Snow Lesson Plan

Many people (especially from a far-away Western country like the U.S.) associate the Middle East with a hot, desert climate. However, the novel opens with a blizzard. How might starting the book with snow challenge a person’s assumptions about a place like Turkey? What are some benefits of challenging assumptions when reading about a culture you don’t know much about?

A lot of students will likely be surprised that it snows in Turkey. After all, Turkey is generally associated with the Middle East, which many people associate with a hot, desert climate. Placing a blizzard at the opening of the novel may remind students of just how much they don’t know, challenging their...