Grade 7 Lesson at a Glance: Chapter 3, Lesson 3

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
Across the Centuries

Lesson at a Glance
Chapter 3, Lesson 3: Early Islam (pp. 65-68)

The Big Idea
Framework Concept: Concept and Change The first three caliphs spread Islam far and wide, conquering new lands and creating a huge Muslim empire. However, the problem of how to choose caliphs caused a civil war and split Muslims into two groups, Shiites and Sunnis.

Discuss with students how, in most major religions, there are groups of people who may share many beliefs, but who disagree about particular interpretations of their beliefs. Ask them to suggest examples of other religious groups who also share many beliefs but disagree on some particulars.

Lesson Outline
Use the Lesson Outline to preview the content of the lesson. You may wish to print it for your students as a guide during reading.

Check for Understanding

Have students research the lives of one of the early caliphs. Then have them write a report on the conflicts and changes that occured during their subject's time in office.
Have students work in small groups to create skits dramatizing the events in Abu Bakr's succession as caliph or the events leading up to the division of the Muslims into two groups.

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