He Named Me Malala Curriculum Guide
He Named Me Malala is an intimate portrait of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Taliban and severely wounded by a gunshot when returning home on her school bus in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. The then 15-year-old (born in 1997) was singled out, along with her father, for advocating for girls’ education, and the attack on her sparked an outcry from supporters around the world. She miraculously survived and is now a leading campaigner for girls’ education globally as co-founder of the Malala Fund.
He Named Me Malala is an excellent film to share with classes in English language arts, world history, and other social studies classes. Lessons included in this guide are meant to be used both before and after showing the film, to give students context, to interpret the film, and to examine the issues that Malala Yousafzai cares so passionately about. (Please note that all lessons have been planned to align with Common Core standards.) Most of the heroes in your students’ world probably come from the entertainment and sports worlds; here is an opportunity for them to learn about a hero of a different kind, a teenager who fought at the risk of her own life for the right to an education.
The learning goals inherent in this curriculum guide go beyond merely understanding the documentary film and even beyond learning about the extraordinary life and goals of Malala Yousafzai. This guide can be a tool for learning about everyone’s right to a quality education and about developing a dedication to ensuring human rights around the globe.
