Chapter 5

Understanding Arab American

Children and Adolescents
Lesson Plan
Class: EDU 280

Time required:20 minutes

Introduction/ Overview: Today, we will be going over chapter 5, which deals with understanding Arab American Children and
adolescents. We will also give insight into the culture of Arabic people.
Slide 1- What is an Arab?
Slide 2- Origins
Slide 3- Culture
Slide 4- Culture Cont.
Slide 5- Pictures
Slide 6- Language
Slide 7-Religion
Slide 8- Families and Gender
Slide 9- Pictures
Slide 10- Achievement levels and education
Slide 11- Fun Facts
Slide 12- Resources

Learning outcomes: Students will leave class with a basic understanding of the Arabic Culture. They will also one day apply some of the
things learned when they encounter Arab-American students.

Materials needed: Powerpoint slides, elmo, videos, whiteboard, handouts.

Activities: Class activity

What is an Arab?
An Arab is a person whose native language is Arabic and who lives according to
Arab cultural traditions and values.

Arab nation is all people who speak the Arabic language and claim a link with the
nomadic tribes of arabia.
Origins
-Arab people emigrate from twenty-two countries in the Middle East and Northern
Africa.
Arab countries/areas: Algeria, Bahrain, the Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman,
Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
-Something they typically all have in common is: their native language( Arabic)
and the centrality of family and religion.
-The Arab population is so young that 25 percent of the population is under
18 years of age.
- Arabs are more collective towards the group rather than Arab americans that
believe individuals have the right to take care of themselves.
-Arab Americans are a linguistic and cultural community rather than a racial or
religious group.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MykwKXAMDno ( Arab Music)

Culture
Family honor is one of the most important characteristics in the Arab family

Social exchanges between men and women happen very seldom outside of the work place. Men and women refrain from being
alone together. They have to be very careful in social situations because those interactions can be interpreted negatively and
cause gossip, which can tarnish the reputation of women. Women are able to socialize freely with other women and male family
members, but have to have family members present to socialize with men that are not part of the family.These conservative
practices are put into place to protect the reputation of women. Bad behavior not only affects women but her familys honor.

Some of the most important values for Arabs are honor and loyalty.

Like many societies around the world, the preference for a son is much higher than preferring a daughter in the Arab world. In pre-
Islamic Arabia, husbands would go as far as burying female infants alive because of the shame it caused them among their
peers. Women are typically seen as a burden whereas men represent honor and dignity to a family. Muhammad revealed a
verse which deals with this phenomenon. It says, "And God will ask the female infant who had been buried alive ("mau'udda")
for what wrongdoing was she killed." This practice is long gone in the Arab world, but the sentiment of having a son over a
daughter still resides and women are still subject to divorce for failure to give birth to a son as a first born child.

Arab dress for men ranges from the traditional flowing robes to blue jeans, T-shirts and business suits.
Culture
Tea is a very important drink in the Arab World, it is usually served with breakfast, after lunch, and with dinner. For Arabs tea is a
hospitality drink that is served to guests. Moreover, it is also common for Arabs to drink tea with dates.

Many of us experience Arab-influenced foods on a daily basis without realizing where these foods or recipes originated from. Coffee
is one of the most popular beverages in the United States and has been a traditional drink in the Middle East for centuries.

Eid is the biggest holiday celebration in the Arabic culture. It is the Arabic New Year that is celebrated with lots of food, sweets,
exchange of gifts and shopping.
The holy month of Ramadan is celebrated by fasting without food and water all day for the entire month. During this time of the year
businesses and shops remain closed all day and open in the evenings until after midnight.
Hijab is a scarf worn by women to cover their hair. A Turban is a type of headgear usually worn by men.
Language
Arabic is one of the world's great languages. Its graceful script, magnificent style and rich vocabulary give the language a
unique character and flavour.
Arabic is the largest member of the Semitic language family, which also includes languages like Hebrew and Aramaic. Like
most other Semitic languages, Arabic is written from right to left.
Arab people have a very strong feelings for their language.
Arabic is today spoken by more than 200 million people in the Arab World, and it is an official language in 22 countries.

Being the language of the Quran, Arabic is highly respected across the Muslim world. Many non-Arab Muslim children begin
learning Arabic at early age, to enable them to read and understand the Quran.
Arab schools usually teach more than one language. Many people coming to the United States have learned two or three
languages in their country of origin.
Religion
Islam is the central religion of the Arab world, which began with the prophet Mohammed's revelation and teachings in the
7th century. Followers of Islam are called Muslims. Islam is one of the three Abrahamic religions (additionally Judaism and
Christianity) all of which believe in one God and the importance of practicing Gods will on earth, and follow the first four
books of the Christian Bible, known as the Torah in the Jewish faith. The Quran is the holy book of the Islamic faith.

Islam not only guides Muslims in their spiritual lives, but in social/political matters and personal relationships as well.

Even though many people think all arabic people are muslims, they can actually practice any other religion. The second
most common religion for arabs is Christianity.
Families and Gender
Arabs hold family in high esteem. They also take pride in extended family members. Some traits they teach are generosity,
hospitality, courage, and respect for the elderly. Most important they value education, which is often seen as a social asset
and religious duty for the survival of the individual and groups.

In the Arab culture, boys and girls are treated differently. While child-rearing methods vary, a great deal of unconditional
love usually accompanies discipline, especially for sons.

While many people in the Western world are uncomfortable with a womans role in the Muslim world, these fears are
greatly influenced by the misconception that the Muslim woman is restrained and has no say in the actions of her own life.
While arranged marriages still exist in the Arab world, both partners must consent to the marriage on their own will.

Traditional Islamic families use a patriarchal structure in which the patriarch (head male of the family, usually a male) is
responsible for the well being of his family in every way. Marriage and family play a significant role in the social lives of the
Islamic world, as a marriage unites two families as much as it joins the two people being married.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fihurMg1nag ( funny video)

Arab Americans today and stereotyping
Recent numbers say that Americans of Arab descent ranges from 1 million to 3.5
million. Reports say 54% of muslims are male and 46% female. 30% are 18-29
years old, 26% are 30-39 years old, 31% are 40-54 years old and 13% are 55 and
older.

The most popular stereotypes for arab people are rich sheiks (leaders), religious
fanatic and terrorists.

https://youtu.be/ys193LwjrcM
Achievement Levels and education
10 percent of Arab Americans have graduate study, 14% are college graduates,
23% have some college, 32% are high school graduates and 21% are not high
school graduates.

There is not a lot of data on the achievement levels because their progress has
not undergone the scrutiny that other cultural groups have experienced. Because
they have been an invisible minority for a long time and they are barely being
noticed as a minority.
Fun Facts:

World famous form of dance, belly dancing, originated in the Arab world.
Dubai is one of the most popular Arabian cities in the world. Its known for its amazing architecture with the worlds only seven star
hotel called Burj Al Arab situated here.

Arabs are known for their art and handicrafts. Hand woven Persian Silk rugs and carpets are world famous. Arabic furniture, antique
jewelry, tea/coffee pots, calligraphic (a style of fancy lettering) wall art and incense burners (for fragrance) are examples of
beautiful Arabic home dcor items. Arabic henna is also a popular kind of tattoo body art mainly applied to hands in many
designs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du7AckoXdVI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CZ-v3h9EuQ&nohtml5=False
 http://www.transparent.com/learn-arabic/phrases.html

Class activity
Resources
http://www.myeasyarabic.com/site/what_is_arabic_language.htm

http://www.ehow.com/list_5792287_arabic-customs-traditions.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_culture

http://dinolingo.com/blog/2011/05/04/arabic-culture-for-children/#.VwWxGaQrKhc