Identity – Arab American National Museum . Writers’ Block . Phylomon

 

We continued our exploration of identity with a visit to the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn. Before and during the visit, we talked about what helps define Arab identity, including a shared culture and language. The students heard various musical instruments and made connections and distinctions between the instruments they heard and those they are familiar with. We also played a game matching English words derived from Arabic words, including coffee, orange and giraffe. After discussing aspects of the immigration experience, we saw an exhibit that focused on Somali-American Muslims designed to challenge negative stereotypes about Muslims.

We finished our visit with a demonstration of the Dabke, a communal dance performed in countries throughout the Arab world at weddings and other celebrations. According to one folklore tradition, it originated when constructing houses with roofs made of wood, straw, and dirt. “Dabke” which means “stomping the ground,” in English was a great way to compact the roof materials evenly.

sk – 3/4 – Dabke Demonstration – Arab American National Museum from Chris Swinko on Vimeo.

Though it can be unnerving at times, many students love sharing their work, especially when unsure about how to proceed. One tool we use to address this is our “Writers’ Block” a dynamic writing group that students form or join as needed. Students, in a small group, share their writing. The writer shares where they are feeling stuck. Peers then share feedback using the Notice, Appreciate, and Extend Protocol (Project Zero). This structure encourages students to notice instances of strong writing in their work as well as those of their peers. It also gives writers multiple perspectives to incorporate as they think about ways to move their writing forward.

The Phylo(mon) Game was inspired by the popularity of Pokemon and designed to foster a similar immersion into the natural world in order to learn about biodiversity and ecological principles. I was reminded of the cards by Lisa (our science teacher) and introduced the idea during our elective. The students were hooked and immediately began looking through cards making decisions related to content and design. Our focus will begin with what we have on our school grounds and will be growing in the garden, with a focus on relationships between plants, beneficial insects and pests. We will also create cards that will focus on soil and the microorganism that are fundamental to its health. It was amazing to see how quickly they began thinking about rules and event cards that incorporated the seasons or increased a plant’s abilities. More to come.

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