Unit 8 Overview
Religion and Culture: "Beliefs and Customs"
CASAS Competency: 2. Community Resources
Time Frame: 9 days

Unit 8 Picture

Goals for this unit:

  1. Students will better understand American communities by learning about major religious/ philosophical thoughts in the world that are practiced by others in their environment: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Native American Spirituality.
  2. Students will learn how specific religions may or may not be similar to their own philosophical or religious beliefs.
  3. Students will understand the connection between the U.S. Constitution and accommodations that are made within the American culture so that they are able to practice religious-based life styles in the U.S.
  4. Students will learn how to put together a PowerPoint® presentation.
  5. Students will connect various cultural events celebrated in America with the religion or philosophical belief system associated with it.
  6. Students will attend a local religious/cultural event and understand the meaning behind the traditional activities, beliefs, and customs.

Suggested Activities:

Activity 1—Pre-test
Teacher-led discussion follows the completion of the test.

Materials needed:
◆ Pre-test “Religion and Culture: ‘Beliefs and Customs”

Activity 2—Revisit the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. Explain and discuss the meaning and implications behind “…no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” Discuss the concept of “tolerance” regarding religious beliefs and issues, especially in relation to the prior political and legal rights units.

Materials needed:
◆ First Amendment of the Bill of Rights (from unit 7)

Activity 3—Narrow the discussion by asking students to complete the religion questionnaire with information about their own specific religious beliefs and practices. After completing the questionnaire, topics of discussion may include identifying experiences, accommodations, activities, or tolerance in schools, work places, neighborhoods, and local or national events.

Materials needed:
◆ Worksheet “Religion and Culture Questionnaire”

Activity 4—Assign students a religion to research on the Internet or in the library (students can work in pairs or small groups). Students complete the worksheet “World Religions Research Project” based on their findings.

Materials needed:
◆ Computers with Internet access
◆ Worksheet “Religions Research Project”

Activity 5—Students create a visual representation of the specific information they collected on each religion on a large poster board or in a PowerPoint® presentation. Pair students who are familiar with PowerPoint® with those who are not, so that students may be teachers of the skill. Preparation may take a few days depending on students’ ability and background knowledge.

Materials needed:
◆ Classroom art supplies (teacher provides)
◆ Computers with PowerPoint® software
◆ Completed “Religions Research Project” worksheet (from Activity 4)

Activity 6—Students give oral presentations using poster displays or PowerPoint® slides in which students share and inform their classmates objectively about religious beliefs, practices, foods, celebrations, etc. If possible, teacher videotapes presentations to view later and discuss pronunciation, presentation style, body language, intonation, etc.

Materials needed:
◆ Video camera (optional)

Activity 7—Post-test

Materials needed:
◆ Post-test “Share What You’ve Learned”

Connected Activities:

GUEST SPEAKER
Religious leader
Cultural event coordinator for religious activities
Computer software instructor - PowerPoint® teacher

FIELD TRIP
Local houses of worship
Art museum

Supplemental Resources:

Not referenced in textbooks used

Summary:

CASAS COMPETENCIES

2. Community Resources
2.7 Understand aspects of society and culture
5.3 Understand an individuals legal rights and responsibilities

VOCABULARY

Terms Related to Religion Words and phrases related to philosophical/religious concepts, traditions, beliefs, etc.
Computer PowerPoint® language and jargon related to computer software
Slang Informal clichés and idioms heard at local cultural activities

SKILLS

Listening Oral presentations in class
Speaking Discussions and oral presentation
Reading Internet Web sites; hand outs; PowerPoint® slides
Writing Worksheets (tables, questions, graphs)
Life Skills Computer literate including Internet research and PowerPoint® software; knowledgeable and tolerant about world religions

GRAMMAR

Nouns Words identifying philosophical concepts
Questions Syntax of questions (including the identification of the subject)

ENTERTAINMENT

Using local resources and information, students develop an awareness of social and cultural activities. Teacher and students work together to incorporate this in the course of study.

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES

  1. Pre-test (needs assessment)
  2. Analysis of data from Internet Web sites and synthesis of pertinent information to both annotate and present
  3. Oral presentation
  4. Display of information: poster or PowerPoint® presentations
  5. Post-test

Activity Sheets: