ND Curriculum Initiative

Subject & Standards

Needs Assessment/Rational

The purpose of this project is to understand why the Crusades took place and why the Muslim militants hold such animosity towards the U.S. and its European allies based on the Crusades. With 9/11, the on-going war in Iraq, and the terrorist threat, students will need to understand the working relationship between the U.S. and the Arab world. The objective aligns with ND Social Studies Standards 1: Nature and Scope of History and Standard 7: Culture. Groups will understand the principles governing historical analysis and interpretation; Benchmark: 12.1.2. Understand how key events, people, and ideas affected world history; Benchmark: 12.1.5. Understand how variations in the elements of culture lead to diversity in cultures; Benchmark: 12.7.1. Understand the role of humanities, religion, and beliefs in defining and preserving culture; Benchmark: 12.7.2. With the use of the PowerPoint program, collaborative teams will present their objective through a slide show. Students will reinforce their knowledge of PowerPoint as a valuable tool for business world. One of the assessment tools I reviewed for this analysis was a rubric where the students and I assessed the teams’ final performances. Business/Technology Standards covered are Standard 8: Students demonstrate effective group participation & leadership skills in business & personal situations and Standard 9: Understand concepts of technology as a tool. Understand the importance of working effectively in a group; Benchmark: 12.8.1. Apply presentation software (PowerPoint) and equipment; Benchmark: 12.9.1.

Understandings & Goals

Enduring Understanding: I want the students to understand there are peaceful means to resolve disputes over territory, religion, and cultural differences. I am hoping long after high school, once these students become productive citizens, they do explore and take part in modern-day crusades such as: the women’s movement, the March of Dimes crusade against polio or developing an understanding of Muslim culture. Hopefully, bridging the gap between our two cultures and developing an understanding that the term crusade can be used in a positive context. Goal(s): To explore the Crusades and to understand the community’s attitude towards the Arab world and the attitude of Arab/Muslims towards America.

Questions Answered

Essential questions: What features of modern Western civilization had their beginnings during the height of the Middle Ages in western Europe? What new developments changed European society during the High Middle Ages? How did the Crusades begin, and what were their results? How the Crusades affected the current relationship with the Arab world and U.S.? Can a crusade be considered a positive event? What could a student crusade for? Objectives: 1. Students will be able to define the term crusade and find a modern-day crusade they would stand for. Students will be able to identify the first three crusades and the key people involved.  2. Students will be able to explain why both Christians and Muslims of the A.D. 1000s and A.D. 1100s felt that Jerusalem should belong to them. 3. Students will be able to evaluate the positive and negative effects of the Crusades on Western civilization.  4. Students will use internet websites to determine attitudes of both the Arab and American communities and document their personal reflection.

Assessment

What quiz and test items e.g. simple content-focused questions that require a single, best answer) will provide evidence of understanding? 1. After each group has presented their objective, a 15 question quiz will follow.  2. A review of Chapter 13, Section 1 & final project TEST will follow-up the last group’s presentation.  3. A class-discussion on the term “Crusade” and how we would apply it to our lives would be the final assessment.
What academic prompts e.g. open-ended questions or problems that require students to think critically and then to prepare a response / product / performance) will provide evidence of understanding?  Students will investigate the topic by trying to answer the question “what was the attitude between the Arab world and Europe during the 11th & 12th Centuries and what is the attitude today with America included.”
What performance tasks and projects e.g. complex challenges that are authentic, mirror the real world and require a performance or product) will you include that will provide evidence of student understanding?  1. Students will interview community members and use a PowerPoint presentation to record and present information.  2. Students will decide how to assess the project.
What other evidence e.g. observations, work samples, dialogues, student self-assessment) of understanding will you collect? Rubrics, observations, and student presentations via PowerPoint will be used.

Instructional Strategies

Students will use a combination of inquiry-based and problem-based learning to explore the Crusades and how to apply a modern-day crusade with positive outcomes to their life.
Through the problem-based learning, students will investigate the attitude towards the Arab world and/or Islam within their own community and survey a random cross-section. Also, students will interview people who have experienced Arab/Muslim culture or who are a member and their opinion of America.
Through project-based learning, in a cooperative learning activity, small groups will design a PowerPoint slideshow based on any information pertaining to animosity within Arab countries towards America or Americans towards Muslims. Students may use a variety of sources:their textbook, community survey results, emails from National Guard members, or internet sources.