StephanieZ Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 I'm considering doing a Modern History of the Middle East course for my highschoolers next year. Has anyone done this? Does anyone have some suggestions? I was inspired by seeing a listing for an Oak Meadow course on this topic. It uses a not-current edition of a text, though, and it doesn't offer a teacher edition edition of the syllabus, either. So, I might buy their syllabus for ideas, use the current text, and then add more to make the semester course into a year long course. It doesn't have to be super intense, as my junior will have three APs and other challenging classes, but I'd like it to have more than just a simple text. I was thinking of adding some other resources such as great current historical/accurate fiction or biographies? Maybe three or so good length books or fewer shorter? I definitely want the kids to do some research and writing, so I will need to brainstorm ideas on that, too. The OM course uses (an older edition of) this book: http://www.amazon.com/Middle-East-Today-Geographical-Perspectives/dp/0415782449/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370492543&sr=1-1&keywords=middle+east+today+routledge I'd want our text to be very current and then to supplement with a few other things . . . Help me brainstorm!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 We are doing a Middle Eastern history survey, but it's concurrent with our world history courses; this year we were in the medieval period and next year the Renaissance... so I haven't gotten to the modern period yet. I have been using these textbooks as our spine. They are college-level books, each one intended to be a semester-long course but we are stretching them. What I have done is to have ds read and take notes from the selection from the book, then go to outside source material and movies/documentaries/lectures. I haven't thought as far as modern, but thus far I have done a mix of nonfiction and fiction. I think it has been one of ds' favorite courses this year, we got into a lot of interesting things. I would be happy to help you with ideas for literature to include -- it would be helping myself as well since eventually we will be covering this time period, kwim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Destiny Disrupted by Tamin Ansary is a wonderful overview of the history of Islam, leading up to the breakup of the Turkish sultanate and the formation of the newer Middle Eastern states after the Second World War. This may not serve as your spine but it will give you lots of background information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 I have heard very good things about this book. Maybe it could be a spine? http://www.amazon.com/The-Middle-East-ebook/dp/B00309CNI0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1370558516&sr=8-3&keywords=Middle+East Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shifra Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 There is a DANTES test on the modern middle east with recommended textbooks and additional readings. If your children are up to a college level course test, it could give them college credit if they pass the exam. The fact sheet for the exam is http://getcollegecredit.com/assets/pdf/dsst_fact_sheets/DSST_IntroductiontoModernMiddleEast.pdf and information regarding all DANTES exams is at http://getcollegecredit.com/testprep/. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 Read Shirin Ebadi's (2003 Nobel Peace Prize) book, Iran Awakening: One Woman's Journey to Reclaim Her Life and Country and watch Rick Steves' documentary on Iran. I feel that these two resources together gave our family a very different perspective on Iran. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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