Global Updates From World View
February 2009

Middle East Resources for Educators

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Global Education in NC

Triton High Basketball Teams the Hawks take on the Kangaroos!

Last December Triton High School in Harnett County hosted a special group of visitors. Over a dozen high school basketball players and coaches from the Kangaroos, a Horizon’s Sports Entertainment Team from Davonport, Australia visited Triton High. To read the full story and to see more photographs, click here.

Kangaroo Coach John Cantrell and Triton High Coach T. J. Morrison share experiences from coaching across the globe.

The Middle East is in the news daily. Are we doing enough to educate our students about this important region of the world? This issues of Global Updates provides many internet resources for teaching and learning about the Middle East. Included are links to country profiles, current events and news about the region, links to US embassies and consulates in the region, curriculum resources, and ideas for where to get for more information.

I. Country Profiles

This section provides links to general sites that have profiles for Middle Eastern countries. The profiles may include general information on specific countries including: maps, flags, population statistics, land, history, economies, government and politics, arts and cultures, and resources to find information for news and current events.

CIA WorldFactbook
www.cia.gov/library/

Middle East Policy Council
www.mepc.org/resources/educational.asp

National Geographic
travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/regions

US Dept of State, Background Notes
www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn

II. Current Events & News

Baghdad Bureau, from the New York Times baghdadbureau.blogs.nytimes.com/

CNN Middle East Section
www.cnn.com/WORLD/meast/archive/

Middle East Desk, New York University
www.MiddleEastDesk.org

New York Times, Middle East Section
www.nytimes.com/pages/world/middleeast/index.html

NPR Middle East Page
www.npr.org/templates/topics/topic.php?topicId=1009

Perspectives from around the World:
Encourage your students to think critically and examine issues relevant to the Middle East through a different, non-American lens, as well as through the information they receive from American media. The internet has opened the door to finding resources with multiple perspectives. Ask you students if they agree with the view points presented and why or why not? Help your student develop a true global perspective. The following sites may be helpful:
www.newseum.org (Front pages from newspapers around the world)
www.world-newspapers.com/east.html (Links to newspapers from the Middle East)
www.fair.org/index.php   (a national media watch group, offering criticism of media bias and censorship)
www.linktv.org/   (Link TV broadcasts programs that engage, educate and activate viewers to become involved in the world. These programs provide a unique perspective on international news, current events, and diverse cultures, presenting issues not often covered in the U.S. media.)

III. US Embassy and Consulate Websites for the Middle East

Bahrain bahrain.usembassy.gov/
Egypt cairo.usembassy.gov/
Iraq iraq.usembassy.gov/
Israel telaviv.usembassy.gov/ and jerusalem.usconsulate.gov/
Jordan amman.usembassy.gov/
Kuwait kuwait.usembassy.gov/
Lebanon lebanon.usembassy.gov/
Oman oman.usembassy.gov/
Palestinian Authority gaza.usvpp.gov/
Qatar qatar.usembassy.gov/
Saudi Arabia riyadh.usembassy.gov/ and jeddah.usconsulate.gov/
Syria damascus.usembassy.gov/
Turkey turkey.usembassy.gov/ and istanbul.usconsulate.gov/
United Arab Emirates abudhabi.usembassy.gov/ and dubai.usconsulate.gov/
Yemen yemen.usembassy.gov/ 

IV: Curricula, Lesson Plans, and Ideas for Classroom Activities

GRADES K-5

Alike and Different: The Middle East and the United States www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g35/iraqus.html

Arabic and Islamic Names
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=299

The Garbage Villages of Mokattam
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=32

The Middle East Region: Flags and Facts www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/gk2/iraqmap.html

Turkey Unit
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=33 

GRADES 6-12

A Visit to Jordan
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=310

Arab and Islamic Names
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=299

Arabic Clothing and Colors
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=1112

Egyptian Culture
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=1116

Oil and Water in the Middle East Region
www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g68/iraqoil.html

Portraying the Arabs
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=28

(Re)embracing Diversity
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=174

Understanding the Middle East Through Geography and Demography
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=285

GRADES 9-12

A Visit to Jordan
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=310

Aida and Its Relevance to the World Today
artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2374/

Frontline: Muslims / Lesson Plan to accompany the PBS Frontline documentary Muslims
www.cie.org/ItemDetail.aspx?id=N&m_id=28&item_id=111&cat_id=26

Global Connections: The Middle East [Educator Resources]
www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/educators/index.html

Hyphenated Americans
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=21

Iran Through the Looking Glass: History, Reform, and Revolution
choices.edu/resources/detail.php?id=187

Israel: Diversity and Identity
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=22

Journey along the Silk Road
www.cie.org/ItemDetail.aspx?id=N&m_id=28&item_id=135&cat_id=28

Portraits from the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=225

Portraying the Arabs
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=28

(Re)embracing Diversity
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=174

Shifting Sands: Balancing U.S. Interests in the Middle East
choices.edu/resources/detail.php?id=24

Teaching about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=291

Teaching with the News
choices.edu/resources/current.php

Resources for All Grades

Understanding Afghanistan: Land in Crisis
The ravages of war are clear in this site on Afghanistan. The site contains news, background information, interactive and traditional maps, photographs, audio, and film. www.nationalgeographic.com/landincrisis/

Meet Sa`ud
This internet resource introduces the Kuwaiti youth featured in Young Voices from the Arab World: The Lives and Times of Five Teenagers. In this online “scrapbook,” users will learn about Sa`ud’s country, language, and religion; meet his extended family; and find out what he does in school, what he eats, and what he does for fun. www.amideast.org/offices/kuwait/Saud/default.htm

Middle East Book Awards
 Recognizing quality books for children and young adults that contribute meaningfully to an understanding of the Middle East and its component societies and cultures, the Middle East Outreach Council (MEOC) awarded the 2008 Middle East Book Awards to:

Silent Music: A Story of Baghdad, written and illustrated by James Rumford. (New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2008).

Four Feet, Two Sandals, written by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed, illustrated by Doug Chayka. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers, 2007).

The Best Eid Ever, written by Asma Mobin-Uddin, illustrated by Laura Jacobsen. (Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press, 2007).

The Apprentice’s Masterpiece: A Story of Medieval Spain, by Melanie Little. (Annick Press, 2007).

Extraordinary Women from the Muslim World, by Natalie Maydell and Sep Riahi, paintings by Heba Amin. (Lancaster, PA: Global Content Ventures, 2007).

Summaries of each book awarded recognition above can be found at: www.outreachworld.org/article.asp?articleid=121 or www.meoc.us/

V. Additional Organizations Promoting the Study or Teaching of the Middle East

AMIDEAST www.amideast.org/
AMID EAST is a Washington, D. C. based private, non-profit dedicated to building understanding among students in the Middle East and America. This site offers student exchange opportunities and teacher placement in participating locations for English Language Instruction.

Middle East Outreach Council www.meoc.us/
Middle East Outreach Council (MEOC) is a national nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC working to increase public knowledge about the peoples, places, and cultures of the Middle East, including the Arab world, Israel, Iran, Turkey, and Afghanistan. MEOC is a national network of educators dedicated to disseminating apolitical and nonpartisan information, resources and activities furthering understanding about the Middle East.

Middle East Policy Council www.mepc.org/main/main.asp
The Middle East Policy Council provides political analysis of issues involving the greater Middle East. Through its programs, publications, and Web site, the Council strives to ensure that a full range of U.S. interests and views are considered by policy makers.

Middle East Studies Association (MESA) mesa.wns.ccit.arizona.edu/index.htm
A private nonprofit, non-political organization of scholars and other persons interested in the study of the Middle East , North Africa and the Islamic world. MESA is dedicated to promoting high standards of scholarship and instruction, to facilitating communication among scholars, and to promoting cooperation among those who study the Middle East.

National Council on U.S. - Arab Relations (NCUSAR) www.ncusar.org/
An American non-profit organization dedicated to improving American knowledge and understanding of the Arab world through people-to-people exchanges and educational programs.

Saudi Aramco www.saudiaramcoworld.com
Saudi Aramco publishes a magazine that focuses on the history, society, and culture of Middle Eastern lands. Teachers, students, librarians and others can request a complimentary subscription by writing to Aramco World, Box 469008; Escondido, California 92046-9008.

Southeast Regional Middle East and Islamic Studies Seminar (SERMEISS) academics.georgiasouthern.edu/sermeiss/index.htm
SERMEISS is a professional society for faculty from various fields whose common connection is the study or teaching of some aspect of the Middle East and Islamic World. SERMEISS sponsors two meetings annually that are designed to provide for interaction among teachers interested in the Middle East and Islam at three levels--trained specialists in Middle East and Islamic Studies, non-specialists who include the region in their college teaching, and secondary school teachers. Some sessions allow specialists to present their latest research and other sessions focus on new teaching strategies and materials.

Global Education in NC

Triton High Basketball Teams the Hawks take on the Kangaroos!

Last December Triton High School in Harnett County hosted a special group of visitors. Over a dozen high school basketball players and coaches from the Kangaroos, a Horizon’s Sports Entertainment Team from Davonport, Australia visited Triton High. Players from Triton and the Kangaroos enjoyed some friendly match-ups and exchanged gifts and memories to last a lifetime. The Australian teams toured North Carolina and Virginia, stopping for several basketball games along the way. Triton High’s basketball coach T.J. Morrison said, “It was a lot of fun and a good experience”.

Triton’s boys varsity team defeated the Kangaroos 76-57 and the JV boys team won 67-17.

Member of the Triton High Hawks and HSE Kangaroos

Do you have information to share?

Do you have information that you would like to share with other educators across the state? You are welcome to submit interesting global education programs that are going on in your schools, announcements about global education seminars, new resources that others might find interesting, etc. Please email Julie at jmarante@email.unc.edu with your "update-worthy" items!

Reader Mailbag

If you have comments about any of the information contained in the Global Update, shoot us an email! Perhaps your comments will appear here in this new section of the Global Update.

Disclaimer
World View at UNC-Chapel Hill provides information, resources, and announcements for educational purposes only. It does not represent an endorsement of organizations or point of view by World View or The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

World View's Spring Professional Development Programs for K-12 and Community College Educators
Registration Now Open

MARCH SEMINARS IN CHAPEL HILL

Latin America and North Carolina
March 24-25, 2009

The Middle East and the West
March 25-26, 2009
[The Middle East Seminar is FULL -- call to be added to wait list]

K-12 Media Specialists Workshop: Creating a Global Media Center
April 22-23, 2009
UNC at Chapel Hill

For more information and to register please visit:  www.unc.edu/world

 

World View's ThinkGlobal
Winter 2009 Edition now online!

Highlights include:

  • Global Learning in Alexander County
  • Fall Program Wrap Up
  • Spring Programs: What's Ahead
  • Indonesian Educators Visit Terry Sanford High in Cumberland Co
  • Caldwell Community College Program
  • Global Ed in Iredell-Statesville Schools

Read the full newsletter online today! www.unc.edu/world/newsletter.pdf

 

Attention High School Students:
Learn Chinese in Chongqing, China
Summer 2009

A summer Chinese language program for American students will be offered during the month of July in Chongqing, China by the QSI International School of Chongqing and Chongqing Tsinghua High School.

The Basics of the Chongqing Experience are as follows:

  • 30 high school students between the ages of 13 and 17 will spend July in Chongqing, China.
  • The students will attend Chinese language classes at the QSI school each morning from 8:30 until 12:00 noon.
  • Students will have an option of staying with a Chinese family who has a child approximately their age or they can stay in the high school dormitory. Each student will be paired with a host Chinese family.
  • All students will be required to obtain and show proof of insurance for study aboard students from June 29 through August 15 from a US provider of such coverage.
  • Weekend activities will be held on two of the four weekends for the group. Other weekends will be spent with the host families
Specifics on the Chinese Language Program:
  • The students will study Mandarin under the supervision and instruction of three Chinese language teachers who are bi-lingual in Chinese and English, and qualified Mandarin second language teachers.
  • All study materials and books will be provided. An hour of daily written homework will be expected.
  • While some of the students may arrive with some knowledge of Mandarin, it is expected that most will be beginners. An end of course proficiency test will be taken by all students and if requested a report will be sent to their high schools.
Tuition and Fees (not including airfare to and from Chongqing, China )* = 1600 USD, which includes a non-refundable application fee ($100), tuition ($1,100), and fees ($400). *Group air fare will be announced by March 1st.

All students will be notified of acceptance by late March. Full payment will be due by April 27th.

For more information please contact Roy Douthitt at: douthirl@yahoo.com or roy-douthitt@qsi.org

 

Language Institute for Russian Teachers
Summer 2009

The Department of State is pleased to announce an Intensive Summer Language Institute in Russian as part of the National Security Language Initiative. The goal is to strengthen foreign language instruction at U.S. schools by providing intermediate and advanced level Russian as a Foreign Language. The summer 2009 program is open to current K-12 teachers, community college instructors of Russian, and students enrolled in education programs intending to teach this language.

Successful applicants will gain further knowledge and a greater understanding of Russian through the following: attending intensive language classes; collaborating with foreign and American teachers on foreign language teaching methodology; and living abroad.

Scholarship Benefits for Selected Participants:
International airfare, in-country travel, housing, meals, incidentals, classes, books, pre-departure orientation, educational and cultural excursions. In addition, participants may be eligible for post-scholarship grants as well as academic credit.

To be eligible, candidates must:
* Speak intermediate or advanced Russian and score in the intermediate or advanced range of the ALTA exam. All candidates will be tested through the oral ALTA exam by telephone during the application process.
* Be current teachers of Russian as a Foreign Language at the primary or secondary level at an accredited U.S. public or private school, or be enrolled in a 4-year education program (B.A. or B.S.), teacher certification program, or a Masters of Education program. Instructors of Russian at Community Colleges are also encouraged to apply. Candidates must be committed to teaching the language upon their return to the U.S.
* Be U.S. citizens

Please visit: https://apps.americancouncils.org or contact isli@americancouncils.org for more information and an application.

This program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs(ECA), U.S. Department of State, and administered by the Council of American Overseas Research Centers in cooperation with American Councils for International Education.

DEADLINE: MARCH 2, 2009
 

Seeking North Carolina Schools for Chinese Partnerships Program

The NC in the World project, coordinated by UNC’s Center for International Understanding, is recruiting NC middle and high schools to partner with schools in Jiangsu Province, China.

As a rising world power and economic partner of North Carolina, China will play a significant role in the future of North Carolina students. The Partnerships program builds students’ ability to understand this key region of the world, and enhances their ability to communicate, collaborate, and compete with their Chinese counterparts.

What activities happen in an International School Partnership?

  • Partnership Development Abroad – School Principals and “Partnership Coordinators” – teachers, assistant principals, or others that help to lead the partnership – travel to Jiangsu Province in June to learn about China and meet with their counterparts
  • Upon return, schools begin to involve students in partnership activities, such as:
    • Collaborative learning projects through technology
    • Regular opportunities for international dialogue
    • Short-term visits to each others’ schools
    • Exchanges of teachers and/or students

The application deadline is March 6. For an application and for more details, contact Ms. Shijun Naour at snaour@northcarolina.edu or (919) 420-1360 ext. 231.

 

Tibetan Buddhist Doctor Tenzin Bista to Visit North Carolina
March 13-18, 2009

The Himalayan Society is proud to sponsor the visit of Dr. Tenzin Bista.  Amchi (Dr.) Tenzin Bista is a senior monk in the Sakya Tibetan Buddhist tradition and an amchi (practitioner of Tibetan medicine) from Mustang, Nepal. Tenzin and his brother Gyatso learned the art and science of Tibetan medicine under the guidance of their late father, as well as other amchi from Mustang. They serve as the Royal Physician to the Raja of Lo (Mustang). Tenzin has been involved in regional, national, and international efforts to preserve, document, and revitalize amchi practice and medicinal plant use. Tenzin has traveled to India, the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and Germany in his capacity as a practitioner of Tibetan medicine, a scholar, and a religious practitioner.

Dr. Bista will be lecturing at local universities and medical centers as well as seeing a very limited number of patients for private medical consultations.  If you would like Dr. Bista to visit your school or college please call 919-792-2575 to see if he is available or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Bista.

 

Honor Local Veterans in Your Community

Are you looking for a way to honor local veterans in your community? Last year, seventh grade students at Lake Shore Middle School in Mequon, Wisconsin constructed a series of podcasts showcasing the various Veterans Memorials in their community. It was a community service project to help students express their thanks and appreciation for the sacrifices that veterans have made on our behalf. Lake Shore Middle invites educators from across the country to make podcasts about the Veterans Memorials in their communities, making this a National Collaborative Project:

To learn more about the project and how it was done, check out the wiki: mtsd-ls7.wikispaces.com/veterans

To check out Lake Shore’s finished product: mtsd.k12.wi.us/Lake_Shore/podcast/vet-mem/Intro.html

 

American Foreign Service Association
National High School Essay Contest

The American Foreign Service Association National High School Essay Contest is open to all high school students whose parents are not in the United States Foreign Service. You do not need to be an American Citizen to enter this contest. The winner will receive $2500 and a trip to Washington, DC with three members of their family. The winner's school will also receive $500.

In 750 to 1,000 words, discuss the following topic: Analyze and explain what you think will be the challenges facing the American Foreign Service in the 21st century. This is a research paper and sources must be documented. Deadline is April 15, 2009.

Go to this site for more information: www.afsa.org/essaycontest/

 

The Climate Project (TCP) Seeks Teachers and Youth Program Leaders

In 2006, Al Gore started The Climate Project to mobilize youth to address global warming. This pioneering climate leadership program is developing an online simulation that teaches young people about clean energy in accordance with national education standards.

TCP staff will conduct 45-minute workshops about the science and solutions to global warming.  Your class will take part in up to four role-playing exercises between March-June 2009. Feedback from students, teachers and program leaders will help design a multi-media tool for educators to be launched in the fall of 2009.

This initiative is intended for teachers and youth program leaders who work with students in grades 7- 10.

Interested teachers, students, and organizations should contact Raj Shukla, Director of Education Programs with The Climate Project for more information:
raj.shukla@theclimateproject.org; 608-338-5227