Books, Lesson Plans, CD-ROMs, Handouts, and Teacher Guides for Your Classroom
(Call 215-898-6335 to borrow materials or consult with us on topics covered by the books, and we will photocopy sections for your lesson plans. We do not loan materials outside of the Delaware Valley region.)
A Medieval Banquet in the Alhambra Palace, ed. Audrey Shabbas (Arab World and Islamic Resources and School Services, 1993).
A fun and comprehensive unit for middle and high school students on Islamic Spain, highlighting the enduring cultural aspects of Islamic civilization when it ruled over Spain. Includes great handouts, lesson plans, and student projects on Arabic food, music, architecture, games, clothing, and other contributions of Islamic civilization to Europe in medieval times. Each chapter of the unit can stand alone for classroom use.
An A-Z of the Middle East: A Reference CD-ROM, Dominique Vidal and Alain Gresh (Sindibad Multimedia, 1998).
A well-done visual aid that provides a comprehensive account of the Middle East in the 20th century. Very accessible for classroom use by high school teachers or anybody with a general interest in the region. Includes over 250 photographs, animated maps, treaties and UN resolutions, and 115 entries of the most important figures and movements that have shaped the region's modern history.
Arab World Studies Notebook, ed. Audrey Shabbas (Arab World and Islamic Resources and School Services and the Middle East Policy Council, 1998).
Excellent resource contains succinct, accessible introductory materials for middle and high school students on all basic subject areas - Islam, The Qur'an, Ramadan, the Haj, Muslims worldwide, Arab Christians, family, literature, women, education, food, language, music, oil, the question of Palestine, etc. Materials on politics are decidedly from a pro-Arab slant, but useful in introducing students to alternative viewpoints.
Are You Listening?: Voices from the Middle East, (The Outreach Center of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University, 1998).
Very succinct, moving, and accessible fiction and non-fiction passages on daily life by some of the Middle East's most famous writers. Perfect for high school students interested in world literature and for educators who teach it.
Celebrating Ramadan, Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith (Holiday House, 2001).
Using colorful photographs and insightful text that kids can relate to, this book tells the story of Ibraheem, who is in the fourth grade and lives in South Jersey, and how he and his family observe and celebrate the traditions of the holy month of Ramadan, when millions of American Muslims join Muslims all over the world in fasting and prayer. A great tool for elementary school teachers to use to introduce students to the growing diversity of their classrooms.
Festivals of Egypt, Jailan Abbas (Hoopoe Books, 1995).
Perfect book for elementary school students to introduce them to Christian and Muslim holidays of Egypt. Beautifully illustrated and accessible for kids of all ages. Includes calendars, recipes, and songs.
Innovative Approaches to Teaching About Islam in the Pre-Collegiate Classroom (A special panel for K-12 teachers at the annual meeting of the Middle East Studies Association, November 2004).
A collection of presentations for K-12 teachers on how to teach Islam in the classroom by well-known and respected educators. Includes chapters on "Useful Videos About Islam;" "Music and Popular Culture as Resources for Teaching About Islam;" "An Introduction to Islamic Law for Teachers of Pre-Collegiate Classrooms;" and "Muslim Spain: Teaching About Religious Pluralism and Our Shared Heritage." Each concise chapter includes lesson plans, on-line resources, fun hand-outs, and solid introductions to each subject.
Islam: A Primer, John Sabini (Amideast, 1997).
A succinct and accessible introduction to the religion and civilization of Islam for teachers, high school students, and the general reader. A primer that will stimulate further interest, reading, and study.
Islam Today: A Short Introduction the Muslim World, Akbar S. Ahmed (I.B. Tauris, 2002).
Lively and accessible text for high school students, teachers and others interested in the world of Islam today by the Ibn Kahldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University and noted commentator in the US media, Akbar S. Ahmed. Voted "Best Non-Fiction Book of the Year" by the Los Angeles times.
Islamic Civilization and the Arts, developed by Stephanie Lamb (Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE), 2003).
This outstanding, comprehensive unit introduces middle and high school students to both traditional and modern-day elements of Islamic civilization, through a humanities approach, with an emphasis on Islamic art, the mosque, Arabic language and calligraphy, poetry, and music. Contains CDs, maps, transparencies, activity cards and handouts.
The Map Project CD Rom and Transparency Set (Middle East Studies Association of North American, Inc., 2003).
Colorful and clear transparencies, as well as a CD Rom, of 103 maps, including modern political maps, and maps on early history, modern wars, economies, vegetation and agriculture, the Arab-Israeli conflict, European colonial expansion, demography, and much more. The CD Rom contains the same maps as the transparencies, along with a text document of each map. This project was funded by the U.S. Department of Education, and is an excellent resource to supplement the classroom study of the Middle East.
Muslim Holidays: Teacher Guide and Student Resources (2nd Edition) (Council on Islamic Education, 2004).
This accessible volume provides handouts and lesson plans, along with a teacher guide, on Muslim holidays for all grade levels. This new edition also includes very helpful information on Muslim holidays and religious accommodations for Muslim students for teachers of all grades facing increasingly diverse classrooms. Lesson plans correlate with National and some State Social Studies History Standards.
Muslim Women Through the Centuries: A Unit of Study for Grades 7-12 (Council on Islamic Education and National Center for History in the Schools, University of California, Los Angeles, 1998).
This timely collection of lessons on Muslim women includes a teacher's guide, lesson plans with student resources, and teacher background materials. This flexible unit is designed to supplement your customary course materials, and all lessons can be adapted to lower or higher grades. Correlates to National Standards for World History.
Ramadan, Suhaib Hamid Ghazi (Holiday House, 1996).
An award-winning, beautifully illustrated book for children on the traditions and celebration of the holy month of Ramadan. Perfect for a small reading circle of elementary school kids.
Teaching About Islam and Muslims in the Public Classroom: A Handbook for Educators (3rd Edition) (Council on Islamic Education, 2002).
The clear, concise chapters in this handbook can be adapted for all grade levels by teachers interested in supplementing the classroom materials they use to introduce Islam to their students. An excellent resource on the essential beliefs and practices of Muslims for teachers and students.
Teen Life in the Middle East, ed. Ali Akbar Mahdi (Greenwood Press, 2003).
Excellent, accessible book that covers teen life in all countries of the Middle East, including Israel, Iran, and Turkey. Narrative chapters present an overview of the country, a typical day, family life, schooling, food, recreation, entertainment, social life, religious practices and cultural ceremonies, and resource and pen pal information. Great for teachers and high school students interested in their counterparts in the Middle East. Part of the Teen Life Around the World Series. Each chapter is a succinct 15-20 pages - ideal for classroom use.
The Crusades from Medieval European and Muslim Perspectives: A Unit of Study for Grades 7-12 (Council on Islamic Education and National Center for History in the Schools, University of California, Los Angeles, 1998.)
A unique unit that allows teachers and students to use primary sources to provide new perspectives on the Crusades by focusing upon the experiences of both Crusaders and Muslims, in order to better understand how two communities interacted with one another, not just militarily, but also culturally, religiously, and ideologically. Lesson plans correlate to National Standards for World History.
The Emergence of the Renaissance Cultural Interactions Between Europeans and Muslims: A Thematic Collection of Cross-Cultural Teaching Resources (Council on Islamic Education, 1999).
A comprehensive, beautifully produced unit on an under-studied but important aspect of the Renaissance. Includes a teacher's guide, lesson plans, student activities, charts, map, and CD-based slide studies. Includes segments on commerce and travel; education and scholarship; science and technology; and the visual arts. For middle and high school students.
The Three Muslim Festivals, Amina Ibrahim Ali (International Educational Foundation, 2002).
A charming and simple, yet beautifully illustrated collection of stories for non-Muslim children to teach them the traditions and practices behind the three major celebrations of Islam: Ramadan, Id Al-Fitr, and Id Al-Adha. Contains a helpful glossary of Islamic terms.
Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (2nd Edition), ed. Deborah J. Lerner and Jillian Schwedler (Reinner, 2004).
Up-to-date and comprehensive look at the Middle East, including, among other topics, chapters on Middle Eastern literature, the role of women, the economies of the Middle East, and population growth and the challenges of unemployment by noted scholars on the Middle East. Accessible for advanced high school students, teachers, and general readers. A good text for college students interested in the Middle East, too!
What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, from One of America's Leading Experts, John Esposito (Oxford University Press, 2002).
Each chapter in this clear, succinct, and informed book by one of the world's noted scholars on Islam is broken down into questions under subheadings like Violence and Terrorism, Faith and Practice, Islam and Other Religions, and Muslims in the West. He gives straight-forward answers from everything from "How did Islam Originate," to "Is Islam similar to Christianity and Judaism?" to "What does Islam Say about Birth Control,' to the ubiquitous "Why do They Hate Us?."
Who Are The Turks? A Manual for Teachers, Justin McCarthy and Carolyn McCarthy (The American Forum for Global Education, 2003).
An excellent, beautifully produced resource for educators on Turkey, including lesson plans on Turkish government, society, art, and literature. Includes notes to instructors, key concepts, and strategies for teaching and projects. Also includes homework readings and worksheets, maps, and full-page color graphics that can be photocopied for students. Appendices include food, recipes, the Turkish language and alphabet, and useful websites.
Young Voices from the Arab World: The Lives and Times of Five Teenagers, ed. Leslie S. Nucho (Amideast, 2000).
A teacher's guide accompanied by a 30-minute video for introducing your students to their counterparts in the Middle East. It was developed especially for classroom use in grades five through eight. Everyday aspects of Arab culture and society seen through the eyes of young people from Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Lebanon, and Jordan. The teacher's guide has so much useful material on such subjects as Arabic food, the Arabic alphabet, and the idea of family in the Arab world, that it can be used without the video.