Students are introduced to Malala Yousafzai and the story of her love of education, her blog, the Taliban attack on her, her Nobel Peace Prize, and her ongoing work for girls' education throughout the world. Then they will write their own blog post or op-ed piece explaining why girls' education matters.
Students consider a brief scenario about losing everyday rights, then read an introduction to Malala Yousafzai and the lesson objectives. They examine a photo of Malala and post what they know (or think they know) about her on a class wall. Students then watch the trailer for He Named Me Malala and add a question they have about Malala and her life to a shared class table.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the experience by connecting the opening scenario to students’ own lives and by reviewing the objectives. Prompt students to share prior knowledge about Malala without correcting or confirming details yet. After showing the trailer, encourage students to generate thoughtful questions about Malala’s life and experiences, explaining that these will guide their learning in upcoming scenes.
Students read Malala’s Story to learn about key events in her life and why she is viewed as a modern-day hero. As they read, they complete a concept map by noting five important events or points from her life and highlighting the one they think is most important in the center. They then respond on a class wall to explain how the Taliban’s attack on Malala backfired.
Teacher MovesGuide students in close reading of Malala’s biography, prompting them to identify turning points and their significance. Support students in selecting and justifying the most important event on their concept maps. Facilitate partner or whole-class discussion about how the attack increased global attention to Malala’s cause and strengthened advocacy for girls’ education.
Students read excerpts from Malala’s Blog to understand her experiences at school and in her community under Taliban influence. They post responses on a class wall explaining what the blog reveals about the society in which she was living.
Teacher MovesSupport students in interpreting the blog excerpts as a source about social and cultural conditions in Malala’s community. Highlight strong or insightful student responses and use them to prompt discussion about daily life, restrictions, and risks faced by girls seeking education.
Students read Girls’ Education to learn more about Malala’s ongoing activism and global efforts to secure safe, quality education for girls. Drawing on what they have learned, they write a blog post or op-ed for a local audience explaining why safe and quality education for every girl matters.
Teacher MovesEmphasize Malala’s role as a global activist and connect her story to broader issues of girls’ education worldwide. Provide guidance on crafting an effective blog post or op-ed, including audience, purpose, and use of evidence from the lesson. Invite students to share exemplary pieces with the class and, if possible, encourage them to submit or publish their work using the suggested how-to guide from the student materials.
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