Trace Traditional African Musical Instruments
illustrated worksheet · Grades 1–2
Students trace the shapes of a djembe, talking drum, and shekere.
continent
Africa reading map
Explore Africa through English readings connected to places across the continent. Compare text types, choose a passage, and plan a focused discussion or writing response.
38 readings
Explore countries in Africa
Continue one level deeper. Each card includes readings and places from everything nested below it.
Choose a reading connected to Africa
Compare fiction, informational reading, and functional text by its place, grade band, and text type.
A New Friend at Boulders BeachLower Elementary · Short Story • FictionSouth Africa
How to Go on a SafariLower Elementary · How-To / Procedural • Functional TextsSouth Africa
My Day on the NileLower Elementary · Diary Entry • FictionEgypt
The Big Green BowlLower Elementary · Reader's TheaterTanzania
The Little Sun BeetleLower Elementary · Explanatory Article • InformationalEgypt
The Mighty LionLower Elementary · InformationalAfrica
The Sweet Smells of Stone TownLower Elementary · Short Story • FictionTanzania
The Upside-Down TreeLower Elementary · Reader's TheaterSouth Africa
A Kid's First Pyramid ViewUpper Elementary · Reader's TheaterEgypt
Amazing ElephantsUpper Elementary · InformationalAfrica
Hatshepsut: The Female PharaohUpper Elementary · BiographyEgypt
How to Make Koshary: Egypt's Favorite Street FoodUpper Elementary · How-To / Procedural • Functional TextsEgypt
Journey to the Swahili Coast: Kilwa Kisiwani ExpeditionUpper Elementary · Advertisement • Functional TextsTanzania
Rhythms of the Lake: My Diary in MwanzaUpper Elementary · Diary Entry • FictionTanzania
South African Football LegendsUpper Elementary · InformationalSouth Africa
The Fire-Defying Wonders of Table MountainUpper Elementary · Explanatory Article • InformationalSouth Africa
The Great Wildebeest MigrationUpper Elementary · Explanatory Article • InformationalTanzania
The Mighty Nile: The River That Built EgyptUpper Elementary · Explanatory Article • InformationalEgypt
The Painted Homes of the NdebeleUpper Elementary · InformationalSouth Africa
The Scribe's Sacred InkUpper Elementary · Reader's TheaterEgypt
The Vibrant World of the MaasaiUpper Elementary · InformationalTanzania
Ubuntu: The Power of 'I Am Because We Are'Upper Elementary · InformationalSouth Africa
Welcome to the Grand Egyptian MuseumUpper Elementary · Announcement • Functional TextsEgypt
African Spring: A Time of RenewalMiddle School · InformationalAfricaShow more readings
Showing 24 of 38
Africa coloring pages
Free printable coloring pages about Africa — each one comes with a short reading passage and a quiz.
Africa printables & worksheets
After reading, use a fact file or KWL chart to collect details and questions, then plan a short written response.
Build a Africa workbook Pro
One PDF with the reading passages, puzzles and worksheets you pick — start from a grade level and adjust from there, with the answer keys at the back.
Africa fact file
Research Africa: where it is, what it is known for, three interesting facts, and a drawing.
Browse all fact fileAfrica KWL chart
Write what you already know about Africa, what you want to find out, and what you learned.
Browse all kwl chartAfrica story map
Plan a story set in Africa: characters, setting, problem, what happens first, next, and last, and how it ends.
Browse all story mapAfrica word web
Put Africa in the middle and collect words and ideas connected to it.
Browse all word webCompare two things from Africa
Use a Venn diagram to compare two places, landmarks, animals, traditions, or other features from Africa.
Browse all compare two things from africaAfrica acrostic poem
Write an acrostic poem using the letters in the name Africa.
Browse all acrostic poemAfrica word game worksheets
Printable word puzzles built from Africa words — download as PDF, answer key included.
Easy word search
8×8 grid · 6 words across and down · answer key included
Medium word search
10×10 grid · 8 words with diagonals · answer key included
Tricky word search
12×12 grid · 10 words with backwards words · answer key included
No printer at hand? Play the Africa word search right here on screen — free.
About Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest continent, both in land area and population.
The Nile River, which flows through northeastern Africa, is widely recognized as one of the longest river systems in the world.
The Sahara, covering much of northern Africa, is the largest hot desert on Earth.
Choose an Africa reading for a focused lesson
This continent collection brings together readings connected to several places and text types. Use the map to set a geographic frame, then choose a passage by its label and topic. A continent page gathers place-based material; it does not make every text a description of the whole continent.
Compare how different texts work
A New Friend at Boulders Beach is labeled a Lower Elementary short story, while The Mighty Lion is informational and also labeled Lower Elementary. Ask readers to notice how each text presents its subject: through a fictional story or an informational approach. For an older group, A Kid's First Pyramid View is an Upper Elementary Reader's Theater connected to Egypt.
Turn a passage into evidence-based discussion
Have students name the location shown on the reading card, then identify a detail from the passage that supports what they learned. Compare the fictional and informational choices, or invite students to explain which format helped them follow the topic. Check the passage itself and its questions before setting a level or lesson goal.
Use a fact file or KWL chart to organize observations and questions. For broader topic-led selections, browse geography reading passages; for available printable formats, review worksheets. For a wider geographic view, open the world reading map.
Africa reading map FAQ
What kinds of readings are included on the Africa map?
The collection includes a short story, an informational text, a Reader’s Theater, and a functional advertisement. Open each passage to review its content and questions.
Does every passage describe the whole continent?
No. Readings connect to particular places, including South Africa, Egypt, and Tanzania, as well as Africa as a whole. Check each card and passage for its geographic focus.
How can I compare fiction with informational reading?
Choose a story and an informational passage, then ask readers to find how each presents its subject. Use details from the texts to explain which format supports a particular discussion.
What can readers do after a passage?
A fact file or KWL chart can capture details and questions, followed by a short written explanation. Review the available format before planning the activity.