Apartheid Case Study

Lesson Overview

Unit: Power and Inequality in Africa (Lesson 4 of 8)
Duration: 45 minutes
Class Size: 30 students
Age Group: Year 9 (13-14 years)

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National Curriculum Links

This lesson aligns with the National Curriculum for England:

• History Key Stage 3

  • AO1: Know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day, understanding how the past influences the present.
  • AO2: Investigate and interpret the past using a range of sources to make historical claims, appropriate to the period being studied.
  • Focus on the history of 20th-century authoritarian states and power and inequality globally, specifically looking at apartheid in South Africa as a case study.

• Cross-Curricular Skills

  • Critical thinking and source analysis
  • Empathy and perspective-taking
  • Oracy and collaborative skills

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Describe the key legal and social structures that made up apartheid in South Africa. (AO1)
2. Analyse primary source materials to understand personal experiences under apartheid. (AO2)
3. Evaluate how apartheid institutionalised racial inequality and its long-lasting impact on South African society. (AO2)
4. Demonstrate empathy and critical thinking through discussion and reflective writing.

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Resources Needed

• Selected primary sources (letters, photographs, apartheid laws excerpts, personal testimonies) printed or projected
• Whiteboard and markers
• Student exercise books or worksheets
• Projector/screen
• Role-play cards or character profiles based on apartheid-era South Africans

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Objective: Activate prior knowledge about South Africa and apartheid.

• Begin with a brief flashcard quiz on key apartheid terms (e.g., apartheid, segregation, pass laws, bantustans).
• Discuss as a class: "What do you already know about apartheid?" Record key words on the board.

2. Introduction to Apartheid Structures (10 minutes)

Objective: Understand apartheid as a system of racial segregation codified into law.

• Provide a concise summary of the legal framework of apartheid (e.g., Population Registration Act, Group Areas Act, Pass Laws).
• Use a clear diagram or timeline to show when laws were introduced and how they structured daily life.
• Highlight social consequences, such as forced removals, education segregation, and restrictions on movement.

3. Source Analysis in Small Groups (15 minutes)

Objective: Engage with primary sources to interpret lived experiences under apartheid.

• Divide students into 6 groups of 5 students. Each group receives 2 different primary sources:

  • Official apartheid legislation excerpt
  • Personal letter or diary entry from a South African citizen affected by apartheid
  • Photograph showing segregated facilities
  • Newspaper article from the apartheid era
  • Excerpt from a speech by anti-apartheid activist
  • Passbook or identity document example

• Provide a Source Analysis Worksheet with prompts:

  • Who created this source and why?
  • What does it reveal about apartheid policies or experiences?
  • How might this source be limited or biased?

• Groups discuss and prepare a brief 2-minute summary to share with the class.

4. Group Presentations and Class Discussion (10 minutes)

Objective: Share findings and deepen understanding through debate.

• Each group delivers their 2-minute summary.
• After all presentations, facilitate whole-class discussion with questions:
  • How did apartheid laws maintain racial divisions?
  • What emotions and challenges are evident in the personal accounts?
  • Can we compare apartheid with other systems of inequality?
• Write key ideas and emotional vocabulary on the board to help with reflection.

5. Reflection and Assessment (5 minutes)

Objective: Consolidate learning and assess understanding.

• Students individually write a short paragraph responding to the question:
  "How did apartheid laws affect the daily lives of South Africans and why is it important to study these stories today?"
• Collect these reflections as a formative assessment to gauge understanding and empathy development.

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Differentiation

• Support: Provide simplified source versions and sentence starters on worksheets for students needing extra help.
• Extension: Challenge higher-attaining students to evaluate the reliability and purpose of different sources or link apartheid to broader themes of power and resistance.

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Homework (Optional)

• Research and bring one fact or story about a South African anti-apartheid figure (e.g., Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu) for the next lesson. Prepare to share in a short presentation.

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Teacher Notes

• Encourage sensitivity when discussing racial discrimination—create a supportive classroom atmosphere.
• Use real voice and emotive language in sources to humanise history and spark empathy.
• Emphasise cross-cultural understanding in global history.
• This lesson prepares students for the next topic, which will focus on resistance movements within South Africa.

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This lesson plan delivers a focused, engaging exploration of apartheid while fostering critical historical skills in line with the National Curriculum (England), laying a strong foundation in understanding power and inequality globally.