Genghis Khan



Genghis Khan


Genghis Khan was a ruthless Mongolian leader who led some of the fiercest warriors the world has ever known.  He left a path of death and destruction wherever he and his troops went.  Born Temujin, he was given the title "Genghis Khan," which means strong ruler, at a meeting of Mongolian tribal leaders in 1206.  While his methods were cruel, they eventually led to a time of relative peace and prosperity for most of Asia.  Genghis Khan died in 1227, after falling from a horse, and was succeeded by his sons and then later his also highly well-known grandson, Kublai Khan.

Important Inventions/Discoveries of the Chinese



Chinese Fire Lance

The Chinese invented or discovered many things that have had a profound impact throughout the recent history of the world.  Of these are:  silk, coal, steel, paper, porcelain, woodblock printing, moveable type, books, gunpowder, fire lance (an ancestor of the gun), and fireworks.  Furthermore, they built large ships with rudders and sails and began using the compass for navigation.  These inventions/discoveries themselves, or products that have developed from these inventions/discoveries, are still very much in use today.

Islamic Prayer

Part of being a Muslim, a follower of Islam, means accepting the Five Pillars of Islam. One of these five pillars is that Muslims must pray five times a day. Below is a video of a Muslim woman performing her morning ritual prayer and some of her views on Islam and humanity.

The Cross

In Roman Times, crosses were used to execute usually the worst and lowliest of criminals.  People would be hung upon crosses with nails driven through their hands and feet, usually after having been severely beaten, and then they would be left hanging there to die.  Once sentenced to die upon a cross, all hope was abandoned.  Nothing was left but torture and death.  However, times have certainly changed.  The cross today is seen as just the opposite.  For Christians, it is the ultimate sign of hope.  It is the symbol of how God's son, Jesus Christ, paid the ultimate price for sins, thus allowing those who trust in Him to receive pardon and the assurance of being in the right standing with God.  People can receive salvation and the joy of spending an eternity in Heaven only through the sacrifice made be Jesus on The Cross.    

Country Project

Each child draws a country of the world from a deck of index cards turned faced down.  Once he has his country, he draws it on a standard sized piece of poster board, identifying the capital with a star.  He also draws the country's flag on the poster board.  Using creativity with the space left available, he writes information on the following:  Population, Government (type), Continent, Language(s) (official), Economy, Land Area (square miles or kilometers), Established (year), and Major Religion.  The flag should be colored using the official flag colors and the country colored creatively.  This is not a difficult project but one the students can have some fun with and also learn about a country they either did not know much about or of which they have never heard.

The Rise of Islam

Islam technically began around A.D. 610 after Muhammad went into the hills to pray.  Dissatisfied with how Arabs had become, particularly with the rich not helping the poor, Muhammad, a wealthy merchant, left his old life behind and begin spreading what has now developed into the Quran.  While the religion has continued to develop over the years, the five basic pillars remain:  Belief, Prayer, Charity, Fasting, and Pilgrimage.  For more on the rise of Islam visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise_of_Islam