Lesson Plan: Exploring Culture through Music in the MENA Region

In this lesson, students analyze the term ‘culture’ and a series of songs from the MENA region to identify cultural components of this incredibly rich and diverse region. Through their analysis of song lyrics, students will understand how political events and societal beliefs have and continue to shape the region's music and draw parallels between popular culture in the US and MENA region. This lesson is intended for high school students and can be implemented in one ninety-minute class period or two fifty-minute class periods. Teachers are offered various options for implementation and a series of extension activities are also included.