Persian Course 5 - Listening/Speaking

Theme: Trip to Iran and participating in Nowruz festival.” Nowruz (new day), which marks the beginning of spring, is widely celebrated in Iran and the neighboring countries of Afghanistan and Tajikistan on New Year (solar calendar). The history of Nowruz goes back to three thousand years. Through interactive activities, learners will explore traditions and customs that are involved with Nowruz celebration. They will learn when Nowruz is celebrated, for how many days, what do families and societies do in order to welcome the start of spring in Nowruz, etc.

The course will target learners at 7-8 grades (12-13 years old); however, activities will be varied in order to differentiate instruction for older learners who are entering the program at the level. For instance, younger children will be exposed to and will practice the language by completing charts, Venn diagram, and matching sentences to images, while older learners will explore more online materials, create advertisements, complete graphic organizers and KWL (Know, Want to know, Learned), and make more detailed presentations on familiar topics.

The curriculum is intended for intensive STARTALK programs (5 days a week, 6 hours per day, including 2 hours for homework and further practice), but can be easily adapted for different time frames such as weekend schools, semester long programs, etc.

In the process of learning, students will read articles and stories, play related games, talk about routine activities, and share their findings with the class the next day. Learners will also interpret works of art, photographs, and pieces of literature (i.e., simple poems, folkloric stories, etc.). In addition, learners will talk and describe their favorite activities and foods during Nowruz. They will further work in pairs or small groups to compare and contrast similarities and differences between New Year celebrations in Iran, Afghanistan, and the United States. They will look at the Nowruz related pictures and predict/brainstorm ideas that may be associated with Nowruz. By the end of the program, learners will be able to talk, read, and write about favorite foods, games, activities, and important places that Iranian people usually visit during Nowruz celebration. They will also be able to retell stories that they have heard from their parents and other members of their families about Nowruz celebration in Iran. Learners will further be able to make short presentations and write the steps that are involved in the celebration.