Kuweza Kufanya: 3rd - 4th Grade (To be Able to Do)
Kuweza Kufanya (To Be Able): 3rd - 4th Grade This course introduces 3rd and 4th grade students to foundational concepts in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) through an Afrocentric lens. Students will explore Life Science, Earth Science, Space Science, and Environmentalism while engaging in basic computer skills, typing, coding, and online research. Engineering projects will focus on early geometry and hands-on model building, while Art lessons will include cultural connections such as African art and creative writing with a Sci-Fi and Afrofuturism focus. Math lessons cover grade-level topics and introduce financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Each week’s lesson is designed to build progressively, taking students from a 3rd-grade level to early 5th-grade by the end of the course.
Your Instructor
Nikala Asante is a versatile educator, author, and human rights activist renowned for her commitment to the enrichment of K-12 students in the Pan-African Diaspora. As the founder of Whole Living Academy and STEAM All Year, she has combined a decade and a half of experience in education and homeschooling with her rich academic background to shape dynamic online learning platforms.
Graduating with honors from the University of Houston Honors College, and backed by a Benjamin A. Gilman international scholarship, Asante earned her BA in English, minoring in African American Studies and French, then proceeded to attain her M.Ed. in Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology. Her unique, student-centered pedagogy is informed by her academic pursuits and her belief in the power of culturally grounded education.
As an author, Asante has penned 11 books spanning genres from fiction to social justice, including ReDivining Self, Tomorrow Will Be Better, Character Building for African Centered Scholars, Getting High: Mental, Physical and Spiritual Ascension for Melanated Teens, and 50 Afrikans You Must Know Volume 2, which she co-authored with Dr. Samori Camara.
Asante's global perspective has been shaped by her service and research in 12 countries, experiences that have deeply influenced her approach to education. Her human rights activism is particularly evident in her work in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, where she passionately advocates for the welfare of garment workers and engages in service projects, including permaculture, food distribution, and medical service initiatives.
With her multi-dimensional approach that encompasses education, literature, film, and activism, Nikala Asante stands as an inspiring and influential figure committed to educating, motivating, and making a difference.