CBI Individual Lesson Template Day 4

Author: Samantha Kolesky

Key Question #2: What types of belief systems are they built upon?
Lesson # 3 of 3 Rig-Veda, Buddhism Creation Story
Purpose:
Content Objective
Language
Objective
*Blooms verbs
+Authentic Content +
Means+ Conditions

Managing
Demands on
Cognition
1. Instructional
Task(s)-sequence as
needed
2. Strategy Focus for

Comprehending
Text ( B+ABK, QUE,
S&R, SUM, GO, TS)
and/or
3. Instructional
Strategy Focus for
Learning
(jigsaw, find your
partner, pair-share,
graphic organizer, direct
instruction, inquiry,
etc.)

Content Objective: Students will be able to (SWBAT)

identify key tenets of Hinduism by listening to a lecture and
analyzing primary source documents.
Language Objective: Students will be able to (SWBAT)
read primary source documents that have been modified to
focus on vocab and difficult words and record key
information based on prompts.
How will you communicate these to students? These
objectives will be presented at the beginning of the class
orally in student friendly language By the end of this class,
you will be able to., as well as posted on the board for
the unit
(Be explicit and descriptive.)
1. Instructional sequence:
a. The class will begin with a starter in order to activate
background knowledge about ancient India. Students will
complete a think pair share exercise pair up with a
partner and list as many things as they can remember.
b. Next I will use a short lecture with many images to

give students the basis for understanding the complex

content vocabulary.
c. A simplified primary source will be handed out as
students will complete a graphic organizer in their
group.
d. Following the group readings, we will complete an
interactive cloze activity using the vocabulary learned
during the day to check for understanding.
2. Today the focus for understanding text is S&R, the first
text will model for students underlining words that are
important or hard to understand, the second reading will
have students do on their own.
3. I will be providing direct instruction at the beginning of
class, inquiry in the middle as students read and look for

4. Modeling and
Explicit Instruction
for Strategy(s)
5. Rationale (Explain
why is this learning
strategy supports
this content)

Engagement
Principles
(Choice, Connections,
Real-World Interactions
Interesting Texts,
Collaboration)

Rationale for
Principle (s)

Differentiation
(Content
Process
Product)

information, and a find your partner activity at the end to

review vocabulary.
4. Modified primary source to show students how to use
S+R while reading, I will also model the interactive cloze
activity at the end of class before allowing students to do
it on their own.
5. I am using direct instruction today because students
need to have some basic knowledge of complex content
vocabulary in order to go into independent inquiry with
the primary sources. As I am lecturing I will be using
teacher talk in order for L2 students to understand and
be able to recognize the terms. I am having students
work with modified primary sources because it is
important to be able to read various types of text when
studying history. L2 learners especially should be
exposed to different styles of English in order to be able
to think historically. These readings are scaffolded so that
the first one models how to underline words that are
unfamiliar and how to pick out familiar vocabulary and
highlight it. This teaches students an important strategy
while they are also learning key content. I am finishing up
the lesson with a interactive cloze activity/ find your
partner because I want to assess if the students have an
understanding of the vocabulary learned for the day.
I will be using both interesting texts and collaboration in
order to engage students.
Rationale: I am using primary sources as interesting texts
so that my L2 students can be exposed to a different type of
english than usual. Collaboration is also used because as
these L2 learners are tackling the new type of text they will
be able to work with a partner to understand it.
By having the higher level students tutor the lower level
students through the complex part of the reading, I will
differentiate by process, this will allow the higher level
students the opportunity to practice explaining and the
lower level students the chance to still grasp the content.
During the review game I will also allow more time for low
level L2 students to find their partners.
When writing responses to the readings, I will differentiate
by product, I will only ask for items in the side that says
Hinduism not to compare.

Formative
Assessment
(Demonstrates
student learning,
checks for
comprehension,
aligns with
instructional task)

Looking Behind
and Thinking
Ahead:

Attach assignments here

1. I will have students complete a T-P-S starter to see what

details they can remember from the lesson on India the
week before.
2. During the mini lecture on vocab I will be doing constant
oral checks for understanding.
3. I will be moving around the room as students are reading
with their groups and discussing, I can assess how
students language skills are improving or where help is
needed.
4.Students will be presenting their findings as a group as
we review the worksheet orally, I will be randomly
selecting groups to answer.
5. During the final find your partner activity I will be able to
see if students have learned the needed content vocab
for the lesson if the are able to successfully match the
word to the sentence.
What transitions do you need to make from the prior
key question/unit to this key question? I will tie in basic
facts about the physical and human geography of India in
order to help students understand the tenets of Hinduism.
What transitions do you need to make within this
lesson? I will need to transition from our ABK activity,
Think-Pair-Share, to our mini-lecture to preview vocabulary
and basic ideas of Hinduism. I will tell students while they
are almost done with their partner that we are about to
begin a quick lecture to learn some important words for the
lesson. They will also need to transition to their reading
groups. I will make sure that these groups are assigned
and students are familiar with moving into them to cut down
time.
What threads can you pull from earlier units to this
one? Early World Innovations
What threads can you pull from this unit to ensuing
units? Remind students that the main idea for this lesson is
that as society developed there was more time to create
things like religions, these religions had a huge impact on
how early civilizations were structured. These ideas spread
rapidly.

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Document #1 The Rig-Veda Creation Story

This is a hymn from one of the Vedas, one of the oldest
Hindu religious texts. Originally it was passed on orally, but
was written down around 17001100 BCE, making it one of
the worlds oldest religious texts.
*Bold words are important to know for the unit
**Underlined words may be hard for you to understand, I
have added a definition after to help you.
Thousand-headed Purusha, thousand-eyed, thousand-footed he, having pervaded
(spread) the earth on all sides, still extends ten fingers beyond it.
Purusha alone is all thiswhatever has been and whatever is going to be. Further, he is
the lord of immortality (to live forever) and also of what grows on account of food.
Such is his greatness; greater, indeed, than this is Purusha. All creatures constitute
(make up) but one quarter of him, his three-quarters are the immortal in the heaven.
With his three-quarters (parts) did Purusha rise up; one quarter of him again remains
here. With it did he variously spread out on all sides over what eats and what eats not.
From him was Viraj born, from Viraj evolved Purusha. He, being born, projected (put)
himself behind the earth as also before it.
When the gods performed the sacrifice (to give up something valued) with Purusha as
the oblation (gift, offering) , then the spring was its clarified butter, the summer the
sacrificial fuel, and the autumn the oblation.
The sacrificial victim, namely, Purusha, born at the very beginning, they sprinkled with
sacred water upon the sacrificial grass. With him as oblation the gods performed the
sacrifice, and also the Sadhyas [a class of semidivine beings] and the rishis [ancient
seers].
From that wholly offered sacrificial oblation were born the verses and the sacred chants;
from it were born the meters; the sacrificial formula was born from it.
From it horses were born and also those animals who have double rows [i.e., upper and
lower] of teeth; cows were born from it, from it were born goats and sheep.
When they divided Purusha, in how many different portions did they arrange him? What
became of his mouth, what of his two arms? What were his two thighs and his two feet
called?
His mouth became the brahman; his two arms were made into the rajanya (Khsatriyas);
his two thighs the vaishyas; from his two feet the shudra was born.
The moon was born from the mind, from the eye the sun was born; from the mouth Indra
and Agni, from the breath the wind was born.
From the navel was the atmosphere created, from the head the heaven issued forth;
from the two feet was born the earth and the quarters [the cardinal directions] from the
ear. Thus did they fashion (create) the worlds.
Seven were the enclosing sticks in this sacrifice, thrice seven were the fire-sticks made,
when the gods, performing the sacrifice, bound down Purusha, the sacrificial victim.

With this sacrificial oblation did the gods offer the sacrifice. These were the first norms
[dharma] of sacrifice. These greatnesses reached to the sky wherein live the ancient
Sadhyas and gods.
Source: The Rig-Veda, 10.90, in Sources of Indian Tradition by Theodore de Bary (New
York: Columbia University Press, 1958), pp. 16-17.

**After reading this as a group OUTLOUD, complete the T chart below,

comparing the Hindu creation story to other creation stories we have
learned about in class or you know about. Make sure to list similarities AND
differences.

HINDU CREATION STORY

OTHER CREATION STORIES

Find your Partner Vocabulary Cloze Activity:

Aryans

The early religion, Brahmanism, was created by

_______ and was the basis of Hinduism.

Atman

According to the beliefs of Hinduism, ones

_______ continues through a cycle of
reincarnation until reaching Moksha.

Karma

In order to be born again into a higher caste,

one must have good ________.

Dharma

Each person in life has his or her specific

_______to fulfill.

Samsara

The continuous cycle of birth, life, and death is

known as _________.

Moksha

After coming to self-realization, one can escape

the cycle of reincarnation and reach ________.

Vedas

The _______is one of the oldest religious texts

in the world.

Caste

Based on the _______you are born into, you

have a certain dharma to fulfill.

Aryans

A group of Indo-European herders, _________

came to India around 1500 BC.

Karma

If you have bad _______, you are not fulfilling

your dharma.

Caste

The _______system was based on ancient

Aryan writings, creating a structured society
based on hereditary and purity.

Vedas

Ancient hymns known as the ________ were

passed down orally for a long time before being
written down.

CBI Individual Lesson Template Day 6

Author: Samantha Kolesky

Key Question #3: How did the belief systems of Classical Civilizations
shape political and social structures?
Lesson # 2 of 2 Caste System Simulation
Purpose:
Content Objective
Language
Objective
*Blooms verbs
+Authentic Content +
Means+ Conditions

Managing
Demands on
Cognition
1. Instructional
Task(s)-sequence as
needed
2. Strategy Focus for

Comprehending
Text ( B+ABK, QUE,
S&R, SUM, GO, TS)
and/or
3. Instructional

Strategy Focus for

Learning
(jigsaw, find your
partner, pair-share,
graphic organizer, direct
instruction, inquiry,
etc.)

4. Modeling and

Content Objective: Students will be able to model the

caste system in a simulation while completing a close
reading about the structure.
Language Objective: Students will be able to read a
modified text about the Caste system while modeling a role
and respond by writing a short journal about their
experience.
How will you communicate these to students?
Objectives are written on the board for the unit. Before this
lesson I will orally state in student friendly language what
they will be able to do, By the end of today, you will be able
to
(Be explicit and descriptive.)
1. Instructional sequence:
a. I will begin class by posting another short excerpt from a
Hindu holy text. This will show students importance of
holy texts for this faith/philosophy. Students will read it
and try and figure out the meaning. There will be familiar
terms and ideas in this text so I will use this activity to
ABK. We will discuss as a class and open up into caste
system.
b. Next students will watch a quick you tube clip about India
and the Caste system to review important vocabulary
terms.
c. Begin simulation: have students break up into reading
groups again, they will blindly choose a slip of paper with
a number 1-5, pass out role descriptions.
d. Pass out reading on caste system and instruct students
to act role as they complete graphic organizer.
e.reincarnation ceremony
f. Orally review the graphic organizer
g. Exit journal activity on experience following the
scaffolded prompts provided.
2. Students will be using a Graphic Organizer to work with
text, also summarizing information.
3. We will be using an inquiry method of learning today,
students will also be filling out a graphic organizer in their

Explicit Instruction
for Strategy(s)
5. Rationale (Explain
why is this learning
strategy supports
this content)

Engagement
Principles
(Choice, Connections,
Real-World Interactions
Interesting Texts,
Collaboration)

groups. Students will be interacting through a simulation

in order to experience how the caste system worked.
4. I will have the instructions posted step by step up on the
power point for each activity. I will also give the students
each a card to refer to for their role in the simulation. I will
show students how to work through a large reading by
searching for specific information.
5. I want students to be able to relate the lesson on
Hinduism to their understanding of the caste system, this
is why I begin class with a starter using another primary
source coming from a holy Hindu text. This will be a
familiar text for students and key terms will be reviewed
after they respond. The video clip has many images and
also very simplified and slow language which helps L2
learners relate the vocab to visuals. I am using a
simulation because it gives students the opportunity to
manipulate information, this is important for L2 learners
because many times they have a hard time getting
information from text. I am using the graphic organizer
with the modified reading including bold key terms. This
will help L2 students learn how to search and retrieve
information instead of reading the entire complex text.
bold words so that my L2 learners can listen for the word
they need to focus on. Also the pyramid graphic
organizer helps L2 learners visualize the content and
create order for the terms.
I will be using collaboration as students work in their groups
and real-world interactions as they participate in the
simulation. I will also be incorporating connections as
students will have learned the basics of Hinduism and the
creation myth in previous lessons.

Rationale for
Principle(s)

Rationale: I am using real-world interactions because it

gives students, especially L2 learners, the opportunity to
display mastery of the content in some other way besides
writing. They also are able to grasp a more thorough
understanding of the importance of the idea, high level
thinking skills.

Differentiation

Today differentiation by product will occur. Students will be

able to respond to their simulation experience in various
ways. English proficient students will be asked to write a
half page response on their experience using specific

(Content
Process
Product)

prompts. Higher level language learners will be able to

respond with a shorter writing assignment, and lower level
L2 learners will be able to write down some familiar
vocabulary words they learned while drawing a picture to
describe their feelings about the simulation.

Formative
Assessment
(Demonstrates
student learning,
checks for
comprehension,
aligns with
instructional task)

Looking Behind
and Thinking
Ahead:

1. I will be assessing how much the students remember

about the primary sources we worked with the week
before as a walk around the class during the starter.
2. While the students are working in their reading groups I
will be assessing how well the understand the content by
if they are performing the required role of the simulation.
3. The student will turn in a completed journal at the end of
class, this will assess their group experience as well as
content knowledge.
How did it feel to be in the caste you were assigned
to?
If you had lived during the Epic Age, how difficult do
you think it would have been to follow the strict rules
of the caste system?
Do you think people questioned the system? Why or
why not?
Do you know a similar system?
What transitions do you need to make from the prior
key question/unit to this key question? I will bring in
basic beliefs of Buddism to help students see the tie
between religion and the Caste System.
What transitions do you need to make within this
lesson? Transition will occur from starter to the reading
activity and simulation, I will tie the primary source content
about caste placement to the activity. Prior to the
simulation, I will tell students about the journal they will
complete after the activity so that they students will be
reflecting.
What threads can you pull from earlier units to this
one? Development of religion
What threads can you pull from this unit to ensuing
units? Cultures are built upon each other, many were more
influential than others for geographic or political reasons.
Students will see how these systems contributed to todays
society.
Relating to next lesson (summative assessments)

The next lesson would continue on with students comparing

the 3 social orders they have learned about during this unit.
They would be required to complete a final project that
would include many choices: create a brochure telling about
each social order, create your own social organization
based upon the three studied, compare one of the ancient
political/social order to modern times.

Resources/Assignments Below:

Role Assignment Cards:

(5) Brahman: You are the most important person in your
group. Everyone should agree and listen to what you say.
You are the smartest one in your group, if you decide on an
answer no one is allowed to question you. You must lead the
reading, tell each member when it is their turn to read aloud.
You are also in charge of telling the SUDRAS when to pass
out Karma points to the members of the group fulfilling their
Dharma.
(4) Kshatriya: You must protect the group from others trying
to steal your answers. You must be enforcing the roles of
those in your group.
(3) Vaisyas: You must record all of the answers on the
graphic organizer, the Brahman makes the final decision on
the right answer.
(2) Sudras: You must assist the higher Castes in their jobs;
you are in charge of gathering the required materials, turning
them in, and most importantly passing out Karma points
when the Brahmans ask you to.
(1)Untouchables: You will not be able to speak unless asked
to read. Your desk must be at least two feet away from the
group but you still must follow the assignment. After the
activity you must clean up all the garbage around your group
and move the desks back.

Group Class Reading:

In ancient India, society was organized so that each specialized job was
performed by a specific group, or caste. The interdependence of all of the various castes
was recognized, and each one was considered necessary to the society as a whole. In
the earliest known mention of caste, perhaps dating from about 1000 B.C.E., the
metaphor (symbol) of the human body was used to describe Indian society. This
metaphor stresses the idea of hierarchy as well as that of interdependence. The
brahman, or priestly, caste represents society's head; the kshatriya, or warrior, caste are
its arms; the vaishya castetraders and landownersare the legs; and the sudra caste
the servants of the other threeare the feet. These four castesbrahman,
kshatriya, vaishya, and sudraare the classical four divisions of Hindu society. In
practice, however, there have always been many subdivisions (J'atis) of these castes.
1. THE FOUR VARNA: The word caste comes from the Portuguese word castas,
meaning "pure." This Portuguese word expresses one of the most central values of
Indian society: the idea of ritual purity. In India, however, the word varna, or "color,"
denotes the fourfold division of Indian society. The word varna may have been used
because each of the four castes was assigned a specific color as its emblem. In Hindu
religious texts, the dharmathe law, or dutyof each varna is described. It was thought
that this dharma was an inherited, or inborn, quality. Consequently, people thought that if
intermarriages took place, there would be much confusion as to the dharma of the next
generation of children. As a result of such concerns, marriage between different castes
was strictly prohibited. The practice of marrying only a person of "one's own kind" is
called endogamy and is still a central rule in many Hindu communities.
The Brahmans. The brahman caste is assigned the highest status of the four varnas but
also must live by the strictest rules. In their very name, brahmans are identified with the
supreme being, and so are expected to uphold this high honor by their conduct. In
addition, they must observe many detailed rules concerning ritual purity in their personal
lives. They must avoid contact with dirt, for instance, and may not eat foods such as
meat that are considered to be polluted. Because of the strict rules that the brahmans
observe, they cannot perform many of the tasks necessary to everyday life. They cannot
obtain their own food, for instance, or use violence to defend themselves. Thus, they
must depend on other castes to perform these essential services. This is one way in
which the interdependence of the castes is evident. Without the other castes, there could
be no brahmans. In terms of occupation, the first duty of a brahman is to study the
Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India. A young brahman boy begins this period of study
after going through a special ceremony marking his spiritual rebirth. Kshatriya and
vaishya boys also go through this ceremony of "rebirth" at age 10 or 11. After the
ceremony, each boy is given a sacred thread to wear around his neck as a symbol of
membership in the "twice-born" castes. After ten or more years of study, a brahman may
become a priest of a temple, or he may instruct boys of the twice-born castes in Sanskrit
and the Vedas. If there is no employment available as a priest or teacher, a brahman

may enter certain other occupations. He must be careful, however, to observe all of the
rules and rituals of his caste.
The Kshatriyas. The kshatriya caste includes soldiers, generals, and kings. Their
traditional role is to defend the society from invaders and robbers, and they are expected
to be both brave and high-minded. The kshatriyas must study the ancient Hindu
scriptures under the guidance of a Brahman teacher and are expected to follow many of
the same rules of ritual purity that the brahman caste observes.
The Vaishyas. The job specialties of the vaishya caste are agriculture and cattle raising.
The vaishyas also carry on trading activities; for example, they bring farm products to
market and lend money to keep various enterprises going. Like the brahmans and the
kshatriyas, the vaishyas are a twice-born caste.
The Sudras. In ancient law, the sudras were given only one occupation: to serve the
members of the twice-born castes. As servants to the other three castes, the sudras
performed many of the tasks that involve "pollution," such as agricultural labor, leather
working, disposing of garbage, and laundering. In time, however, many sudras became
wealthy farmers or artisans in their own right. When a sudrajati, or subcaste, improved
its status in this way, it was also able to adopt many of the rituals and habits of the twiceborn castes. Menial tasks then became the dharma of the "out-casts" of societythe
untouchables, or harijans.
The Untouchables, or Harijans. Inevitably, there were certain people who failed to live
up to their caste dharma or who violated the rules concerning marriage between castes.
Such people and their children were considered outcasts from Hindu society. They had
to live apart from other castes and were given the jobs that no one else wanted to
perform. Because of their contact with things considered unclean or polluted, the
outcasts were believed to be deeply tainted. They came to be thought of as
"untouchable" because people believed that their touchor even the sight of them
would compromise a brahman's purity. The untouchables were not admitted into Hindu
temples and instead formed religious sects of their own. Over the centuries, they also
organized into sub-castes much like those of orthodox Hindu society. In the 20th century,
Mahatma Gandhi made it one of his life's goals to bring the untouchables back into
Hindu society. He renamed them the harijans, or "children of God," and tried to convince
orthodox Hindus to admit them into their temples and their everyday lives. However,
other leaders doubted that upper-caste Hindus would ever treat the harijans as equals.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, a distinguished scholar who had been born an "untouchable," was a
leading spokesman for this view. He used the term scheduled castes when referring to
this group, for he believed that the term harijans was demeaning. The scheduled castes,
he said, should withdraw from Hinduism altogether and join another religion, such as
Buddhism, which does not recognize caste distinctions. After India became an
independent nation in 1947, its new constitution outlawed the practice of "untouchability."
The constitution also established affirmative action programs to ensure that the
scheduled castes would have access to higher education and better jobs. In contrast to
similar legislation in the United States, these clauses actually guarantee that a certain
percentage of university and job openings will be assigned to disadvantaged groups.

Because of these programs, there has been a marked improvement in the status of the
scheduled castes. Yet discrimination continues, and the condition of the former
"untouchables" is still a major social issue today.
2. THE HIERARCHY OF JATIS, OR SUB-CASTES:: While the term varna refers to the
classic, or ideal, division of society, people use the word Jati when speaking of the
thousands of sub-castes that exist in practice. The jatis perform the many specialized
jobs that are considered essential to societyfarming, metalworking, pottery making,
carpentry, weaving, laundering, marketing, and many others. Relations among these
various castes are governed by elaborate rules. Each one is very much aware of its
status and duties in regard to- the others. The members of each jati are believed to
inherit the caste dharma necessary to carry out their role in society. In practice, however,
each person becomes aware of all the complicated rules regarding dharma during
childhoodusually by observing the behavior of family members. These rules concern
not only the caste specialty but also the many other services and courtesies that are
owed to other castes. The quality of ritual purity is the most important factor in
determining the rank of a jati in society. If a jati is to maintain or improve its status, its
members must accept food and water only from people of their own caste or a higher
caste. (For this reason, brahman priests are often employed as cooks during religious
festivals.) A jati must also avoid contact with castes who are considered to be pollutionprone.
Mobility of Castes. In practice, there have always been more possibilities for upward
(or downward) movement within the caste system than the classic rules of varna would
suggest. To achieve a higher place in the social hierarchy, the members of a jati often
take the following steps: enter an occupation that involves less contact with pollution;
follow stricter rules of purity in daily life; and learn Sanskrit, the classic language of the
holy scriptures.
3. THE CONTINUITY OF THE CASTE SYSTEM: Countless reformers have attempted
to abolish or reform the caste system. However, these reform movements have had little
effect. Today, the caste system continues to be the main form of government in villages
throughout India. In large part, its continuity depends on two central concepts: caste
dharma and karma. In Hindu society, caste dharma is considered to be a divine law. In
the words of Mahatma Gandhi, caste dharma is "the duty one has to perform" and "the
law of one's being." Many Hindus believe that this obligation tends to enhance the
spiritual development of the individual. Because of it, each person learns from an early
age to overcome selfish desires and instead focus on group goals and ideals. The
concept of karma helps to explain differences in status that might otherwise be
considered unfair. Because one's caste membership is thought to be a result of actions
in a previous life, a person tends to accept this status rather than complain about it. By
the same token, a successful performance of caste duty will improve one's
karma and perhaps lead to improved status in the next life. The caste system also
returns certain practical benefits to the individual. Being a member of a jati gives each
person a sense of identity and of belonging to a well-defined group within society. The
members of a jati have much in common. They share a job specialty and abide by the

same rules concerning diet and religion. Because of the rules of endogamy, each jati is
also an extended family, for most members are related by blood.
Caste in India's Cities. In the modern cities of India, people daily come in contact with
hundreds of strangers in public transportation and in the workplace. In this context, the
traditional caste rules of the villages cannot be observed. But many city dwellers
nevertheless retain a strong sense of caste identity. Thus, one phenomenon of modern
India is the device known as "compartmentalization." During the day, a person may learn
to be unconcerned with caste rules. But at home, and in the company of other caste
members, the ancient ceremonies and rules continue to be respected.
Source: India: Its Culture and People. Anne Ferguson Jensen. New York: Longman
Publishing Group, 1991, pp. 31-36.

NAME_______________________________________
1.In the Graphic organizer below, fill in the names of each caste along with the
characteristics that set each apart.

2. What is the difference between varna and Jatis?

3.What is the origin of the word caste and why is it important?

4.Why dont people of different castes marry each other?

5.What is the origin of the untouchable caste?

6.How can one move up or down in the caste system?

7.Explain how the Caste system is justified today in India.