Beyond Our Borders

Gr 6—10—This program does a good job of introducing Istanbul and Turkey's southwest coast, but the rest of the country is ignored. The first half of the film focuses on Istanbul, showing several impressive mosques and palaces, as well as parts of the modern city. The segments most likely to capture students' interest are those about the Turkish baths and the whirling dervishes. Several times it is mentioned that Istanbul is a city with a "buzz" to it, but that excitement doesn't come across. The second part focuses on Turkey's picturesque Aegean coast. Viewers without a keen interest in archaeology may soon tire of the succession of spectacular excavated Roman cities, such as Ephesus. There are also brief glimpses of statues of naked Greek or Roman gods. Maps show the locations highlighted, and unfamiliar words are defined. While a some statistical are given in the Istanbul segment, few facts about Turkey are mentioned in the rest of the film.—David Bilmes, Schaghticoke Middle School, New Milford, CT