If you’re a social studies teacher looking to enhance your curriculum or searching for supplementary resources, you’ve found the right place. I want to help every teacher be their best when teaching your Islam unit! The following resources are activities I personally use in my Ancient Mesopotamia units.
Islamic Empires Bell Ringers
I kick off my Islamic Empires unit with dynamic, no-prep, skill-based bell ringers. Each bell ringer engages students by reviewing content and practicing crucial reading and writing skills such as subject/verb identification, citation, and sentence writing, with fun drawing prompts included. This approach not only prepares students for the day’s lesson but helps with classroom management, establishing routines and maintaining student expectations.
Middle East Map & Reading Activity
I start every ancient or medieval world history unit with an immersive map activity. This Middle East Map & Reading Activity provides students with a hands-on approach to understanding Middle East geography, and its impact on empires. Each lesson includes interactive map labeling, coloring tasks, followed by a short reading passage and writing activity on geographic influences, as well as a Google Classroom or printable quiz.
Umayyad Empire Report Card Reading Activity
When I plan a reading comprehension activity, I want to make it interesting for students. In the Umayyad Empire Report Card Reading Activity, I transform my students into teacher-historians as they study the Umayyad Empire. Students read GRAPES thematic reading passages about the Umayyad Empire, answer questions based on each theme, then grade each theme. Finally, they calculate the empire’s GPA and write teacher comments.
I teach each empire using this approach.
Abbasid Empire Report Card Reading Activity
Al Andalus Empire Report Card Reading Activity
Ottoman Empire Report Card Reading Activity
Safavid Empire Report Card Reading Activity
Mughal Empire Report Card Reading Activity
Hexagonal Thinking Activities
When I teach writing, I begin with organization. I use one of the six Hexagonal Thinking Activities for Islamic and Gunpowder Empires. These are a great way for students to visualize what key terms they will use and how their paragraph will be organized.
Gunpowder Empires Map & Reading Activity
I start every ancient or medieval world history unit with an immersive map activity. This Gunpowder Empires Map & Reading Activity provides students with a hands-on approach to understanding Middle East, Persian and Indian geography, and its impact on empires. Each lesson includes interactive map labeling, coloring tasks, followed by a short reading passage and writing activity on geographic influences, as well as a Google Classroom or printable quiz.
Empire of Faith Documentary
Documentaries provide a great opportunity for students to learn or review using visual mediums. I tell my students that documentaries are like virtual field trips because we get to hear from historians and archaeologists, and see the actual sites students have studied. I also like to mix it up! Documentaries are a nice change of pace for classes, and they are great for sub plans too! The Empire of Faith Documentaries covers the Muhammad, the Umayyad, Abbasid, Al Andalus and Ottoman Empires as well as the Crusades.
Mosque Project
Engage students with a hands-on 3D project where they construct a Mosque Project. This culminating activity integrates key terms and historical events, encouraging collaborative learning and creative expression. A detailed checklist and rubric ensure project quality and classroom decoration.
Islamic Empires Test
I used to dread making tests for my ancient and world history units. If you need help writing your unit test for the Early Islamic Empires Test and Gunpowder Empires Test, use this assessment covering Mesopotamian geography, the Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian & Persian Empires, Sargon, Hammurabi and much more. There is a regular and modified version, a study guide and writing tests.
The Early Islamic Empires and Gunpowder Empires unit is designed with teachers in mind. It is full of time-saving activities. You will get more student buy-in with interactive simulations, hands-on projects, and insightful discussions on historical figures. Designed for flexibility, the Islam unit helps teachers be their best!
Be sure to listen to the Middle Ages Podcast for more awesome ideas ancient and world history teachers!