Igniting the tinderbox

"Igniting the Tinderbox" is intended as a nonfiction book and teacher's guide for middle school students to supplement the texts in the social studies curriculum. The book is a snapshot of Afghanistan between 1989 and 1996 as seen through the eyes of a middle school-aged Afghan boy, his mother, sister and a friend. As the characters live and remember historical events, students learn how world politics and the Afghan culture have impacted Afghanistan then and now. In seeing the world through their eyes, the students also learn about the music, art, traditions and other aspects of the culture that is Afghanistan. The teacher's guide provides background for each chapter, as well as suggested resources for further study, discussion questions and activities. All these help the students get into the characters' minds and understand Afghanistan better, as well as relate the Afghan culture and events to their own lives. Online resources include videos, which use Adobe flash, with the exception of one using Apple Quick Time (.mov). Linked photographs are jpegs and easily viewed online. When the students conclude the unit, I want them to have learned about another culture by understanding not just the "what" but the "why." They can extrapolate from the materials a better understanding of how decisions made today will affect generations to come and how one's worldview is influenced by the past, traditions and culture.