Unit 2: Exploring the Middle East: Examining the Conflict Objectively
Fall 2013, 17 Days
Rationale:
The topic of the violence in the Middle East is a topic that students frequently hear about in our culture. Whether it is through the news or here at school, students typically have formed, for better or for worse, a definitive opinion of the Middle East. From my own experience, the Middle Eastern culture is typically presented as being the antagonist to our culture, particularly after the events of September 11th. However, as with all cultures, there is much more to Middle Eastern culture than terrorism. In fact, much of what we consider to be Western culture has origins in Mesopotamia, or what is now known as the Middle East. The purpose of this lesson to explore both the ancient and modern cultures of the Middle East and relate it to our own. The ultimate goal of this unit is to provide students with enough information from which they can form an informed opinion about this area of the world and our involvement in their culture.
Students will begin by exploring the ancient texts, such as Gilgamesh, that have helped to shape our society today. The purpose of this is to open up the possible similarities between our cultures that students may not have previously considered. Students will then be introduced to modern day Middle Eastern literature. The primary focus will be on the current conflict within their society and how this conflict is expressed in contemporary literature. We will look at texts such as Persepolis, The Blind Owl, the Kite Runner, and the Reluctant Fundamentalist as well as news articles regarding Noble Peace Prize candidate, Malala Yousafzai, and her work regarding the importance of education. It is only after being exposed to their information that students will be encouraged to form their own opinion regarding the conflict between the Middle East and our culture. The purpose of this unit is to expose the students to a different side of an issue that they hear about every day and allow them to form an educated individual opinion regarding the issue.
Textual Materials:
Grammar Focus: Commas
Students will learn what a comma splice is and how to avoid using them.
They will be using passages from the literature they are reading as well as from their own work when learning this rule.
Calendar: 17 Days
The topic of the violence in the Middle East is a topic that students frequently hear about in our culture. Whether it is through the news or here at school, students typically have formed, for better or for worse, a definitive opinion of the Middle East. From my own experience, the Middle Eastern culture is typically presented as being the antagonist to our culture, particularly after the events of September 11th. However, as with all cultures, there is much more to Middle Eastern culture than terrorism. In fact, much of what we consider to be Western culture has origins in Mesopotamia, or what is now known as the Middle East. The purpose of this lesson to explore both the ancient and modern cultures of the Middle East and relate it to our own. The ultimate goal of this unit is to provide students with enough information from which they can form an informed opinion about this area of the world and our involvement in their culture.
Students will begin by exploring the ancient texts, such as Gilgamesh, that have helped to shape our society today. The purpose of this is to open up the possible similarities between our cultures that students may not have previously considered. Students will then be introduced to modern day Middle Eastern literature. The primary focus will be on the current conflict within their society and how this conflict is expressed in contemporary literature. We will look at texts such as Persepolis, The Blind Owl, the Kite Runner, and the Reluctant Fundamentalist as well as news articles regarding Noble Peace Prize candidate, Malala Yousafzai, and her work regarding the importance of education. It is only after being exposed to their information that students will be encouraged to form their own opinion regarding the conflict between the Middle East and our culture. The purpose of this unit is to expose the students to a different side of an issue that they hear about every day and allow them to form an educated individual opinion regarding the issue.
Textual Materials:
- Gilgamesh (the Flood Story)
- Noah and the Flood (Version from World Literature textbook)
- Excerpt from Malala Yousafzai's I Am Malala (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.7)
- NPR Story on Malala Yousazai : http://www.npr.org/2013/10/15/234730460/malala-yousafzai-a-normal-yet-powerful-girl
- Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis (Iran)
- Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner (Afghanistan)
- Sadegh Hedayat's The Blind Owl (Iran)
- Moshin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist (Pakistan)
Grammar Focus: Commas
Students will learn what a comma splice is and how to avoid using them.
They will be using passages from the literature they are reading as well as from their own work when learning this rule.
Calendar: 17 Days
Goals:
Students will learn...
Students will learn...
- the differences and similarities between Middle Eastern culture and their own
- how to write a compare and contrast essay
- the evaluation of fictional texts
Reading-Literature
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.3: Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.6: Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature. |
Writing
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.) CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.5: Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grades 9–10 here.) CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.10: Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. |
Speaking and Listening
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.5: Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. |
Language
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.3: Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. |
Reading Informational
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.7: Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person’s life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account. |
Activities:
Opinionaire
Background Information
Interview with Mr. Al Hadidi
Socratic Seminar
Assessment:
Comparison and Contrast essay on Gilgamesh and Noah and the Flood
Homework
Opinionaire
- Students will complete an opinionaire at the beginning and end of the unit. This will be based on common stereotypes surrounding the Middle East.
- Students will be given a semi blank note sheet about both the history and the major plot points of the Epic of Gilgamesh. They will pair up and search the internet for this information. They will have all class to do this.
- After finding the information, students must present findings to class.
- Students will split into groups of 3
- Once students pass their paper to the left, they must first read over the paper and ONLY correct grammatical errors involving commas.
- Then, students will pass once more to the left and made suggestions according to content.
- The class will be divided into different book groups according to which contemporary Middle Eastern novel they choose. There may be more than one group for a book if proved necessary.
- As a group, students will set reading deadlines for themselves as well as turn in in-class activities together. Choices include:
- Persepolis
- The Kite Runner
- The Blind Owl
- The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Background Information
- Each novel is based off of some sort of political upheaval in the author’s country at the time of the novel’s publication. Therefore, it would be difficult to read without understanding the political atmosphere at that time.
- Students will, as a group, do an internet scavenger hunt (much like what was done for Gilgamesh)
- For three sessions (beginning, middle, and end of book), each group will be required to come up with a quote or action that describes the change in a character that they choose.
- They will then fill out these changes in a character diagram. They will turn in these character diagrams at the end of the novel.
Interview with Mr. Al Hadidi
- I have a friend who is from the Middle Eastern country of Oman. He’s also lived in Saudi Arabia. I would like to bring him into class as a guest speaker to talk about his experiences in Oman and Saudi Arabia.
- Students will come up with 2 questions as a ticket out the door the class period before.
Socratic Seminar
- Socratic Seminar surrounding Malala Yousafzai and the current issues with the Taliban in the Middle East.
Assessment:
Comparison and Contrast essay on Gilgamesh and Noah and the Flood
- For this assessment, students will be asked to write a short 1.5 page paper on the similarities and differences between the Gilgamesh flood story and the well known Noah flood story.
- The book groups will put together a quick 5-10 minute presentation. They will be required to address…
- The overall plot of the book (leaving the ending ambiguous. No spoilers!)
- Their general review of the book. Did they like it? Dislike it? Why?
- What does this book reflect about current Middle Eastern culture? What sort of similarities did they see between our culture and the Middle East in this novel?
- Must use some sort of visual or handout. Students will be encouraged to be creative (not just a powerpoint).
- Why is this a culminating text? This project allows for students to combine everything that they have studied in this unit into one final presentation. This will center primarily around their group's text, but will also relate to their understanding of Middle Eastern culture and its current conflicts.
Homework
- Every book group meeting students will be asked to go over their homework for the first 10 minutes. They will each share…
- 1 question
- 1 prediction
- 1 thing they liked/disliked
- They will write their conversation on a sheet of paper and turn this in to me to receive homework credit