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Learning Activity: Middle East crisis

CNN STUDENT NEWS

(CNN Student News) -- Students will conduct inquiry-based research on the current crisis between Israel and Hezbollah.

Procedure

After watching the CNN Student News reports on the current Middle East crisis, encourage students to list of all the questions that they have about the topic, e.g.:

Who is fighting?

Why are they fighting?

How does this Middle East conflict different from previous confrontations?

How have previous conflicts in the Middle East ended?

What are the possible resolutions to this conflict?

Can there be long-lasting peace in the Middle East?

Next, have students organize their questions into categories such as:

Background to the conflict;

Key players in the crisis;

International perspectives on the conflict (U.S., United Nations, Great Britain, Arab League, European Union, etc.);

Milestones or flashpoints in the crisis;

Resolving the crisis/prospects for peace in the Middle East.

Post the categories and related questions, either physically around the classroom, in a file box, or electronically as a Web page or file. Then, refer students to the Web and other resources to research answers to their questions. As they analyze each new source of information, have them answer the following questions:

What information is presented in this resource?

From what perspective(s) is this information presented?

How does this resource help us to answer our question(s) about the Middle East crisis?

What information do we still need to answer our question(s)?

What challenges might we face in trying to answer our question(s)?

What additional questions, if any, do we need to pursue?

To wrap up this activity, have students present what they have learned and what they have yet to learn about the Middle East crisis to another class. Then, as a group, discuss the challenges that policy makers face in resolving this conflict.

Correlated Standards

U.S. History Standards

Era 10: Contemporary United States (1968 to the present)

STANDARD 1: Recent developments in foreign policy and domestic politics. Standard 1C: The student understands major foreign policy initiatives.

Examine the U.S. role in political struggles in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

World History Standards

Era 9: The 20th Century Since 1945: Promises and Paradoxes

STANDARD 2: The search for community, stability and peace in an interdependent world. Standard 2D: The student understands major sources of tension and conflict in the contemporary world and efforts that have been made to address them.

Analyze why terrorist movements have proliferated and the extent of their impact on politics and society in various countries.

Assess the progress that has been made since the 1970s in resolving conflict between Israel and neighboring states.

STANDARD 3: Major global trends since World War II. Standard 3A: The student understands major global trends since World War II.

Assess the degree to which both human rights and democratic ideals and practices have been advanced in the world during the 20th century.

The National Standards for History (http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/nchs/standards/) are published by the National Center for History in the Schools (http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/nchs/).

Keywords

Middle East, politics, conflict, peace, Israel, Hezbollah, Lebanon, United States, United Nations

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