Before we start, here's a link: http://whydowehatethem.wikispaces.com/Home
Students in the future will be confronted by an increasingly multicultural society. They need to know how to navigate in a complex world where people come from different backgrounds and do not see things the same way. If you don't learn about people from different cultures in high school, the world looks like a strange place when you finally encounter someone with a different background.
I remember in college when I met people from places like Minnesota who were SHOCKED that my family did not have a Christmas tree. The fact that I am Jewish was more puzzling than explanatory. This morning, I was asked if I celebrated Easter by my students who know I am Jewish. I was amused; some people would be offended. Our students need cultural education to make sense of the people they will meet. Of course, this is a necessary part of historical education so they can make sense of events in the world.
My webquest connects to social justice by asking students to confront their own and American's misconceptions about Islam. Through the webquest and the preceding lesson, students will learn the foundations and basic beliefs of Islam, explore the similarities between Islam and other monotheistic religions, and investigate the contributions of Muslim society to our modern world. Then, they will look at some of the reasons that Americans seem to hate or fear Muslims in our society today, and try to do something about it by creating a Public Awareness Campaign to educate their fellow citizens. The goal of the webquest is that students will see the injustice and unnecessary conflict in our society, and be able to confront it when they (sadly, inevitably) witness it in the hallways or the world at large.
My webquest connects to our class's vision in three ways. First, it helps prepare them to be responsible global citizens by arming them against injustice and ignorance about Islam. Second, it helps them become technologically savvy by creating a wiki and a multimedia presentation. Third, it shows students a way they can positively impact society - I have a lot of Muslim students, but more of their classmates think that Islam is a place than could identify any actual beliefs of the religion. There is a considerable amount of surprise when I explain that the god of Islam is the same god of Christianity and Judaism. This webquest would reinforce the similarities between the religions and, I hope, make at least our school community a better place.
Finally, the webquest does connect to the NCSS Standards. For NCSS Standard 8 about science and technology, students look at how Muslim developments in science and technology impact our world today. Look at the previous post on this blog for the great video that introduces the idea. For NCSS Standard 9 on Global Connections, students will look at the similarities across religions and the impact of one culture on our modern culture. They also look at the important issue of global (and local) injustice in society and try to explain and solve one reason for conflict in our multicultural society.
