Welcome to Islamic Civilizations in the Middle Ages - A 7th grade Unit for California-History Social Science
California Content Standards
7.2 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Islam in the Middle Ages.
- Identify the physical features and describe the climate of the Arabian peninsula, its relationship to surrounding bodies of land and water, and nomadic and sedentary ways of life.
- Trace the origins of Islam and the life and teachings of Muhammad, including Islamic teachings on the connection with Judaism and Christianity.
- Explain the significance of the Qur'an and the Sunnah as the primary sources of Islamic beliefs, practice, and law, and their influence in Muslims' daily life.
- Discuss the expansion of Muslim rule through military conquests and treaties, emphasizing the cultural blending within Muslim civilization and the spread and acceptance of Islam and the Arabic language.
- Describe the growth of cities and the establishment of trade routes among Asia, Africa, and Europe, the products and inventions that traveled along these routes (e.g., spices, textiles, paper, steel, new crops), and the role of merchants in Arab society.
- Understand the intellectual exchanges among Muslim scholars of Eurasia and Africa and the contributions Muslim scholars made to later civilizations in the areas of science, geography, mathematics, philosophy, medicine, art, and literature.
Common Core State Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.3 Identify key steps in a text’s description of a process related to history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how interest rates are raised or lowered).
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.5 Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially, comparatively, causally).
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.6 Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7 Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.8 Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2 Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2a Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories as appropriate to achieving purpose; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2b Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2c Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2e Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2f Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Essential historical Questions
How are Islam, Judaism, and Christianity related? How have their differences been interpreted?
How did the expansion of Islamic civilizations affect Europe, Asia, and Africa (particularly in the Mediterranean)? Were cultures, trade, and political relationships affected?
How did geography help and hinder the growth of Islamic civilizations and the expansion Islam?
How did the expansion of Islamic civilizations affect Europe, Asia, and Africa (particularly in the Mediterranean)? Were cultures, trade, and political relationships affected?
How did geography help and hinder the growth of Islamic civilizations and the expansion Islam?
Big Ideas
1. There are fundamental similarities and origins between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Throughout history, the differences have been interpreted differently - often involving violent conflicts even today.
2. The expansion of Islamic civilizations reached into Asia, as far as Spain, and into Africa. A lot of this interaction took place in the Mediterranean due to the geography of Islamic civilization settlements. Trade routes changed, political relationships shifted, Islamic culture developed roots in several nations, and, for a time, Muslims dominated trade in the Mediterranean (until the Age of Exploration when the Mediterranean became almost obsolete in comparison to trade in the Americas).
3. Being on the rim of the Mediterranean, traveling and conquering regions was much easier. Although, once the Americas were discovered, these civilizations and trade routes were limited to the Mediterranean and the isolated Asian nations.
2. The expansion of Islamic civilizations reached into Asia, as far as Spain, and into Africa. A lot of this interaction took place in the Mediterranean due to the geography of Islamic civilization settlements. Trade routes changed, political relationships shifted, Islamic culture developed roots in several nations, and, for a time, Muslims dominated trade in the Mediterranean (until the Age of Exploration when the Mediterranean became almost obsolete in comparison to trade in the Americas).
3. Being on the rim of the Mediterranean, traveling and conquering regions was much easier. Although, once the Americas were discovered, these civilizations and trade routes were limited to the Mediterranean and the isolated Asian nations.
Assessment Plan
Analyze maps concerning the Arabian Peninsula (classwork).
Participate in a debate on whether you would rather live in a Nomadic tribe or Sedentary Tribe (classwork).
Create a story of the life of Muhammad or the origins of Islam using www.toondoo.com (classwork)
Provide a written analysis of the Qu'ran and Sunnah (classwork/homework)
Create a map that highlights the expansion of Islamic civilizations at different time periods and the trade routes used at that time. (classwork/homework)
Write a written 5 paragraph research paper identifying and analyzing the significance of the cultural blending that resulted from Muslim military conquests highlighting one trade product (food, art, tools, etc.), one invention, and one example of intellectual exchange. (primarily classwork/typing will be homework)
Culminating Project: create a creative timeline outlining 5 significant moments in Islam history (homework)
Participate in a debate on whether you would rather live in a Nomadic tribe or Sedentary Tribe (classwork).
Create a story of the life of Muhammad or the origins of Islam using www.toondoo.com (classwork)
Provide a written analysis of the Qu'ran and Sunnah (classwork/homework)
Create a map that highlights the expansion of Islamic civilizations at different time periods and the trade routes used at that time. (classwork/homework)
Write a written 5 paragraph research paper identifying and analyzing the significance of the cultural blending that resulted from Muslim military conquests highlighting one trade product (food, art, tools, etc.), one invention, and one example of intellectual exchange. (primarily classwork/typing will be homework)
Culminating Project: create a creative timeline outlining 5 significant moments in Islam history (homework)