Rise of Islam

Mr. Dowling’s Electronic Passport
This sixth-grade teacher’s site covering world history and geography includes a section on the crusades and the rise of Islam, as well as related sections on the western religions, Middle East countries, and Middle East conflict. Teachers are invited to make use of study sheets, homework, and tests. Be alert, imbedded links often go to glossaries and other reference areas on other sites. Note: There are now many banner ads and pop-up windows on this site.

Introduction to Islam
With the electronic publication of his book, Introduction to Islam, law professor and political consultant M. Cherif Bassiouni hopes to improve American understanding of the culture of the Middle East. Color photos, graphics, and quotes from the Qur’an bring life to the text which explains Islamic religious principles, beliefs, and law and looks at Islam’s effect on social and economic systems. The result is a work which goes beyond defining Islam and creates a picture of the Islamic culture and lifestyle found in the Middle East today.

Council on Islamic Education: Information for K-12 Educators
This organization offers services, resources, and tools specifically for K-12 educators, curriculum developers, and textbook publishers. Limited curriculum resources are available online, and several other reasonably priced curriculum units can be previewed and purchased here. CIE also offers staff development workshops for schools and districts.

Odyssey World Trek: The Middle East
World Trek is an Internet-based project sharing the experiences of a small group of young people who visited diverse people and cultures in countries around the world. The Middle East Trek included Israel, Turkey, and Iran and shares firsthand experiences of life in the Middle East, including Muslim lifestyle and the delicate balance and conflict of the region’s religions and cultures. Trek highlights include photos and firsthand accounts from trekkers supplemented by interviews with “experts,” discussion groups, and more. Topics are designed to complement National Education Standards, critical issues, and other educational themes. Other treks in the 1999-2000 project included: Guatemala, Peru, Zimbabwe, Mali, Egypt, India, and China.