On Safari

> PROJECT for ages 4-7 years
> ACTIVITY for 5-8 years
> PUZZLE for 8-11 years
> PROJECT for 11-13 years
> PICTURE PUZZLE for all ages
> Printable Map

What’s Up, Africa?

Where in the world is Africa?

The world is made up of seven continents, or masses of land.  You live on the continent of North America.  Africa is the second largest continent in the world. Asia is the largest.

Africa is bordered on all sides by a body of water. The Atlantic Ocean borders Africa on the west and south sides. The Indian Ocean borders its east side. The Mediterranean Sea lies on its north side. But Africa is not an island. It is connected to Spain to the northwest and the Middle East to the northeast.

What’s Africa like?

Africa is made up of 40 different countries. Some countries have jungles and rainforests, where apes and hippos live.  Other countries, like Kenya and Tanzania, have vast savannas or prairies, where elephants and lions roam free. Some countries have beautiful beaches, and others have large cities like Nairobi in Kenya.

Africa has been around a long time. It is thought that the first humans appeared in Africa as long as 8 million years ago. Many different types of people have moved onto the continent since that time, bringing with them their cultures and customs. All these different types of peoples and cultures have made Africa a very diverse continent. Over 800 different languages are spoken in Africa. And there are many religions, too. Indigenous people, or those whose ancestors have lived on the continent for centuries, are divided into tribes. One of the tribes, the Maasai, is featured in Going Places, magazine this month. The Maasai live in Kenya and parts of Tanzania. The majority of other residents of Africa are from the Middle East, Asia or Europe.

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Animals in Africa: LET’S GO ON SAFARI

PROJECT for ages 4-7 years
Create your own safari complete with your very own set of binoculars!

Have your youngster draw pictures of the animals they are likely to find in Africa, or print out the pictures found in the section for ages 5 to 8 and have them color those. Cut them out and paste them around the room. Have fun “watching them” through your binoculars (see below) and imagining what they are doing out there on the savanna. Write a story about them and paste your pictures in a travel journal.

BINOCULARS
Materials:

  • Two empty toilet roll tubes
  • Crayons, markers or tempura paint with foam brush
  • Black construction paper
  • Scissors
  • Scotch tape
  • Hand-held hole punch
  • Ribbon

Decorate the empty toilet rolls using the crayons, markers or paint. While they are drying, take the black construction paper and cut two circles 1 3/4“ in diameter, and two strips measuring a 1/2“ thick and 7“ long. Use the hole punch to cut a hole in the center of each. Once the painted rolls have dried, tape or glue the circles to the end of each roll, tacking down the edges. Tape or glue the strips around the edge of each end, covering the edges for a smooth finish. Glue the two rolls together, side by side. Once the glue has dried, punch small holes on either side of the open end of the binoculars. String the ribbon through each hole, tying knots or taping the ends of the ribbon to the inside rim, so they can hang around your neck.

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Bring the "big five" to life with
your words and these
drawings.

ACTIVITY/PROJECT for ages 5-8 years
Be the author and illustrator of your own safari. Color these pictures, and write your own safari story to go with them.

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Word Search –
safari-related words

PUZZLE for 8-11 years
Find the hidden words needed to make a safari complete.

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Fact Safari

ACTIVITY/PROJECT for 11-13 years
Discover more about Kenya and Tanzania on this fact-finding safari.

Use your local library or the Internet to find the answers to the following questions.  For added fun and a nifty school project, download or photocopy pictures of the answers, and create a travelogue of pictures and notes that you can share with your class!

  1. What is the capital of Kenya?
  2. How many provinces make up Kenya?
  3. What's the "big five?"
  4. What Kenyan tribe wears a shuka?
  5. What's the official name of Kenya?
  6. How many countries are there in Africa?
  7. What's the official name of Tanzania?
  8. What form of currency do Kenyans and Tanzanians use?
  9. What language is spoken in Kenya and Tanzania?
  10. How many regions make up Tanzania?
  11. What is taraab?
  12. Where is the Ngorongoro Crater located?

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Picture Puzzle

Picture puzzle to challenge the eyes of the young and young-at-heart. Grab a parent or grandparent and see who can solve it first!

Two photographs that look the same. But are they really?
See if you can find the 10 things that are different
between the two photos.

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