Foreign Policy Research Institute A Nation Must Think Before it Acts The Sunni and Shia Muslims

The Sunni and Shia Muslims

Students will explain the causes, results, and impact of political institutions of Europe and the Middle East. (4.3.5)

Map Activity:
https://storv.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=f2cbd5ef95d346038f554951879ca7c3
Students will view the map as a class or individually

Answer the following questions:
Describe the following countries and holy sites
1. What country has the largest population of Muslims?
2. What is the population of Muslims in the United States?
3. What is the Muslim population of Turkey? What percentage is Sunni?
4. What is the population of Muslims in Saudi Arabia? What percentage of the population is Muslim?
5. What is the population of Muslims in Iran? What percentage are Shia?
6. What is the Muslim Population of Iraq? What percentage is Sunni?
7. What is the Muslim population of Syria? What percentage is Sunni?
8. In what countries are holy sites of all Muslims?
9. In what country are the holy sites for Shia Muslims?

Evaluate
10. What it is important the Shia sites are in Syria?
11. Why is it important that Iran and Iraq have different percentages of Sunni and Shia Muslims?B. Read the Articles and have Students answer the related Quizzes

Articles
Sunni Islam : What Students Need to Know
Shiism: what students need to Know

Quizzes- See attached

Classroom discussion
Possible Discussion starters
1. Why do you think, there is so much hostility between Shia and Sunni Muslims?
2. Is there anything the United States should do to help settle the antagonism between Shia and Sunni Muslims?
3. Is there anything else you would like to know about the region and religious groups?

Evaluation- Based on Quiz Answers and Classroom discussions

https://story.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=f2cbd5ef95d346038f554951879ca7c3

Sunni Islam: What Students Need to Know By John Calvert May 2010 https://www.fpri.org/article/2010/05/sunni-islam-what-students-need-to-know/

Shiism: what students need to Know By John Calvert October 2012
https://www.fpri.org/article/2012/10/shiism-what-students-need-to-know/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKLvjs7Yrtw

Author
  • James Feldman
  • Lake Shore High School

If you have any questions about this lesson plan, or if you wish to contact the author, please email us at history@fpri.org