• What research did you need to complete in order to understand these texts? 

I needed to look at a map to have a clear understanding of the locations mentioned in the the texts.  I also had to follow up on the words moslem vs. muslim and the difference between the two words.  I went back to review the timelines we learned about earlier in this module so that I could put into context what I just learned.

• How would you make these texts relevant to your classroom? 

If I taught history to 7th and 8th graders, there are a few things I would need to do to make these texts revelant in my classroom.  First, I would use a series of maps to provide context.  I would have a series of maps, a world map, a map of the Mediterranean region, a map of the Roman empire, modern maps of the Middle East region, Northern Africa.  Once students had an understanding of the where, I would then provide a who's who of the people and groups of people mentioned in the various texts.  

• What information would you share with your students when you presented these texts? 

With my French classes, I'm not sure that I would spend lots of time with these particular texts because they don't organically connect to my subject.  I think a few of the important take-aways I could share would be to compare France or what France geographically looked like during the 7th and 8th centuries to the Islamic Empire.  I would use maps of both areas and perhaps connect the king of the Franks to the caliph and the battle of Yarmouk.  

• Discuss how you would contextualize these readings for your students in a larger unit that you teach on medieval history.  

Since I don't teach history, but use history in mini lessons to relate to French culture, I think that I would present the information from these readings in a timeline along with points on a map.  For example, when I talk about the comic book character Asterix of Gaul who lived in 50BC and was in constant battle against the Romans to the battle of Yarmouk.  Or I could also connect the battle of Hastings and William the Conqueror in 1066 which expanded British rule to northern France to the battle of Yarmouk which gave Syria to the Islamic Empire.  In Bayeux, France, there is the famous tapestry La tapisserie de Bayeux, which depicts through embroidery the famous 11th century battle with the illustration in the article we read from the World History Encyclopedia.  I would provide a map with points to show the location of each battle and then an illustration from each.  I would ask the students to find similarities and differences in the illustrations.