Lending Library for Educators

The African Studies Center has books and other materials available for teachers to borrow for their classes. Fiction and non-fiction works, for ages kindergarten through high school are available. The ASC will pay shipping both directions. To borrow any of these materials, please contact Stacey Sewall with your request. Search:
Books or Films.

Senegal Culture Kit

Filled with hands on objects used in everyday life in Senegal, this kit was designed in consultation with K-12 educators. Also in the kit are instructions for games, art projects, and recipes. The kit is free to borrow for K-12 teachers and shipping is included. Detailed info and photos of all the objects, as well as ordering information, can be found on our Culture Kit page.

Resources

The ASC has gathered useful articles, maps, and online resources for K-12 and Community College faculty. Topics include: "Sufi Islam in Senegal," "Guidelines for Teaching World Cultures," and "Instructions for Creating a Google Earth Tour," as well as many others. Please visit our Outreach Resources page to view the materials or to suggest other materials you have found useful.

Legacy of Timbuktu

Teaching Timbuktu: Training and Resources for the Legacy of Timbuktu Exhibit, Cameron Village Library, Raleigh, NC, January 23-29, 2010. The ancient city of Timbuktu was a center of scholarly activity in the Islamic world. View Distance Learning Teacher Training for background information on the exhibit, teacher resources, and the opportunity to earn up to 3 CEUs.

Events for Educators

AFRI 101 for Teachers
The UNC-CH Department of African Studies offers an "Introduction to African Studies for Educators." This is a semester-long, full-credit, content-rich course designed for experienced, lateral entry, and pre-service teachers across the state, which provides knowledge of historical and contemporary Africa. Partial scholarships are available. Course Information

K-12 and Community College Global Education Symposium:
21st-Century Skills for the Global Economy (October 14-15, 2009)
Cost (North Carolina Educators): Registration is $150 per person. A Team of 4 is $500 (save $100). A Team is comprised of 4 or more individuals from a school, community college, or district. Only $125 for each additional Team member. To register, please visit the World View website.

Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad in Senegal
Exploring West Africa: Spotlight on Senegal
Tentative Dates: Pre-departure orientation: June 30-July 2, 2010; Program in Senegal: July 3-31, 2010
Eligible participants: U.S. teachers, administrators and media/resource specialists at the secondary education level. Participants will deepen their knowledge of Senegalese history and culture through a series of interactive lectures, field trips, readings and discussions. During the course of the four weeks, participants will be based in the capital city Dakar, hosted by the West African Research Center. They will also travel to key sites in Senegal including Gorée Island; the holy cities of Touba and Tivaouane; Saint Louis, the former capital of French West Africa; and Kaolack in the Saloum region. Travel will include visits to Quranic schools, secular schools, universities, and non-governmental organizations focused on improving children’s educational opportunities. There will also be interactive workshops in drumming and dance, with participants learning through oral tradition. The first-hand experience gained from this program will be immediately applicable in the classroom and in building curricula, especially to those teaching subjects in Social Studies, Arts and Music, and Language Arts. Having completed the program, participants will be able to share with their students and colleagues a deeper understanding of this West African country and its relevance to world events. For more info please visit the program site.

North Carolina Council for the Social Studies 40th Anniversary Conference
February 24-26, 2010, Greensboro, NC
Conference Theme: Dreams and Deeds – The Civic Mission of Schools. Registration due by Friday, January 22, 2010. Please visit http://ncsocialstudies.org/conferences/ for more information.    Registration form available here.

Movie Tickets

The ASC has teamed with the Galaxy Theatre in Cary to provide Educators with free movie tickets to Africa-focused films. We'll keep you posted via the ASC Outreach Listserv on African films that are being shown. For more information and to request a free ticket, please contact Stacey Sewall.

Funding

Funding is periodically available to assist Educators with the costs of attending conferences, study trips, and related events. Approximately $1000 was awarded in 2008. Please check back for updated funding availability or join our Outreach Listserv to receive funding and program announcements.

Film Library

The ASC has films available for K-12 Educators and college faculty to borrow free of charge. The ASC will pay for shipping both directions. Ordering Information and available titles.

Lesson Plans

In 2007, fifteen N.C. educators came together at a workshop sponsored by World View to discuss contemporary issues in Islamic Africa. The teachers created lesson plans for their students based on the content of the workshop. The lesson plans available here are those developed by the participants.