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Writing and Literature

Islamic Period

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Classroom Connections

Lesson Plans & Guiding Questions

LESSON 1
Religion and the Written Word in Islamdom and Christendom

Expository essays on the connection between religious texts, cultural homogeneity, heterogeneity, and political influence.

Created By:  Peter M. Scheidler, Kenwood Academy High School, Chicago, IL

Subject Area(s):  History, Religious Studies, Geography

For Grade Level(s):  10–12

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GUIDING QUESTIONS
1. Which institutions facilitated the change from an oral tradition to a written one?

2. What concerns are associated with the translation of religious texts?

3. What resources and innovations help to facilitate the dissemination of knowledge and beliefs? Consider factors relevant to the modern world and those that were relevant several centuries ago.

LESSON 2
The Expansion and Influence of Muslim Literature 600–1600 CE

Students will read the module, examine elements of the textual and visual record, and will comment on differences between the artistic traditions in the Middle East and Europe and the impact the former had on the literary traditions of the latter.

Created By:  Peter M. Scheidler, Kenwood Academy High School, Chicago, IL

Subject Area(s):  British or World Literature, Cultural Studies, World or European History

For Grade Level(s):  11–12

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GUIDING QUESTIONS
1. Papermaking and bookbinding were in widespread use in the Muslim world well before they were used in any large degree in Europe. How is this difference manifest in the differing artistic traditions that emerged in each region?

2. Do universal themes exist because the human experience includes similar episodes regardless of mingling of cultures, or is cultural exchange the cause of this universality?

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