Digital Curriculum:
Media Construction of
the Middle East
Curriculum Kit:
Media Construction of War
Curriculum Kit:
Media Construction of
Presidential Campaigns
Vendors of Media
Literacy Materials
|
Media Construction
of the Middle East: A Digital Media Literacy Curriculum
Cover |
Overview, Objectives, and Pedagogy
| How
to Use These Materials
| Resource
List
Unit
1: Introducing the Middle East
Unit 2: Israel/Palestine: Histories in Conflict
Unit 3: War in Iraq: Whose Voice, Whose Story?
Unit 4: Militant Muslims and the U.S.
Unit 4: Militant
Muslims and the U.S.
This unit reviews the origins of Islam, colonialism in the Middle East,
the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the growth of militant Muslims. It explores
the historical, cultural and religious roots of the Islamic resurgence and its
role in the contemporary Middle East. Students learn to decode complex, conflicting
perspectives; to examine bias and identify stereotypes in different media sources.
Students are encouraged to use multiple sources and perspectives.
Lesson 1:
Islam in Brief
Lesson 2: Stereotyping Arabs and Muslims
Lesson 3: A Revolution in Iran
Lesson 4: Freedom Fighters or Terrorists
Lesson 5: Analyzing the Roots of Terrorism
Lesson 1: Islam in Brief
Teacher Guide (PDF) |
Lesson Summary:
Students review background information on Islam while discussing perspective,
point of view, authorship, credibility, bias and objectivity in encyclopedia
entries. |
| 
Handout in Teacher
Guide (PDF)
|
Documents:
Excerpts from the encyclopedia at Islam.com and from the Britannica encyclopedia
online. |
back
to top
Lesson 2: Stereotyping
Arabs and Muslims
Teacher Guide (PDF) |
Lesson Summary:
Students analyze stereotypical and counter-stereotypcial messages about
Muslims in popular culture. |
| 
Video Clips
(QuickTime)
|
Document:
Clips from the movie True Lies and from the TV shows West
Wing, 24, and the Daily Show. |
back
to top
Lesson 3: A Revolution
in Iran
Teacher Guide (PDF) |
Updated August
30, 2006
Lesson Summary:
Students review key events and people in the history of the Iranian revolution
through the analysis of magazine covers, images and headlines. |
| 
Slideshow
(PDF)
|
Updated
August 30, 2006
Document: Time
magazine covers and interior spreads from 1934 through 2003.
|
back
to top
Lesson 4: Freedom Fighters
or Terrorists
| 
Teacher
Guide (PDF)
|
Lesson Summary:
Students review Afghanistan's history from 1978-2003 while analyzing credibility
and bias in documentary film. |
| 
Video Clips (QuickTime)
|
Documents:
Clips from two documentaries - CBS's 1987 Battle for Afghanistan
and Artisan's Operation Enduring Freedom: America Fights Back.
|
back
to top
Lesson 5: Analyzing the
Roots of Terrorism
Teacher Guide (PDF) |
Lesson Summary:
Students learn different views on the reasons for growth of the militant
Muslim movement through the analysis of articles from newspapers and magazines. |
| 
Handout in Teacher Guide (PDF)
|
Documents:
Excerpts from the articles "Why do they Hate Us?" by Asma
Barlas; "The Terrorist Mind" by Jonah Goldberg; "The Politics
of Rage: Why do they Hate Us?" by Fareed Zaharia; "Why do they
Hate Us?" by Phillip Yancey; from a March 1997 CNN interview with Osama
bin Laden; and from George W. Bush's September 21, 2001 address to a joint
session of Congress. |
back
to top
| |
