18 weeks · Grades 5-12
African Studies
The kingdoms, trade empires, and modern nations most curricula skip.
A dedicated African Studies track that starts long before colonization: Nubia and Kush, Aksum, Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Great Zimbabwe, the Swahili coast, and the modern independence era. Students then run a nation on the actual African map inside SFC Nations, working with the real geography and resources those empires built on.
What your student will be able to do
- Name and locate major African kingdoms and their capitals
- Explain the gold-salt trade and trans-Saharan commerce
- Describe the Swahili coast trade network across the Indian Ocean
- Understand the impact of colonization and the independence movements
- Identify all 54 modern African countries and their capitals
Scope and sequence
| When | Focus | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-2 | Geography of a continent | Label the Sahara, Sahel, Congo basin, Rift Valley, and Nile |
| Weeks 3-4 | Nubia, Kush, and ancient Egypt | Compare the Nile kingdoms and explain their rivalry |
| Weeks 5-6 | Aksum and the Horn | Research Aksumite trade and write a merchant's account |
| Weeks 7-9 | Ghana, Mali, and Songhai | Model the gold-salt trade as a resource exchange in-game |
| Weeks 10-11 | Swahili coast and Great Zimbabwe | Map Indian Ocean routes and the goods that moved on them |
| Weeks 12-14 | Colonization and resistance | Study the Berlin Conference and its borders on a modern map |
| Weeks 15-18 | Independence and modern Africa | Pick a modern African nation and build it in SFC Nations |
What you need
- • Africa political and physical maps
- • Suggested reading list
- • Free SFC Nations account
- • Printable kingdom fact sheets
Unit studies in this track
African History Unit Study
6 weeks · History · Grades 5-12
Mansa Musa's gold, Timbuktu's libraries, and the Swahili coast's ships, before any of the usual story starts.
World Geography Unit Study
6 weeks · Geography · Grades 4-9
Give a student a blank map and a nation to run, and geography turns into strategy.
Printables for this track
Questions parents ask
What age is this best for?
Grades 5 and up. Younger students can join for the mapping and fact-sheet work.
Does it cover slavery and colonization?
Yes, honestly and age-appropriately, but the track deliberately begins with the kingdoms and trade empires that came first.