Concerning Iraq Sept. 29

Class B completed the bellwrite (#13) from class on Thursday. We spent some time evaluating the article we read on the War in Iraq and reviewing parent interviews. We also spent some time considering how covert CIA operations actually helped put Saddam Hussein in power in Iraq and make it possible for Iraq to use chemical weapons against Iranian troops. Students generated questions based on what they learned:

• How did the Middle Eastern conflicts get started?
• Why did the U.S. oppose Iran in the Iraq-Iran War?
• What was Saddam's childhood like?
• Why did Saddam attack the Kurds?
• Where did the state of Iraq come from?
• Why were Iraq and Iran fighting a war?

Class A also reviewed parent interviews. Students then began sharing the answers they found to the following questions they generated in class on Thursday:

• Why did Saddam kill/use gas on the Kurds?
• Why would the U.S. help Iraq in it's war against Iran?
• What is the U.N.'s position on Middle Eastern conflicts?
• What does President Obama have to say about the situation in Iraq and Syria?

We learned about how Western nations drew national boundaries in the Middle East following WWI. These boundaries grouped members of different ethnic groups in a way that fomented discontent. This was partly a result of the European policy of "divide and conquer" as well as the intent to protect European oil interests in the region.  This helps explain why Kurds would resist the Sunni-led government of Saddam Hussein.

Both classes considered the passage from The Chosen on pp.174-75 which deals with Reuven's rescue of the fly caught in a spider web. We saw a connection to Danny's thoughts on pp. 84-85 where he compares humans to ants. Perhaps these humans play the role of God with regards to these insects. Reuven may be questioning the meaning of suffering, particularly since he has just learned that young, innocent Billy has become blind for life.

Homework:
Class A: Read Chapter 11 of The Chosen in preparation for our first literature seminar tomorrow.
Class B: Research one of the questions we generated in class today. Prepare to share what you have learned with the rest of the class tomorrow.

Both classes: write one transition sentence linking body paragraphs 2 and 3 of the sample student essay from Writing Portfolio on Thursday.