It is our goal to integrate authentic, academically valid curriculum on the Middle East in your classroom. Did you know that classroom teachers write curriculum for the Middle East Studies Center? Teachers taking Global Teacher Seminars produce a plethora of materials every summer in addition to the resources curated by experts we invite to speak. These seminars are a collaboration between all five area studies centers. Here is a selection of Middle East-related materials from the seminars:
- “A Child’s Experience in Yemen” Lesson Plan by Ashley Grant, Greene County Middle School
- Protests and Social Justice Activism in the Middle East by Dr. Danielle Schoon
- Agriculture in Ancient Mesopotamia by Kathy Ward, Siebert Elementary School
- The Making and Unmaking of Food Systems in the Middle East by Dr. Bürge Abiral
Textbooks below from our own courses, materials created by teacher-participants in our teacher training program. Check out selected items in our Community in the Knowledge Bank. We also visit classrooms, arrange classroom visits by outreach volunteers who come from the Middle East, and share our instructional materials from these activities.
e-Books:
Keys to Understanding the Middle East, by Dr. Alam Payind and Dr. Melinda McClimans
This e-book focuses on the languages, cultural, religious, and sectarian communities of the region, and turning points in history. It is based on the content for International Studies/Near Eastern Languages and Cultures 2200 "Introduction to the Modern Middle East". Formats:
- Pressbooks
- Apple iBook, available on Apple devices through "iBooks"
Euphrates Tigris Water Issues: An Introduction, edited by Dr. Melinda McClimans
This book is the result of the “Euphrates Tigris Water Issues Workshop” hosted at the Ohio State University April 21-22, 2016 in Columbus, Ohio. It has been edited to present the content of the workshop in an accessible way, while remaining relevant for readers with expertise in water resource management and policy.
Windows Into Turkish Culture, edited by Dr. Danielle Schoon and Dr. Melinda McClimans
This student-authored academic introduction to Turkey provides one social, cultural, or historical lens per chapter to provide insights into Turkey today. This book is the result of research conducted by undergraduate students at OSU as a part of "Turkish 2241: Turkish Culture." This work was done with the help of Turkish students at Istanbul University under the guidance of Professor Mehmet Acikalin. For more on the project, please see the web site: u.osu.edu/globaleportfolio
Lesson Plans and Units:
Students as Collaborative Curators: The Effect of World War I and its Aftermath In Turkey and the United States 1914-1923, by Melinda McClimans and Joan Brodsky Schur
This learner-centered set of classroom activities centers around the experiences of World War I, both in the U.S. and in Turkey. Educators in both countries are calling attention to the need for greater teacher autonomy despite the increasingly controlling educational policies in both countries. In the summer of 2014 many nations will initiate commemorative events to mark the centennial of the world’s first global conflict, World War I, or "The Great War." We offer this module for stimulating critical thought, awareness of global perspectives, and authentic citizenship education, both national and global.
Lesson on World Governments: The Case of Saudi Arabia
6th grade handout out on world governments focusing on Saudi Arabia. Use this related page on Shar'ia, or Islamic Law. This can build upon what was learned in 6th grades about world governments to talk about democracy, representation and what it means to be a citizen.
Materials for teaching about water issues in the Middle East:
Presentations:
Music as a Tool of Protest and Political Activism in Turkey, Dr. Danielle V. Schoon
Dr. Schoon's presentation elucidates the role of music in protest in activism in Turkey, going back to the founding the Turkish Republic and earlier and finally showing how music continues to be an important source of critique in Turkish society. She highlights current protest against displacement in Istanbul that uses hiphop as its expression. She and Melinda McClimans curated a list of resources for teaching about music as a tool of protest in Turkey and the MENA.
Afghanistan's Tortured Past, Dr. Alam Payind
A presentation on Afghan history, and some of its painful legacies of today.
Global Water Issues in the Middle East
In this presentation, the teacher gives an overview of the global water crisis and what that looks like in a couple of Middle Eastern locations: Euphrates Tigris riparian nations; and Yemen. It builds on what they learned in middle school* about world civilizations, and connects to the STEM fields. After an overview of water resources in the Middle East, how they are used and what the issues are with sharing water resources, key cultural practices may be introduced, and unique water resource features of the Middle East, such as wadis, oases while also showing the lush green areas of the Middle East to counter the stereotypical idea that the Middle East is a vast desert.
Middle Eastern Identities in the United States
In September of 2012 we held a workshop on Middle Eastern Identities featuring Jonathan Friedlander and Mehdi Bozorgmehr. The interview with our guest speakers can be listened to here: http://streaming.osu.edu/wosu/allsides/091912a.mp3
Videos from the workshop on Afghan History and Culture (7/21/2009), for government, law enforcement and military trainers:
The video files below are in .rm format (RealPlayer) and will require you to download and play them with in the RealPlayer video software.
Video 1: Afghan01 (59:08 minutes)
Video 2: Afghan02 (60:11 minutes)
Video 3: Afghan03 (40:11 minutes)
Video 4: Afghan04 (60:32 minutes)
Video 5: Afghan05 (49:11 minutes)
Video 6: Afghan06 (62:22 minutes)
Video 7: Afghan07 (57:57 minutes)