Geography and History of the Arabian Peninsula, and Overview of Islam
After completing this lesson students will be able to explain the rise and spread of Islam and major characteristics of Muslim civilization.  They will also, identify the basic beliefs and practices of Islam and and explain their relationship to Muslim life, culture and civilization.

Creating a Textile Museum Piece from the Islamic Empire
In this lesson students will create a drawing of an Islamic textile piece from the height of the Islamic Empire. Students will then describe the textile designs as symbolic representations of life in Islam during the 11th and 12th centuries.

Islam: History, Society, and Civilization
 In this lesson, students review facts about the Crusades, the Muslim sultan Saladin, and the impact of the holy wars on the Europeans, summarize and respond to a Christian or Muslim account from the period; and compare and discuss two points of view.

The five (5) lessons below are from the PBS' educational resources on  "Islam: Empire of Faith" link featured on their "Empires" website. The "Empires" page contains information on many more of the world's important civilizations, religions, and people.

Lesson 1: An Introduction to Islam and Muhammad
In this lesson, students will have the opportunity to compare the three main monotheistic belief systems and create a chart showing their findings and will have the opportunity to expand their vocabulary as it relates to The Growth of Islam and Muhammad.

Lesson 2: The Fascinating World of Islam
In this lesson, students will be introduced to the Islamic culture while viewing the PBS video series "Islam: Empire of Faith" and will have to research aspects of the world of Islam using the Internet, library books, and other research tools.

Lesson 3: Creating a Textile Museum Piece from the Islamic Empire
In this lesson, students create a drawing of an Islamic textile piece from the height of the Islamic Empire and describe the textile designs as symbolic representations of life in Islam during the 11th and 12th centuries.

Lesson 4: Great Thinkers and Accomplishments of Islam Fact Cubes
After viewing parts two and three of the PBS video series "Islam: Empire of Faith," students will research specific topics associated with Islamic culture using the Internet, library books, and various research tools.

Lesson 5: Renaissance Man Comparison Poster
In this activity, students will have the opportunity to create a poster comparing two "Renaissance Men," one of them being the Sultan Suleiman. After the poster is complete, the student will research a Renaissance man from the 15th century Ottoman empire and from 15th century Italy.

Islamic World: Islamic History Sites
Contains a useful set of links to sites on Islamic History.

Maps to Support the Study of History - 6th to 18th Centuries
Here is a set of thirty maps that support the study of world history from the 6th century to the 18th century, from the fall of Rome to the expansion of Russia.

World Cultures to 1500: Islam
A terrific overview of Ancient and Medieval History can be found at this online course, based at Washington State University. It offers clear and informative lecture notes, maps, a photo gallery, timelines, links to relevant sites, and more. Click Contents.

ArabNet - The Resource for the Arab World in the Middle East and North Africa:
This site provides excellent general information on Arab countries, including history, geography, and culture, has a set of useful links and special features.

Internet Islamic History Sourcebook
The Internet History Sourcebooks are wonderful collections of public-domain and copyright-permitted historical texts for educational use . The Islamic Sourcebook's documents are well organized and the breadth of the collection is impressive.

The Hajj: Islam's Journey of Faith
This site's purpose is to provide information about Muslim's holy pilgrimage to Mecca.

Muslim Scientists, Mathematicians, and Astronomers
Much of the site focuses on Islamic contributions to learning, but there are many helpful history-related sections and features.

Global Connections
The site includes original materials created in conjunction with the Centers for Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard and UCLA.

Middle East:Centuries of Conflict
Part of the CNN.com Archives, this site is an excellent introduction to strife in the Mid East -- past and present.

Understanding Islam
This AP Digital production from AP Press provides a multimedia introduction to Islam, including its origins, growth, leaders, pillars, prayer and more. Hear a Muslim prayer.

Mr. Dowling's Electronic Passport: Crusades and the Rise of Islam
Mr. Dowling's Electronic Passport helps kids browse the world in his virtual classroom. He introduces you to many civilizations with clear explanations, engaging graphics for kids, and "cool links". His study guides, homework assignments and exams are free and available for you to print or to edit.
 

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