Arab American Heritage in the ELA Classroom

In celebration of National Arab American Heritage Month this April, we’ve curated a selection of NCTE award-winning books, book rationales, and classroom resources and lesson plans to uplift Arab American history, culture, scholarship, and literature. 

On April 30 at 7:00 p.m. ET, NCTE members are invited to join English Language Arts Teacher Educators (ELATE) for an online event, “From Egypt to Palestine: Celebrating Arab Heritage in Teaching and Teacher Education,” with author Hannah Moushabeck and Dr. Sawsan Jaber. Members will learn about Arab regions in the world, gain practical strategies for integrating Arab and Palestinian literature, and access booklists to expand their text sets and curricula. Learn more and register. 

Books Recognized by NCTE’s Children’s Book and Poetry Awards 

Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi
This title was named one of NCTE’s 2025 Notable Poetry Books and Verse Novels. 

The Turtle of Michigan by Naomi Shihab Nye
This title was a 2023 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award® for Outstanding Fiction for Children Recommended Book. See the associated NCTE book rationale. 

Together by Mona Damluji
This title was named one of NCTE’s 2022 Notable Poetry Books and Verse Novels.

The Arabic Quilt by Aya Khalil; illustrated by Anait Semirdzhyan
This title was a 2021 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award® for Outstanding Fiction for Children Recommended Book. See the associated NCTE book rationale.  

Cast Away: Poems for Our Times by Naomi Shihab Nye
This title was named one of NCTE’s 2021 Notable Poetry Books and Verse Novels. 

The Turtle of Oman by Naomi Shihab Nye
This title was named one of NCTE’s 2015 Notable Poetry Books and Verse Novels. 

NCTE Book Rationales 

NCTE’s book rationales are available to members only. Not a member? Join today.

These Olive Trees: A Palestinian Family’s Story by Aya Ghanameh (grades preK–2) 

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga (grades 4–7) 

Classroom Resources and Lesson Plans from ReadWriteThink.org  

Building Arab Americans’ Cultural Identity and Acceptance With Children’s Literature
This article provides information to help elementary teachers learn about the Arab culture, select books about Arabs and Arab Americans, and use this literature to promote cultural awareness and improve comprehension. 

Cultural Connections and Writing for Change (grades 3–5)
Awareness and true understanding of other cultures can create the desire to take action. In this lesson, students learn about Palestinian Arabs. 

Young Adult Literature about the Middle East: A Cultural Response Perspective (grades 6–8)
Adapted from Sheryl L. Finkle and Tamara J. Lilly’s Middle Ground: Exploring Selected Literature from and about the Middle East, this variation on traditional literature circles exposes students to a variety of young adult fiction from and about the Middle East. 

A Portrait of Our World: Making Connections and Developing Comprehension (grades 6–8)
Engage middle school students in a meaningful study of the lives of students from across the globe through the use of contemporary nonfiction and fiction. 

Pictures Tell the Story: Improving Comprehension with Persepolis (grades 9–12)
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and assess the impact of visual elements on their comprehension of the beginning of the story, while exploring the recent history of the Middle East as presented by Satrapi.

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