Christian Ethics

30

World Religions

Unit Overview

Timeline: Approximately five weeks

Unit Abstract

Living Out One's Faith in a Secular World: World Religions (25 hours)

a) Wisdom, Works, and Worship

• basic elements of a religion: wisdom, works, and worship

• distinction between an authentic religion and a cult

b) Various Religions and Spiritualities:

• Aboriginal Canadian Spirituality, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, etc.

The wisdom, works, and worship of various religions

• the truths of various religions

Resources Used in This Unit

·  Resource links embedded in unit plans

Purpose / Outcomes / Strategies and Assessment / Learning Activities
Intro unit
Construct meaning
Introduce cults
Compare/Contrast
Note Key Info
Compare/Contrast
Note Key Info
Compare/Contrast
Note Key Info
Determine Key
Information from
Media Source
Note Making
Cooperative Learning
Analyze/Assess
Values
Assess and Reflect / Note making
Placemat
Small/Large group discussions
Jigsaw
FRAME Organizer
FRAME Organizer
Jigsaw Activity
FRAME Organizer
Inquiry Activity / Introduce students to the purpose and teachings of religion
·  Introductory Powerpoint Presentation
·  I Still Haven’t Found … audio
·  I Still Haven’t Found … lyrics
"Science investigates; religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge, which is power; religion gives man wisdom, which is control." Martin Luther King, Jr.
·  Have students complete a placemat activity for the above quote. Divide students into groups of four. Give students two minutes to individually respond to the quote in one quadrant of the placemat. Then have students read each of the other other’s responses. Finally, have students come to an agreement and write a statement about the quote in the middle oval of the placemat.
o  Placemat Master
·  Share results with whole class
·  Large group discussion on the quote
Cults
MS - Show Scientology clip – stop at 0:46 seconds (before the Scientology logo comes up) and ask them if what they’ve seen sounds pretty good and why. Then show the rest of the clip.
·  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBz5Xic_Y2s&list=PLFBB2F9B795C0BD96&index=3&feature=plpp_video
·  Alternate Source for clip
Difference between religion and cult
·  Have each students write down their own definition of a cult
·  Have each student write down their ideas that distinguish a cult from a religion
·  Cult information Jigsaw
o  Divide students into groups of three
o  Collect enough books on cults so there is one book for each group
o  Each group will have 2 minutes to record 3-4 points about cults from the book they are handed. After 2 minutes books are rotated and then the group will have another 2 minutes to record another 3-4 points from their new book. Continue for at least 5 rotations.
·  Share findings in as a class group. Have students add to their notes from discussion.
·  Reach a consensus on:
o  What is a cult?
o  How do cults operate?
o  How do cults differ from recognized religions?
·  View a People’s Temple clip – first 2 minutes or up to 7:11 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQYoHiM-Uko&feature=related
o  Alternate Source for clip
·  Discuss the clip as a large group
Comparison between a cult and a legitimate religion
·  Characteristics of a Cult powerpoint (use some/all/modify/etc) and accompanying student handout.
If time permits you may wish to:
·  View the Dr. Phil video: Is this a Cult (40 min)
·  Or view the Scientology documentary and related information on: http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/special_eds/20100308/scientology/
·  Discuss the clip as a large group
Wisdom, Works, and Worship
Define wisdom, works, and worship using notes/handout – Basic Elements of a Religion – Reference Guide.
Determine the works, worship, and wisdom of several main religions
·  View various short videos (20 – 25 minutes each) and complete the note making FRAME on the works, worship, and wisdom of each religion.
o  Note-making FRAME or Note-making FRAME v2
o  Christianity
o  Islam
o  Judaism
o  Buddhism
o  Hinduism
·  **Alternate – use The ABC’s of World Religions booklets to establish the wisdom, works, and worship of the major world religions.
·  Have students independently use the following site http://www.canadaandtheworld.com/aboriginalspirituality.html (alternate site) to complete the FRAME for Canadian Aboriginal Spirituality
Determine the works, worship, and wisdom of several other religions
·  Introduce students to www.religionfacts.com/big_religion_chart.htm
·  Divide students in groups of four. Have the group select 4 other religions than the ones already covered. Each student in the group will then independently locate the information to complete the FRAME and spend some time on the ‘More Information’ Link to gain a better understanding of the particular religion. The group of 4 will then reconvene and each member will share with the others what they learned (everyone is to complete their own FRAME from the information that is shared).
o  Note-Making FRAME
Students will complete an inquiry on the following question:
Does society’s perception of a particular religion reflect the works, worship, and wisdom of that religion?
You will use resources to:
1.  Locate facts on the works, worship, and wisdom of the particular religion
2.  Demonstrate society’s perception of the religion based on news stories (review three North American publications and one International European/Middle East publication).
-  include both positive and negative perceptions of the works, worship, and wisdom of that religion as portrayed in the news article (each article will most likely not refer to all three)
3.  Compare the facts to the perceptions
·  Assignment Directions
Use the following Research Frame to record your information
·  Wisdom, Works, and Worship FRAME
·  Note-Taking Research FRAME
·  News Article Analysis FRAME v2
Use databases CDN Journals/ Newsmap / Infotrac / etc.
·  Link to the BJM Resource Website for these sources
·  Assessment Rubric for Research Project
·  Search instructions and techniques
Unit Assessment