ERC LES Religious Culture and Dialogue Secondary Cycle One

ERC – LES – Religious Culture and Dialogue Secondary Cycle One

ETHICS AND RELIGIOUS CULTURE

Stories and Human Beings Secondary Cycle One

Religious Culture and Dialogue

NOTE This learning and evaluation situation is a working document, which is therefore subject to change. It may be adapted as needed depending on the student’s social environment, the planning of teaching and learning activities, the integration of the Ethics and Religious Culture program and the Québec Education Program, etc.

MELS - DGFJ – Working Document –March 14, 2008 Adapted by SWLSB 8 ERC – LES – Religious Culture and Dialogue Secondary Cycle One

Table of Contents

Section 1: Presentation of the Learning and Evaluation Situation p. 3 Section 2: Suggested Procedure p. 4

Section 3: References for the Student

and the Teacher p. 8

Section 4: Student Worksheets and Evaluation Tools p. 9

Section 5: Table of Program Content p. 17

Section 1: Presentation of the Learning and Evaluation Situation

Stories and Human Beings Demonstrates Engages in Demonstratesan dialogueEngages in understandingan of dialogue theunderstanding phenomenon of Objective theof phenomenonreligion of religion The students are encouraged to analyze a creation story with their classmates and to compare the story’s characteristics with other stories of creation. They are encouraged to develop an awareness that stories are one of the essential elements of religious traditions.

Simulation Exercise

While watching a film about the Egyptian Empire, students learn about the story of the origin of the world created by this founding civilization. For certain students, this story may seem incomprehensible, whereas for others it may be original and meaningful. Some students may express hypotheses about the story’s meaning, but other points of view may quickly be put forward. Would you be able to analyze a creation story and explain its meaning?

Work Expected of Students Theme: Fundamental elements Form of Theme: of Fundamentalreligious traditions elements dialogue:Form of of religious traditions dialogue:Panel A seminar aimed at presenting creation stories Panel Possible Student Tasks

Key Brainstorm about students’ knowledge and perceptions Feature 1:Key regarding the origins of the world. OrganizesFeature 1: his/herOrganizes Key thinkinghis/her FeatureKey 1: Construct the concept of the story and become aware of thinkingKey AnalyzesFeature 1: Feature 3:Key formsAnalyzes of different levels of reading. DevelopsFeature 3: and religiousforms of supportsDevelops a and expressionCriterioreligious pointsupports of view a expression Put a creation story into context and proceed with its n 1 point of view analysis.

Further develop their reflection by comparing their Key understanding of the story with that of their classmates. Feature 2:Key InteractsFeature 2: Take the time to evaluate the conditions that are withInteracts others conducive to engaging in dialogue. Criteriowith others n 2 Prepare the seminar on creation stories. Choose the visual Cross- curricularCross- elements that can illustrate the story. competenccurricular competency: Communicaty: Further develop effective communication strategies for the Communicates appropriatelyes purposes of presenting the seminar. Content: appropriately MeansContent: for developingMeans fora Key Feature During the seminar, take notes in order to compare pointdeveloping of view a 3:Key Closely Feature elements that are essential to the story. - Comparisonpoint of view examines3: Closely - Comparison variousexamines ways ofvarious thinking, ways beingof thinking, and actingbeing and MELSacting - DGFJ – Working Document –March 14, 2008 Adapted by SWLSB 8 ERC – LES – Religious Culture and Dialogue Secondary Cycle One

Reflect on their learning and explain how the stories are Criterio fundamental elements of religions. n 3

Key Feature Key3: Feature Develops3: and Criterio supportsDevelops a and n 3 pointsupports of view a point of view

Section 2: Suggested Procedure Duration: 3 hours 45 minutes

PREPARATION PHASE (30 MINUTES)

Brainstorm about students’ knowledge and perceptions regarding the origins of the world. Key features of dialogue: Organizes his/her thinking; Interacts with others The teacher: The students:  presents the simulation.  say what they know and think about the subject of the creation of the world.  organizes the information gathered during the brainstorming into a visual  ask what the others know and ask for format. clarification.

 presents the competencies that will be  indicate what they understand by the developed and the evaluation criteria terms creation and creation of the that will be applied, as well as the world. expected outcomes and the minimum performance standard.  take down the information using a diagram.  presents the activities and tasks that have been planned, or determines them  list the possible tasks related to together with the students. production.

 suggests pertinent resources: reference  give ideas about forming work groups. books, Web sites, television shows, etc.

 organizes the students into work groups.

Record keeping: Diagram

Build a concept of a story and become aware of the different levels of reading. Key feature of religious culture: Analyzes forms of religious expression Key feature of dialogue: Organizes his/her thinking The teacher: The students:  encourages the students to create a  suggest a definition of the term story by definition of the term story by using making connections to other known different creation stories. stories.

 shows that stories encompass images  listen to the passage presented and and symbols that can be read from offer an explanation of the images and different perspectives, based on a symbols it contains. passage from the Book of Genesis.

PERFORMANCE PHASE (2 HOURS 45 MINUTES)

Put a creation story into context and proceed with its analysis. Key feature of religious culture: Analyzes forms of religious expression Key feature of dialogue: Develops and supports a point of view

Criterion of religious culture: Detailed analysis of forms of religious expression The teacher: The students:  provides the students with feedback  read the story on their own. while asking them about their understanding of the story.  take note of the story’s essential functions, characteristics and elements  asks the students to consult other and analyze them. resources in order to support their point of view.  make connections with other known stories.

 use diverse reading strategies.

Record keeping: Excerpts from founding stories - Analysis of a creation story

Further develop their reflection while sharing their understanding of the story with that of their classmates. Take the time to evaluate the conditions that are conducive to engaging in dialogue. Key feature of religious culture: Analyzes forms of religious expression Key features of dialogue: Interacts with others; Develops and supports a point of view Criterion of dialogue: Adequate use of related content involving interaction with others The teacher: The students:  asks questions and provides feedback  put into place conditions that are on how the discussion proceeds and conducive to dialogue with their how the text is understood. classmates.

 ensures that the conditions that are  present their analysis and explain their conducive to dialogue are applied. understanding of the text to their classmates.  uses his/her observation checklist to keep records about the students’ ability  take notes on the explanations that are to interact with one another. presented, in order to bolster their own point of view.

 ask questions about their teammates’ points of view.

 examine the judgments that are put forward during the discussion.

Record keeping: Texts about founding stories –Worksheet for analyzing a creation story - Worksheet on note-taking during the discussion

Prepare a seminar on creation stories and further develop effective communication strategies. Key feature of dialogue: Interacts with others Cross-curricular competency: Communicates appropriately Criterion of dialogue: Adequate use of related content involving interaction with others The teacher: The students:  establishes, with the students, how the  with their teammates, put in place seminar will proceed and which key conditions that foster dialogue. elements will be presented.  with their teammates, identify pertinent  provides feedback about the relevance elements to present about the story. and the understanding of elements of the selected stories.  illustrate the basic elements of the story on a poster using pictures and key  uses an observation rubric to keep words. records about the students' ability to interact with one another.  take into account aspects of communication that are sufficient for preparing their presentation in terms of the audience.

 choose an objective for their presentation.

Explain a creation story and compare it to other stories during a seminar. Key features of religious culture: Analyzes forms of religious expression; Closely examines various ways of thinking, being and acting Key feature of dialogue: Develops and supports a point of view

Criterion of religious culture: Analysis of a range of ways of thinking, being and acting The teacher: The students:  ensures that the elements of analysis  explain to the other students the presented are accurate and corrects creation story analyzed by their team. mistaken information, if needed.  support their statements by giving  ensures that the length of the examples and descriptions. presentations and the discussion period are respected.  express themselves clearly when they speak.  assists the presenters during the question period.  use appropriate language.

 allows for an exchange of points of view  take notes during the presentation by to take place regarding the filling out a comparison worksheet. characteristics of stories that are similar or different.  ask for clarification.

 make connections between similar or different elements regarding the stories presented.

Record keeping: Comparison worksheet regarding elements about the story

INTEGRATION PHASE (30 MINUTES)

Consolidate their idea of a story. Key feature of religious culture: Analyzes forms of religious expression Key feature of dialogue: Organizes his/her thinking

The teacher: The students:  reviews the definition of a story.  make connections between the definition of a story, the stories they  encourages the students to become studied and the religious traditions with aware that stories are one of the which they are associated. essential components of the religious traditions with which they are  correct information on their diagram, as associated. needed.

Record keeping: Diagram

Summarize what they learned about creation stories. Key feature of religious culture: Analyzes forms of religious expression; Key features of dialogue: Organizes his/her thinking; Develops and supports a point of view Criterion of religious culture: Analysis of a range of ways of thinking, being and acting Criterion of dialogue: Presentation of a point of view developed using pertinent, coherent and sufficient elements The teacher: The students:  questions the students about their  explain their understanding of creation learning. stories by making connections with what they have learned.  questions the students about the strategies they use.  express how and why their point of view has been modified or consolidated.  suggests avenues for advancing and reapplying their learning.  use different sources to feed their reflection.

 indicate new learning and how they learned it.

Record keeping: Worksheet for summarizing what they have learned

Section 3: References for the Students and the Teacher

Suggested books:

Elm, Demus. The Oneida Creation Story, 2000.

O’Brien, J. and Palmer, M. The Atlas of Religion, University of California Press, 2007

Pinch, Geraldine. Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt, Oxford University Press, 2004

Gleiser , Marcelo. Dancing Universe: From Creation Myths to the Big Bang, University Press of New England

Amery, Heather. The Usborne Family Bible. London: Usborne, 2005. 1 Hickman, Clare, Kirsteen Rogers and Susan Meredith. The Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia of World Religions. Tulsa: E.D.C. Publishing, 2002.

Possible Internet resources: 1 Fundamental beliefs on Hinduism (Teacher) http://www.dfwhindutemple.org/intro_hinduism.htm 1 The Bible and Genesis (Teacher) http://bible.cc/genesis/1-1.htm 1 The story of Creation in Genesis 1,1 - 2,4 (Teacher) http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Genesis+1%3A1-2%3A4 1 Creation stories: Native peoples http://history.cbc.ca/history/? MIval=EpContent.html&series_id=1&episode_id=1&chapter_id=3&page_id=1&lang=E

Story of aboriginal creation (NFB) – VIDEO and text http://www.nfb.ca/enclasse/doclens/visau/index.php? language=english&mode=theme&theme=30663 1 Legends of different aboriginal families http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/firstnations/myths.html 1 Gagudju story of creation (Australia’s Aborigines) http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/indigenous/dreamtime/ 1 The Big Bang http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/m_uni/uni_101bb1.html http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/cosmology.php

Big Bang theory for young people http://universe.nasa.gov/be/PDF/Chapter-5.pdf 1 The universe and the Big Bang theory explained to children http://www.astrosociety.org/education/publications/tnl/37/universe2.html

Creation myths from around the world http://www.magictails.com/creationlinks.html http://crab.rutgers.edu/~goertzel/creationmyths.htm

Section 4: Student Worksheets and Evaluation Tools

Worksheets:

 Brainstorming diagram p. 10  Analysis of a creation story p. 11-12  I share my understanding of the story p. 13  I compare different creation stories p. 14  Summary of learning p. 15

Evaluation tools:

 Evaluation of the discussion with my teammates p. 16  Observation checklist regarding the practice of dialogue pending  Evaluation checklist regarding religious culture pending  Evaluation checklist regarding the practice of dialogue pending

Criterion: Relevance and sufficient quantity ofCriterion: written record Relevance keeping and regarding sufficient how quantity studentsof written organize record theirkeeping thinking regarding how students organize their thinking BRAINSTORMING DIAGRAM

Name: ______Date: ______Group: ______

 Organize the information given regarding the origin of the world and creation stories.  You can modify the diagram according to the amount of information you find it important to keep.

My definition of a “creation story.”

Criterion: Detailed analysis of a form of religiousCriterion: expression Detailed analysis of a form of religious expression ANALYSIS OF A CREATION STORY

Name: ______Date: ______Group: ______

 Read the creation story that was given to you and identify the expressions taken from the text that represent the origin of the world and its creation.  Describe, put into context and analyze your story using elements presented in the tables below.  You can further develop your understanding of the story using other sources of information.

About the story Title of the story:

Religious tradition with which it is Place of origin of the story: associated: Approximate historical period in which the story was created:

The story’s characteristics The god(s) that is/are the focus of this story

Name(s) of the god(s):

Description of the god(s):

The representation of the origin of the world

Description of the origin of the world prior to its creation:

The steps presented in the story about the creation of the world

- MELS - DGFJ – Working Document –March 14, 2008 Adapted by SWLSB 8 ERC – LES – Religious Culture and Dialogue Secondary Cycle One

Analysis of the story

Why was this story written?

Who does this story speak to?

Images and representations of the creation of the world

I identify and explain the meaning of the expressions and images that have been used to represent the origin and creation of the world: