TCLP Arabic Teacher Hanan Gawdat received a Critical Language Project Grant for a cross-curricular project to give Southern Lehigh Arabic students from 7th -12th grade the opportunity to study ancient and modern Egyptian arts. Ms. Gawdat, in coordination with the art teachers at Southern Lehigh Middle School, taught art classes about the influence of Islamic and Arabic art in the world. Art students then wrote in Arabic on glass lanterns that were hung around the school. Art classes are also producing a canvas mural to be hung up in the middle school.
Integrating these lessons into 7th and 8th grade art classes has allowed Ms. Gawdat to reach a large audience of students beyond her Arabic classes. Her Arabic classes furthered their study of Arabic and Islamic art by taking a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and then presenting what they learned at a school-wide assembly. Additionally, students in Egypt were able to connect with an Arabic class at Southern Lehigh and spoke in Arabic and English about their field trip and some of the art work that the Southern Lehigh students created. Gawdat’s project made it possible for students at Southern Lehigh to learn about the impact and traditions of Arabic art, which has in turn increased enrollment in Arabic classes for next year.