This tech-infused project was written with the goal of getting students to understand the ways in which the present is shaped by the past and how to use their learning to envision a more just world. This project is the culminating assessment in my 7th grade West African Civilizations unit, during which students learn about the geography, religion, achievements, political systems, economy, and social structures of West African civilizations in the middle ages, before exploring the effects of colonialism and imperialism on the African continent. They then juxtapose these effects with an African nation free from colonialism and imperialism in the fictional nation of Wakanda from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Finally, they apply their learning to create a discussion-based podcast that explores the intersection of both reality and fiction and how pop culture can be used to imagine a more just world.

I created the website linked here to showcase student work and make it sharable to an authentic audience, which is the gold-standard for PBL.