3/24/2008 3:00:00 PM Students look at Africa in depth
PHOTO: MARK TROCKMAN
Dressed as Cleopatra, Stephanie Sinjem speaks about Egypt to observers during Wayzata East Middle School’s Africa in 3-D presentations March 19 in Plymouth.
The lights flickered several times before the pitched and mingling voices inside the Wayzata East Middle School gym quieted down.
Excitement, nerves and pride sparked in the air and cameras snapped.
Students dressed in costumes giggled and squirmed. Microphones kicked and squealed. Coffee was percolating.
Something was about to start, but this was no band or choir performance. This was a geography show. This was Africa in 3-D.
On March 19, members of the eighth grade Blue Team showed off their research projects on each of the 54 African nations and 5 current event issues of particular interest to the continent: AIDS, diamonds, malaria, child soldiers and endangered species.
Parents toured the exhibits alongside district leaders, community members and students from other teams.
Two young ladies stood by the AIDS in Africa display ready to answer questions on the topic.
"I was really surprised to learn that Africa is the place most affected by AIDS," said eighth-grader Jamee Haggard. "I thought America was most affected, but I was wrong."
"I was surprised to learn about all the different kinds of people that are affected by AIDS in Africa," added Charity Roberts. "So many kids are affected. They are orphaned because their parents die from AIDS. AIDS leaves behind a lot of orphans."
On the other side of the gym, the Tanzania display was decked out in carved monkeys and other wooden animals.
Aden Lungstrom, one member of booth's three-person research team, explained that Lake Victoria and Mount Kilimanjaro were located in Tanzania. Plus, he said, the territory used to be under British control.
Which explains why, said teammate Thomas Strommen, English is widely spoken in present-day Tanzania, even though Swahili is the official language.
In fact, added the final teammate, Willie Fust, it wasn't until 1964 that the country now known as Tanzania came to exist.
The Africa in 3-D event happens because of eighth grade world geography teacher Matthew Scheidler. He has led his students through the unit for many years. Each year, he said, the students bring a healthy enthusiasm for the project.
"I don't exactly know what the magic is for them," he said. "I think they really enjoy immersing themselves into one country, but I also think there is quite a bit of built in respect for the project. As sixth and seventh graders, they walked through the gym and looked at the older kids' projects, so I think they are really excited when they finally reach eighth grade and it's their turn to put on the show."
"I've got 129 students and this year, when I asked for volunteers to be on the Africa in 3-D committee, 59 kids signed up," Scheidler said. "They give up their lunch period to attend committee meetings, so that's a pretty big indicator of their level of interest."
Students involved in the committee make signs and hang them throughout school hallways to advertise the event. They also visit sixth and seventh grade classrooms to educate younger students about their projects.
Scheidler's Africa in 3-D unit spans over four weeks from start to finish. It begins with the drawing of numbers and picking of countries and culminates with the community event.
The time in between is spent gathering and analyzing data. Students do much of the work on their own, Scheidler said, and must check in with him every two or three days to chart their progress.
There are standard benchmarks all students must meet. For example, all students study population pyramids for their assigned countries.
The geography projects reach beyond geography class. As part of a language arts assignment, students wrote a persuasive essay encouraging tourists to visit their African nation. In science class, they studied weather patterns over Africa.
"I really have to credit my team teachers for their help in making this unit a truly interdisciplinary effort," Scheidler said. "The kids really seem to appreciate that the same subject carries over into other areas."
Among the parents and other community members in attendance were students from the school's other eighth grade team. While they were audience members at the Africa in 3-D event, the next day would be their day to shine. Their show, however, would not highlight African nations, but Asian countries.
"While my team focused on Africa and this is our culminating event," Scheidler said, "tomorrow we'll attend the Asia show and it will be our kick-off for studying about Asia. Attending Africa in 3-D is their kick-off for studying about Africa."
But on this day, the spirit was all about Africa. Over at the Libya exhibit, Ami Jenson welcomed the curious with a brief slideshow and samples of a traditional sweet dish comprised of assorted fresh fruits, couscous and cinnamon - which was the secret ingredient, she felt, that gave the dessert an extra kick.
Turning to politics, she pointed out a picture she'd drawn of a snarling Muammar Gaddafi, the leader of Lybia.
Turing to tourism, she pointed out a series of photographs depicting the country's wealth of well-preserved Roman ruins.
Of her project as a whole, she said, "I wasn't that excited at first. I got stuck with this country I didn't know anything about. But it's actually kind of a neat place."
