hang beside your mask. You should have AT LEAST one handwritten (or 1/2 typed) page about your mask. More importantly, make sure all four Concepts are fully answered for museum viewers. Remember to use transitions to make your writing flow!
As an artist, prepare a short museum lecture on your mask (1-2 minutes). Tell the story of your mask, but remember--it must be based on your research! Also remember that you want to "entertain" your museum visitors - don't bore them with lists of information!

4. EVALUATE

African Mask Rubric - Use this Rubric to check your work BEFORE you begin and BEFORE you turn in your final product!

	Exceeds	Meets	Barely Meets	Does Not Meet
Ideas (40 pts)	My mask creatively demonstrates the Concepts. My informational plaque fully covers the Concepts. I am able to fully describe my mask design to the museum audience.	My mask demonstrates the Concepts. My information plaque covers the Concepts. I am able to describe my mask design to the museum audience.	My mask has some of the Concepts. My informational plaque does not include all of the Concepts. I am able to describe some of my mask design to the museum audience.	My mask is not based on the Concepts. My information paper covers less than 2 Concepts. I cannot describe my design to the museum audience.
	40 36	35 32	31 28	24
Organization (20 pts)	My notes on the Concepts are organized neatly in the note-taking chart. I completed a detailed mask design BEFORE I began working on the final product.	My notes on the Concepts are organized in the note-taking chart. I completed a mask design BEFORE I began working on the final product.	Some of my notes on the Concepts are listed in the note-taking chart. I completed a mask design after I began working on the final product.	I did not organize my notes into the note-taking chart. I did not complete a mask design before I began working on the final product.
	20 18	17 16	15 14	12
Style (20 pts)	My mask is creative and unique. I am able to discuss each design on my mask with interesting facts and/or stories. The museum visitors enjoy listening to my explanation of the design.	My mask is creative. I am able to discuss each design on my mask with some facts and/or stories. The museum visitors enjoy listening to my explanation of the design.	My mask is somewhat creative. I am able to explain some of the designs with a few facts. The museum visitors are somewhat bored listening to my explanations of the design.	My mask did not creatively express the Concepts. I was not able to explain any of the designs with facts or stories. The museum visitors fell asleep listening to my explanations of the design.
	20 18	17 16	15 14	12
GUMS (20 pts)	I took risks in sentence structure and complexity in my information plaque. I chose the best sentence formation to convey my meaning. I made some errors in my draft but these were corrected in my final edit.	I made some errors, perhaps by taking risks and using interesting words or sentences. I usually chose the best sentence formation to convey my meaning.	My spelling is correct on common words. Some errors in grammar and punctuation. Little risks were taken in sentence formation and structure.	Frequent errors are distracting.
	20 18	17 16	15 14	12