Islands of Gold

Note: I have cross posted this article on my new View Point at SchoolNet.com.

The Washington Post is running an article entitled, "Defending Old Ways on an Oasis in the Nile." The article states, "Neither the military nor the government has told the island's residents who wants the farmland or why, farmer Maher Yusef Ibrahim Gomaa said last week. "They only said they want to hit us over the head and throw us into the waters," Gomaa added bitterly...The seizure of land has opened another front in the elemental battle of life in Egypt: the losing struggle of poverty against power."

Read the Article!!


Discussion Starters:

Ask students to respond to the following statement: "Old fashion ways of life were not as good as our way of life today." Do students think that this statement is correct or fair? Why/why not?

What can we learn about water from this article?

Who do students think will win the traditional farmers or the Egyptian army and government? Why? What can we learn about the battle between tradition and development from the Island of Gold?

Ask students to imagine that they lived on the Island of Gold. What argument would they make in an effort to persuade the Egyptian government to leave them alone?

If students could incorporate one behavior that would have been considered typical 100 years ago, but is no longer considered typical, into their lives today, what behavior would they choose? Challenge them to explain their opinions.

Vocabulary terms to discuss: Tradition; Venue; Oblivious; and, Goad.