Teaching Resources

CMES offers a variety of resources to help K-14 educators teach their classes about Middle Eastern culture, history, and society.

K-12 Lesson Plans

Search for comprehensive lesson plans by grade, content area, and country.

K-12 Teaching Resources

Middle Eastern teaching resources by K-12 subjects like social studies and AP History.

Background & Information Sheets

Prep material for high school and college classes, or to distribute as student handouts.

Film Guides

"Children of Heaven"

  • From Iran. Persian with English subtitles. Appropriate for late elementary - adult.
  • Cross-curricular lessons developed by Journeys in Film.

"Daughter of Keltoum"

"Excuse My French"

"Free Men" 

"The Kite"

"Persepolis"

In French with English subtitles (but a true story of a girl/young woman growing up in Iran during and after the Revolution).  Appropriate for high school and adults.

"Santa Claus in Baghdad"

  • In English. Created for middle school and high school students. You need to provide a quick background on sanctions in Iraq in order for young people to fully understand the story.
    • Lessons developed by the Global Media Literacy Project.

"Slingshot Hip Hop"


Crises and Countering Islamophobia

View this list as a PDF.

Short “myth and fact” pages:

Muslim statements condemning terrorism:

Muslim Women:

Scholarly Information on Various Aspects of Islam:

  • “For Studying Islam and the Diverse Perspectives of Muslims.” Islam and Islamic Studies Resources. http://islam.uga.edu/

Opposing Islamophobia:

Title VI National Resource Centers in Middle Eastern Studies

Title VI National Resource Centers in Middle Eastern Studies are funded by the Department of Education and charged with committing resources to Middle East outreach. For more information, see the complete list of centers.