May 15, 2002

WORLDS APART
A Teach-In on Apartheid in South Africa

Grades:  6-8,9-12

Subjects:  Geography, Global History, Social Studies

Related New York Times Article
"A Vibrant Battler of Apartheid Keeps Her Vibrancy, By RACHEL L. SWARNS", May 15, 2002

OVERVIEW OF LESSON PLAN:
In this lesson, students will research five hundred years of social, economic, territorial, and political history in South Africa, with a focus on the apartheid system.

SUGGESTED TIME ALLOWANCE:   45 minutes - 1 hour

OBJECTIVES:
Students will:

  1. Reflect on the politics of divided societies around the world, both historically and currently.
  2. Examine anti-apartheid activism from the perspective of a white South African, by reading and discussing the article "A Vibrant Battler of Apartheid Keeps Her Vibrancy."
  3. Research five hundred years of South African social, economic, and political history in order to better understand the apartheid system.
  4. Present historical research in a chronological teach-in on apartheid entitled "Where Have We Come From? Where Are We Now?"

RESOURCES / MATERIALS:

ACTIVITIES / PROCEDURES:

  • WARM-UP/DO-NOW: In their journals, students respond to the following prompt (written on the board prior to class): "Think of situations, presently and historically, in which residents of a country or territory are or were separated along racial, ethnic, religious, or other dividing lines. For each situation you can name, explain how power (political, social, and economic) was distributed." Allow students to share responses. You may wish to note each example on the board, under "past" and "present" headings.
  • As a class, read and discuss the article "A Vibrant Battler of Apartheid Keeps Her Vibrancy," focusing on the following questions:
    1. Who is Nadine Gordimer?
    2. Based on the article, what do you think the African National Congress party represents?
    3. How does Gordimer respond to the controversy surrounding her book, "July's People"?
    4. Of what prize is Gordimer a recipient?
    5. What are Gordimer's critiques of the current A.N.C. leadership?
    6. Who are some other white anti-apartheid writers mentioned in the article?
    7. What is Gordimer's latest novel called? What is it about?
    8. What is meant by "the plight of whites in the new South Africa"?
    9. According to Gordimer, how did Nelson Mandela set a good example for democracy?
    10. What is President Mbeki's position on the AIDS problem in South Africa?
    11. According to the article, how do white neighborhoods differ from black neighborhoods in South Africa?
  • Explain to students that today they will be responsible for organizing and conducting a South Africa Teach-In titled "Where Have We Come From? Where Are We Now?" Students will research, in groups, five hundred years of South African history with a focus on apartheid. Divide students into five groups, and have each group select a slip of paper or index card containing the name of a topic pertaining to South African history (Peoples/Populations, Geography/Territory, Government/Politics, Economy/Trade, Rights/Liberties). Using all available classroom resources, groups will subdivide their research by the following chronology (written on the board for easier student access):
  • WRAP-UP/ HOMEWORK: Once group research is complete, each group member writes his or her contribution to the presentation in a one to two page outline format for homework. In a later class, each group should present its outlines chronologically. On a class bulletin board or wall, students can arrange a multi-tiered timeline with the outlines. Under each time period of South African history that was studied, groups can post their topical outlines. Groups can use the timeline as a visual aid during their presentations.

    • Objectives
    Students will:

    1. Reflect on the politics of divided societies around the world, both historically and currently.
    2. Examine anti-apartheid activism from the perspective of a white South African, by reading and discussing the article "A Vibrant Battler of Apartheid Keeps Her Vibrancy."
    3. Research five hundred years of South African social, economic, and political history in order to better understand the apartheid system.
    4. Present historical research in a chronological teach-in on apartheid entitled "Where Have We Come From? Where Are We Now?"

    DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

    EVALUATION / ASSESSMENT:
    Students will be evaluated based on written journal responses, thoughtful contributions to class discussion, group research, and presentations in the teach-in.

    VOCABULARY:
    skittering, pre-eminent, backtracked, outcry, wavered, laureate, imposing, ticked, ludicrous, optimist, pessimistic, electrification, anxieties, counterpoint, giddy, euphoria, chronicled, injustices, liberal, leftist, debatable, prosperous, ramshackle

    EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:

    1. Research the current debate in South Africa surrounding the author Gordimer's work and write a follow-up article to "A Vibrant Battler of Apartheid Keeps Her Vibrancy." Why is "July's People" so controversial? If time allows, read the novel and include your own analysis of the book's content in your article.
    2. The system of apartheid did not just entail the black/white dichotomy, but consisted of several other cultural or racial divisions. Research the various ways different groups of people were categorized (and "officially" identified) by "race" under apartheid and how these distinctions have changed in post-apartheid South Africa. Write a "Cultural Identities" essay on your findings.
    3. Research and write a biography of Nelson Mandela, geared toward young children who were not alive during apartheid's rule in South Africa. Illustrate your report with photographs.

    INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS:
    American History- Historian Howard Zinn claims that U.S. interest in ending apartheid was connected to its corporate investments and interest in raw materials there. Trace the connection between the United States and South Africa throughout the twentieth century and write a persuasive essay for or against Zinn's argument.

    Civics- When Gordimer states "I'm not a liberal...I am a leftist" in the article "A Vibrant Battler of Apartheid Keeps Her Vibrancy," she is addressing the difference between the contemporary American use of the term "liberal" and the classical or European definition of "liberalism." Trace the progression of liberal ideology in American politics, starting with the classical liberalism of the colonial period and ending with the "neoliberalism" of the late twentieth century. Write a short article on the term "liberal," in the style of William Safire's column in the "New York Times Magazine."

    Fine Arts- Artists and musicians were some of the most vocal opponents of apartheid. Find some examples of artistic activism (visual art, song lyrics, etc.) from the apartheid era and share them with your classmates as part of your teach-in.

    Journalism- Interview your friends and family on their own experiences or impressions of racial segregation. Collaborate with your fellow classmates, and using some of the most interesting excerpts and quotes from your interviews, write an article for your school newspaper. Consult the book "No More Strangers Now: Young Voices from a New South Africa" edited by Tim McKee (photographs by Anne Blackshaw) for inspiration.

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    The New York Times Company

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