You will learn
- Describe the founding and aims of the AU.
- State membership and headquarters.
- Name key organs.
- Describe Agenda 2063.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- The AU replaced the OAU in 2002.
- It has 55 member states.
- Its aims include unity, peace and development.
- Agenda 2063 is its long-term vision.
Words to know
a continental organisation of African states, founded in 2002
the AU’s long-term plan for Africa’s growth and unity over fifty years
bringing countries closer through shared rules, trade and links
relating to the unity of African peoples and countries
1. Discover: The house with fifty-five rooms
Ms Smith draws a house with fifty-five rooms. “This is the African Union,” she says. “It began in 2002 in Durban, taking over from the Organisation of African Unity that was founded in 1963 in Addis Ababa. Its 55 member states work together on peace, trade, health and rights. In 2013 it launched Agenda 2063, a fifty-year plan for a prosperous, integrated and peaceful Africa. Its headquarters are still in Addis Ababa.” She adds that the AU faces challenges, such as funding, different national interests and security problems, which are widely discussed.
Think: What might be the benefits of having one continental organisation?
2. Understand: African Union introduction
Idea 1: From OAU to AU
The Organisation of African Unity was founded in 1963 as many countries became independent. In 2002 it became the African Union (AU), with more emphasis on integration, development and human rights. The AU has 55 member states and its headquarters are in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Idea 2: Organs and goals
Key organs include the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, the Executive Council, the AU Commission, the Pan-African Parliament, the Peace and Security Council and the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Aims include unity, peace and security, economic integration, democracy and respect for human rights.
Idea 3: Agenda 2063
Agenda 2063, adopted in 2013, is a long-term vision for Africa’s transformation by 2063. It includes goals such as a continental free trade area, better infrastructure, education, and peace. Progress and challenges, including funding and differing national priorities, are debated, and we study them without taking sides.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): State
The year the AU was founded.
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: 2002.
Example 2 (We do it together): State
The AU headquarters.
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: Addis Ababa.
Example 3 (You try): Name
The AU’s long-term plan.
Show the steps and answer
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: Agenda 2063.
Did you know?
Africa Day is celebrated every year on 25 May, marking the founding of the OAU in 1963.
Why this matters
Knowing about the AU helps us understand how African countries work together.
4. Explore: AU fact file
Using a teacher-approved fact pack, complete a fact file on the AU (founding dates, headquarters, members, three aims, two organs, one goal in Agenda 2063). Then write a short paragraph on how the AU might help trade between neighbours.
- Read.
- Complete.
- Write.
- Share.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? The AU works at a continental level.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The AU was founded in ___.
- The AU has ___ members.
- Agenda 2063 is ___.
- Integration is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. When was the AU founded?
2002.
Question 2. How many members?
55.
Question 3. What is Agenda 2063?
Long-term plan.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- When was the AU founded?
- How many members?
- What is Agenda 2063?
- What is integration?
- Where is HQ?
Level 2: Grow
- Why an AU?
- Why a plan?
- Why debate?
Level 3: Stretch
- Read the pack.
- Complete the file.
- Write a paragraph.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Explain what the AU is and one aim.
Show a sample answer
Continental organisation; unity and development.
Another one. Find Addis Ababa on a map with an adult.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: The AU succeeded and broadened it.
Fix: It has 55 members.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can describe the founding and aims of the AU.
- I can state membership and headquarters.
- I can name key organs.
- I can describe Agenda 2063.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- The AU replaced the OAU in 2002.
- It has 55 member states.
- Its aims include unity, peace and development.
- Agenda 2063 is its long-term vision.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Regional organisations such as ECOWAS. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- State when the AU was founded and where its headquarters are. [2 marks]
- Name three AU aims. [3 marks]
- Explain the change from OAU to AU. [3 marks]
- Explain one goal of Agenda 2063. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- 2002 [1]; Addis Ababa [1]
- Three [3]
- OAU [1]; AU [1]; reason [1]
- Goal [1]; benefit [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- When was the AU founded?
- How many members?
- What is Agenda 2063?
- What is integration?
- Where is HQ?
- Why an AU?
- Why a plan?
- Why debate?
- Read the pack.
- Complete the file.
Homework
Draw the AU house.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. When was the AU founded? | 2002. | 1 |
| 2. How many members? | 55. | 1 |
| 3. What is Agenda 2063? | Long-term plan. | 1 |
| 4. What is integration? | Closer links. | 1 |
| 5. Where is HQ? | Addis Ababa. | 1 |
| 6. Why an AU? | Unity. | 1 |
| 7. Why a plan? | Shared goals. | 1 |
| 8. Why debate? | Improve. | 1 |
| 9. Read the pack. | Read. | 1 |
| 10. Complete the file. | Complete. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 2002.; 2 55.; 3 Long-term plan.; 4 Closer links.; 5 Addis Ababa.. Level 2: 1 Unity.; 2 Shared goals.; 3 Improve.. Level 3: 1 Read.; 2 Complete.; 3 Write..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Describe the founding and aims of the AU | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 State membership and headquarters | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Name key organs | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Describe Agenda 2063 | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “The OAU and AU are the same in every way.” The AU succeeded and broadened it.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Make an AU chart.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns about the African Union. Please find Africa on a map together. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Use a map.
- Discuss unity.
- Stay neutral.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: describe the founding and aims of the AU; state membership and headquarters; name key organs; describe Agenda 2063.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 6 ideas: Africa’s regional cooperation and global connections, economic interdependence, human rights and sustainable development.
Materials. Fact packs, map. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Prepare fact packs.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Tell the house with fifty-five rooms story.
Explanation (10 min). Teach the AU.
Guided activity (10 min). AU fact file.
Independent activity (10 min). Discuss.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What is the African Union and what does it do?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with a picture, story, map or local example. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always ask “how do you know?” and invite more than one view. Treat every family, culture and community with respect, and never ask learners to share private information.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures, maps, real objects and short sentences, and let learners work with a partner. Let learners point, show, act or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example from their own community and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “The OAU and AU are the same in every way.” The AU succeeded and broadened it.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Make an AU chart. Enrichment. Find one new example near your home or school, draw or write about it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: NCSS standards and C3 Framework, Cambridge Primary Humanities and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Social Studies curriculum, Grade 6 Unit 10, topic 4; NCSS C3 Framework, global connections, civic and political institutions; Cambridge Lower Secondary Humanities, international cooperation; IB Primary Years Programme, sharing the planet and how we organise ourselves. These sources informed the lesson.