Middle East Assignments:
SPECIAL NOTE: Upon request, the May 13 deadline can under certain circumstances be extended until a particular subject has been covered in class. For instance, if a student expresses a desire to, for example, watch the movie "Argo" and wants to wait to write her reflection until the class has covered the 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution, she may have until a few days after this subject is covered in class to complete the assignment. ALL SUCH AGREEMENTS MUST BE APPROVED BY THE TEACHER BY MAY 6.
Movies (Documentaries):
Note to Students and Parents:
The following descriptions of the films are from the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com). Details and a parent’s guide to a film’s possibly objectionable material can be found at this site. Some of the movies are rated “R”, so NO CREDIT WILL BE GRANTED FOR R-RATED MOVIES WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM A PARENT OR GUARDIAN E-mailed to the teacher.
Rachel: An American Conscience (2009) (Not rated—2 hours)
Palestinian documentary filmmaker Yahya Barakat's tells the story of American Rachel Corrie, a 23-year-old peace activist who was deliberately crushed to death by an Israeli-driven bulldozer. She was killed while trying to act as a human shield to prevent the destruction of a Palestinian home in the Gaza Strip in March 2003.
Football Under Cover (2008) (Not rated—2 hours)
This German/Iranian documentary tells of the story of a women's amateur soccer team from Germany traveling to Iran in an attempt to play with the Iranian women's national soccer team -- a team which had never before had a chance to play against another team! The film won the award for best documentary at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Ghosts of Abu Ghraib (2007) (R—2 hours)
This film looks at the 2003 scandal involving the abuse of Iraqi detainees by US military personnel in Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison. The film won the 2007 Emmy Award for Outstanding Nonfiction Special.
Rageh Inside Iran (2007) (Not Rated—2 hours)
This BBC documentary by Rageh Omaar, a Somali/British journalist, looks at Iran through the eyes of its ordinary citizens.
Iraq in Fragments (2006) (Not Rated—2 hours)
"Iraq in Fragments illuminates post-war Iraq in three acts, building a vivid picture of a country pulled in different directions by religion and ethnicity.
Movies (theatrical release):
Argo (2012) (Rated R--Language, Violent Images) (2 Hours)
A dramatization of the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran.
What did you learn about the Iranian Revolution?
Videos: (Available through the school account at discoveryeducation.com)
Thomas Friedman Reporting: Searching for the Roots of 9/11 (1)
Travel through the Muslim world to see how anger against the United States led 19 young men to carry out one of history's most horrific acts of terrorism. Explore the contradictory feelings of many Muslims who admire America's freedom and standard of living but condemn what they see as our arrogant behavior in the Middle East.
What surprised you about the people's attitudes towards the USA?
Israel and Palestine: The Fight for Peace (1)
The Oslo Peace Accords in 1993 brought a glimmer of hope to ending a decades-old dispute between Palestine and Israel. Learn the obstacles that have prevented Israel and Palestine from compromise, including border disputes, refugees, settlers, and years of distrust and bloodshed.
Have your sympathies changed about which side is the "good guy" after watching this? Why or why not?
From Al Jazeera World:
I Knew bin Laden: (2) http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/general/2011/05/201151014338715787.html
An insight into Osama bin Laden's life through the eyes of people who knew him and met him.
What surprised you in the video?
Gaza Lives On: (1) http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/aljazeeraworld/2011/10/20111019124914593989.html
The Israeli blockade may have taken a heavy toll on Gazans, but this film reveals life and hope among the devastation.
Have your sympathies changed about which side is the "good guy" after watching this? Why or why not?
Travel Videos:(Available through the school account at discoveryeducation.com)
Globetrekker:
Iran (1)
Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon (1)
Turkey (1)
The Arab Gulf States (1)
Morocco (1)
Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan (1)
Egypt (1)
For Each: Is this someplace you would like to spend a month or two? Why or why not?
Graphic Novels:
Jacobson, Sid and Ernie Colon: After 9/11: America’s War on Terror (2001- ) (7 hours)
An incredibly in-depth look at the decisions, exact words of politicians, and results that got the US into the situations it finds itself in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Do you agree or disagree with the decisions to invade both Afghanistan and Iraq?
Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. (5 hours)
The memoirs of a young Iranian girl from ages 6-14 as she witnesses the last days of the Shah, the Islamic Revolution, and life in the Islamic Republic during the war with Iran.
What did you learn about life under the Islamic Revolutionaries?
Books:(All books not online can be checked out by the teacher)
Sasson, Jean P. Princess: A True Story of Life behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia. Chap. 1-11 (6 hours)
Are you sure you want to be a princess? An intimate glimpse into the lives of the Saudi ultra-rich through the tragic life of one princess in the 1970s and 1980s as oil money is everywhere and Western culture is seeping in.
What outraged you the most?
Lamb, Christina. The Sewing Circles of Herat: A Personal Voyage through Afghanistan.
What can be done about people like them?
What did you learn about the Soviet-Afghan War?
Cohen, Jared. Children of Jihad: A Young American’s Travels among the Youth of the Middle East. (14 hours)
Interviewing terrorists face-to-face, a young American tours hostile lands to learn about Middle Eastern youth—and uncovers a subculture that defies every stereotype.
What surprised you?
Riverbend. Baghdad Burning. (14 hours)
A collection of blog entries from a young Iraqi woman describing first-hand the effects of the US invasion in 2003 and 2004. (Rated R).
Did reading her blog change your opinion on the actions of the United States?
Myre, Greg and Jennifer Griffin. This Burning Land: Lessons from the Front Lines of the Transformed Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. (15 hours)
Two American reporters share the lives of ordinary people on all sides of society, both Israeli and Palestinian, living through the violent stalemate.
Have your sympathies changed about which side is the "good guy" after watching this? Why or why not?
Travel Stories:(Copies available for download or upon request from the teacher)
Kalam, Murad. If It Doesn’t Kill You First. (Saudi Arabia—1 hour) Download here.
An American Muslim takes you on the Hajj with him.
What did you learn about Islam and its followers?
Dowd, Maureen. A Girls’ Guide to Saudi Arabia. (Saudi Arabia—1 hour) Download here.
What is it like to be a tourist in a country where women’s lives are heavily restricted?
What would your life be like if your family moved to Saudi Arabia?
Stevenson, Seth. Looking for Mammon in the Muslim World. (Dubai—1 hour) Download here.
A tour through the insanely rich country of Dubai.
Are you attracted to, or disgusted by what the author describes?
Saunders, George. The New Mecca. (Dubai—2 hours) Download here.
Another tour through the insanely rich country of Dubai and the world’s only seven-star hotel.
Are you attracted to, or disgusted by what the author describes?
Felton, Robert Young. Into the Land of bin Laden. (Afghanistan— 2 hours) Download here.
Along the Afghan/Pakistani border, where Osama bin Laden resided and plotted the 9/11 attacks.
Are the people you met the enemy?
Activities:
Freer Gallery: (4 hours)
Go to the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery and view the exhibits on “Arts of the Islamic World” and “Ancient Near Eastern Art.”
Write about what you learned.
Restaurant Visits:
Go to any Middle-Eastern restaurant. (2 hours)
Other:
Got an idea for a source or an activity that should be on the list? Do not be afraid to run your idea past Mr. Lewin, who is always on the lookout for more and better materials.
Movies (Documentaries):
Note to Students and Parents:
The following descriptions of the films are from the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com). Details and a parent’s guide to a film’s possibly objectionable material can be found at this site. Some of the movies are rated “R”, so NO CREDIT WILL BE GRANTED FOR R-RATED MOVIES WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM A PARENT OR GUARDIAN E-mailed to the teacher.
Rachel: An American Conscience (2009) (Not rated—2 hours)
Palestinian documentary filmmaker Yahya Barakat's tells the story of American Rachel Corrie, a 23-year-old peace activist who was deliberately crushed to death by an Israeli-driven bulldozer. She was killed while trying to act as a human shield to prevent the destruction of a Palestinian home in the Gaza Strip in March 2003.
- View Online: http://www.sprword.com/videos/rachel/
- View Online: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/rachel-an-american-conscience/
Football Under Cover (2008) (Not rated—2 hours)
This German/Iranian documentary tells of the story of a women's amateur soccer team from Germany traveling to Iran in an attempt to play with the Iranian women's national soccer team -- a team which had never before had a chance to play against another team! The film won the award for best documentary at the Berlin International Film Festival.
- View Online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdKUfS8VdlE
Ghosts of Abu Ghraib (2007) (R—2 hours)
This film looks at the 2003 scandal involving the abuse of Iraqi detainees by US military personnel in Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison. The film won the 2007 Emmy Award for Outstanding Nonfiction Special.
- View Online: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/ghosts-of-abu-ghraib/
- View Online: http://www.sprword.com/videos/ghostsofabu/
Rageh Inside Iran (2007) (Not Rated—2 hours)
This BBC documentary by Rageh Omaar, a Somali/British journalist, looks at Iran through the eyes of its ordinary citizens.
- View Online: http://www.sprword.com/videos/ragehinsideiran/
- View Online: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/rageh-inside-iran/
Iraq in Fragments (2006) (Not Rated—2 hours)
"Iraq in Fragments illuminates post-war Iraq in three acts, building a vivid picture of a country pulled in different directions by religion and ethnicity.
- View Online: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/iraq-in-fragments/
Movies (theatrical release):
Argo (2012) (Rated R--Language, Violent Images) (2 Hours)
A dramatization of the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran.
What did you learn about the Iranian Revolution?
Videos: (Available through the school account at discoveryeducation.com)
Thomas Friedman Reporting: Searching for the Roots of 9/11 (1)
Travel through the Muslim world to see how anger against the United States led 19 young men to carry out one of history's most horrific acts of terrorism. Explore the contradictory feelings of many Muslims who admire America's freedom and standard of living but condemn what they see as our arrogant behavior in the Middle East.
What surprised you about the people's attitudes towards the USA?
Israel and Palestine: The Fight for Peace (1)
The Oslo Peace Accords in 1993 brought a glimmer of hope to ending a decades-old dispute between Palestine and Israel. Learn the obstacles that have prevented Israel and Palestine from compromise, including border disputes, refugees, settlers, and years of distrust and bloodshed.
Have your sympathies changed about which side is the "good guy" after watching this? Why or why not?
From Al Jazeera World:
I Knew bin Laden: (2) http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/general/2011/05/201151014338715787.html
An insight into Osama bin Laden's life through the eyes of people who knew him and met him.
What surprised you in the video?
Gaza Lives On: (1) http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/aljazeeraworld/2011/10/20111019124914593989.html
The Israeli blockade may have taken a heavy toll on Gazans, but this film reveals life and hope among the devastation.
Have your sympathies changed about which side is the "good guy" after watching this? Why or why not?
Travel Videos:(Available through the school account at discoveryeducation.com)
Globetrekker:
Iran (1)
Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon (1)
Turkey (1)
The Arab Gulf States (1)
Morocco (1)
Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan (1)
Egypt (1)
For Each: Is this someplace you would like to spend a month or two? Why or why not?
Graphic Novels:
Jacobson, Sid and Ernie Colon: After 9/11: America’s War on Terror (2001- ) (7 hours)
An incredibly in-depth look at the decisions, exact words of politicians, and results that got the US into the situations it finds itself in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Do you agree or disagree with the decisions to invade both Afghanistan and Iraq?
Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. (5 hours)
The memoirs of a young Iranian girl from ages 6-14 as she witnesses the last days of the Shah, the Islamic Revolution, and life in the Islamic Republic during the war with Iran.
What did you learn about life under the Islamic Revolutionaries?
Books:(All books not online can be checked out by the teacher)
Sasson, Jean P. Princess: A True Story of Life behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia. Chap. 1-11 (6 hours)
Are you sure you want to be a princess? An intimate glimpse into the lives of the Saudi ultra-rich through the tragic life of one princess in the 1970s and 1980s as oil money is everywhere and Western culture is seeping in.
What outraged you the most?
Lamb, Christina. The Sewing Circles of Herat: A Personal Voyage through Afghanistan.
- Chap. 1: The Taliban Torturer (2 hours) Click here to download.
What can be done about people like them?
- Chap. 2: Mullahs on Motorbikes (3 hours) Click here to download.
What did you learn about the Soviet-Afghan War?
Cohen, Jared. Children of Jihad: A Young American’s Travels among the Youth of the Middle East. (14 hours)
Interviewing terrorists face-to-face, a young American tours hostile lands to learn about Middle Eastern youth—and uncovers a subculture that defies every stereotype.
What surprised you?
Riverbend. Baghdad Burning. (14 hours)
A collection of blog entries from a young Iraqi woman describing first-hand the effects of the US invasion in 2003 and 2004. (Rated R).
Did reading her blog change your opinion on the actions of the United States?
Myre, Greg and Jennifer Griffin. This Burning Land: Lessons from the Front Lines of the Transformed Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. (15 hours)
Two American reporters share the lives of ordinary people on all sides of society, both Israeli and Palestinian, living through the violent stalemate.
Have your sympathies changed about which side is the "good guy" after watching this? Why or why not?
Travel Stories:(Copies available for download or upon request from the teacher)
Kalam, Murad. If It Doesn’t Kill You First. (Saudi Arabia—1 hour) Download here.
An American Muslim takes you on the Hajj with him.
What did you learn about Islam and its followers?
Dowd, Maureen. A Girls’ Guide to Saudi Arabia. (Saudi Arabia—1 hour) Download here.
What is it like to be a tourist in a country where women’s lives are heavily restricted?
What would your life be like if your family moved to Saudi Arabia?
Stevenson, Seth. Looking for Mammon in the Muslim World. (Dubai—1 hour) Download here.
A tour through the insanely rich country of Dubai.
Are you attracted to, or disgusted by what the author describes?
Saunders, George. The New Mecca. (Dubai—2 hours) Download here.
Another tour through the insanely rich country of Dubai and the world’s only seven-star hotel.
Are you attracted to, or disgusted by what the author describes?
Felton, Robert Young. Into the Land of bin Laden. (Afghanistan— 2 hours) Download here.
Along the Afghan/Pakistani border, where Osama bin Laden resided and plotted the 9/11 attacks.
Are the people you met the enemy?
Activities:
Freer Gallery: (4 hours)
Go to the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery and view the exhibits on “Arts of the Islamic World” and “Ancient Near Eastern Art.”
Write about what you learned.
Restaurant Visits:
Go to any Middle-Eastern restaurant. (2 hours)
Other:
Got an idea for a source or an activity that should be on the list? Do not be afraid to run your idea past Mr. Lewin, who is always on the lookout for more and better materials.
Central and South America Assignments:
Movies
Note to Students and Parents:
The following descriptions of the films are from the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com). Details and a parent’s guide to a film’s possibly objectionable material can be found at this site. Some of the movies are rated “R”, so NO CREDIT WILL BE GRANTED FOR R-RATED MOVIES WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM A PARENT OR GUARDIAN E-mailed to the teacher.
Missing: (1982) PG-13, 3 hours
Based on the real-life experiences of Ed Horman, this is the story of an American father of conservative background who comes to a South American country to search for his missing son, a journalist. Ed joins with his daughter-in-law Beth, who like her husband is politically polarized from the father, in prying through the bureaucracy and dangerous political intrigue in search of their son and husband. Little by little, the father comes to realize that his own beloved government is not telling him the truth.
Did this movie change your views on US policy in Central and South America during the Cold War?
El Norte: (1983) R (Violence), 3 hours
When their village is wiped out by the Guatemalan military, two Native American teenagers try to make their way to the United States in search of a better life as illegal immigrants.
Did this movie change your views on the subject of illegal immigration to the United States?
Letters from the Other Side: (2006) Unrated Documentary, 2 hours
Video letters carried across the U.S./Mexico border interweave the lives of several women to tell the stories of those left behind in post-NAFTA Mexico. An inside look at the lives of immigrants.
Did this movie change your views on the subject of illegal immigration to the United States?
Videos:
PBS Frontline: BATTLE FOR HAITI. 2011. (1 hour)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/battle-for-haiti/
Can Haiti be rebuilt without the rule of law? A year after the earthquake, PBS presents a powerful look at the violence threatening the country’s stability…and future.
What can Haiti do to get itself back on its feet?
PBS Frontline: THE HUGO CHAVEZ SHOW.
(3 hours)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/hugochavez/
An illuminating inside view of the mercurial Venezuelan President, his rise to power, and the new type of revolution he seems to be inventing—on television.2008.
Is Chavez a "good guy" or a "bad guy"?
Travel Videos: (Available through the school account at Discoveryeducation.com)
Globetrekker:
Argentina (1)
Costa Rica and Nicaragua (1)
Peru (1)
La Ruta Maya (1)
Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands (1)
Chile and Easter island (1)
What did you learn?
Books:(Most books can be checked out by the teacher)
Balch, Oliver. Viva South America: A Journey through a Restless Continent:
What did you learn about life in Brazil?
What can be done to help the situation in Colombia?
Was Chavez a "good guy" or a "bad guy"?
Graphic Novels:
Jacobson, Sid and Ernie Colon: CHE (5 hours)
A graphic novel (comic book) biography of the South American revolutionary.
Is Che a hero or a villain?
Zinn, Howard. A People’s History of American Empire. Chap. 9: Resurgence of Empire
(2 hours) Click Here.
The story of the Sandinista Revolution in Nicaragua, and America’s attempts to undo it including the Iran-Contra Affair.
Did this change your views on US policy in Central and South America during the Cold War?
Articles:
Finnegan, William. Letter from Tijuana. "The New Yorker" 2008. (2 Hours)
think drug use is a victim-less crime? Do you How the drug war has taken over this city bordering the United States. Click Here.
What shocked you the most?
Travel Stories:
Power, Matthew. Lost in the Amazon (1 hour) Click here.
A few days with a guy crazy enough to try to walk the entire length of the Amazon jungle.
What did you learn about the Amazon?
Guillermoprieto, Alma. Bolivia’s Wrestlers (1 hour) Click here.
…because you know you’ve always wanted to learn about the all-female professional wrestlers of Bolivia!
What did you learn about women's roles in Central America?
Cohen, Roger. The End of the End of the Revolution (2 hours) Click here.
Daily life in Communist Cuba as the trade embargo and decay of the system make life worse.
Did this article make you more or less likely to support the US economic embargo on Cuba?
Smart Bell, Madison. Mine of Stones (2 hours) Click here.
History, politics, poverty and voodoo in Haiti—the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country.
Is Haiti a place you'd like to visit?
Hitt, Jack. Say No More (1 hour) Click here.
Spending time with the very last speaker of one of South America’s native languages.
What, if anything, should be done to keep endangered languages alive? Is it necessary?
Ryder Howe, Jack. An Impossible Place to Be. (1 hour) Click Here.
Life in the Darien Gap—the Wild West of Central America.
Is the Darien Gap a place you'd like to visit?
Rinella, Steven. Me, Myself and Ribeye. (1 hour) Click here.
Mmmmm…steak.
What did you learn about South America and its culture?
Berlinski, Mischa. Venance LaFrance is Not Dead! (2 hours) Click here.
One guy scamming and surviving his way through Haiti
Is LaFrance a good guy or a bad guy?
Activities:
Restaurant Visit: Dine at a Central our South American restaurant that specializes in NON-Mexican food. Try something new, review it, and describe the differences between that country’s food and Mexico’s. (2 hours)
Other:
Got an idea for a source or an activity that should be on the list? Do not be afraid to run your idea past Mr. Lewin, who is always on the lookout for more and better materials.
India Assignments:
Movies:
Note to Students and Parents:
The following descriptions of the films are from the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com). Details and a parent’s guide to a film’s possibly objectionable material can be found at this site. Some of the movies are rated “R”, so NO CREDIT WILL BE GRANTED FOR R-RATED MOVIES WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM A PARENT OR GUARDIAN E-mailed to the teacher.
Monsoon Wedding: 2001 (R) 2 Hrs.
A stressed father, a bride-to-be with a secret, a smitten event planner, and relatives from around the world create much ado about the preparations for an arranged marriage in India.
In what ways is traditional Indian culture (dharma, caste, etc.) still evident in modern times?
Slumdog Millionaire: 2008 (R) 2 Hrs.
A Mumbai teen who grew up in the slums, becomes a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" He is arrested under suspicion of cheating, and while being interrogated, events from his life history are shown which explain why he knows the answers.
What did you learn about India that builds on what you learned in class?
Salaam Bombay: 1988 (R) 2 Hrs.
The story of Krishna, Manju, Chillum and the other children on the streets of Bombay. Sometimes they can get a temporary job selling tea, but mostly they have to beg for money and keep out of the way of the police. Examines the life of India’s drug-addicted street children.
Why are there so many poor children in India?
Lagaan: Once upon a Time in India: (2001) (PG) 4 Hrs.
The people of a small village in Colonial India stake their future on a game of cricket against their ruthless British rulers...
Was your opinion of colonialism changed or affirmed by this movie?
Bride and Prejudice: 2004 (PG-13) 2 Hrs.
A Bollywood update of Jane Austen's classic tale, in which Mrs. Bakshi is eager to find suitable husbands for her four unmarried daughters. When the rich single gentlemen Balraj and Darcy come to visit, the Bakshis have high hopes, though circumstance and boorish opinions threaten to get in the way of romance. An excellent Intro to Bollywood.
What did you learn about Indian culture?
Any other Bollywood musical. See teacher to discuss it before viewing.
Videos:
Welcome to India (1, 2 or 3 Hours)
HIGHLY recommended. An AMAZING series showing how India's poor manage to get by. If you want to see the "real India", you've found it. (Rated R, contains a few naughty words. Students must get a parent or guardian's written permission to view it to receive credit.)
Which three characters are worthy of the most admiration? Why?
The following are available through the school account at Discovery Education…check the library website for passwords.
Fantastic Festivals of the World: India (1)
What did you learn about Hinduism through these festivals?
Thomas Friedman Reporting: The Other Side of Outsourcing (1)
Is "outsourcing" good or bad for India? For America?
Travel Videos:
(Available through the school account at Discoveryeducation.com…check the library website for login information)
Globetrekker:
South India (1)
West India (1)
North India (1)
Nepal (1)
Sri Lanka and the Maldives (1)
Books:
(All books can be checked out by the teacher)
From India: The Cultural Companion:
For all: What new understandings did you gain?
From In Spite of the Gods: The Rise of Modern India:
Does caste still matter?
What effects might Hindu chauvinism have on the future of India?
What do you predict is the future of Muslim/Hindu relations? Explain your reasoning.
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. (10 hrs.)
One of Mr. Lewin's favorite books, it is the story of a man much like the Buddha who sets out to find enlightenment. A classic, this novella makes Eastern religions a little more comprehensible.
What new understandings did you reach about Eastern thought?
India and Bangladesh Chapters from Hoffman, Carl. The Lunatic Express: Discovering the World Via its Most Dangerous Buses, Boats, Trains, and Planes. (4 hrs). The perils of public transportation in India and Bangladesh.
Does what you read make you want to visit India more or less? Why?
"Salt and the Great Soul" from Mark Kurlansky's Salt: A World History. (1 hr.) The story of Gandhi's Salt March.
What thoughts came in to your head as you read this?
Travel Stories: (Click on the title to download. Copies available upon request from the teacher)
The Incredible Buddha Boy (2 Hours)
Has the reincarnation of the Buddha been found...or is it just a public relations stunt?
What did you learn from the story about Buddhism and how it is practiced?
Famous (1 Hour)
The life path of one of India's worst terrorists. Tries to find why someone might turn to terrorism.
What drove this young man into committing an act of terrorism?
Tigerland (2 Hours)
In the remote swamps where the Indian Subcontinent's endangered wild tigers still roam.
Can anything be done to save the tiger?
Next Stop, Squalor (1 Hour)
Can India's worst slum become a tourist attraction? Should it?
Well...should it?
Restaurant Visits:
Go to an Indian restaurant and write your impressions, but ONLY if Indian food would be a new experience for you. (2) Minerva at the corner of Shady Grove Road and Rockville Pike is recommended.
Other:
Freer Gallery: (4 hours)
Go to the Smithsonian's Freer Gallery and write about what you learned from the "Arts of the Indian Subcontinent and the Himalayas" exhibit.
Got an idea for a source or an activity that should be on the list? Do not be afraid to run your idea past Mr. Lewin, who is always on the lookout for more and better materials.
China Assignments:
Movies:
Note to Students and Parents:
The following descriptions of the films are from the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com). Details and a parent’s guide to a film’s possibly objectionable material can be found at this site. Some of the movies are rated “R”, so NO CREDIT WILL BE GRANTED FOR R-RATED MOVIES WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM A PARENT OR GUARDIAN E-mailed to the teacher.
“The Last Emperor” (1987) (3 HOURS)
is the story of Puyi, the last Emperor of China before the Qing dynasty collapsed, marking the end of Imperial China. It shows his life as ruler from the age of two up to his political rehabilitation and life as a civilian under Communist party rule. The greatest strength of the movie is how it contrasts the two very different worlds of the monarchy and the one-party system. PG-13
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn about these years that was not covered in class?
“To Live” (1994) (2 HOURS) is often considered to be the best movie about China ever made. It portrays a Chinese family that is reduced to poverty and must battle with the Communist party and its oppressive regime just to scratch out a resistance during the years of Mao. SUBTITLED – PG 13 (Blood)
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn about these years that was not covered in class?
Last Train Home: (2009): (2 HOURS) A couple embarks on a journey home for Chinese New Year along with 130 million other migrant workers, to reunite with their children and struggle for a future. Their unseen story plays out as China soars towards being a world superpower. PG
Question for Reflection:
Is China's rush to modernity worth the sacrifices?
Mao’s Last Dancer (2009) (2 HOURS) Plucked from his village at age 11 to become a ballet prodigy, Li is trained by the Chinese government at the height of the Cultural Revolution. The story follows his life from boyhood to beyond his decision to stay in the USA. PG
Question for Reflection:
How does Li's childhood in Maoist China affect his decisions once he reaches the United States?
Please Vote for Me (2007) (1 HOUR) What would happen if democracy were to come to China? The elections for third-grade class monitor in a Chinese school may hold some clues.
Question for Reflection:
Based on these children, is Democracy a good idea for China?
Videos: (Available through the school account at Discovery Education)
The Concrete Revolution: The Other Side of the "Chinese Miracle" (1)
This video documents the often-overlooked human condition involved during the rapid construction occurring in Beijing in preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games.
Question for Reflection:
Is China's rush to modernity worth the sacrifices?
Travel Videos: (Available through the school account at Discovery Education)
Globetrekker:
Central China (1)
Beijing (1)
South Korea (1)
Vietnam (1)
Mongolia (1)
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn that reflects positively on the region or country? What did you learn that reflects negatively?
Books: (All books can be checked out for two weeks by the teacher)
Hessler, Peter. Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory. (2010)
Part II: The Village (P. 127-276): (8 hrs.) A fascinating account of a village and its inhabitants as change slowly creeps into it during China’s modernization in the 1990s.
Question for Reflection:
Is China's rush to modernity worth the sacrifices?
Part III: The Factory (P. 281-424): (8 hrs.) Following a town and one of its factories from creation to closing with a cast of unforgettable characters showing the realities of the new China.
Question for Reflection:
Is China's rush to modernity worth the sacrifices?
Hoff, Benjamin. The Tao of Pooh (1982) (8 hrs.)
Daoism (Taoism) explained by everyone’s favorite Taoist…Winnie the Pooh! “While Eeyore frets…and Piglet hesitates…and Rabbit calculates…and Owl pontificates…Pooh just is.
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn from the book about Daoism (or Taoism), and how can it apply to your life?
Jiang, Ji-Li. Red Scarf Girl (1997) (10 hrs.)
The tale of a happy Chinese 12-year-old girl in Shanghai...until the Cultural Revolution begins and her life gets turned upside down.
Question for Reflection:
Was there anything she could have done differently?
Guidi, Chen and Wu Chuntao. Will the Boat Sink the Water? (2006) (10 hrs.)
Banned in China, tells the sad stories of peasants who have tried to hold Communist Party officials accountable for their corruption.
Question for Reflection:
What can be done?
Graphic Novels (Comic Books): (Available for one week from the teacher if not available for direct download)
Kunwu, Li and P. Otie. A Chinese Life--Chap. 1 and 2 (4 hrs.)
A haunting, mesmerizing account of the son of a Party leader through the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. The tragedy, horror and idiocy of the era is well represented.
Question for reflection:
How was this allowed to happen? Who is at fault?
Travel Stories: (Copies available upon request from the teacher if not available for direct download)
Hessler, Peter. Kindergarten (2005) (2 hrs.) Download
A chapter from the book listed above, the story of a small boy starting kindergarten and needing hospitalization in China.
Question for Reflection:
Is China a modern country?
Hessler, Peter. Hutong Karma (2007). (1 hr.) Download
Everyday life in one of Beijing’s rapidly-disappearing old neighborhoods.
Question for Reflection:
Is China's rush to modernity worth the sacrifices?
Mishra, Pankaj. The Train to Tibet (2008) (2 hrs.) Download
On China's new rail line to Tibet, wondering what it will mean for the Tibetans.
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn that reflects positively on the region or country? What did you learn that reflects negatively?
Hessler, Peter. Wheels of Fortune (2008) (1 hr.) /uploads/1/3/3/7/13371567/wheels_of_fortune.pdf
Driving in China--accident by accident.
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn that reflects positively on the region or country? What did you learn that reflects negatively?
Hessler, Peter. Strange Stones (2010) (1 hr.) Download
Cruising around China in a rental car.
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn that reflects positively on the region or country? What did you learn that reflects negatively?
Osnos, Evan. The Forbidden Zone: How Far Can a Provocative Editor Go? (1 hr.)
A female magazine editor pushes the boundaries of China’s censorship laws.
Question for Reflection:
Does China need to relax its censorship laws?
Osnos, Evan. Europe on Fifteen Hundred Yuan a Day (1 Hr.) Download
A fascinating look at Europe through the eyes of Chinese tourists
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn about the Chinese people and their mentality?
Becker, Jasper. Chapter 7 of Dragon Rising: An Inside Look at China Today. (2 hrs.)
An inside look at how China’s economic growth is affecting the environment.
Question for Reflection:
What might happen if China does not address its environmental concerns?
Activities:
Visit the Freer Gallery’s Asian Art collection at the Smithsonian (4 hrs.)
Question for Reflection:
What did you see that you recognize from the class' study of Chinese culture?
Go to the Shen Yun Performing Arts Group's classical dance show "Reviving 5,000 Years of Civilization" at the Kennedy Center Jan. 29-Feb.3. (4 hours)
Question for Reflection:
What did you see that you recognize from the class' study of Chinese history and culture?
Other:
Got an idea for a source or an activity that should be on the list? Do not be afraid to run your idea past Mr. Lewin, who is always on the lookout for more and better materials.
Movies
Note to Students and Parents:
The following descriptions of the films are from the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com). Details and a parent’s guide to a film’s possibly objectionable material can be found at this site. Some of the movies are rated “R”, so NO CREDIT WILL BE GRANTED FOR R-RATED MOVIES WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM A PARENT OR GUARDIAN E-mailed to the teacher.
Missing: (1982) PG-13, 3 hours
Based on the real-life experiences of Ed Horman, this is the story of an American father of conservative background who comes to a South American country to search for his missing son, a journalist. Ed joins with his daughter-in-law Beth, who like her husband is politically polarized from the father, in prying through the bureaucracy and dangerous political intrigue in search of their son and husband. Little by little, the father comes to realize that his own beloved government is not telling him the truth.
Did this movie change your views on US policy in Central and South America during the Cold War?
El Norte: (1983) R (Violence), 3 hours
When their village is wiped out by the Guatemalan military, two Native American teenagers try to make their way to the United States in search of a better life as illegal immigrants.
Did this movie change your views on the subject of illegal immigration to the United States?
Letters from the Other Side: (2006) Unrated Documentary, 2 hours
Video letters carried across the U.S./Mexico border interweave the lives of several women to tell the stories of those left behind in post-NAFTA Mexico. An inside look at the lives of immigrants.
Did this movie change your views on the subject of illegal immigration to the United States?
Videos:
PBS Frontline: BATTLE FOR HAITI. 2011. (1 hour)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/battle-for-haiti/
Can Haiti be rebuilt without the rule of law? A year after the earthquake, PBS presents a powerful look at the violence threatening the country’s stability…and future.
What can Haiti do to get itself back on its feet?
PBS Frontline: THE HUGO CHAVEZ SHOW.
(3 hours)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/hugochavez/
An illuminating inside view of the mercurial Venezuelan President, his rise to power, and the new type of revolution he seems to be inventing—on television.2008.
Is Chavez a "good guy" or a "bad guy"?
Travel Videos: (Available through the school account at Discoveryeducation.com)
Globetrekker:
Argentina (1)
Costa Rica and Nicaragua (1)
Peru (1)
La Ruta Maya (1)
Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands (1)
Chile and Easter island (1)
What did you learn?
Books:(Most books can be checked out by the teacher)
Balch, Oliver. Viva South America: A Journey through a Restless Continent:
- Chap. 5, Life in the Space Reservoir: Brazil and Race. (4 hours) Click here.
What did you learn about life in Brazil?
- Chap. 8, Into the Hands of Tyrants: Colombia and Violence (3 hours) Click here.
What can be done to help the situation in Colombia?
- Chap. 9, Operation Bolivar: Venezuela and Revolution (3 hours) Click here.
Was Chavez a "good guy" or a "bad guy"?
Graphic Novels:
Jacobson, Sid and Ernie Colon: CHE (5 hours)
A graphic novel (comic book) biography of the South American revolutionary.
Is Che a hero or a villain?
Zinn, Howard. A People’s History of American Empire. Chap. 9: Resurgence of Empire
(2 hours) Click Here.
The story of the Sandinista Revolution in Nicaragua, and America’s attempts to undo it including the Iran-Contra Affair.
Did this change your views on US policy in Central and South America during the Cold War?
Articles:
Finnegan, William. Letter from Tijuana. "The New Yorker" 2008. (2 Hours)
think drug use is a victim-less crime? Do you How the drug war has taken over this city bordering the United States. Click Here.
What shocked you the most?
Travel Stories:
Power, Matthew. Lost in the Amazon (1 hour) Click here.
A few days with a guy crazy enough to try to walk the entire length of the Amazon jungle.
What did you learn about the Amazon?
Guillermoprieto, Alma. Bolivia’s Wrestlers (1 hour) Click here.
…because you know you’ve always wanted to learn about the all-female professional wrestlers of Bolivia!
What did you learn about women's roles in Central America?
Cohen, Roger. The End of the End of the Revolution (2 hours) Click here.
Daily life in Communist Cuba as the trade embargo and decay of the system make life worse.
Did this article make you more or less likely to support the US economic embargo on Cuba?
Smart Bell, Madison. Mine of Stones (2 hours) Click here.
History, politics, poverty and voodoo in Haiti—the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country.
Is Haiti a place you'd like to visit?
Hitt, Jack. Say No More (1 hour) Click here.
Spending time with the very last speaker of one of South America’s native languages.
What, if anything, should be done to keep endangered languages alive? Is it necessary?
Ryder Howe, Jack. An Impossible Place to Be. (1 hour) Click Here.
Life in the Darien Gap—the Wild West of Central America.
Is the Darien Gap a place you'd like to visit?
Rinella, Steven. Me, Myself and Ribeye. (1 hour) Click here.
Mmmmm…steak.
What did you learn about South America and its culture?
Berlinski, Mischa. Venance LaFrance is Not Dead! (2 hours) Click here.
One guy scamming and surviving his way through Haiti
Is LaFrance a good guy or a bad guy?
Activities:
Restaurant Visit: Dine at a Central our South American restaurant that specializes in NON-Mexican food. Try something new, review it, and describe the differences between that country’s food and Mexico’s. (2 hours)
Other:
Got an idea for a source or an activity that should be on the list? Do not be afraid to run your idea past Mr. Lewin, who is always on the lookout for more and better materials.
India Assignments:
Movies:
Note to Students and Parents:
The following descriptions of the films are from the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com). Details and a parent’s guide to a film’s possibly objectionable material can be found at this site. Some of the movies are rated “R”, so NO CREDIT WILL BE GRANTED FOR R-RATED MOVIES WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM A PARENT OR GUARDIAN E-mailed to the teacher.
Monsoon Wedding: 2001 (R) 2 Hrs.
A stressed father, a bride-to-be with a secret, a smitten event planner, and relatives from around the world create much ado about the preparations for an arranged marriage in India.
In what ways is traditional Indian culture (dharma, caste, etc.) still evident in modern times?
Slumdog Millionaire: 2008 (R) 2 Hrs.
A Mumbai teen who grew up in the slums, becomes a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" He is arrested under suspicion of cheating, and while being interrogated, events from his life history are shown which explain why he knows the answers.
What did you learn about India that builds on what you learned in class?
Salaam Bombay: 1988 (R) 2 Hrs.
The story of Krishna, Manju, Chillum and the other children on the streets of Bombay. Sometimes they can get a temporary job selling tea, but mostly they have to beg for money and keep out of the way of the police. Examines the life of India’s drug-addicted street children.
Why are there so many poor children in India?
Lagaan: Once upon a Time in India: (2001) (PG) 4 Hrs.
The people of a small village in Colonial India stake their future on a game of cricket against their ruthless British rulers...
Was your opinion of colonialism changed or affirmed by this movie?
Bride and Prejudice: 2004 (PG-13) 2 Hrs.
A Bollywood update of Jane Austen's classic tale, in which Mrs. Bakshi is eager to find suitable husbands for her four unmarried daughters. When the rich single gentlemen Balraj and Darcy come to visit, the Bakshis have high hopes, though circumstance and boorish opinions threaten to get in the way of romance. An excellent Intro to Bollywood.
What did you learn about Indian culture?
Any other Bollywood musical. See teacher to discuss it before viewing.
Videos:
Welcome to India (1, 2 or 3 Hours)
HIGHLY recommended. An AMAZING series showing how India's poor manage to get by. If you want to see the "real India", you've found it. (Rated R, contains a few naughty words. Students must get a parent or guardian's written permission to view it to receive credit.)
Which three characters are worthy of the most admiration? Why?
The following are available through the school account at Discovery Education…check the library website for passwords.
Fantastic Festivals of the World: India (1)
What did you learn about Hinduism through these festivals?
Thomas Friedman Reporting: The Other Side of Outsourcing (1)
Is "outsourcing" good or bad for India? For America?
Travel Videos:
(Available through the school account at Discoveryeducation.com…check the library website for login information)
Globetrekker:
South India (1)
West India (1)
North India (1)
Nepal (1)
Sri Lanka and the Maldives (1)
Books:
(All books can be checked out by the teacher)
From India: The Cultural Companion:
- Buddhism (1 hr.) Everything you need to know about the religion.
- The Forms of Vishnu (2 hrs.) Hindu history through the study of this deity.
- Shiva and the Goddess (2 hrs.) The role of female deities in Hinduism.
- Yogic Arts (2 hrs.) The religious significance of the different types of yoga.
- Time and the Universe (3 hrs.) Making Hinduism more understandable.
For all: What new understandings did you gain?
From In Spite of the Gods: The Rise of Modern India:
- Chap. 3: Battles of the Righteous: The Rise of India's Lower Castes. (3 hrs.) An examination of how caste still matters (or does it?) in modern India.
Does caste still matter?
- Chap. 4: The Imaginary Horse: The Continuing threat of Hindu Nationalism: (3 hrs.) A look at how Hinduism and Hindu chauvinism might hold back India's development.
What effects might Hindu chauvinism have on the future of India?
- Chap. 6: Many Crescents: South Asia's Divided Muslims: (3 hrs.) Kashmir, Pakistan, and the Muslims of India.
What do you predict is the future of Muslim/Hindu relations? Explain your reasoning.
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. (10 hrs.)
One of Mr. Lewin's favorite books, it is the story of a man much like the Buddha who sets out to find enlightenment. A classic, this novella makes Eastern religions a little more comprehensible.
What new understandings did you reach about Eastern thought?
India and Bangladesh Chapters from Hoffman, Carl. The Lunatic Express: Discovering the World Via its Most Dangerous Buses, Boats, Trains, and Planes. (4 hrs). The perils of public transportation in India and Bangladesh.
Does what you read make you want to visit India more or less? Why?
"Salt and the Great Soul" from Mark Kurlansky's Salt: A World History. (1 hr.) The story of Gandhi's Salt March.
What thoughts came in to your head as you read this?
Travel Stories: (Click on the title to download. Copies available upon request from the teacher)
The Incredible Buddha Boy (2 Hours)
Has the reincarnation of the Buddha been found...or is it just a public relations stunt?
What did you learn from the story about Buddhism and how it is practiced?
Famous (1 Hour)
The life path of one of India's worst terrorists. Tries to find why someone might turn to terrorism.
What drove this young man into committing an act of terrorism?
Tigerland (2 Hours)
In the remote swamps where the Indian Subcontinent's endangered wild tigers still roam.
Can anything be done to save the tiger?
Next Stop, Squalor (1 Hour)
Can India's worst slum become a tourist attraction? Should it?
Well...should it?
Restaurant Visits:
Go to an Indian restaurant and write your impressions, but ONLY if Indian food would be a new experience for you. (2) Minerva at the corner of Shady Grove Road and Rockville Pike is recommended.
Other:
Freer Gallery: (4 hours)
Go to the Smithsonian's Freer Gallery and write about what you learned from the "Arts of the Indian Subcontinent and the Himalayas" exhibit.
Got an idea for a source or an activity that should be on the list? Do not be afraid to run your idea past Mr. Lewin, who is always on the lookout for more and better materials.
China Assignments:
Movies:
Note to Students and Parents:
The following descriptions of the films are from the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com). Details and a parent’s guide to a film’s possibly objectionable material can be found at this site. Some of the movies are rated “R”, so NO CREDIT WILL BE GRANTED FOR R-RATED MOVIES WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM A PARENT OR GUARDIAN E-mailed to the teacher.
“The Last Emperor” (1987) (3 HOURS)
is the story of Puyi, the last Emperor of China before the Qing dynasty collapsed, marking the end of Imperial China. It shows his life as ruler from the age of two up to his political rehabilitation and life as a civilian under Communist party rule. The greatest strength of the movie is how it contrasts the two very different worlds of the monarchy and the one-party system. PG-13
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn about these years that was not covered in class?
“To Live” (1994) (2 HOURS) is often considered to be the best movie about China ever made. It portrays a Chinese family that is reduced to poverty and must battle with the Communist party and its oppressive regime just to scratch out a resistance during the years of Mao. SUBTITLED – PG 13 (Blood)
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn about these years that was not covered in class?
Last Train Home: (2009): (2 HOURS) A couple embarks on a journey home for Chinese New Year along with 130 million other migrant workers, to reunite with their children and struggle for a future. Their unseen story plays out as China soars towards being a world superpower. PG
Question for Reflection:
Is China's rush to modernity worth the sacrifices?
Mao’s Last Dancer (2009) (2 HOURS) Plucked from his village at age 11 to become a ballet prodigy, Li is trained by the Chinese government at the height of the Cultural Revolution. The story follows his life from boyhood to beyond his decision to stay in the USA. PG
Question for Reflection:
How does Li's childhood in Maoist China affect his decisions once he reaches the United States?
Please Vote for Me (2007) (1 HOUR) What would happen if democracy were to come to China? The elections for third-grade class monitor in a Chinese school may hold some clues.
Question for Reflection:
Based on these children, is Democracy a good idea for China?
Videos: (Available through the school account at Discovery Education)
The Concrete Revolution: The Other Side of the "Chinese Miracle" (1)
This video documents the often-overlooked human condition involved during the rapid construction occurring in Beijing in preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games.
Question for Reflection:
Is China's rush to modernity worth the sacrifices?
Travel Videos: (Available through the school account at Discovery Education)
Globetrekker:
Central China (1)
Beijing (1)
South Korea (1)
Vietnam (1)
Mongolia (1)
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn that reflects positively on the region or country? What did you learn that reflects negatively?
Books: (All books can be checked out for two weeks by the teacher)
Hessler, Peter. Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory. (2010)
Part II: The Village (P. 127-276): (8 hrs.) A fascinating account of a village and its inhabitants as change slowly creeps into it during China’s modernization in the 1990s.
Question for Reflection:
Is China's rush to modernity worth the sacrifices?
Part III: The Factory (P. 281-424): (8 hrs.) Following a town and one of its factories from creation to closing with a cast of unforgettable characters showing the realities of the new China.
Question for Reflection:
Is China's rush to modernity worth the sacrifices?
Hoff, Benjamin. The Tao of Pooh (1982) (8 hrs.)
Daoism (Taoism) explained by everyone’s favorite Taoist…Winnie the Pooh! “While Eeyore frets…and Piglet hesitates…and Rabbit calculates…and Owl pontificates…Pooh just is.
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn from the book about Daoism (or Taoism), and how can it apply to your life?
Jiang, Ji-Li. Red Scarf Girl (1997) (10 hrs.)
The tale of a happy Chinese 12-year-old girl in Shanghai...until the Cultural Revolution begins and her life gets turned upside down.
Question for Reflection:
Was there anything she could have done differently?
Guidi, Chen and Wu Chuntao. Will the Boat Sink the Water? (2006) (10 hrs.)
Banned in China, tells the sad stories of peasants who have tried to hold Communist Party officials accountable for their corruption.
Question for Reflection:
What can be done?
Graphic Novels (Comic Books): (Available for one week from the teacher if not available for direct download)
Kunwu, Li and P. Otie. A Chinese Life--Chap. 1 and 2 (4 hrs.)
A haunting, mesmerizing account of the son of a Party leader through the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. The tragedy, horror and idiocy of the era is well represented.
Question for reflection:
How was this allowed to happen? Who is at fault?
Travel Stories: (Copies available upon request from the teacher if not available for direct download)
Hessler, Peter. Kindergarten (2005) (2 hrs.) Download
A chapter from the book listed above, the story of a small boy starting kindergarten and needing hospitalization in China.
Question for Reflection:
Is China a modern country?
Hessler, Peter. Hutong Karma (2007). (1 hr.) Download
Everyday life in one of Beijing’s rapidly-disappearing old neighborhoods.
Question for Reflection:
Is China's rush to modernity worth the sacrifices?
Mishra, Pankaj. The Train to Tibet (2008) (2 hrs.) Download
On China's new rail line to Tibet, wondering what it will mean for the Tibetans.
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn that reflects positively on the region or country? What did you learn that reflects negatively?
Hessler, Peter. Wheels of Fortune (2008) (1 hr.) /uploads/1/3/3/7/13371567/wheels_of_fortune.pdf
Driving in China--accident by accident.
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn that reflects positively on the region or country? What did you learn that reflects negatively?
Hessler, Peter. Strange Stones (2010) (1 hr.) Download
Cruising around China in a rental car.
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn that reflects positively on the region or country? What did you learn that reflects negatively?
Osnos, Evan. The Forbidden Zone: How Far Can a Provocative Editor Go? (1 hr.)
A female magazine editor pushes the boundaries of China’s censorship laws.
Question for Reflection:
Does China need to relax its censorship laws?
Osnos, Evan. Europe on Fifteen Hundred Yuan a Day (1 Hr.) Download
A fascinating look at Europe through the eyes of Chinese tourists
Question for Reflection:
What did you learn about the Chinese people and their mentality?
Becker, Jasper. Chapter 7 of Dragon Rising: An Inside Look at China Today. (2 hrs.)
An inside look at how China’s economic growth is affecting the environment.
Question for Reflection:
What might happen if China does not address its environmental concerns?
Activities:
Visit the Freer Gallery’s Asian Art collection at the Smithsonian (4 hrs.)
Question for Reflection:
What did you see that you recognize from the class' study of Chinese culture?
Go to the Shen Yun Performing Arts Group's classical dance show "Reviving 5,000 Years of Civilization" at the Kennedy Center Jan. 29-Feb.3. (4 hours)
Question for Reflection:
What did you see that you recognize from the class' study of Chinese history and culture?
Other:
Got an idea for a source or an activity that should be on the list? Do not be afraid to run your idea past Mr. Lewin, who is always on the lookout for more and better materials.
Africa Assignments:
Movies:
Note to Students and Parents:
The following descriptions of the films are from the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com). Details and a parent’s guide to a film’s possibly objectionable material can be found at this site. Some of the movies are rated “R”, so NO CREDIT WILL BE GRANTED FOR R-RATED MOVIES WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM A PARENT OR GUARDIAN E-mailed to the teacher.
Blood Diamond – R (3)
A story following Archer, a man tortured by his roots. With a strong survival instinct, he has made himself a key player in the business of conflict diamonds. Political unrest is rampant in Sierra Leone as people fight tooth for tooth. Upon meeting Solomon, and the beautiful Maddy, Archer's life changes forever as he is given a chance to make peace with the war around him.
Question for Reflection: What can be done to make the situation better?
Invictus – PG13 (3)
The film tells the inspiring true story of how Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of South Africa's rugby team to help unite their country. Newly elected President Mandela knows his nation remains racially and economically divided in the wake of apartheid. Believing he can bring his people together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallies South Africa's rugby team as they make their historic run to the 1995 Rugby World Cup Championship match.
Question for Reflection: Why did Mandela’s idea succeed? Who is responsible for the result of easing tensions between black and white through sport?
The Air Up There – PG (2)
Jimmy Dolan is a college basketball coach who wants a big promotion. To get it, he needs to make a dramatic find. He ends up deep in Africa, hoping to recruit Saleh, a huge basketball prodigy Jimmy glimpsed in a home movie. But Saleh is the chief's son and has responsibilities at home, since the tribe's land is threatened by a mining company with its own hotshot basketball team.
Question for Reflection: In what ways did this movie change or confirm your position on the debate on whether Africa would be better off remaining traditional or becoming more modern?
Cry Freedom—PG (3)
Donald Woods is chief editor at the liberal newspaper Daily Dispatch in South Africa. He has written several editorials critical of the views of Steve Biko. But after having met him for the first time, he changes his views. They meet several times, and this means that Woods and his family get attention from the security police. When Steve Biko dies in police custody, he writes a book about Biko. The only way to get it published is for Woods himself to illegally escape the country.
Question for Reflection: Did South Africa’s whites really not know or just not care how Blacks were treated under Apartheid?
Hotel Rwanda – PG13 (2)
[16]years ago some of the worst atrocities in the history of mankind took place in the country of Rwanda--and in an era of high-speed communication and round the clock news, the events went almost unnoticed by the rest of the world. In only three months, one million people were brutally murdered. In the face of these unspeakable actions, inspired by his love for his family, an ordinary man summons extraordinary courage to save the lives of over a thousand helpless refugees, by granting them shelter in the hotel he manages.
Question for Reflection: How would you have reacted? What would you have done in certain situations in the movie if you were a Hutu? A Tutsi? The hotel manager?
The Gods Must Be Crazy - PG (2)
A comic allegory about a traveling Bushman who encounters modern civilization and its stranger aspects, including a clumsy scientist and a band of revolutionaries.
Question for Reflection:
Why does he throw it back?
Videos: (Available through the school account at Discovery Education)
CBS News The 20th Century: South Africa: Free at Last (1)
Question for Reflection: What did you learn about Apartheid that you did not know before?
Keepers of Memory: Survivors’ Accounts of the Rwandan Genocide (1)
Question for Reflection: Is it possible for the Hutus and Tutsis to live together again in peace?
Frontline: On Our Watch: The Darfur Genocide (1)
Question for Reflection: Could the US have stopped it?
Travel Videos: (Available through the school account at Discovery Education)
Globetrekker:
Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana (1)
The Transatlantic Slave Trade (1)
Ghana and the Ivory Coast (1)
Question for Reflection: What did you learn that reflects positively on the countries? What did you learn that reflects negatively?
Books: (in most cases, available to be borrowed from teacher)
King Leopold’s Ghost (Chap. 8, 10) (4)
These chapters depict the barbarity of the Belgians during their colonization of the Congo.
Question for Reflection: How can humans treat other humans in this way?
They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan (14)
A gripping story of young Dinka boys forced to flee their village and become refugees during the war in the Darfur region of Sudan.
Note: If you read this, do not attempt to keep straight which character is talking at any particular time. Instead, just read to get the idea of what these boys endured.
Question for Reflection: What could have been done to help the Dinka people?
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier (12)
An all-too-real story of a boy forced to become one of Sierra Leone’s infamous child soldiers during its Civil War in the 1990s.
Question for Reflection: Has this book changed your understanding of how difficult or easy your life may be?
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope (14)
An inspiring story of a boy’s efforts to bring electricity to his village in Malawi.
Question for Reflection: Is it fair to say “This boy proves that anyone can do anything if they put their mind to it!” After all, to say this would imply that the Malawians are “lazy” or somehow responsible for their own poverty.
Machete Season: The Killers in Rwanda Speak (12)
Interviews with Hutus who admit participating in the 1994 genocide of the Tutsis. (Warning: graphic depictions of violence)
Question for Reflection: Are their answers OK? Were they able to justify what they did to the point where they can or should be forgiven for their actions?
Facing the Lion (8)
The story of a teacher in the Washington area who grew up with the Masai tribe in Kenya.
Question for Reflection: You are neither a Masai warrior nor likely to ever face a lion…so what can you apply from the author’s advice and experiences to your own life?
Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria (14)
The British-raised daughter of a famous murdered Nigerian environmental activist travels through her native country trying to cope with her love/hate relationship with it. (Note: occasional bad language)
Questions for Reflection: (Please do only one.)
Where do you stand on the "love/hate relationship?" Does Nigeria attract you or repulse you?
-or-
Is Nigeria rising or falling?
Chap. 17 "The Great Plunderer" from The Fate of Africa. (2)
The story of General Joseph Mobutu, friend of the United States, and how he stole the entire country of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo).
Question for Reflection: What shocked you?
Chap. 33 "Somewhere over the Rainbow" from The Fate of Africa. (3)
How did South Africa fare in its first decade since the end of Apartheid?
Question for Reflection: Is South Africa succeeding or failing as a multiracial democracy?
Chap. 4-5 of The Lunatic Express.(2)
The perils of travel in Africa on overcrowded minibuses, filthy dilapidated trains, and overcrowded boats.
Question for Reflection: Do you have more or less respect for African governments after reading these chapters? How about for the African people?
Travel Stories: (If not available as a PDF file, copies available upon request from the teacher)
The Last Safari, Mark Ross. (2) 2000
A harrowing tale of being taken prisoner by a militia in Uganda
Places of Darkness, Kira Salak (2) 2003
Adventures with efforts to save Rwandan gorillas during a time of war
Shattered Sudan, Paul Salopek (1) 2003
A report on those involved with the oil trade during Sudan’s civil war and genocide
The River is a Road, Bryan Mealer (3)
A harrowing river barge journey down the Congo River. A 21st-Century "Heart of Darkness"
Download
Hotels Rwanda, J. Kirk 2009 (2)
Trying ecotourism in a country recovering from war and slaughter
Download
Lost in the Sahel (1) Paul Salopek
Travels along the edges of the Sahel Desert and the heart of the African Muslim world.
Download
The Hadza (1) Michael Finkel 2010
Following one of the last societies on Earth (mostly) untouched by the modern world.
Question for Reflection: For each story, what did you learn and how did your perception and image of Africa change after reading it?
Note: “What did you learn?” is NOT the same question as “What did you read?”
Activities:
Visit the National Museum of African Art (4)
Question for Reflection: What did you see that you recognize from the class' study of African culture?
Restaurant Visits:
Rainbow Restaurant Gaithersburg (Ghanain) (2)
Any of DC’s Ethiopian Restaurants (2)
Pink’s Café Afrikoko Germantown (2)
Question for Reflection: Would you want to eat this cuisine ever again? Why or why not?
Other:
Got an idea for a source or an activity that should be on the list? Do not be afraid to run your idea past Mr. Lewin, who is always on the lookout for more and better materials.