Contributor :
Lindsey Wooldridge
Action Plan
I need to journal daily (or even more frequently than that) and take as many photographs and videos as possible. I also need to have extended conversations with the trip leaders (and take notes) to be able to answer my students’ questions. I also need to try to collect some realia that showcases the artistry of this region.
Pre-Departure Preparation
I plan to incorporate the knowledge I gain on this trip into my current events class’s unit on the Middle East in several ways. I plan to create a detailed journal (containing both images and text) of all of the cultural encounters
on the trip. My students will then be able to analyze excerpts of this journal in order to be able to experience (in a way) Middle Eastern culture in a relevant and engaging way. I also aim to have my students write a series of questions about the region that they would like to have answers to, which I can then bring on the trip and get direct answers to. The students would be thrilled to receive direct responses to their inquiries. I also plan to develop ideas for new lessons based on what I encounter on my travels.
I also plan to create lessons on the math and artistry present in the Middle East in my gifted and talented enrichment sessions. This idea will be fleshed out more fully based on my observations on the trip.
Preparation During Travel
I need to do some additional reading on Middle Eastern culture, history, and customs, in addition to reading up on the specific locations that we will be visiting.