Language Arts
The 1001 Nights
In addition to the stories mentioned in Shadow Spinner , Shahrazad told many other tales. What are some of the most famous stories Shahrazad told? Learn your favorite one and tell it to your classmates—dramatically, as Shahrazad did.
The Importance of Stories
Marjan says, “Stories can save your life.” After reading the “Lessons for Life and Storytelling,” list some ways in which stories are important. Illustrate with examples from what happens to
Marjan and other characters in Shadow Spinner . Can you think of examples from your own life?

Social Studies
Messenger Pigeons
Zaynab sends messages by means of pigeons. How do people train pigeons to carry messages?
How are the messages attached? Nowadays, many people race pigeons. How do the pigeons know where to go? To find out about an organization of people who race homing pigeons, check out the American Racing Pigeon Union at www.pigeon.org
. (Possibly a member of this organization might be willing to visit your classroom.)
Messenger pigeons were also used extensively in World War I. Some messenger pigeons were decorated for valor in World War II. Tell how and why they were used.
What other means of long-distance communication were used in the ancient world?
History/Religion--Islam
The people in Shadow Spinner are of the Islamic faith. Who originated this religion? When?
Who are the “people of the book”? What is the Muslim holy book? What are the “Five Pillars of
Islam?” What is a moazzen?
Food - Sharbat
Zaynab serves Mitra sharbat. What is sharbat? How is it made? Make some sharbat and see how it tastes. (Recipe at this link?)
Can you find out how, in the ancient Middle East, people could have ice in their sharbat?
Rooftop Living
Zaynab lives on the roof of a palace. Many people in the Middle East use roofs as living spaces.
Can you find pictures of what some of these roof living spaces look like? Why, in the Middle
East, are the roofs usually flat rather than angled? Why might people like to spend time on their roofs?
Social Studies—the Bazaar
Mitra looks for the storyteller in the bazaar. In many Middle Eastern countries, the bazaar is the equivalent of our shopping mall. Find out about Middle Eastern bazaars. What do they look like? What kinds of goods are sold there? What kinds of containers is the merchandise displayed in? Taken home in? Are prices set or do customers bargain?
You could have a bazaar day (“It’s Bazaar!”) in your classroom, in which students bring merchandise (limits set by you!), set up booths, and bargain with their classmates, perhaps with scrip.
Social Studies/Technology - Ancient Baths
Mitra is taken directly to the baths upon entering the harem. Find out more about old Middle
Eastern baths. How do they differ from old Roman baths? What technologies are necessary to create them?

There are many fountains in Shadow Spinner , yet there were no electric pumps at the time. How did the fountains work?