Concept Formation Lesson: Religion Diane Zaida EDTEP 584: SS Methods Parker 4/26/13

OVERVIEW
Concept: Students will analyze multiple examples and non-examples (using critical attributes, data retrieval, and classification) in order to develop the concept of religion Grade Level: 6th grade World History Lesson Length: Two 55 minute class periods Lesson Context: As religion is one of the key aspects of human civilization, this lesson will be taught near the beginning of the year. Religions spread with empires, be it through conquest or trade, so students need to have an idea of what religion is before tackling the major empires. Additionally, as this course will be covering some religions in more depth (Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, etc) at a later date, it is important to know that every student is on the same page as to what constitutes a religion. Therefore, this lesson will be taught directly after covering the earliest hunter-gather societies, but before starting in on the early city states of Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. Purpose: Many students have never been exposed to religions beyond those of their own family or friends. This means most are only familiar with Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. By analyzing the concept of religion, students will understand the sheer variety of religions around the world. Knowing the concept of religion sets the groundwork for studying different religions at a later date. And understanding of the histories and belief systems of a diversity of religious traditions is vital and necessary if students are to grasp the complexity of contemporary issues such as the conflicts in the Middle East, the unrest in Afghanistan, the troubles in Northern Ireland, and the continuing struggles in the Balkans Learning Objectives: GLE 4.2.2 (History): Understands and analyzes how cultures and cultural groups in ancient civilizations contributed to world history. (Content) GLE 5.1.1 (Social Studies Skills): Understands positions on an issue or event. (HOTS) GLE 5.1.2 (Social Studies Skills): Evaluates the significance of information used to support positions on an issue or event. (HOTS) Materials: Whiteboard, four religion handouts, data retrieval chart, Buddhism handout, class computers, textbooks Concept: Religion Critical Attributes: RELIGION is a type of belief system that 1. Intends to give meaning to life 2. Has some sort of social component (ie meditating together, going to temple, or participating in other group activities.) 3. believes in something that transcends the power of nature or human agency

PROCEDURES

Opening/Hook (5 minutes) Walk-In Work: The following prompt is displayed to students as they enter the class. Students know they need to write a response in their class notebook. Walk around the room to ensure every student is writing something. What do you believe is your purpose in life? How did you come to this belief? Data Gathering: (15 minutes) Divide students into 4 expert groups and hand out data retrieval charts to each student and one of the 4 religion handouts to each group. (Each group will have a different religion.) Students will complete the chart together. Make sure to walk around so you can see that each student is working. Religion Handouts: Bahai, Jainism, Taoism, Wicca Data Retrieval Questions: What is the goal in life? Major god(s) or supernatural forces Community Elements Basic beliefs Report and Organize Data (10 minutes) Now divide students into new groups with one member from each expert group. Ask the students to share with their new group what they have learned about their particular example. Instruct the students to fill out their data chart completely as they will need the information later on. Walk among the groups to ensure everyone is working. Keep track of time and announce when it is time to move on to the next piece. Differences (5 minutes) Come back together as an entire class show the completed data chart, so students can make sure their charts are on the right track. Randomly select students to share differences between the different religions. Ask for volunteers to share any additional ideas. Similarities (5 minutes) Continue the discussion, but now ask for students to consider the similarities of the pieces. Again, start by randomly selecting students, then asking for volunteers. Write down these new ideas on the whiteboard, underlining items which fit into the critical attributes. Summarize (5 minutes) Instruct the students to use the list on the whiteboard and their data retrieval chart to write a statement about how all the examples are alike. Prompt them with the start of the sentence, These are all systems of belief that. Walk around the room to observe and assess misunderstandings that crop up. Remind students that you will randomly select some to be read aloud. After about five minutes, arbitrarily call on some students, then ask for volunteers to share. Labeling (10 minutes) Ask the class what they might call this concept? If a student says religion, ask them to explain why. Then ask the class for any other terms that might fit the concept better. Make sure they give a reason for choosing that term. Write down the answers on the board. If no one says religion, after a few answers, introduce the term as the commonly used word for the concept they have been working with. Share the list of religions critical attributes. Explain that some belief systems do not qualify as religions because they lack one or more critical attributes. (Break between Day 1 and Day 2.)

Classifying Type 1 (5 minutes) As students walk in, hand them a copy of the handout entitled Theravada Buddhism. They are to address the following prompt in their notebooks: Is Theravada Buddhism an example of a religion? Poll the class by asking them to put their thumbs up if they think it is an example, thumbs down if they think it is not an example, and thumbs to the side if theyre unsure. Make sure every student votes, then start by asking any unsures, what makes them unsure. Move onto the ones who think it is not an example, then finish up with those who do think it is an example. Ask for specific reasons for their decisions. Classifying Type 2: (10 minutes) Have the students divide into the same expert groups from the day before and turn their attention to the following list of belief systems that you have written on the board. Instruct the groups to use the class computers and internet to determine which belief systems are religions and which ones are not. Ask a member of each group to explain why the group sorted the list as they did. Students are to use the following websites to find the answers: http://www.templeofthejediorder.org/, http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/, http://www.americanhumanist.org/Humanism/Definitions_of_Humanism List of beliefs: Church of Jediism, Unitarianism, Humanism (non-example), and Atheism (non-example.) Classifying Type 3: (15 minutes) Instruct each group to now find an additional example of a religion. Allow them to use any resource in the classroom including their textbook or research on the internet. Remind them that in order to be an example, the belief system much have ALL the critical attributes of a religion. Each group will then be asked to share and defend their example. If they are using the internet, please direct them to use the BBC Religion site (see above for link.) Classifying Type 4 (15 minutes) Next, introduce the belief system Confucianism. Ask the students Why is Confucianism not an example of a religion? What changes would need to be made in order to classify it as a religion? Each group must research in their textbooks and provide an answer. Explain that they must examine Confucianism using all three critical attributes of a religion. Each group will be asked to share any changes that must be made. Closing/Assessment (5 minutes) Review the critical attributes of religion and ask if there are any questions. Announce that the students will have a homework assignment based on the concept, so they need to ensure that they have a thorough understanding. For homework, ask each student to design their own religion. Students will write a one page paper on their imaginary religion that covers basic beliefs, any rituals or practices, what the religion has to say about the purpose of life, and anything else they want to include (symbols, holy books, etc.) Emphasize that each imaginary religion must address the three critical attributes that they have identified as something all religions have in common. Formative Assessment Student responses in class, especially their responses to how Confucianism would have to be changed to be categorized as a religion, will show the extent to which they understand the concept of religion. The students ability to create an imaginary religion based on the 3 critical attributesalso help gauge their understanding. Summative Assessment Students should demonstrate a clear understanding of the concept of religion in their short papers.

Bahai BahaI started In the last half of the 19th century C.E. when Baha'u'llah claimed to bring to humanity the latest teachings from God, which are intended to bring peace and unity to the world. Baha'u'llah claimed that the teachings he brought were suited to the needs of the modern world. The writings of Baha'u'llah are regarded by Baha'is as being divine revelation and form the core of Baha'i scripture. Baha'is believe in one God. God intervenes throughout human history at different times to reveal more of himself through his messengers (called Divine Messengers, or Manifestations of God.) The Essence of God is unknowable but the attributes of are revealed in all things, particularly through his messengers. Any description of God is bound to be colored and limited by the views and cultural background of the person making the description. Bah'u'llh thought that this was why different religions had different ideas of God. It was not that each religion was looking at a different God - they were all trying to describe the same reality, but their descriptions were built out of their own cultures, and so were different. Thus for a Bah' the different views of God held by different religions are the closest that that particular culture and time can come to an idea of the reality of God, and are helpful to the people of that culture. The Baha'i scriptures assert that human beings continue to exist in a spiritual life after death. Salvation is not so much a state as a process of perfecting human spiritual attribute. Sacred time in the Baha'i Faith may be divided into the personal, which includes such activities as prayer and meditation, and the communal, which includes the celebration of Holy Days. Baha'is have a number of holy places, including the shrines of the central figures of the religion. There are also Houses of Worship where prayers and scriptures are read. The Baha'i community is led by elected councils at the local, national, and international level. In addition there are a number of appointed individuals whose function is to encourage the Baha'is. The Baha'i community has no clergy or any professional religious class. Leadership is vested in elected institutions. Pastoral care is partly the responsibility of these institutions and partly the responsibility of every Baha'i. Three core principles establish a basis for Bah' teachings and doctrine: the unity of God, that there is only one God who is the source of all creation; the unity of religion, that all major religions have the same spiritual source and come from the same God; and the unity of humankind, that all humans have been created equal, and that diversity of race and culture are seen as worthy of appreciation and acceptance. According to the Bah' teachings the human purpose is to acquire spiritual attributes and learn to know and love God through such methods as prayer, reflection, and being of service to humankind. The Baha'i scriptures are full of injunctions to move away from a life of lusts and passions and toward one of virtue and service.

Taoism Taoism was founded by Lao-Tse, a contemporary of Confucius in China. Taoism began as a combination of psychology and philosophy which Lao-Tse hoped would help end the constant feudal warfare and other conflicts of his time. His writings, the Tao-te-Ching, describe the nature of life, the way to peace and how a ruler should lead his life. Taoism became a religion in 440 CE when it was adopted as a state religion. Tao, roughly translated as path or way, is a force which flows through all life and is the first cause of everything. The Tao is the ultimate creative principle of the universe. All things are unified and connected in the Tao. The Tao cannot be described in words. Human language can only give hints that may help the mind to form an idea. The most important thing about the Tao is how it works in the world, and how human beings relate to it. The goal of everyone is to become one with the Tao. Tai Chi, a technique of exercise using slow deliberate movements, is used to balance the flow of energy or "chi" within the body. People should develop virtue and seek compassion, moderation and humility. One should plan any action in advance and achieve it through minimal action. Yin (dark side) and Yang (light side) symbolize pairs of opposites which are seen through the universe, such as good and evil, light and dark, male and female. The impact of human civilization upsets the balance of Yin and Yang. Taoists believe that people are by nature, good, and that one should be kind to others simply because such treatment will probably be reciprocated. Taoist philosophy proposes that the universe works harmoniously according to its own ways. When someone exerts their will against the world, they disrupt that harmony. Taoism does not identify one's will as the root problem. Rather, it asserts that one must place their will in harmony with the natural universe. Immortality doesn't mean living for ever in the present physical body. The idea is that as the Taoist draws closer and closer to nature throughout their life, death is just the final step in achieving complete unity with the universe. On particular holidays, street parades take place. These are lively affairs which invariably involve firecrackers and flower-covered floats broadcasting traditional music. Fortune-tellingincluding astrology, I Ching, and other forms of divinationhas long been considered a traditional Taoist pursuit. Lay people may consult a Taoist priest when they have an illness or a problem. Priests participate in daily rituals of self-cultivation to prepare themselves spiritually for their role. Organizational structures in Taoism have varied considerably over time and sect, and have ranged from a tightly structured theocracy, to monasticism, to informal relationships with local communities.

Jainism Scholars trace the beginning of Jainism to the 6th century B.C.E. in Northern India. Insiders to the tradition, however, consider it to be eternal. Scriptures are not understood to be divinely revealed but rather eternally existent truths that individual souls may access through correct viewpoint, knowledge, and conduct. Violence and attachment attract karma, a sticky physical substance that clings to human souls, binding them to samsara. Jains can attain liberation by burning off these karmas through strict adherence to nonviolence. Jainism postulates no creator god, but they do believe in divine (or at least perfect) beings who are worthy of devotion. Jains venerate them because they have achieved perfection, and have become liberated from the cycle of birth and death. These jinas are the ideal state of an individual soul's existence, and are worshipped as a perfect example for Jains to aspire to. So the only 'gods' that exist for Jains are pure souls that are omniscient, perfectly happy and eternal. All humans could become such a jina because every being has the potential to become a perfect soul. Every sentient being has a soul mired in material karmic particles that block its spiritual path. Action, particularly action with attachment, attracts karma to the soul throughout successive reincarnations. Karma must be burned off in order to reach liberation. All sentient beings do harm simply by existing. This harmful action and the karmas it generates are at the root of all suffering. The evil and violence inherent to this existence prove to Jains the absence of a creator god. Some Jain sects do not build temples, as they consider their construction and use to be violent attachment. For Jains who do attend temples, there are many important pilgrimage sites in India considered to be sources of spiritual power. Rituals differ by sect, but generally include fasts, devotional worship, and meditation. For example, initiation into renunciant orders is effected by the elaborate Diksha ritual. The ritual of Sallekhana entails fasting until death when one's body begins to interfere with spiritual progress. Vegetarianism is the most common expression of Jain values. Also common are recitation of mantras. Daily observance of the five vows (non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, sexual purity, and nonpossession) is essential for all Jains. There is no central religious authority but several individual spiritual leaders. Jainism's three paramount principles are non-violence, many-sidedness or non-dogmatism, and nonpossessiveness. Thoughts and actions of all Jains should be guided by dispassionate detachment and compassion in an effort to burn off existing karma and prevent its accrual.

Wicca Wiccans believe in divine forces as the source of all. They are both immanent and transcendent while encompassing the whole universe. Therefore the world and all aspects within the world, nature and life itself in particular, are considered sacred. Wiccans use ancient and modern ceremonies, rituals and shamanic practices to attune themselves to the natural rhythms of nature, the world, and the universe in their efforts to commune with this divine force. To communicate with the force, wiccans believe it to be manifest in the form of a goddess and god. As they emanate from the same source, both retain equal power, hence equal status. By manifesting the power in two deities (goddess and god), the natural balance of opposites, cause and effect are retained, e.g. Summer/winter, light/ dark, life and death etc. Each opposite is essential to maintaining the balance and rhythm of life on earth. During ritual ceremonies and while working with Magick, wiccans call on many other deities. All other deities (the names of which are endless) are in essence merely differently named aspects of the same goddess and god. Wicca has no high authority, no single leader, no prophet and no bible to dictate its laws and beliefs. Every witch is as important as another and all share equal status. Most wiccans are solitary practitioners known as Hedge Witches, but there are also many Covens. Covens include groups of up to 13 people, which is equal to the 13 phases of the moon during the year. Covens are normally presided over by a Priest or Priestess (High Priest and/or High Priestess) who has had years of practice in Magick and ritual techniques. The Priest or Priestess is respected as an Elder and teacher of the craft. All wiccans adhere to one overriding ethical precept as stated in the Wiccan Rede: Though it harm none, Do what thy wilt This is not a license to do whatever they want, more that it allows them the freedom of thought and actions to ascertain the truth, to communicate with and experience the divine and to determine how best to live their lives, if by doing so they cause no harm. Wiccans celebrate 8 major rituals each year called Sabbats. The Sabbats are solar rituals marking the points of the suns yearly cycle, and make up half of the Wiccan ritual year. The other half is made up with Esbats, the Full Moon celebrations. There are 13 full and new moons each year symbolizing the goddess, wisdom, and the inner self of the individual. There are many differing paths and traditions contained within wicca, each with its own brand of ritual and Magick, but perhaps the single most common theme among all these traditions is an overriding reverence for life, nature, and the environment, as seen through the goddess and god.

Theravada Buddhism Theravada Buddhism developed out of the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama who, in 535 BCE, reached enlightenment and assumed the title Buddha. He promoted 'The Middle Way' as the path to enlightenment rather than the extremes of mortification of the flesh or hedonism. Long after his death the Buddha's teachings were written down. This collection is called the Tripitaka. Theravada Buddhists believe in reincarnation and that one must go through cycles of birth, life, and death. After many such cycles, if a person releases their attachment to desire and the self, they can attain Nirvana. Many faiths offer supernatural solutions to the spiritual problems of human beings. Buddhism does not. The basis of all forms of Buddhism is to use meditation for awakening (or enlightenment), not outside powers. Supernatural powers are not disregarded but they are incidental and the Buddha warned against them as fetters on the path. Each being has to make their own way to enlightenment without the help of God or gods. Buddha's teachings show the way, but making the journey is up to the individual. Theravada Buddhism emphasizes attaining self-liberation through one's own efforts. Meditation and concentration are vital elements of the way to enlightenment. The ideal road is to dedicate oneself to full-time monastic life. The follower is expected to "abstain from all kinds of evil, to accumulate all that is good and to purify their mind". Meditation is one of the main tools by which a Theravada Buddhist transforms themselves, and so a monk spends a great deal of time in meditation. When a person achieves liberation they are called a 'worthy person' - an Arhat or Arahat. Despite the monastic emphasis, Theravada Buddhism has a substantial role and place for lay followers. The relationship between monks and lay people in Theravada Buddhism is very strong. This type of Buddhism could not, in fact, exist in its present form without this interaction. It is a way of mutual support - lay people supply food, medicine, and cloth for robes, and monks give spiritual support, blessings, and teachings. There are numerous ceremonies and commemoration days which lay people celebrate, such as Wesak which marks the birth, enlightenment, and parinibbana (passing away) of the Buddha, and for these events everyone converges on the local temples.