Medieval World History

Saturday, February 13, 2010

MEDIEVAL WORLD HISTORY

Research Directions

Hello 7th graders!

Welcome to a fun and exciting research project where we will tackle individual topics spanning five units of medieval history, including the end of the Roman Empire, west African empires, the Asian civilizations of China and Japan, and the beginning of the Middle Ages in Europe. In the middle of your tables is a guide sheet for your subtopics as we fill out the "Student Checklist," which is a plan for doing library research. The sources of information to explore your topic will include nonfiction books (print) and The World Book Encyclopedia. You must always cite your sources with the MLA forms in your research packet and use them to create a "Works Cited" list for your final project. We will read and think about information to select good facts for notetaking. Citing sources and taking good notes instead of copying will prevent plagiarism. By next week we will sort notes into a logical order to write a paragraph for each subtopic.

A wonderful Internet resource for this research project is Kidipede. Search for your topic in the following unit lists, and click on the unit title. It will take you to the Web site where you will find information links to research your subtopics.

UNIT 1: The Fall of Rome

Augustus
Roman Empire Achievements
Roman Empire Problems
The Fall of Rome
Roman Empire and Christianity

UNIT 2: The Islamic World

Muhammad
Islam religion
Hajj
Islamic Achievements

UNIT 3: West African Civilizations

The Empire of Mali
Mansa Musa

UNIT 4: Asian Civilizations

Buddhism
Zen Buddhism
Confucianism
Daoism/Taoism
Shinto
Chinese Achievements
The Mongol Empire
Genghis Khan
Kublai Khan
Japanese Samurai
Japanese Shogun
Kabukai Theater

UNIT 5: Medieval Europe

Medieval Castle
Saint Patrick
Charlemagne
Joan of Arc
Feudalism
European Knight
The Black Death
The Crusades
The Magna Carta
The Spanish Inquisition

Standards

History/Social Science Standards, Grade 7
7.1.1 Students analyze the causes and effects of the vast expansion and ultimate disintegration of the Roman Empire. Study the early strengths and lasting contributions of Rome (e.g., significance of Roman citizenship; rights under Roman law; Roman art, architecture, engineering, and philosophy; preservation and transmission of Christianity) and its ultimate internal weaknesses (e.g., rise of autonomous military powers within the empire, undermining of citizenship by the growth of corruption and slavery, lack of education, and distribution of news).

7.2.2 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Islam in the Middle Ages. Trace the origins of Islam and the life and teachings of Muhammad, including Islamic teachings on the connection with Judaism and Christianity.

7.3.1 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of China in the Middle Ages. Describe the reunification of China under the Tang Dynasty and reasons for the spread of Buddhism in Tang China, Korea, and Japan.

7.3.3 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of China in the Middle Ages. Analyze the influences of Confucianism and changes in Confucian thought during the Sung and Mongol periods.

7.4.2 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the sub-Saharan civilizations of Ghana and Mali in Medieval Africa. Analyze the importance of family, labor specialization, and regional commerce in the development of states and cities in West Africa.

7.5.3 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Medieval Japan. Describe the values, social customs, and traditions prescribed by the lord-vassal system consisting of shogun, daimyo, and samurai and the lasting influence of the warrior code in the twentieth century.

7.6.3 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Medieval Europe. Understand the development of feudalism, its role in the medieval European economy, the way in which it was influenced by physical geography (the role of the manor and the growth of towns), and how feudal relationships provided the foundation of political order.

7.6.6 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Medieval Europe. Discuss the causes and course of the religious Crusades and their effects on the Christian, Muslim, and Jewish populations in Europe, with emphasis on the increasing contact by Europeans with cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean world.

Information Literacy Standards

Standard 1: The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively.

1.2: Knows parts of a book and functions of digital resources.

Standard 2: The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently.

2.3: Selects relevant information during the research process.

Standard 3: The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively.

3.1: Uses prewriting techniques to extract and organize relevant information.

Standard 8: The student... practices ethical behavior in regard to information and information technology.

8.2: Understands the reasons and methods for citing sources.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Student research forms

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Standards