Arranged Marriage

May 6, 2013 - May 7, 2013
Day 1 & Day 2
Aim: How do you feel about arranged marriages?
Do Now #1: - What are your marriage values?
Complete the following:
Student Survey – Beliefs Relating to Love and Marriage
Demographic Information:
1. Please indicate your age: _
2. Please indicate your gender: male female
3. Please indicate your religious affiliation: Muslim Hindu Christian Atheist/Non-religious Other (Please write in:_)
d. Please indicate your ethnicity / country of origin: __________
Attitudinal Information:
5. What are your feelings toward arranged marriages? _
a. Arranged marriages should be banned because they are not based on love.
b. Arranged marriages are good because parents can make better decisions than their children.
c. Arranged marriages are bad because the children are not allowed to choose their own mate.
d. Other - Please Explain
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. How would you categorize your parents’ relationship? _
a. Happily married
b. Married, but not necessarily happy
c. Living together, but not married
d. Divorced or separated
e. Living apart, never married
f. Widow/Widower
7. Would you agree with your parents' decision to have an arranged marriage? _
a. Yes, I trust my parents' judgment completely.
b. Yes, as long as I can have the final say.
c. No, I am completely against all arranged marriages.
d. No, I could/would not love the person.
8. Do you personally know anyone who has had an arranged marriage?
a. Yes, my own parents
b. Yes, one or more siblings (brothers or sisters)
d. Yes, other relatives outside of my immediate family (aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.)
e. Yes, family friends
f. Yes, people in my community
g. No
9. What are the most important factors in a successful marriage? Rate in order of importance:_
a. Being romantically in love with one another_
b. Being physically attracted to one another_
c. Having similar interests (likes and dislikes)_
d. Having similar beliefs (morals and values / religion, faith, spirituality)_
e. Having similar life goals (career and family)_
f. Being financially secure_
g. Being able to trust your spouse_
h. Getting along with one another’s family_
i. Getting along with one another’s friends_
j. Other: Please explain ________________________________________
10. What is your opinion regarding divorce?_
a. It is wrong. Marriage is a lifetime commitment.
b. It is a very serious decision. Divorce should only happen under extreme circumstances.
c. It is a valid option. Sometimes people make mistakes and shouldn’t have to spend the rest of their life with someone who doesn’t make them happy.
11. What is your opinion regarding cohabitation (living together BEFORE getting married)?_
a. It is wrong.
b. I wouldn’t do it, but I don’t judge others who do.
c. It is a valid option.
d. It helps couples get to know each other better before committing to marriage.
e. It is a great idea. All couples should live together first to make sure they can get along.
12a. What do you think are the benefits of an arranged marriage?
__________________________________

12b. What do you think are the drawbacks of an arranged marriage?

Key Elements you will be using:

Thesis: a subject for a composition or essay.
Evidence: that which tends to prove or disprove something; ground forbelief; proof.
Argument: a statement, reason, or fact for or against a point
Claim: an assertion of something as a fact.
Grounds: foundation or basis of the argument.
Warrant:
Backing:
Qualifier:
Rebuttal:
Synthesize:

Meaning Making #1: Download the files "Why we should love arranged marriage" and "Response to Why We Should Love Arranged Marriage" Work in pairs to jot down notes to show your finding of each element from the list above. Read the text and mark your copies to show where to find each element in this list. Based on your reading, discuss what each one of these elements adds to the larger argument. Why is each important?

Activities:
The Pros and Cons of love Marriage. (activate prior knowledge)
1. Analyze the love marriage with a pro/con T chart.
2. Is love marriage as ideal as it should be? Why or why not?
Read the articles “Why we should love arranged marriage” and “Response to why we should love arranged marriage.”
Work in pairs to jot down notes to show your finding of each element from the list above.
Read the text and mark your copies to show where to find each element in this list.
Based on your reading, discuss what each one of these elements adds to the larger argument.
Why is each important?(think/pair/share)
List reasons why arranged marriage is positive or negative. Write about it.

Exit slip #1: Write one thing that you would like to learn more about arranged marriages.

HW #1: Interview a family member or close friend to learn more about someone else’s view of arranged marriages. Why is the person in favor of or against arranged marriages.

May 8, 2013*
Day 3
Aim: How do arranged marriages differ from forced marriages?

Do now #2: Complete the following Graphic Organizer (directed reading thinking activity):

Topic: Arranged Marriages
_
What I know:

_
What I think I know:

_
What I think I’ll learn:

_
What I know I learned (complete after you watch the videos and read the articles):

________________________________
Watch the following:

Sazia's story

Making Meaning Activity #2: At the end of this animated resource discuss the following within your groups:

1. How do you think Sazia is feeling?

2. What would you do in Sazia’s position and why?

3. Do you think Sazia’s friend Basheera did the right thing?

4. Explore Sazia’s relationship with her parents.

5. Could the teacher Ms Chandra have done more? Could she have done things differently?

Each group should discuss and write down the options available to Sazia

Compare Sazia’s story to the video “Arranged marriage is not forced marriage”:

http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/30/arranged-marriage-is-not-forced-marriage/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/28/matchmaking-vs-arranged-m_n_88958.html

Read the articles “In Syria, marriage as defiance” and “Arranged marriage’ just a click away on Internet” (download from the bottom of the page).

Exit Slip #2: Describe two major differences between an arranged marriage and a forced marriage according to the videos that you watched and the articles that you read.

HW #2: Find and summarize an article about arranged marriages.

May 9, 2013
Day 4

Aim: How can we develop a position statement about arranged marriages?

Do now: Examine the essay prompt and complete the following steps:

Choose one of the following topics and write an argumentative essay on it:

Is romance an untrustworthy factor in choosing a marriage partner?

Are arranged marriages a social and economic necessity?

Sketch out the argument essay by:
Writing a brief position statement
Listing their claims, backed up by evidence from the source you have read and developed
Addressing important counterclaims that you have read
Writing a brief conclusion.
Argument Essay Assignment: You have read information from several sources, heard from other young people, (and done some research and thinking about marriage in your own life or in world affairs). Consider what all these different sources say about arranged marriages. Include specific quotes and facts from the documents to support your claim! The final essay is due on Friday May 10, 2013.
What are the benefits?
What are the dangers?
For the lives of young people? And for a larger society?
Write a short (750 words) essay in which you:
Explains what’s at stake: Why does this issue matter?
Develop and state your own position
Defend your position with a range of different types of evidence (interview, observations, research data, and newspaper reports, etc.)
Include research that you may have conducted
Draw your own conclusions about the effects of arranged marriages on young people and the world
Use a chart such as the following or you can write out the "bare bones" of your argument.
____________________
My position statement:

_
Claim and evidence:

_
Claim and evidence:

_
Claim and evidence:

_
Counterclaim and response:

_
Conclusion:

_______________________________________

Once you have the major moves in your argument organized, consider the earlier questions about writing effective arguments, such as:
What draws a reader into an argument?
Are there only pro and con arguments?
Could a writer take another kind of position?
To make an effective argument does a writer need to focus in on a specific issue? For instance, is it really possible to talk about all media as if they were the same?
What is the most effective way different kinds of evidence could be used?
What makes an interesting conclusion? Is it just a summary or can you introduce new questions or ideas for readers to think about?