Southwest Asia’s
Presentation, Graphic Organizers, & Activities
STANDARDS:
SS7G8 Analyze the diverse cultural characteristics of the
people who live in Southwest Asia (Middle East).
c. Compare and contrast the prominent religions in
(Middle East): Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
© Brain Wrinkles
TEACHER INFO: CLOZE Notes
• The next pages are handouts for the students to use for notetaking during the presentation. (Print front to back to save
paper and ink.)
• Check the answers as a class after the presentation.
© Brain Wrinkles
Monotheism
• Judaism, Christianity, & Islam are _________________ practiced in Southwest Asia.
• ______ of the region’s population practices Islam, 4% are Christian, and 2% follow Judaism.
• These religions have some similarities and even a _________________ .
• Followers of each also practice _________________ , a belief in one god.
Similarities
• All three believe in _________________ (monotheistic).
• They all started in _________________ .
• They can trace their roots to _________________ as the father of their faith.
• _________________, Israel is the holiest city in the world for Jews and Christians, and the third holiest
• All three have an important _________________ and book of teachings.
JUDAISM
• Followers of Judaism are called _________________ .
• Judaism was founded by Abraham around _________________ .
• Jews believe that God gave _________________ the Ten Commandments.
• The Jewish holy book is the _________________ , which is the oral and written laws of the Jews.
• Jews believe that they descended from _________________ and Sarah, the first people to worship
• Abraham lived at least 3,700 years ago in the city of Ur along the Euphrates River (in what is now
Moses
• Moses is considered a _________________ (a person who receives messages from God).
• Moses led Israelites out of Egypt and _________________ to Israel.
• Jews believe that God gave Moses the _________________ , a code of moral law to live by.
• The Ten Commandments are found in the Jewish holy book called the Torah, which are the
Jerusalem
• The Israelites (now called Hebrews) claimed the city of Jerusalem and built a _________________ there.
• Between 700-500 BCE, _________________ captured Jerusalem and destroyed the temple.
• Today, the only remaining part of the temple is the _________________ , known as the Wailing Wall.
• It is one of the most _________________ recognized by the Jewish faith.
© Brain Wrinkles
Diaspora
• Jews were _________________ of Israel and moved to many places all over the world.
• This is called _________________ , or spreading out of Jews.
• The Jewish people did not return to their homeland until the modern state of Israel was
_________________ .
Judaism
• There are over _________________ followers worldwide.
• Jews worship in _________________ and temples.
• They believe that a messiah (savior) will lead them to the _________________ .
• Jews believe in _________________ and righteousness.
• “What is hateful to you, do not to your neighbor.”
Holy Book
• The sacred book is called the Tanuch, and it is a _________________ compiled over a
• There are _________________ to the book:
1. Torah – this is the _________________ part, it contains what Moses delivered to the
2. Eight books of psalms and _________________
3. Talmud – writings on _________________ , history, and folklore
Rosh Hashanah celebrates the _________________ .
Yom Kippur is known as the “Day of Atonement” (asking for _________________ ).
It is the _________________ for Jews.
_________________ is allowed on this day and much of the day is spent in synagogue.
Many Jews _________________ during this day.
Holidays
• Hanukkah celebrates a victory where the Jews were able to _________________ after
Greeks.
• Jews were able to keep the Temple _________________ despite only having enough
• _________________ celebrates the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt.
•
•
•
•
•
© Brain Wrinkles
CHRISTIANITY
• Christianity has its roots in _________________ .
• Christians believe in Jesus, a carpenter who began to travel and teach _________________
CE.
• He believed that the old laws of Judaism should be replaced by a simple system based on
• Christians believe that Jesus was the _________________ (savior).
Jesus
• _________________ performed miracles and after people saw the results, they became
• He laid his hands on people and could _________________ .
• Jesus used parables (stories that teach lessons) to link his teachings to people’s
• Jesus soon gained a large _________________ .
• Jesus was _________________ with Jewish leaders.
• They did not want him to threaten their power and had the _________________ him.
• Jesus was _________________ at the age of 33.
Messiah
• Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead and went to heaven _________________ .
• They saw the _________________ as a sign that Jesus was the Messiah (or savior).
• This date, _________________ , is the beginning of Christianity.
Christians
• There are about _________________ Christians worldwide.
• Christians are grouped by many _________________ .
• Examples include _________________ , Orthodoxy, and Protestantism.
• All denominations of Christians follow the teachings of _________________ .
• Christians worship in _________________ and chapels.
Holy Book
• The _________________ is the main holy book for Christians.
• It consists of:
1. The Old Testament -- contains the _________________
2. The New Testament -- about _________________ and his teachings
© Brain Wrinkles
Holidays
• Christmas is the celebration of the _________________ and is observed on December 25th.
• _________________ celebrates the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Islam
• Islam began around _________________ in Southwest Asia.
• In Arabic, Islam means “_________________ to the will of Allah” (God).
• Followers of Islam are called _________________ , and the founder is Muhammad.
• Muslims believe that there is only _________________ (Allah) and that Muhammad is the last
Islam.
• Other prophets include _________________ , Moses, & Jesus.
Muhammad
• In 610 CE, Muhammad was an Arab merchant in _________________ who was concerned
refused to help the needy.
• He went to _________________ on this in the Cave of Hira.
• While there, Muhammad received a message from the _________________ , the messenger of
Eventually, others _________________ to Muhammad’s messages and this angered Mecca’s
They threatened to kill Muhammad, so he & several hundred of his followers fled to nearby
Muhammad became a political and _________________ in Medina.
Eventually, all of the Arabian Peninsula came to accept Muhammad’s teachings and turned to
• _________________ became known as a prophet of Allah, and he continued to receive
• These messages form the basis of Islam and were eventually written into the
book).
•
•
•
•
Followers
• Muhammad died in 632 CE, but Islam _________________ .
• Muslim armies _________________ throughout Southwest Asia, Northern Africa, and the
• Today, there are _________________ Muslims worldwide.
• _________________ people in the world is Muslim.
• It’s the _________________ religion in the world (behind Christianity).
© Brain Wrinkles
Holy Book
• The Muslim holy book is the Qur’an (_________________ ).
• It states how people should _________________ .
• It describes the _________________ (obligations all Muslims must fulfill in their lifetime).
Five Pillars of Faith
• (the _________________ of Muslims)
1. Prayer,
2. Giving to _________________ ,
3. Belief in and submission to _________________ (Allah),
4. _________________ during the month of Ramadan,
5. and a trip (hajj) to Mecca once in a lifetime.
Holidays
• Ramadan celebrates the time when the Qur’an _________________ to Muhammad.
• It’s the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, and lasts for _________________ .
• Muslims _________________ during daylight hours during this month.
• Prayer, reading the Qur’an, and charity are important parts of _________________ .
Government
• Unlike the other religions, in Islam the Qur’an gives _________________ on how laws should be
• The governments of Muslim countries follow the Shari'a, or _________________ .
• This creates a _________________ , a type of government in which religious leaders are in control.
The Split
• After Muhammad’s death, followers fought over who would be his successor and become the
• This fight caused Muslims to split into _________________ : Shi’a and Sunni
Shi’a
• Shiites believe that the supreme leader (called the Caliph) must be a _________________ of
• _________________ of the world’s Muslims are Shi’a.
• This branch of Islam is found mostly in _________________ and some parts of Iraq.
• This is the religion of most _________________ (ethnic group in Iran).
Sunni
• Sunnis believe that the supreme leader (Caliph) does _________________ to Muhammad.
• This is the major branch of the religion, representing about _________________ of the world’s
© Brain Wrinkles
Monotheism
• Judaism, Christianity, & Islam are prominent religions practiced in Southwest Asia.
• 90% of the region’s population practices Islam, 4% are Christian, and 2% follow Judaism.
• These religions have some similarities and even a common history.
• Followers of each also practice monotheism, a belief in one god.
Similarities
• All three believe in one god (monotheistic).
• They all started in Southwest Asia.
• They can trace their roots to Abraham as the father of their faith.
• Jerusalem, Israel is the holiest city in the world for Jews and Christians, and the third holiest city for Muslims.
• All three have an important messenger and book of teachings.
JUDAISM
• Followers of Judaism are called Jews.
• Judaism was founded by Abraham around 2000 BCE.
• Jews believe that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments.
• The Jewish holy book is the Torah, which is the oral and written laws of the Jews.
• Jews believe that they descended from Abraham and Sarah, the first people to worship Yahweh (God).
• Abraham lived at least 3,700 years ago in the city of Ur along the Euphrates River (in what is now Iraq).
Moses
• Moses is considered a great prophet (a person who receives messages from God).
• Moses led Israelites out of Egypt and away from slavery to Israel.
• Jews believe that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, a code of moral law to live by.
• The Ten Commandments are found in the Jewish holy book called the Torah, which are the written laws of the
Jerusalem
• The Israelites (now called Hebrews) claimed the city of Jerusalem and built a holy temple there.
• Between 700-500 BCE, Roman invaders captured Jerusalem and destroyed the temple.
• Today, the only remaining part of the temple is the Western Wall, known as the Wailing Wall.
• It is one of the most sacred sites recognized by the Jewish faith.
© Brain Wrinkles
Diaspora
• Jews were forced out of Israel and moved to many places all over the world.
• This is called diaspora, or spreading out of Jews.
• The Jewish people did not return to their homeland until the modern state of Israel was created in 1948.
Judaism
• There are over 15 million followers worldwide.
• Jews worship in synagogues and temples.
• They believe that a messiah (savior) will lead them to the Promised Land.
• Jews believe in justice and righteousness.
• “What is hateful to you, do not to your neighbor.”
Holy Book
• The sacred book is called the Tanuch, and it is a collection of writings compiled over a period of time.
• There are three parts to the book:
1. Torah – this is the most sacred part, it contains what Moses delivered to the Israelites
2. Eight books of psalms and proverbs
3. Talmud – writings on Jewish law, history, and folklore
Rosh Hashanah celebrates the Jewish new year.
Yom Kippur is known as the “Day of Atonement” (asking for forgiveness of sins).
It is the holiest day for Jews.
No work is allowed on this day and much of the day is spent in synagogue.
Many Jews fast during this day.
Holidays
• Hanukkah celebrates a victory where the Jews were able to keep their religion after being captured by Greeks.
• Jews were able to keep the Temple lit for 8 days despite only having enough lamp oil for 1 day.
• Passover celebrates the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt.
•
•
•
•
•
© Brain Wrinkles
CHRISTIANITY
• Christianity has its roots in Judaism.
• Christians believe in Jesus, a carpenter who began to travel and teach new ideas about Judaism around 30
• He believed that the old laws of Judaism should be replaced by a simple system based on love and kindness.
• Christians believe that Jesus was the messiah (savior).
Jesus
• Jesus performed miracles and after people saw the results, they became followers.
• He laid his hands on people and could heal them.
• Jesus used parables (stories that teach lessons) to link his teachings to people’s everyday lives.
• Jesus soon gained a large following.
• Jesus was not popular with Jewish leaders.
• They did not want him to threaten their power and had the Romans arrest him.
• Jesus was crucified at the age of 33.
Messiah
• Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead and went to heaven three days later.
• They saw the Resurrection as a sign that Jesus was the Messiah (or savior).
• This date, 33 CE, is the beginning of Christianity.
Christians
• There are about 2.1 billion Christians worldwide.
• Christians are grouped by many denominations.
• Examples include Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and Protestantism.
• All denominations of Christians follow the teachings of Jesus.
• Christians worship in churches and chapels.
Holy Book
• The Bible is the main holy book for Christians.
• It consists of:
1. The Old Testament -- contains the Ten Commandments
2. The New Testament -- about Jesus and his teachings
© Brain Wrinkles
Holidays
• Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus and is observed on December 25th.
• Easter celebrates the death and resurrection of Jesus.
ISLAM
• Islam began around 622 CE in Southwest Asia.
• In Arabic, Islam means “surrender to the will of Allah” (God).
• Followers of Islam are called Muslims, and the founder is Muhammad.
• Muslims believe that there is only one god (Allah) and that Muhammad is the last and greatest prophet of
• Other prophets include Abraham, Moses, & Jesus.
Muhammad
• In 610 CE, Muhammad was an Arab merchant in Mecca who was concerned about how rich merchants
• He went to meditate on this in the Cave of Hira.
• While there, Muhammad received a message from the angel Gabriel, the messenger of Allah.
Eventually, others began to listen to Muhammad’s messages and this angered Mecca’s rulers.
They threatened to kill Muhammad, so he & several hundred of his followers fled to nearby Medina.
Muhammad became a political and spiritual leader in Medina.
Eventually, all of the Arabian Peninsula came to accept Muhammad’s teachings and turned to Islam.
• Muhammad became known as a prophet of Allah, and he continued to receive messages until his death.
• These messages form the basis of Islam and were eventually written into the Qur’an (the Muslim holy book).
•
•
•
•
Followers
• Muhammad died in 632 CE, but Islam continued to spread.
• Muslim armies conquered empires throughout Southwest Asia, Northern Africa, and the Iberian Peninsula
• Today, there are 1.2 billion Muslims worldwide.
• 1 in every 5 people in the world is Muslim.
• It’s the second largest religion in the world (behind Christianity).
© Brain Wrinkles
Holy Book
• The Muslim holy book is the Qur’an (Koran).
• It states how people should live their lives.
• It describes the Five Pillars of Faith (obligations all Muslims must fulfill in their lifetime).
Five Pillars of Faith
• (the main duties of Muslims)
1. Prayer,
2. Giving to charity,
3. Belief in and submission to one God (Allah),
4. Fasting during the month of Ramadan,
5. and a trip (hajj) to Mecca once in a lifetime.
Holidays
• Ramadan celebrates the time when the Qur’an was revealed to Muhammad.
• It’s the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, and lasts for 29-30 days.
• Muslims fast during daylight hours during this month.
• Prayer, reading the Qur’an, and charity are important parts of Ramadan.
Government
• Unlike the other religions, in Islam the Qur’an gives instructions on how laws should be enacted.
• The governments of Muslim countries follow the Shari'a, or religious law.
• This creates a theocracy, a type of government in which religious leaders are in control.
The Split
• After Muhammad’s death, followers fought over who would be his successor and become the next leader.
• This fight caused Muslims to split into two groups: Shi’a and Sunni
Shi’a
• Shiites believe that the supreme leader (called the Caliph) must be a blood relative of Muhammad.
• Roughly 10% of the world’s Muslims are Shi’a.
• This branch of Islam is found mostly in Iran and some parts of Iraq.
• This is the religion of most Persians (ethnic group in Iran).
Sunni
• Sunnis believe that the supreme leader (Caliph) does NOT need to be related to Muhammad.
• This is the major branch of the religion, representing about 90% of the world’s Muslim population.
© Brain Wrinkles
Southwest Asia’s
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (Sunni
& Shi’a)
© Brain Wrinkles
• Judaism, Christianity, & Islam are prominent religions practiced in
Southwest Asia.
• 90% of the region’s population practices Islam, 4% are Christian, and
2% follow Judaism.
• These religions have some similarities and even a common history.
• Followers of each also practice monotheism, a belief in one god.
© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
•
All three believe in one god (monotheistic).
•
They all started in Southwest Asia.
•
They can trace their roots to Abraham as the father of their faith.
•
Jerusalem, Israel is the holiest city in the world for Jews and
Christians, and the third holiest city for Muslims.
•
All three have an important messenger and book of teachings.
© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
•
Followers of Judaism are called Jews.
•
Judaism was founded by Abraham around 2000 BCE.
•
Jews believe that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments.
•
The Jewish holy book is the Torah, which is the oral and written laws
of the Jews.
© Brain Wrinkles
Moses
The Torah
© Brain Wrinkles
•
Jews believe that they descended from Abraham and Sarah,
the first people to worship Yahweh (God).
•
Abraham lived at least 3,700 years ago in the city of Ur along
the Euphrates River (in what is now Iraq).
© Brain Wrinkles
Abraham & Sarah
© Brain Wrinkles
• Moses is considered a great prophet (a person who receives messages
from God).
• Moses led Israelites out of Egypt and away from slavery to Israel.
• Jews believe that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, a code of
moral law to live by.
• The Ten Commandments are found in the Jewish holy book called the
Torah, which are the written laws of the Jews.
© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
•
The Israelites (now called Hebrews) claimed the city of Jerusalem and
built a holy temple there.
•
Between 700-500 BCE, Roman invaders captured Jerusalem and
destroyed the temple.
•
Today, the only remaining part of the temple is the Western Wall,
known as the Wailing Wall.
• It is one of the most sacred sites recognized by the Jewish faith.
© Brain Wrinkles
Western Wall
© Brain Wrinkles
Prayers & wishes stuck
into cracks of the
Western Wall.
© Brain Wrinkles
•
Jews were forced out of Israel and moved to many places all
over the world.
•
This is called diaspora, or spreading out of Jews.
•
The Jewish people did not return to their homeland until the
modern state of Israel was created in 1948.
© Brain Wrinkles
• There are over 15 million followers worldwide.
• Jews worship in synagogues and temples.
•
They believe that a messiah (savior) will lead them to the
Promised Land.
•
Jews believe in justice and righteousness.
• “What is hateful to you, do not to your neighbor.”
© Brain Wrinkles
Hurva Synagogue, Jerusalem
© Brain Wrinkles
• The sacred book is called the Tanuch, and it is a collection of writings
compiled over a period of time.
• There are three parts to the book:
1. Torah – this is the most sacred part, it contains what Moses
what Moses delivered to the Israelites
2. Eight books of psalms and proverbs
3. Talmud – writings on Jewish law, history, and folklore
© Brain Wrinkles
The Torah
© Brain Wrinkles
• Hanukkah celebrates a victory where the Jews
were able to keep their religion after being
Greeks.
• Jews were able to keep the Temple lit for 8
only having enough lamp oil for 1 day.
• Passover celebrates the exodus of the Hebrews
from Egypt.
© Brain Wrinkles
• Rosh Hashanah celebrates the Jewish new year.
• Yom Kippur is known as the “Day of Atonement”
(asking for forgiveness of sins).
• It is the holiest day for Jews.
• No work is allowed on this day and much of the
in synagogue.
• Many Jews fast during this day.
© Brain Wrinkles
Prayers at the Western Wall during Yom Kippur
© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
•
Christianity has its roots in Judaism.
•
Christians believe in Jesus, a carpenter who began to travel and teach
new ideas about Judaism around 30 CE.
•
He believed that the old laws of Judaism should be replaced by a
simple system based on love and kindness.
•
Christians believe that Jesus was the messiah (savior).
© Brain Wrinkles
Jesus
© Brain Wrinkles
•
Jesus performed miracles and after people saw the results,
they became followers.
• He laid his hands on people and could heal them.
•
Jesus used parables (stories that teach lessons) to link his
teachings to people’s everyday lives.
•
Jesus soon gained a large following.
© Brain Wrinkles
Sermon on the Mount –
© Brain Wrinkles
Carl Bloch, 1890
•
Jesus was not popular with Jewish leaders.
•
They did not want him to threaten their power and had the
Romans arrest him.
•
Jesus was crucified at the age of 33.
© Brain Wrinkles
• Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead and went to heaven
three days later.
• They saw the Resurrection as a sign that Jesus was the Messiah (or
savior).
• This date, 33 CE, is the beginning of Christianity.
© Brain Wrinkles
•
There are about 2.1 billion Christians worldwide.
•
Christians are grouped by many denominations.
•
Examples include Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and Protestantism.
•
All denominations of Christians follow the teachings of Jesus.
•
Christians worship in churches and chapels.
© Brain Wrinkles
Christian Church in Lebanon
© Brain Wrinkles
•
The Bible is the main holy book for Christians.
•
It consists of:
1. The Old Testament -- contains the Ten Commandments
2. The New Testament -- about Jesus and his teachings
© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
Gutenberg Bible – 1450s
(The first printed book)
•
Christmas is the celebration of the birth of
Jesus and is observed on December 25th.
•
Easter celebrates the death and resurrection of
Jesus.
© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
•
Islam began around 622 CE in Southwest Asia.
•
In Arabic, Islam means “surrender to the will of Allah” (God).
•
Followers of Islam are called Muslims, and the founder is Muhammad.
•
Muslims believe that there is only one god (Allah) and that Muhammad is
the last and greatest prophet of Islam.
• Other prophets include Abraham, Moses, & Jesus.
© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
The Kaaba at al-Haram Mosque (Mecca, Saudi Arabia) is the center of
Islam.
© Brain Wrinkles
•
In 610 CE, Muhammad was an Arab merchant in Mecca who was
concerned about how rich merchants refused to help the needy.
•
He went to meditate on this in the Cave of Hira.
•
While there, Muhammad received a message from the angel Gabriel,
the messenger of Allah.
© Brain Wrinkles
• Muhammad became known as a prophet of Allah, and he continued to
receive messages until his death.
• These messages form the basis of Islam and were eventually written
into the Qur’an (the Muslim holy book).
© Brain Wrinkles
•
Eventually, others began to listen to Muhammad’s messages and this
angered Mecca’s rulers.
•
They threatened to kill Muhammad, so he & several hundred of his
followers fled to nearby Medina.
•
Muhammad became a political and spiritual leader in Medina.
•
Eventually, all of the Arabian Peninsula came to accept Muhammad’s
teachings and turned to Islam.
© Brain Wrinkles
Two letters written by
Muhammad…so old!
© Brain Wrinkles
Muhammad’s Hat, Robe, &
Staff
Muhammad’s Swords
© Brain Wrinkles
A Piece of Muhammad’s Hair
Muhammad’s Sandal
© Brain Wrinkles
The Green Dome in Medina
Muhammad’s grave lies
under the Green Dome.
© Brain Wrinkles
•
Muhammad died in 632 CE, but Islam continued to spread.
•
Muslim armies conquered empires throughout Southwest Asia,
Northern Africa, and the Iberian Peninsula (Europe).
•
Today, there are 1.2 billion Muslims worldwide.
•
1 in every 5 people in the world is Muslim.
•
It’s the second largest religion in the world (behind Christianity).
© Brain Wrinkles
The Kaaba at al-Haram Mosque during the start of Hajj.
© Brain Wrinkles
•
•
The Muslim holy book is the Qur’an (Koran).
• It states how people should live their lives.
It describes the Five Pillars of Faith (obligations all Muslims
must fulfill in their lifetime).
© Brain Wrinkles
The Koran
© Brain Wrinkles
(the main duties of Muslims)
1. Prayer,
2. Giving to charity,
3. Belief in and submission to one God (Allah),
4. Fasting during the month of Ramadan,
5. and a trip (hajj) to Mecca once in a lifetime.
© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
The Grand Mosque in Mecca
© Brain Wrinkles
•
Ramadan celebrates the time when the Qur’an was revealed
to Muhammad.
•
It’s the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, and lasts for 29-30
days.
•
Muslims fast during daylight hours during this month.
•
Prayer, reading the Qur’an, and charity are important parts
of Ramadan.
© Brain Wrinkles
Boys reading the Qur’an at a mosque during Ramadan.
© Brain Wrinkles
•
Unlike the other religions, in Islam the Qur’an gives
instructions on how laws should be enacted.
•
The governments of Muslim countries follow the Shari'a, or
religious law.
•
This creates a theocracy, a type of government in which
religious leaders are in control.
© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
•
After Muhammad’s death, followers fought over who
would be his successor and become the next leader.
•
This fight caused Muslims to split into two groups:
1. Shi’a
2. Sunni
© Brain Wrinkles
•
Shiites believe that the supreme leader (called the Caliph)
must be a blood relative of Muhammad.
•
Roughly 10% of the world’s Muslims are Shi’a.
•
This branch of Islam is found mostly in Iran and some parts
of Iraq.
• This is the religion of most Persians (ethnic group in
Iran).
© Brain Wrinkles
•
Sunnis believe that the supreme leader (Caliph) does NOT
need to be related to Muhammad.
•
This is the major branch of the religion, representing about
90% of the world’s Muslim population.
© Brain Wrinkles
TEACHER INFO:
• Print off the following slide for each student.
• They should complete the chart after discussing the
presentation.
• Check answers as a class when finished.
© Brain Wrinkles
SW Asia’s Prominent Religions
Judaism
Christianity
Islam
Directions: Complete the chart below with information that you learned during the presentation.
Founder
Date Began &
Location
Holy Book
Followers &
How Many
Holidays
Important Facts
© Brain Wrinkles
Southwest Asia’s Religions -- KEY
Judaism
Christianity
Islam
Founder
Abraham
Jesus
Muhammad
Date Began &
Location
2000 BCE
Iraq
30 CE
Jerusalem, Israel
610 CE
Saudi Arabia
Torah
Bible
Koran
Jews
15 million
Christians
2.1 billion
Muslims
1.2 billion
Hanukah, Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Yom
Kippur
Christmas, Easter
Ramadan
*Answers may vary
• Jews believe that God gave Moses Ten
Commandments
• Abraham lived 3,700 years ago in
Iraq
• Jews worship in synagogues &
temples.
*Answers will vary
• Christianity has its roots in Judaism
• Divided into three major groups:
Catholic, Protestant, Eastern
Orthodox
• Bible consists of Old and New
Testament
*Answers will vary
• Islam means “surrender” to the will
of Allah (God)
• Five Pillars of Faith are obligations
all Muslims must fulfill
• Fastest growing religion in Western
Europe
• Two largest groups are Sunnis and
Shiites
Holy Book
Followers & How
Many
Holidays
Important Facts
© Brain Wrinkles
TEACHER INFO: Venn Diagram
• Print off the SW Asia’s Religions Venn Diagram for each student.
• They should complete the Venn diagram with information from their notes. *If
you allow it, the students can work in partners for this assignment.
• Afterwards, check and share answers as a class.
© Brain Wrinkles
SW Asia’s Religions
Judaism
Shi’a
Islam
©Brain Wrinkles
Christianity
Sunni
Compare and Contrast
TEACHER INFO: Commemorative Coin
• Print off the Commemorative Coin handout for each student.
• Front of Coin: The students will design a coin to represent Southwest Asia’s
religions.
• Back of Coin: They will write a paragraph that describes the design and
why/how it represents Southwest Asia’s religions.
© Brain Wrinkles
Commemorative Coin
Directions: Design a coin to commemorate SW Asia’s religions. On the back, write a paragraph that describes the design and
why/how it represents SW Asia’s religions.
Front
© Brain Wrinkles
Back
TEACHER INFO: Who Am I?
•
Print off the Who Am I? handout for each student. (There are two-per-page.)
• Have students write 3-5 “clues” about one of the religions.
• When finished, have students share their clues and have their peers guess the religion.
• *You can do this in partners, groups, or with the entire class.
© Brain Wrinkles
Name:
Name:
On the name tag below, write 3-5 clues about a 1 of the
religions that we have studied. Don’t write the religion
because your classmates are going to guess which one it is
based on your description!
On the name tag below, write 3-5 clues about a 1 of the
religions that we have studied. Don’t write the religion
because your classmates are going to guess which one it is
based on your description!
My name is…
My name is…
© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
TEACHER INFO: Comprehension Check
•
Print off the Comprehension Check for each student.
•
The students will complete this handout at the end of the lesson. You can
count this as a quiz!
© Brain Wrinkles
Directions: Decide whether each statement is True or False. If the statement is false, please
correct it.
1. Judaism, Christianity, & Islam all began in Southwest Asia. ________
2. Jerusalem is a holy city for Muslims and Jews, but not Christians. ________
3. The oldest religion in Southwest Asia is Judaism. ________
4. Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last and greatest prophet. ________
5. In Judaism, Mecca is a sacred place. ________
6. The Koran is the holy book of Islam. ________
7. Abraham was an important prophet for all three religions. ________
8. Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah. ________
9. Judaism began in the 7th century with Muhammad. ________
10. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all monotheistic religions. ________
© Brain Wrinkles
Directions: Decide whether each statement is True or False. If the statement is false, please correct it.
1. Judaism, Christianity, & Islam all began in Southwest Asia. TRUE
2. Jerusalem is a holy city for Muslims and Jews, but not Christians. FALSE
Jerusalem is a holy city for all three.
3. The oldest religion in Southwest Asia is Judaism. TRUE
4. Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last and greatest prophet. TRUE
5. In Judaism, Mecca is a sacred place. FALSE
Mecca is a sacred place for Islam.
6. The Koran is the holy book of Islam. TRUE
7. Abraham was an important prophet for all three religions. TRUE
8. Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah. TRUE
9. Judaism began in the 7th century with Muhammad. FALSE
Islam began in the 7th century with Muhammad.
10. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all monotheistic religions. TRUE
© Brain Wrinkles
TEACHER INFO: TICKET OUT THE DOOR
• Print out the exit slip for each student. (There are two-per-page.)
• The students will answer the question inside of the thought bubble.
• Collect the slips at the end of class, spend some time quickly reading
over them, and choose a few to share the following day.
© Brain Wrinkles
Name:
Why do you think religious differences
often lead to conflict, especially in
Southwest Asia?
© Brain Wrinkles
Name:
Why do you think religious differences
often lead to conflict, especially in
Southwest Asia?
© Brain Wrinkles
Thank you so much for downloading this file. I sincerely hope you find it
helpful and that your students learn a lot from it! I look forward to reading
your feedback in my store.
If you like this file, you might want to check out some of my other products
that teach social studies topics in creative, engaging, and hands-on ways.
Best wishes,
Ansley at Brain Wrinkles
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