Muslims in America’s Midwest: An Educator’s Guide to Past and Present

FAIN: ES-288153-22

Miami University (Oxford, OH 45056-1846)
Kathleen Knight Abowitz (Project Director: February 2022 to July 2024)
Elizabeth Wilson (Co Project Director: February 2022 to July 2024)

A two-week residential institute for 25 K-12 educators to study the religious and cultural lives of Muslims in the United States.

While U.S. history is a history of immigration and the struggles to welcome and integrate newcomers, the situation facing Muslim immigrants today is challenging. A post-9/11 era has shaped the presence of Islamophobia in many communities, and the widespread religious illiteracies of the American public complicate efforts to help Muslim immigrants become members of their communities, including those of the public schools their children attend. This two-week Institute provides a humanities-based program which introduces teachers to the history and practices of Islam, examines the diverse Muslim communities in the Midwestern U.S. to provide a focused context for study, and explores diverse literatures (memoir, fiction, non-fiction) of contemporary Muslim-American experiences. Participants will develop humanities-based curricula that fit within the boundaries of their school’s objectives and desired outcomes.

Associated Products

Curriculum Products: Lesson plans from Muslims in America's Midwest at Miami University (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: Curriculum Products: Lesson plans from Muslims in America's Midwest at Miami University
Author: Insko, Melissa
Abstract: Eleven curriculum projects, developed during the NEH-funded K-12 Teachers Summer Institute at Miami University in June 2023, were developed by Institute participants. These projects provide lesson plans, resources and materials that may be adapted and used by educators. The projects include curricula for primary and secondary Social Studies, English Language Arts, and Literacy areas, and professional development lessons to enable K-12 educators to expand knowledge of Muslim cultures, students and families.
Year: 2023
Primary URL: https://miamioh.edu/ehs/centers-institutes/muslims-in-americas-midwest/index.html
Primary URL Description: This is the primary website for the NEH-funded K-12 Teacher Summer Institute, Muslims in America's Midwest: An Educator's Guide to Past and Present. Curriculum projects are featured on designated pages within this site.
Secondary URL: https://muslimsinamericasmidwestcurriculumprojects20239.wordpress.com
Secondary URL Description: This page contains the curriculum project content.
Audience: K - 12

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