Grade 6 Social Studies: Africa and the Wider World
Free Grade 6 Social Studies unit on Africa and the Wider World: 10 lessons in order. Includes practice questions and answer keys.
10 lessons in this unit
Africa’s physical geography
Describe Africa’s size (about 30 million square kilometres, second largest continent), position across the Equator, and major physical features (the Sahara, Sahel, savanna, rainforest, Great Rift Valley, Ethiopian Highlands, Atlas Mountains, Kilimanjaro, Kalahari, Namib, Nile, Congo, Niger and Zambezi rivers, and Lake Victoria), explain how location on both sides of the Equator shapes climates and vegetation, and locate Sierra Leone within these features.
Lesson 2African regions
Define region, North, West, Central, East and Southern Africa as used by the African Union, locate them and sample countries, describe each region’s main physical and human features briefly, explain that there are 54 countries recognised by the United Nations (the African Union has 55 members), and place Sierra Leone in West Africa with its neighbours and its regional organisations.
Lesson 3Cultural and linguistic diversity
Define diversity, ethnic group, lingua franca, multilingualism and oral literature, explain that Africa has roughly 2,000 languages and thousands of cultural traditions, describe widely spoken languages (Arabic, Swahili, Hausa, Yoruba, Amharic, Zulu, French, English, Portuguese) and examples of arts and traditions (griots, textiles, music, festivals), explain the role of lingua francas such as Krio and Swahili, and show respect for all cultures.
Lesson 4Historical states and societies
Describe a range of historical African states and societies with accurate dates and features (Kush, Aksum, Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Great Zimbabwe, Benin, Kongo, Asante and Swahili city-states such as Kilwa), explain what made them powerful (trade, farming, iron, leadership, administration), describe their cultural achievements, explain the types of evidence (oral history, archaeology, Arabic and European accounts, manuscripts), and compare two African states.
Lesson 5Regional trade
Define intra-African trade, tariff, free trade area, customs union and non-tariff barrier, describe how African countries trade within regions today (ECOWAS, EAC, SADC and the African Continental Free Trade Area which began trading on 1 January 2021), explain why intra-African trade is a small share of Africa’s total trade (roughly 15 percent) and the barriers (infrastructure, border delays, different currencies and rules), and explain benefits of integration.
Lesson 6Migration and population
Describe Africa’s population (about 1.5 billion, the youngest of the continents, with a median age under 20), explain its fast growth and uneven distribution, explain patterns of migration within Africa and beyond (seasonal, rural-to-urban, cross-border, refugee movement and diaspora), explain causes and effects including remittances, and use population data and graphs responsibly.
Lesson 7Colonial history and independence
Explain in age-appropriate non-graphic terms how colonial rule developed in Africa and in Sierra Leone (Colony 1808, Protectorate 1896, the 1898 Hut Tax War led by leaders such as Bai Bureh), describe the colonial economy and administration, note that Ethiopia and Liberia were not colonised in the same way, explain African responses including Pan-Africanism and nationalist movements, trace the path to independence (Ghana 1957, Sierra Leone 27 April 1961), and explain the founding of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963.
Lesson 8Contemporary African economies
Describe the diversity of African economies (agriculture employing a large share of workers, minerals and energy, manufacturing, services, tourism, mobile technology), give examples of strengths (the large young workforce, mobile money such as M-Pesa launched in Kenya in 2007, creative industries, renewable potential), explain challenges (infrastructure, jobs, dependence on raw materials, climate risks), define GDP and informal sector, and explain Sierra Leone’s economy neutrally.
Lesson 9Regional cooperation
Define regional cooperation, African Union, regional economic community, peacekeeping and integration, describe the African Union (founded 2002, succeeding the OAU, headquartered in Addis Ababa, with 55 members), regional economic communities such as ECOWAS, SADC, the East African Community, and the Mano River Union, explain areas of cooperation (trade, peace and security, health, free movement, infrastructure), and evaluate successes and difficulties with evidence.
Lesson 10Africa’s global connections
Describe Africa’s links with the wider world today (trade in minerals, oil and farm products; culture such as music, film and sport; diaspora communities; international organisations; education and technology; climate and health cooperation), explain two-way exchange and mutual benefit, analyse how a mineral or product links Africa to global supply chains (for example cocoa, cobalt, bauxite or iron ore), evaluate partnerships by asking who benefits, and finish Unit 4 with a reflection.