Social Sciences

ple
Sam
 Social Sciences
Grade 5
Learner’s guide
ple
Sam
The ICO Waterstroom series has been translated into
English by Anchorage Curriculum Solutions
 Index

GEOGRAHY
TERM 1 - Map skills
Unit 1: World Map and Compass Directions ............................................ ......................... 13
Unit 2: Africa our continent ............................................ .................................................................... 16
Unit 3: The physical map ............................................ .......................................................... .22

TERM 2 - Physical phenomena of South Africa

Unit 1: South Africa seen from above ......................................... ............................................. 35
Unit 2: Physical phenomena of South Africa ......................................... ....................40
Unit 3: Rivers of South Africa .......................................... ..................................... 44
Unit 4: Physical phenomena and human activities .......................................... ......... 48
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TERM 3 - Weather, climate and vegetation of South Africa
Unit 1: Weather .............................................. .................................................. ................ 58
Unit 2: Observation and recording of the weather ......................................... ............. 68
Unit 3: Rainfall .............................................. .................................................. .................................. 71
Sam
Unit 4: Climate .............................................. .................................................. ..................................... 76
Unit 5: Natural vegetation ............................................. ........................................................ 79

TERM 4 - Minerals and mining in South Africa

Unit 1: Minerals and Coal Resources of South Africa ........................................................ 85
Unit 2: Coal as a non-renewable resource ......................................... ................................ 89
Unit 3: Mining and the mining environment. .................................................. .............................. 93
Unit 4: Impact of mining on the environment ......................................... ................................. 95
Unit 5: Mining and people ............................................ ...................................................... 98

6
 Index

HISTORY
TERM 1 - Hunter gatherers and shepherds in Southern Africa
Unit 1: The people of early South Africa ....................................... ............................................ 105
Unit 2: How we obtain information about hunter gatherers and shepherds ........................ 106
Unit 3: San hunter-gatherer society in early South Africa ........................................................ 108
Unit 4: Rock drawings .............................................. ................................................................ ..113
Unit 5: Khoikhoi Shepherd Society in Early South Africa ....................................................................... 117

TERM 2 - The African farmers in Southern Africa

Unit 1: Settlement of African farmers in Southern Africa ................................................ 123
Unit 2: Chiefs and Culture ............................................ ..................................................................... 127
Unit 3: Tools, trade and healing .......................................... .................................................. 135
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TERM 3 - An Ancient African Society: Egypt
Unit 1: The influence of the Nile River on settlement ......................................... ........................... 145
Unit 2: The way of life in ancient Egypt ......................................... .......................... 148
Unit 3: Tutankhamen's grave: case study .......................................... ............................ 158
Sam
Unit 4: Disseminating Egypt's Knowledge and Skills ..................................................................... 162

TERM 4 - A heritage route through the provinces of South Africa

Unit 1: South Africa's provinces and capitals ........................................ ....................................... 167
Unit 2: What is heritage? .................................................. .............................................................. 168
Unit 3: Examples of heritage from the provinces ......................................... .......................................... 171

7
 FORMAL ASSESSMENT IN GRADE 5

This table shows you which projects and tests you will complete throughout the year.
You need to set a personal goal for each project or test. After the project or test has
been marked by your teacher, you must enter the marks you have obtained.

PERSONAL MARKS
TERM PROJECT OR TEST
GOAL (%) ACHIEVED (%)

Geography Task
TERM 1
History Task

Geography Test/Project
TERM 2
History Test/Project
ple
Geography Project
TERM 3
History Project

Geography Test/Exam
TERM 4
Sam
History Test/Exam

Why should you set goals?

• You must learn how to set realistic, achievable goals. This way, you get to know your
own abilities.
• To constantly improve your marks, it is necessary to set goals.
• If you have not achieved a goal, you are responsible for it. You need to find out why you
did not achieve the goal. You need to learn from your mistakes to enable you to achieve
future goals.

8
 GEOGRAPHY

ple
Sam

9
 Term 1

Geography
ple
Sam

Map skills

10
 Map skills

Values
View of God: God created the heavens and the earth and
(Who is God?) is still maintaining them. He also set
boundaries.
View of man: God created me and placed me in a specific place and time with
(Who am I?) a particular task in His Creation.
View of creation: As the crown of creation, man received a commission from the
(What must I do?) Lord to inhabit and cultivate and guard the earth. Using and
interpreting maps accurately helps us to carry out the
assignment because man gets to know and understand his
environment. The miracles of creation may be recorded.

Knowledge
ple
→ General knowledge of the world map.
→ General knowledge about the continent of Africa.
→ Concept of countries and borders.
→ General knowledge of Southern Africa's countries and cities.
Sam
→ Location of important physical phenomena in Africa.

→ Determining compass directions.
→ Identify landlocked or coastal areas.
→ Read and understand physical maps.
→ Use window references and connect places with photos.
→ Interpret information from photos.

11
 Map skills

Introduction
Geography is the study of the connection between man and the environment in which he
lives. Maps help us to better see and understand this connection.

A good map always has the following elements:

• A name or heading that describes the contents of the map.
• A north arrow to help people orient the map correctly.
• An accurate scale that helps people determine actual distances.
• A list of map keys to explain the symbols on the map.
Without these elements, maps are usually unclear and even unusable. One or more of these
elements are only omitted if the map is still understandable without them.

Each map is made with a specific purpose. The name of the map usually indicates the
ple
purpose. Political maps indicate the position of countries, borders and capitals, while
physical maps indicate the position of mountains, oceans and rivers.

Maps open the world for the map reader and give them an idea of where they live and work
in the world. It makes you feel small and helps you realize the greatness of God's Creation.
Sam
In 2018, there were 195 countries globally, with more than 7 billion people living and
working on it. And yet, God knows the amount of hair you have on your head, and He knows
each of your thoughts. Look at the map in Figure 1.1. This map shows what the earth would
look like on a cloudless night everywhere at the same time. All the city lights are clearly
visible. The house you live in is one of those thousands of lights that shine on the earth at
night. You are but a small light in this great world, yet God has called you by your name.

Figure 1.1: A map of the earth during the nighttime

12
 Map skills

Unit 1: World Map and Compass Directions

The world map (Revision Grade 4)
To properly understand your location on earth, it is NORTH POLE
necessary to have a general idea of what the world
looks like. Study the globe in class. The earth has
two poles - the North Pole and the South Pole.
The equator is situated Halfway in between. Northern hemisphere
The equator divides the earth into a northern and
southern hemispheres. The shape of the earth is a
sphere. It is not perfectly round but is slightly Equator
flatter at the poles and bulges out at the equator. Southern hemisphere
ple SOUTH POLE

Figure 1.2: A sketch of the earth's northern

and southern hemispheres
Sam
Study Figure 1.3. According to the map's heading, it is a world map indicating the position of
the seven continents. The four main directions are indicated by the compass.
We can easily see on this map that Antarctica is the southernmost continent.

Figure 1.3: World map showing the seven continents

13
 Map skills

The compass and compass directions (Revision Grade 4)

A compass is a tool used to determine direction. A compass looks almost like a clock, but
with only one pointer. This pointer moves around freely. No matter how you move around,
the needle always shows where magnetic north is.

Each map has a north arrow or a compass that indicates the different wind directions.
Figure 1.4 is a representation of what a compass looks like.

NE

ple E

SE
Sam
Figure 1.4: The compass

The four main or cardinal directions on a compass are North (N), East (E), South (S) and
West (W). The inter-cardinal directions are North East (NE), South East (SE), South West
(SW) and North West (NW). It is generally accepted that we use abbreviations to indicate
direction.

If you look at Figure 1.3 again, you can see that Africa is located East of South America.
Europe lies north of Africa. South America is southwest of Europe.

TIP

IIt is important that you know the compass directions from your head so that
you can answer questions about direction quickly and accurately.

14
 Map skills

Activity 1: World map and compass directions

1. Use the information in the paragraphs above or a dictionary to help you find definitions
for the following words:
a. Geography.
b. Political map.
c. Physical map.
d. Sphere.
e. Continent.
f. Compass.
g. Cardinal direction.
h. Inter-cardinal direction.
2. Find the position of the equator on the map in Figure 1.3. Now make a list of all the
continents through which the equator runs. ple
3. Use Figure 1.3 to answer the following questions:
a. Which continent lies North of South America?
b. Give the name of the continent located in Southeast Asia.
c. Complete the following sentence by filling in the correct direction:
North America is ___________________ from Africa.
Sam
d. Place your finger on the continent of Asia. Move your finger to Europe. In what direction
did you move your finger?
4. Study a large world map and answer the questions that follow (the bottom map is for
illustration only):
Physical Map of the earth, January 2015 N

150 120 90 60 30 0 30 60 90 120 150 180

ARKTIESE OSEAAN ARKTIESE OSEAAN FRANZ JOSEF-

LAND SEWERNAJA
ARKTIESE OSEAAN
ZEMLJA
Ellesmere-
KONINGIN ELIZABETH eiland
Longyearbyen
NIEU-SIBERIESE EILANDE
EILANDE Groenlandsee Svalbard NOWAJA Karasee
ZEMLJA Laptefsee
Barentssee
(NOORWEË)
Banks-eiland
Baffinbaai Groenland Oos-Siberiese see
(DENEMARKE) Wrangeleiland
Victoria-
eiland Baffin- Jan Mayen
(NOORWEË)
Noorse See Chukchisee
eiland

Ark�ese Sirkel
Nuuk
NOORWEË Witsee
Groot YSLAND
Beremeer (Godthåb) Straat van Denemarke SWEDE
Davis

Groot
Straat
Reykjavík
Tórshavn
Faroë-eilande
(DENEMARKE) Botniese
Golf
FINLAND
Ladoga-
RUSSIESE FEDERASIE
meer
Slawemeer Oslo Helsinki Onegameer
60
Hudsonbaai Stockholm Tallinn
60
Rockall Bal�ese
Golf van Alaska
Labradorsee (V.K.) See
ESTLAND Beringsee
VERENIGDE KONINKRYK
Noordsee Riga LETLAND

KANADA
DENEMARKE Moskou
Kopenhagen LITAUE
RUSLAND Vilnius See van
Minsk Baikalmeer
N DE Dublin Okhotsk
EIL A
Isle of
BELARUS
TI A N
Man
IERLAND (V.K.) Amsterdam Berlyn Warschau V.S.A.
ALEU Winnipegmeer NEDERLAND DUITSLAND Astana AL E
Newfoundland- Londen Brussel POLE Kyiv EU T ND
Praag I AN EI LA
eiland Kel�ese BELGIË LUX.
See Guernsey (V.K.)
Jersey (V.K.) Luxemburg TSJEGGIË OEKRAÏNE
Lake
Golf van
Sint Laurens
Parys Wene
SLOWAKYE
Bratislava
MOLDOWA
KASAKSTAN Ulaanbaatar
FRANKRYK
LIECHTENSTEIN
Bern OOSTENRYK Boedapest Chişnău Aralmeer Balkhashmeer KOERILE
Superior SLOWENIË HONGARYE
Huronmeer SWITSERLAND Ljubljana ROMANIË See van MONGOLIË
Sint Pierre Azof
Ottawa en Miquelon Golf van Zagreb KROASIË Belgrado
Biskaje SAN Boekarest
Michiganmeer (FRANKRYK)
MARINO
BOSNIË- Beset deur SOVIET UNIE in 1945,
Ontariomeer MONACO HERZEGOWINA SERWIË
administrasie deur RUSLAND, geëis deur JAPAN
ITALIË Sarajevo Pristina
MONTENEGRO KOS.
Sofia Swartsee GEORGIA
ANDORRA Korsika VATIKAAN Podgorica BULGARYE
Tbilisi Kaspiese Bisjkek
Rome
NOORDELIKE
Eriemeer
(FRANKRYK)
STAD
Tirana Skopje See Tasjkent
MASEDONIË
KIRGISIË
Madrid AZERBEIDJAN
Beijing NOORD-KOREA
ALBANIË ARMENIË
See van
NOORDELIKE PORTUGAL Ankara OESBEKISTAN
Bakoe
STILLE OSEAAN
SPANJE Sardinië Jerewan TURKMENISTAN Pjongjang Japan
VOLKSREPUBLIEK
BALEARIESE (ITALIË) GRIEKELAND TURKYE
EILANDE
Asjchabat Doesjanbe
VERENIGDE STATE VAN AMERIKA Washington, D.C. Lissabon
STILLE OSEAAN
(SPANJE)
ASORE
Algiers Sisilië Athene
TADJIKISTAN Seoel JAPAN
NOORDELIKE
VAN SJINA
(PORTUGAL) (ITALIË)
Gibraltar (V.K.) Tunis MALTA Valletta Teheran Indiese SUID-KOREA Tokio
1972
Ceuta (SPANJE) aanspraak
Geelsee
ATLANTIESE OSEAAN Nicosia Line of Control
Melilla TUNISIË SIRIË Kaboel
Rabat Kreta
IRAK
MADEIRA-
Middellandse see(GRIEKELAND)
(SPANJE)
SIPRUS Beiroet Line of
EILANDE Damaskus Actual
Bermuda (PORTUGAL) Tripoli LIBANON AFGHANISTAN Islamabad Control
(V.K.) Bagdad
ISRAEL
Jerusalem Amman IRAN
NA

MOROKKO Kaïro JORDANIË

N DE

30 Nieu-Delhi 30
P O AN)

KANARIE EILANDE KOEWEIT Oos-Sjinese

-

ALGERIË
(JAP

(SPANJE) Koeweit PAKISTAN BHOETAN

LA

See
- S

stad NEPAL
LIBIË Katmandoe Thimphu
E I

H
)

EGIPTE BAHREIN Persiese Midway-eilande

AN

OT

Golf OMAN (V.S.A.)

Golf van Meksiko
AP

Manama
-

Nassau DIE WESTELIKE Aboe

U

Riaad Doha Minami-tori-shima

(J

Dhabi
Y

BAHAMAS SAHARA Golf van Oman BANGLADESJ K

Kreefskeerkring MEKSIKO Havana
KATAR
VERENIGDE ARABIESE
Maskat Dhaka R
Y
U (JAPAN)
Kreefskeerkring
HAWAIIAN EILANDE Turks en
Caicos Eiland
Britse
EMIRATE Taiwan
Maagde- Maagde-eilande
KUBA
(V.K.)
eilande (V.K.)
Rooi
See
SAOEDI-ARABIË OMAN Hanoi
Honolulu (V.S.A.) MIANMAR Luzon
V.S.A. Meksikostad Kaaimanseilande
(V.K.) Port-au-
DOMINIKAANSE
REPUBLIEK
San
Anguilla (V.K.)
Saint-Martin (FRANKRYK)
MAURITANIË
INDIË LAOS
Golf van
Straat Filippynse Wake-eiland
(V.S.A.)
Prince Juan Sint Maarten (NEDERLAND) Nay Pyi Noordelike
Tonkin Hainan
REVILLAGIGEDO
JAMAIKA
Santo Puerto
Saint Barthelemy (FRANKRYK)
ST. KITTS EN NEVIS Nouakchott MALI Taw Vientiane
Dao
See Mariana-eilande
BELIZE HAÏTI
KingstonNavassa-eiland
Johnston Atoll
EILANDE
(MEKSIKO)
Belmopan (V.S.A.)
Domingo Rico
(V.S.A.)
ANTIGUA EN BARBUDA
NIGER SOEDAN ERITREA
PARACEL
EILANDE
(V.S.A.)

Golf van
Guadeloupe (FRANKRYK)
Asmara JEMEN THAILAND
(V.S.A.) GUATEMALA HONDURAS
Karibiese See
Montserrat DOMINICA KAAP VERDE
Dakar TSJAD Khartoem Sanaa VIËTNAM Manila
Saipan
Bengale
(V.K.)
Tegucigalpa Praia SENEGAL Bangkok
Arabiese
Martinique (FRANKRYK)
Guatemala-stad Niamey Guam
San Salvador Aruba
ST. VINCENT EN
GRENADINES
ST. LUCIA Banjul
Bamako
BURKINA ANDAMAN
KAMBODJA
Suid-Sjinese FILIPPYNE (V.S.A.) Hagåtña
EL SALVADOR NICARAGUA (NEDERLAND) Curacao (NEDERLAND) BARBADOS GAMBIË FASO Golf van Aden EILANDE
N'Djamena See
See LAKSHADWEEP
DJIBOETI (INDIË)
Managua GRENADA Bissau Ouagadougou Djiboeti Socotra
Caracas Port of Spain GUINEE-BISSAU (JEMEN) Andamanse Phnom MARSHALLEILANDE
GUINEE BENIN NIGERIË Penh FEDERALE STATE VAN MIKRONESIË
San José TRINIDAD EN TOBAGO Addis See
Clipperton-eiland Conakry Abuja Abeba
(INDIË) Golf van
Panama-stad
(FRANKRYK) COSTA Freetown TOGO Thailand SPRATLY
RICA IVOORKUS GHANA EILANDE
PANAMA
Georgetown SIERRA LEONE Yamoussoukro SUID-SOEDAN ETHIOPIË Laccadive Colombo Melekeok Palikir Majuro
Kingman Rif (V.S.A.)
Coco-eiland VENEZUELA Lomé SENTRAAL-AFRIKAANSE See
NICOBAR
GUYANA Paramaribo Monrovia Akkra SRI LANKA EILANDE
Palmyra Atoll (V.S.A.) (COSTA RICA)
Malpelo-eiland Bogotá Frans-Guyana LIBERIË
Porto-
Novo
KAMEROEN REPUBLIEK Joeba SOMALIË (INDIË)
Bandar Seri
Begawan PALAU
(COLOMBIA) (FRANKRYK) Bangui Malé Kuala BROENEI
SURINAME Cayenne
COLOMBIË EKWATORIAAL-GUINEE
Malabo
Yaoundé MALEDIVE Lumpur Celebessee
Gulf van Guinee MALEISIË
Kiritimati PENEDOS DE UGANDA
(Kersfees-eiland) SÃO PEDRO E SÃO PAULO SÃO TOMÉ EN PRÍNCIPE Mogadisjoe Singapoer Tarawa Howland-eiland
(KIRIBATI) Kampala KENIA Ewenaar
(V.S.A.)
Ewenaar Quito (BRASILIË)
Ewenaar São Tomé Libreville REP. VAN SINGAPOER Baker-eiland (V.S.A.)
0 0
Jarvis-eiland
GALÁPAGOS ECUADOR
GABOEN DIE DEMOKRATIESE Nairobi Yaren
NAURU
(V.S.A.)
Annobon KONGO RWANDA Kigali District
EILANDE ARQUIPÉLAGO DE
(EKWATORIAAL-GUINEE) REPUBLIEK KIRIBATI
FERNANDO DE NORONHA Victoriameer
(ECUADOR) Bujumbura
Brazzaville VAN DIE KONGO
INDONESIË
(BRASILIË)
BURUNDI Victoria
Kinshasa Javasee PAPOEA-
ANGOLA Djakarta Bandasee
(Cabinda) ZANZIBAR NIEU-GUINEE SOLOMONEILANDE
KIRIBATI TanganjikameerTANZANIË Dar es Salaam
Diego
MARQUESAEILANDE Luanda
SEYCHELLE Garcia Díli Funafuti
(Fr. Poly.) PERU
BRASILIË Nyasameer Glorioso-eilande Kerseiland
OOS-TIMOR
Arafurasee
Port
Moresby
Honiara TUVALU Tokelau
(NIEU-SEELAND)

Lima Moroni (FRANKRYK) (AUSTRALIË) Timorsee

ANGOLA COMORE-EILANDE Kokoseilande
Ashmore- en Wallis en
Futuna SAMOA
Cartiereilande
Gro

INDIESE
Lilongwe Mayotte (Keeling) (FRANKRYK) Apia
Cook Eilande ZAMBIË (AUSTRALIË)
(AUSTRALIË) Golf van Mata-Utu
ot

(administrasie deur FRANKRYK,

(NIEU-SEELAND)
Ti�cacameer BOLIVIË Brasília
Lusaka MALAWI geëis deur COMORE-EILANDE) Tromelineiland Carpentaria Koraalsee Pago Pago
SUIDELIKE
(FRANKRYK)

OSEAAN
Amerikaans-
Koraalr

ARCHIPEL DES TUAMOTU La Paz Juan de Nova-eiland FIDJI Samoa

(Fr. Poly.) (FRANKRYK) VANUATU (V.S.A.)
SOCIETY Papeete
ATLANTIESE OSEAAN Harare MOSAMBIEK
if

Niue EILANDE Antananarivo Port-Vila

(NIEU-SEELAND) Koraalsee-eilande Suva
(Fr. Poly.) ZIMBABWE Mosambiekkanaal (AUSTRALIË)
Frans-Polynesië Martin Vaz
(BRASILIË) NAMIBIË Saint- Port Louis
New
(FRANKRYK) Trindade
Bassas
da India MADAGASKAR Denis MAURITIUS Caledonia
Nuku'alofa
(BRASILIË) (FRANKRYK)
Reunion (FRANKRYK)
PARAGUAY Windhoek BOTSWANA (FRANKRYK)
TONGA
Steenbokskeerkring Europa-eiland Steenbokskeerkring Noumea
(FRANKRYK)

TUBUAI-EILANDE Gaborone
Adamstown Asunción
(Fr. Poly.)
Sala y Gómez eiland San Felíx Eiland Pretoria Maputo
(CHILI)
(CHILI)
San Ambrosio Eiland Mbabane AUSTRALIË
Paaseiland
(CHILI)
(CHILI)
LESOTHO SWAZILAND Norfolkeiland SUIDELIKE
(AUSTRALIË)

30
Maseru
STILLE OSEAAN 30
KERMADEC-
CHILI SUID-AFRIKA Lord Howe-
EILANDE
(NIEU-SEELAND)
URUGUAY eiland
(AUSTRALIË)
Santiago Buenos Aires
JUAN FERNÁNDEZ Canberra
ARCHIPELAGO Montevideo
(CHILI)
ARGENTINIË Amsterdameiland Groot Australiese
(Fr.S. & Ant. Gebiede)
Baai
Sint-Pauleiland NIEU-SEELAND
SUIDELIKE Gougheiland
(Fr.S. & Ant. Gebiede)
Tasmansee Wellington

STILLE OSEAAN Franse Suidelike en Antarktiese Gebiede

(FRANKRYK)
CHATHAM EILANDE
(NIEU-SEELAND)

PRINS-EDWARD- CROZETEILANDE
Falkland-eilande (Fr.S. & Ant. Gebiede) BOUNTY EILANDE
EILANDE AUCKLAND SNARES EILANDE (NIEU-SEELAND)
(Islas Malvinas) (NIEU-SEELAND)
(SUID-AFRIKA) EILANDE
(administrasie deur V.K., KERGUELENEILANDE (NIEU-SEELAND) ANTIPODES EILANDE
geëis deur ARGENTINIË) (Fr.S. & Ant. Gebiede) (NIEU-SEELAND)
Stanley
Bouveteiland Heard- en McDonaldeilande Campbell-eiland
(NOORWEË) (AUSTRALIË) (NIEU-SEELAND)
Macquarie-eiland
Sco�asee Suid-Georgië en (AUSTRALIË)
Suidelike Sandwicheilande
(administrasie deur V.K.,
geëis deur ARGENTINIË)
60
Drake 60
Passage SUIDELIKE ORKNEY-
EILANDE

SUIDELIKE OSEAAN
Antark�ese Sirkel SUIDELIKE OSEAAN SUIDELIKE OSEAAN Antark�ese Sirkel
Amery Ysrak

Bellingshausensee
Weddellsee
Amundsensee

Rosssee Rosssee
ANTARKTIKA
Ronne Ysrak
Ross Ross Ysrak
Ysrak

150 120 90 60 30 0 30 60 90 120 150 180

Political map of the world, January 2015

15
 Map skills

Activity 1: World map and compass directions

a. Write the names of the countries in Africa through which the equator runs.
b. Which continent do we find at the South Pole?
c. Write down the names of any 5 countries in the continent of Europe.
d. Which island is found southeast of Australia?
e. Which African country is found south of Spain (Europe)?
f. Complete the following sentence, by filling in the correct direction:
Chile is__________ from Argentina (South America).
g. Find the position of Sweden in Europe. Complete the following sentence by filling
in the correct directions:
Sweden is___________ from Norway and _____________of Finland.
Denmark is to the_____________ of Sweden.

Unit 2: Africa, our continent

Countries and borders
ple
In 2018, there were 195 countries in the world. Continents are divided into different
countries. The countries are separated from each other by borders. A border is an imaginary
line that separates the territories of countries. Sometimes the boundaries correspond to
Sam
natural phenomena such as rivers or mountain ranges. Some borders run on longitude or
latitude lines. Borders can be bendy or straight. Where there is no high mountain or broad
rivers, fences are often erected to indicate the boundary.

Borders are also used in other places. A border separates two provinces or indicates the
area of a municipality. There are often signs along national roads indicating when entering a
new province. Farms or stands (for houses) also have borderlines, which are often indicated
by a wall or a fence.

Figure 1.5A Figure 1.5B

Figure 1.5A and B: The border between South Africa and Namibia is the Orange River

16
 Term 2

Geography
ple
Sam

Physical phenomena
of South Africa

33
 Physical phenomena of South Africa

Values
View of God: God has created the heavens and the earth,
(Who is God?) including South Africa, and He is still
maintaining it.

View of Man You are a steward of what God has entrusted to you and of the
(Who am I?) natural environment in which you live.
Creation encourages me to praise God and serves as a warning
View of Creation
(What must I do?) that I must repent. By looking carefully at how human
development influences nature, I can adjust my actions to be a
responsible steward while working with God's creation.

Knowledge
ple
→ What South Africa looks like from above.
→ Where various physical phenomena are found in South Africa.
→ Concepts of rivers.
Sam

→ Read and understand maps that indicate physical phenomena.
→ Understand the impact of human activities on the physical phenomena
we have studied earlier and consider solutions for sustainable development.

34
 Physical phenomena of South Africa

Introduction
In the first term, you learned more about the continent of Africa. You looked at different
maps and learned how to identify the most important mountains, rivers, dams, deserts and
other physical phenomena on those maps. You will use the map skills you learned in the first
term again in the second term.

South Africa is a country with a large variety of physical phenomena. The Lord created and
blessed South Africa with beautiful scenery, and tourists from all over the world come to
enjoy it. South Africa's many national parks and other conservation areas have a mandate to
conserve the environment. By conserving nature, we act as good stewards of God's creation.

However, God has also commanded us to cultivate the earth. Development must take place.
Nature is full of resources that man may and must use. Unfortunately, we live on a broken,
ple
sinful earth, and much of the development negatively affects the environment. Selfish,
greedy development leads to the destruction of the beautiful landscape we may live in.
Therefore, as responsible stewards, it is necessary to study the negative impact of
development on the environment and reduce or remove the negative aspects. We must find
sustainable solutions to the devastation and thus faithfully fulfil our God-given steward task.
Sam
Unit 1: South Africa
seen from above
To see an overview of the
physical phenomena in South
Africa, it is helpful to study a
map. Take a good look at
Figure 3.1, which is a physical
map (also known as a physical
map) of South Africa.

Figure 3.1: Physical map of South Africa

35
 Physical phenomena of South Africa

If you look at the map key, you will see that the different colour shades indicate height
above sea level. The green areas along the ocean are very close to sea level. This map clearly
shows that the area right next to the ocean is the lowest part of South Africa. Take another
good look at the map key. Do you see that the sea level has a height of 0m? The inland is
much higher and mountain ranges, such as the Drakensberg, are the highest areas of South
Africa.

We can divide the South African landscape into three areas:

• The coastal plain;
• The escarpment (also known as the edge of a plateau); and
• The plateau.

ple
Sam
Plateau

in
Escarpment pla
stal
o a
C

Figure 3.2: Location of the coastal plain, escarpment and plateau of South Africa

The coastal plain is the low-lying area between the escarpment and the ocean. A large part of
this area is at sea level or very close to sea level. The escarpment is the high mountains
between the plateau and the coastal plain. It includes the highest mountain range in South
Africa, the Drakensberg. Other mountains, such as the Cape Vouberg, are also part of the
escarpment. The plateau is a relatively flat, high area in the interior. The highest part of
the plateau is in Mpumulanga, Gauteng and North West.
36
 Physical phenomena of South Africa
Fisiese verskynsels van Suid-Afrik

The climates of these three areas (rainfall and temperature conditions) differ from each
other due to their location. Think about the following:
• If you travel to the North and East coasts of South Africa, you will notice that it is very
humid. Cities like Durban are humid all year round.
• The inland, such as parts of Gauteng and the Free State, receives rain in summer and has
dry winters.
• The higher an area is, the colder it gets there. Snow is often found in the high Drakensberg
in winter.
KEYS

We can divide South Africa into even Kalahari

Low
Namkwaland
more regions. These regions are divided

veld
Great Karoo
Little Karoo
according to their height above sea Highveld
Midlands
level. Lowveld

different regions:
ple
Look at Figure 3.3, which shows the Kalahari

Namkwaland

Great Karoo
Midlands
Highveld
Sam
Little Karoo

Figure 3.3: Location of the different regions of South Africa

South Africa is divided into seven regions:

• The Highveld is an area on the plateau higher
than 1500m above sea level and extends to
2100m above sea level. The whole of Gauteng
and the Free State are part of the Highveld, and
parts of other provinces are also included in this
area. Figure 3.4A: Highveld

• The Lowveld is an area that is lower than 1000m above sea

level. Portions of Mpumalanga, Limpopo and KwaZulu-
Natal form the Lowveld.

Figure 3.4B: Lowveld

37
 Physical phenomena of South Africa

• The Midlands is an area in Limpopo and North West between

1000m and 1500m above sea level. The area is also known
as the Bushveld.

Figure 3.4C: Midlands

• The Great Karoo is a large area between 700m and

1500m above sea level. The northern boundary of the
Great Karoo is the escarpment, while the Cape
Vouberge restricts it to the south. Little rain falls in
this area.

Figure 3.4D: Great Karoo

ple
• The Little Karoo lies between the Cape Vouberg. The
Swartberg Mountains form the boundary in the north,
while the Outeniqua Mountains form the southern
Sam
boundary. This area is mountainous and relatively dry.

Figure 3.4E: Little Karoo

• The Kalahari is a semi-desert in the Northern Cape and

extends to our neighbouring countries. The area is on
average 900m above sea level. Few rivers are found in this
area.

Figure 3.4F: Kalahari

• Namaqualand is adjacent to the Kalahari and is also a dry area.

The area stretches along the West Coast of South Africa.

Figure 3.4G: Namaqualand

West Coast

38
 Physical phenomena of South Africa

Activity 1: South Africa seen from above

1. Give short definitions for the following concepts. Use your textbook or dictionary to
help you:
a. Physical phenomena.
b. Sea level (Hint: refer to first term's work).
c. Height above sea level (Hint: refer again to first term's work).
d. Coastal plain.
e. Escarpment
f. Plateau.
2. Write one or two sentences that describe each of the following regions:
a. Highveld.
b. Lowveld.
c. Midlands/Bushveld.ple
d. Great Karoo.
e. Little Karoo.
f. Kalahari.
g. Namaqualand.
Use an atlas to find the following towns or cities. Compare their position with the map
Sam
in Figure 3.3 and complete the table below. An example has been done for you.

City or town Region

Beaufort West Great Karoo

Johannesburg

Mbombela (Nelspruit)

Oudtshoorn

Rustenburg

Springbok

Upington

39
Term 3

Geografie
ple North West

Free State
Sam
Northern Cape

Western Cape Eastern Cape

Weather, climate and

vegetation of South Africa

56
 Weather, climate and vegetation of South Africa

Values

View of God: He is the Creator, also of climate

(Who is God?) and weather conditions. He blesses
us with good weather, like rain on drylands.
He manages and controls the bad weather conditions.
View of Man
God's children are placed on the earth with a specific task amid
(Who am I?)
a broken world.
View of Creation: Understanding weather and climate and the relationship
(What must I do?) between humans and the weather/climate help people make
more responsible decisions about the development and
conservation of the earth.

Knowledge
ple
→ What is weather and what types of weather are there?
→ Where and when the rain falls in South Africa.
→ Difference between weather and climate.
→ Natural vegetation and the connection with climate.
Sam

→ The measurement or observation of various weather conditions.
→ Draw diagrams and graphs to show observations.
→ Personal observations of the climate.
→ How to understand weather maps in newspapers or on television.
→ Understand and comment on the influence of weather conditions on people's lives.
→ Understand the impact of climate on natural vegetation and wildlife.
→ How to make a useful summary of research.

57
 Weather, climate and vegetation of South Africa

Introduction
God created the heavens and the earth in six days. During Creation, He also created the
weather and climate. He separated the waters above from the waters below and caused the
water to collect so that dry soil became visible. After creating the right weather conditions, He
created the natural vegetation. Only then did he create all living things. God created the perfect
climate and weather for the existence of all living things.

However, man's fall into sin also affected the weather. After the fall, we hear of the flood,
where it rained for 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 6-7). We hear of seven years of abundance
and seven years of drought in Egypt and the whole world around it (Genesis 41). Israel moves
through a dry desert land to the promised land of Canaan, overflowing with milk and honey.
In the book of Job, we hear of a devastating wind that caused the roof of the house to fall on
his children (Job 1).
ple
Mercifully, God is in control of the weather and the climate. Despite all the devastation that the
weather can bring upon us, God's promises still stand. In Job 5:10, Job confesses that God is in
control of the weather. Jesus Christ Himself calmed the wind and the storm in Mark 4: 35-41.
After the overwhelming, devastating flood, God gives the rainbow and promises that He will
Sam
never again send such a flood that will destroy the whole earth (Genesis 8 and 9). "As long as
the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will
never cease" (Genesis 8:22).

And yet we know that there will be an end to the sinful earth. In the book of Revelation, God
speaks of the destruction of sin and the sinful people through brimstone, hail and fire. A new
Jerusalem descends from heaven and God wipes away all tears from the people. "He said to
me: It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will
give water without cost from the spring of the water of life" (Revelation 21: 6).

Unit 1: Weather
Elements of the weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere in a specific place at a specific time. We can say that
the weather has different elements. These include conditions such as temperature, wind
speed and wind direction, cloudiness and rainfall. In Grade 5, you will study the following four
elements:
• Temperature;
• Wind;
• Cloud cover; and
• Rainfall/precipitation.
58
 Weather, climate and vegetation of South Africa

The temperature of an area varies throughout the day and throughout the year as seasons
change. In South Africa, we measure temperature in degrees Celsius (°C).

When we study the wind, we can look at two aspects: wind direction (from which direction
the wind is blowing) and wind speed (how fast the wind is blowing). Wind can make it feel
colder than it really is. Wind can quickly change the weather conditions: think of a hot
summer day that suddenly turns into a thunderstorm after strong gusts.

When we talk about cloud cover, we mean how much of the blue sky is covered by clouds.
If there are no clouds, we can say that the sky is clear or cloudless. When the sky is
completely covered, we say that it is cloudy. If only a quarter or half of the sky is covered
with clouds, we are talking about a partly cloudy day.

ple
Sam
Figure 5.1A: Cloudless Figure 5.1B: Partly cloudy Figure 5.1C: Cloudy

Precipitation
In Grade 4, you learned to understand
the water cycle.
Water that evaporates condenses and
becomes clouds. When the water in
the clouds becomes too heavy, it falls
to the earth.
We call the falling water precipitation.

Figure 5.2: Water cycle

59
 Weather, climate and vegetation of South Africa

There are different types of precipitation. The most common

precipitation is rain. Rain is liquid water droplets that fall on
the earth. The raindrops can freeze and form hail if the clouds
are very high. Heavy hail drops that fall can do much damage.
Hail usually forms in summer, when the clouds are very large
and high.

Snow is a form of precipitation that forms in very cold places

in winter. It is frozen water that forms when small ice crystals
bind together. The ice crystals are known as snowflakes.
It only forms when the temperatures are very low.
Figure 5.3: Hail in Gauteng
ple
Sam
Figure 5.4: Snow in the Cacadu District, Eastern Cape

Weather measurements
The weather conditions are measured daily at weather stations around
the world. At these weather stations, some instruments measure the
different elements. The measurements are written down and used to
predict future weather conditions.

Temperature is measured using a thermometer. In South Africa, we

measure the temperature in degrees Celsius. Water freezes when the
temperature reaches 0 °C and boils at a temperature of 100 °C.
In countries such as the USA, temperature is measured in degrees
Fahrenheit. Scientists measure temperature in Kelvin.
Fig. 5.5: A kitchen
A rain gauge is used to measure rainfall. The water is collected in thermometer
the rain gauge and the amount of rain are then indicated in
millimetres (mm).
60
 Weather, climate and vegetation of South Africa

Pretoria receives about 580mm of rain annually, while Cape Town receives about 720mm
per year. A dry city like Upington has an annual rainfall measurement of 90mm, while a very
wet city like Durban can receive up to 1000mm of rain per year.

ple
Figure 5.6A: A rain gauge at
a weather station in the
Kruger National Park
Figure 5.6B: A rain gauge
in a garden
Sam
FOR FUN: MAKE YOUR OWN RAIN METER

Rain gauges are freely available and can be purchased at the nearest
hardware store, but you can also make your own.
You will need:

• 2 liter soft drink bottle;

• Sharp knife, blade or scissors;
• Small pebbles;
• Water;
• Masking tape;
• Ruler;
• Black pen.

61
 Weather, climate and vegetation of South Africa

Method:
1. Cut off the top third of the bottle with a sharp knife,
blade or scissors. Set aside the portion you cut off.
Safety Tip: Ask an adult to help you with this.

2. Pack a few pebbles at the

bottom of the bottle. This makes
the bottle heavy and prevents it
from overturning.

3. Pour water into the bottle to

ple
just above the level of the pebbles.
Sam
4. Draw a scale in millimetres on the
masking tape and stick it on the bottle.
Start at zero millimetres and paste the zero
value at the level of the water contained in
the bottle.

5. Turn the top third of the bottle over so that it looks like a
funnel. Put it in the bottle. The funnel helps the water to flow
more easily into the bottle and prevents the water in the bottle
from evaporating.
Tip: the funnel should be removable, so you should not glue it
on. You can fasten it with paper clips.
6. Place your rain gauge outside in an open place with a stable
surface. It should not be placed under a tree.

7. Wait for the rain and write down your measurements.

8. Note: every time it has rained, the water must be poured out. Then make sure that
the water level in your bottle returns to zero value.

62
 Term 4

Geography
ple
Sam

Minerals and mining

in South Africa

83
 Minerals and mining in South Africa

Values
View of God: God created the heavens and the earth and
(Who is God?) resources (like minerals) for
people to use. God gives us the command
to develop the earth responsibly.
View of Man: Appointed by God as ruler (king) over creation to develop the
(Who am I?) earth responsibly.
View of Creation: We must use the resources created and manage them
(What must I do?) responsibly. When we use the resources, we must preserve the
environment and weigh the pros and cons of using them against
each other.

Knowledge
→
→
→
ple
Difference between renewable and non-renewable sources.
Most important minerals mined in South Africa and their uses.
Formation, use and location of coal.
Sam
→ Types of mining activities.

→ Understand the link between the location of coal and settlement
patterns.
→ Recognize and identify the impact of mining on the environment.
→ Discuss the impact of mining on miners.

84
 Minerals and mining in South Africa

Introduction
We believe that God created all creation. Along with that, He also created the resources that
man needs to survive. He created water, air, various plants, animals and the raw materials in
the soil. We may and must use the resources. God has given us the creative command to
develop the earth.

From the earliest times, we hear that man is engaged in development. Cain and Abel cultivated
the lands and developed farms. In Genesis 4, we read of Cain's descendants building cities and
making musical instruments. Tubal-Cain, a descendant of Cain, used raw materials such as
copper and iron to make all kinds of instruments. In Exodus, we read of different kinds of raw
materials used to make the objects of the tabernacle (gold, silver and copper). In Job 28, we
read specifically about mines and mine shafts that man uses to extract treasures from the
earth. Development through mining took place early on.
ple
We must remember that God not only gave a development order to man but also a
conservation order. Unfortunately, we live in a sinful world where selfish people have
forgotten their command to work responsibly with God's creation. The wealth that mining
offers, provide blinds greed for the devastation that often accompanies mining.
Sam
As obedient rulers of creation, we need to understand the impact of all our activities on the
environment and on people to make responsible decisions about future developments.

Eenheid 1:

Minerale en steenkoolhulpbronne van Suid-Afrika

South Africa is a country that is blessed with a large variety of
raw materials that are mined through mining. A resource is
something we can use to meet our needs. A natural resource is
found in nature and is collected by humans and grown into a
useful product. Examples of natural resources are water, soil,
crops and minerals.

Resources can be divided into two groups:

• Renewable resources; and
• Non-renewable resources.
Renewable resources are, of course, replaced by nature over Figure 7.1A: Wood is a
a short period. Examples of renewable resources include renewable resource

85
 Minerals and mining in South Africa

water and plants. Water can be cleaned again,

and new plants can be planted and will grow
quickly.

Non-renewable resources are not naturally

replaced by nature, or it takes a very long time
before they are replaced. Minerals are
examples of non-renewable resources. If a gold
mine has mined all the available gold
underground, it will not be replaced naturally. Figure 7.1B: Coal is a non-renewable source
The mine is then depleted and must be closed.
There is only a limited amount of gold available
in the world.

KEYS
Platinum
Manganese
Coal
ple
Minerals and raw materials of South Africa
The South African mining industry
is well developed because there
are so many minerals and raw
Sam
Chrome materials available in South Africa.
Copper
Diamonds Figure 7.2 is a map of South Africa
Gold that shows the most important raw
Iron Ore
materials that are mined in South
Africa.

Figure 7.2: The most important raw materials in South Africa

• Gold is mined in the more northern provinces. Johannesburg

originated as a result of gold mines. Gold is used for
jewellery, coins, medals, electronics and medical devices
(especially dentistry).
Figure 7.3A: Gold ring

86
 Minerals and mining in South Africa

• Platinum is a precious metal that is mainly mined in the North-

West Province. It is used for jewellery, electronics, auto parts
and laboratory equipment.

Figure 7.3B: Platinum

• Kimberley originated due to the presence of diamonds. Although
this diamond mine has been depleted, there are still diamond
mines across South Africa. One of the best known is the Cullinan
Figure 7.3C: Cullinan mine near Pretoria. Diamonds are mostly used for jewellery and
Diamond (Star of Africa) industrial drill bits.

• Sishen (Northern Cape) and Thabazimbi (Limpopo) are known for

ple
the iron ore mined there. The ore is a reddish stone that is the
main component of steel. Steel is used to make thousands of
items such as train tracks, cars, reinforcing bars in buildings, tools
and even bicycles.
Figure 7.3D: Iron ore at
Sishen
• Chromium is mined in the North West
Sam
Province. It is used in conjunction with other minerals to make
metals. Chrome can be polished to give something a glossy
finish. It is anti-corrosive and prevents minerals such as iron ore
Figure 7.3E: Chrome
from rusting in metals.
was used for the car's
grille

• Copper is mined in the Northern Cape and the North-West

provinces. It is commonly used to make coins. It is a good
conductor of electricity and is used for electrical wiring. Various
musical instruments are made of copper.
Figure 7.3F: Copper cables

• Manganese is found mainly in the North West Province. It is

mixed with other minerals to form steel and is a disinfectant
for the medical industry. Furthermore, it is also added to
petrol.

Figure 7.3G: A piece

of manganese

87
 Minerals and mining in South Africa

IS THERE SILVER IN SOUTH AFRICA?

The map in Figure 7.2 does not indicate the position of silver mines in
South Africa. Silver is also mined here, but South Africa mines little
silver compared to other parts of the world. There are a few silver
mines in Mpumalanga and near Pretoria. Silver is mainly used in
jewellery, coins, electrical appliances and batteries.

ple Figure 7.4: Silver coins

Sam
Activity 1: Minerals of South Africa
1. What is a natural resource?
2. Explain the difference between a renewable and a non-renewable resource.
3. Give TWO examples of renewable resources.
4. Give TWO examples of non-renewable resources.
5. Copy the following table in your workbook and complete it:

Mineral Where is it found? TWO uses

Gold •
•
Platinum •
•
Diamonts •
•
Iron Ore •
•
Activity continues on next page

88
 Minerals and mining in South Africa

Activity 1: Minerals of South Africa (continues)

Chrome •
•
Copper •
•
Manganese •
•
Silver •
•
5. Search your wallet for coins. Which minerals are used to make the following coins:
a. 10 cent?
b. 20 and 50 cents?
c. R1 and R2 coins?
d. R5 coin?
e. Krugerrand?
ple
6. Study Figure 7.2 and answer the following questions:
a. In which province do we find the largest variety of minerals?
b. Where in South Africa is coal mined?
c. Name any TWO ways in which you use coal in your daily life.
Sam
d. Most power stations were built near coal mines. Explain why this is so.

Unit 2: Coal as a non-renewable resource

Coal is one of the most important raw materials mined in South Africa. The sale of coal is
very profitable and is an excellent source of income for our country. The mines employ a
large number of people, and the coal is used in coal power stations.

Coal is a non-renewable resource. This is because it takes many years for coal to form
naturally. If it has to be replaced naturally, it could take millions of years. It is, therefore,
very difficult to replace coal once we have mined and burned all the available coal.

89
 Minerals and mining in South Africa

Study Figure 7.5 and the descriptions that follow,

which show how coal forms:
1. Plants and animals die and their remains fall to the
Soil
ground or end up in swamps.
2. Over many years, soil washes over the dead plant
and animal remains and buries them. The layers of
soil and water in the swamps become heavy and
put pressure on the remains.
3. Pressure and heat from water, soil and stones
cause the oxygen to be forced out of the dead
material. A change takes place, and the dead
material becomes coal. The longer the residues
were under pressure, the higher the quality of the Figure 7.5: How coal forms
coal.
ple DID YOU KNOW

Coal is not a mineral because it is formed from plant material. Minerals do not form
from organic materials such as plants and animals. Coal is a stone or rock.
Sam
Enrichment: How long does it take for coal to form?
Many scientists and geologists have done research over the years on the speed at which
raw materials such as coal form. If we look at the current speed at which coal is forming, it
will take millions of years for new coal to form. We must, therefore, carefully plan how we
use this resource, as it cannot be easily replaced, naturally, once it is depleted.

As Christians, we believe that God created the heavens and the earth. God created the raw
materials and minerals. He also created the natural processes by which the raw materials
were formed. God does not tell us in the Bible how
He did it or how fast He did. It is not necessary for
our salvation.

We may be grateful for the resources God has

provided there, but we are responsible for using
them sparingly.

Figure 7.6: Coal

90
 Minerals and mining in South Africa

Uses of coal
We can classify the uses of coal into two groups:
• The use as fuel; and
• The use in industries/factories.

Coal is the fuel burned in power stations to generate electricity. Petrol and different types of oils
are also made from coal. Certain factories (such as paper and aluminium factories) burn coal to
provide heat for the manufacture of their products.

In factories, coal and the by-products of coal are used to make the following products:
• Iron and steel;
• Fertilization for plants;
• Tar, cement and concrete;ple
• Plastic;
• Motor tires;
• Paint;
• Explosives; and
• Chemicals and products for the pharmacy industry
Sam
(such as soaps and medicines).

Figure 7.7: Steel is manufactured in

a steel factory

91
 HISTORY

ple
Sam
 Term 1

ple
Sam

History
Hunter gatherers and
shepherds in Southern Africa

103
 Hunter gatherers and shepherds in Southern Africa

Values
View of God: God is Creator and Ruler over all creation.
(Who is God?) This includes the hunter gatherers. He also
rules and manages their lives just like our lives,
within His plan of counsel.
View of Man: Child of God living in His plan of counsel. Disciple of God.
(Who am I?)
View of Creation: Recognize how God governs history, also through the lives of
(What must I do?) Hunter gatherers. See the revelation of God in both nature and
scripture. Spread his Word to all nations.

Knowledge

Later Stone Age.

ple
→ How populations in South Africa have become established since the

→ How we obtain information from hunter gatherers and shepherds.

→ The lives of San hunter gatherers.
Sam
→ The creation of rock drawings.
→ The life of the Khoi shepherds.

→ Interpretation of rock drawings and understanding their value for today.

→ Research skills.

104
 Hunter gatherers and shepherds in Southern Africa

Introduction
Scientists who research the history of humans have divided it into certain periods. The
periods are called the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. Each period has a typical
character of development: in the Stone Age, bricks were used as tools. In the Bronze Age,
bronze was used to make tools, and in the Iron Age, iron and other metals were used to
make tools. Over the years, technology has evolved more, and people have been able to do
more with their tools.

These scientists try to attach dates and times to these periods and will easily say that a
period began millions of years ago. The methods used to date the age of, for example,
objects of the San are methods that accept that all humankind originated from evolution.

As Christians, we know that God created all creation and man. Man was created from dust,
ple
artificially woven by God. It is impossible for a Christian historian to regard history as
evolution. In Genesis, we hear that humans could already work with both bronze and iron
and that they built great cities. They were busy from an early age with their mission to
develop the earth.

We do know that world civilizations have changed and evolved over time. The hunter-
Sam
gatherers are such a civilization. All people, nations and languages ​fall under the rule of God.
He manages all development and uses it in His plan of counsel. A Christian historian does
not focus on what the people have achieved in a certain period but instead realizes that God
was (and is) directing creation.

Eenheid 1: Divan
Unit 1: The people of early South Africa
Long before the Europeans and North Africans discovered
South Africa, people lived in South Africa. Today, these people
are known as hunter-gatherers or as the San.

The hunter gatherers of early Southern Africa lived close to

nature. They hunted just enough meat for their family groups
and collected plants to survive. They lived nomadically and
moved from place to place behind their food. The men were
armed with a bow and arrow to hunt bucks, and huts were built
of branches and grass. They sat around the campfire at night Figure 2.1: San hunter
and told stories of their hunts. gatherers

105
 Hunter gatherers and shepherds in Southern Africa

About 1700 years ago, the Khoi shepherds came to South Africa. They were the first farmers
in South Africa and kept a variety of livestock. They also led a nomadic lifestyle and
moved behind pasture for their livestock. They originally moved south from the Botswana
area and encountered the San groups. The Khoi and the San had to learn to share the land.

Unit 2: How we obtain information about hunter gatherers and shepherds

The Khoi and the San groups could not write. The history of their societies cannot be
translated into a book. There are others
sources of information that tell us more about
the Khoi and San societies:
• Stories passed down from one generation to
the next;

• Rock drawings;
ple
• Objects discovered by scientists
(archaeologists);

• Writings and books of people who later saw

and described them; and
Figure 2.2: San people tell stories around the fire
• Observations of current Khoi and San
Sam
societies.

Both the San and Khoi were groups that liked to tell stories next to the campfire.
The famous stories were passed down from generation to generation. By telling stories,
their children learned about their culture and faith. Animals have always played an
important role in their stories, and stories were often told of great hunts. Some of the
stories are found in rock drawings. Over many years, these stories have found the ears of
people who can read and write, and they wrote them down.

Archaeologists studying the San and Khoi cultures

have found many artefacts in caves where these
people once lived. Objects such as weapons, clay
pots and pieces of clothing tell a story of how
people lived.

The San people are known today for their rock

drawings. There are caves all over South Africa filled
with drawings of animals and people. The drawings
Figure 2.3: Clay pots
were mostly made by religious leaders and often
told stories of great hunts.
106
 Hunter gatherers and shepherds in Southern Africa

The descendants of the Khoi and San groups are still alive today. Although few of their
descendants still live the traditional way, a few groups in the Kalahari and Namibia still live
traditionally. Archaeologists can visit these groups to learn more about their cultures, hear
their stories, and view their way of life.

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Figure 2.4: Rock drawing Figure 2.5: A San family shows how they live

Activity 1: Hunter gatherers and shepherds of early South Africa

1. Provide definitions for the following words. Use a dictionary to
Sam
help you:
a. Hunter gatherers.
b. Nomadic.
c. Archaeologist.
2. Both the Khoi and San were nomadic in their existence.
a. Why did the San move often?
b. Why did the Khoi move often?
3. Explain how stories can be an important source of information.
4. An archaeologist can excavate an area and find a weapon used by the San.
How does this object tell us more about their way of life?
5. Look for any two examples of rock drawings. Paste it in your workbook
Below the picture, describe what the drawing is about.
6. Study the following San story that has been passed down from generation to
generation, and answer the questions that follow:

Long, long ago, humans and animals could still talk to each other and understand
each other. The animals lived much longer and were wiser and stronger than
humans. They had to teach the people how to survive.

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 Hunter gatherers and shepherds in Southern Africa

Activity 1: Hunter gatherers and shepherds of early South Africa

The rhino knew how to make fire. The otter knew how to swim and catch fish.
The baboon knew which fruits and plants could be eaten. The otter and baboon liked
to share their knowledge with the people, but the rhino was grumpy and had a bad
temper. He did not want to share his knowledge with humans.

Every time people asked rhino, "Please show us how to make a fire because we are
cold at night and the dark night is frightening," rhino snorted through his nose and
ran away. "I do not know. Go away!" he shouted.

Every time a rhino told this lie, the horn on its nose started itching terribly. Because it
did not have hands, it used a tree to scratch its nose and set the tree on fire.
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This happened every time people asked the rhino to teach them to make a fire.

Over a long period, the grey ash of all the burning trees stained rhino's skin grey
and made its vision poor. So much so that rhino's skin is still grey today.
Sam
Because rhino did not want to share his knowledge, the San had to steal the secret
of fire from him, but that is a story for another day.
http://www.gateway-africa.com/stories/rhino-african-story.html

a. Can you think of a reason why the San told this story to their children?
b. What lesson did the children learn from this story?
c. What information about the San can we get from this story?
7. Find another story of the San and write it down in your book.
Your teacher will ask you to share the story with the class.
8. Explain how world historians and Christian historians differ in their views on history.

Hint: read again through the introduction of this chapter

Unit 3: San hunter gatherers society in the early South Africa

Most historians agree that the San were the first inhabitants of South Africa. They lived
alone in Southern Africa for many years and developed their own culture and language.
Their language was filled with clicking sounds, which were difficult for other people to learn.
Most San languages ​have been lost, and very few people can still speak them today.

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Term 2

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Sam

History
The African farmers in
Southern Africa

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 The African farmers in Southern Africa

Values
View of God: God managed the history of these societies
(Who is God?) according to His plan.

View of Man: Child of God who lives according to His plan and obey
(Who am I?) His commandments.
View of Creation: Recognise God’s hand in the history of the early farmers and
(What must I do?)
judge cultural practices according to the Bible.

Knowledge
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→ When, why and where the first African farmers settled in South Africa.
→ The society of the first farmers.
→ The type of tools that the first farmers used.
→ The healing culture of African farmers.
Sam

→ How to obtain and process information from sources.
→ How to use a poster as a summary of a cultural group.
→ How to work together in a group.

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 The African farmers in Southern Africa

Introduction
The existence of the Khoisan peoples was suddenly threatened by other peoples who
moved to South Africa about 2,000 years ago. The first people who came to inhabit
and cultivate South Africa were farmers who moved south from northern Africa.
They were farmers who planted crops and kept animals. They did not, like the Khoisan,
move around behind food and grazing. They formed organized communities that
lived in a specific area. Some of the Khoisan married these peoples and over time
the Khoisan groups and the farmers lived together in Southern Africa.

KHOISAN

Here the term Khoisan refers to both the San and the Khoikhoi groups. In many cases,
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the two groups had already merged by the time African farmers arrived in South Africa.

Historians like to talk about this period in South Africa's history as the Iron Age. It means
Sam
that the people used iron tools to make their lives easier. The communities that formed
were strong and could defend themselves well during conflict. These people brought new
kinds of technology to South Africa, making it easier for them to survive.

The farming communities formed different cultures that we, today, among other things, call
the Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele, Venda or Tswana people. Each community has developed specific
habits, and today, South Africa has a variety of cultural differences that make our country
unique. It also means that a great variety of religions and superstitions can be found in our
country. In this, God is still in control, and we have the task of shining the light of God's
Word.

It is important to learn more about the culture of the different people in our country (and
that includes your own culture). By learning more about the historical background of the
different cultures, you can better understand why people acted and still act the way they
do. You then understand the point of view from which people from another culture make
decisions. This way, you can better communicate with people from a culture unlike your
own. As a child of God, you can look back on the actions of the people of that time and ask:
how were they obedient or disobedient to the commands of God?

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 The African farmers in Southern Africa

"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify
your Father which is in heaven."
Matthew 5:16

Unit 1: Settlement of African farmers in Southern Africa

There is little written information on how and why African farmers moved south. It is
because these people did not have written languages ​and therefore did not write down
their history. Over a long period, researchers have formed an idea of ​how and why these
people chose South Africa as their home. The first African farmers spoke the Bantu
languages.

ple BANTU
When we talk about Bantu languages, we are talking about a large variety of African
languages. The word Bantu comes from the Zulu word Abantu, which means "people".
The Bantu-speaking people consist of more than 100 million people with about 700
different languages ​and dialects.
Sam
The word Bantu (for people) was given a negative meaning by apartheid and is today seen
as an insult. Researchers often refer to Bantu languages ​or Bantu-speaking people.

When did the African farmers come to settle in South Africa?

Ethnic groups in northern Africa began to move south as early as 250 AD. Some farmers may
have reached South Africa by 400 AD. There is good evidence that people lived in Zimbabwe
in the 9th century (800 - 899 AD). Most African farmers in South Africa only began to occupy
the land after 1000 AD.

Why did the African farmers come to settle in South Africa?

Possible reasons for this southbound trek include the following:
• There were too many people in northern Africa, and the only place they could move to was
to the south. There were still large parts of uninhabited land, pasture, and living space here.
• There was war between the different peoples in the north. For some groups, it was easier
to move south to avoid the conflict.
• Slave trade in northern Africa could have forced nations to move south to escape slavery.

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 The African farmers in Southern Africa

KEYS

Early African farmers

African farmers move

Route of African
farmers

Ethiopia

AFRICA

Orange

ple Figure 4.1: The routes that the African

farmers followed southwards

Where did the African farmers come to settle?

The African farmers needed large pieces of fertile land
Sam
and pastures. They settled in the fertile parts of South
Africa, where a lot of rain fell. It is mainly in the eastern
parts of the country.

Today we can distinguish between the following African

peoples in South Africa:
• The Nguni Peoples: Between 1400 and 1600 AD, Figure 4.2: Xhosa children in front of a
contemporary hut in the Eastern Cape
these people invaded South Africa. They migrated
along the east coast of South Africa and settled in the fertile
parts of the country. The Xhosa settled in the Eastern Cape; the
Zulu in KwaZulu-Natal; the Swazi mainly in Swaziland; and the
Ndebele in parts of Limpopo, Mpumulanga and Gauteng.
• The Sotho peoples: These people migrated through the central
parts of South Africa and settled in Gauteng, Free State, North
West and even parts of Limpopo. We find the Basotho mainly in
Lesotho and parts of the Free State, the Tswana in the North West
and the Northern Sotho groups in Mpumulanga and Limpopo. Figure 4.3: The Basotho
• The Venda Peoples: These smaller ethnic groups stayed longer in is found today in the
Zimbabwe before moving south. Today we find Vendas near the Drakensberg area

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 The African farmers in Southern Africa

borders of South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Other smaller population groups in South Africa have followed similar routes and settled in
the country. Their languages ​and cultures are part of the cultural diversity we find in South
Africa today.

Attitudes about country

Farmer communities shared plots of land among the members of the community. They settled
in an area and fiercely protected the area from other people but divided the pastures and fertile
land among their own people. Chiefs indicated where the members of the community could
plant and sow. Pastures were shared among all the members of the community.

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Sam
Figure 4.4: Zulu farmers kept their livestock in a common camp to protect them

CHIEFS

The African farming communities had political leaders and habits that were constantly
changing. The political leaders of the various groups were called "chiefs".

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 The African farmers in Southern Africa

Interaction between the farmers and the Khoisan

The arrival of the African farmers threatened
the hunter-collector lifestyle of the Khoisan.
They suddenly had to share the same parts
of the country.
• In some cases, conflict arose between the hunter
gatherers and the farmers.
• Some of the Khoisan married the farmers.
They joined the farming communities and were
welcomed and accepted. Today we hear clicking
Figure 4.5: In Qunu (Eastern Cape) many
sounds in the Xhosa language, originally from the
Xhosa people are still subsistence farmers
Khoisan languages.
• Trade was conductedbetween the Khoisan and the farmers. The hunter gatherers obtained
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iron from the farmers, who needed them to make better tools.

By the time the Europeans came to South Africa, the hunter gatherers and the farmers lived
together in the South African landscape.

Activity 1: The settlement of the African farmers in South Africa

Sam
1. Explain what a farmer is and what farmers are doing.
2. Why is there so little information about the first farmers of South Africa?
3. Why is the word "Bantu", referring to people, no longer used today?
4. Give THREE reasons why the African farmers moved south.
5. Why did African farmers prefer the eastern parts of South Africa?
6. Your teacher will provide you with a map of South Africa. Indicate the following on
that map:
a. The names of the nine provinces of South Africa.
b. Also indicate the position of Lesotho and Swaziland.
c. Write the names of the different population groups on the correct areas of the
map:
• The Xhosa (Eastern Cape)
• The Zulu (KwaZulu-Natal)
• The Swazi (Swaziland)
• The Ndebele (Mpumulanga, Gauteng and southern Limpopo)
• The Basotho (Lesotho and Free State)
• The Tswana (North West)
• Northern Sotho (Mpumulanga and Limpopo
• Venda (in Limpopo, near the border with Zimbabwe)
Activity continues on next page

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 Term 3

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History
Ancient African Society:
Egypt

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 Ancient African Society: Egypt

Values
View of God: God controls and manages the events of all
(Who is God?) nations - both believing and unbelieving
nations. He is in charge of life on Earth and
the afterlife.
View of Man: God controls and manages the events in my life, in the time and
(Who am I?) place where I have been placed, with unbelievers and believers.
I expect eternal life.
View of Creation: We can see the battle between the kingdom of God and the
(What must I do?) kingdom of Satan in both history and in the present.

Knowledge
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→ The role that the Nile River plays in settlements.
→ Lifestyle of the people of ancient Egypt.
→ How the knowledge of Egypt spread to other places.
Sam

→ Understand how rivers and springs affect settlements.
→ Research skills.
→ How to work effectively in a group.

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 Ancient African Society: Egypt

Introduction
Egypt, in northern Africa, remains a mysterious land full of wonders for many people.
The pyramids built 2,000 years before Christ still stand today. This country is very well
known to Christians. In the Bible, we hear so much about Egypt and learn about the culture
that was established there. We are familiar with the history of Joseph in Egypt, where we
learn and hear of a Pharaoh who appointed a young man (Joseph) to manage abundant
years and drought years properly. We hear of Israel, who were slaves in Egypt, making
bricks and building buildings for them. Throughout the Bible, Egypt remains an image of
slavery to the Israelites and is compared to man's slavery in sin. God saved us from that
bondage.
We always see God's providing and protective hand over His chosen people in Egypt.

In the Bible, we encounter the different aspects of Egyptian culture so many times. It was a
wicked people who worshiped many idols. It was also a people who developed writing,
architecture, mathematics and the medical sciences. Despite the wickedness of this society,
ple it made a positive contribution to the development
Mediterranean Sea
of the world. This way, we see how God governs
history. Today, we use some of those developments
to the glory of God and to spread God's Word to all
the nations and people of the world.
Sam
Lower
Egypt

Unit 1: The Nile River's Influence on

Settlements
Eastern Desert
Western Desert

Red Sea Study the map in Figure 6.1 that shows the position
of ancient Egypt. Compare this map with the world
Upper map in your classroom. You will see that ancient
Egypt
Egypt stretched over a larger area than present-day
Egypt. Take a good look at the position of the Nile
River. Can you see that the Egyptians had already
lived along the Nile River?

Nubian Desert
Now, look at a modern aerial photograph of Egypt
(Figure 6.2). This aerial photo was taken at night and
shows all the burning lights in Egypt. Where do you
think the people in Egypt live today?

Figure 6.1: A map of ancient Egypt

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 Ancient African Society: Egypt

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Figure 6.2: An aerial photograph of modern Egypt at night
Sam
Activity 1: The Nile River
Study the world map in your classroom, Figure 6.1 and Figure 6.2 again while answering the
following questions:
1. Where did the people live in ancient Egypt?
2. Where do the people in Egypt live today?
3. Why do you think the people of Egypt decided to stay next to the Nile River? Explain
your answer with TWO reasons.

The Nile River had a significant impact on where people could stay. Egypt is a country
located in the dry desert region of northern Africa. Just west of Egypt begins the Sahara
Desert. There is little water falling from the sky, and the people depend on water sources
like the Nile River for survival.

The area around the Nile River is extremely fertile. The rest of Egypt is filled with barren
sand. one cannot plant in sand, and animals cannot graze on the sand. The Nile River floods
its banks every year and floods large areas around the river. The Nile River brings fertile soil
to Egypt during these annual floods and drops it next to the Nile. This land is so fertile that
people were able to establish farms along the Nile. People of ancient Egypt built canals and
storage dams to store the water brought by the flood for the dry seasons.

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 Ancient African Society: Egypt

If the Nile did not flood a particular

year, the country would be plunged
into famine. The Egyptians
worshipped the idols of the Nile and
tried to keep them happy to ensure
that they would receive good
floodwaters and escape famine.
Today the people in Egypt still live
along the Nile and still farm in the
fertile soil brought by annual floods.

Figure 6.3: Agriculture along the Nile River

(Nile river is to the left, farms in the middle, desert is to the right)
ple DID YOU KNOW?
Sam
The Egyptians developed a one-year calendar of 365 days. The calendar is based on the
times when the waters of the Nile River rose and fell and also on the phases of the
moon. They had three seasons, each lasting four months.

Activity 2: Civilization of the Nile River and Egypt

1. Do you think the people of ancient Egypt could have survived without the Nile River?
Explain your answer.
2. How did the Nile River affect the Egyptians' religion?
3. How accurate was the Egyptian calendar? Explain your answer.
4. (Enriching)
Read Genesis 41 carefully.
a. What role does the Nile River play in the Pharaoh's dream?
b. What is the meaning of the dream?
c. What role did Pharaoh give Joseph in Egypt?
d. How do we see God's providing hand in this history?
Read Genesis 45: 1-8 to help you answer.

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 Term 4

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Sam

History
A heritage route through
the provinces of
South Africa

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 A heritage route through the provinces of South Africa

Values
View of God: Creator of the whole earth and in charge of
(Who is God?) the history that takes place on it.
View of man: Head of God's creation and child of God
(Who am I?) with a heavenly inheritance. Also receive an
earthly heritage, cultural and in nature.
View of Creation: Given the task of cultivating and preserving the earth. Must act as
(What must I do?) steward over the earthly heritage and act as a child of God in
the midst of a world filled with other thoughts about creation,
history and heritage.

Knowledge
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→ Know South Africa's provinces and capitals.
→ Understand what heritage is.
→ Know what variety of heritage areas there are in South Africa.
Sam

→ Atlas skills/map skills (revised).

→ Understand the value of heritage sites, especially from the point of view
of a Christian child.

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 A heritage route through the provinces of South Africa

Introduction
Pack your suitcases, because we are going to explore South Africa. This trip will be a unique
journey - we are going to travel through all the provinces of South Africa to visit their heritage
sites.

When you talk about your heritage, you are talking about something you inherited from the
past. Therefore, heritage sites are places where we find something with important history for
the people who live there. South Africa is a country full of diverse people with different things
that are important to them. People will, therefore, differ on what an important heritage is. On
your journey through South Africa, you will discover all the different heritage areas.

As a Christian, you have a rich heritage. During our earthly history, we always keep an eye on
God and the eternal inheritance we have received as a gift from His hands. It means that we
look at earthly heritage differently than the world.
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"LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary
lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance."
Psalm 16: 5-6
Sam
Unit 1: South Africa's provinces and capitals
Before you can go on your journey, you must
first know the road map of your journey. You
will travel all over South Africa and therefore
need to know all the provinces and capitals.

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 A heritage route through the provinces of South Africa

Activity 1: South Africa's provinces and capitals

Use your knowledge of Grade 4 to complete the following activity. You can also use a map or
an atlas to help you. Your teacher will give you a blank map of South Africa.

Name all nine provinces of South Africa on the map.

2. Complete the following table in your workbook:
Province Capital / Capitals
Limpopo
Gauteng
North West
Mpumalanga
Free State ple
Northern Cape
Eastern Cape
Western Cape
KwaZulu-Natal
Sam
3. Now write the names of the capitals on the map. Use a red dot to indicate the
correct position of each capital. Remember to name them correctly.
Tip: Use an atlas to find the correct position of the capitals.
4. Use a blue star to indicate the position of the three capitals of South Africa on the
map. Name them clearly.
Tip: the capitals of South Africa may be different from the capitals of the provinces.

Unit 2: What is heritage?

On your journey through South Africa, you will discover our
country's heritage. Before you embark on this journey, you
must first clearly understand what heritage is. According to
the HAT dictionary, inheritance is the legacy that someone
leaves behind for generations after him or her. When
someone dies, we often hear people talking about an
inheritance. The deceased leaves something behind for the
people who are still alive. It is often money or goods that
are left behind. Something else is also left behind, namely

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 A heritage route through the provinces of South Africa
’n Erfenis-roete deur die provinsies van Suid-Afrika

the history, memories and characteristics of that person. So when you talk about the
heritage of a country, you are talking about the things of history that are left for the
next generations.

There are different types of

heritage. Heritage can be tangible or
intangible. Tangible heritage is
everything we can touch or see.
Intangible heritage includes family
customs, religion, poems, music, songs,
dances and festivals. Furthermore, we
can also talk about natural and cultural
heritage. Natural heritage is the
beautiful environment and natural
ple Figure 8.1: This church building in Graaff-Reinet's
resources of an area. Cultural heritage
architecture is an example of tangible and cultural heritage
is the expression of how people lived or
lived. This includes man-made things
such as monuments, buildings, art or
scientific knowledge.
Sam
Every year, on 24 September, South
Africans celebrate Heritage Day.
The aim is for South Africans to
commemorate their own heritage and
the rich heritage (and differences) that
can be found in our country.

When studying heritage, we must

remember that the value that people Figure 8.2: The Drakensberg is an example of natural
attach to heritage differ. Something heritage
that seems unimportant to you may be
of great value to someone else. We can
say that heritage is also something
personal.

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