Lesson Plan: History Makers - Malala Yousafzai

Learning Objective

Students will understand how Malala Yousafzai stood up for girls’ right to go to school.

Text Structure

Profile, Sequence

Content-Area Connections

Social Studies, World History

Standards Correlations

CCSS: RI.4.1, RI.4.2, RI.4.3, RI.4.4, RI.4.5, RI.4.6, RI.4.7, RI.4.8, RI.4.10, L.4.4, SL.4.1

NCSS: Global Connections

TEKS: Social Studies 4.21

1. Preparing to Read

Watch a Video: Malala’s Fight for Education

Discuss: Why do you think many people consider Malala an inspiration?

Preview Words to Know

Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

  • terrorist 
  • empowered 


Set a Purpose for Reading

As students read, have them think about why education is important to Malala.

2. Close-Reading Questions

1. Why did going to school become dangerous for Malala? Cite text evidence to support your answer.
In 2007, a terrorist group called the Taliban took control of the area where Malala lived. The Taliban said girls couldn’t go to school. The article says that they “threatened or punished anyone who disobeyed them.”
(RI.4.1 TEXT EVIDENCE)

2. What events led to Malala’s becoming a target of the Taliban?
Malala became a target of the Taliban after she spoke out in support of girls’ education. She wrote a blog on the topic and was interviewed on TV.
(RI.4.3 CONNECTING EVENTS)

3. How does Malala continue the work she began when she was younger?
Malala has traveled to speak out in support of education for all. She and her father founded the Malala Fund to help kids around the world go to school.
(RI.4.2 KEY DETAILS)

3. Skill Building

FEATURED SKILL: Text Evidence

Use the Skill Builder “All About Malala Yousafzai” to have students complete a biographical profile of Malala. 

(RI.4.1 TEXT EVIDENCE)

Text-to-Speech