Unit plan: Ancient World Religions

World History

Fall 2011

About 13 days

Abstract:

This unit is comprised of three mini units. The first, delves into the nature of religion and

philosophy, and gives students an opportunity to compare and contrast the two. The unit then

focuses on abstract themes involving the development and evolution of religion from nature-

based worship of fertility to complex religious doctrines and philosophies. This mini unit is

designed to prepare students for in-depth studies of Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism in the

later mini-units.

The second mini-unit is devoted to a study of the ancient Hebrews, and the rise and development

of Judaism. Students will learn the major principles of Judaism, as well as key figures in the

development of Judaism. This study of ancient Hebrews will culminate in a democratic dialogue,

in which students will link the history they have learned to the modern conflict between Palestine

and Israel.

Finally, the third mini-unit will delve into the history of ancient India, and the development of

Hinduism, and Buddhism. Students will spend a significant amount of time examining how

factors such as geographical boundaries can influence history and culture. Students will take

much of the responsibilities of teaching and learning in this unit, as they will give presentations

on the history and core beliefs of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

Focus Questions

What is religion? How has it developed, and how is it different from philosophies? \

How has the history of ancient Israel/Palestine influenced the current conflict in that

region?

What are the key aspects of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism? Why are Buddhism and

Jainism classified as religions, if they have no set deities?

Benchmarks

Interpret patterns of behavior reflecting values and attitudes that contribute or pose

obstacles to cross-cultural understanding. (NCSS – Culture)

Apply an understanding of culture as an integrated while that explains the functions and

interactions of language, literature, the arts, traditions, beliefs and values, and behaviors.

(NCSS – Culture)

Investigate, interpret and analyze multiple historical and contemporary viewpoints within

and across cultures related to important events, reoccurring dilemmas, and persistent

issues, while employing empathy, skepticism and critical judgment. (NCSS – Time;

Continuity; and Change)

Systematically employ process of critical historical inquiry to reconstruct and reinterpret

weighing evidence for claims and searching for causality. (NCSS – Time; Continuity;

and Change)

Demonstrate that historical knowledge and the concepts of time are socially influenced

constructions that lead historians to be selective in the questions they seek to answer and

the evidence they use. (NCSS – Time; Continuity; and Change)

Examine persistent issues involving the rights, roles, and status of individual in relation

to general welfare. (NCSS – Power; Authority; and Governance)

Analyze and explain ideas and mechanisms to meet needs and wants of citizens, regulate

territory, manage conflict, establish order and security, and balance competing

conceptions of a just society (NCSS – Power; Authority; and Governance)

Assimilation

Students will teach their peers information and

broad themes regarding the history and core

beliefs of three major Indian religions. They

will need to draw on information from other

groups, and reference prior knowledge in their

presentations.

Adaptation

Students will synthesize prior knowledge of

the history of the rise of Judaism and Ancient

Canaan to reading on the history of the

Palestinian/Israeli conflict. They will apply

that knowledge to a current debate happening

within the United Nations on whether Palestine

should be an officially recognized country.

Over the course of this dialogue, students will

take a stance on this debate, and defend their

reasoning behind this stance, backing it up

with historical facts.

Acquisition

Students will reflect comprehension of

assigned reading materials by completing a

graphic organizer.

Application

Students will complete a map activity in which

they reflect knowledge on the geography of

India, and make predictions on how the

geography may have shaped the development

and transmittance of culture and religion within

India.

Assessment Tasks

Students will conduct group presentations on the history and core beliefs of Hinduism,

Buddhism, and Jainism. This presentation will serve to reflect student knowledge, as well

as allow students an opportunity to teach their peers.

Students will engage in a democratic dialogue on the conflict between Palestine and

Israel, in order to demonstrate higher order thinking, reasoning, and creative problem

solving skills.

Instructional Resources

Geography assignments India and Judaism (both given out on test day)

Reading on Palestinian/Israeli conflict (Dialogue of Two Monologues, by Eric Black)

Graphic organizers for brief readings from the textbook

Handout on the 10 Commandments, to examine as a primary document

Powerpoint presentations with notes on History of the Ancient Hebrews, and Intro to the

History of India

Netbooks for in-class research

Catalogue of Lessons

Lesson 1: What is Religion – Thursday 10/6

This lesson offers an opportunity to engage students in some abstract theorizing on the nature of

religion, philosophy, and the similarities and differences between the two.

The questions “What is Religion” and “What is Philosophy” will be on the board. Students will

make predictions with neighbors, and will then share with the large group. We will look at how

religion develops, including brief descriptions on primal, archaic, and classical religions, and the

rise of complex religion.

Students will then be asked, why historians look at religion to understand cultures. Again, they

will have an opportunity to confer with a neighbor in a think, pair, and share activity. They will

reflect their understanding of these issues in a note-taking graphic organizer.

Students will have been given a geography handout on Canaan, which they can use the rest of

class time to complete.

Students will also be given the readings for Democratic Dialogue

Lesson 2: Geography and Rise of Judaism – Friday 10/7

Students will begin by examining the geography of Ancient Canaan by going over the geography

homework.

Students will then be given a note guide to help them pick out the key concepts in a lecture on

the rise of Judaism. They will have homework to complete about the reading in the book.

Lesson 3: Rise of Judaism and Exodus – Monday 10/10

Class will begin with correcting the homework. We will then continue notes on the rise of

Judaism, and the Exodus. We will read from the Bible as a primary document (Exodus, 10

Commandments), and examine this document against the backdrop of the history of Canaan, and

identify how this document has influenced Jewish Law, as well as many other law codes in the

Western world. Finally, we will examine how historians use religion to gain understanding of

culture.

Lesson 4: Modern History of Israel and Palestine – Democratic Dialogue Tuesday 10/11

Students will have been given articles to read on the history of Israel and Palestine, as well as

some newspaper articles detailing some of the violence between the two entities, as well as the

recent UN talks about Palestinian recognition.

Lesson 5: Geography and Ancient India – Wednesday 10/12

Students will have been given a geography assignment, which we will go over. After correcting

this assignment in order to solidify where each geographical point is located, we will examine

how this geography has affected the development of Indian culture.

Lesson 6: Ancient India and Aryans – Thursday 10/13

We will continue notes on Ancient India and the Aryans, as well as an intro to Hinduism and

Buddhism and their presentation project. The Cities in the Indus graphic organizer is due on this

day.

Lesson 7: Hinduism and Buddhism – Work Days – Friday 10/14, Monday 10/17

Students will be given a work day with the laptops to research an assigned section of Hinduism

or Buddhism. Students will be split into groups of four or five, and will be given one of the

following topics:

History of Hinduism

Core beliefs of Hinduism

History of Buddhism

Core beliefs of Buddhism

History and core beliefs of Jainism

Students will be graded on reflecting accurate knowledge and readiness to answer peer questions,

giving a smooth and effective presentation, preparation for the presentation, and time

management/participation within the group. Their group cooperation and class-time conduct will

be assessed in part by a combination of group member and self evaluation.

Lesson 8: Hinduism and Buddhism – Presentations – Tuesday 10/18

Students will conduct presentations on their section of Hinduism and the Buddhism. This should

take all period.

Lesson 9: Hinduism and Buddhism – Final Presentations, Synthesis and Conclusions -

Wednesday 10/19 (Half Day)

Students will finish up presentations. We will then discuss in the large group the differences and

similarities between the two, and the effects on Indian culture that the two have.

Lesson 10: Guest Speaker - Thursday 10/20

Review for exam – Friday 10/21

Unit Exam – Monday 10/24