By Jamie Fletcher, Kamiakin Junior High
Kirkland, WA
Unit Level: Middle School
In the wake of the attacks on September 11th
and the subsequent War on Terror, U.S. and Pakistan relations have improved
dramatically and reached new heights of bilateral cooperation. Given the
strategic position of Pakistan in South Asia, with neighbors like Afghanistan
and Iran, it has emerged as a critical player on the world stage. This means
that educators who address South Asia can no longer look at Pakistan as a mere
side note to India, or as simply a window into Islamic culture. Pakistan’s role
in global politics now goes “beyond Islam” and takes on a new level of
importance. This curriculum will allow students to explore diverse facets of
Pakistan’s geography, history, and complexity to enable students to think more
deeply about the important role that Pakistan plays in our modern world.
"I hereby designate the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally of the United States…" President G.W.
Bush, 6/17/04.
“Pakistan now finds itself in the same exclusive club as such close American friends as Israel and South Korea.” Source: “Bush names Pakistan 'major ally'” BBC News 2005/08/03.
Time Allotment
· Full unit: eighteen class periods, not including the optional extension projects
· Various activities may be used separately to fit easily into any syllabus or schedule
Resources
· Photocopy and transparency materials
· Internet and on-line materials
·
Pakistan Resources, which
includes links to maps on the Internet
·
Pakistan Slide Show,
PowerPoint™ presentation about northern Pakistan, a good way to give a quick,
visual introduction to the country
Upon completing this unit, students will know:
· the rich history of Pakistan
· the vast geographic and ethnic diversity of Pakistan
· contemporary Pakistani perspectives and attitudes
Upon completing this unit, students will be able to:
· examine and understand the challenges and issues facing Pakistan today
· research personal interest topics that will foster individualized learning
· Why should U.S. students study Pakistan? Why is it important?
· What is the historical significance of Pakistan?
· How did Pakistan become the nation it is today?
· What are current challenges and complexities facing Pakistan?
· Lesson 1: Student Graffiti Brainstorm Carousel & Personal Quest Activity
· Lesson 2: The Impact of Geography: Interpreting Pakistan Maps
· Lesson 3: Indus Valley Civilization Slide Show Web Tour
· Lesson 4: Founding of Pakistan Summit Meeting
· Lesson 5: Contemporary Pakistani Voices Jigsaw
· Lesson 6: Pakistan Contemporary Issues/Media Watch PowerPoint™ Project
· Lesson 7: Individual Exploration Assignment Options
· Lesson 8: Student Journal Responses to Pakistan Unit
· Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRS)
Lesson 1: Student Graffiti Brainstorm Carousel & Personal Quest Activity
Upon completing
this lesson, students will be
able to:
· Document their current knowledge about Pakistan to show what they know, what they have heard, and what they want to find out about Pakistan at the beginning of the unit.
Materials:
Included:
Not Included:
· 5 posters titled: Geography, History, Cultural Traditions, Key Leaders, and Current Issues/Problems
· Black ink pens for students
· Buzzer or timer
Time Allotment: One class period
1.
Explain to students that they will be documenting their
current knowledge about Pakistan.
2. Divide the class into five groups and assign each group a poster to start at for the carousel activity.
3.
Use the Pakistan Graffiti Brainstorm Carousel Activity Sheet
to guide the class (Handout A: Activity
Sheet).
This is an active way to use the KWL concept and the posters serve as a great knowledge check at the end of the unit, so be sure to label them by class period and save them if you want to revisit them.
Lesson 2: The Impact of Geography: Interpreting Pakistan Maps
Upon completing
this lesson, students will be
able to:
· Examine and interpret multiple maps of Pakistan (political, physical, historical, etc.) to explore the diverse ways that geography impacts the nation and its people.
Included:
·
Handout
B: Student Questionnaire: The Impact of Geography
Not Included:
· Copies of various Pakistan maps: political, physical, population, historical, etc.
· 6 blank overheads and overhead pens
· Overhead projector
Time Allotment: One class period
Procedure:
1. Explain to students that they will be examining a variety of Pakistan maps to determine the impacts of geography.
2. Ask students what maps are used for and what kinds of information observers can gather from different kinds of maps.
3. Review the five themes of geography at the start of this activity to provide students with a springboard: location, place, human/environment interaction, movement, and regions.
4. Hand out the Student Questionnaire sheets and preview them with the class. (Handout B: Student Questionnaire: The Impact of Geography)
5. Assign students to map stations that you have set up around the classroom. Consider having six map stations. (Links to maps on the web are located in the Pakistan Resources. You can download and print them for the stations.)
6. Monitor the progress of students working on their questionnaires.
7. Have the groups share their ideas after they’ve completed their questionnaires.
8. Distribute blank overheads and pens to the map groups and have them document their findings.
9.
Have the map groups present their findings to the whole
class.
Students may create their own interpretive concept maps of Pakistan using a variety of mediums and techniques. Then students must complete a brief written description of the map explaining the concept of the piece and its key features. Students must include physical components of Pakistan and explain the importance of these items in their description.
Example Project: Painting a chair as a symbol of Pakistan, including the Arabian Sea, Indus River, the Karakoram Range, and the Cholistan Desert.
Example Student Project Description: I chose to paint a chair to represent Pakistan because a chair has four legs as its base. The four physical features I included on my chair serve as the base for all of Pakistan. The Indus River provided the seat of civilization and runs almost the full length of the chair. The Arabian Sea was the seat of trade and is painted on the legs of the chair since it marks the Southern border. The Cholistan Desert was the seat for nomadic camel herders and is painted on the South-Eastern portion of the chair. The Karakoram Range in the North is the highest point in Pakistan, so these mountains are shown on the high chair back.