09-10 October 2024

Habari gani! We’re continuing along distinct journeys in our lower and upper-level communications classes. Below is what students are learning and expected to complete this week.

Middle School

Students are still mastering their use of the ten vocabulary words, as found in the story they read. They practiced writing each word in detailed, imagery-rich sentences.

We also reviewed proper nouns (specific names that are always capitalized). There are 13 types that students learned about: people, pets, groups, titles that are placed before people’s names, cities, states, countries, continents, days of the week, brands, companies, months of the year, and names of books, articles, movies

HOMEWORK: Students should return to class on Oct. 10 with three examples of proper nouns for each type of proper noun they learned about in class. They should also have one sentence written for each of the ten vocabulary words we’re learning. The sentences should be detailed enough to demonstrate knowledge of the word’s meaning.

Fante and High School

We’re in the midst of our first essay-writing assignment and students are finding it a bit harder than expected — which is not a bad thing. Right now, they are developing a thesis and outlining an essay in response to this prompt:

• Describe the world as you, an Afrikan young people, see it. Are the majority of Afrikan youth involved in nationbuilding? Why not? What traditions can be put in place to re-Afrikanize young people who are navigating the world?

Below are the steps to completing the essay outline:

1. Write the prompt on the outline, right above the instructions.
2. Read the prompt and read over responses to previous class and homework assignments. Also read parts of Nana Agyei’s book and pull out quotes that deal with the prompt.
3. Examine the quotes and your previous responses. Craft a thesis statement that answers the prompt and connects those ideas.
4. Write the thesis statement in the outline. Choose the quotes from Nana Agyei’s book that support your thesis and include them in the supporting idea parts of your outline.
5. Make sure that your essay outline includes answers to all parts of the prompt. Think about where it’s most appropriate to answer each part.

25-26 September 2024

Habari gani! Another week, another study of communications. Below is what the watoto are working on in communications.

Middle School

Students are still mastering the meaning and spelling of the ten vocabulary words I introduced earlier in September.

They are reading a new story that has the words in them. As they read, they are learning how to annotate texts, find the answers to the questions, and write their answers in complete, detailed sentences.

HOMEWORK: The Massai and Mandingo completed Questions 1 through 5. The Mandingo are responsible for completing Question 6 by Wednesday, Oct. 2. For homework, the Massai should write a story that uses at least five of the vocabulary words. That homework is also due on Wednesday, Oct. 2.

Fante and High School

Student continued reading the text. We are now transitioning to the completion of our first in-class essay. The outline for that essay is due on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Below is the prompt:

1. Describe the world as you, an Afrikan young people, see it. Are the majority of Afrikan youth involved in nationbuilding? Why not? What traditions can be put in place to re-Afrikanize young people who are navigating the world?

18-19 September 2024

Habari gani! Below is an overview of what the watoto studied in communications.

Middle School: Vocabulary

Students are responsible for mastering the spelling and meaning of the 10 vocabulary words we’ve been working on during our activity. Our spelling test is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024.

Fante and High School

Students have been reading Nana Agyei’s “Nationbuilding: Theory and Practice in Afrikan-Centered Education” and answering questions during in-class exercises. By Thursday, Sept. 25 they should have a paragraph in response to the questions below:

1. Define nationbuilding, as explained by Nana Agyei. Why is it important for Afrikan people to nationbuild? What are the consequences of not nationbuilding? 

2. What is the New World Order, as defined by Nana Agyei? How does Nana Agyei say Afrikan people relate to it? Why is the New World Order dangerous for Afrikan people who are nationbuilding?
3. What is Afrikan tradition as Nana Agyei defines it? How does nationbuilding establish and protect traditions that were long lost? What historical examples does Nana Agyei use to prove his point?

11-12 September 2024

Habari gani! Below is what an overview of what the watoto studied in communications.

Middle School: Vocabulary

Students learned ten new vocabulary words and are responsible for completing an activity that helps them understand their meaning and use in literature. The activity is due on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024.

Fante and High School: Preparation for End-of-the-Year Essay

Students are reading portions of Nana Agyei’s “Nationbuilding: Theory and Practice in Afrikan-Centered Education.” If they missed the short writing assignments, they could receive it upon their return to class.

Thursday, May 23, 2024

Below are assignments that are due for the following student groups:

Fante: Continue working on your final essays. All concerns should be addressed.

Nubian/Mandingo/Massai: Practice deciphering words that you don’t know in the first chapter of “Babylon Be Still: How a Journalist-Educator Adopted an African-Centered Worldview.”

Remember to do the following:

• Underline the words you don’t know
• Read around the word to figure out the 1.) part of speech and 2.) the actual meaning
• Rewrite the sentence in your own words to get your own meaning of what the author is saying

Garvey: Due on June 5, 2024: Write an essay (two pages minimum) about a specific problem that young people are facing and explain how nationbuilding can address that issue. Your essay should do the following:

• Define the problem and explain how it has harmed young people.
• Define nationbuilding and explain how the lack of a nationbuilding mentality has worsened the problem you chose.
• Explain how to encourage more young people to adopt a nationbuilding mindset.

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

SOAPSTone Project due on May 8, 2024 (Massai, Mandingo, and Nubian): The members of this class are tasked with completing a SOAPStone chart for the “I’m Tired of Protesting” essay in “Babylon Be Still.”

Students DON’T have to complete the assignment in the form of a chart. Each part of the chart should be written in paragraph form.

Massai: One Paragraph Each

Mandingo/Nubian: Two Paragraphs Each

Fante: The first draft of the Fante essay is due on May 8, 2024. Please complete the draft in a document that’s separate from the outline.

Garvey/High School: Students are responsible for completing and digitally submitting the following one-page essays:

• Due on Thursday, May 2, 2024: Students should read “Afrocentricity” in “Nationbuilding: Theory & Practice in Afrikan-Centered Education” and answer the following essay question: What does the author mean when he says that humans don’t share a “universal history”? Why is acknowledgement of Afrikan history and culture important when developing Afrikan youth? How has the “cultural ambiguity” kept Afrikan youth lost in a white supremacist, European system?
• Due on Thursday, May 9, 2024: Students should read “Ideological Clarity” in “Nationbuilding: Theory & Practice in Afrikan-Centered Education” and answer the following essay question: According to the author, what circumstances and events brought about this new Afrikan consciousness among Afrikan people? What three “conditions” are needed to sustain this movement? Identify and explain those conditions.

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Massai: The members of this class are reading “Babylon Be Still” by Sam P.K. Collins. For their take-home assignment, due on Wednesday, April 24, they should reread the introduction and answer the follow question in no less than a paragraph:

Q: What are the speaker’s thoughts, actions and emotions? How do you see that in the writing?

Fante: The members of this class are almost done with the outline of their Fante essays. They will soon start writing the first drafts. The first draft is due on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. Students should write and share the draft in a new document that is double spaced.

Garvey/Yaa Asantewa: Students in this class should write a one-page, single-space response to “Nationhood or Dependency,” which is found on page 65 of “Nationbuilding: Theory and Practice in Afrikan Centered Education” by Kwame Agyei Akoto. In their response, they should express whether or not they agree with the premise of the essay, and explain why. The essay should not be a summary of the points made, but an analysis.

Thursday, March 7, 2024

At this point, all of the watoto are still working on their music essays. It’s been a lengthy process shifting from the outline to the actual drafting of the essay.

As such, here are the assignments:

Massai: Continue to craft the first draft of your essay using your outline. Do not deviate from your outline. Use it to the fullest.

Mandingo and Nubian: Once Baba Plo Kwia provides feedback on your music essay, insert the corrections. Most of you are close to having your essay uploaded to TheWatotoSpeak.com.

Fante: Complete the outline for your fante essay using the template given to you. Insert the thesis first. Insert the introduction next. Insert the supporting details and conclusion last.

Garvey: Once you receive feedback about your music essay, make the corrections that Baba Plo Kwia gives you.

Garvey Part #2: After your visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, craft an essay about one of the exhibits. The essay shouldn’t summarize details about the exhibit. It should provide an analysis of the exhibit. Your introduction should provide information about the exhibit while your thesis expresses your opinion about it. Your supporting details should include examples from the exhibit that support your thesis. Your conclusion should bring us back to the thesis in an interesting way. Be sure to include a call to action.

Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024

During today’s session, all students reviewed how to write a reflection. We read and dissected a sample reflection about Ida B. Wells.

Remember: a reflection is a person’s opinion about a topic that’s supported by facts.

First they introduce the topic then express their opinion in the thesis. They then need three supporting details, full of facts that support the thesis. The conclusion takes the reader back to the thesis, and gives a call to action, which is an action that the writer wants readers to do.

TAKE-HOME ASSIGNMENT: For the take-home assignment, students are required to write a reflection about any song of their choice. The reflection should follow the format that we studied in class.

The take-home assignment is due on Thursday, Feb. 7. Students are encouraged to work on it at home. They will also have time to work on it in class.

If students have any questions, they should refer to the sample reflection for guidance. They can also ask Baba Plo Kwia questions but not before reviewing the reflection.

Welcome back to NationHouse Communications! When you are absent from class or unsure about homework and classwork, you can visit this site for information about what we’re doing.

Below is what each class should expect to complete for this week:

Everyone: If you haven’t done so, explain your New Year’s resolution for this communications class. What is your resolution and why? How do you plan to fulfull this resolution? (Two paragraphs)

Massai/Mandingo and Nubian: 1.) Analyze a character from either Encanto or the first Black Panther movie. After you do that, analyze the setting, theme, and conflict.

2.) Study the five elements of storytelling, including definitons. Be prepared to answer questions about it on Wednesday, Jan. 10.

Fante: Start choosing and researching the three African figures (historical or present day) that support your thesis. Write at least one paragraph about each of them. Include information about their accomplishments and explain how they support your thesis.

Garvey: Read and annotate pages 23-27 of Booker T. Washington’s Up from Slavery (Chapter 2). Write a three-page,double-spaced reflection that highlights and delves deeply into an observation that you made about Booker T. Washington’s personal development.

The Watoto Speak!

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Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024

Welcome back to NationHouse Communications! When you are absent from class or unsure about homework and classwork, you can visit this site for information about what we’re doing.

Below is what each class should expect to complete for this week:

Massai/Mandingo and Nubian: Study the five elements of storytelling, including definitons. Be prepared to answer questions about it on Wednesday, Jan. 10.

Fante: Start working on your essay outlines. Fill in your thesis and your supporting details. Think about how you will further explain each supporting detail.

Garvey: Read and annotate pages 23-27 of Booker T. Washington’s Up from Slavery (Chapter 2). Write a three-page,double-spaced reflection that highlights and delves deeply into an observation that you made about Booker T. Washington’s personal development.

The Watoto Speak!

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