Scenes from Cameroon
Adapted from a lesson plan by Vye Carlile

Overview:

The winds that blow the Saharan dust particles south are not always considered a nuisance, especially to artists like Trina Schart Hyman, who Illustrated the book, The Fortune Tellers. Trina visited her daughter who was a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon, Africa in the late 1980's. Trina was especially enamored with the beautiful colors apparent in the sunset and carried throughout the clothing of the inhabitants of that country.

This lesson is aimed at focusing one's eyes on some of the shapes, colors and forms seen in the country of Cameroon. The students will identify at least three physical land features found in Cameroon and illustrate with sand and construction paper a typical day/evening scene in Cameroon.

Connection with the Curriculum: Language Arts, Social Studies, Art, Geography

Teaching Level: 3-8 (can be adapted to younger or older students)

Connection to State Content Standards:

2 Identify the physical and human characteristics of places and regions and how they change through time

Connection to National Standards:

1 How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools and technologies to acquire, process and report information from a spatial perspective.
2 How to use mental maps to organize information about people, places and environments in a spatial context.
3 How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places and environments on Earth's surface.
4 The physical and human characteristics of places.
6 How culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions.

Materials:

Sand (rose colored)
12 x 18 white art paper
Beige, brown, black, yellow, red, orange, green blue and purple construction paper
Scissors
Glue or glue sticks
Book, The FortuneTellers, illus. by Trina Hyman
Colored overheads from book
Illustrating physical features
Chart paper

Procedure:
    1. Review physical features and landforms. Brainstorm "What We Know About Cameroon", list on chart.
    2. Introduce story, explaining background of illustrator. Read story.
    3. Discuss physical features found in story, view overheads, list features found.
    4. Brainstorm "What We Learned about Cameroon", list.
    5. Instruct students to create a Cameroon scene on 12 x 18 paper using pink sand for the sky. They will cut out features such as mountains, rivers, people, and animals out of construction paper and glue to picture.

Extensions:

    1. Students may make a paper doll and create clothing similar to that in Cameroon.
    2. Drink Cameroon tea, coffee, or cocoa.
    3. Discuss the humor involved in the fortune teller's advice.
    4. Write a letter home detailing what you saw in a visit to Cameroon based on the story and pictures.
    5. Write a letter of apology from the original fortune teller.
    6. Add to the story: What happens after the marriage? Does the fortune teller come back? Does the carpenter ever tire of his new job? etc.
    7. Create a batik made with stamps and colorful ink.
    8. Create a diorama of the village.
    9. List all the methods of transportation possible in that village.
    10. Write a poem describing the incredible sunset.
      11.