A Note for Educators
With origins dating back to the end of the ancient world and with expressions that span the globe, gathering reliable information needed to effectively present this subject can be daunting. These lesson plans are a beginning. To achieve a deeper understanding about Islam and Muslims, a collection of resources, including films and documentaries that can be shown in the classroom, are recommended.
Further Educational Resources
Public Broadcasting Services (PBS)
An excellent source for a wide array of films and lesson plans on Islam and associated topics is found on PBS.org. PBS is the premier source of educational documentaries and many are accompanied by extensive websites and lesson plans. Below are several websites that contain lesson plans developed for teachers to use in conjunction with documentaries aired on PBS.
Cities of Light: The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain
A PBS documentary that takes viewers through an engaging, insightful journey into this critical period in world history. This film tells the story when Muslims, Jews and Christians lived together and prospered in a thriving multicultural civilization in Medieval Spain. Learn how remarkable individuals of different faiths made lasting contributions in poetry, art, architecture, music, dining etiquette, science, agriculture, medicine, engineering, navigation, textiles, and even hydraulic technology. This website allows you to further explore this significant past to better understand the present. Get the film and the multiple resources all for free. Participate in a unique learning experience and engage in a Classroom Film Evaluation project.
America at a Crossroads
A film series accompanied by a discussion guide that explores the challenges confronting the post-9/11 world — including the war on terrorism; the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan; the experience of American troops serving abroad; the struggle for balance within the Muslim world; and global perspectives on America’s role overseas.
Islam: Empire of Faith
A documentary created by PBS highlighting the Golden Age of Islamic Civilization. Visit the site for lesson plans to be used in conjunction with the film.
Frontline: Muslims
A PBS documentary that explores the different faces of Islam worldwide. Get a free lesson plan to accompany the documentary.
The Islam Project
A multimedia effort aimed at schools, communities, and individuals who want a clearer understanding of Islam. The project compromises two PBS documentaries and a film.
Muhammad Legacy of a Prophet
This documentary relates the story of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad through the voices of contemporary American Muslims who are trying to live out his example in post-9/11 United States.
Muslim Teens Talk
A film that provides a diverse picture of Muslim teens in America and discussion guides on how stereotypes are formed, the impact it has on American Muslim teens trying to fit in and ways to fight prejudice.
Find extensive lesson plans on a vast array of topics covered in the video productions.
Unity Productions: Working for Peace in the Media
Prince Among Slaves
A film that relates the true story of a noble Muslim prince from Africa who is captured, brought to the antebellum United States and sold as a slave to a landowner who could barely read.
Council of Islamic Education
The Council on Islamic Education is dedicated to providing teachers resources that effectively and accurately portray Islam and Muslims. To find an array of up-to date essays, lesson plans, useful links and other resources about Islam and Muslims from a historical perspective to present day visit: www.cie.org
World History Lesson Plans
Below is a list of publications and accompanying websites containing complete online lesson plans with correlations to National and State Standards of Learning.
The Emergence of the Renaissance: The Story of Classical Knowledge and Its Transfer Before the Renaissance
A collection of teaching resources that links your classroom to a wealth of recent scholarship and historical thinking including hemispheric trade, the history of science, art, literature, architecture. Find lesson plans on the role of Islam in classical knowledge and the Renaissance.
Beyond A Thousand and One Nights
A collection of primary source material taken from the writings of Muslim scholars, scientists, and historians. This collections is the perfect resource for any educator who wants to give their students an authentic introduction to the scope and variety of Muslim scholarship through the centuries. The following teaching units have been co-published with the National Center for History in the Schools at UCLA and can be purchased or downloaded through that Center at Images of the Orient: 19th Century European Travelers to Muslim Lands. This was developed by CIE and co-published by the National Center for History in the Schools at UCLA and provides a first-hand look, through historical primary sources, at the experiences of Europeans traveling to distant lands. Students gain insight into how the works of these travelers influenced the perception of Islam and Muslims in Europe from the nineteenth century onwards.
Muslim Women Through the Centuries
This provides a first hand look, through historical primary sources, at the rights accorded to women by Islam, at how gender issues were actually addressed in classical Muslim society, and at the diverse roles that Muslim women played historically. Lesson topics include: Women's Rights and Protections in Islam, Gender Roles and Women's Identities in Muslim Society, Muslim Women Leaders Through the Centuries, Famous Muslim Women as Role Models.
The Crusades from European and Muslim Perspectives
This provides a first-hand look, through historical primary sources, at the various types of cultural interactions that took place during the Crusades. Lesson topics include Crusaders Living in Muslim Lands, Crusader Meets Mujahid: The Military Encounter, Salah al-Din (Saladin): An Ideal Muslim Leade\,Ideals and Motivations for the Crusades, and the Muslim Response, Glimpses of Women's Experiences.
Mansa Musa: African King of Gold
This unit combines lessons in the history and geography of medieval West Africa, including fascinating descriptions of life in the court of Mansa.
bn Battuta: A View of the Fourteenth-Century World
Through the use of primary sources, notably Ibn Battuta’s own travel account, this unit introduces Abu Abdallah Ibn Battuta, a 14th century Muslim scholar along with the exciting events of the 14th century.
Lesson Plans relating to Contemporary Muslims
Muslim Holidays
This is a teacher’s guide covering sensitivity issues pertaining to the needs of Muslim students in the public schools, especially in regards to the two major Muslim holidays. Also included are background readings, short stories, discussion questions and suggested activities for students. Students learn why Ramadan and the Hajj are important to Muslims, and how they celebrate the associated holidays: Eid al-Fitr, the festival of breaking the fast, and Eid al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice. Students also learn about the importance of Friday as a day congregational worship and community interaction, and about other important dates in the Islamic calendar.
Teaching About Islam and Muslims in the Public School Classroom
This booklet, which is in use in more than 35 states, in public and private schools, helps teachers with the challenging task of teaching about Islam and Muslims with clear, descriptive language. This resource contains information on beliefs and practices of Muslims, including glossary of terms, charts and graphics, section on sensitivity regarding Muslim students in public schools and their needs and an annotated list of recommended books, teaching tools, video tapes and computer resources, grouped by topic.
Lesson Plans by topic:
Find lesson plans on the role of Islam in classical knowledge and the Renaissance.
Find lesson plans on topics relating to the life of the prophet Muhammad including the geography and history of the Arabian peninsula, the Constitution of Medina.
Find a variety of online lesson plans including the Silk Road, Artistic Exchange between Europe and the Islamic World and a thematic unit on the “Hijab: Between Secularism and Piety”.
Find a lesson plans for teaching about women’s rights in Islam.
Find lesson plans on combating stereotypes and learning about modern day Muslims.
Find lesson plans on terminology relating to Muslims and Islam
Find lesson plans on the concept of Jihad.
Other Teaching Resources
The following resources are not in the form of lesson plans, but provide valuable material for lesson activities on contemporary issues and demographics, the media, and recent Gallup polling in Muslim countries, as well as studies of Muslims in America.
For elementary through middle school: Cobblestone Publishing’s Calliope world history magazine is colorful and engaging for elementary through middle school students has numerous issues on topics related to Islam and Muslims such as:
Islam: An introduction to early Islam: The principal religious practices and beliefs observed by Muslims around the world includes articles on Islamic calligraphy, the festival of Ramadan, the Islamic calendar, the pilgrimage to Mecca.
The Qur’an: Read about Jibreel's role in revealing the Holy Scriptures of Islam to Muhammad. Find out why no images are used to illustrate the passages. Learn how the text of the Qur'an has been kept unchanged through the centuries.
Al-Ma’mun and the Growth of Baghdad: Baghdad was a bustling metropolis in the A.D. 800s. The political and cultural center of the Abbasid empire, Baghdad attracted scholars from around the world. Join us as we travel back to the reign of al-Ma'mun, one of the greatest of the Abbasid rulers. Read of his rise to power, his energetic patronage of the arts, and his encouragement of the "House of Wisdom."
Travels of Ibn Battutaa: Accompany Ibn Battuta on his fascinating journey across Africa and Asia. Beginning with a pilgrimage to Mecca to make a hajj, and then on to Constantinople and Mali. Readers will learn about the international trade routes of the period, the languages that helped him communicate and the many different types of transportation he used to travel from country to country.
Islamic Spain: The Muslims were the dominant power in Spain for a seven hundred and fifty year period. Articles on key Islamic centers of Cordoba, Seville, and Granada, and the tale of El Cid round out this historical overview of the cultural, literary and social legacy of this rich era.
The Crusades: Excerpts from an account written by the daughter of the emperor of Constantinople and another by the Arab historian Ibn al-Athir bring this thrilling issue to life.
Suleiman the Magnificent: The main articles in this issue highlight the artistic and cultural accomplishments that occurred during Suleyman's rule.
The Arab Contribution to the Renaissance (coming soon)
Find a teachers guide to the Calliope issue Islam.
Find a teachers guide to the Calliope issue The Qur’an.
Find a teachers guide to the Calliope issue Al-Ma’mun and the Growth of Baghdad.
Faces is a world cultures magazine for ages 9-14 by Cobblestone Publishing. Faces has many issues relating to Islam and Muslims, such as:
- Islam in Africa: see the variety of clothes worn by Muslims in Africa, meet women forging new ground as religious leaders, read interviews with children in Tunisia and Egypt.
- Jerusalem Today: Focuses on what Jerusalem's young people are doing to bring peace to their city. Find lessons plans.
- Saudi Arabia: students will enjoy learning about the Arabic language, architecture, and clothing. Explore two Saudi Arabian cities, Mecca and Medina, which are Islam's two holiest cities.
- Find these and other issues of Faces.
Find the teachers guide to the Appleseeds issue of Islam Today.
Find issues of Appleseeds on Islam and related topics.
Download Islam Silk Road and Ibn Battuta lesson plans.
Find a brief timeline that highlights some of the major occurrences in Islam's development.
Download a thorough and accurate account of the spread of Islam in world history.
Find an overview of Muslims beliefs and daily practice of Islam.
Find a glossary of commonly used terms in Islam.
Find information on Muslim scholars and their contributions to world civilization.
Download short biography of the life of Prophet Muhammad.
Find information on the Islamic lunar calendar and important dates for Islamic holidays.
Find videos on issues relating to Muslims and the West.
Find easy online access to a vast array of topics and resources on Islam and Muslims
“Who Speaks for Islam" discusses the attitudes of and about Muslims based on six years of research and more than 50,000 interviews representing 1.3 billion Muslims.
Find facts on Muslim women and women’s rights in Islam.
Find issues relating to religions and world affairs (resources from Georgetown University).
Find information on issues relating to Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue.
Find an overview of the perspectives of five major religions on peace, violence, etc.
For an extensive list of books, videos, and other publications relating to Islam and Muslims.
Workshops for Teachers
The following programs provide professional development for teachers on Islam and the Arab world.
Arab World And Islamic Resources and School Services (AWAIR)
Find content and Strategies for Teaching About the Arab World and Islam or schedule a workshop at your school. Special attention is paid to teaching strategies in the utilization of a variety of approaches. Hands-on and across-the-curriculum approaches exemplify the day's activities. Ample time is given to discussing impressions of the Arab World, the broader Middle East, and the wide world of Islam. Afternoons are typically spent learning about the exciting curriculum "A Medieval Banquet in the Alhambra Palace." Programs can also be directly tailored to your district's or school site staff's needs
Al-Waleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding
The Al-Waleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University in Washington, DC provides professional development workshops on teaching about religion, Islam, and the World, free of charge, to institutions and community groups. These professional development workshops provide teachers with pedagogically sound content and help teachers integrate the content into their curriculum and standards. Every topic in the flexible, customizable workshops is paired with teaching material that is readily available, and is correlated to national and state academic standards. The teaching resources meet accepted guidelines for constitutionally appropriate instruction about religion. required in every state and district program.
