Secrets in Afghanistan
Nasreen's secret school : a true story from Afghanistan by Winter, Jeanette - Beach Lane Books, p2009, c2009--371.823--Int Lvl: 3-6--Rd. Lvl: 3.9. Nasreen stops speaking and tries to isolate herself after the Taliban take her parents, but with the help of a good friend and a secret school, Nasreen slowly begins to break out of her shell. This is an engaging, beautifully illustrated story about the struggles girls in Afghanistan face just trying to go to school. Young children will relate to Nasreen and appreciate her bravery in trying to obtain an education. Discuss the illustrations with students and guide them through questions about the culture and history. A brief author’s note at the beginning of the book provides statistics about Afghanistan before and after the Taliban took control.
Rationale: When I was a young girl I already loved history and travel. One summer it was my plan to read my way around the world beginning with the letter A. Afghanistan was an A country. The nonfiction book I found at the public library was my first introduction to a country that has been front and center in an assortment of world conflicts: Russian invasion, drug wars, Taliban, Afghanistan War. Much has changed in Afghanistan since I first learned about it as a country, but much has stayed the same. During this Books Alive entry we’re going to explore the roles of women and education and in the process, learn a little about the culture as well. All lessons for each grade level are basically the same, but more in-depth as the students are able to comprehend additional history, geography, and different cultures.
Grades K-3--A is for Afghanistan
Preparation: World map with physical and political features. Collect artifacts based on the Afghan culture for display. These artifacts could include maps, Afghan kites, photos of sights in Afghanistan, a copy of the Dari alphabet and the Pashto alphabet, articles of clothing, household items such as rugs, the currency of Afghanistan called the afghani, and any other items of interest. You may need to download pictures from the Internet if you don’t have access to the actual artifacts (See Teacher Resources at end of lesson.)--university communities may also be sources of artifacts and guest speakers.
Introduction: In some places in the world girls and women have little opportunity to get an education, even an elementary school education. Let’s look at our map. One of those countries is Afghanistan. Have any of you heard of Afghanistan? How? (Elicit responses--most will be about the war.) (Point out location of Afghanistan and its neighbors. Note the mountainous countryside.) (Show any of the artifacts or pictures you collected and discuss how they compare with similar items here.) In our first story, the women in the family have made rugs for generations--the girls, their moms, their grandmas, their great grandmas, their great great grandmas.
Read aloud:
Waiting for the owl's call (Tales Of The World) by Whelan, Gloria — Sleeping Bear Press, 2009. 677; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 4.2. While eight-year-old Zulviya labors over a loom, weaving a rug just as generations of the women in her Turkoman family have done, she is comforted by imagining a new pattern inspired by the landscape of Afghanistan.
Our Inspiration Book is about the women in Afghanistan, especially a little girl. Jeanette Winter, the author tells about why and how she wrote the Inspiration Book. Listen as she tells us..
(Continue reading the remainder of the book.)
Yes, there are secret schools in Afghanistan. The girls want to get an education. They work very hard because only an education will help them improve their life.
Other Titles for Display, Book Talks, and/or Check-out:
Malala : activist for girls' education by Frier, Raphaele — Charlesbridge, 2017. 371.822; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 4.2. An illustrated biography of Malala Yousafzai, a Muslim teenage girl from Pakistan, who advocates for education of women and children, and whom the Taliban attempted to assassinate on October 9, 2012.
Listen to the wind : the story of Dr. Greg and the three cups of tea by Mortenson, Greg — Dial Books for Young Readers, 2009. 371; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 4.6. A children's book that tells the story of Dr. Greg Mortenson's promise to build a school in a remote Himalayan village after the villagers saved his life.
Teacher Resources:
Grades 3-6--Schools for Girls
Preparation: World map with physical and political features. Collect artifacts based on the Afghan culture for display. These artifacts could include maps, Afghan kites, photos of sights in
Afghanistan, a copy of the Dari alphabet and the Pashto alphabet, articles of clothing, household items such as rugs, the currency of Afghanistan called the afghani, and any other items of interest. You may need to download pictures from the Internet if you don’t have access to the actual artifacts (See Teacher Resources at end of lesson.)--university communities may also be sources of artifacts and guest speakers.
Find a picture of the Bamiyan Buddhas.
Introduction: In some places in the world girls and women have little opportunity to get an education, even an elementary school education. Let’s look at our map. One of those countries is Afghanistan. Have any of you heard of Afghanistan? How? (Elicit responses--most will be
about the war.) (Point out location of Afghanistan and its neighbors. Note the mountainous countryside.)
The author of our Inspiration Book added an author’s note and in it she tells us the following:
Did you know before the Taliban, 70% of the teachers in Afghanistan were women?
Did you know that before the Taliban, 40% of the doctors were women?
Did you know before the Taliban, 50% of the students at Kabul University were women?
After the Taliban, girls were not allowed in school or university. Women were not allowed to work outside the home. Women were not allowed to leave home without a male. Women were forced to wear a burqa. Singing, dancing or kite flying were not allowed. Art and culture in Herat were banished. The ancient giant Bamiyan Buddhas were destroyed. (Show picture.)
The Inspiration Book is about a girl who lived at the time of the Taliban. It is based on a true story.
Read aloud:
Nasreen's secret school : a true story from Afghanistan by Winter, Jeanette - Beach Lane Books, p2009, c2009--371.823--Int Lvl: 3-6--Rd Lvl: 3.9 Nasreen stops speaking and tries to isolate herself after the Taliban take her parents, but with the help of a good friend and a secret school, Nasreen slowly begins to break out of her shell. This is an engaging, beautifully illustrated story about the
struggles girls in Afghanistan face just trying to go to school. Young children will relate to Nasreen and appreciate her bravery in trying to obtain an education. Discuss the illustrations with students and guide them through questions about the culture and history. A brief author’s note at the beginning of the book provides statistics about Afghanistan before and after the Taliban took control.
There are still secret schools for girls in Afghanistan. This video was taken in 2010 about one secret school for older girls. There is one gruesome scene that shows what happens to some girls who go to
school.
View:
Video Inside Kandahar’s Secret School for Girls
And there are people who have helped build schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Read aloud:
Listen to the wind : the story of Dr. Greg and the three cups of tea by Mortenson, Greg — Dial Books for Young Readers, 2009. 371; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 4.6. A children's book that tells the story of Dr. Greg Mortenson's promise to build a school in a remote Himalayan village after the villagers saved his life.
Other Titles for Display, Book Talks, and/or Check-out:
Razia's ray of hope : one girl's dream of an education (CitizenKid) by Suneby, Elizabeth — Kids Can Press, 2013 -Fic-; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 3.7. Razia, a girl in Afghanistan, wants to attend Razia Jan's girls' school the Zabuli Education Center for Girls, but first she must get her father and brother's permission. Three FREE Teaching Resources available for download from Follett for Grades 1-3, Grades 4-5, and Grades 6-8.
Listen to the wind : the story of Dr. Greg and the three cups of tea by Mortenson, Greg — Dial Books for Young Readers, 2009. 371; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 4.6. A children's book that tells the story of Dr. Greg Mortenson's promise to build a school in a remote Himalayan village after the villagers saved his life.
One peace : true stories of young activists by Wilson, Janet, 1952- -Orca Book Publishers, p2008, c2008--327.1--Int Lvl: 3-6--Rd Lvl: 5.1 Profiles the work of children activists who are working for peace, including Craig Kielburger from Free the Children, Farlis Calle from the Colombian Children's Movement for Peace, and Kimmie Weeks from Voices of the Future.
Extra credit by Clements, Andrew, 1949- - Atheneum Books for Young Readers, p2011, c2009--Fic--Int Lvl: 3-6--Rd Lvl: 5.2. Three young middle-school-age children, Abby, Amira, and Sadeed, exchange letters back and forth between the prairies of Illinois and the mountains of Afghanistan and begin to bridge a gap across cultural and religious divides.
Three cups of tea by Thomson, Sarah L - Puffin Books, p2009, c2009--371.822--Int Lvl: 3-6--Rd Lvl: 5.6. Adapts for young readers Greg Mortenson's book in which he recounts the experiences he had while trying to help impoverished villages in Pakistan's Karakoram Himalaya build schools for their children.
My school in the rain forest : how children attend school around the world by Ruurs, Margriet - Boyds Mills Press, p2009, c2009--371--Int Lvl: 3-6--Rd Lvl: 6.2. Examines differences in school settings around the world in the form of a photographic essay that depicts virtual classrooms and schools that exist on a river, high in the Himalayas, or in the rainforests of Guatemala.
Afghan dreams : young voices of Afghanistan by O'Brien, Tony, 1971- -Bloomsbury Children's Books, p2008, c2008--305.235--Int Lvl: 3-6--Rd Lvl: 6.5. Presents stories of young people in Afghanistan, including street workers, students, and pickpockets, who long for peace in their
neighborhoods.
Teacher Resources:
A Portrait of the World Teacher Guide
Afghanistan for Children (somewhat dated photo gallery, but good
Grades 5-8--Young Heroes
Preparation: World map with physical and political features. Collect artifacts based on the Afghan culture for display. These artifacts could include maps, Afghan kites, photos of sights in Afghanistan, a copy of the Dari alphabet and the Pashto alphabet, articles of clothing, household items such as rugs, the currency of Afghanistan called the afghani, and any other items of interest. You may need to download pictures from the Internet if you don’t have access to the actual artifacts (See Teacher Resources at end of lesson.)--university communities may also be sources of artifacts and guest speakers.
Find a picture of the Bamiyan Buddhas.
Gather the Deborah Ellis books for the book talk section.
Introduction: In some places in the world girls and women have little opportunity to get an education, even an elementary school education. Let’s look at our map. One of those countries is Afghanistan. Have any of you heard of Afghanistan? How? (Elicit responses--most will be about the war.) (Point out location of Afghanistan and its neighbors. Note the mountainous countryside.)
The Inspiration Book takes place in Afghanistan before the U.S. got involved in the Afghan War. In many ways what was happening in Afghanistan is the reason we got into the war.
Read aloud:
Nasreen's secret school : a true story from Afghanistan by Winter, Jeanette - Beach Lane Books, p2009, c2009--371.823--Int Lvl: 3-6--Rd Lvl: 3.9 Nasreen stops speaking and tries to isolate herself after the Taliban take her parents, but with the help of a good friend and a secret school, Nasreen slowly begins to break out of her shell. This is an engaging, beautifully illustrated story about the struggles girls in Afghanistan face just trying to go to school. Young children will relate to Nasreen and appreciate her bravery in trying to obtain an education.
Book Talk:
In my opinion the best series about teen women in Taliban Afghanistan is the trilogy that Deborah Ellis wrote about Parvana and her best friend Shauzia. Parvana disguises herself as a boy to earn money for the family after her father is arrested and again when the family leaves a ruined Kabul. Shauzia’s family end up in a refugee camp in Pakistan.
Mud city by Ellis, Deborah, 1960- - Douglas & McIntyre ,Distributed in the USA by Publishers Group West, p2003, c2003--Fic--Int Lvl: 5-8--Rd Lvl: 4.6. The story of fourteen-year-old Shauzia, who escaped from Kabul, Afghanistan and who is unhappy with her life as a refugee in a camp in Pakistan. FREE Teaching Resources available for download from Follet.
Parvana's journey by Ellis, Deborah, 1960- - House of Anansi Press ,Distributed in the USA by Publishers Group West, p2002, c2002--Fic--Int Lvl: 5-8--Rd Lvl: 4.5 Sequel to: The breadwinner. With Kabul in ruins from the Taliban's control, Parvana dresses as a boy and sets out to leave Afghanistan in search of her family. FREE Teaching Resources available for download from Follett.
The breadwinner by Ellis, Deborah, 1960- - House of Anansi. Distributed in the U.S.A. by Publishers Group West, p2001, c2000--Fic--Int Lvl: 5-8--Rd Lvl: 5.0 Conscious of the strict limitations imposed by the Taliban rulers of Kabul, Afghanistan, on women's freedom and behavior, eleven-year-old Parvana disguises herself as a boy in order to earn money so that her family can survive after her father's arrest. FREE Teaching Resources available for download from Follett.
Other Titles for Display, Book Talk, and/or Check-out:
Razia's ray of hope : one girl's dream of an education (CitizenKid) by Suneby, Elizabeth — Kids Can Press, 2013 -Fic-; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 3.7. Razia, a girl in Afghanistan, wants to attend Razia Jan's girls' school the Zabuli Education Center for Girls, but first she must get her father and brother's permission. Three FREE Teaching Resources available for download from Follett for Grades 1-3, Grades 4-5, and Grades 6-8.
Making it home : real-life stories from children forced to flee by - Puffin Books, p2005, c2004--305.23--Int Lvl: 5-8--Rd Lvl: 4.8. Presents a collection of first-hand accounts of children who have been forced to flee their war-torn homeland to become refugees, including stories from kids from Kosovo, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Congo, and more.
Words in the dust by Reedy, Trent - Arthur A. Levine Books, p2011, c2011--Fic--Int Lvl: 5-8--Rd Lvl: 4.8. Zulaikha, a thirteen-year-old girl in Afghanistan, faces a series of frightening but exhilarating changes in her life as she defies her father and secretly meets with an old woman who teaches her to read, her older sister gets married, and American troops offer her surgery to fix her disfiguring cleft lip.
When elephants fight : the lives of children in conflict in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Uganda by Walters, Eric, 1957- - Orca Book Publishers, p2008, c2008--305.23--Int Lvl: 5-8--Rd
Lvl: 5.0 Provides true accounts of the lives of five children growing up in the midst of war in Sri Lanka, Uganda, Sarajevo, Afghanistan, and the Sudan, and examines the history of each conflict. Gandhi stated, "If you are going to change the world, start with the children."
Shooting Kabul by Senzai, N. H — Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2010. -Fic-; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 5.9. Escaping from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in the summer of 2001, eleven-year-old Fadi and his family immigrate to the San Francisco Bay Area, where Fadi schemes to return to the Pakistani refugee camp where his little sister was accidentally left behind.
Shattered : stories of children and war by - Dell Laurel-Leaf, p2003, c2002--Fic--Int Lvl: 5-8--Rd Lvl: 6.7. Chronicles the history of Afghanistan, and explores daily life, politics, and the many challenges facing the country since the decline of communism in Eastern Europe. Includes photographs, a chronology, and maps.
Afghanistan (Nations In The News) by Piddock, Charles — World Almanac Library, 2007. 958.104; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 7.6. Building a nation -- Afghanistan's neighbors -- A turbulent history -- The rise of the Taliban -- The fall of the Taliban. Traces the history of Afghanistan from its origins through the twentieth century, highlighting the major events and conflicts that have marked the country and its people.
Choosing courage : inspiring stories of what it means to be a hero by Collier, Peter — Artisan, 2015. 355.0092; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 8.1. Looks at some of the men and women who were recipients of the Medal of Honor including Clint Romesha, who led his outnumbered fellow soldiers against a determined enemy to prevent the Taliban from taking over a remote U.S. Army outpost in Afghanistan. FREE Teaching Resources available for download from Follett.
Afghanistan by Ali, Sharifah Enayat, 1943- - Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2014--958.1--Int Lvl: 5-8--Rd Lvl: 8.9 Geography -- History -- Government -- Economy -- Environment --Afghans -- Lifestyle -- Religion -- Language -- Arts -- Leisure --Festivals -- Food --Map of Afghanistan -- About the economy -- About the culture -- Timeline. Text and color photos profile the country of Afghanistan, covering its geography, history, government, economy, ethnic culture, lifestyle, religions, language, arts, leisure, festivals, and food; also includes a map of the country, fact list, chronology, glossary, and bibliography.
Teacher Resources:
A Portrait of the World Teacher Guide
Bookmark the Bio-Cube tool on each of the classroom computers so the students can create a Bio-Cube in which they detail the characteristics of one of the main characters from Nasreen’s Secret School. Download and print enough copies of the Bio-Cube Planning Sheet for every student.
Video Inside Kandahar’s Secret School for Girls
Attachments area
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