Safari Cartography Teacher GuideSafari Cartography Teacher Facilitation Guide Duration 50 MIN Mission Objectives Identify major landforms including the Great Rift Valley, Congo Basin, and Sahara Desert. Distinguish between Sub-Saharan Africa's primary biomes: tropical rainforest, savanna, and desert. Analyze how physical geography influences population distribution and economic activity. Essential Supplies • Expedition Africa Slides • Field Notes Worksheet (1 per student) • Colored pencils (Green, Yellow, Brown) • Basin and Range Exit Ticket Expedition Pacing 0-5 MIN Base Camp: The Hook Display the "Mental Map" slide. Ask students to list three things they imagine when they think of "Africa." Briefly discuss how many images are Sub-Saharan vs. North African (Sahara divide). 5-20 MIN The Grand Tour: Physical Features Direct Instruction using the slide deck. Focus on the "Plateau Continent" concept. Key Talking Point: Why are there so many waterfalls in Africa? (Answer: Escarpments and the plateau nature of the continent make rivers drop suddenly). 20-35 MIN Biome Blitz: Savanna to Sea Students begin the Field Notes Worksheet. They must color-code their map based on the slides showing biomes. Circulate to check for accuracy between the Rainforest (Congo) and Savanna (Serengeti). 35-45 MIN Human Connection: Settlement Patterns Discussion: Look at a population density map. Ask students why people live where they do. Connect the Great Rift Valley's fertile soil to high population density in East Africa. 45-50 MIN Debrief: Exit Ticket Distribute the Basin and Range Exit Ticket. Students must identify one physical feature and how it affects the people living near it. Support Provide a "Word Bank" for the worksheet (e.g., Serengeti, Sahel, Escarpment). Use the "Visual Clues" on slides to help students identify biome types without reading dense text. Extension Ask advanced learners to research the "Great Green Wall" initiative in the Sahel and explain how it combats desertification through physical geography modification.
Expedition Africa SlidesExpedition Report Safari Cartography Exploring the Physical Landscapes of Sub-Saharan Africa The Plateau Continent 01 / GEOLOGY Escarpments Most of Africa sits on a high, flat plateau. The edges drop off sharply into coastal plains. These steep cliffs are called escarpments. Cataracts Because of the plateau, rivers tumble over the edges in massive waterfalls and rapids called cataracts. "Africa is like an inverted saucer." Great Rift Valley 02 / LANDFORMS A giant crack in the Earth's crust stretching 4,000 miles from the Jordan River to Mozambique. Volcanoes Home to Mt. Kilimanjaro (highest peak in Africa). Deep Lakes Lake Tanganyika is one of the deepest freshwater lakes on Earth. 4,000 Miles Long Water Lifelines 03 / HYDROLOGY NILE World's longest river; flows North to the Mediterranean. CONGO Largest river system in Sub-Saharan Africa; crosses the equator twice. NIGER Vital for West Africa; forms an inland delta in Mali. ZAMBEZI Home to Victoria Falls ("The Smoke that Thunders"). Climate & Biomes 04 / ECOSYSTEMS Rainforest Hot & humid. Heavy rainfall. Found in the Congo Basin. Savanna Grasslands with scattered trees. Distinct wet and dry seasons. Desert Kalahari & Namib. Extremely arid. Adapted wildlife. The Sahel The transition zone between the Sahara (North) and the Savanna (South). Warning: Desertification The desert is expanding southward due to overgrazing and climate change. Environmental Focus Area
Field Notes WorksheetField Notes: Sub-Saharan Africa Official Expedition Record & Map Analysis Explorer: Expedition Date: I. Expedition Glossary Define the following terms as we explore the "Plateau Continent." Escarpment Cataract Desertification The Sahel II. Cartographic Assignment Identify the location of these key features on your mental map or provided classroom map: Great Rift Valley Mt. Kilimanjaro Congo Basin Kalahari Desert Mapping Prompt: "Explain why most of Africa's major rivers are not easily navigable for long distances from the coast inland." Sketch or Annotate your Regional Map Here (Label the Nile, Congo, Niger, and Zambezi Rivers) III. Biome Observations Complete the table based on the slide presentation. Biome TypeDefining ClimateTypical VegetationTropical RainforestSavannaSemi-Arid (Sahel)
Basin and Range Exit TicketBasin & Range Expedition Exit Ticket Explorer Name: 1. The "Saucer" Effect Briefly explain how the plateau nature of the African continent affects its rivers and waterfalls. 2. Human Impact Which of the following best describes the Great Rift Valley's impact on human settlement? It acts as a barrier that prevents any trade between East and West Africa. It provides fertile soil and deep lakes, supporting dense populations. It is a desert region where human life is nearly impossible. 3. Final Reflection Identify one way that desertification in the Sahel might change the lives of people living there. Geography Unit: Africa Lesson 01 Complete
