Learning About the Religions of the World

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Learning About the Religions of the World

• 7th Grade Language Arts and Social Studies
  Interdisciplinary Unit
• Erwin Middle School
• Fall 2003

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Integrated Unit Designed byCammy Jacobelly,
Jeanne McGlinn, Kelly Hansen, Jim McGlinn
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Religions of the World
Confucianism
Islam
Buddhism
Judaism
Hinduism
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Distribution of World Religions
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Learning Goals

• Students will investigate and assess the major
  religions and ethical systems of Africa and Asia.
• Integrated teaching of language arts and social
  studies meets NC Standard Course of Study
  guidelines for both disciplines
• Students will demonstrate critical thinking,
  inquiry skills, and using language to respond to
  personal, social and cultural issues.

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Adolescent Novels about World Cultures

• Shabanu  Daughter of the Wind (Pakistan) by
  Suzanne Fisher Staples
• Homeless Bird (India) by Gloria
  Whelan                    
• Waiting for the Rain (South Africa) by Sheila
  Gordon     
•               
• The Storyteller's Beads (Ethiopia) by Jane
  Kurtz          
•                
• Ties that Bind, Ties that Break (China) by Lensey
  Namioka                
• Breadwinner (Afghanistan) by Deborah
  Ellis                        

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Literature-Social Studies Connections Fiction
brings history to life,presents information in a
more engaging format,andstimulates childrens
imagination.
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Why Trade Books in the Social Studies Classroom?

• Increases student participation,
• Draws on students wider experience with
  literature,
• Contributes to each students literacy
  development,
• Creates a response,
• Represents the best in current research.

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Shabanu Daughter of the WindSuzanne Fisher
Staples

• Set among the Cholistanis people, a nomadic tribe
  in modern Pakistan, this is a coming of age
  story. Shabanu, who is strong willed, must bend
  her will to her fathers command that she marry
  an older man to settle a feud that threatens the
  family.

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Homeless BirdGloria Whelan

• Koly, married and widowed at 13, is cast adrift
  in a society which has no place for her. Through
  courage and hard work to develop her skill in
  needlework, Koly manages to crave out a life and
  a measure of happiness.

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Waiting for the RainSheila Gordon

• In this novel about life in South Africa, Tengos
  dreams of getting an education are frustrated by
  a school boycott, and he is drawn into the fight
  against apartheid.

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The Storytellers BeadsJane Kurtz

• Two young girls, a Christian orphan and a blind
  Jewish girl, are forced to flee from Ethiopia in
  the 1980s. The girls overcome their animosity,
  becoming friends and helping each other.

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Ties that Bind, Ties that Break

• In 1911 China, Ailin is supposed to have her feet
  bound to make her suitable for marriage. Ailin
  refuses and the family of her intended breaks the
  marriage contract. Ailin has to find a way to
  make her own living.

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The BreadwinnerDeborah Ellis

• When the Taliban takes away her father, Parvana
  realizes she must disguise herself as a boy and
  become the breadwinner for the family.

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Developing Background Knowledge

• Reading Comprehension improves when readers have
  background knowledge to connect to the text.
• Teachers can build background knowledge through
  pre reading strategies, such as K-W-L,
  brainstorming, and research activities.
• This year-long integrated unit which introduces
  students to the cultures of Africa and Asia
  begins with a Web-based research project on the
  religions of these regions.

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WebQuests

• A WebQuest is an inquiry-based learning project
  in which students work together to solve a
  problem or complete a task assigned by the
  teacher.
• Generally the more authentic the problem and the
  more collaborative the process for student
  inquiry the better.
• Students mainly use resources on the internet in
  conducting research but they can also use other
  appropriate resources such as library-based
  journal articles and reference works.
• Most of the internet-based and other resources
  are listed for students to use in order to limit
  searching time and to help students focus their
  efforts.
• WebQuests often result in student-developed
  products which are usually presented to other
  students as well as the teacher.
• The teacher uses a rubric to evaluate the student
  process in conducting the research and in
  developing the product as well to evaluate the
  quality of the product.

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Parts of a WebQuest

• 1. Introduction
• The purpose of this section is to both prepare
  and hook the reader. The student is the intended
  audience.
• Write a short paragraph here to introduce the
  activity or lesson to the students. If there is a
  role or scenario involved (e.g., "You are a
  detective trying to identify the mysterious
  poet.") then here is where you'll set the stage.
  Communicate the question or problem that the
  whole WebQuest is centered around.

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• 2. Task
• The task focuses learners on what they are
  going to do - specifically, the culminating
  performance or product that drives all of the
  learning activities.
• Describe crisply and clearly what the end
  result of the learners' activities will be.

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• 3. Process
• This section outlines how the learners will
  accomplish the task. Scaffolding includes clear
  steps, resources, and tools for organizing
  information.
• Describe the steps that learners should follow.
  Learners will use the on-line resources that
  you've identified as they go through the Process.
  Also provide some guidance on how to organize
  the information gathered.

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• Evaluation
• This section describes the evaluation criteria
  needed to meet performance and content standards.
• Describe to the learners how their performance
  will be evaluated. The assessment rubric should
  align with the culminating project or
  performance, as outlined in the task section of
  the WebQuest. Specify whether there will be a
  common grade for group work vs. individual grades.

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• Conclusion
• The conclusion brings closure and encourages
  reflection.
• Summarize what the learners will have
  accomplished or learned by completing this
  activity or lesson. You might also include some
  rhetorical questions or additional links to
  encourage them to extend their thinking into
  other content beyond this lesson.
• Adapted from Building Blocks of a WebQuest
  http//projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/building
  blocks/p-index.htm

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Benefits of WebQuests

• Intrinsic Motivation--Students are intrinsically
  motivated when they do an assignment because it
  is personally interesting, fulfilling, or
  enjoyable.
• Intrinsic motivation results from student
  perceptions of competence, personal control, and
  belonging.
• B.L. McCombs (2002). Understanding the keys to
  motivation to learn. Aurora, Colorado
  Mid-continent Research for Education and
  Learning. http//www.mcrel.org/products/noteworth
  y/noteworthy/barbaram.asp

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Real Learning

• Learner-centered teaching includes a
  constructivist approach to education in which
  learners focus on personally relevant topics and
  construct their own meaning as they experience,
  study, reflect on, and discuss these topics.