workshop 1
Reminder : before each workshop, ask the students to push back their desks and form a circle with their chairs. It may be best to ask them to do so during recess before the workshop, so as to avoid wasting time at the beginning of class.
Goals :
Time : 90 minutes
Workshop 1 Outline :
Goals :
- To introduce the program's framework.
- To allow students to express their feelings, ideas, thoughts, and beliefs about the Middle East conflict.
- To gradually introduce basic and more accurate information about the conflict.
- To examine the relevancy of the ME conflict to students.
Time : 90 minutes
Workshop 1 Outline :
- Introduction activity - the Counting Game
- The 6 Questions of the Middle East Conflict
- Open Discussion
- Summary Activity
Introduction Activity: The Counting Game
Goals : Introduction to the program, its framework and rules
Time : 5-10 minutes
Activity :
The facilitator begins by introducing the toolkit as a series of eight workshops about the Middle East conflict that will allow students to explore how the conflict pertains to life here in Europe. Next, the facilitator introduces the Counting Game. In this exercise, the students will count off one by one in a random, unplanned fashion. Each student will say one number at a time. The students must count up to the number of students present. For example, if there are 20 students, they need to count to 20, if there are 25 students, they will count to 25, etc.
However, there are some restrictions:
Goals : Introduction to the program, its framework and rules
Time : 5-10 minutes
Activity :
The facilitator begins by introducing the toolkit as a series of eight workshops about the Middle East conflict that will allow students to explore how the conflict pertains to life here in Europe. Next, the facilitator introduces the Counting Game. In this exercise, the students will count off one by one in a random, unplanned fashion. Each student will say one number at a time. The students must count up to the number of students present. For example, if there are 20 students, they need to count to 20, if there are 25 students, they will count to 25, etc.
However, there are some restrictions:
- If one student counts, the students next to her/him cannot count next.
- Two students cannot count simultaneously.
- The students cannot decide how to do it in advance.
- If one of the restrictions is breached, the students have to start counting from the beginning.
The Six questions of the Middle East conflict
Goals : To have students express their knowledge, opinions and thoughts about the ME conflict and learn new information about it.
Materials : Six large sheets of paper with questions
Time : 40 minutes
Activity :
Goals : To have students express their knowledge, opinions and thoughts about the ME conflict and learn new information about it.
Materials : Six large sheets of paper with questions
Time : 40 minutes
Activity :
- The teacher hang up six sheets of paper around the classroom. Each sheet has one question written on it : WHO - WHERE - WHAT ABOUT - WHEN - WHY - HOW MANY. The facilitator explains that the class is going to be examining these questions in the context of the ME Conflict and Europe's role in it.
- Students are divided into groups of 4-5 students per group and are instructed to walk around the room and for each question discuss and write several thoughts on the sheet. The questions are very open-ended, and students are encouraged to write answers according to their personal interpretation (e.g. the question "how many" can mean "how many people are involved", "how many conflicts", etc).
- Returning to the large group, the facilitator reads each of the sheets with the information the students wrote, calling on students to share one thing they wrote on the cards. The students will share a bit about what they know of the situation already. The facilitator adds information to the "Six questions" sheets.
- The teacher invites the students to think about ways they can learn more about these six questions and writes down their suggestions (examples : Internet, books, encyclopedia, asking parents, talking to immigrants from the ME, etc.)
- The teacher explains that we will be adding more information to the six pages throughout and invites student to add new notes whenever they learn new information (the sheets are to remain hanging on the classroom walls during the weeks of the workshops).
Open Discussion
Goal : To examine the relevancy of the ME conflict in students' lives
Time : 15-20 minutes
Activity :
Goal : To examine the relevancy of the ME conflict in students' lives
Time : 15-20 minutes
Activity :
- The facilitator asks the students : is the ME conflict relevant to us? Why? An open discussion is conducted, and the facilitator writes main points on a flip chart. Empty sheets are left hanging on the walls of the classroom to enable the students to add ideas and feelings until the next workshop.
Summary Activity :
- The teacher should allow 5-10 minutes at the end of each workshop for a brief summary of the activity, plus time for questions. Questions that involve a long answer will be written on one of the flipcharts and will be addressed later on.
- The teacher reminds the students that they are invited to write their ideas, questions and new information they learn about the ME on the sheets that will remain hanging in the classroom until the next workshop.