Lesson Plans from Ethiopia

These lesson plans display a body of diverse projects crafted by the educators participating in the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad in Ethiopia. Please use the resulting lesson plans as you see best in your classroom or learning environment.

Ethiopia Video Teacher Guide

Ryan Devlin, Teacher of the Year and his partner, expert educator Laura Buccigrossi co-developed an amazing video which charms as much as it educates. Use the video to introduce any of the lessons listed below.

Everyday Objects

Geraldine Truog, Kate Van Haren, Amber Niedomys

This diverse set of lesson, created by a highly qualified team,  plan draws upon the appeal of the normal. By having students examine the objects they use everyday and compare them with the objects young people use in Ethiopia, learners may be able to discover more about themselves connect it to others around the world. These expertly crafted lessons are targeted toward late elementary school groups, however can be easily modified to accommodate any grade. Help your students find the amazing in the ordinary with everyday objects!

  • Everyday Objects Overview: PDF, DOCX
  • Ethiopia Objects: Powerpoint
  • America Objects: Powerpoint
  • America Activity Sheet: PDF
  • America Activity Sheet Answers: PDF
  • Ethiopia Activity Sheet: PDF, DOCX
  • Ethiopia Activity Sheet Answers: PDF, DOCX
  • Everyday Objects Extension Activities: PDF, DOCX
  • Practice Of Creating Communal Objects: PDF, DOCX

Gender and Education

Nicole Cristobal, Jawanza Rand

These lessons are the foundation for a exploration of gender with your students. These lessons, created by innovative researchers in the field, are targeted toward secondary level students (7-12), however, could be modified for any grade level. These expertly crafted lessons help you can your students explore female empowerment and training men as partners. Engage your students with a critical dive into gender from a global perspective.

  • Lesson 1: Gender Equality Fundamentals: PDF, DOCX
  • Lesson 2: Traditional Beliefs, Cultures and Customs: PDF, DOCX
  • Lesson 3: Male Allies: PDF, DOCX
  • Lesson 4: Gender and Work: PDF, DOCX
  • Lesson 5: Gender in Music and Dance: PDF, DOCX
  • Lesson 6: Gender and Education: PDF, DOCX

Food and Culture

Vincent Villella

These lesson, designed by a master educator, examine food from many diverse angles that can be incorporated in a learning environment to connect learning across disciplines. These lessons are organized for grades 9-12 but can easily be modified to fit the needs of any grade level. These lessons are intended to flow seemlessly with your core teaching objectives, serving to reinforce previously taught concepts with a global perspective edge.

Archive Interaction

Jackie Lombard

These fantastic lessons guide you and your students through the complex system of online archives. Explore history through artifacts with these finely crafted lessons. Intended for grades 9-12, these lessons can be modified to accommodate learners of any age. Set forth of a learning adventure with these stupendous lessons.

Farm to Table

Darla Gerlach, Doctor of Education, through in-depth interviews, hours of observations, and crafting personal relationships with the people of Sodo, Ethiopia, created a diverse set of lessons that capture and showcase the plant life of Ethiopia. These lessons are intended for students 7-12 however, students of any age could enjoy these lessons with some modifications.

  • Indigenous Ethiopian Technology & The Modern Maker Movement Lesson Plans: PDF, DOCX
  • Farm to Table - Ethnobotany in Ethiopian Lesson Plans: PDF, DOCX
  • A - Ethnobotany in Ethiopia: PowerPoint
  • B - Traditional Knowledge and Modern Practices: PDF, DOCX
  • C- A Blooming Investment of Ethiopia: PDF, DOCX
  • D - Indigenous Ethiopian Technology & the Modern Maker Movement: PowerPoint
  • E -  This is like my History: PDF, DOCX

Geographic Information System

Sodo, Ethiopia

Erin Towns, a seventeen year veteran classroom teacher, utilizes geospatial technology and visuals from Sodo, Ethiopia to teach students and educators about geographic concepts of community space. This interactive series of lessons takes students and teachers on a visual journey through Sodo, Ethiopia while teaching them to how to use basic ArcGIS Online mapping tools. Students are asked to map local community spaces and compare them with ones found in Sodo, Ethiopia.

Our lesson can be included in any social studies course dedicated to increasing technological literacy and historical and contemporary content about Eastern Africa.

View our lesson

Music and Dance of Wolaita and Ethiopia

Irene Chepnegtich & Gerald Savage

Two outstanding teachers from Pittsburgh Public, Irene and Gerald, craft a beautiful lesson that help you guide your students through a musical adventure through Sodo Ethiopia. This lesson could be used as an addition to many classes which could explore music through different contexts: Math, physics, art, history, etc.

  • Lesson Plan: PDF