G9+2010+Reading

Welcome to the G9 2010 English Reading page!

Our final novels of the year deal with the theme of CONFLICT. We will be reading three different novels: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

In the third quarter, our unit was all about IDENTITY. We read the book, Wave Watcher, by Craig Alan Johnson. The author used to be the principal of Graded School, here in São Paulo, and the book is set on the beach in Ubatuba!

We started off the year with a unit on INSPIRATION.

We will be investigating the countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan through INVESTIGATION TASKS.

The book we will read is __Three Cups of Tea__, by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin, adapted for 4th-8th grade by Sarah Thomson.

Three Cups of Tea (Summaries, Images, Extra Credit Opportunities, and AUDIO!) [|Three Cups of Tea] External Website The authors websites are: [|Greg Mortensen] [|David Oliver Relin] [|Sarah Thomson]

The book tells the story of Greg Mortensen, a mountaineer who has dedicated his life to building peaceful schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Greg is a founder of the Central Asia Institute, along with Jean Hoerni, another mountaineer. [|www.ikat.org]

Greg and his mother also founded Pennies for Peace, an organization within schools around the world that raises money to build peaceful schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. [|www.penniesforpeace.org]

The foreword of the book was written by world famous zoologist Jane Goodall.

[|www.janegoodall.org]

Jane Goodall also has created a nonprofit organization, known as Roots and Shoots. [|www.rootsandshoots.org]

In this unit, we will be investigating the countries Pakistan and Afghanistan, to learn more about their Geography, History, Culture, and Politics.

We will also be investigating the militant group the Taliban, to find out more about their origins, organization, and beliefs, as well as why they are such a threat to peace in Central Asia.

We will also be investigating the terrorist group Al Qaida, who are responsible for the attacks of September 11, 2001.

We will also investigate mountaineering as a sport, and the impact it has in the region of the Himalayas, the highest mountain range in the world.

In this unit, any research we do will depend on RELIABLE resources. This means we will be using PRIMARY SOURCES and REFERENCE MATERIALS. We will not be able to rely on composite sites like wikipedia, because anyone can edit those types of sites.

Here are some helpful sites to help us learn more about Pakistan:

National Geographic []

Middle East Institute **www.mideasti.org/** Visit the website of the nonpartisan Middle East Institute and click on "Countries and Organizations" to find quick facts, in-depth articles, and links to additional information about Pakistan.

Pakistan Virtual Library **www.southasianist.info/pakistan** A guide to Internet resources on Pakistan and Pakistanis, this website provides links to dozens of sites that focus on business, cultural institutions, government and law, history, media and popular arts, and more.

Story of Pakistan **www.storyofpakistan.com>** Pakistan's first leader, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, once said that "the story of Pakistan … is the very story of great human ideals, struggling to survive in the face of odds and difficulties." Explore Pakistan's history and discuss the latest "hot issues" at this site.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan **www.hrcp-web.org** Since 1986 the independent, nonprofit Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has struggled to spread awareness of human rights abuses. Follow its efforts to prevent violations of human rights and to provide legal and other assistance to the victims.

Edhi Foundation **www.edhifoundation.com** Among its many relief efforts, the Edhi Foundation provides ambulance services to over a million people a year and houses some 6,000 destitute or mentally ill Pakistanis. Learn how you can help by visiting this website and clicking on "Donations."

Here are some sites to help us learn more about Afghanistan:

Interactive Central Asia Resource Project [|www.icarp.org/afghan.html]

Discover the culture, history, and current news coverage of Afghanistan through the links on this site. AfghanistanKiosk [|www.fowlerlibrary.com/Kiosk/Kiosk/asia/country/af.html] This site has a large collection of links to informative and diverse websites dealing with Afghanistan. Library of Congress: Afghanistan www.loc.gov/rr/international/amed/afghanistan/afghanistan.html Learn all you want to know about Afghanistan at this "Portals to the World" site.

These two countries are often in the news. We will also be able to look at PRIMARY SOURCES such as magazines and newspapers. One of the most respected news magazines in the US is [|Time Magazine]. Another very useful news site is [|CNN]. [|Reuters] is a worldwide news organization that can give lots of current information.

However, whenever you are utilizing a news website, pay attention to media BIAS, and the difference between FACT and OPINION. Also, make sure you CITE the SOURCE you use to find your information. Here are some links with helpful information about not only how to cite sources, but the different between OK paraphrasing and copying. There is also a link that discusses how to avoid PLAGIARISM.

WEBSITES
How to Recognize Unacceptable and Acceptable Paraphrases Landmarks Citation Machine The OWL at Purdue: Avoiding Plagiarism Pathfinder: Creating a Bibliography

Here’s what we know or think we know about Pakistan, as of March 2, 2010 : Pakistan is in the Middle East. Pakistan borders India, Afghanistan, and others (the '-stans'). Pakistan is in Asia. It is next to Africa and Europe. There are many mountains. There is crude oil. It has a parliamentary government. They are constantly at war with Israel. Since 2001 they are against Israel. They are constantly at war with India. There is terrorism in the country. It has a bad economy. It is a poor country. Arabic is spoken. It is a Muslim country. Many are educated in Muslim schools. Burqas are worn by women, which cover the neck, body, hair, and face, in the most extreme versions. A man can marry many women. Women are treated badly.

Here is what we don’t know about Pakistan, as of March 2, 2010:

The capital city The country’s history The difference between it and the other ‘-stans’ Where it’s located Physical geography What ocean is near Pakistan? Population Government Language Is there any fuel/oil? What is the climate/weather like? Are there endangered animal species there? How men and women interact What women’s rights are like What education is like What kind of food is eaten there? What ancient civilizations were there When did it gain independence, and from whom? Is the government religious? Is the government corrupt? Are there any internal conflicts within the country? What kind of economy does it have today? Are there problems with its international relations? Is Osama Bin Laden hidden there? What other countries are they friends with?

Here is what we know/think we know about Afghanistan, as of March 2, 2010:

It’s in Asia It’s in the Middle East The people are Arabic They eat Arabic food, including hummus and falafels They speak Arabic Women are mistreated They are Muslims There are Sunnis and Shiites There is also Buddhism Women wear burqas There is oil People there were involved in the 9/11/2001 attacks on the Twin Towers It is suspected to have the headquarters of Al Qaida Alexander the Great conquered it It borders Iraq and Pakistan and Israel We often confuse it with Pakistan There are bombs there There is a poor education system They have bad international relations The population is poor Important men have harems, i.e. more than one wife. It is anti-Israeli The USA is involved in Afghanistan

Here is what we don’t know about Afghanistan, as of March 2, 2010:

Borders Physical Geography The capital Type of government How was it formed? Who is the president/prime minister? Internal conflicts The organization of its economy Ancient Civilizations When did it gain independence What has happened since 2001 Ethnic groups there Food What are the country’s beliefs? What are women’s rights like there? Is Osama Bin Laden hidden there? How is the USA involved there? Is there petroleum? What happened there in the 1980s? What is the education system? Did it participate in the Olympics?

Here is what we know/think we know about the Taliban, as of March 2, 2010:

It is a Muslim country They speak Arabic It is a dangerous terrorist group They are dictators It is a political party Women can’t ride in taxis It likes Al Qaida

Here is what we don’t know about the Taliban, as of March 2, 2010:

What it means What is is When it began How it operates What the group believes in Where it gets money How it gets new members Where the group is How many people are in it  Are they Indian How does it change the world? What is their religion?

Here is what we know/think we know about Al Qaida, as of March 2, 2010:

Terrorist group Religious group There are 'cells' From Afghanistan Believes Israel belongs to them/Wants to destroy Israel Gets money from the government Osama Bin Laden is affiliated with them They destroyed the Twin Towers It is against the USA (calls them ‘Imperialist Pigs’) It has help from the USA It tried to blow up a plane this year They use fake IDs It is a religious/political party It is hidden somewhere in the world, in Asia It is involved with Black September They buy guns from the government

Here is what we don’t know about Al Qaida, as of March 2, 2010:

Why are they so angry? How does it recruit? Where does it get money? When did it begin? How does it operate? Where are they now? Who is their leader? How many people do they kill per year? Do they like the Taliban? What is their religion?

Here is what we know about Mountaineering, as of March 2, 2010:

It is dangerous Lots of special equipment is needed Mt. Everest is the highest mountain in the world K2 is the second highest mountain in the world K2 is in Pakistan K2 is steep It takes many days to climb a high mountain Many people die trying to climb very high mountains The air is very thin when you are up high Lungs fill with liquid at very high altitudes Avalanches are problems You can get frozen and die You can fall in a precipice You can get sick You need water, food, and maybe adrenaline to survive Incas climbed mountains

Here is what we don’t know about Mountaineering, as of March 2, 2010:

Famous climbers in history Food to eat while climbing When it is best to climb Why people climb How you get rescued Where is Mt. Everest? How long can you survive at high altitude? Can avalanches be predicted? How does weather affect climbing? How are climbing routes found? How much would it cost to climb a mountain? Do you need a license/permission to climb? How many people summit mountains each day?

By the end of this unit, let’s see just how much we can learn, and how many of the things we thought we knew (we assumed) were correct or incorrect.