Contextualization

Islam, one of the world's major religions, has a rich and complex history that spans over 1400 years. The medieval period of Islam, from the 7th to the 15th century, was a time of great progress in the fields of science, art, and philosophy, and it laid the groundwork for much of the modern world.

During this period, the Islamic world was a center of learning and innovation. While Europe was experiencing the Dark Ages, the Islamic world was flourishing with a vibrant intellectual and cultural life. Scholars translated and preserved ancient Greek and Roman texts, which would later be rediscovered and fuel the Renaissance in Europe. Islamic scholars also made significant contributions in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and philosophy.

One of the key characteristics of medieval Islamic society was its diversity. Islam spread from the Arabian Peninsula to encompass a vast and diverse territory, stretching from Spain in the West to India in the East. This created a multicultural and cosmopolitan society, where people of different religions and cultures coexisted and often influenced one another.

Understanding the medieval period of Islam is not only important for understanding the history of the Islamic world, but also for understanding the history of Europe and the world as a whole. The contributions made by Islamic scholars during this period laid the groundwork for many of the intellectual and cultural developments that we take for granted today.

Resources

Students are encouraged to use the following resources to deepen their understanding of the theme and to aid them in their project:

1. "The Oxford History of Islam" by John L. Esposito
2. "A History of the Arab Peoples" by Albert Hourani
3. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Timeline of Art History
4. The British Library's Learning and Research section on World History
5. The Internet History Sourcebooks Project by Fordham University, particularly the sections on Medieval Sourcebook: Islam and Medieval Sourcebook: Byzantium

Practical Activity

Activity Title: "The Multifaceted World of Medieval Islam"

Objective of the Project:

The objective of this project is to foster an in-depth understanding of the medieval period of Islam, with a particular focus on its contributions to science, art, and philosophy, as well as its multicultural society. Through research, discussion, and creative presentation, students will gain a deep appreciation for the complexities and richness of this period in history.

Detailed Description of the Project:

Students will be divided into groups of 3 to 5. Each group will delve into the different aspects of medieval Islam: its scientific contributions, its artistic achievements, its philosophical developments, and its multicultural society.

The project will be divided into two interconnected parts:

1. A Written Report: The report will be a comprehensive, detailed, and well-structured document that presents the findings of the group's research. It should include an introduction, a development, a conclusion, and a bibliography.

2. A Multimedia Presentation: The presentation should creatively and engagingly showcase the key points of the group's research. It could be a PowerPoint presentation, a short video, an interactive website, or any other multimedia format that the group deems appropriate.

Necessary Materials:

• Computers with internet access (for research and multimedia presentation).
• Books and/or online resources for research.
• Presentation software or tools (PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva, etc.).
• Digital cameras or smartphones (for capturing images or videos for the presentation, if necessary).

Detailed Step-by-step for Carrying out the Activity:

1. Formation of Groups and Allocation of Topics: Divide the class into groups of 3 to 5 students. Assign each group one of the four focus areas: scientific contributions, artistic achievements, philosophical developments, or multicultural society.

2. Research: Each group will conduct in-depth research on their assigned topic using the provided resources. Students are encouraged to use additional resources as well, as long as they are reliable and academically appropriate.

3. Discussion and Brainstorming: After conducting the research, the group members should come together to discuss their findings, brainstorm ideas for the report and the presentation, and allocate tasks among themselves.

4. Report Writing: The report should be written collaboratively, with each group member contributing to each section. The introduction should provide a brief overview of the chosen theme and its relevance. The development section should detail the key points of the research, with each group member responsible for one or more subtopics. The conclusion should summarize the main findings and insights gained from the project.

5. Presentation Creation: Using the information from their report, each group should create a multimedia presentation. The presentation should be both informative and engaging, and it should effectively communicate the main points of the group's research.

6. Practice and Finalization: After creating the presentation, the group should practice presenting it to ensure that it flows smoothly and that all group members are comfortable with their parts. The report and the presentation should complement each other, with the presentation highlighting the key points of the report.

7. Presentation and Submission: Each group will present their findings to the class, followed by a Q&A session. After the presentations, each group will submit their report and a copy of their presentation.

Project Deliveries:

Each group must submit:

1. A written report (approximately 2000 - 2500 words) containing an introduction, development, conclusion, and bibliography.
2. A multimedia presentation that effectively communicates the main points of the report.

Both the report and the presentation will be assessed on the following criteria:

• Research (30%): The depth and breadth of the research conducted.
• Organization and Structure (20%): The logical flow of information, the clarity of the language used, and the cohesion between the different sections.
• Creativity and Presentation Skills (20%): The creativity and originality of the presentation, and the group's ability to effectively convey information to an audience.
• Collaboration (20%): The level of collaboration and teamwork demonstrated by the group.
• Understanding and Analysis of the Topic (10%): The group's understanding of their assigned topic and their ability to analyze and synthesize the information gathered.

The project will take approximately one month to complete, with an estimated workload of 12 to 15 hours per student. It is essential that all members of the group actively participate in each stage of the project.