The Africa Society of the National Summit on Africa, the United States Agency for International Development, and the Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership have partnered with Discovery Education to make the film Africa Today available for free for classroom use by teachers and students at www.ExploreAfricaToday.com.
Capturing the journey and experiences of six teachers and students from Los Angeles who travel to Uganda to engage in a cultural exchange with African teachers and students, Africa Today documents frank and open discussions regarding stereotypes and preconceived notions about both cultures. Teachers and students from both continents learn how their counterparts handle cell phones in the classroom, discover familiar slang terms through exchanges between Ugandan and American students, and hear Ugandan and American students discuss their favorite types of music, highlighting connections to their respective cultures.
To help teachers maximize this resource, Discovery Education has created a series of companion lesson plans correlated to topics presented in Africa Today. Suitable for use in high school classrooms, these lesson plans aid educators teaching topics such as arts and culture, media and politics, science and technology, and the environment.
Africa Today also is available through Discovery Education streaming. In addition, the film is being distributed to teachers and students in Africa to share knowledge and understanding of cultural differences and similarities.
"Africa Today brings this beautiful, complicated and misunderstood continent to life for students and teachers alike," said Jocelyn Chadwick, Discovery Education Director of Curriculum Development. "Together, this video and the accompanying lesson plans create a fantastic program that can engage students on a host of relevant cultural topics."
