LESSON ONE

Overall Unit Question:

How have world religions shaped who I am today?
Lesson 1 Includes:
1.

Lesson Question

2.

Learning Standards Addressed

3.

Performance Objective Addressed

4.

Resources Listed

5.

Learning tasks

6.

Assessment tasks

7.

Rubrics for assessment

8.

Reflection guide

Learning Standards Addressed:

Standard 2 - World History of Learning Standards for Social Studies.

Students can analyze changing and competing interpretations of issues, events, and
developments throughout world history.

They can analyze the roles and contributions of individuals and groups to cultural and religious
practices and activities.

They can understand the development and connectedness of World Religions over time.

Performance Objective Addressed: Describe belief systems that influence or affect your life today.
Lesson 1 Question:
What does one's religion or philosophy have to do with one's lifestyle and actions?
A. Lesson Introduction for Unit on World Religions:
What might you expect to learn in a unit about world religions? Ask students to contribute their ideas,
and share the names of world religions that might be included in the unit.
Record responses on an overhead. Give students a copy of the overall unit question and the five lesson
questions. Ask them to list a question they have about world religions, and invite them to consider
that question as the lessons proceed.
B. Set:
Next, use a visual presentation. Present a symbol for each of the following in turn:
Star and Crescent ----- Islam

Aum ---- Hinduism

Lotus ----- Buddhism
Yin, Yang circle ---- Confucianism
Six pointed star ----- Judaism
Cross ---- Christianity
Ask students to record their reactions. Have they seen them before? Do any of them evoke any
emotional repsonse?
How does what we believe shape how we act towards others and toward other belief systems?
Continue with this discussion question, and invite students to pair-share their ideas for two minutes
before opening the discussion to the class for three minutes. The idea is to build their curiosity for the
unit and motivate their explorations of world religions.
C. Teaching and Learning Tasks:
Individually students complete the following interest inventory to explore how belief systems influence
their lives as teenagers. Inform students ahead of time that they should be prepared to share their
responses with others. It is important that students know this information will be public and not
confidential, since that may affect what they write.

Student Interest Inventory:

Name: ______________________________

Date: _________

1) Three words that best describe my beliefs are

_____________________________________________________.

2) In a lesson on world religions I would like

to learn more about

_____________________________________________________.

3) I wonder about __________________________________

____________________________________________________.

4) Religion really challenges me to _________________

____________________________________________________.

5) One thing that really bothers me is _______________

__________________________________________________.

6) Beliefs relate best to a person's life when

________________________________________________.

7) Belief systems do not relate to daily living when

_________________________________________________.

D. Students discuss their responses with a group of two, then four, then a group of eight.
E. Assessment Tasks: The group of eight then chooses one person to share their group's
conclusions.
F. Assessment: Papers are collected and checked for completion.
Excellent Presentations:

demonstrate the ability to probe ideas and assumptions.

ask and answer analytic questions.

take an inquiring attitude toward diverse prepositions.

evaluate evidence.

formulate key conclusions.

demonstrate participatory skills.

G. Closure:
Ask the following: If you were going to help to publish the most important statement about world
religions and how they shape a person's life and actions, what would that statement be? Have them
write their answers in three sentences or less and pass in before they leave class. Assign readings to
be completed for next class and allow students to begin if time permits.
Lesson Reflection:
Jot down a few reflective notes. Look at this lesson from the students' eyes and adjust the work so
that they learn more successfully as the unit progresses.

LESSON TWO
Overall Unit Question: How have world religions shaped who I am today?
Lesson 2 Includes:
1.

Lesson Question

2.

Learning Standards Addressed

3.

Performance Objective Addressed

4.

Resources Listed

5.

Learning tasks

6.

Assessment tasks

7.

Rubrics for assessment

8.

Reflection guide

Learning Standards Addressed:

Standard 2 - World History of Learning Standards for Social Studies.

Students can analyze changing and competing interpretations of issues, events, and
developments throughout world history.

They can analyze the roles and contributions of individuals and groups to cultural and religious
practices and activities.

They can understand the development and connectedness of world religions over time.

Performance Objective Addressed:

Identify major religious leaders and locations.

Lesson Question: Who were the religious leaders, where did they live, and what contributions did they
make?
A. Set:
In the last class students wrote their version of the most important statement about world religions
and how they shape a person's life. They were to write answers in three sentences or less and pass in.
Read a few of their responses (without citing names) and invite the class to respond to the ideas. This
set should take no more than 5 minutes, but should build on the introductory class and introduce the
new lesson.
B. Teaching and Learning Tasks:
Imagine yourself as a religious leader of any one of the world belief systems. What might your
greatest challenge be in today's world? Write your answer in one statement. In this class we will
explore the challenges and victories of several key religious leaders. We will do this by interviewing
leaders.
C. INTERVIEW A RELIGIOUS LEADER:
Your name _______________________________ Date _______

For the following religious leaders, ask key questions about their goals, their expectations, their plan
for followers, and their advice to people today. The idea is to respond as this leader would respond, by
gathering facts about the leader's life, location and contributions.
Leaders include:
Islam ----- Mohamed
Hinduism ----- Mahatma Gandhi
Buddhism ----- Buddha
Confucianism ----- Confucius
Judaism ----- Moses
Christianity ----- Jesus
Your questions might include:
1.

What did you believe in that distinguished you from others?

2.

Where did you live and in what era?

3.

Why are your beliefs important to your time?

4.

Why are they important today?

5.

What is your greatest contribution to society?

6.

What advice did you give followers in your lifetime?

7.

What advice would you have for followers today?

8.

What was your most interesting story?

9.

Add your question:

10. Add your question:

Please research the answers to these questions and prepare to present your interview by the next
class.
D. Assessment Tasks:
As time permits, begin the presentations at the end of this lesson. Students will begin the next two
lessons with remaining presentations. Peers are asked to record at least one significant fact about
each leader interviewed.
Excellent interviews will demonstrate:

accurate facts

interesting responses

clear articulation of questions and answers

evidence of rehearsals

cooperation in preparation and presentation

good impersonations of the chosen religious leader

Rubrics for Assessment:

Students are assigned a mark from 1 to 3 on each criteria:
accurate facts
interesting responses
clear articulation of questions and answers
cooperation in preparation and presentation
believable impersonations of the chosen religious leader
Total possible mark = 15 points.
E.Closure:
Presentations of interviews and discussion of the significant facts gathered for each leader.
F.Lesson Reflection:
Jot down a few notes about the process of this lesson. Look at it from the students' eyes and adjust
the work so that they learn more successfully as the unit progresses.

LESSON THREE
Overall Unit Question: How have world religions shaped who I am today?
Lesson 3 Includes:

1.

Lesson Question

2.

Learning Standards Addressed

3.

Performance Objective Addressed

4.

Resources Listed

5.

Learning tasks

6.

Assessment tasks

7.

Rubrics for assessment

8.

Reflection guide

Lesson Question:
How would you describe, illustrate, and present the main beliefs of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism,
Confucianism, Animism, Judaism, or Christianity if you were a believer and follower of that religion?
Learning Standards Addressed:
Standard 2 - World History of Learning Standards for Social Studies.

Students can analyze changing and competing interpretations of issues, events, and
developments throughout world history.

They can analyze the roles and contributions of individuals and groups to cultural and religious
practices and activities.

They can understand the development and connectedness of world religions over time.

Performance Objective Addressed:

Describe, illustrate, and support main beliefs of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Animism,
Judaism, and Christianity as a believer of that religion might.
A. Set: Continue interview presentations. Share with one peer your most significant fact recorded
about each leader interviewed.
B. Teaching and Learning Tasks:
Using at least five of your intelligences, present the main beliefs of one of the main world religions or
philosophies, in groups of three or four. Using charts in the room, review eight intelligence
possibilities:

Logical mathematical

Bodily-kinesthetic

Linguistic

Spatial

Musical

Interpersonal

Intrapersonal

Naturalistic

C. Assessment Tasks:
Use the checklist below as a guide to completing the project and recording how many of the
intelligences were used in this presentation.

Checklist for Assessment of MITA Projects at Cuba-Rushford School

Use this list to check your use of multiple intelligence activities in your projects.
The list will help you to make sure that you have included at least five of these
listed ways of knowing your topic. Please pass in this checklist with your final
project:

Student's or Group's Names:

__________________________________________.

Project Title:

_________________________________________.

Main question addressed by this project:

Materials or resources used:

Criteria to be used for assessment of project:

Checklist for multiple intelligences used:

Linguistic:

_____ clearly focused main idea

_____ well - written or spoken

_____ well documented facts, such as names,

places or events

_____ relevant sources used

_____ correct spelling and grammar

_____ creative ideas communicated verbally

_____ appropriate vocabulary to express ideas

_____ appropriate narratives used

_____ inclusion of word games, such as puns,

lyrics, or poetry

_____ other

Logical - Mathematical:

_____ clearly focused problems demonstrated

_____ well organized

_____ number games or strategies

_____ relevant computer demonstration

_____ correct facts and calculations

_____ creativity such as puzzles, games or

brain teasers

_____ appropriate abstract and concrete

examples to express ideas

_____ appropriate cause-effect illustrated

_____ organized into appropriate categories

or clusters

_____ other

Bodily-kinesthetic:

_____ clearly focused moves used

_____ well - coordinated fine-motor skills evident

_____ appropriate role plays or mimes

_____ relevant building projects evident

_____ correct assemblies of pieces

_____ creative and dramatic expression

_____ appropriate large motor skills

evidenced

_____ tactile activities such as clay

modeling or building mock-ups

_____ inclusion of running, dancing,

jumping or swinging

_____ other

Spatial:

_____ well - drafted maps, charts and diagrams

_____

creative pictorial expression

_____ relevant sources used

_____ clearly focused visual images

_____ sculptures or paintings included

_____ creative ideas communicated visually

_____ appropriate graphics, brainstorming

diagrams, or charts

_____

three-dimensional constructions

_____ inclusion of mazes, puzzles or visual games

_____ other

Musical:

_____ clearly focused sounds

_____ well sung

_____ well documented musical facts

_____ musical compositions

_____ correct timing and rhythm

_____ creative sounds and expressions

_____ appropriate instrumentals

_____ listening activities

_____ inclusion of rhyming, tapping, or

appropriate sound effects

_____ other

Intrapersonal:

_____ independent ideas

_____ sense of personal strengths

_____ knowledge and accommodation of personal

weaknesses

_____ work done independently

_____ personal reflections

_____ creative role playing

_____ self-motivation evident

_____ self-confident

_____ articulates appropriate ideas, feelings,

and preferences

_____ other

Interpersonal:

_____ works well with others

_____ includes others' ideas and input

_____ affirms others' strengths and abilities

_____ forms close friendships

_____ shows care and concern for others

_____ involves committees, clubs or groups

_____ appropriate collaboration and

communication evident

_____ requires contributions of others

_____ inclusion of team teaching and

learning opportunities.

_____ other

Naturalistic:

_____ collection of data from the natural world

_____ well-labeled specimens from nature

_____ well-organized collections

_____ sorts natural data, categorizes and

classifies information

_____ visiting museums and natural historic sites

_____ demonstrates research about nature

_____ appropriate vocabulary for experiments in

nature

_____ narratives from expert naturalists

_____ evidence of magnifiers, microscopes,

binoculars or photographs

_____ other

Checklist taken from the book, STUDENT ASSESSMENT THAT WORKS: A

PRACTICAL APPROACH. (Allyn and Bacon 1999)

D. Rubrics for Assessment:

Use the criteria students listed on their assessment guide above, and add any criteria that you feel is
significant but that students may have omitted. Make sure these are added before students present or
pass in projects.
E. Closure:
Students briefly present projects and classmates critique the presentations. All critiques are passed in
and returned to students with their corrected assignment.
F. Lesson Reflection:
Jot down a few notes about the process of this lesson. Look at it from the students' eyes and adjust
the work so that they learn more successfully as the unit progresses.

LESSON FOUR
Overall Unit Question: How have world religions shaped who I am today?
Lesson 4 Includes:
1.

Lesson Question

2.

Learning Standards Addressed

3.

Performance Objective Addressed

4.

Resources Listed

5.

Learning tasks

6.

Assessment tasks

7.

Rubrics for assessment

8.

Reflection guide

Lesson Question: How did beliefs in each of the main world religions of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism,
Confucianism, Animism, Judaism, or Christianity influence behavior of believers?
Learning Standards Addressed:
Standard 2 - World History of Learning Standards for Social Studies.

Students can analyze changing and competing interpretations of issues, events, and
developments throughout world history.

Musical pieces from each of the world's great religions can be played, and students can
formulate reactions to the message the music delivers.

Religious art and artifacts (via slides) can be analyzed.

Students can analyze the roles and contributions of individuals and groups in cultural and
religious practices and activities.

They can understand the development and connectedness of world religions over time.

Performance Objective Addressed:

Show how beliefs from each main religion govern the behavior of believers.
A. Set: Final interview presentations from lesson 2. Share a few of the students most significant facts
recorded during presentations. Invite presenters to respond to some of these.
B. Teaching and Learning Tasks:
A research class. Have students individually or in pairs search for facts about the culture as it was
influenced by one of the world religions. While students will choose a religion to research, teacher
should ensure all religions are covered.
Research on world religions might include the following:

textbooks

Internet

interviews with experts

films

representative music

literature

lecture notes or fact sheets on the topic

library searches

personal knowledge

Assessment Tasks:
Using examples from the 1999 Regents exam, students will create 5 additional questions that might
appear on future exams on the topic of how world religions influenced behavior of believers. They will
create well written, final copies of answers that provide a key to their questions.
C. Rubrics for Assessment:
Excellent exam questions will:

target significant facts

contain accurate responses

demonstrate relevancy

be clearly stated and understood by peers

show evidence of good reasoning.

D. Closure:
Student pairs will choose one question to ask the class orally. They will elicit responses from students
first, and then present their research findings as closure.
E. Lesson Reflection:
Jot down a few notes about the process of this lesson. Look at it from the students' eyes and adjust
the work so that they learn more successfully as the unit progresses.

LESSON FIVE
Overall Unit Question: How have world religions shaped who I am today?
Lesson 5 Includes:
1.

Lesson Question

2.

Learning Standards Addressed

3.

Performance Objective Addressed

4.

Resources Listed

5.

Learning tasks

6.

Assessment tasks

7.

Rubrics for assessment

8.

Reflection guide

Lesson Question: What are the major belief systems and how do these compare to my beliefs?
Learning Standards Addressed:
Standard 2 - World History of Learning Standards for Social Studies.

Students can analyze changing and competing interpretations of issues, events, and
developments throughout world history.

They can analyze the roles and contributions of individuals and groups to cultural and religious
practices and activities.

They can understand the development and connectedness of world religions over time.

Performance Objective Addressed:

Compare and contrast major belief systems
A. Set:
Do a quick brainstorming on the board. Ask students to shout out one idea that comes to them when
you say Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Animism, Judaism, or Christianity. Write a few
descriptive words beside each.
B. Teaching and Learning Tasks:
A "Novice-Expert Groups" activity and questionaire:
1. Give each student a ticket with one of following categories on it.

1 - A

1 - B

1 - C

1 - D

2 - A

2 - B

2 - C

2 - D

3 - A

3 - B

3 - C

3 - D

4 - A

4 - B

4 - C

4 - D

5 - A

5 - B

5 - C

5 - D

6 - A

6 - B

6 - C

6 - D

7 - A

7 - B

7 - C

7 - D

The numbers represent the novice group and the letters represent what WILL be expert groups.
2. Have all the number 1's get together, all the number 2's, the number 3's and the number 4's. These
novice groups are to research the questions in the form displayed below.
3. After research is recorded, students will look at their tickets to see which "Expert Group" to join.
4. All of the A's will get together, the B's, the C's, the D's, and so on.
5. Then, in the Expert (letter) groups, each student will teach other members of the same Expert
(letter) group what was learned in the novice group.
Each student is provided a copy of the research-recording sheet below.

Novice - Expert Group Research for Major Belief Systems

Name: ____________________________________________

Date: __________________

Keep this activity sheet for future reviews

on the topic of Major Belief Systems. You will
be responsible for compiling answers to one
question with your home group and sharing
answers with others in expert groups. As
experts share, please make sure you copy all
their key points under each question in the
space provided.

Group 1: List four main beliefs of Islam below:

Group 2: List four main beliefs of Hinduism below:

Group 3: List four main beliefs of Buddhism below:

Group 4: List four main beliefs of Confucianism below:

Group 5: List four main beliefs of Animism below:

Group 6: List four main beliefs of Judaism below:

Group 7: List four main beliefs of Christianity below:

After you have listed your research in

your original home groups, you will be
assigned to share these responses in an
expert group. Each person in turn will
share the response to one question while
the others take notes. By the end of your
expert group meeting, each question will
be answered on your review sheet.
Students should be encouraged to list the main points of their research on the board or on an
overhead and share visually with the entire class. Teacher and students can decide if a major point has
been omitted or recorded incorrectly. Students will revise their review sheets if information is changed
during this critique. Both teacher and knowledgeable students will act as knowledge brokers here to
ensure correct information is recorded on the final review sheets.
C. Assessment Tasks:
Assessment for this lesson includes the review sheet completed, revised, and passed in at the end of
this lesson. It also includes your good contributions and efforts to participate in both novice and expert
groups.
Assessment Criteria:
Complete marks are given for the following criteria:

1.

neatness

2.

accuracy of facts

3.

contribution to the group

4.

presentation to the class (this will be a group mark)

5.

spelling

6.

organization of facts

D. Closure:
In a brief paragraph of at least eight sentences, describe how each of the religions is similar
ordifferent from your beliefs. Be specific. This paragraph is due by the next class. Students will
beexpected to pass in a revised copy of the work.
E. Lesson Reflection:
Jot down a few notes about the process of this lesson. Look at it from the students' eyes and adjust
the work so that they learn more successfully as the unit progresses.

Taking a Closer Look at Religions Around the World

Classroom Resources:

Religion
Anti-Bias Domain:

Diversity
Grade Level:

Grades 6 to 8

Grades 9 to 12
Subject:

Reading and Language Arts

Social Studies

ELL / ESL

Objectives:

Compare and contrast beliefs of religions and faith traditions;

Evaluate similarities and differences in belief systems and rituals;

Encourage research and utilize interactive and experiential activities, pair and group
work, debates/dialogues, roundtables and forums with guest speakers;
Develop speaking, writing and critical-thinking skills, and
Construct knowledge and understanding of world religions.

Essential Questions:

What is religion? What does religious practice mean to different people?

How is religion manifested in their daily lives of some people?
What effects do outward representation of religion and open expression of religious ritual
have on members/non-members?
What attracts people to one religion or another?

Materials Needed:

Handout 1: Discovering Similarities Between Religions

Handout 2: Collaborating to Resolve Religious Issues

This lesson includes activities and projects that are easily expanded upon through further research.
It is designed to encourage continuous, in-depth study of these topics over a longer period of time.
Glossary
unprecedented |npresdntid|
(adjective) Never done or known before.
muftis |mft|
(noun) (pl. muftis) A Muslim legal expert who is empowered to give rulings on religious matters.
tenets |tenit|
(noun) A principle or belief, esp. one of the main principles of a religion or philosophy
solidarity |slde()rit|
(noun) Unity or agreement of feeling or action, esp. among individuals with a common interest;
mutual support within a group.
signatories |signtr|
(noun) (pl. -ries) A party that has signed an agreement, esp. a country that has signed a treaty.
Resources
Taking Religion Seriously Across the Curriculum by Warren A. Nord and Charles C.
Haynes. ASCD 1998.
Religious Tolerance
This I Believe Organization
Museum of World Religions
Classroom Activities and Projects
1. Write quickly for at least 10 minutes on the essential question: What is religion? After youve
finished writing, share your responses with a small group. How were your answers similar? Different?
Find an example of each: one you consider a religion and another that someone else or media

considers a religion but you dont. Create criteria for what constitutes a religion for your group.
Collaboratively, prepare a paper or a presentation on a topic related to the essential question: What
is religion?
2. Before you read A Muslim Letter to Christians by Emily Flynn Vencat, answer and discuss the
question: Is a letter an effective method for bridging differences and recognizing similarities? Why or
why not? Add a follow-up question: When have you written a letter to help to create mutual
understanding (i.e., harmony), tolerance or peace? Form teams of six, with half of you being
supporters and the other half being non-supporters of the effectiveness of a written dialogue. Briefly
group with your side to share what you know of your position and develop a strategy for the debate.
Research and prepare for the debate; but, instead of debating, switch sides and now become
supporters of the opposing perspective/position. After your group shares what you already know of
the other sides perspective/position, come together as a group of six again in order to reach an
agreement, a compromise. Write a brief summary of your experience in the process of seeing both
sides and the outcome.
3. Read "A Muslim Letter to Christians by Emily Flynn Vencat. While reading, circle any unfamiliar
details or facts and underline any difficult vocabulary terms. Make notes in the margins of your
reactions, feelings or thoughts in the margins. Also, using either a blank world map or the wall map,
note where each of the places mentioned in the article are located. Pair up and work together to
reach an understanding of the difficult terms and/or the unfamiliar details/places. Share your
reactions. Reread and note at least two deeper or clearer understandings of the text, then share your
knowledge with another pair.
4. What else could be done to reduce animosity between religions? What historical precedents exist
to show people with diverse beliefs have come to an understanding and practiced tolerance? Write
your own letter to a religious leader you consider in a position to promote tolerance or peace
between disparate groups or factions. Notice the use of metaphors (e.g., weeks/fruits) by Emily
Flynn Vencat. Experiment with using metaphors in your letter. In your opinion, what are the most
important points to include?
Assessment
Write about what intrigued or interested you most about this topic. Also, reflect on how you and your
local community are interdependent/interrelated to other people and religions and faith traditions in
the world. Think about What you can do to make the world a better place for people of all religions.
Finally, write what you would like to know more about, including any unanswered questions you may
still have, as the starting point to delve deeper into this topic.