Module 4: World Religions



Module 4: World Religions

This module promotes an in-depth exploration of world religions.

It focuses on common features while drawing attention to the

unique characteristics of the tradition under consideration.

The value of diversity in religious traditions is stressed.

This Modules aims:

• to encourage student exploration and understanding

of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism

• to identify the main beliefs of these faiths

• to provide opportunities for comparison of belief

and practices between these religions

• to explore current issues in world religions

• to address the issue of new religious movements

and to inform students about these movements.

Units:

Unit 1: Buddhism

Unit 2: Christianity

Unit 3: Hinduism

Unit 4: Islam

Unit 5: Judaism

Any three of the above religions/denominations

to be studied separately.

Unit 6: New Religious Movements.

Methodology:

Each of the three religions/ denominations will be studied

separately, under some or all of the following headings:

• History

• Key Beliefs

• Teachers and Interpreters

• Celebrations of significant moments

• Practice, Prayer and Pilgrimage

• Sacred writings and texts

• Ethical teaching

• Gender Issues

• Current Issues

INFORMATION CHART

For the duration of this module, it is suggested that a wall chart,

displaying information on all three religions, be compiled as each

religion is studied. This will then be used as a summary of

learning and for comparative study.

ACTIVITIES

The students should seek to complete one of the following

activities (or others of your choice) on completion of each

unit of study (which comprises eight classes).

Suggested activities:

Learning Centre – wall display with information

Liturgy – celebration of music and prayer

Information Booklet

Power Point Presentation

Visit out of School

|Unit 1-5: BUDDHISM, CHRISTIANITY, HINDUISM, ISLAM AND JUDAISM |

|Learning Outcomes |Teacher Guidelines |Teaching Suggestions |

| |Present information/conduct research |Begin with perspective pictures from |

|Unit 1: Buddhism |on one religion/denomination at a time, |“Changing Perspectives, Cultural Values, |

|Unit 2: Christianity |taken from the list opposite. |Diversity and Equality in Ireland and the|

|Unit 3: Hinduism | |wider World” CDU 2002 to teach students |

|Unit 4: Islam |Suggested headings for research: |that there are other ways of seeing the |

|Unit 5: Judaism | |world. |

| |• history | |

|For any three of the above, |• key beliefs |Learning Centres are an excellent method |

|the student will be able to: |• teachers and interpreters |to teach each of the World Religions. |

| |• celebration of significant moments |Students collect |

|1. discuss the history |• sacred texts and writings |pictures/symbols/diagrams from the |

| |• ethical teaching |religion and put the information together|

| |• prayer, practice and pilgrimage |as a learning center. Avoid over wordy |

| |• role of women |presentations. |

|2. list the key beliefs |• current issues | |

| |• holy places | |

| |• places of worship. | |

| | | |

|3. summarise the life story of key | | |

|figures |This information may be researched and | |

| |presented using a variety of | |

| |methodologies including: | |

| | | |

|4. name some sacred texts and writings |• text search | |

| |• teacher prepared worksheets | |

| |• documentary | |

| |• video | |

|5. be able to discuss some of the major |• library/museum visit | |

|ethical teachings |• internet/cd rom search | |

| |• guest speakers | |

| |• write to centres for information | |

| |• interview members of the faith | |

|6. identify rites of passage |• study the music of the religion | |

| |• exploration of prayer | |

| |• study of religious practices | |

| |• research places of pilgrimage | |

| |• sacred texts and writings study | |

| |• media search for articles, |bbc.co.uk An excellent resource for |

| |photographs….. |reaserching world religions |

|7. explain the similarities and |• visits out to centres of worship | |

|differences between sub-groups |• attendance at liturgical services. | |

|within the religion | | |

| |Seek to vary the approach to researching | |

| |information and use of resources. | |

| | |Invite a visitor from one of the world |

|8. outline the major ways of holiness |Examples: |religions to the classroom. Students |

| |• brainstorm, |prepare questions on the main themes. |

| |• provide key words for text scanning, |Video the interview and make it into a |

| |• use lifeline sheets for building |resource for use with other classes. LCA|

| |profiles on key figures in religions, |students can teach this to younger |

|9. define the role of women |• prepare video/documentary |students. |

| |worksheets to record information, | |

| |• role-play speech on main beliefs, | |

| |LEARNING OUTCOMES |Bring students to visit to a place of |

| |• prepare and circulate questionnaires to|worship |

|10. discuss current issues |other groups in school/ family members on| |

| |awareness of world religions. |Islamic Cultural Centre Clonskeagh |

| | |01)2080000 |

| |Encourage pair work – Working | |

| |in pairs, students could research |Play game “A Muslim Journey through |

|11. participate in a group activity which|aspects of a religion – one pair could |Life”page 112 Religion for Living 3, by |

|will describe the main facets of the |investigate sacred writings, another –key|Connie Duffy(old workbook edition) |

|religion |figures, etc. | |

| |Encourage creative presentation of |Article on Ramadan from An Tobar |

| |research – use of information |magazine. Vol 8 issue 7 |

| |technology, collage, story-board. | |

|12. compare the similarities | | |

|and differences between |Ensure the wall chart is being | |

|the world religions |compiled as information and | |

| |research are ongoing. | |

| | | |

| |Each lesson could begin or end with a | |

|13. describe prayer and celebration |reflection, a reading from sacred text, a| |

|in world religions. |meditation/prayer/fact snippet – | |

| |from the religion being studied. | |

| | | |

| |Using the wall chart as a learning | |

| |centre, | |

| |students work in three groups, each group| |

| |finds and lists the key beliefs of one | |

| |religion. | |

| | |Do a vox pop/survey to establish how |

| | |aware people are of other religions. |

| |Group work – each group takes | |

| |ownership of information on one religion.| |

| | | |

| | | |

| |Distribute worksheets to be | |

| |completed as information is being | |

| |recorded. Report to whole class on the | |

| |religion under the headings studied. | |

| | | |

| |Organise class debate on the similarities| |

| |and differences between the religions. | |

| | | |

| |Stage a World Religions Forum or World | |

| |Religions Day for other students in the | |

| |school. The purpose is to inform other | |

| |students about World Religions, and to | |

| |compare and discuss similarities and | |

| |differences with representatives from | |

| |different religions. | |

| | | |

| |Students could take responsibility for | |

| |all preparations e.g. | |

| |• making phone calls | |

| |• writing letters of invitation to | |

| |representatives from different faiths, | |

| |• setting up venue, | |

| |• inviting teachers and senior students, | |

| |• making posters | |

| |• providing refreshments. | |

| |LEARNING OUTCOMES | |

| | | |

| |Compare research information with | |

| |information on world religions. | |

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Unit 6: New Religious Movements

|Learning Outcomes |Teacher Guidelines |Teaching Suggestions |

|The student will be able to: |Present information on new religious |Collect stories about celebrities and |

| |movements – e.g. video – identify aims |their religious beliefs |

|1. name some new religious movements |and beliefs. | |

| | |“Waco” video on Branch Davidian Cult. |

|2. discuss the key beliefs of some new |Discuss the methods of recruitment, aims | |

|religious movements |and practices of some new religious | |

| |movements brainstorm student |Ch. 7NRM``s and Cults in World Religions |

|3. identify the targeted followers of |knowledge. |and Beliefs by E.Fleming and B.O Hara |

|some religious movements | | |

| |Pair-work: research two movements and | |

|4. participate in the planning and |report back to the class group – teacher | |

|organisation of a class activity on world|should guide students towards | |

|religions. |resources/information. | |

| | | |

| |Vary research methods e.g. one pair | |

| |conduct an internet search, another a | |

| |library visit, media search, | |

| |questionnaire | |

| |to peers, vox-pop. | |

| | | |

| |Hold a class debate on themes related to | |

| |new religious movements. | |

| | | |

| |Prepare a class quiz on the theme of | |

| |World Religions/New Religious Movements | |

| |to test student knowledge and | |

| |understanding. | |

| | | |

| |Encourage students to record significant | |

| |learning on each religion studied into | |

| |their religion diary. | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

|KEY ASSIGNMENTS |

|I worked with my class group to present |

|a comparative report on two major world religions |

| |

|I visited a house of worship and reported on the |

|service/liturgy I attended/observed |

| |

|I compiled and presented a report to my class |

|on a major religion found in Ireland |

| |

|I recorded my learning from this module |

|in my journal. |

Module 4:World Religions

Units:

1.Buddhism

2.Christianity

3.Hinduism

4.Islam

5.Judaism

6.New Religious Movements

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