Under+the+Persimmon+Tree+Reinforcing+Activity

Lesson Plan Author: Tanya Indridason
 * NCSS Notable Trade Book Lesson Plan**

by Suzanne Fisher Staples || // The study of people, places, and environments enables us to understand the relationship between human populations and the physical world. // || · Map of Afghanistan (//see additional references//) · Chart of Cities and Landforms for Chapters (//attached)// || · Increase students’ technology skills, specifically with Google Earth · Gain a better understanding of geographic perspectives of the world, specifically Afghanistan · Use data and apply skills in analyzing human behavior in relation to its physical and cultural environment, specifically refugee movement through the Afghan mountains into Pakistan ||
 * **Title of NCSS Notable Trade Book:** || Under the Persimmon Tree
 * **Book Summary:** || Najmah, a young Afghan girl whose name means “star,” suddenly finds herself alone when her family is taken from her by the war. Elaine, whose Islamic name is Nusrat, is also on her own. An American, she waits out the war in Peshawar, Pakistan, teaching refugee children while her Afghan husband runs a clinic in Mazar-i-sharif, Afghanistan. Najmah’s father had always assured her that the stars would take care of her, just as Nusrat’s husband had promised that they would tell Najmah where he was and that he was safe. As the two look to the skies for answers, their fates entwine. Najmah, seeking refuge, begins the perilous journey through the mountains to cross the border into Pakistan. And Nusrat’s school awaits Najmah’s arrival. Together, they both seek their way home. ||
 * **NCSS Standards:** || III. People, Places, and Environments
 * **Materials:** || · Computer with Google Earth on it (//see additional references)//
 * **Objectives:** || The lesson objectives are:
 * **Procedures:**

//Exploration/ Introduction://

//Development://

//Expansion:// || · Initially remind students how to navigate within Google Earth. If has been a while since they have used it, start with having students find their home. If Google Earth is new to students, an entire class period may be spent teaching students how to use the program proficiently. · Place students into groups of two. These groups will be used to help navigate Google Earth and create their maps together. · Explain to the students that the town of Golestan, where Najmah lives, is a fictional town but by the end of the book they will have the skills necessary to find where it would be if it was a real town.

· Read the first chapter paying particular attention to geographic clues (names of countries, cities, provinces, rivers, mountains, streams, and other landforms) in the chapters which have Najmah’s name at the top. · Fill in chart with geographic information from each of Najmah’s chapters. · After reading the first chapter, have students locate Kunduz Province in Northern Afghanistan on Google Earth. · Have students explore the mountains and rivers of Northern Afghanistan by zooming in and out and panning left and right. · Have students explore the political boundaries of Afghanistan. · When students appear competent in their abilities on Google Earth have them use the program to fill in their maps with the bordering countries, mountain range names, major rivers, and any other major landforms. · After completing their map, have students reflect in a journal on what has happened to Najmah in the chapter and make connections to themselves.

· As students continue through the book, have them track Najmah’s movements on their chart. · After each chapter have students find any cities or landforms discussed during the chapter on Google Earth. · Have students find and label these cities on their map. · At the end of each of Najmah’s chapters have students reflect in their journal about the chapter and what they would do if they were in the same situation.

· At the end of the book, have students use their charts and Google Earth to try to track Najmah’s movements backwards. Challenge them to attempt to find where the fictional town of Golestan would be located. · On their own map, have students mark places Najmah has been and label the places with the name and chapter number. Students should estimate any travel time on her journey through Afghanistan. ||
 * **Assessment:** || The students’ group map will be the final assessment along with a reflection of why students feel Najmah travelled to Afghanistan the way she did. The map should include the following:

· Countries bordering Afghanistan · Major Landforms (rivers, mountains, etc.) · Cities mentioned in the book · An estimated path through the Afghanistan mountains from Pakistan back to where the student thinks Golestan would be.

The reflection should be more than because Akhtar and Khalida made her.

The students’ journals may be used as formative assessments throughout the time reading the book. If students are not making text-to-self connections, try to help students understand how much like them Najmah really is (age, family, home, etc.) and then how she is different (country, religion, etc.). || · Using the description in the book see if students can create a city map of Peshawar. · Have students calculate how long it took Najmah to travel to Peshawar and what the distance is from their proposed Golestan to Peshawar. || · [] · [] · [] ||
 * **Suggested**
 * Extension**
 * Activities:** || · Use Google Earth to find the distance from Nusrat’s journey from the United States to Pakistan.
 * **Additional**
 * References & Web Links** || · [|www.earth.google.com]