AD-GAMGambia Guide

AD-GAM Gambia Guide

Complete teaching pack

Print linked readings too for offline use. Independent resources; adapt to your learners.

Geography · 40 minutes · Core ages 11–14

Read the river, read the map

Explain the difference between a region, a local government area and a town. Use names carefully rather than memorising an unexplained list.

Read first

Investigate

  1. Open the regional explorer and the GBoS administrative map linked there. List the five regions. Then list the two separate urban local government areas introduced by the explorer.

  2. Why does the census map show eight local government areas while the guide introduces five regions and two urban areas? Name the region represented by two LGAs.

  3. Choose two regional pages. Record the region name, centre and census LGA name or names in a three-column table.

  4. Draw a simple sketch showing the Atlantic, the river and a north arrow. Label it “learning sketch — not for navigation”. Explain one thing your sketch leaves out.

  5. Write a two-sentence direction to a familiar public place using a locality and a landmark. Do not include a home address or anyone’s private details.

Adapt for ages 7–10

Work with a partner. Say the place names aloud, identify the river and find your own region or municipality with an adult. Use two labels instead of the full table.

Extension for ages 15+

Compare two dated administrative maps. Explain why boundaries, labels and the date of a dataset matter before comparing regional statistics.

Teacher notes & suggested answers
  1. The five regions are West Coast, North Bank, Lower River, Central River and Upper River. The two separate urban LGAs introduced here are Banjul and Kanifing.
  2. Central River is represented by Kuntaur and Janjanbureh LGAs. Five regions plus Banjul and Kanifing are seven guide groupings; splitting Central River gives eight census LGAs.
  3. Accept a table consistent with the regional pages and GBoS map. A centre is a settlement; an LGA is an administrative reporting area.
  4. Assess orientation, clear labels and an honest statement of limits. A sketch cannot establish exact distance, current road conditions or a safe route.
  5. Look for a useful locality and public landmark. Explain that “Banjul area” alone may be too broad.

AD-GAM · Activity edition 30 October 2026 · Independent learning resources; adapt to the group.

History · 45 minutes · Core ages 11–14

Be a history detective

Use a timeline and compare forms of evidence. An answer is stronger when the reader can see where it came from.

Read first

Investigate

  1. Using the independence and democracy articles, put these in order and add their years: independence; the republic; the military coup.

  2. Choose one claim from the oral history article. Identify the type of evidence it discusses. What could that evidence help explain, and what might it leave uncertain?

  3. Read a paragraph from the democracy article. Write one factual claim and the source you would open to check it.

  4. Imagine two people remember a community event differently. Write two respectful questions you could ask without deciding in advance that either person is dishonest.

  5. Create a three-line museum label: what happened; what evidence supports it; one question that remains. Use your own words and keep the source title.

Adapt for ages 7–10

Use three event cards and read the article together. Ask learners to distinguish “something we know” from “a question we still have”. Avoid graphic material about violence.

Extension for ages 15+

Compare a contemporary document, later recollection and archaeological evidence. Explain how each source’s purpose and date affect its use.

Teacher notes & suggested answers
  1. Independence: 1965. Republic: 1970. Military coup: 1994. Discuss the difference between becoming independent and becoming a republic.
  2. Oral testimony can preserve memory, language and social meaning. Dates and details may need comparison with material evidence, documents and other accounts.
  3. Accept a clearly attributed claim and a relevant source from the article. A source title alone does not prove the source supports every statement.
  4. Examples: “What did you see yourself?” and “What helps you place the event in that year?” Accept respectful alternatives.
  5. Assess attribution, clear separation of evidence and uncertainty, and original wording. A dramatic story is not automatically a verified account.

AD-GAM · Activity edition 30 October 2026 · Independent learning resources; adapt to the group.

Sport & literacy · 40 minutes · Core ages 11–14

Sport, dates and fair participation

Read sporting achievements accurately and think about who gets the opportunity to take part.

Read first

Investigate

  1. Find the edition called AFCON 2021. In which calendar year was it played? How far did The Gambia progress?

  2. Find the edition called AFCON 2023. In which calendar year was it played? Write a sentence that includes both the edition name and the playing year.

  3. Explain why a tournament edition name and the date of the actual matches should be recorded in separate columns.

  4. From the women’s football article, identify two roles or forms of support besides playing that help the game grow.

  5. Design an inclusive club discussion, not a physical exercise session: name one possible barrier to participation, one change the club could consider and one way to ask participants what they need.

Adapt for ages 7–10

Read the two tournament labels together and match each to its playing year. Discuss what makes a team welcoming.

Extension for ages 15+

Compare a tournament organiser’s match report with a later summary. Identify a misleading headline and rewrite it with precise dates.

Teacher notes & suggested answers
  1. AFCON 2021 was played in 2022. The Gambia reached the quarter-finals.
  2. AFCON 2023 was played in 2024. Example: “The Gambia played in the AFCON 2023 edition, held in 2024.”
  3. Separate columns avoid treating the edition label as a match date and help readers compare records accurately.
  4. Accept coaching, officiating, administration, facilities, development pathways, media or other support grounded in the article.
  5. Assess whether the proposal listens to participants and considers access, cost, timing or facilities. Do not ask learners to disclose health information.

AD-GAM · Activity edition 30 October 2026 · Independent learning resources; adapt to the group.

Media & civic literacy · 35 minutes · Core ages 11–14

Check before you share

Practise checking a claim without presenting an old listing as a guarantee.

Read first

Investigate

  1. A fictional poster says: “The population is 100,000.” List three missing pieces of information you would ask for. This number is invented for the exercise and is not a Gambian population figure.

  2. Explain the difference between a census count and a population estimate. Why should their dates stay attached?

  3. A directory record says “Contact reviewed”. Does this mean the business is definitely open today? Explain using the directory’s review policy.

  4. Choose a public guide article. Find its source list, review date and one claim you would recheck before sharing. Do not call businesses as part of this activity.

  5. Draft a correction about an imaginary business using: the issue; proposed wording; public evidence needed. Label the draft “classroom exercise” and do not send it through the live form.

Adapt for ages 7–10

Use a fictional notice and ask “Who says this?”, “When?” and “How could we check?” Work orally instead of completing all five tasks.

Extension for ages 15+

Compare two real statistics that use different years or methods. Write a short explanation of why they cannot be swapped without qualification.

Teacher notes & suggested answers
  1. Ask what place or population is being measured, the reference year, the source and the method. Any three relevant checks are acceptable.
  2. A census counts a population for a defined reference point; an estimate uses methods and assumptions. They describe different measures and periods.
  3. No. It means published contact information has been examined; it does not guarantee operation, location or a working phone number.
  4. Accept a relevant claim and a realistic checking plan. Review dates describe the review and are not a promise of continuous monitoring.
  5. Look for a clear issue and evidence request, with no private information. A classroom draft should not create a real correction report.

AD-GAM · Activity edition 30 October 2026 · Independent learning resources; adapt to the group.

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