Reading Comprehension, Week 10 Representing and Analyzing Details from a Descriptive Text: Ibn Battuta and Western Travel Narratives

Overview This lesson provides readings in travel literature from two directions: From the perspective of Ibn Battuta, the famed Tanjaoui traveler of the 14 th Century, and two British travelers to Morocco in the 19 th Century. There are seven excepts from the travels of Ibn Battuta. In groups of 5 or 6, students will read one of these excerpts, make a list of descriptive facts from the excerpt (location; individuals; facts about these individuals, and so on) and represent the scene that is depicted in one of two ways: In an illustration drawn by them or in photographs of them acting out the scene in a tableau. In the second part of the class, the students will read both travel narratives of Morocco written by British authors and discuss the power of travel literature to both educate and mislead an audience.

First Hour Begin by asking students what they know of the Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta (born 1304; died 1368 or 1369). Where was he from? Where did he travel? How do we know about him? What do you know about his book of travels? Move to a discussion of “travel literature.” What is it? Who writes it? Why? What is good about it? What is possibly dangerous about it? Read one of the excerpts from Ibn Battuta’s travels and discuss: Its credibility; its details. Ask students to imagine that they are either illustrating a book based on Ibn Battuta’s travels or preparing to make a movie of those travels. Their assignment is to read in small groups one of the excerpts, to make a list of all the important details in that excerpt, and then to “represent” the scene of the excerpt either by: drawing it as an illustration; or by “acting it out” themselves and taking photographs of the scene on their smart phones. Arrange students in groups and distribute one excerpt to each group. Have them begin to read and list all the important details of the excerpt.

Second Hour Students will have read their excerpt and make their lists of details. They will illustrate of photograph the scene based on their analysis of these details in the first half of the hour. Second half of the hour: Have students read their excerpt to the class and present their illustration/scene that they photographed.

Third Hour After presentations have concluded, distribute the readings by British travel authors of Morocco. Ask students to read the first silently. Discuss: What is the author’s general view of what he is describing? What impression does it leave of Morocco? Have students read the second excerpt and discuss again. General discussion: What do you think of Ibn Battuta’s and the two British travelers’ stories? Are they believeable? What impression do you think they left on readers? What is the value and what are the dangers of travel writing, do you think?