9/11 ushered in a new era of global responsibility. The event created new stereotypes while reinforcing old prejudices. Immediately, the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan, however, felt the brunt of American ignorance. Although conflict in Iraq diverted attention from these two countries, initiatives by the Obama administration revived American interest in the region.
The Central Asia Institute’s program called Pennies for Peace challenges students’ perceptions and assumptions about the countries and their people. Using an interdisciplinary approach (language arts and social studies), the program teaches students the significance of stability and peace in an interdependent world.
Middle School Social Studies Curricula
Most middle school social studies curricula include lessons on Southwest Asia or Central Asia. Popular textbooks typically focus on ancient China and ancient India. To broaden students’ historical awareness, however, teachers can incorporate Afghanistan and Pakistan into the curriculum.
A Pennies for Peace campaign helps motivate students to learn about an increasingly important region in the world. The program also helps teachers in promoting peace and teaching tolerance to our nation’s future leaders. Numerous activities and lessons offered by the Pearson Foundation meet national, state, and local standards. More importantly, they instill a sense of global citizenship in America’s youth.
Pennies for Peace Curriculum
The Pearson Foundation offers Pennies for Peace materials to assist teachers and students. The organization provides a curriculum guide that includes videos, maps, photos, stickers, postcards, and other implementation tools. Founded in language arts and social studies standards, the curriculum helps students explore a mischaracterized region of the world. It also encourages philanthropy and global responsibility.
Pearson Foundation Curriculum Guide
The following topics are found in the toolkit for grades 4 to 8:
- Language Arts Connection – To introduce students to Pennies for Peace, they read Three Cups of Tea, Young Reader’s Edition [Penguin, 2009]. The Pearson Foundation curriculum guide includes numerous tools to stimulate critical thinking. Graphic organizers include a study guide for the book, character attribute web, and a cause and effect chart.
- Geography Effect – Using cause and effect, the guide helps students understand the effects of geography on lifestyle and economy. They also learn how conditions in Afghanistan and Pakistan are relevant to the United States.
- Cultural Effect – Students explore similarities and differences between cultures. They identify reasons for cultural clashes including religion and civil rights. Ultimately, students generate ideas for overcoming cultural clashes in their own communities as well as in a global community.
- Global Citizenship – Students define character traits of an effective global citizen. They also consider the cause and effect relationships between citizenship in Afghanistan/Pakistan, education, and the Taliban. Finally, students translate their ideas into action through a penny drive to help educate children in central Asia.
Pennies for Peace promotes local, national, and global citizenship. As a supplement to social studies and language arts curricula, the program broadens students’ understanding of the world and their roles in it.
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