Are you looking for some great Amal Unbound teaching ideas? You’ve come to the right place.
Aisha Saeed tells the fascinating story of a twelve-year-old girl who becomes a servant for the evil Jawad Sahid, the son of the Khan family.
After Amal’s mother had a fifth girl, she became depressed and wouldn’t get out of bed. Amal had to leave school to take care of the house and her younger sisters. One day when she needed a few minutes to herself, Amal went to the market. She was feeling glum about leaving school, so she bought a pomegranate as a special treat just for herself. When leaving the market, a car hit Amal. A man got out of the car and started yelling at her. He then wanted to take her pomegranate as a treat for his mother. Amal refused to give it to him and ran home.
The man turned out to be Jawad Sahid, the son of the Khan family. He came to Amal’s home and told her father he must pay what he owed his family, or Amal would be taken to his estate to work as a servant until his debts were paid off. Since Amal’s father didn’t have the money, she had to go work for Jawad. At the Khan estate, Amal was assigned the job of maidservant for Jawad’s mother, Nasreen Baji. Thankfully, she was much kinder than her son.
Read Amal Unbound to learn how she copes working for the Khan family.
Amal Unbound Teaching Ideas
Book Unit Samples
If you would like to try out the Amal Unbound Book Unit, this download contains free samples including:
- Vocabulary Practice for Chapters 1-3
- Comprehension Questions for Chapters 1-3
- Constructed Response Question for Chapters 1-3
Teaching Idea #1 – Audio Book
Amal Unbound Teaching Idea #2 – Art Projects
Have students create a piece of art inspired by the book. This can include painting, drawing, or collage.
Creative Khadija shows how to create several crafts from Pakistan:
- This coloring page has the look of the book cover. Click here to go to the Crayola website to download the page.
- Have students create a painting or drawing of a famous landmark in Pakistan. This could be the Badshahi Mosque or the Lahore Fort. Encourage them to learn about the history and significance of the landmark as they create their artwork.
- Henna is a traditional form of body art in Pakistan. Encourage students to create their own henna designs using paper and markers or paint. If possible, provide actual henna for students to try on their skin.
- Have students create a painting inspired by the colorful and intricate designs found on Pakistani trucks. Encourage them to use bright colors, patterns, and motifs to create a unique and vibrant piece of art.
Teaching Idea #3 – The Book’s Characters, Setting, and Theme
Storyboard That includes characters, setting, theme, and more.
Students can learn about the main characters:
- Amal: the main protagonist
- Nabila: Amal’s best friend
- Mrs. Khan: Amal’s mother
- Jawad Sahib: the antagonist of the story
- Sister Sheba: mentor to Amal.
- Fatima: One of Amal’s fellow servants
Setting: The story is set in the rural village of Charkhi, located in the Punjab region of Pakistan.
Themes:
- Gender: Girls and women face many challenges in a society where their opportunities and choices are often limited.
- Social class: Inequality exists in Pakistani society.
- Education: Education can transform lives and create opportunities.
- Resilience: Individuals can overcome adversity through determination, perseverance, and courage.
Teaching Idea #4 – Author and Publisher Resources
Teaching Idea #5 – Book Review
Colby Sharp provides book reviews for many books on his YouTube channel.
Teaching Idea #6 – Culture
- In her blog post Connecting with Cultures through Traditional Games, Julie Yeros describes how to play five traditional Pakistani games.
- Pakistani music is diverse and includes many different styles, such as qawwali and ghazal.
- Pakistan has many vibrant and colorful festivals throughout the year, such as Eid al-Fitr and Basant. Have students create a painting or drawing inspired by a Pakistani festival, using bright colors and patterns to capture the energy and excitement of the celebration.
See the product that inspired this post.
Amal Unbound Novel Study: Digital + Printable Book Unit includes vocabulary practice, comprehension questions, constructed response writing, and skill practice.
