SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

• Introduce the country of Mali. Use a large world wall and have students locate the continent of Africa and the country of Mali. Discuss the location and what the climate and the land is like. Discuss the location of bodies of water. Have the students brainstorm what problems the people of Mali long ago may have experienced because of its location and environment (i.e. deserts, hot and dry climate, lack of water, difficulties in farming crops, etc.).
• Give the students the black line map of Mali. Have students color in the land (brown) and water (blue). Have them make a legend/map key.
• Discuss the following background information before conducting a simulation trade activity:
  The West African Empire of Mali was a rich and powerful empire. During this time, Mali was an important trade center that lay across the trade routes between the sources of salt in the Sahara Desert and the gold mines in West Africa. People came to Mali to trade in the market places. People from Eastern Africa, Northern Africa, and regions in the south also had to pass through Mali to do their trading. The West African empire of Mali was run by a king, like many other empires in Africa and like a pharaoh in Egypt. The king of Mali controlled the trade in West Africa and put a tax on things that were sold or traded within the country of Mali. This is how the Empire of Mali became so wealthy and powerful. Mali had market places where many items were traded like the agoras in ancient Greece. West African people from the deserts in the north carried salt, copper, cloth, books, shells, and pearls to these market places to trade. Traders from the south brought gold, nuts, ivory, and slaves. The people from Mali traded their own gold and products, and managed the trade between other countries. This is why Mali became an important trade center. People went to the market places in Mali to trade things they had for items they needed or to sell things for money. Merchants often traded gold for salt. Remember, for the people of the desert, salt was an important natural resource. People used salt for their health and to preserve foods. Without salt, people would grow sick and die, especially when the climate was hot. Salt was also used as money in Mali to trade or buy other goods.
• Complete the following simulation trade activity:
  1. Choose a student to be the king of Mali. The king’s job will be to tax people that come to the market place in Mali.
  2. Divide the rest of the students into three groups:
  -people from the desert in the north (carrying rock salt, cloth, books, and shells);
  -people from the south (carrying gold nuggets and nuts); and
  -the people from Mali in the market place (had gold nuggets).
  3. Set up a market place and conduct a brief bartering/trading role-playing session. People passing through the market place may use salt rocks, gold nuggets, or coins to pay taxes to the king.
• Have students research Sundiata, the Lion King of Mali, and create a list of characteristics for the role of a king. Next, have them create a job description for an advertisement in the newspaper listing the various responsibilities involved in being king of the wealthy empire of Mali. Review and reemphasize how the location of Mali (between the sources of salt in the Sahara Desert and the gold region/mines of West Africa) made it an important trade center. The kings of Mali needed to be strong and powerful men to be able to control the trade in West Africa.
• Conduct a lesson about storytelling in Mali by conducting the following activities:
  -Ask the students if they have any family traditions centered on a special event. Have the students record a family tradition in their travel journals. Talk about these personal traditions as well as the various holidays we celebrate in the United States and their historical significance.
  -Explain that, in Mali, historical events and special occasions are honored as well. The role of the griots, or storytellers, in Mali is to preserve the history of this country by passing on its traditions with oral accounts. These accounts can be in the form of a song, poem, or riddle. The responsibility of the griot to collect, record, and share information with his fellow villagers was important to the early empire of Mali and is still valued today as a means to preserve the history and customs of this country. - Discuss that griots not only share oral accounts of historical events, but they initiate the celebration of yearly activities such as the planting and harvesting seasons as well. They will sometimes present their stories in the form of a theatrical drama and have the villagers dress up to represent certain characters. The villagers wearing the masks will not have any speaking parts; they will merely act out the motions and emotions of the story. The griot always narrates these productions and is the only one allowed to speak. The job of the griot is well respected and is passed down each generation from the griot to his oldest son.
  - Discuss the responsibilities of the griots in Mali and have the students work in small groups to research a historical event or a holiday they would like to present to the class. Next, have the students create masks out of the recycled materials to act out their accounts. Don't forget to include the griot, or narrator, in these productions.
• Create a step or flip booklet for the West African Empire of Mali. Label the steps as follows:
  -Title Page
  -Geography & Physical Characteristics
  -Human Characteristics
  -Adaptations to Environment
  -Oral Tradition
  -Government
  -Trade
  -Education
  -Glossary

WEB SITES

http://mali.pwnet.org
This site, entitled “Mali: Ancient Crossroads of Africa,” is provided by the Virginia Department of Education and has numerous links, resources, lesson plans, pictures, and maps.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ml.html
The Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook provides statistics on Mali.

http://www.uiowa.edu/~africart/toc/countries/Mali.html
Here is more statistical information about Mali.

http://www.geographia.com/mali/
This Web site has a good brief history of Mali.

http://www.worldtrek.org/odyssey/teachers/malilessons.html
Here is a unit for teachers about Malian life and history as well as its achievements and challenges.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/
storyofafrica/index_section4.shtml
The BBC World Service provides a brief summary of the West African Kingdoms.

http://www.historychannel.com/classroom/unesco/timbuktu.html
The History Channel has lessons on Timbuktu.

http://www.maliembassy-usa.org
The Embassy of the Republic of Mali Web site has current information on Mali, including the history of Mali, Exploring Mali, and Mali Interactive.

http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer
Here is a collection of graphic organizers that may be used in the unit.

http://www.sdcoe.net/score/actbank/torganiz.htm
More graphic organizers may be found at this Web site.

http://chumby.dlib.vt.edu/melissa/posters/posterset.html
Social studies curriculum resources poster sets are available here.

LITERATURE LINKS

The West African Empire of Mali: storytelling, kings, and trade

Masoff, Joy.
Mali: Land of Gold and Glory. Five Ponds Press, 2002.
This book offers a comprehensive look into the many facets of the government, culture, and lifestyles of ancient Mali.

Shuter, Jane.
Ancient West African Kingdoms. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2003.
This book provides an overview of the culture and civilizations of the ancient West African Kingdoms of Mali, Ghana, and Songhai, with emphasis on government, religion, families, trade, and history.

Wisniewski, David.
Sundiata: Lion King of Mali. New York: Clarion Books, 1992.
A read-aloud source about the West African empire of Mali told as an oral tradition.