Explore The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif through this comprehensive 6-deck study unit, designed around discussion, interpretation and active learning rather than worksheets.

This resource includes six analysis packs covering context; themes; character; language features and narrative structure; teaching sequence; and analytical paragraph exemplars.

Students explore:
• Najaf Mazari’s context within Afghan history, Taliban persecution of the Hazara people, and the journey of asylum seekers to Australia, including detention at Woomera
• Themes including displacement and survival, cultural identity and tradition (particularly the art of rug making), persecution and resilience, the Australian immigration and detention system, and hope amid trauma
• Character analysis of Najaf, his family, and the significance of collaborator Robert Hillman’s role in shaping the memoir’s telling
• Language features and narrative structure, including the memoir’s collaborative dual-authorship, its blending of personal testimony with Afghan cultural and political history, and symbolic use of rug making and its patterns
• A ready-to-teach sequence guiding lesson flow across the unit
• Exemplar analytical paragraphs modelling strong textual analysis for student reference

Includes rich learning activities such as debates, scene analysis, collaborative tasks, visual literacy activities, retrieval practice, exemplar analysis and essay planning.

Teaching approach
This resource is activity-based rather than a scripted lesson-by-lesson program. Teachers can select and adapt tasks to suit their classroom needs, with an emphasis on discussion, interpretation and collaborative analytical learning.
Content note: This unit deals with persecution, violence, and the trauma of detention and displacement. Please approach with sensitivity and preview before use.
File information
• Non-editable PDF
• Not an editable PowerPoint
How to use
• Upload to your LMS for digital learning
• Print selected pages for classroom use
• Display pages to guide discussion and activities
• Adapt in presentation or design platforms if desired (formatting may vary)