1. WHAT WILL I LEARN TODAY?
FOCUS: What can I expect in our next book?

2. KITE RUNNER PREVIEW What do we currently know about the Middle East?
Can I have some students share with the whole class?
Picture Response…six images, six responses in the boxes on the handout…

3. Picture #1

4. Picture #1
Kabul: our setting, which has snow, mountains, It is Afghanistan's capital and largest city. It is 3,500 years old.

5. Picture #2

6. Picture #2 Pomegranates: a strong symbol in the story.
Sweet/Sour Fruit that grows on trees.

7. Picture #3

8. Picture #3
s, the Soviet Union entered Afghanistan and took over.
This is when Amir (our main character) and his father flee to America.
Afghanistan has had a rough past because the government has changed hands many, many times.

9. Picture #4

10. Picture #4
These are Shia Muslims. They have been persecuted as “infidels.”
They are descendants of the Mongolians (Asian decent) because of their slanted eye features—which makes them easy targets for persecution. They are called Hazaras.
The character Hassan and his father, Ali are Hazaras.

11. Picture #5

12. Picture #5
1 IN 700 CHILDREN HAVE THIS DEFECT, which is a cleft palate.
HASSAN HAS ONE, WHICH LATER GETS FIXED.
Think about Foster’s arguments…

13. Picture #6

14. Picture #6
In Afghanistan, kites are used in a competition where the flyers have to “cut” the kites with the glass powdered rope.
The bigger competition is when people “kite run” and go and find the cut kites that have fallen—it is a huge prize to find those kites.
From 1996 to 2001, the Taliban government in Afghanistan outlawed kite fighting, and kite flying, by declaring it "un-Islamic".

15. CLOSING
What did you learn today about the Middle East? Everyone share one thing…