Monday:
Engage: Students will watch an online reading of “The Rainbow Fish” (www.storylineonline.net/therainbow-fish/)
Explore: With partners, why do we enjoy listening to stories so much?
Explain: History can be seen as one giant story! Now, it is your turn to turn what you learned in this
chapter into a story. This project will last two days (of class time) and will be due by Wednesday when
class starts on Edmodo.com.
Elaborate: Students will create a fictional, yet accurate story taking on the character of someone living
during the “formation of western Europe”. They can choose to be any one they want, a King, the Pope, a
Crusader, a peasant, it doesn’t matter. See rubric for more specific details. Students must be ready to
defend anything that they put in the story.
Evaluate: Students will be evaluated based upon a rubric and includes, but is not limited to length
minimums, additional source minimums, and amount of information that must be identified.
Objective: Students will be explaining what daily life was like during this time period (late Middle Ages)
through the creation of a short story or comic.
WMAs: B.12.1, B.12.4, B.12.10
Tuesday:
Same as above. Today is a workday to continue with the “Elaborate” step.
Wednesday:
Engage: Write “The Human Experience” on the board.
Explore: Students in groups of 2-3 will need to discuss what “the Human Experience” means to them.
Explain: I will discuss with students how the social studies is important because it is the study of the
Human Experience. This is a great area of study because everyone’s experiences are different and
unique yet there are so many parallels that we can draw upon to truly understand what it is like to be a
human. Things that occurred years ago that we study in this class can relate back to us. This is why I try
to start every day with a connection to your daily life on how the area of study relates back to you. So
now, it is your chance to revisit your personal history and share that with me. No one else but me will
see your work. Include history on what a coat of arms is.
Elaborate: Students will be creating their own personal coat of arms that answers a selection of four
questions (from a choice of 6).
Objective: Students will create their own personal coat of arms as a relic of their own personal history.
Thursday:
Engage: Put quote “For the West, much of the history of Islam has been obscured behind a veil of fear
and misunderstanding” on the board. Also, show the first 3 minutes of “Islam: Empire of Faith. Part 1:
Prophet of Muhammad and rise of Islam”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX3UHNhQ1Zk
Explore: In written form, write down your initial thoughts on this quote and on the short video clip you
just watched.
Explain: Show students the following image. Islam is one of the majority religions in our world. In our
search to understand the human experience, we are going to be exploring the history behind the Islamic
religion and developing an understanding for the religion from a scholarly standpoint.
Elaborate: Students will be writing down 4 questions that they have concerning Islam and the Muslim
culture. They will then be instructed to utilize their laptops and the wealth of knowledge at their
fingertips. They will be required to locate 2 source that answer each question they came up with. They
must be credible sources. Students will create a bibliography with the sources that answer each
question and a brief explanation of the answer the source gives.
Evaluate: Students will turn this assignment in on Edmodo by Friday at class time to receive credit.
Standards: B.12.1, B.12.2. B.12.14
Objective: Students will begin to identify the foundations of the Islamic religion and work towards
gaining an understanding of the Muslim culture.
Friday:
Engage: Place the map from yesterday’s “explain” on the board.
Explore: From the research they conducted yesterday, in groups students need to discuss similarities
they have noticed between Christianity and Islam.
Explain: Section One of Chapter 10. I will explain who Muhammad was, the history of the creation of
Islam, and the beliefs and practices of Islam.
Elaborate: Guided mapping of countries that Islam is the major religion. Then, students will complete a
graphic organizer that compares Christianity to Islam.
Evaluate: The graphic organizer will be student’s ticket out of class.
Objective: Students will identify the countries in which Islam is the major religion. Students will also
compare and contrast Islam with Christianity.
WMAs: B.12.10, B.12.14
Reading Strategy: Graphic Organizer