The World and Its People

Chapter 18: Southwest Asia

Web Activity Lesson Plans

Introduction
In this chapter, students have read about the countries of Southwest Asia. The major religion throughout this region is Islam. The prophet Muhammad began to preach the religion of Islam in A.D. 613. When he died in 632, most of the people of the Arabian Peninsula had converted to this new religion. One hundred years after his death, Islam had spread throughout most of Southwest Asia and across North Africa. Today, with followers from North America to Southeast Asia, Islam continues to grow.

Lesson Description
Students will browse through the Web site of the Religion of Islam. They will read about Islamic beliefs and comparisons to other religions. After answering several questions about Islam, they will create a Venn diagram that compares the similarities and differences between Islam and Christianity.

Instructional Objectives

1. The student will be able to describe important beliefs of the Islamic religion.
2. The student will be able to draw comparisons and contrasts between Islam and Christianity.

Student Web Activity Answers

1. Islam, Christianity, and Judaism share a sacred history, basic ethical teaching found in the Ten Commandments, and the belief in one God.
2. The Shahada is the Islamic declaration of faith-"There is no god except God."
3. The five pillars are faith; faith that there is only one God and Muhammad is his prophet; prayer five times a day, facing Makkah; giving money to the poor; fasting from sunup to sundown during the holy month of Ramadan; and making a pilgrimage to Makkah.
4. dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, nightfall
5. Venn diagrams will vary.