Mightier than the Sword: Calligraphy of the 16th C. Imperial Courts

2. Mightier than the Sword: Calligraphy of the 16th C. Imperial Courts
The Jerusalem Fund Gallery is proud to present
A new cultural resource and web-based curriculum unit
Mightier than the Sword: Calligraphy of the 16th C. Imperial Courts
About the Unit:
"Mightier than the Sword: Calligraphy of the 16th Century Imperial Courts"
is a web-based curriculum unit developed to provide a creative and
interactive approach to studying many of the major empires that dominated
the world stage in the 15th and 16th centuries. Using Islamic calligraphy as
an entry point, students learn about seven empires: the Songhay, Saadian,
Mughal, Safavid, Ottoman, Ming, Tokugawa Shogunate, and the Hapsburg, from
historical, literary and artistic angles. This project was inspired by an
exhibition of Islamic Calligraphy at the Gallery of the Jerusalem Fund for
which we have created resources for teachers and students to discover not
just the art of calligraphy, but also the time period in which calligraphy
really flourished. This free on-line tool is designed for high school
students of World History, Literature, Art and Mathematics. It addresses
national standards for 9th and 10th grade subject areas.
The lesson is organized in a series of interdisciplinary stages that move
students from research to presentation. If students have access to the
Internet outside of the classroom, they can complete the entire project
without taking any class time, until their day of presentation. The project
will take each group approximately 3 weeks. There are eight supplemental
projects that can also be assigned (in addition to/instead of) the main
task.
One of the strengths of this unit is that it is tied closely to the
curriculum and gives teachers the opportunity to teach to the standards
without interruption or deviation. It is a means of studying Arab and
Islamic contributions to the arts and cultures of the world through a
neutral lens that encourages research, dialogue and creative presentation.
It also includes an extensive listing of resources for teachers and students
to help in their exploration of Arab and Islamic culture.
View the Unit - http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/gallery/callig/intro.html
About the Jerusalem Fund Gallery - The Jerusalem Fund's cultural program
promotes the work of artists from Palestine as well as from the Arab and
Islamic worlds through art exhibits, book signings, film screenings and
musical performances. The cultural activities at the Jerusalem Fund Gallery,
located in Washington, D.C., are being made available to a wider audience
through our website and through lesson plans for educators and students of
all ages. For more information, contact Jessica Wright, Cultural
Coordinator, at (202) 338-1958. Gallery hours: 9am - 5pm, Monday through
Friday.
The Jerusalem Fund is located at 2425 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20037. www.thejerusalemfund.org