Voices Of Africa

Introduction to Camara Laye’s Dark Child  

(1) You need to prepare these activities at home, type them on your computer and bring your work to class on the dates indicated below. These will count as a journal entry.  You will give all of your activities on the date indicated below to your teacher. 

(2) All written answers need to be in coherent paragraphs and/or clear complete sentences.  

Deadlines:   For Monday, January 29, I will read the syllabus and check the general course outline in their entirety.  I will also bring my questions so that I can have them answered in class if need be.  Finally, you will also prepare activities #1-3.  For Monday, February 5, I will prepare activities #4 and 5. I will also turn in all my activities about Growing up in Africa, Camara Laye and The Dark Child that same day.   

Activity #1: At home and in class.  

 Read the first document, “Introduction to Guinea-Conakry” and watch the 10-minute video clip  below called “Geography Now! Guinea” in the “Growing up in Africa” folder.   Write down 15 reflective questions (i.e. that have a solid content and need an explanation) and their respective answers about these two documents and in preparation for the in-class activity.    During class time, with a group of 3-5 people, each of you will take turn to quiz each other with your questions.  The objective of this in-class activity is for all to assimilate the information about this country. You will turn in your questions and answers for a grade to your instructor.  

Activity #2: At home. 

Read the second document, “Introduction to Camera Laye” in the “Growing up in Africa” folder and answer the following questions in coherent paragraphs and/or complete sentences:  

(1) What are 5 facts you learned about Camara Laye’s life?  Explain why they are significant in 1-2 lines. 

(2) Write an imaginary letter to Camera Laye from the biographical notes and literary work you have read about this author. In this letter which must contain a minimum of 250 words, you explain to him how much you appreciated his work.  

Activity #3: At home.  In Camara Laye’s novel, you will read the first six chapters.  Do the following: 

(1) Give each of these chapters a short title (5-6 words) that summarizes each of these chapters. 

(2) Choose one of the characters in these first six chapters, present this character in a 10-15 line paragraph and write down two quotes pertaining to that character. Explain why these two quotes strike you.  

Activity #4:  At home. 

How to? This should help you with you reading.  Go to the “How to?” folder.  Look to the left of your screen, the folder is the eight blue button from the top. 

 Check the two following documents: “Types of Reading” and “Speed Reading Self-Pacing Methods: A Crash Course”.  Answer the following two questions in clear and coherent sentences and explain your answers: 

(1) Which type of reading would you use for reading Camara Laye’s book?  

(2) Which one of the five self-pacing methods do you think would help you?  

Activity #5:  At home.

  In Camara Laye’s novel, you will read the last six chapters.  Give each of these chapters a short title (5-6 words) that summarizes each of these chapters.  Choose one of the following topics and write 200 words about the topic you choose: 

(1) Camara Laye’s family vs. yours.   

(2) Your world & school experience vs. his?  

(3) Becoming a man in Dark Child.   

(4) Traditional vs. modern way of life in Camara Laye’s