Kate in Arabia Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 As some of you probably already know, my dh is from India. This school year I'm planning to spend one semester on studying the US, and one semester on India. To that end, I've put together a spreadsheet of the states of India, listing basic data and important cultural, historic and geographic points. Also, I've been trying to collect resources to use -- books, movies, documentaries, etc. I'm linking it here so that a) folks can give suggestions/recommendations for things I may have missed to be included, especially additional resources, and b) maybe someone else will find it helpful. For resources, you'll be able to tell from the worksheet that I'm really looking for specifics and not so much the brief "This is India" children's books that are common on Amazon. http://www.scribd.com/doc/33703523/India-States-resources I'm currently working on finishing a workbook to go along with it (I have, for example, sheets for stickers for all the state birds, flowers, trees, etc.) but am working on just some very basic geography worksheets; like outlining the rivers, marking state capitals, etc -- like what you'd find in a US geography workbook, kwim? My summer project! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 I love India. Can't wait to take my kids there someday. When I traveled there, I read a number of good nonfiction books that maybe your oldest could handle. Right now the only one I can remember if May You be the Mother of 100 Sons, by Bumiller. I'll post if I can remember more. I love The Story of India DVDs by Michael Wood. What about Haroun and the Sea of Stories? I just heard Rushdie speak and he is doing another children's book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted June 29, 2010 Author Share Posted June 29, 2010 Thanks Emily! We actually have the Michael Wood series, and I *may* already have the Bumiller book as well, it looks familiar. I have a few of the classic "British India" mysteries already on my list, I think my older ds can read those, I can't think of anything offhand that would be objectionable in Agatha Christie or Sherlock Homes, etc. About Rushdie, sadly I can't get beyond his controversial book (I bought it at a library sale). It takes a lot for me to be really deeply offended and hurt by a book, that may be the only one that has ever done it for me. I read the Amazon reviews about the one you mention, it does actually look interesting, but I personally wouldn't be able to read it; I enjoy the cookbook by his sister, but I don't think I could bring myself to buy or use one of his books, even one totally unrelated to the other one. Thanks again for your help! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Not sure if this is what you are looking for, but I like: 1. The Discovery of India by Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Also available as a dramatization 'Bharat, Ek Khoj'. 2. Amar Chitra Katha comic books 3. Malgudi Days by R. K. Narayan Also available as a dramatization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 About Rushdie, sadly I can't get beyond his controversial book (I bought it at a library sale). It takes a lot for me to be really deeply offended and hurt by a book, that may be the only one that has ever done it for me. I read the Amazon reviews about the one you mention, it does actually look interesting, but I personally wouldn't be able to read it; I enjoy the cookbook by his sister, but I don't think I could bring myself to buy or use one of his books, even one totally unrelated to the other one. :) Kate- I thought about that as I was posting (that he might be offensive to you since you are Muslim), and I hope I haven't offended you by suggesting him. I'm pretty sure one of the other nonfiction books I read while there was a memoir by V.S.Naipul. Looking on Amazon I can't figure out which one it is for sure! The more I look, I think it may be A Million Mutinies Now. That title stuck in my head, and I remember really enjoying it. I remember Freedom at Midnight made an impact on me too. What about the movie of Passage to India? I loved that book in high school. I'm not sure how suitable these movies are for kids, since I didn't see them with kids in mind: Lagaan Salaam Bombay! Monsoon Wedding (there is a pedophile issue in this as I remember) Satyajit Ray movies (the one I remember is the World of Apu) Bride and Prejudice Heat and Dust Far Pavilions Gandhi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 2. Amar Chitra Katha comic books Yes, I thought of suggesting these also. Used in conjunction with Buck's interpretation of either 'The Mahabharata' or 'The Ramayana' they are a nice addition. The site linked above is based in India which means longer shipping times but there are several American sites that sell them as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Do the different states in India have tourist bureaus that would send out travel info? I remember getting some lovely items from Kerala from some friends of ours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calandalsmom Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 The Children of the Lamp series is pretty excellent, imo. Sort of akin to an Indian Harry Potter style coming of age book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 The Children of the Lamp series is pretty excellent, imo. Sort of akin to an Indian Harry Potter style coming of age book. I looked at this on Wikipedia. I can't see how it is related to India. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Thank you for this thread -- we are way overdue on our very basic India unit, and I am grateful for these ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted July 1, 2010 Author Share Posted July 1, 2010 Thanks so much for everyone's replies, I've made several additions to my spreadsheet (and Amazon shopping cart ;) ) One of the resources I'm particularly excited about from my list is a 6-DVD introduction to the different styles of Indian dance (classical/folk). Also, one of the animators from Pixar (Sanjay Patel) has written/illustrated a couple of books on Hinduism that I hope (I have ordered them, but haven't received them yet) are good: Ramayana: Divine Loophole and The Little Book of Hindu Deities. I have several Bollywood movies on the list, in particular historical dramas like Jodha Akbar and Asoka. Jodha Akbar ran on our local tv station for about a month last year, I don't know how historically accurate it was but it was neat to see all the pageantry; I haven't seen Asoka yet but I'm hopeful it's comparable. Thanks again, everyone -- and more resources welcome, I'll add them to my spreadsheet! I hope I haven't offended you by suggesting him.Emily, I wasn't offended at all, I didn't want to ignore your suggestion either - just wanted to explain why I couldn't use it :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaCA Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 This site has movies and lesson plans specific to countries or eras etc. and India is included. http://www.teachwithmovies.org/world-history-2.html#14 India -- Lesson Plans from Films Relating to India Force More Powerful -- Short Subject World/India, Poland, Denmark, Chile, South Africa; 1800s - the Present; U.S./1945 - the Present; Civil Rights Movement, Tennessee [12+; Six sections, each between 20 and 30 minutes in length] Snippet Lesson Plan on Non-violence and the Indian Independence Movement (World/India, U.S./1945 - 1991 & Diversity) [12+; snippet: 25 minutes; lesson: two class periods] [*]Gandhi Biography; World/India, South Africa, England & 1800s - Cold War Era; U.S./Diversity; Religions [10+] [*]A Passage To India World/India & England; Literature/England [12+] [*]Water World/India; Religions/Hinduism; Literature/Literary Devices [12+; Literary devices analyzed: character, symbols, subplot, foils and irony] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 About Rushdie... I enjoy the cookbook by his sister (If you mean Padma Lakshmi, I thought she's actually his (mistress turned wife turned) ex-wife, not that it matters.) Anyway, you might take a look at the books by Tara Publishing. I have a book about folk art that's quite interesting (Can't recall the name) and another called "Toys and Tales with Everyday Materials", and I've seen the book about the market (To Market! To Market!); I see from their website right now that they have books on veges, fruits, and flowers of India, which seems like it could be useful, at least for younger kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted July 1, 2010 Author Share Posted July 1, 2010 (If you mean Padma Lakshmi, I thought she's actually his (mistress turned wife turned) ex-wife, not that it matters.) No, I mean Sameen Rushdie. My copy of her book has fallen apart into several pieces and has stains on most of the pages, lol. It's too bad it is apparently out of print, I found it a lifesaver as a newlywed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 Aha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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