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Big Question: Why did Islam spread so quickly?
Big Question: Why did Islam spread so quickly?
In this unit on Islam, students will use The DBQ Project's curriculum with a collaborative model and Common Core Standards in History to take part in a Socratic seminar to examine the big question stated above. Students will examine a background essay and five documents to gather evidence for their seminar. All documents will be examined using close reading techniques.
Time Frame two-three weeks.
Culminating activity: Students will take part in socratic seminar answering the question, "Why did Islam spread so quickly?"
CALIFORNIA HISTORY CONTENT STANDARDS
7.2 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Islam in the Middle Ages..
7.2.4. 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.
7.2.5. 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.
COMMON CORE READING STANDARDS FOR LITERACY IN HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES 6–12
RH 1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
RH 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.
RH 8. Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.
Students were then given 6 historical documents to analyze. The students used close reading technique to read and re-read documents to then answer text dependent questions for each document. After the students answered the text dependent questions individually they were then given a window to fill out a Google Form that contained some of the text dependent questions that focused on the big question. By filling out this form they created a class data pool of information about the documents and the big question.
Then students were able to analyze ALL the text dependent answers and collaborate to collect evidence to produce a group presentation. Below is the responses to the Google Form in a spreadsheet. I have removed students names from their responses.
The students then used their analysis of the documents and the answers to prepare for the socratic seminar. They then participated in the socratic seminar during class to discuss the focus question in detail. The students are divided into three groups. The first group and second group will take turns participating in the center ring, being active in the discussion while the other will observe in an outer ring. The members in the outer ring will fill out an observation sheet that allows students to look for specific behaviors. The observation sheet is linked HERE. The third group will participle in a back channels discussion which is imated in a Google Sheet and posted under the recordings of each period.
Classes
The students were finally asked to debrief and write what they learned, the answers are below.
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