Pygmies: Getting right to the point
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/10/g912/geopygmies.html
A lesson plan for grades 9–12 English Language Arts and Social Studies
In this Xpeditions lesson, students explore the Pygmies of Africa in order to get a better sense of their culture. Students develop the skill of synthesizing and organizing information from many sources to identify, in a single paragraph, the important points that “tell the story.” Through whole group discussion, small group collaboration and independent practice, this lesson introduces students to writing for different purposes and the research process.
Students will:
- locate on a map where many African Pygmies live;
- identify basic characteristics of Pygmy culture;
- identify unique physical characteristics of Pygmies; and
- identify, summarize, and synthesize critical information from articles and photographs.
Xpeditions provides links to necessary web resources on Africa and the Pygmy people, detailed instructions for completing the lesson, and suggestions for assessment and extension activities.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 9
- Goal 1: The learner will express reflections and reactions to print and non-print text and personal experiences.
- Objective 1.03: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
- selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
- identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
- providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
- demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
- summarizing key events and/or points from text.
- making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
- identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
- analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
- identifying and analyzing elements of expressive environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
- Objective 1.03: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
- Goal 2: The learner will explain meaning, describe processes, and answer research questions to inform an audience.
- Objective 2.01: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print informational texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
- selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
- identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
- providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
- demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
- summarizing key events and/or points from text.
- making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
- identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
- analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
- identifying and analyzing elements of informational environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
- Objective 2.02: Explain commonly used terms and concepts that:
- clearly state the subject to be defined.
- classify the terms and identify distinguishing characteristics.
- organize ideas and details effectively.
- use description, comparison, figurative language, and other appropriate strategies purposefully to elaborate ideas.
- demonstrate a clear sense of audience and purpose.
- Objective 2.04: Form and refine a question for investigation, using a topic of personal choice, and answer that question by:
- deciding upon and using appropriate methods such as interviews with experts, observations, finding print and non-print sources, and using interactive technology or media.
- prioritizing and organizing the information.
- incorporating effective media and technology to inform or explain.
- report (in written and/or presentational form) the research in an appropriate form for a specified audience.
- Objective 2.01: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print informational texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
- Goal 4: The learner will create and use standards to critique communication.
- Objective 4.03: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print critical texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
- selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
- identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
- providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
- demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
- summarizing key events and/or points from text.
- making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
- identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
- analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
- identifying and analyzing elements of critical environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
- Objective 4.03: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print critical texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
Social Studies (2003)
Grade 11–12 — Advanced Placement World History
- Goal 1: Historical Themes, Tools, and Practices – The learner will identify, evaluate and use the methods and tools valued by historians, compare the views of historians, and trace the themes of global history.
- Objective 1.06: Identify cultural and intellectual developments and interactions among and within societies.
Grade 11–12 — Sociology
- Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate an understanding of the nature of culture and the role it plays for the individual and for society.
- Objective 2.01: Identify and apply the elements of culture.
- Objective 2.02: Compare and contrast various cultures of the world.
- Goal 3: The learner will develop an understanding of social interaction and social structure.
- Objective 3.04: Discuss how the social structure of a culture affects social interaction.
Grade 9
- Goal 1: Historical Tools and Practices - The learner will identify, evaluate, and use the methods and tools valued by historians, compare the views of historians, and trace the themes of history.
- Objective 1.04: Define the themes of society, technology, economics, politics, and culture and relate them to the study of history.
- Objective 1.06: Examine the indicators of civilization, including writing, labor specialization, cities, technology, trade, and political and cultural institutions.



