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Two Major Feasts of Islam
Students explore two major feasts of Islam. They discuss the day of Idul-al-fitr. Students discuss the importance of the festivals to Muslims. They discuss the ways in which Muslims celebrate on these occasions. Students discuss what...
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Arabia Before Islam
Students explore the geographical, socio-economic, political, and religious background of Arabia before Islam began. They discuss why the rich merchants of Mecca opposed and oppressed Muhammed. Students discuss the influence of geography...
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Beliefs/Teachings of Islam
Students listen to a guest speaker lecture on the beliefs of Islam while taking down notes and complete a KWL chart in their notebook. They then discuss in pairs the differences and similarities they note etween Islam and their own...
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Fighting Back
Middle schoolers identify different methods of resistance used by Jews during the Holocaust and classify them as either passive or active forms of resistance. They create a role play of a husband and wife on whether they should hide a...
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Diwali
Pupils participate in the retelling of a story. After reading the story Diwali, students working in groups retell the significant events in the story through role play. In addition, they discuss the significance of the Hindu elements...
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Ways of Giving
Students are introduced to two basic Jewish religious terms. As a class, they are read background on the role of Jewish women's societies. In groups, they are given texts of various speeches made by women and answer discussion...
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The Jewish Community in America, Past and Present
Students examine the beginnings of the Jewish Community in America. Using the internet, they examine the role of Jewish organizations and resources that are available to them. They compare and contrast the view of the community they...
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Pioneering Spirits: A Personalized History of Our Jewish Community
Students travel in groups to various stations to discover the history of the Jewish community. At each station, they read primary source documents about the history of their community and research their own family history. They mix...
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Three Jewish Women In Mourning
Students conduct an investigation into the life cycle observing the effects of death upon loved ones. They conduct research about the Jewish traditions surrounding the issue of death and then write reflectively about the culture and...
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Ray Frank on The Importance of Belief
Students compare Ray Frank's biography and sermon to the importance of belief. They work in small groups to discuss their beliefs about Judaism and write letters describing their beliefs and incidents that have changed their beliefs. ...
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Religious Intolerance in Afchanistan
Students, as a group, examine and discuss the destruction and planned demolition of Buddhist artifacts in Afghanistan by the Islamic Taliban government. They further research the issue and then hold a simulated summit with Buddhists,...
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Misplaced Blame
Young scholars, after researching a variety of resources, paraphrase examples of how it feels to be wrongly blamed or accused of an incident today, yesterday and in the future. They list the consequences of such actions. In addition,...
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The Medium And The Message
Students compare and contrast Buddhist sculpture in varying materials through in-class discussions and small cooperative learning groups. This lesson includes possible lesson extensions.
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Iconography: Art and Literature
Students discover the main subjects and objects of Buddhist art and how symbolism in the Arts can enhance the artistic elements. The lesson concludes with the creation of student works using iconography.
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What is Me?
Students use the internet to research the different meanings of their names. In groups, they discover their astrological sign and share their opinions about whether they believe in them or not. Individually, they use this information...
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Lao-tzu Riding On An Ox
Students discuss expressions of Daoism in Chinese art in this lesson plan for the high school Social Studies, Humanities, or Asian Studies classroom. The philisophical elements of Daoism are emphasized.
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The Clothing of the Buddha
Students discuss the idea of cultural diffusion by examining how the sculptural portrayal of the Buddha's clothing evolved in Japanese and Chinese art. This lesson concludes with a group project and presentation.
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The Daoist Immortals
High schoolers discover the basic principles and beliefs of Daoism through investigation and in-class discussion in this High School lesson for a Social Studies, Humanities, or Asian Studies class.
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The Perils of Translation
Students discover the challenges of translating poetry written in a character-based language through the study of Lao-tzu's work, Daodejing. This lesson plan includes possible extensions and evaluations.
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Buddhist Art - Lost In The Landscape
High schoolers explore new objectives for art and examine how Chinese painting reflects Buddhist principles. This lesson includes a vocabulary list and possible lesson extensions for various student levels.
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Pure Land Buddhism in China And Japan
High schoolers investigate the Pure Land sect of Buddhism in an attempt to better understand how Buddhism has adapted itself to fit into the constantly changing
religious, cultural, political, and economic climates of China and Japan.
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The Nio
Students discuss the importance of guardian figures in Japanese Buddhist practices using prior knowledge and visual cues gathered from examples of Japanese art. This lesson can be extended to include a creative project.
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The Buddha And His Many Different Forms
Pupils examine the historical Buddha and Buddhism through in-class discussions, visual artifacts, and the practice and performance of the play "The Enlightened One". Evaluation occurs after performance of the play.
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Zen Buddhism and Modern Utopia
Students work collaboratively to analyze the various religious beliefs of Zen Buddhists. Emphasis is placed upon class discussion and the ideal of a Utopian environment or society.