Name: ________________________________ Block: ________

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe: Igbo Culture Project

Things Fall Apart is an African novel written by Chinua Achebe. It examines the lives and events in an Igbo
village in Nigeria in the late 1800s. You are going to research the Igbo culture, colonialism, and other issues in
order to enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the novel. You will conduct your research with your
group and then do a presentation on your information.
Project Requirements:

 A research question- Narrow down your topic to a question that you are going to answer with your
research.
 A colorful, visually-appealing poster that demonstrates your aspect of precolonial Igbo culture in clear,
relatable terms.
o You may NOT have any passages directly printed or copied from your sources on your poster.
All information must be in your own words!
 A 3-5 min PowerPoint/GoogleSlides presentation about your aspect of precolonial Igbo culture. ALL
members of the group should verbally take part in the presentation.
o You may NOT have any passages directly printed or copied from your sources in your
PowerPoint. All information must be in your own words!
o Slides should be well-organized and include images. DO NOT have slides with tons of
information on them; only provide the highlights and most relevant information.
 MLA format works cited page (for images AND information)
o Ultimately, you are free to use any credible information you can find. It can be from websites,
books, magazines, encyclopedias, documentaries, etc. You should have a minimum of TWO
sources.

NOTES:

1. Wikipedia is a STARTING POINT. You should not use it a source, but a starting point to find sources.
Scroll down to their references list and use it!
2. As you research, realize that Ibo and Igbo are the same thing, just different spelling variations.

TOPICS:
As you are researching be careful not to let your research wander into one of the other topics. We want as
little overlap of information as possible.

 Colonialism in Africa, esp. Nigeria (incl.
missionaries)
 Government / structure of Igbo society &
economy
 Igbo hospitality (esp. kola nuts)
 Chinua Achebe
 Igbo religion/spirituality (incl. Oracles)
 Igbo language and oral culture (esp.
proverbs)
 Igbo Customs – funerals, marriage, &
weddings
 Role of women/children/family in Igbo
society
 Important Igbo festivals (fun and celebration)
 Igbo clothing and appearance
Research Project Scoring

Research  A clear, reasonable research question that helps guide the project.
Question _____/5  Question provides a clear focus and is neither too broad nor too
(5 pts) narrow.
Poster  Has high quality images (printed or drawn).
(15 pts)  Has relevant information that provides readers with easy to
understand details about their topic.
_____/15
 Colorful, well-organized and thoughtful.
 Shows evidence of time/effort.
 Information on the poster is in your own words.
PowerPoint  Well researched information that is clearly explained.
Presentation _____/15  Relevant and striking visuals (color, images, formatting)
(15 pts)  All in original words.
Presentation  Presenters do not just stand and read directly off of slides.
Quality (10)  Presenters speak at a reasonable volume and pace.
_____/10  Presenters make eye-contact with their audience, face forward and
do not fidget.
 All pre senters speak for more or less an equal amount of time.
Works Cited  MLA format.
(5 pts) _____/5  At least two sources.
 Images and information included.

TOTAL: ______________/50