Monday, October 5, 2009

Today we officially began our new unit. For the next few weeks, will be discussing, writing, and reading about conflict in its various forms. Our unit essential question is: How does conflict shape culture and civilization? You have already been dealing with this question in Ms. Cody's class so far, and in our class, we will be reading various short stories and poems, as well as the memoir My Forbidden Face. We will be doing a lot of writing for this unit, so get ready!

After a brief discussion of our unit questions and objectives, you watched a video from Discovery Channel called "Afghanistan: 12 Years of Violence," which gave you a supplementary overview of the conflict in Afghanistan. We also had a brief discussion of your prior knowledge of this region and a recap of what you went over in Ms. Cody's class.

Next, you began reading the Iraqi short story "From Behind the Veil" by Dhu'l Nun Ayyoub. Click here to download. This story deals with both internal and external conflict, and also provides two sides to the issue of the veil in modern Muslim societies. For homework, read this story and answer the reading questions at the end (there are four.) You will turn in your responses at the beginning of class tomorrow.

PS. Check out Time Magazine's photo essay on American troops' experience in the war in Afghanistan (titled, "The War Up Close") by clicking here.