Western civilization
The Sultan and the Saint film by Unity Productions Foundation tells one of the great, lost stories from history. Set in a past period of East-West conflict, it speaks with urgency to our present. Two men of faith, one a traveling Christian preacher, the other the ruler of a Muslim Empire, bucked a century of war, distrust, and insidious propaganda in a search for mutual respect and common ground. It is the story of Francis of Assisi and the Sultan of Egypt, and their meeting on a bloody battlefield during the period of Christian- Muslim conflict known as the Crusades. Curriculum with extensive lesson plans can be downloaded as a pdf at https://georgetown.box.com/s/pvuoyth1x17o7kqsstbols6wmn0d787g.
Online exhibits from the internationally known exhibition and website on Islam, Science and influential inventions. See also “Fun & Learning” menu, with book, posters, activities and more.
British historian Bettany Hughes hosts the full length documentary, “When the Moors Ruled Europe.” http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/when-moors-ruled-europe/. Tour of sites and insightful conversations with Spanish scholars and important figures in Spanish society to gain insights into attitudes around the period of Muslim rule and the aftermath of the so-called Reconquista. Also to stream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oafKyRDagsY
A virtual walking tour of the Nadrid era Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain. It features 360 degree views and detailed explanations of the architectural and decorative features, and their significance. (Since Adobe Flash is no longer supported, install alternative Flash emulator Ruffles (http://ruffles.rs) to view the presentation.
Multiculturalism and its associated plurality of value systems is rapidly becoming the norm in modern medical practice. Given this increasing diversity, greater emphasis upon cultural and ethical competence in physician training is necessary in order to provide culturally sensitive and ethically sound care. Religious values shape ethical codes and are expressed in the cultural norms of subcommunities in a society. Thus, an understanding of religious values that may influence the clinical encounter is important. This paper provides an overview of the ethical constructs of the sacred law traditions of Judaism, Catholicism, and Islam and will outline approaches taken by each faith regarding medical ethics. It is hoped that the insights gained will aid both clinicians and ethicists to better understand these religious paradigms of medical ethics and thereby positively affect patient care through increased tolerance and understanding.
Students evaluate comments made by individuals in the film. The quotes touch upon topics such as Expressions of Faith, Family and Communal Aspects of Muslim Life, Unity and Diversity Among Muslims, Muslims in Mainstream American Society, and Muslim Responses to Extremism in Religion. Students will be better able to distinguish between “Islamic” teachings and “Muslim” practices which may or may not conform to the faith’s widely-held principles and ideals. For use with: Video documentary FRONTLINE: MUSLIMS or standalone. Here is the lesson plan as a pdf lp_FM-C01_ValuesPracticesFaith-C01
Non-fiction, illustrated story of the Abbasid era translation effort that brought the knowledge of the ancient world and many cultures into the Arabic language, where it was preserved, built upon and later translated into Latin in Europe, where it helped stimulate the Renaissance.
Islam: Empire of Faith documentary film companion website The site includes an outstanding timeline of Islamic history in four realms of history, as well as lesson plans and access to images from the arts and sciences. The full documentary can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxnT1Trn5kc
Islam: Empire of Faith is a documentary series, made in 2000, that details the history of Islam, from the birth of the Islamic Prophet, Muhammad to the Ottoman Empire. The first episode deals with the life of Muhammad, the second with the early Caliphates, Crusades, and Mongol invasion, and the third with the Ottoman Empire and Safavid dynasty. Directed by Robert H. Gardner.
Upper elementary and middle school school history magazine called Calliope: Exploring World History, with issues on “Islam,” “Ibn Battuta,” “Al-Ma’mun,” “The World of the Ottoman Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent,” “The Crusades,” “The Qur’an,” and “Arabic Lights” on Arab cultural influences, and “A World of Faiths” (on all the major world religions). Other titles are also of interest. Calliope is now called “Dig Into History” on archaeology
Rich resource for cross-over lessons on science, technology and culture
A teacher resource by Laura Billings and Terry Roberts, published by Oxford University Press in collaboration with First Amendment Center