unguarded, untold, iconic: afghanistan through the lens of ... · in 2006, steve mccurry visited a...

Download a copy of these activities on:Learn with the Michener: www.Learn.MichenerArtMuseum.org

Unguarded, Untold, Iconic:Afghanistan Through the Lens of Steve McCurry

Looking Questions:• What do you see in the photo?• Describe this girl’s facial

expression and her pose. • What do you think this girl is

thinking? How is she feeling? Explain.

• Where is this girl standing?• How does McCurry draw our

attention to the girl?• Why do you think McCurry chose

to crop the girl so we only see her top half and only a small part of the background?

About the Photograph:In 2006, Steve McCurry visited a girl’s high school in Bamiyan, Afganistan where he photographed this young girl in front of an old distrested chalkboard. She is clutching a bright red notebook and looking at the camera with a somber expression. She is dressed in a white head scarf commonly worn by Hazaran girls at her school. The Hazara are a religious and ethnic minority in Afghanistan known for their progressive views on the education of women. Their Shi’a principles have caused conflict with their Sunni neighbors and led Bamiyan girl’s schools to be targeted by extremists who oppose women’s education.

BAMIYAN SCHOOLGIRL

Steve McCurry. Bamiyan Schoolgirl, 2006, Bamiyan, Afghanistan, 24”x20”



Pre-Visit Activities• Find Bamiyan on a map of Afghanistan.• Research the history of the portrait. Think about why an artist

might want to paint or photograph a person. • Read I See the Sun in Afghanistan by Dedie King about a day in

the life of a young girl from Afghanistan.• Read the picture book Sky of Afghanistan by Ana A de Eulate

about a young Afghan girl’s dreams for peace.

K-12 ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR SCHOOL VISIT AND CLASSROOM

Gallery Activities• WhatAreTheyThinking?:GalleryActivity. Fill out a thought

bubble with what you think this person might be thinking.• Explore Portraits: Gallery Activity. Look at clothing, pose and

expression and then imagine if you were going to have your portrait taken by McCurry.

• ISee,IThink,IWonder:GalleryActivity. Make observations and interpretations about this work. What questions do you have?

• Explore Elements of Art: GalleryActivity. Look at lines, shapes, color and patterns in this photograph.

• PhotoScavengerHunt:GalleryActivity. Find people to photograph in a way that tells a story.

• NewsReporter:GalleryActivity. Come up with interview questions for the person in this photo. How do you think they would answer? What observations would you make?

• Create a personal narrative written from the girl’s point of view.

BAMIYAN SCHOOLGIRL



K-12 ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR SCHOOL VISIT AND CLASSROOMBAMIYAN SCHOOLGIRL

Post-Visit Activities• ShootinginKabul Lesson Plan. Write a book review or create a

podcast using Vocaroo to provide a summary and share your thoughts. Be sure to make comparisons between the child in the book and the child in the photograph.

• Look at photos of you and your classmates in your school yearbook. What is similar about the backgrounds, poses, expressions and dress? What is different?

• Chose a partner to be your photography subject. Experiment by taking their photographs from far away and zoomed in. Try cropping the image in different ways. What ways of cropping make the image look more interesting and what ways make the image look strange?

• Research school life and education in Afghanistan. What are students learning? How is school life for them? What kinds of struggles are they facing?

• Create a Blabber of a person in one of McCurry’s photos. Using Blabberize, upload a jpeg of the photograph, select the area you would like to use and then select the corners of that person’s mouth. Think about what that person might want to tell us about themselves and use a microphone or cell phone to record the speech. Press play to see the person speak your words. Save and share with your class.

National Common Core Standards for ELA: R.2, R.10, W.1, W.2, W.3, W.4, W.5, W.6, W.7, W.8, W.9, SL.1, SL.4, SL.5, L.1, L.2PA State Standards: AH.9.1, AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.2, CC.1.3, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, G.7.1, H.8.4



Grades: 4-8 Unit: Reading Interdisciplinary: Visual Arts/Language Arts/ Social Studies/TechnologyObjectives: TSW describe and analyze several photographs by Steve McCurry. TSW read, summarize and review ShootinginKabul. TSW compare and contrast characters in the story with children in McCurry photographs. TSW use ipads/laptops to record a book review podcast.Materials: Bamiyan Girl, Young Afghan Soldier, Afghan Girl, Girl with Green Shawl, KuchiGirl,BoysintheBootofaTaxi,ChildrenWorkinOpiumField,StudentsAttendClass and Young Sikh Boys,ShootinginKabulby N.H. Senzai, ipads or laptops, paper and pencils, www.vocaroo.comDifferentiation: Students may work independently or in a group. Students may present their book report in front of the class instead of recording to a podcast. Students may draw a portrait of what they think Fadi or Marian might look like based on their descriptions in the story and compare to McCurry’s photo portraits.

National Common Core Standards for ELA: R.2, R.10, W.1, W.2, W.3, W.4, W.5, W.6, W.7, W.9, SL.1, SL.4, SL.5, L.1, L.2PA State Standards: AH.9.2, AH.9.3, CC.1.1, CC.1.2, CC.1.3, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, G.7.3

Procedure: As a class, look at several of Steve McCurry’s portraits of Aghan children (Bamiyan Girl, YoungAfghanSoldier,GirlwithGreenShawl,KuchiGirl and Afghan Girl). Then look at photographs featuring groups of children (ChildrenWorkinOpiumField,BoysintheBootofaTaxi,StudentsAttendClassand Young SikhBoysinClassroom). Discuss the background, expressions, poses, clothing of the children in these photographs. Based on what is shown in the photograph and prior knowledge students will discuss what life might be like for these children in Aghanistan. Ask: What kinds of things would a child their age like to do? Do you think that students in the United States have the same interests as these Afghan children? Then, students will independently read ShootinginKabul by N.H. Senzai. Ask: what are the similarities and differences between the children in the photographs and the story’s main character Fadi or his sister Marian? Students

BAMIYAN SCHOOLGIRLSHOOTING IN KABUL LESSON PLAN



should first write their ideas in their notebook to use as a script for their podcast. The script should include connections to the photographs, a brief summary of the book, and their opinions about the book. Then, students will create a podcast using Vocaroo or other podcast recording software. Finally, the class will present their finished podcasts.

Vocabulary• Portrait

Assessment/Evaluation • Student presentation of podcasts• Peer or self-critique• Rubric assessing delivery, script and content

BAMIYAN SCHOOLGIRLSHOOTING IN KABUL LESSON PLAN CONTINUED...



Looking Questions:• What do you see in

the photograph?• Describe what the

women are doing.• How is this bakery

similar or different from a bakery in the United States?

• Why do you think McCurry wanted to document this scene? Explain.

• What is the overall mood of this photo? Why?• Imagine you could jump inside this picture. What would you

see, smell, feel, hear and taste?

About the Photograph:Years of war and conflict have left Afghanistan with one of the largest widow populations in the world. Under the Taliban rule there were strict rules for widowed women regarding whom they are allowed to remarry, what they are allowed to wear and what is appropriate behavior. Many women were illiterate and had little opportunity to work outside the home. In this photograph, McCurry shows several widowed women working in a bakery to earn money to support their families. Bakeries such as this were funded by the United Nations to subsidize bread to more than 150,000 Afghan citizens. These women are most likely baking naan, a popular flatbread-like dish.

AFGHAN WIDOW’S BAKERY

Steve McCurry, Afghan Widow’s Bakery, 2002, Kabul, Afghanistan, 20”x24”



Pre-Visit Activities• Find Kabul, Afghanistan on a map of the Middle East.• Read about the strict rules enforced during the Taliban regime.• Create a KWL chart about what you know about this photo,

want to know and after your visit you can fill in the part about what you learned.

• Read the children’s novel The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis about a young Afghan girl named Parvana who must take extreme measures to help support her family during the Taliban rule.


Gallery Activities• AfghanWidow’sBakery:GalleryActivity. Fill out a visual recipe

card to describe the elements in the photograph.• WhatAreTheyThinking?:GalleryActivity. Fill out thought

bubbles with what you think these women might be thinking.• BeforeandAfter:GalleryActivity. What do you think was

happening before this photo was taken? What could have happened after?


• Explore Elements of Art: GalleryActivity. Look at lines, shapes, color and patterns in this photograph.

• Draw this photo using only basic geometric shapes and lines. • Create a dialogue between these women. What could they be

talking about while they are working?




K-12 ACTIVITIES CONTINUED...

Post-Visit Activities• AfghanCuisineLessonPlan. Sample traditional Afghan cuisine

and write a food review. • Discuss with your classmates what this image tells us about the

role of women in Afghanistan culture.• Create a word cloud on Wordle or Tagxedo using words or

phrases that describe the Afghan Widow’s Bakery.• In a small group, recreate the photograph by posing like the

women in the photograph. Be creative and make your own props, costumes and scenery using materials available in the classroom. Pay attention to the position of each part in relation to the camera. What is closest to the camera? What is further away? Have the teacher or another classmate take a picture of your group. Compare your photograph to McCurry’s, adjust your positions accordingly and try again.





Grades: 3-12 Unit: World CulturesInterdisciplinary: Visual Arts/ Language Arts/Social Studies/Culinary ArtsObjectives: TSW describe and analyze Afghan Widow’s Bakery. TSW research different Afghan foods to find common ingredients. TSW evaluate food reviews to determine what makes one successful. TSW write a descriptive and informative food review.Materials: Afghan Widow’s Bakery, Afghan cuisine samples, food review examples, pencils, papers, laptopsDifferentiation: Students may work independently or in a group. Students may also look at OrangeVender and/or Men in Tea Shop. Students may use the computer to publish their food critique blog entry. Students can format their review as a Yelp review or magazine article. Students may cook the recipes at home or in class. Students with food allergies can review an alternative food or write about what they imagine the recipe would taste.

National Common Core Standards for ELA: R.10, W.1, W.2, W.4, W.5, W.6, SL.1, SL.4, L.1, L.2PA State Standards: AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.2, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, G.7.3, H.8.4 Procedure: As a class, students will look at the photograph Afghan Widow’s Bakery. Students will discuss the following questions: What are these women making? Why do they think that? What tools and ingredients are the women using? Does the food look anything like a food they have tried before? Then students will brainstorm other foods people might eat in Afghanistan. Students will look through Afghan recipes to find any common ingredients and discuss how they think the foods would taste. Teacher will introduce review writing and students will look at sample food reviews. Students will identify characteristics of a successful and informative food review such as descriptive language and sensory imagery. Students will sample one or several Afghan dishes from the group of recipes. Students will make notes about the tastes and textures and then write a paragraph reviewing the food. Students will type their food reviews and share with the class.

AFGHAN CUISINE LESSON PLANAFGHAN WIDOW’S BAKERY



Vocabulary: • Naan• Cuisine• Textures

Assessment/Evaluation • Participation in class discussions• Review writing rubric • Student food review presentation

AFGHAN CUISINE LESSON PLAN CONTINUED...AFGHAN WIDOW’S BAKERY



Looking Questions:• List everything you see in this

photograph.• Describe what this boy is wearing.• Describe his body position and

facial expression.• If he could talk, what would he say?• How do you think he feels about

getting his picture taken? Why do you say that?

• How does McCurry make the subject stand out?

• Why do you think the background is out of focus?

About the Photograph:This young Afghan soldier is posed casually in front of a pile of sandbags. He is wearing traditional Afghan clothes in shades of blue and green, a head covering and belts of ammunition around his chest. In 1994, a year after this photograph was taken, Afghanistan passed an international ban making the use of child soldiers illegal. In the past few years, there has been a resurgence of child soldiers being recruited by Taliban forces. These children are often recruited from rural religious schools and trained for various military operations like making and planting explosives.

YOUNG AFGHAN SOLDIER

Steve McCurry, Young Afghan Soldier, Kabul, Afghanistan, 1993, 24”x20”



Pre-Visit Activities• Color in the country of Afghanistan on a printed map of Asia.

Put a star on the capital city Kabul.• Learn more about the use of child soldiers in Afghanistan. Are

child soldiers used in any other parts of the world?• Read about the day in the life of a young boy in Afghanistan at:

www.timeforkids.com/destination/afghanistan/day-in-life


Gallery Activities• ExplorePortraits:GalleryActivity. Look at clothing, pose and


• WhatAreTheyThinking?:GalleryActivity. Fill out a thought bubble with what you think this person might be thinking.


• ExploreElementsofArt:GalleryActivity. Look at lines, shapes, color and patterns in this photograph.


• NewsReporter:GalleryActivity. Come up with interview questions for the child in this photo. How do you think he would answer? What observations would you make about him?

• Make a thumbnail drawing of this photograph.• Write a six-word memoir in the perspective of this boy. To read

examples, visit www.smithmag.net

YOUNG AFGHAN SOLDIER

Post-Visit Activities• Imagined Diary Lesson Plan. Use clues from the image and

information you learned during your visit to write about who you think this person is, their likes and dislikes, what a day in their life might be like, etc. Make a Bio Cube with Cube Creator at: www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/cube_creator/ to organize your thoughts.

• Draw a picture of a classmate. Pay attention to the details like their clothing, expression and pose. Add a background that tells us something about that student.

• Take a photograph of a subject with an out-of-focus background like in Young Afghan Soldier. Experiment with depth of field by adjusting the aperture, focus and distance from the lens.

• Create a Public Service Announcement video or poster that would help raise awareness about child soldiers in Afghanistan.



K-12 ACTIVITIES CONTINUED...YOUNG AFGHAN SOLDIER




Grades: 3-12 Unit: StorytellingInterdisciplinary: Visual Arts/ Social Studies/ Language Arts/TechnologyObjectives: TSW interpret a photograph and draw conclusions based on appearances, background knowledge and imagination. TSW Create a character sketch of the Young Afghan Soldier. TSW Compose diary entries from the perspective of the child soldier. TSW use informal language, past-tense and first person perspective.Materials: Young Afghan Soldier, sample diary entries, composition books, pens, pencils, Bio Cube www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/cube_creator/Differentiation: Students may work independently or in a group. Students may record a video diary. Students may type their journal entries. Students may decorate the cover of their journal or include drawings or notes in the margins.

National Common Core Standards for ELA: R.2, R.10, W.1, W.2, W.3, W.4, W.5, W.6, W.7,W.8, W.9, SL.1, SL.4, SL.5, L.1, L.2PA State Standards: AH.9.1, AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.2, CC.1.3, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, G.7.1, H.8.4

Procedure: As a class, view McCurry’s portrait Young Afghan Soldier and discuss the background, expression, pose and clothing. What do we know about him based only on what we see? Students will use their imagination to brainstorm logical character traits and life events for the soldier. Students will create a character sketch or use Bio Cube to organize their thoughts. Students will look at several examples of fiction and non-fictional aubiographies that use a diary format to tell a story (ex. DiaryofAnneFrank and DiaryofaWimpyKid). Discuss benefits and limitations of using this format to tell a story about a character. Write one or more diary entries in the young soldier’s perspective. Journal entry should start with the date and salutation (ex. “Dear Diary,”). Next, students should hook the readers attention with an introductory sentence (ex. “You’ll never believe what happened today.”) In the body, students should use informal speech to show how the soldier

IMAGINED DIARY: LESSON PLANYOUNG AFGHAN SOLDIER



LESSON PLAN CONTINUED...YOUNG AFGHAN SOLDIER

might actually speak if he was talking to a friend. Use past tense and first-person persective to reveal inner thoughts and feelings and describe a typical day in his life. Diary entries should end with a concluding sentence (ex. “Talk to you again tomorrow diary!”) and a closing (ex. Sincerely). Students can make up a name for the soldier and sign it in cursive below the closing. Students will share finished journal entries with the class.

Vocabulary:• Portrait• Background

Assessment/Evaluation • Participation in class discussions• Student diary presentation• Journal writing rubric• Peer or self-critique



Looking Questions:• What do you

notice about this photograph?

• Where do your eyes look first? Why?

• What time of day is it? How do you know?

• What is the overall feeling or mood of this scene?

• Why do you think McCurry was interested in photographing this particular image?

• What is the message behind the craftsman’s creations? Explain. About the Photograph:Just like McCurry finds the beauty behind dirty faces and littered landscapes, this local craftsman finds the beauty in something dreary like these empty bombshells. Bombshells like these litter the landscape in Kayan, left behind in the aftermath of the Soviet-Afghan war. The craftsman’s face glows with the light of his torch against the pile of cool-colored metal shells. He transforms these shells into vases, fills them with colorful plastic flowers, and places them along the streets of Kayan to brighten up the otherwise gloomy surroundings.

AFGHAN CRAFTSMAN

Steve McCurry,AfghanCraftsman,1993, Kayan, Afghanistan, 20”x24”



Pre-Visit Activities• Find Kayan on a map of Afghanistan.• Discover artists that use recycled materials to create

something new. • Research the arts and culture of Afghanistan. Learn about

Afghan music, dance, and visual art. Can you find any famous artists from Afghanistan?


Gallery Activities• AfghanCraftsman:GalleryActivity. Transform bombshells into

something new.• NewsReporter:GalleryActivity. Come up with interview

questions for the man in this photo. How do you think they would answer? What observations would you make about him?

• BeforeandAfter:GalleryActivity. What do you think was happening before this photo? What could happen after?

• ISee,IThink,IWonder:GalleryActivity. Make observations and interpret this work. What questions do you have?

• WhatAreTheyThinking?:GalleryActivity. Fill out a thought bubble with what you think this man might be thinking.

• Compare and Contrast: Gallery Activity. Find a photo in the Tête-à-TêteConversationsinPhotography exhibit and list similarities and differences between your chosen photograph and the AfghanCraftsman.

• Pair and share with a partner to discuss your opinions about this photograph. Do you agree or disagree?

AFGHAN CRAFTSMAN

AFGHAN CRAFTSMAN



K-12 ACTIVITIES CONTINUED...Post-Visit Activities• OrdinarytoExtraordinaryLessonPlan. Transform recycled and

found objects into a creative work of art• Connect the idea of the bombshells to trench art. Look at an

example from the Michener’s collection at: www.michenerartmuseum.org/exhibition/from-swords-to-plowshares-metal-trench-art-from-wwi-and-wwii/

• Paint a traditional flower in a vase. Use your imagination to make something unexpected and creative for a vase.

• Create a historical timeline of the war history in Afghanistan. Use timetoast to input important dates, information and photographs. Where do the dates of McCurry’s photographs fall on the war timeline? Does this change how you view any of the photographs?

• Write a diamante poem that transforms a negative word to something positive such as the word ‘bomb’ to the word ‘flower.’ Use the diamante poems interactive to help organize your poem at: www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/diamante/

• Take a photograph of an ordinary object and capture it in a way that makes it look beautiful or more interesting.




Grades: 3-12 Unit: Recycled Art Interdisciplinary: Language Arts/ Visual Arts/Science/MathematicsObjectives: TSW examine AfghanCraftsman and learn about other artists that use everyday objects. TSW consider how and why artists use everyday objects in their art. TSW use artmaking and design skills to transform ordinary objects. TSW use simple engineering and problem solving skills to successfully construct a work of art.Materials: AfghanCraftsman, examples of Marcel Duchamp’s ready-mades, Robert Rauschenberg’s combines, Meret Oppenheim’s fur teacup, Louise Nevelson’s assemblages, and Joseph Cornell’s boxes, recycled materials (ex. boxes, cardboard, newspaper, bottles, cans, woodscraps), found objects (ex. old sneaker, ticket stubs, broken toys), construction paper, tape, glue, markers, string, paint, sketchbooksDifferentiation: Students may work independently or in a group. Students may type their description. Teacher may make more connections to war in Afghanistan and/or trench art. Students may photograph their finished project. Students may bring in small found objects from home.

National Common Core Standards for ELA: W.1, W.2, W.4, W.5, W.6, SL.1, SL.4, L.1, L.2PA State Standards: AH.9.1, AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, G.7.3, H.8.4 Procedure: View AfghanCraftsman as a class and discuss the photo. Ask: what is the man doing? What is the craftsman’s message? The teacher will introduce other artists that use everyday objects such as Marcel Duchamp’s ready-mades, Robert Rauschenberg’s combines, Meret Oppenheim’s fur teacup, Louise Nevelson’s assemblages, and Joseph Cornell’s boxes. Why would an artist choose to use recycled or found objects in their work? Have students look through the available materials and brainstorm ways to use the various objects. Then students will create a sketch for their design and use problem solving skills to plan their construction. Students should consider what objects to choose, how to combine the chosen objects, and if they will need to measure or cut anything.

ORDINARY TO EXTRAORDINARY: LESSON PLANAFGHAN CRAFTSMAN



LESSON PLAN CONTINUED...AFGHAN CRAFTSMAN

Then, students may choose to use art supplies like paint, construction paper or markers to add to their objects. Ask: will paint or glue adhere to the chosen objects? Students will give their artwork a title and write a short artist statement describing their work of art. At the end of the lesson students will present their finished creations and read their artist statements for a peer critique.

Vocabulary: • Transform• Ready-mades• Combines• Assemblages• Trench Art

Assessment/Evaluation • Participation in class discussions• Artmaking rubric• Peer critique• Artist statement• Sketchbook



Looking Questions:• What do you first notice about these photographs?• Explain what is similar and different about the two scenes.• What other details do you see?• Describe the monument in the background. Does this remind

you of any monuments here in the United States?• Describe the setting. Have you ever been to a place like this?• Who are the people in this photograph? What are they doing?• Without looking at the dates, which photograph was taken

earlier? Explain your answer.• What kind of animal is in the photograph on the right? What

other animals might you find in a place like this?

FARMERS PREPARE WHEATFIELD AND DESTROYED BAMIYAN

Steve McCurry, Destroyed Bamiyan, 2003, Bamiyan, Afghanistan, 40”x30”

Steve McCurry, FarmersPrepareWheatfield, 1992, Bamiyan, Afghanistan, 40”x30”



About the Photographs:“Once things disappear, they can be lost forever. Having memory of how we were is really important. That’s part of what fascinates me about looking back at my work from years ago and seeing how things have evolved” -Steve McCurry

These two photographs show the same site 11 years apart. You can see how things have evolved over time. In FarmersPrepareWheatfield, we see two Afghan farmers in front of a large stone monument called the Bamiyan Buddha. This is one of two Buddhas, carved into sandstone cliffs along the Silk Road in the late 6th Century. Originally these statues had additional details modeled with mud, straw and stucco and were brightly painted. This area of Bamiyan was a religious site from the 2nd century to the 7th century where Buddhist monks lived in small rock caves. This photograph was taken when Bamiyan was a place of peace amidst fighting in neighboring cities. The fighting eventually made its way to Bamiyan and the Buddhas were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. The destruction of these monuments were televised, causing global outrage. In the Destroyed Bamiyan photograph, we see the site after the Buddhas were destroyed. Although the monuments were demolished, the site still contains cave paintings and sculptures and an ancient fort and aquaduct.

FARMERS PREPARE WHEATFIELD AND DESTROYED BAMIYANCONTINUED...



Pre-Visit Activities• Find Bamiyan, Afghanistan on Google Earth. Search for the

Bamiyan Buddhas and other historic landmarks. • Read the profiles about Afghanistan on the National

Geographic Kids and Time for Kids website at: www.kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/afghanistan/ and www.timeforkids.com/destination/afghanistan

• What are buddhas? Research Buddhism and learn about Buddhist monks and about the Buddha as an icon.

• Have you ever visited a foreign country? Tell your classmates about your trip. Did you visit any famous monuments? If you haven’t been to a foreign country, where would you want to go and what would you want to see?


Gallery Activities• MyTravels:GalleryActivity. Complete packing list and write a

letter to a friend or family member.• ISee,IThink,IWonder:GalleryActivity. Make observations

and interpret this work. What questions do you have?• CompareandContrast:GalleryActivity. Use the Venn diagram

to list similarities and differences between these two photos.• WhatAreTheyThinking?:GalleryActivity. Fill out thought

bubbles with what you think these men might be thinking.• Find a landscape in Oh,Panama!JonasPaintsthePanama

Canal that reminds you of one of these photographs. Explain.• Write a dialogue between the two men in Farmers

PreparetheWheatfield.




K-12 ACTIVITIES CONTINUED...Post-Visit Activities• AboutAfghanistanLessonPlan. Research the country of

Afghanistan. Create a travel brochure using Canva to present your information.

• Write and design a postcard that you would send your friends or family from the Bamiyan Buddhas. Use the interactive Postcard Creator to make your postcard at: www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/postcard/

• Buddhism was a religion in Afghanistan centuries ago. What is the current primary religion of Afghanistan? Research Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism.

• Discuss the idea of preservation and conservation. What happens when treasures are destroyed? What other historical monuments/treasures have been destroyed around the world?

• Photograph a monument in your town. How would you chose to photograph it? Would you include people in the photo? Would you take the photo from up high or down low? Far away or close-up? Black and white or in color? Explain.

• Sculpt a Buddha with clay or PlayDough using the subtractive method as if you were carving away a block of stone. Next, design your own monument and sculpt it and paint.


National Common Core Standards for ELA: R.1, R.2, R.10, W.1, W.2, W.3, W.4, W.5, W.6, W.7, W.8, W.9, SL.1, SL.2, SL.4, SL.5, L.1, L.2PA State Standards: AH.9.1, AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.2, CC.1.3, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, G.7.1, G.7.2, G.7.3, H.8.4



Grades: 3-12 Unit: GeographyInterdisciplinary: Visual Art/Social Studies/Language Arts/ TechnologyObjectives: TSW discuss FarmersPrepareWheatfield and Destroyed Bamiyan. TSW research the geography and culture of Aghanistan. TSW design a visually appealing, easy to read tri-fold brochure. TSW write clear and concise non-fiction text. Materials: FarmersPrepareWheatfield and Destroyed Bamiyan, ipads or laptops, pencils, notebooks, Canva.com,Differentiation: Students may work independently or in a group. Students may draw or glue printed text and images to a folded piece of paper. Students may use a large tri-fold presentation board. Students can role play travel agents to share their brochure and knowledge with classmates pretending to be potential customers.

National Common Core Standards for ELA: R.1, R.2, R.5, R.10, W.2, W.4, W.5, W.6, W.7, W.8, SL.1, SL.2, SL.4, SL.5, L.1, L.2PA State Standards: AH.9.1, AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.2, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, G.7.1, G.7.2, G.7.3, H.8.4

Procedure: Students will look at FarmersPrepareWheatfield and Destroyed Bamiyan as a class. The teacher will ask the following questions: what can we tell about this place from the photos? Have you ever been to a place like this? What would it be like to travel here? If you were going to travel to Afghanistan what information would you want to know before your trip? Students will research Aghanistan using books, articles and the internet. Students will write notes in their notebook. Students will look at examples of travel brochures to determine what makes a successful brochure. The students will consider the following: Are there maps, photos, diagrams or other illustrations? What kind of language and vocabulary is used? Is text presented as paragraphs or bulleted lists? Who is the audience and what is the intended purpose? Students will use Canva.com or other brochure design software to create a tri-fold travel brochure. If using Canva, students will watch the tutorial and then choose ‘Create a Design’. Select ‘Tri-fold Brochure’ and select a free layout for the front. Then

ABOUT AFGHANISTAN LESSON PLANFARMERS PREPARE WHEATFIELD AND DESTROYED BAMIYAN



ABOUT AFGHANISTAN LESSON PLAN CONTINUED...FARMERS PREPARE WHEATFIELD AND DESTROYED BAMIYAN

they will add a second free layout for the backside and drag and drop photos, text and background. Brochures should include landmarks, monuments and tourist attractions such as the Bamiyan Buddhas. They should also include a map, major cities, climate, art and culture, languages and religions and pictures. Students can share finished brochures online or download as a JPG or PDF.

Vocabulary: • Buddha• Landmark• Monument

Assessment/Evaluation • Participation in class discussions• Travel brochure rubric• Peer and self-critique



Looking Questions:• Describe what you see in this photo.• What city is in the background

poster? How do you know?• What clues tell us this is a tea shop?• Does this tea shop remind you of a

place you have been?• Do these people in the teashop

know each other? Why or why not?• What would this place feel like if you

could visit?• Why are some of the men blurry? • Does knowing the date this photo

was taken change how you interpret this picture?

About the Photograph:This photograph captures six male patrons gathered in a traditional Afghan teashop. It is a custom for Afghan people to enjoy a cup of Kahwah or Chai tea in the afternoon. In the background hangs a poster of the New York City sunset showing how this iconic skyline image was globally recognized and admired. McCurry photographed this scene in 2002, several months after experiencing and photographing the events of September 11th, 2001 and the aftermath. This photo is meant to show that there is mutual respect and understanding to be found even in times of conflict.

MEN IN TEA SHOP

Steve McCurry. Men in Tea Shop, 2002, Pul-i-Khumri, Afghanistan, 40”x30”



Pre-Visit Activities• Locate Pul-i-khumri on the map of Afghanistan.• Read about September 11th on the Scholastic website at:

www.scholastic.com/browse/collection.jsp?id=844 • Visit the 9/11 museum site for articles, videos and timelines at:

www.911memorial.org/teach-learn


Gallery Activities• ISee,IThink,IWonder:GalleryActivity. Make observations

and interpret this photo. What are you still curious about? • BeforeandAfter:GalleryActivity. What was happening before

this photo was taken? What could happen after?• WhatAreTheyThinking?:GalleryActivity. Fill out thought

bubbles with what you think these men might be thinking.• Write a dialogue between the men in the tea shop.• In a small group, create a tableau vivant (living picture) and

pose like the men in the photograph. Or individually choose one man in the photograph to pose like.

• Play a memory game. Study the photograph carefully for one minute and then turn around and try to list or draw everything you remember about the photo.

• Give this photograph a new title and explain.

MEN IN TEA SHOP

Post-Visit Activities• September11thLessonPlan. In a group, research the events of

September 11th and create an interactive quiz using Quizlet or Kahoots.



K-12 ACTIVITIES CONTINUED...

• Look at McCurry’s Ground Zero photographs and discuss. • Research artworks by other artists that reference September

11th such as Bucks County artist Ted Hallman’s piece titled Shrine.

• Sample Kahwah or Chai tea and write a descriptive paragraph explaining the smell and taste to someone that has never tasted it before.

• Use Padlet to post virtual post-its to your teacher’s collaborative board. Write a post-it note sharing your opinions about Men in a Tea Shop or to write something you have learned from this lesson.

• Some of the men in the photo are blurry. When photographing more than one person, it can be difficult to capture everyone looking their best. How many times have you been in a group photo where someone is blinking or making a face? Take a candid photograph of a group of people that are moving or talking. Discuss the challenges.

MEN IN TEA SHOP

National Common Core Standards for ELA: R.1, R.2, R.10, W.1, W.2, W.3, W.4, W.5, W.6, W.7, W.8, W.9, SL.1, SL.4, SL.5, L.1, L.2PA State Standards: AH.9.1, AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.2, CC.1.3, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, G.7.1, G.7.3, H.8.3, H.8.4



Grades: 3-12 Unit: September 11thInterdisciplinary: Visual Arts/Social Studies/Language Arts/ TechnologyObjectives: TSW discuss the photograph Men in Tea Shop. TSW use books, articles and credible internet websites to research the events of September 11th. TSW write questions that are clear and specific. TSW test their own knowledge by taking classmates’ quizzes. Materials: Men in Tea Shop, examples of McCurry’s Ground Zero photographs, ipads or laptops, books and articles about September 11th, notebook, pencils, www.quizlet.com or www.getakahoot.comDifferentiation: Students may work independently or in a group. Students may write a paper and pencil quiz. Students may present information as a slideshow or webquest. Students can give an oral report or create an informational poster to share with the class.

National Common Core Standards for ELA: R.1, R.2, R.7, R.10, W.2, W.4, W.6, W.7, W.8, SL.1, L.2PA State Standards: AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.2, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, H.8.3, H.8.4 Procedure: As a class, look at the photograph Men in Tea Shop and McCurry’s photographs from Ground Zero. Ask: what information can we learn about September 11th just from looking at the photos. What other information do you already know? What do you want to learn? Students will look at books, articles and websites about September 11th and record information in a notebook. Students will look for facts that others might find interesting. Remind students to cite sources and format their information as questions and answers. The students’ questions should be clear and specific so they won’t be confusing to their classmates. Students will share their quiz with their classmates using Quizlet or Kahoots online quizmakers. Give students time to take a few of their classmates quizzes and challenge each other to see who has the most knowledge about September 11th.

SEPTEMBER 11TH: LESSON PLANMEN IN TEA SHOP



Vocabulary: • Ground Zero, • September 11th

Assessment/Evaluation • Participation in class discussions• Accuracy of quiz content

SEPTEMBER 11TH: LESSON PLAN CONTINUED...MEN IN TEA SHOP



Looking Questions:• What do you notice

about this photo?• How many diagonal

lines do you see? What purpose do they serve?

• How would you describe the colors in this photograph?

• How does McCurry show space and perspective?

• Who is closest to the camera? How can you tell?• How would you feel if you were the young boy in the photo?

About the Photograph:McCurry photographed this striking image in 1992. The diagonal lines of the path and the guns create a dynamic composition that leads the viewer’s eyes into the image. In the foreground we see two men and a young boy standing a top of a broken down tank. Set against a cloudy pastel landscape, we see two military tanks filled with mujahideen fighters driving towards the viewer. The tanks are moving from the countryside to the city as the fighting shifts to the capital Kabul. The fighting caused thousands of civilian casualties and caused half a million Afghans to flee.

MUJAHIDEEN RACE TO KABUL

Steve McCurry, MenandYoungBoyWatchTanksDriveBy,1992, Afghanistan, 30”x40”



Pre-Visit Activities• Learn about different types of perspective such as one-point,

two-point and atmospheric perspective.• Learn more about some of the dangers McCurry faced while

working in war-torn countries.• Look at examples of war photography from different eras and

discuss.


Gallery Activities• ExploreElementsofArt:GalleryActivity. Look at lines, shapes,

color and patterns in this photograph. • BeforeandAfter:GalleryActivity. What could have happened

before this photo was taken? Imagine what happened after.• ISee,IThink,IWonder:GalleryActivity. Make observations and

interpretations about this work. What questions do you have?• WhatAreTheyThinking?:GalleryActivity. Fill out a thought

bubble with what you think these people might be thinking.• Search for other photographs in the exhibit that are good

examples of perspective.• Create dialogue between the people in this photo and act it out.

Post-Visit Activities• One-PointPerspectiveLessonPlan. Use Sketch-up to experiment

with perspective and making something three-dimensional.• Research the history of the tank. Learn how it was invented, its

usages, types, engineering, current usages, etc.





• Find a recent newspaper article that gives information on the current situation in Afghanistan. Summarize your article and share it with the class.

• Write a sensory poem that uses all five senses to describe how it would feel if you were inside of this photograph.

• Create a short story inspired by this photograph. Share your story with the class.

• This photograph is of a moving tank. How did McCurry freeze this image without it looking blurry? Use the Canon Play interactive to learn about shutter speed and aperture. Experiment with different ways to capture a moving image at: www.canonoutsideofauto.ca/play/ .

• Photograph a landscape that shows a strong sense of space and perspective. What are some ways an artist can show three-dimensional space in a two-dimensional work of art? Demonstrate using overlapping images, foreground, middleground, background, atmospheric perspective, one-point perspective and two-point perspective.


National Common Core Standards for ELA: R.1, R.2, R.10, W.1, W.2, W.3, W.4, W.5, W.6, W.7, W.8, W.9, SL.1, SL.4, SL.5, L.1, L.2, L.6PA State Standards: AH.9.1, AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.2, CC.1.3, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, G.7.1, H.8.4




Grades: 3-12 Unit: PerspectiveInterdisciplinary: Visual Arts/MathematicsObjectives: TSW analyze MujahideenRacetoKabul. TSW understand how an artist creates the illusion of 3-D space in art. TSW identify the use of perspective in several artworks.Materials: Photocopies of MujahideenRacetoKabuland other artworks that use perspective, SmartBoard or projector, colored pencil or markers, rulersDifferentiation: Students may work independently or in a group. Students may use a transparency or tracing paper overlay instead of drawing directly on the image. Stu-dents may experiment with perspective using SketchUp free 3-D modeling software. Students may create their own artwork using one-point or two-point perspective.

National Common Core Standards for ELA: SL.1, L.6PA State Standards AH.9.1, AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.5

Procedure: Students will look at MujahideenRacetoKabul on a SmartBoard or a projector and discuss. Students or teacher will draw on the board to identify parts of the photo that show space such as the horizon line, overlap, shadow, atmospheric perspective and images larger in the foreground and smaller in the background.Teacher will pass out several photocopies of photographs or paintings that show perspective including one or more by Steve McCurry (StudentsAttendClassinaPartiallyDestroyedBuilding,CoalMiner,and BlueMosque).Students will use a ruler to draw a red line on top of the horizon line with colored pencil or marker. In orange, students will use a ruler to mark all the leading lines they can find. Where the leading lines touch is the location of the vanishing point. Students should mark the vanishing point with a dot of another color (Sometimes the vanishing point is found all the way off of the page). Students will then choose another color and draw a star everywhere they find an example of overlap. Students will then mark the photograph with a letter F, M, and B where you find the foreground, middleground and background. The teacher should point out that objects in the foreground are closer to the viewer and appear larger. Lastly, students

INTRO TO PERSPECTIVE: LESSON PLANMUJAHIDEEN RACE TO KABUL



INTRO TO PERSPECTIVE: LESSON PLAN CONTINUED...MEN AND YOUNG BOY WATCH TANKS DRIVE BY

will check their picture for atmospheric perspective. Does the background appear lighter with a blueish tint? If so, they will mark the top of their photo with the letters A.P. The teacher will show students the photographs on the SmartBoard with the correct lines and markings so students can check their work.

Vocabulary: • Atmospheric perspective• Overlap• One-point perspective• Foreground• Middleground• Background• Horizon line• Vanishing point• Mujahideen• Leading lines• Two-dimensional• Three-dimensional

Assessment/Evaluation • Participation in class discussions• Accuracy of perspective markings on photographs



Looking Questions:• What do you see in this

photograph?• Describe the students and teacher.• Does this look like your

classroom? Why or why not?• How would you feel if this was

your classroom?• How is the weather on this day?• What do you think they are

learning in this photo? Why?• Where do you think McCurry

was standing when he took this photograph?

About the Photograph:In this photograph, McCurry shows how life in Afghanistan has continued after decades of war and destruction. This small group of students is shown sitting in a partially destroyed building; either the remnants of their original classroom or another makeshift location. The large Afghan tapestry brightens up the otherwise dismal setting. Despite the surroundings, these students appear to be intently learning from their teacher and fellow classmate in the front of the room.

STUDENTS ATTEND CLASS IN PARTIALLY DESTROYED BUILDING IN CENTRAL KABUL

Steve McCurry, StudentsAttendClassinPartiallyDestroyedBuildinginCentralKabul, 2002, Kabul, Afghanistan, 40”x30”



Pre-Visit Activities• Find the capital Kabul on the map of Afghanistan.• Read one or more articles found in the ‘Kids in Afghanistan’

section on the Scholastic website. Be sure to read the section titled ‘Ask Afghan Kids’ and the article KidsofKhewa at: www.teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/afghanistan/

• Read Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy about a girl named Zulaikha living in Afghanistan who learns Afghan Poetry.

• Read Nasreen’sSecretSchool:ATrueStoryFromAfghanistanby Jeanette Winter about a young Afghan girl named Nasreen who risks everything to get an education.


Gallery Activities• LandayPoem:GalleryActivity. Write a traditional Afghan

couplet inspired by a girl or woman in one of McCurry’s photos.• ISee,IThink,IWonder:GalleryActivity. Make observations and

interpretations about this work. What questions do you have?• CompareandContrast:GalleryActivity. Use the Venn diagram

to list similarities and differences between the classroom in the photo and your classroom.

• WhatAreTheyThinking?:GalleryActivity. Fill out thought bubbles with what you think these children or teacher might be thinking.

• Act out this scene with your classmates. Think about how these children or the teacher are thinking and feeling in that moment.

STUDENTS ATTEND CLASS...



K-12 ACTIVITIES CONTINUED...• Find a work of art in the exhibit and give it a new title. Share

the titles with the class or a small group and see if they can guess which photograph you were looking at.

Post-Visit Activities• Pen Pal Lesson Plan. What would you want these students to

know about you? What do you want to know about them? Write a friendly letter to a student in Afghanistan.

• These students are learning in their native language of either Pashto or Dari. What other languages are spoken in Afghanistan? Visit TimeforKids to hear common phrases spoken in these students’ native language: www.timeforkids.com/destination/afghanistan/native-lingo

• This photo was taken from a high angle like we are looking down at the classroom. How would this photograph feel differently if it was taken from a low angle and looking up? Take your own photo using a creative viewpoint. Photograph a person or an object several times from different angles. Try taking a photo from above and below, close up and far away, even try taking the photograph through something like a doorway or from behind a desk. How does each angle make the person or object look and feel?

STUDENTS ATTEND CLASS...

National Common Core Standards for ELA: R.1, R.2, R.10, W.1, W.2, W.3, W.4, W.5, W.6, W.7, W.8, W.9, SL.1, SL.4, SL.5, L.1, L.2PA State Standards: AH.9.1, AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.2, CC.1.3, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, G.7.1, G.7.3, H.8.4



Grades: 3-12 Unit: Reading Interdisciplinary: Visual Arts/Social Studies/Language Arts/TechnologyObjectives: TSW analyze StudentsAttendClass and Bamiyan Girl TSW introduce themselves TSW demonstrate how to write a friendly letter TSW how to address an envelopeMaterials: StudentsAttendClass, Bamiyan Girl, Young Sikh Boys, laptops, envelopes, stationary, paper and pencilsDifferentiation: Teacher may use a pen pal website to connect class with real students from Afghanistan. Discuss how writing a friendly letter is different than writing an email. Students can learn to fold their own envelope. Students can design their own stamp and/or stationary. Students can use a digital letter generator at: www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/letter_generator/ .

National Common Core Standards for ELA: W.1, W.2, W.3, W.4, W.5, W.6, SL.1, L.2PA State Standards: AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, G.7.1, G.7.3, H.8.4

Procedure: Look at StudentsAttendClassinaPartiallyDestroyedBuilding, Bamiyan Girl and Young Sikh Boys. Ask: what claims can be made based on evidence found in these photos? Students will write a letter telling their pen pal about him or herself and about life here in the United States. Discuss how the students’ lives are similar or different from the students in Afghanistan. As a class, brainstorm information the students would like to share about themselves to their pen pal. Students will brainstorm questions they could ask their pen pal to learn a little more about them such as: What do you do for fun? What is your school like? What is your native cuisine like? Write ideas on the board. Discuss with students the parts of writing a friendly letter format. Have students walk you through the steps such as heading, date, proper paragraph format, and greeting. Have students begin their letter in their notebook using the information gathered through the brainstorming activity. Proofread rough drafts and then have students either type or handwrite their final draft. Students should sign their name after the closing. Students will learn how to properly address an envelope using a real or pretend mailing address.

PEN PALS: LESSON PLANSTUDENTS ATTEND CLASS...






Vocabulary: • Cuisine• Sikhism

Assessment/Evaluation • Participation in class discussions• Friendly letter rubric



Looking Questions:• What do you see in

this photograph?• Where do your eyes

go first when you look at this work? Why?

• Does this remind you of any place you have visited?

• Where does McCurry use repetition?

• What creative names can you make up for the colors of the women’s garments?

• Why does McCurry choose not to show us their faces?• Describe what the women are wearing. Does it look like

anything familiar to you?

About the Photograph:This photograph shows five women, cloaked head to toe in silk chadris or burqas, shopping together in the streets of Kabul. They are surrounded by hanging pairs of sneakers that create a rhythm interrupted by the colorful chadris. Previously, the Taliban required all chadris in Kabul to be light blue, but these women choose to show their individuality by wearing chadris in several different colors. The colors, along with the Western style sneakers, illustrate how the styles and customs in Afghanistan have evolved and relaxed over time.

AFGHAN WOMEN AT SHOE STORE

Steve McCurry, Afghan Women at Shoe Store, 1992, Kabul, Afghanistan, 40”x60”



Pre-Visit Activities• Find the capital Kabul on the map of Afghanistan.• Discuss how the traditional chadris are different than burqas.

What is the significance of these garments? • Read MyForbiddenFaceby Latifah about a 16-year old living

in Kabul forced to wear a chadri and adhere to the Taliban’s strict rules because she was a woman. Read individually or read an exerpt aloud as a class.

• Watch the documentary Girl Rising (2003) and discuss gender equality in the United States and other parts of the world.


Gallery Activities• BeforeandAfter:GalleryActivity. What could have happened

before this photo was taken? Imagine what happened after.• ExploreElementsofArt:GalleryActivity. Look at lines, shapes,

color and patterns in this photograph. • ISee,IThink,IWonder:GalleryActivity. Make observations

and interpret this photograph. What questions do you have?• Look at the clothing people are wearing in other works of art

and make comparisons to Afghan Women at Shoe Store.• Create a list poem with words or phrases about the photo.• Pretend you were posting this picture on Instagram. How would

you caption it? Don’t forget to include hashtags and emojis!• Does this photograph remind you of a person? Place? Book or

movie? Another work of art? A memory? Explain.





Post-Visit Activities• WomeninAfghanistanLessonPlan. Research restrictions

placed on women under the rule of the Taliban. What is life currently like for women in Afghanistan? Create an interactive mind map using Bubble.us. Use your iPad or laptop to record what you have learned and add it over images with FotoBabble interactive slideshow.

• Research the Silk Road and mark the road on a map. What are some other famous trade routes throughout the world?

• The repetition of shoes and the vertical folds of the women’s burqas creates rhythm and guides the viewer’s eyes through the photo. Use a camera to take a photograph that contains a pattern or a repeated image.

• Research clothing in Afghanistan. How is it similar and different to clothing we wear here in the U.S.? Create a fashion design using Afghan clothing as inspiration.


National Common Core Standards for ELA: R.1, R.2, R.10, W.1, W.2, W.3, W.4, W.5, W.6, W.7, W.8, W.9, SL.1, SL.4, SL.5, L.1, L.2PA State Standards: AH.9.1, AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.2, CC.1.3, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, G.7.1, H.8.4



Grades: 6-12 Unit: World CultureInterdisciplinary: Visual Arts/Social Studies/Language Arts/ TechnologyObjectives: TSW discuss Afghan Women at Shoe Store. TSW explain what the Taliban is and how the lives of women were restricted under its rule. TSW describe progress women have made since Taliban rule and dangers women currently face in Afghanistan. TSW present information clearly using audiorecording and images.Materials: Afghan Women at Shoe Store, iPads or laptops, notebooks, pencils, books, articles and websites about women in Afghanistan, www.fotobabble.comDifferentiation: Students may work independently or in a group. Students may read MyForbiddenFace by Latifah and/or watch the Girl Rising documentary. Students may present information in a PowerPoint or with a poster presentation. Students can make their brainstorming map in their notebook instead of using the computer.

National Common Core Standards for ELA: R.1, R.2, R.10, W.2, W.4, W.5, W.6, W.7,W.8, SL.1, SL.2, SL.4, SL.5, L.1, L.2PA State Standards AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.2, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, G.7.1, G. 7.3, H.8.4 Procedure: Students will look at AfghanWomenatShoeStore.Students will discuss the role of women in Afghanistan. Ask: what was life like for women under the Taliban rule? Besides having to wear burqas or chadris, what other rules existed for women? What is life like currently? Students should research using various books, articles and website and take notes in their notebook. They should organize their notes into different categories using an interactive mind map called Bubble.us. Students should search for images that relate to each category. Students will upload their photographs into a slideshow using the website FotoBabble on the laptops or iPads. Then students will record their voice over the photo slideshow to share information related to each photo. They should be sure to include at least one photograph by Steve McCurry. Students will prresent finished FotoBabbles to the class or the teacher can embed in a website.

WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN: LESSON PLANAFGHAN WOMEN AT SHOE STORE



Vocabulary:• Burqa• Chadri• Taliban

Assessment/Evaluation • Participate in class discussions• Presentation rubric• Presentation of student projects

WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN: LESSON PLAN CONTINUED...AFGHAN WOMEN AT SHOE STORE



Looking Questions:• What do you see in this photo?• Why do you think this portrait

became so iconic?• Why do you think this girl has been

called the Afghan Mona Lisa?• How do you think this girl is feeling?

Is there a time when you felt this way?• Why did Steve McCurry put the model

in front of a green backdrop? • If she could talk, what might she say?

About the Photograph:In 1984, McCurry photographed this young girl in a small school tent in Pakistan. After both of her parents were killed in a Soviet airstrike, she traveled from Afghanistan to a refugee camp near Peshawa with her grandmother and four siblings. McCurry was inspired by her piercing green eyes and shy, yet defiant, expression. It took him several days to convince her to pose for his camera. Neither of them knew this photograph would become one of the most iconic NationalGeographic covers of all time. The article brought global attention to the problems in Afghanistan. It inspired people to volunteer to work in refugee camps and set-up the Afghan Children’s Fund. Several years after the magazine cover came out, we learned this girl’s name was Sharbat Gula. She had daughters of her own, and, although her face looked worn and aged beyond her years, she had the same piercing green eyes that captivated the world.

AFGHAN GIRL

Steve McCurry, Afghan Girl, 1984, Peshawar, Pakistan, 60”x40”



Pre-Visit Activities• Find Peshawar, Pakistan on a map to see how far Sharbat and her

family traveled from Afghanistan.• Read Under the Persimon Tree by Suzanne Fisher Staples about a

young Aghan girl’s life in Afghanistan and Pakistan following 9/11.• Read FourFeet,TwoSandals by Karen Lynn Williams about two

Afghanistan refugee girls living in Peshawar, Pakistan.• Watch the video NationalGeographicTheater:Afghanistan With

SteveMcCurry on the Michener website, also found here: https://youtu.be/Vr41GsHtz04

• What is an icon? Look at other iconic portraits of women from throughout history. What makes something iconic?

• What is the publication NationalGeographic? When was Afghan Girl published? How has the publication changed since?


Gallery Activities• CompareandContrast:GalleryActivity. Choose another portrait

to compare to the Afghan Girl.• WhatAreTheyThinking?:GalleryActivity. Fill out a thought

bubble with what you think this girl might be thinking.• ExplorePortraits:GalleryActivity. Look at her clothing, pose

and expression and then imagine if you were going to have your portrait taken by McCurry.

• ISee,IThink,IWonder:GalleryActivity. Make observations and interpret this work. What questions do you have?


AFGHAN GIRL





• NewsReporter:GalleryActivity.Come up with interview questions for the Afghan girl. How do you think she would answer? What observations would you make about her?

Post-Visit Activities• ComplementaryColorPortraitLessonPlan. Take a photo of yourself

using Photo Booth. Color the printed photo using complementary colors to make your self-portrait stand out from the background.

• Choose another photograph in the gallery that you think would make a great NationalGeographic cover. Write a persuasive paragraph explaining why.

• If you were in charge of taking an iconic cover photo for a NationalGeographic magazine about children from your country, state, city or school, who or what would you photograph to best represent this area? Why? Use a camera to photograph the image. Add text over your image to make it look like a real magazine.

• Watch the movie, Search for the Afghan Girl. Discuss how Sharbat Gula’s life has changed since the cover was taken. Look at McCurry’s photos of Sharbat Gula as an adult and compare.

• Read the autobiography I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for EducationandWasShotbytheTaliban. Make comparisons to the life of the Afghan Girl.

AFGHAN GIRL

National Common Core Standards for ELA: R.2, R.10, W.1, W.2, W.3, W.4, W.5, W.6, W.7,W.8, W.9, SL.1, SL.4, SL.5, L.1, L.2PA State Standards: AH.9.1, AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.2, CC.1.3, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, G.7.1, H.8.4



Grades: 1-12 Unit: ColorsInterdisciplinary: Visual Art/Science/TechnologyObjectives: TSW analyze the use of color in the photots Afghan Girl, Woman in CanaryBurqua, and Afghan Refugee TSW understand that artists use complementary colors next to eachother to create contrast and make each color appear brighter. TSW create a self-portrait using one pair of complementary colors. TSW use colored pencils or oil pastels to blend tints and shades.Materials: Afghan Girl, WomaninCanaryBurqua, and Afghan Refugee, teacher camera or PhotoBooth, 8.5”x11” computer paper, 9x12 drawing paper, oil pastels or colored pencils, sketchbooksDifferentiation: Students may take their own photograph. Use a ruler and the grid method to enlarge the photo. Connect to scientific theory about color. Students can lay a piece of PlexiGlas or clear transparency over the photograph and paint or use Sharpie markers on the clear surface. Pose a model in front of a colored background that is complementary to what they are wearing. Older students can use photoediting software to alter the colors of a photograph. For an introduction, have younger students look through different colored objects and sort them into groups of primary and secondary colors and then by complementary pairs.

National Common Core Standards for ELA: W.4, W.5, W.6, SL.1, SL.4, L.1, L.2PA State Standards AH.9.1, AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.4, CC.1.5, Procedure: As a class, look at Afghan Girl, WomaninCanaryBurqua and Afghan Refugee.Discuss McCurry’s use of colors. Introduce students to the color wheel. Have students look for complementary color pairs around the classroom. Ask: what sports teams or holidays use complementary colors? The teacher will photograph each student or set up a laptop for students to take turns photographing themselves using PhotoBooth. The teacher will print black and white copies on 8.5”x11” computer paper. Students can trace or transfer the image onto another plain white piece of paper or draw directly on the photo. Students will use oil

COMPLEMENTARY COLOR PORTRAITS: LESSON PLANAFGHAN GIRL



LESSON PLAN CONTINUED...AFGHAN GIRL

pastel or colored pencil to color the photo. Students should begin by coloring their self-portrait’s clothing and then chose the complementary color to color a large part of the background. The background can be a plain, solid color or students can be more creative and add objects or a landscape scene. Students should experiment with shades or tints of complementary colors. Afghan Girl, for example, uses an emerald shade of green and an orange-brown shade of red. Afghan Refugee uses much more subtle complementary colors with a light grayish-blue in the background and a light tan-brown scarf. Students should use their sketchbook to try out different color schemes to see which one they like the best. Ask: do different color schemes make the picture feel a different way? After students color the clothing and the background, they may choose to color the face and hair with realistic colors, another shade of their complementary pair, or leave it in black and white. Students should sign their artist signature at the bottom right of the picture. Students will write an artist statement to accompany their drawing and then present their finished self-portrait to the class.

Vocabulary: • Complementary colors• Primary colors• Secondary colors• Contrast• Self-portrait• Shades• Tints

Assessment/Evaluation • Participation in class discussions• Peer or self-critique• Art rubric to assess following directions, creativity and craftsmanship



Looking Questions:• What do you see?• What really stands out when you

first look at this picture? Why?• This photo is taken in this man’s

natural surroundings. What does the setting tell us about him and what he does?

• Describe the use of line in this photograph.

• Describe this man’s expression. What is he thinking? Why?

• Does the photographer use repetition to draw your eye around the photo? Explain.

About the Photograph:Steve McCurry photographs this fellow photographer on the street in front of a grated doorway. The rectangle shapes and lines found in the background create frames within the larger photographic frame. These frames breakup the photo to create visual interest and rhythm. We see a bright red camera, a backdrop cloth and sample portraits on display that help to show that this man is a photographer. This is one of the many environmental portraits of workers and business owners McCurry photographed in front of their storefronts. McCurry’s street views give us a peek into everyday street life of cities around the world.

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER

Steve McCurry, PortraitPhotographer. 1992. Kabul, Afghanistan, 60”x 40”



Pre-Visit Activities• Find Kabul, Afghanistan on Google Maps. Find directions from

your house to Kabul. How long would it take you to travel there? Explore different places around Kabul using 3-D Photo Spheres. To do this, click on the little yellow man in the bottom right and drag him to the blue dots on the map.

• What is a portrait? Explore some famous portraits. Discuss the difference between painted and photographed portraits.

• Experiment with composition and camera controls using the NGAkids Photo Op Interactive at: www.nga.gov/kids/zone/photoop.htm .


Gallery Activities• PhotoScavengerHunt:GalleryActivity. Find people to

photograph in a way that tells a story. • WhatAreTheyThinking?:GalleryActivity. Fill out a thought

bubble with what you think this person might be thinking.• ExplorePortraits:GalleryActivity. Look at clothing, pose and




• NewsReporter:GalleryActivity. Come up with interview questions for the person in this photo. How do you




K-12 ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR SCHOOL VISIT AND CLASSROOM think they would answer? What observations would you make?• Compare and contrast this photograph to a photograph in the

exhibit Tête-à-Tête:ConversationsinPhotography.• Find other photographs in the exhibit that use framing to break

up the picture and draw our attention to the focal point.

Post-Visit Activities• Photo Portrait Lesson Plan. Choose a subject and photograph

them in a way thats tells a story about that person. Create a photo label to tell the viewers about the portrait.

• Discuss the differences between a posed portrait and a candid.• Brainstorm possible strengths and weaknesses of an

environmental portrait such as Portrait Photographer.• Look closer at the type of camera that the man might be using.

What does it look like? Looking at the history of how cameras have developed, identify a type of camera from the early 1900s, 1950-1960, 1990, and today and compare them. What kind of advancements have there been?

• In Portrait Photographer, McCurry uses framing to break up the image into segments. Take a photograph or draw a picture of an image that uses this frame-within-a-frame technique. You can use geometric shapes like windows or archways or more organic shapes like trees or people to surround your focal point.





Grades: 3-12 Unit: PhotographyInterdisciplinary: Visual Arts/Language Arts/ TechnologyObjectives: TSW examine Portrait Photographer and other McCurry portraits. TSW what is a portrait and what makes a portrait compelling. TSW demonstrate how to use a camera to take a portrait. TSW understand how expression, pose, clothing and background can tell about a person. TSW write a descriptive photo label.Materials: Portrait Photographer, portraits from Tête-à-Tête:ConversationsinPhotography, other portraits from McCurry and other artists, cameras, computers to type labels, notebooks, pencilsDifferentiation: Students may take turns with cameras. Students may work at home with a personal camera or with borrowed cameras during class. Students may research the history of the camera. Students may learn about the science behind how a camera works or how photographers develop their photos in a darkroom. Younger students can pay more attention to the expression, pose, clothing and background of the portrait, while older students can focus more on compositional techniques. Students can handwrite their photo labels.

National Common Core Standards for ELA: W.2, W.4, W.5, W.6, SL.1, SL.4, L.1, L.2PA State Standards AH.9.1, AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.4, CC.1.5 Procedure: Students will look at portraits by Steve McCurry including the Portrait Photographer.Students will look at photography portraits from the exhibit Tête-à-Tête:ConversationsinPhotography and by other artists. Ask or discuss: what makes a portrait compelling? What are some ways an artist can show us about the subject without using words. McCurry once said, “To take a good picture, you need to spend time with people until they trust you and forget that you’re there to photograph them.” Students should choose a subject like a classmate or a family member. If they don’t know them, they should spend a few minutes getting to know them better. Students should think about some of this person’s characteristics. In a notebook,

PHOTO PORTRAITS: LESSON PLANPORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER



PHOTO PORTRAITS: LESSON PLAN CONTINUED...PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER

students should brainstorm how can they show these characteristics using only a photograph. Students will think about the background, how the subject should dress, and what their facial expression and pose should be. For example, if their person plays baseball, they might photograph them while they are wearing their uniform or on a baseball field. If their subject is very smart, they might show them reading a book. If their person is happy, they might choose bright colored clothing/background and photograph them smiling. Students should also consider the angle from where the photo is taken. For example, if the subject is strong and confident, they might choose a close-up or low angle that makes the person look bigger and more powerful. Students will take several photographs and choose the best one. Students will give their photograph a title and type a descriptive photo label with the student’s name, title, the year, and a brief explanation of the photograph. The label should give the viewer additional information other than what is visible. Students will display their photographs and labels around the classroom or in the hallway.

Vocabulary: • Portrait• Composition• Background

Assessment/Evaluation • Participation in class discussions • Students will display their portraits and photo labels• Peer or self-critique• Photography rubric to assess creativity and composition



Looking Questions:• What do you notice

about this photograph?• Would this picture be as

interesting if it was in black and white? Why or why not?

• Does this place remind you of any place you have seen before?

• What might this place sound like, smell like, feel like?

• What might we find if we explored this scene closer?• Is this picture posed or candid? Why do you think that?• How do you think the man in the photo is feeling? Explain.

About the Photograph:In this photograph, Steve McCurry captures the wreckage caused by years of war and destruction in West Kabul. Contrasted by the dull gray-brown surroundings of assorted debris and piles of dusty rubble, we see an unexpected and brightly-colored red couch. An Afghan fighter is stretched out, relaxing on the couch with his shoes off; a moment of peace in a land of turmoil. In the background, we see the remains of a structure cast against the blue sky and mountain landscape of Afghanistan.

AFGHAN FIGHTER

Steve McCurry, AfghanFighter.1995. Kabul,Afghanistan, 40”x60”



Pre-Visit Activities• Find West Kabul on a map of Afghanistan.• Explore the elements and principle of design, focusing on the

principle contrast. Name ways an artist can create contrast.• What is an environmental portrait? Discover other

environmental portrait photographers such as Dorthea Lange, Paul Strand and Diane Arbus. Make connections to Steve McCurry’s photographs.


Gallery Activities• NewsReporter:GalleryActivity. Write interview questions for

the man in this photo. How do you think he would answer? What observations would you make?

• BeforeandAfter:GalleryActivity. What do you think happened before this photo was taken? What might happen after?

• ISee,IThink,IWonder:GalleryActivity. Make observations and interpretations about this photo. What questions do you have?


• Write an acrostic poem describing the photo. Write the word ‘Kabul’ vertically on a piece of paper and write a descriptive word or phrase across beginning with each letter.

• Pose like the man in the photo. How do you feel in this pose? • This photo has strong contrast with the bright red couch among

a dull landscape. Identify another work of McCurry’s that creates a striking contrast. Discuss similarities and differences.

AFGHAN FIGHTER



K-12 ACTIVITIES CONTINUED...Post-Visit Activities• Photojournalism Lesson Plan. Pretend like you are a

photojournalist. Photograph an event for a pretend newspaper article using elements of a good photo composition. Write a cutline to accompany the photo.

• Use Storyboard That! to recreate the photo and make a story board. Look through the image templates to find the background, objects and characters that most closely resemble those from the photograph. You can edit the characters look and pose and add text. You can create other panels to show what might have happened before and after.

• Watch the video 9PhotoCompositionTips to learn about the different photography technique Steve McCurry uses to create such interesting photos. Visit: https://youtu.be/7ZVyNjKSr0M .

• Learn more about photography with the ‘American Photography: A Century of Images’ section of the PBS website. Be sure to explore the interactive Image Lab at: www.pbs.org/ktca/americanphotography/index.html .

AFGHAN FIGHTER




Grades: 3-12 Unit: JournalismInterdisciplinary: Visual Art/Language Arts/ TechnologyObjectives: TSW analyze AfghanFighterand other McCurry Photos. TSW discuss journalistic integrity TSW identify elements of good composition in a photo. TSW use a camera to capture an event in a way that is compositionally interesting. TSW write a cutlineMaterials: AfghanFighter and other photographs by McCurry, recent newspaper articles, cameras, computers to type cutlines, notebooks, pencils, Time Magazine’s “SteveMcCurry:I’maVisualStorytellernotaPhotojournalist.”Differentiation: Students may work individually or in a group. Students may use personal cameras at home or borrow classroom cameras. Practice using Photo Op application on NGAKids. Students may hand write cutlines. Students may write a newspaper article to accompany their photograph. Watch the Youtube video 9 Photo CompositionTips to learn the different photography technique Steve McCurry uses to create such interesting photos at: https://youtu.be/7ZVyNjKSr0M .

National Common Core Standards for ELA: W.2, W.3, W.4, W.5, W.6, SL.1, SL.4, L.1, L.2PA State Standards AH.9.1, AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.4, CC.1.5 Procedure: As a class, look at AfghanFighterand other photographs from McCurry. Class will discuss Steve McCurry and his life as a photojournalist. Students will learn about how he snuck across the border and put himself in danger to capture many of his photographs. McCurry has been accused of using Photoshop to alter some of his photographs. Ask: when is it okay or not okay to manipulate a photograph? Individually, students will read the Time magazine article “SteveMcCurry:I’maVisualStorytellernotaPhotojournalist.” The class will discuss journalistic integrity. Ask: what would it be like to be a photojournalist? Discuss some of the challenges McCurry and other photojournalists face in their career. Students will look at photographs by Steve McCurry and compare to photographs in local newspaper. Discuss elements of a good photo composition: rule of thirds, leading lines, diagonals, contrast, filling the frame, repetition, framing and symmetry.

PHOTOJOURNALISM: LESSON PLANAFGHAN FIGHTER



PHOTOJOURNALISM: LESSON PLAN CONTINUED...AFGHAN FIGHTER

Students will then choose an event such as school basketball game, lunch dismissal or school dance. Students should take several photographs; some from close-up and far away, from above and from below, posed and candid. Students should look through their photographs to find the picture or pictures best tell a story of what happened at that event. After students have taken the photos, they will get identifying details from the people in the photo and write them in their notebook. They should ask the name or names of the subject(s) and how to spell them correctly, the school/town where they are from and about their role the story. Students should use that information to write a cutline or caption for their photograph. The cutline should help the reader to understand the photo and how it relates to the story. It should tell the who, what, when, where, and why or how. Cutlines should be short, direct and written in the present tense. It should include the name of the subject, the action taking place, the event being photographed, the location and the date. Only the last name of a person is used in a cutline. Students will share their photo and cutline with their classmates or publish them to the web.

Vocabulary: • Composition• Symmetry• Photojournalism• Rule of thirds• Framing• Repetition• Leading lines• Diagonals• Background• Cutline• Candid

Assessment/Evaluation • Participation in class discussions• Photography rubric to assess composition, creativity and ability to tell a story• Peer or self-critique• Presentation of photographs and cutlines



Looking Questions:• What do you notice about this rug?• Describe the shapes and symbols in

the border.• How do you feel about the weaver’s

choice of colors?• How would the texture feel if you

could touch it?• How do you think this rug was made?• How is this rug similar or different

from rugs at your house or school?• Why do you think this tapestry is

titled Forgiveness?

About the Tapestry:The bright colors and geometric shape designs of this tapestry are characteristic of tribal weavings in Central Asia. Afghan weaving traditions date back to the 9th century A.D. where nomadic tribes used rugs to decorate and insulate tents. This carpet comes from ARZU Studio Hope, a non-profit for social entrepreneurship. ARZU fights poverty by providing women with sustainable wages and access to education and healthcare. This rug was woven by a 21-year old Afghan woman named Halima. Halima and her five siblings live with their mother and grandmother who were both widowed by decades of war. In the 1990s her family fled to Kabul. When the Taliban took control, they fled again to a refugee camp in Pakistan. Now they live in Bamiyan where Halima’s younger siblings can attend school.

FORGIVENESS

Halima, Forgiveness,courtesy of ARZU Studio Hope, Tribal Heirloom Collection



Pre-Visit Activities• What is a tapestry? Learn basic weaving vocabulary like warp,

weft and loom and create a simple paper weaving. • Learn about yarn spinning and yarn dyeing techniques. Try

spinning wool into yarn.• Read about ARZU Studio of Hope at www.arzustudiohope.org

and discuss the role of art and philanthropy. • Read TheRosesinMyCarpet by Rukhsana Khan about a young

Afghan carpet weaver living in a refugee camp.• Learn about texture and describe how different objects feel

when you touch them.


Gallery Activities• TapestryDrawing:GalleryActivity. Create your own rug design

inspired by the patterns found in the ARZU tapestries.• CompareandContrast:GalleryActivity. Choose another

tapestry to compare to the Forgivenesstapestry.• ExploreElementsofArt:GalleryActivity. Look at lines, shapes,

color and patterns in this carpet.• Arrange fabric and yarn scraps on the gallery floor or felt board

to create your own rug design.• Look at the natural dyed Afghan wool and weaver’s tools. How

do you think they were used?• Hunt for other rugs or works of art that use the primary colors

red, yellow and blue.

FORGIVENESS



K-12 ACTIVITIES CONTINUED...Post-Visit Activities• YarnDyeingLessonPlan. Experiment with natural materials to

dye wool yarn.• Watch a tutorial on MakingaHand-KnottedWoolRugin

Afghanistan at: https://youtu.be/Lm6154fPXaA and create your own tapestry using yarn and a loom.

• Learn about other cultures that make weavings. Use the Navajo Rug Weaver interactive to create a digital weaving and practice plotting points on a coordinate grid at: www.csdt.rpi.edu/na/rugweaver/software/index.html

• This tapestry is 5x8 feet with 120 knots per square inch. Calculate how many total knots are in this rug.

• Discuss social entrepeneurship. Brainstorm ways you could help your school using art. Write a convincing proposal and present it to your class. The class can vote on one idea to participate in.

FAMILY TREE




Grades: 3-12 Unit: Art and NatureInterdisciplinary: Visual Art/Social Studies/Science/MathObjectives: TSW look at Forgivenessand other Arzu rugs in the exhibit. TSW learn about natural dyes and where they come from. TSW measure and mix ingredients. TSW make predictions and hypotheses .Materials: Forgiveness, Several skeins of white yarn (100% natural fibers) pre-soaked in warm soapy water overnight, large jars with lids, labels, boiling pots, strainer, stove, water, alum, cream of tartar, natural materials for dyes: (ie. onion skins, red cabbage, spinach, black walnut, sage, beets, dandelions, tumeric powder) scissors or plastic knives, ziplock bags, measuring spoons, small bowls, notebook, pencilsDifferentiation: Students may collect their own materials from nature. Students may spin their own yarn from wool roving. Students may use dyed yarn to make their own weaving. Teacher may use double electric burners or crock pots in the classroom. Teacher may give students a jar of materials and have them boil with water at home under parent supervision. You can try skipping the boiling and simmering step and add all the materials to the jars with the natural materials in a small mesh bag and sitting in the sun but the colors will be diluted. Make stronger science connections by discussing homogeneous mixture and solutions or the chemical make-up of the alum and cream of tartar.

National Common Core Standards for ELA: W.1, SL.1PA State Standards: AH.9.1, AH.9.2, AH.9.3, AH.9.4, CC.1.1, CC.1.4, CC.1.5

Procedure: Look at Forgivenessand other ARZU rugs in the exhibit. Discuss the colors. Before synthetic dyes, natural materials were used to dye wool. Students will brainstorm a list of things that could be used to dye something the primary colors; red, yellow, or blue. What could be used to make the secondary colors like orange, purple, green. What about brown and black? Teacher will introduce natural materials one at a time. In their notebook, students will write three coloumns; with the headings ‘natural material’, ‘predicted color’ and ‘actual color’. They will list eachmaterial in the first column and in the ‘predicted color’ column write

YARN DYEING: LESSON PLANFORGIVENESS



YARN DYEING: LESSON PLAN CONTINUED...FORGIVENESS

their material in the first column and in the ‘predicted color’ column write their prediction for what color each material will dye the yarn. Students will write a few sentences explaining their prediction. Teacher will show students several large empty mason jars labeled with the name of the material and instruct students to work in groups to prepare the materials for the jars. Students will chop up plant material with plastic knives or scissors, mash berries in a plastic baggie. Students will measure natural materials and put in the labeled jars. The teacher will bring jars home or somewhere with a stove, boil a pot of water (use twice as much water as dye material), add one of the jars to the pot, and let simmer for one hour. Remove from the heat, let cool, use a strainer to filter out the natural material, and pour the liquid dye back into the labeled jar. Repeat with each of the jars. The teacher should bring the jars back into the classroom. Students will need to make a mordant to help the dye adhere to the yarn. To make the mordant, students will measure 8 g (1.6tsp) of a chemical compound called alum and 7 g (1.4tsp) of cream of tartar into a small bowl. Add a small amount of hot water and dissolve. Add the solution to each jar. Add the pre-soaked white yarn to the jar and put on the lid. Place jars on window sill or outside in the sun for several days. Students or teacher will wear gloves and remove the yarn from the jar (this is messy, so it is best to do outside or over the sink). Students or teacher will squeeze out the yarn and hang it to dry. Students will look at the final colors of the yarn and list them in the ‘actual color’ column. Students should calculate the percent of correct guesses and share the result with their classmates. Based on these results make a hypothesis about other materials. For extra credit, students may chose to test these hypotheses on their own at home.

Vocabulary: • Mordant• Primary colors• Secondary colors

Assessment/Evaluation

• Participation in class discussions• Completed predicition chart in notebook



GLOSSARYAperture: an opening that controls the amount of light that passes through a lens

ARZU: the word for ‘hope’ in the language of Dari

Atmospheric perspective: the effect that happens when far away objects appear less saturated and take on the blueish color of the water vapor in the atmosphere

Background: the part of a scene that appears to be the furthest distance from the viewer, and normally behind the subject

Buddha: Gautama Siddhartha, the founder of the religion Buddhism; a prince who gave up all his earthly possessions to achieve enlightenment

Buddhism: a religion or philosophy founded by Buddha and his followers, with the belief that a person can discover the true understanding of the universe through meditation and spiritual investigation; the fourth largest religion in the world

Burqa (Chadri)-a garmet, traditionally worn in Afghanistan, that covers the wearer’s entire face except for a small area around the eyes, which is covered by a net

Candid: a photo taken without the knowledge of the subject.



GLOSSARY CONTINUED...Chai: a tea drink made with cardamom and other spices, milk, and a sweetener

Contrast: the range of difference between light and dark in an image that helps to create visual interest

Combines: a hybrid between painting and sculpture, made popular by Robert Rauschenberg, that attaches various three-dimensional and two-dimensional objects onto a canvas surface

Complementary colors: colors opposite on the color wheel that when placed near each other create contrast and when mixed together create a neutral

Composition: the arrangement of visual elements of an artwork

Conservation: the act of protecting something, (especially an environmentally or culturally important place or thing) from harm or destruction

Crop: trimming the edges of an image to change or improve the composition

Cuisine: a style of cooking, especially characteristic of a particular country or region Cutline: the caption to a photograph or illustration



GLOSSARY CONTINUED...Dari: the form of Persian spoken in Afghanistan

Depth of field: the distance from the foreground, or the subject, to the background

Environmental Portrait: a portrait taken in a person’s usual environment, like their home, school or work; by photographing a person in their natural surrounding, the subject will feel more relaxed and more likely to express their true character

Extremists: a person with a fanatical political or religious view, especially one who advocates extreme action or violence (ex. people with an extremely conservative view of Islam)

Focal point: the center of focus in an image; normally refers to the subject or main part of an image

Focus: the clarity of detail in an image

Foreground: the area of a scene or picture in the front, closest to the viewer

Framing: a compositional technique where an artist uses an object to act as a border or frame to help direct the viewers’ attention to the subject



GLOSSARY CONTINUED...

Geometric shape: shape with exact mathematical rules (ex. a square, triangle, rectangle, circle, and other polygons) Ground Zero: the point on the ground right below an explosion, in the case of September 11th, the site of the World Trade Center

Hazara: Persian-speaking people who live mostly in central Afghanistan; the third largest ethnic group in Afghanistan

Hinduism: a major religion in South Asia that believes in many gods and reincarnation; third-largest religion in the world

Horizon Line: the horizontal line that divides the sky and the ground; the eye-level of the artist

Iconic: very famous or well-known; often recognized as a symbol of something

Islam: the religion of the Muslims based on the Qur’an and the teachings of the prophet Muhammad; second largest religion in the world; any nation where Islam is the main religion

Kahwah: a traditional green tea drink consumed in Afghanistan and other regions of Central Asia




Landmark: an object or feature of a place that has historical or cultural significance Leading lines: lines in an image that direct the viewer’s attention to the image’s center or main subject Landscape: an outdoor scene, or a work of art that features an outdoor scene of nature: mountains, lakes, gardens, rivers, etc.

Lens: a clear piece of curved glass that makes things look clearer, smaller or bigger

Loom: a frame or machine for weaving threads to make cloth

Middleground: the middle distance of an image

Monument: a statue, building, or other structure built to commemorate a famous person or event

Mordant: a substance used to set dyes on fabrics

Mosque: a Muslim place of worship

Mujahideen: guerrilla fighters in Islamic countries, especially those who are fighting against non-Muslim forces




Naan: a pita-like bread, usually teardrop shaped and cooked in a clay oven called a tandoor

One-point perspective: a type of linear perspective where horizontal lines go straight across, and the lines that move away from us meet at one vanishing point on the horizon line

Organic shape: shapes that have less well-defined edges compared to geometric shapes; unpredictable and flowing

Overlap: to prevent the viewer from seeing part of an object by covering a part of it

Pattern: a repeated design of elements or shapes Pashto: an official language of Afghanistan

Perspective: the illusion of a three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface through the use of vanishing point, converging lines and diminishing size

Photojournalism: the art or practice of communicating news with photographs, especially in newspaper or magazines

Portrait: a picture of a person, usually showing their face




Preservation: the act of maintaining something to its original or existing state. Primary color: the basic colors that can be used to mix other colors; red, yellow and blue

Ready-mades: everyday object selected and designated as art, made popular by Marcel Duchamp

Refugee: a person who has been forced to leave their country to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster

Repetition: the use of the same visual element a number of times in the same composition

Rhythm: a continuance, a flow, or a feeling of movement made by repetition of visual elements

Rule of Thirds: a design principle that breaks up a composition into a 3x3 grid and suggests that the photogapher place the subject at one of intersecting lines of the grid

Silk Road: a network of trade routes, established during the Han Dynasty of China

Social entrepeneurship: the attempt to use business techniques to solve social, cultural, or environmental problems




Secondary color: a color made by mixing two primary colors; orange, green and purple Self-portrait: a picture of yourself that is made by yourself

September 11th: the terrorist attack that occured September 11, 2001, in New York City, when Islamic extremists hijacked two U.S. airplanes and crashed them into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center

Shade: a color mixed with black to create darker values

Shi’a: one of the two main branches of the religion Islam

Shutter speed: the length of time the shutter remains open after the shutter release has been pressed, usually measured in fractions of second

Sikhism: A major religion in South Asia based on the spiritual teachings of Guru Nanak; ninth-largest religion in the world

Subtractive method: a form of sculpture that involves removing material to create a finished artwork (ex. wood carving or stone sculpture)

Sunni: one of the two main branches of Islam, commonly described as orthodox

Symmetry: a type of balance when something has two sides or halves that are the same or very close in size, shape, and position

Taliban: a fundamentalist Islamic military group in Afghanistan

Tank: a military vehicle that moves on two large metal belts with wheels inside them and is covered in heavy armor

Tapestry: a heavy cloth that has designs or pictures woven into it and is used for wall hangings, curtains, etc.

Texture: the way that something feels when you touch it

Three-dimensional: when an object, scene or image has, or appears to have, length, width and depth

Tint: a color mixed with white to create lighter values

Trench art: decorative and functional objects made by soldiers, civilians or commercial forms during and after WWI.

Two-dimensional: when an object or image is flat; contains only length and height but lacks depth or the illusion of depth







Two-point perspective: a type of linear perspective where the subject is angled so the sides meet at one of two vanishing points on the horizon line

Vanishing point: the point(s) on a horizon line at which parallel lines will meet to create the illusion of three-dimensional space in a two-dimensional picture

Warp: the threads that run from one side of the loom to the other and interlaced with the weft to form the fabric.

Weft: the thread that passes horizontally between the warp threads to form the fabric

Zoom: the action of adjusting the camera lens so that the image appears to be bigger and closer


“Afghanistan: Day in the Life.” TimeForKids, 2016, www.time forkids.com/destination/afghanistan/day-in-life

“Afghanistan: Native Lingo.” TimeForKids, 2016, www. timeforkids.com/destination/afghanistan/native-lingo

“Afghanistan.” TimeForKids, 2016, www.timeforkids.com/ destination/afghanistan

ArzuStudioHope, 2016, www.arzustudiohope.org “Explore the World: Afghanistan.” NationalGeographicKids, 2016, www.kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/ afghanistan/ “From Swords to Plowshares: Metal Trench Art From WWI and WWII.” Michener Art Museum, 2016, www.michenerartmuseum. org/exhibition/from-swords-to-plowshares-metal-trench-art- from-wwi-and-wwii/

Girl Rising. Directed by Richard E Robbins, performances by Priyanka Chopra, Selena Gomez, Anne Hathaway, Salma Hayek, Alicia Keys, Chloë Moretz, Liam Neeson, Meryl Streep, and Kerry Washington, Docurama, 2014. “Kids in Afghanistan,” Scholastic, 2016, www.teacher.scholastic. com/scholasticnews/indepth/afghanistan/

RESOURCE LIST




RESOURCE LIST CONTINUED...

Laurent, Oliver. “Steve McCurry: I’m a Visual Storyteller, Not a Photojournalist.” Time, 30 May 2016, www.time.com/4351725/ steve-mccurry-not-photojournalist/

“Making a Hand-Knotted Wool Rug in Afghanistan.”YouTube, uploaded by Rob Leahy, 14 May, 2015, https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=Lm6154fPXaA&feature=youtu.be McCurry, Steve. SteveMcCurry, 2016, www.stevemccurry.com “National Geographic Theater: Afghanistan With Steve McCurry.” YouTube, uploaded by Steve McCurry Studios, 19 November 2010, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr41GsHtz04

“The Nation Remembers 9/11.”Scholastic, 2016, www.scholastic. com/browse/collection.jsp?id=844

Rycroft, Matthew, “9 Photo Composition Tips.”YouTube, uploaded by COOPH, 16 March, 2015, https://youtu.be/7ZVyNjKSr0M

The Search for the Afghan Girl. Directed by Lawrence Cumbo, performances by Sigourney Weaver and Steve McCurry. National Geographic, 2002.

Smith, Larry. SMITHMagazine, 2016. www.smithmag.net

“Teach + Learn.” 9/11Memorial, 2016, www.911memorial.org/ teach-learn




BOOKS FOR STUDENTSKhan, Rukhsana, and Ronald Himler. TheRosesinMyCarpet. Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2014. Print.

Latifa, and Chékéba Hachemi. MyForbiddenFace:Growingup UndertheTaliban:AYoungWoman’sStory.New York: Hyperion, 2001. Print.

Reedy, Trent. WordsintheDust.New York: Arthur A. Levine, 2011. Print.

Senzai, N. H. ShootingKabul. New York: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers, 2010. Print.

Staples, Suzanne Fisher. Under the Persimmon Tree. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005. Print.

Williams, Karen Lynn., Khadra Mohammed, and Doug Chayka. FourFeet,TwoSandals.Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans for Young Readers, 2007. Print

Winter, Jeanette, and Ann Bobco. Nasreen’s Secret School: A True StoryfromAfghanistan.New York: Beach Lane, 2009. Print.

Yousafzai, Malala, and Christina Lamb. I Am Malala: The Girl Who StoodupforEducationandWasShotbytheTaliban.London: Phoenix, 2014. Print.



WEB TOOLSBlabberize: a site where you can upload any image with a face, record audio and make it look like the image is talking at: www.blabberize.com

Bubbl.us: a brainstorming tool used to create colorful mind maps to print or share with otherswww.bubbl.us/v3

Canon Play- simulates the shutter speed, aperture and ISO setting controls of a camera to experiment with exposure, depth of field and capturing motion at:www.canonoutsideofauto.ca/play/

Canva: a simple graphic design app great for brochures posters, graphics, invitations and presentations at:www.canva.com or iTunes App Store

Cube Creator: an interactive planning tool that uses a six-sided cube format to use before or after reading biographies, autobiographies, mysteries or other stories at:www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/cube_creator/

Fotobabble: simple app to add audio to photographs or slideshows and share; great for talking postcards, short news segments and presentations at:www.fotobabble.com and iTunes App Store





Google Earth: online tool to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain and 3D buildings from the galaxies of outer space to the bottom of the ocean at: www.google.com/earth or iTunes App Store

Google Maps: navigation tool that lets you find maps and directions and view 3-D photospheres and street views at:www.google.com/maps or iTunes App Store

Kahoot!: online learning tool to create and share learning games that can be played against classmates or students anywhere at:www.getakahoot.com

Instagram: social networking app that allows users to take pictures and videos, and share them at:www.instagram.com and iTunes App Store

Navajo Rug Weaver: software that allows you to create a weaving on a virtual loom by plotting coordinates on a grid at:www.csdt.rpi.edu/na/rugweaver/software/index.html

NGAkids Photo Op: an interactive camera simulator from National Gallery of Art that allows you to experiment with different camera controls and compositional techniques at:www.nga.gov/kids/zone/photoop.htm




Padlet: a site to create a collaborative mood board; great for sharing ideas or checking for understanding at:www.padlet.com or iTunes App Store

PBS Image Lab: Interactive tool to teach about croppingand digital manipulation at:www.pbs.org/ktca/americanphotography/imagelab/main.html

PhotoBooth: a built-in Apple app to take photos or video using the MacBook or iPad’s iSight camera.

PostCard Creator: an interactive to help students learn to identify the parts of a postcard and then make their own postcard by typing information into a template at:www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/postcard/

Quizlet: online learning tool to create and share flashcards, games and quizzes at:www.quizlet.com or iTunes App Store

Sketch-up: computer program that allows you to easily create 3-D images and designs at:www.sketchup.com

StoryBoard That!: an easy online storyboard and comic creator at:www.storyboardthat.com


RESOURCE LIST CONTINUED...Tagxedo: a site for creating “word clouds” from provided text; gives greater prominence to words that appear more frequently. You can change font, colors and format in the shape of a jpeg at:www.tagxedo.com

Timetoast: a site to create and share interactive timelines at:www.timetoast.com

Vocaroo: a simple voice recording website, great for podcasts at:www.vocaroo.com

Wordle: a site for creating “word clouds” from text that you provide; gives greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the text. You can change font, colors and layout at:www.wordle.net


unguarded, untold, iconic: afghanistan through the lens of ... · in 2006, steve mccurry visited a...

Documents