Author: Susan Douglass

Publisher: International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) & Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company

Published: 1995-01-01

Total Pages: 159

ISBN-13:

This supplementary unit is an introduction to the geography of regions where Muslims live as majorities and a description of the circumstances in which Muslims live as minorities. The focus is more regional than national, so as to overstep the arbitrary modern borders that divide Muslim populations among numerous countries. The unit is designed to complement typical geography surveys offered in elementary social studies curricula. It is designed for grade four, but may be used for grades five and six if the curriculum so requires. Study of this unit may be undertaken after the students have received an introduction to basic geography and map skills. It is probably best undertaken during the second half of the fourth grade year, but since important geography concepts and skills are both introduced and reviewed here, the teacher may be confident to proceed earlier. The structure of the unit is unique in that the student text is in the form of a play script, whose characters, a teacher and her students, model a cooperative learning experience as they study regions of the world where Muslims live. The main objectives of this unit are to provide students with an overview of the places where Muslims live as majority and minority communities, and to investigate selected aspects of geographic and cultural diversity within the context of Islamic unity. The unit consists of an eight-lesson student text with teaching suggestions and enrichment activities. Comprehension questions, map skills and worksheets accompany the text for concept reinforcement and skill building. While the unit is designed for flexibility, it is recommended that the students be exposed to the entire student text. If time does not allow extensive study of the unit materials, the teacher may select only basic material from the teaching suggestions rather than covering these with depth and enrichment.