Students will learn about Afghan and Middle Eastern culture through the experiences of two female protagonists, Mariam and Laila. Each discussion will examine how Afghan and Middle Eastern culture attributes to the protagonists’ character development and overall themes. Students will also examine how Muslim culture changed over the course of Afghanistan’s history, from the 1960s to the early 2000s. This will give students a chance to practice their literary analysis skills while also learning more about a culture either unlike or the same as their own. 

I took a class on world religions as part of my undergraduate degree. I was objectively taught about all religions and have respect for all religions and cultures. Plus, I was taught about various world religions in classes I took at other various points in my life. I have also taught this book numerous times and never portray Islam in a negative light. We just look at cultural customs. Lastly, I have been approved by the College Board as an AP English Literature and Composition teacher to teach this novel.

Homework Offered
Students will need to read assigned chapters before each meeting. The novel itself is broken up into 4 parts, with a total of 51 chapters. I know most students get intimidated by the number of chapters required, but rest assured, this is a quick and easy read. In my experience, most students have a hard time stopping at the end of the assigned chapters because they want to read on to see what happens next. 
2 - 4 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
There will be a post-meeting discussion post at the end of each class where students are highly encouraged to reflect on what they learned, as well as discuss thoughts that came up along the way. This is a great way to continue the discussion outside of class.
Grades Offered