Special Online Issue: Central Asia
The U.S. bombing of Afghanistan in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks has thrust Central Asia into the headlines. Nearly every day, we hear about a new development and see another video clip of Afghanistan’s rugged terrain. But what is the context behind those headlines and images? What is everyday life like in that faraway land? And how are neighboring nations reacting to the escalating conflict? These are just a few of the questions Scholastic News addresses in this special online issue about the people, places, and history of Central Asia. The stories are designed to give students not only the latest news—but also the on-level background information they need to understand it.

You’ll find interactive maps, time lines, and quizzes throughout the issue to help you liven up your lessons and assess what students learn. To make the most of the issue, check out these additional teaching tips and reproducibles.

Tie the Stories Together: Afghanistan’s civil unrest and willingness to harbor terrorists have had wide-ranging repercussions. Several of the stories in this issue touch on these repercussions. For example, in Young Refugees, students read that children have been forced to flee their country. In Afghanistan’s Civil Unrest, readers learn how the troubles in Afghanistan has affected the rest of the country’s citizens. To help students understand the full impact of the current situation in Afghanistan, create conceptual webs based on this online issue. Download the Idea Web (PDF) reproducible to get students started.

What Should Pakistan Do? As you read in Pakistan’s Dilemma, some Pakistanis view President Musharraf’s support of the U.S. as disloyal to the Muslim religion. Invite students to put themselves in Musharraf’s shoes. Would they support the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan? Why or why not? Search through the article for details and arguments supporting both sides. Then have students write a speech to the Pakistani people in which they, as president, outline their stance and rally national support for their view. Encourage students to use a traditional persuasive-writing model: (1) Grab the listener’s attention;
(2) State your view in clear, compelling words;
(3) Provide arguments or examples supporting your opinion; and
(4) Restate your opinion to close the speech.

Reach Out to Refugees: After reading, ask students to imagine life in a refugee camp. Have them list and rank the things they would miss most about their former lives. Are most of the missed items material goods? Or do the lists include loved ones and intangibles such as a sense of security and normalcy?

After discussing the lists, consider helping Afghanistan’s needy children by contributing to President Bush’s recently announced America’s Fund for Afghan Children. For details and to hear an audio clip of the President’s request, log on to www.whitehouse.gov/afac/.

Spotlight on Central Asia: In Scholastic News ’s Pop-Up Map of Central Asia and in the article “Nervous Neighbors,” you learned about some of the countries closest to Afghanistan. Now get some fast facts to help you compare these Central Asian nations. Download the PDF reproducible Spotlight on Central Asia for use in your classroom. Have students look closely at each country’s size, population, capital city, and official language, then use the data to answer the questions that follow. Have students research the nations further at Grolier Online and present their findings to the class in the format of a television news broadcast.

Don’t miss this bonus ready-to-print Central Asia activity: Distinguish facts about Central Asia from opinions with Scholastic News’s Is That a Fact? (PDF).