This lesson is part of a series called “The Rich Tapestry of Religion in the United States [1].” The overall goals of the series are to help students explore the similarities and differences among different religious beliefs and practices, learn that there is no one “right” belief system, identify the positive and negative implications of living in a country with religious diversity and freedom, and consider their own responses to those who believe differently than they do.
In this second lesson, students will learn similarities and differences among the major religions in the United States.
Students will:
This lesson is the second in a series called “The Rich Tapestry of Religion in the United States [1].”
Framework
This lesson helps students learn about many different belief systems in the United States and examine how they are the same, how they are different, and how they are all equally important. Students should be encouraged to view what they learn in the context of their own lives, helping them to understand each other’s beliefs and the beliefs of those in their communities.
Glossary
belief (bih-leef)
(noun) Something
that is believed, like an opinion.
denomination (dih-nom-uh-ney-shuhn)
(noun) A religious group.
diversity (dih-vur-si-tee)
(noun) Being
different.
religion (ri-lij-uhn)
(noun) A set
of beliefs about why we are here on Earth, our purpose in life, what happens
after we die, what is moral, and what is sacred.
unaffiliated (un-uh-fil-ee-ey-tid)
(adj) Not part of a formal group.
Resources
A
Teacher’s Guide to Religion in the Public Schools [3]
A series
of questions and answers to help teachers integrate the study of religion into
their classrooms. It helps to answer legal or constitutional questions, too.
“One
World, Many Religions: The Ways We Worship.” Mary Pope Osborne, Alfred Knopf
Publishing, 1996.
In
this highly acclaimed book, Mary Pope Osborne introduces readers to the seven major
religions of the world. “One World, Many Religions” covers the history, beliefs
and practices of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism
and Taoism.
Activities
Extension Activity
Ask students to write and illustrate a book about their own religion or belief system, or about a religion or set of beliefs about which they would like to learn. Each page should include a different fact about foods, prayer, history, leaders, celebrations, rituals, places of worship, or clothing. When the books are finished, invite other classes and family members to a book reading where students can showcase learning, and community members can have an opportunity to learn what is unique and similar about different religions.
Standards
Activities and embedded assessments address the following standards from the Common Core State Standards for the Language Arts.
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing
Production and Distribution of Writing
Standard 4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to task, purpose and audience.
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration
Standard 1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
Standard 2: Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Language
Standard 1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
Standard 2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation and spelling when writing.
Links:
[1] http://www.tolerance.org/lesson/rich-tapestry-religion-united-states
[2] http://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/general/tt_all_about religions_book.pdf
[3] http://www.freedomforum.org/publications/first/teachersguide/teachersguide.pdf