If King Tut Could Talk - World Affairs Council

The Arab Spring and New DemocracyTen Ideas Excerpted from “Ways to Teach About the Unrest in Egypt”1. Witness History with a Found PoemHave studnets read an article and underline words and phrases they think are mostmeaningful or telling. Then ask students to reorder these words and phrases in some newway so that they express a theme.2. Do a SWOT Analysis of the Future of the Arab WorldStudents will look at strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of asituation and present their findings.3. Compare RevolutionsCompare this uprising to that of other countries and nations.4. Introduce the Events through a Gallery WalkHave students circulate around the room with a pen and paper as they read and view whatyou have posted about Egypt at different stations.5. Identify Just the Basic “5 W’s and an H“ of the NewsIf you have little time to delve into this topic, you might help students answer the simplequestions the NYT features about a news story.6. Investigate the Roots of DissentHave students read about the reasons that Egyptians have taken to the streets, and havethem create a chart that identifies protesters‘ concerns.7. Examine Different PerspectivesSplit the class into small groups and assign each group a different viewpoint about what isthe central issue of the Egyptian protests.8. Consider the Role of the MediaRead about the role that the satellite channel Al Jazeera played in escalating the dissent.9. Uncover Egyptian HistoryBegin investigating some of the historical roots of Egyptian and Middle East diplomacy.10. Interview Community Members Who Have Lived Through Similar UpheavalsIf you have students or other members of your school community who have lived through apolitical upheaval comparable to this one, invite them to class to be interviewed by yourstudents.Educational use authorization pending from:http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/31/ways-to-teach-the-unrest-in-egypt/Common Core ConnectionTHE DAY AFTERWorld Affairs Council Resource Packet: Pacific Science Center Presents—The Golden King and the Great Pharaoh: November 1, 201229