English Access Microscholarship Program

Background Information and Activities

for Teaching American Culture, History

and Geography

Prepared by the Amal English Department for use

in the English Access Microscholarship Program

Amal Access Program Director: Rina Akotonas

Pedagogical Advisor: Dr. Rachel Tal

For Internal Use Only

December 2013

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Dear Access teacher,

The English Access Microscholarship Program has been implemented in our schools since 2005, with

great success. As teachers, due to professional development and mentoring, you have adopted

efficient methods for advancing your students to the four- and five-point matriculation levels. With

your guidance and support, your students learn how to deal with the challenges of the English

Matriculation Exam, and will successfully cope with the demands of the new literature program.

School principals are increasingly aware of the program’s merits, and actively promote its

implementation in the schools. Municipal leaders and parents also recognize the benefits of the

program, and support its expansion in their communities.

In the context of this valuable program, it is important that we continue to expand our students’

knowledge of the world, and America in particular. This handbook is provided to help you in

exposing your students to American history, culture, and geography so that they might gain a better

appreciation of American culture, its people, and its democratic values.

We hope that you will find the information and suggested activities helpful in the teaching of these

topics.

Rina Akotonas

Amal Access Program Director

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CONTENTS

RATIONALE ............................................................................................................................ 4

PLANNING FOR YEAR-ROUND ACTIVITIES ................................................................................... 5

SYMBOLS, IDEALS, BASIC RIGHTS .............................................................................................. 6

The American Flag ............................................................................................................... 6

American Government ......................................................................................................... 6

AMERICAN GEOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................... 7

AMERICAN LITERATURE, SHORT STORIES OR POETRY .................................................................. 7

AMERICAN HISTORY ................................................................................................................ 8

BLACK HISTORY MONTH .......................................................................................................... 9

AMERICAN HOLIDAYS ............................................................................................................ 10

Holidays by Date ............................................................................................................... 10

Suggested Assignment ....................................................................................................... 12

AMERICAN CULTURE ............................................................................................................. 13

Music ............................................................................................................................... 13

American Sports ................................................................................................................ 14

Fast Food.......................................................................................................................... 14

AMERICA THROUGH MOVIES ................................................................................................. 15

SERVICE LEARNING................................................................................................................ 15

THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION’S ANNUAL THEME ..................................................................... 15

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RATIONALE

One of the many goals of the Access Program is to expose students to American history, geography,

and culture. Since becoming involved in the Access Program, Amal has developed activities around

a wide range of issues focusing on American history, culture, and geography.

This handbook provides Amal Access teachers with resources for use in planning cultural activities

throughout the school year. We believe that teachers should be able to play an active role in

implementing enrichment activities, and hope that this will motivate students to explore the

subjects and issues, and carry out the tasks.

In order to learn new things in a meaningful way, students must acquire knowledge by reading, but

at the same time, it is important that they do something creative, constructive and authentic to

help students internalize the material. Therefore, the learning process should focus not only on

frontal teaching but also on learning by doing, as well as cooperative learning.

Many activities can be planned. Here are a few suggestions:

Answering questions and expressing an opinion

Imagining a meeting with a prominent figure and writing an interview

Writing a postcard or e-letter to a friend about the topic discussed

Writing an editorial/article for a newspaper

Preparing a poster with pictures for a class exhibition

Giving a talk in class

Describing an event in their own words

Preparing a short video

Searching the internet for additional information, pictures/videos, related to the topic

The students can work individually, in pairs or in small groups.

This handbook provides some examples of possible activities for different topics. These suggestions

are not “etched in stone”; feel free to adopt and adapt them as you see fit.

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PLANNING FOR YEAR-ROUND ACTIVITIES

Most of the activities developed by the Amal English Department and Access teachers, including a

Teacher’s Guide and related materials, can be found on the following site:

http://www.amalnet.k12.il/sites/english/Pages/Access.aspx

The Office of Public Affairs, US Embassy, Tel Aviv offers support for implementing the Access

Program:

A speaker can be invited in order to give a talk or a workshop on many cultural issues

Many ideas for cultural activities and materials are sent by e-mail

The staff there can be consulted

In addition, the United States Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs maintains a website t for

teachers and students all over the world: http://eca.state.gov/. You can read information about the

Bureau's activities and decide to adapt the ideas for your class. For example, students could read

what has been done to empower women in different countries and teach their mothers, aunts, or

grandmothers some English.

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SYMBOLS, IDEALS, BASIC RIGHTS

By the time your students complete the Access Program they

should be exposed to a diverse range of information about

American history, culture, and geography. This should include

at least familiarity with basic American symbols and ideals.

The American Flag

Your students should learn about the U.S. flag and what it

stands for. This topic can be taught at any time during the

school year (Flag Day is in June). You can find some

background information at:

http://www.everythingesl.net/lessons/teach_america.php

American Government

It is important that your students become familiar with just a few of the basic concepts and

historical events that shaped America as a democracy. They should know about the general

role/spirit of the following documents (not the exact/specific content):

Declaration of Independence (see http://www.heritage.org/initiatives/first-

principles/primary-sources/the-declaration-of-independence or

http://www.independencedayfun.com/263/summary-of-the-declaration-of-

independence/)

Gettysburg Address (Abraham Lincoln, 1863; see

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg_Address for background

Bill of Rights (most notably: freedom of religion, right to bear arms, freedom of the press,

right to trial by jury, right to speedy trial, and more) (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/bill-

of-rights-for-kids.html)

“...government of the people, by the people, for the

people, shall not perish from the earth.”

- President Abraham Lincoln Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, November 19, 1863

“We hold these truths to

be self-evident, that all

men are created equal,

that they are endowed

by their Creator with

certain unalienable

Rights, that among these

are Life, Liberty and the

pursuit of Happiness.”

- The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

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AMERICAN GEOGRAPHY

Your students should learn about basic geography as pertains to America, including where it is

located, how many states make up the United States of America, the location of key cities, and the

name and location of the nation’s capital.

You can find lots of information and maps on the Internet. Here are a few places you can start:

Where is the USA: http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/usa-location-map.html (scroll down

for description, and for links to individual states)

Washington DC facts: http://dc.about.com/od/communities/a/DCFacts.htm

The Fifty States @ FactMonster: http://www.factmonster.com/states.html (click on map to

learn about state, including trivia, landmarks, games, quizzes and more)

North America – Geography: http://www.ducksters.com/geography/northamerica.php

AMERICAN LITERATURE, SHORT STORIES OR POETRY

The Literature Program of the Ministry of Education suggests various ways of approaching American

Literature. You can download the official Teacher’s Handbook from:

http://tlc.cet.ac.il/ShowItem.aspx?ItemID=5e5d953e-f9fd-487f-857f-f568b79c0c8e&lang=EN.

There are many sites that offer appropriate activities, for example:

http://educatorsreview.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977275004

http://esldrama.weebly.com/

On the Amal website, there is also material about literary works taught in most of the schools and

worksheets to be used in class.

http://www1.amalnet.k12.il/sites/english/literature

You can also ask a Ministry of Education literature counselor for assistance.

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AMERICAN HISTORY

To familiarize your students with some highlights of American history, we suggest that you discuss

one or two of the following events or famous Americans in class at some point during the school

year.

Events Famous Leaders

American Revolution

George Washington Benjamin Franklin

Civil War

Abraham Lincoln Ulysses S. Grant

Civil Rights Movement Martin Luther King, Jr. Rosa Parks

The following is an activity that you can use in teaching about American history.

Activity:

Today you will learn about key events and persons in the history of the United States. You will work

in small groups. Each group will explore a different event or person, and then present their findings

to the class.

1. Go to: http://americanhistory.about.com/od/warsanddiplomacy/u/warsandevents.htm

2. Working in small groups, read about an event or famous American.

3. If you choose an event, write a paragraph including the following information:

When did it take place? Where did it take place? Why did it take place? What were the consequences? Write at least six words connected to the event and translate them into Arabic. Present your findings to the class.

If you choose a person, write a paragraph including the following:

1. When was he/she born? 2. When did he/she die? 3. Where did he/she live? 4. How did he/she influence his/her time? 5. Why did you choose this person? 6. Present your findings to the class.

Tip: If you don't understand a word, go to one of the following sites to find out what it means:

http://www.babylon.com/define/98/English-Arabic-Dictionary.html

http://www.ectaco.co.uk/English-Arabic-Dictionary/

Write the word in the box and the Arabic translation appears!

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BLACK HISTORY MONTH

This is a good occasion to address issues related to minorities and their rights, while learning about

an important historical period in American history.

Teachers should ask the students to read material on the history of the Civil Rights Movement, its

leaders (such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks), and important events. The students can be

asked to sum up the material read, write some comments, or give a short talk in class. They can

also launch an anti-racism campaign in the school.

Some activities have been developed and posted on the Amal English Access site:

http://www1.amalnet.k12.il/sites/English/Pages/Access.aspx under Docs > Cultural Activities.

The following sites include free articles complete with questions and suggestions for follow up:

African-Americans Fight for Freedom

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/tv00032s4.pdf

Fugitive Slave Act of 1850: http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/tv00032s3.pdf

Secession and Civil War: http://www.studenthandouts.com/09handouts/Free-Printable-

American-U.S.-History-Handouts-with-Questions/07.01-Secession-and-Civil-War.htm

With Malice toward None (Lincoln assassination):

http://www.studenthandouts.com/09handouts/Free-Printable-American-U.S.-History-

Handouts-with-Questions/07.04-With-Malice-toward-None.htm

Gettysburg to Appomattox: http://www.studenthandouts.com/09handouts/Free-

Printable-American-U.S.-History-Handouts-with-Questions/07.03-Gettysburg-to-

Appomattox.htm

You can also get a lot of material from the following sites:

http://www.infoplease.com/black-history-month/

http://www.biography.com/tv/classroom/about-black-history-month

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AMERICAN HOLIDAYS

There are many days designated to mark events and religious holidays in America. In America, the

word “holiday” is used when referring to both religious and non-religious celebrations. Most

Americans have the day off from work/school on federal holidays.

In addition, there are many commonly observed celebrations in the United States that are not

federal holidays. Some of these observances honor groups of people, such as National African

American History Month and Women's History Month, or causes, such as National Oceans Month

and National Substance Abuse Prevention Month. Many of these holidays and observances are

proclaimed by the President every year.

It is essential that you discuss the three holidays listed in Group A with your students, making them

aware of the significance of these holidays to the American people. We suggest that you prepare

relevant activities for your students, or take advantage of existing materials for this purpose.

Where possible, it is best to discuss these holidays around the time when they take place.

Select an additional two holidays/special days from Group B to discuss with your students. We also

recommend that you mention briefly one or more holidays from Group C, preferably around the

time that they occur.

Group A – Mandatory Group B - At least 2 Group C - Optional

Thanksgiving (Nov.) Martin Luther King Day (Jan.) Independence Day (July)

Patriot Day (Sept.) Columbus Day (Oct.) Veterans’ Day (Nov.) Washington’s Birthday/ Presidents’ Day (Feb.) Earth Day (April)

Labor Day (Sept.) Halloween (Oct.) Christmas (Dec.) New Year’s Day (Jan.) Groundhog Day (Feb.) Flag Day (June)

The following table summarizes the key American holidays. The holidays are listed by date, starting

from September.

Holidays by Date

Date Holiday Description

September

(first Monday)

Labor Day

Labor Day is the first Monday of September. This holiday honors the nation's working people, typically with parades. For most Americans it marks the end of the summer vacation season and the start of the school year.

September 11 Patriot Day September 11, 2001, was a defining moment in American history. On that day, terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners to strike targets in the United States. Nearly 3,000 people died as a consequence of the attacks. Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance is observed on September 11 in honor of the victims of these attacks. (This is not a federal holiday.)

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Date Holiday Description

October

(second Monday)

Columbus Day Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October. The day commemorates October 12, 1492, when Italian navigator Christopher Columbus landed in the New World. The holiday was first proclaimed in 1937 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

October 31 Halloween On Halloween, American children dress up in funny or scary costumes and go "trick or treating" by knocking on doors in their neighborhood. The neighbors are expected to respond by giving them small gifts of candy or money. Halloween is not a federal holiday.

November 11 Veterans’ Day Veterans’ Day is celebrated on November 11. This holiday was originally called Armistice Day and established to honor Americans who had served in World War I. It now honors veterans of all wars in which the U.S. has fought. Veterans' organizations hold parades, and the president places a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

November (fourth Thursday)

Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims held a three-day feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest. Many regard this event as the nation's first Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving feast became a national tradition and almost always includes some of the foods served at the first feast: roast turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes, and pumpkin pie.

December 25 Christmas Christmas Day is a celebrated on December 25. Christmas is a Christian holiday marking the birth of the Christ Child. Decorating houses and yards with lights, putting up Christmas trees, giving gifts, and sending greeting cards have become holiday traditions even for many non-Christian Americans.

January 1 New Year’s Day

The celebration of New Year’s Day begins the night before, when Americans gather to wish each other a happy and prosperous coming year. Many Americans make New Year's resolutions.

January

(third Monday)

Martin Luther King Day

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is celebrated on the third Monday in January. The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was an African-American clergyman who is recognized for his tireless efforts to win civil rights for all people through nonviolent means.

Activities have been developed and posted on the Amal English Programs Access site: http://www1.amalnet.k12.il/sites/English/Pages/Access.aspx under Docs > Cultural Activities > Martin Luther King.

February 2 Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is February 2 and has been celebrated since 1887. On Groundhog Day, crowds gather in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to see if the groundhog, “Punxsutawney Phil”, sees his shadow after emerging from his burrow. If he sees his shadow six more weeks of winter weather are expected. This is not a federal holiday.

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Date Holiday Description

February (third Monday)

Washington’s Birthday/ Presidents’ Day

Washington's Birthday is observed on the third Monday of February in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States. This date is commonly called Presidents' Day and many groups honor the legacy of past presidents on this date.

April 22 Earth Day Earth Day is observed on April 22. First celebrated in 1970 in the United States, it inspired national legislation such as the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts. Earth Day is designed to promote ecology, encourage respect for life on earth, and highlight concern over pollution of the soil, air, and water. This is not a federal holiday.

May (last Monday)

Memorial Day Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May. It originally honored the people killed in the American Civil War, but has become a day on which the American dead of all wars are remembered.

June 14 Flag Day Flag Day, celebrated June 14, has been a presidentially proclaimed observance since 1916. Although Flag Day is not a federal holiday, Americans are encouraged to display the flag outside their homes and businesses on this day to honor the history and heritage the American flag represents.

For more about the American flag, see http://www.everythingesl.net/lessons/teach_america.php.

July 4 Independence Day

Independence Day is July 4. This holiday honors the nation's birthday - the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It is a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts, and fireworks.

Suggested Assignment

The following suggested assignment can be adapted for teaching about a specific holiday.

1. Search for information about the holiday on Google, and read about it.

2. Write a report on the holiday, including pictures, based on answers to these questions:

What is the origin of the holiday?

When is it celebrated?

How is it celebrated?

Are there special foods, special clothing, or other special customs/traditions? Describe.

Is it a religious holiday or a civic holiday?

Do you think it's an important holiday? Explain your answer.

Is there a similar holiday in your culture? Discuss and compare.

Send your report to your teacher's e-mail.

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AMERICAN CULTURE

American culture means music, cinema, dance, literature, cuisine, photography, and more.

Music

The following is an activity that you can use in teaching about American music.

1. Read about one of the following music styles (search for information using Google or visit the

suggested sites below):

Jazz

Rock ‘n’ Roll

Pop

Hip Hop

Barbershop

2. Answer the following questions:

a. Where and when did that style of music begin?

b. What do you like about this style of music?

c. Who are the main performers?

d. What do you like this style of music?

The following sites provide some resources on American music:

Jazz

In general: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz

More specific with pictures:

http://www.performances.org/education/studyguides/jazz%20book_web.pdf

Listen to a lecture: http://town.hall.org/radio/Kennedy/Taylor/bt_l1.html

Rock ‘n’ Roll

In general: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_and_roll

http://www.rockhall.com/

To listen, search for a singer or song on Youtube.

Hip Hop

In general: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_hop

To read and listen: http://www.mtv.com/music/hiphop/ It is highly recommended to expose the students to these different kinds of music, using YouTube or CDs, invite a singer to class to give a performance, or attend a performance with the students.

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American Sports

We suggest that you make your students familiar with popular American sports, such as Baseball or

American Football. You might ask the physical education teacher at your school or invite an

American diplomat/official to teach the students the rules of the game and help you organize a

match between Access students and non-Access students.

You can refer to the following sites for additional information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_in_the_United_States

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/football.htm

http://mlb.mlb.com/index.jsp

Fast Food

American fast food can be found all over the world, for example, MacDonald’s, Pizza Hut, and Kentucky Fried Chicken. Here is an example of a possible activity on this topic.

1. Read about the fast food industry on some of the following sites:

Fast Food Facts for teens: http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/fast_food.html

Healthy Fast food choices: http://www.myoptumhealth.com/portal/Health+Hubs/item/Healthy+Fast+Food+Choices?archiveChannel=Home%2FArticle&remBrdCrumb=tru

2. Answer the following questions:

It tastes good, but is it healthy?

How often do you eat fast food?

What is your favorite fast food meal?

Where do you get it?

Explain your answer.

3. Interview the school nurse about:

Fast food and health

Fast food and obesity

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AMERICA THROUGH MOVIES

Movies are a medium through which a lot can be learned about social, historical, political and

environmental issues, as well as customs and lifestyles. A large activity can be organized around this

theme, and a detailed Teacher’s Guide has been prepared for your use.

You can download these and other documents from the Amal English Programs Access site:

http://www1.amalnet.k12.il/sites/English/Pages/Access.aspx under Docs > Cultural Activities.

SERVICE LEARNING

Service Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service

with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and

strengthen communities. Service Learning is an integral part of the Access Program.

Volunteering in the US can serve as a model for the Bedouin towns where it is less common, despite

an awareness of the need for help among old or very young populations in the Bedouin towns and

villages. The Service Learning day takes place in the spring, with preparations carried out the

previous month. Planning and organization is coordinated between the Amal English department

and the schools. Ideas about what to do and what has been done in the past can be found on the

Amal English Programs site: http://www1.amalnet.k12.il/sites/English/Pages/Access.aspx under

Docs > Service Learning and Other Special Projects.

THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION’S YEARLY THEME

Israel’s Ministry of Education (MoE) selects a different yearly theme for each school year. You can

find information about the theme on the MoE website. Wherever possible, try and find some

linkage between that theme and American culture, norms, and so on.

In 2013-2014, the yearly theme focuses on “The Other Is Me”.