Seventh Grade World Religions Unit

Essential Questions

Enduring Understandings GLCEs Assessments

How are the world’s five major religions alike? How are they different? Where did the world’s five major religions begin? What individuals shaped the beliefs of the world’s five major religions?

The world’s five major religions have many similarities and differences. The world’s five major religions all have their own geographic roots. The world’s five major religions were shaped by individual ideas. Key Terms & Vocabulary Christianity Judaism Islam Hinduism Buddhism Bible Torah Koran Afterlife Path to Afterlife

H1.2.6: Identify the role of the individual in history and the significance of one person’s ideas W3.2.1: Identify and describe the beliefs of the five major world religions.

W3.2.2: Locate the geographical center of major religions and map the spread through the 3rd century C.E.  

Required: Seventh Grade World Religions Assessment Formative Lesson 1 – Religion Map Lesson 2 – Religion Voicethread District:

Calhoun ISD Social Studies Curriculum Design Project

Seventh Grade World Religions Lessons Breakdown Title GLCEs Included

Resources Needed Resources Suggested

Resources Lesson 1

Mapping Religions

W3.2.2 H1.2.6 H1.4.1 W3.2.1

Religion on Google Earth KMZ file

outline map of the Eastern Hemisphere Abrahamic Religions mapping resource overview of Hinduism mapping resource Outline map of the Eastern Hemisphere Mapping resource Overview of Hinduism

Lesson 2

Religion Voicethread

W3.2.1 Religion Voicethread Overview Voicethread Research Voicethread Planning Making the Voicethread

Edutopia Article on Voicethread Voicethread How To

Seventh Grade World Religions Unit Lesson 1 Title: Mapping Religions Grade Level: Seventh Unit of Study: World Religions Unit GLCE: • 7 – W3.2.2: Locate the geographical center of major religions and map the spread

through the 3rd century C.E.

• 7 – H1.2.6: Identify the role of the individual in history and the significance of one person’s ideas.

• 7 – H1.4.1: Describe and use cultural institutions to study an era and a region (political, economic, religion/ belief, science/technology, written language, education, family).

• 7 – W3.2.1: Identify and describe the beliefs of the five major world religions

Abstract: Students will use Google Earth to explore and map the world’s five major religions (Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism). Key Concepts: Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Allah, Jesus Christ, Moses, Buddha, polytheistic, monotheistic Sequence of Activities:

1. To begin, students will receive an outline map of the Eastern Hemisphere. 2. Students will begin researching the origins and mapping the spread of the world’s five

major religions. To do this, students will need a variety of resources: a. Religion on Google Earth KMZ file (this is run with Google Earth)

i. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam 1. These resources explain the origins of the Abrahamic Religions.

Students will use this resource as a basis for the beliefs of these religions as well as a mapping resource.

2. Once students have read through the file, they should map the centers of each religion as well as their spread throughout the world. To aid in their mapping, it is highly recommended that students use this mapping resource.

ii. Buddhism 1. This file is similar to the Abrahamic Religions’ file and should be

mapped similarly. iii. Hinduism

1. There are varying views on the origin of Hinduism. For this lesson, students should read an overview of Hinduism and map the spread of the religion by using the mapping resource.

Calhoun ISD Social Studies Curriculum Design Project

Seventh Grade World Religions Unit

Calhoun ISD Social Studies Curriculum Design Project

Note: Although the GLCE requires students to map the spread of religions until the 3rd century CE, it is suggested that students map the spread of the religion through the “Muslim Conquest” portion of the mapping resource in order to include Islam.

Connections: Instructional Resources: Equipment/Manipulative Computer lab or Internet access Student Resources Outline map of the Eastern Hemisphere Religion on Google Earth KMZ file Mapping resource Overview of Hinduism Teacher Resources See above

Seventh Grade World Religions Unit Lesson 2 Title: Religion Voicethread Grade Level: Seventh Unit of Study: World Religions Unit GLCE: • 7 – W3.2.1: Identify and describe the beliefs of the five major world religions

Abstract: Students will create a digital story that compares the beliefs and components of the world’s five major religions. Key Concepts: Afterlife, symbols, Voicethread, digital story, path to afterlife Sequence of Activities:

1. During this lesson, students will spend time researching major beliefs and components of the world’s major religions in order to create a voicethread, which is a digital story.

2. Students will research, plan, and create their digital story using several resources. Provide students with the following documents:

a. Religion Voicethread Overview b. Voicethread Research c. Voicethread Planning d. Making the Voicethread

3. These documents contain several resources that will guide students towards their voicethread.

For teachers who are not familiar with voicethreads, there are several resources available: • Edutopia Article on Voicethread • Voicethread How To

Connections: Language Arts Instructional Resources: Equipment/Manipulative Computer lab or Internet access

Calhoun ISD Social Studies Curriculum Design Project

Seventh Grade World Religions Unit

Calhoun ISD Social Studies Curriculum Design Project

Student Resources Religion Voicethread Overview Voicethread Research Voicethread Planning Making the Voicethread Teacher Resources See above

World Religions – Lesson 2

 

Religion Voicethread Overview 

During the next two weeks you will be working in class on a Voicethread. A Voicethread is a collection of pictures, your ideas, and your voice that are put together to share a story. The story that you will be sharing will deal with what you’ve learned about Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.  

This project will have three parts: Research, Planning, and the Voicethread. 

Research (10 points) 

The first part of the project is the research portion. We’ve already learned about the origins of Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. Now you will research other various topics of your choice (listed below) in order to create your Voicethread.  

To complete this portion of the project, please use the “Voicethread Research” document. Once this document is complete, please submit it to me. 

Planning (5 points) 

Once you’ve researched and collected enough information for your presentation, you will need to organize the information for your project as well as collect pictures. 

To complete this portion of the project, please use the “Voicethread Planning” document. Once this document is complete, I will need to see it before you create your Voicethread. 

The Voicethread (10 points) 

This is the final part of your project. Here you will use the research you’ve collected and organized to create your Voicethread on www.voicethread.com. Obviously, you will need to access your account to complete this part. 

In order to complete this part of the project, please use the “Making the Voicethread” document.  

You will also want to use the “Voicethread Rubric” on BEFORE you submit this project. This rubric shows you EXACTLY how you will be graded…please use it…I know I will. 

 

World Religions – Lesson 2

 

Voicethread Research 

This chart will help you organize your research on the five major religions. I have provided two reliable sources for each religion below. If you’d like to use others, make sure you check to see if they are valid. Unfortunately for this topic, I wouldn’t use Wikipedia. 

You need to pick 5 of the 9 topics to research. 

 

Name  Origins Where did this religion start? Is there a story associated with the religion? 

Founder Who started this religion? 

Afterlife What happens to these people when they die? 

Path to Afterlife What happens to these people when they die? 

Texts What is the name of the sacred text? 

Christianity           Judaism           Islam           Buddhism           Hinduism            

Name  Name of God or Gods 

Symbols  (Explain the origin of these symbols)  

Holidays and their explanations 

Sacred Building 

Christianity    The Cross  Christmas and Easter   Judaism    The Star of David  Passover and Hanukah   Islam    The Crescent and 

a Star Ramadan and Al Hijra   

Buddhism    The Lotus  Vesak and The Festival of the Tooth 

 

Hinduism    The Lotus  Holi    

Comparison Chart Site 

Christianity Sites: 

Site 1 

Site 2 

Judaism Sites: 

Site 1 

World Religions – Lesson 2

 

Site 2 

Islam Sites: 

Site 1 

Site 2 

Buddhism Sites: 

Site 1 

Site 2 

Hinduism Sites: 

Site 1 

Site 2 

Voicethread Planning 

It is very important for you to have your pictures and information organized BEFORE you begin your Voicethread. Please use the template below to past your pictures and information. 

You will need to come up with a title slide for each section. I will show you this later, for now this picture will be marked as TITLE SLIDE. 

Note: Make sure to bookmark ALL of your pics…doing this will make your Voicethread easier. 

Remember, I need to see this BEFORE you begin your story! I have given you an example below: 

Sacred Texts 

 The Muslim sacred text is the Koran. Muslims believe that is was written by Muhammad after his 

interactions with an angel. Picture Two 

Caption for Pic. 2 Picture Three 

Caption for Pic. 3 

World Religions – Lesson 2

 

World Religions – Lesson 2

 

 Type the name of your second section here. 

Picture One Caption for Pic. 1 

Picture Two Caption for Pic. 2 Picture Three 

Caption for Pic. 3 Type the name of your third section here. 

Picture One Caption for Pic. 1 

Picture Two Caption for Pic. 2 Picture Three 

Caption for Pic. 3 Type the name of your fourth section here. 

Picture One Caption for Pic. 1 

Picture Two Caption for Pic. 2 Picture Three 

Caption for Pic. 3 Type the name of your fifth section here. 

Picture One Caption for Pic. 1 

Picture Two Caption for Pic. 2 Picture Three 

Caption for Pic. 3  

 

 

World Religions – Lesson 2

 

Making the Voicethread 

Now that you’ve researched and organized your pictures and information, it’s time to make your Voicethread.  

Please create your Voicethread by visiting www.voicethread.com.  

A few steps to remember: 

• When you upload pictures, please use the “URL” option. 

• You are welcome to do either audio or text comments (audio will need to be done on your own time). 

• Your Voicethread must be set to “Private” and Comment Moderation to “On”. 

Grading Rubric 

I will be using this rubric to grade you, please make sure you have everything you need in order to receive the grade you want. 

  1  2  3 

Organization 

The Voicethread is poorly organized. There are missing components. The author is missing pictures, title slides, or comments. (The component you are missing is circled) 

Most of the Voicethread is well organized. However, there are 1‐2 missing components such as title slides, pictures, or comments.  

The Voicethread is well organized. ALL required elements are present. The Voicethread had five sections, five title slides, five pictures, and five comments. 

Ideas 

There are more than 2 examples of inaccurate information.  

Most of the Voicethread content is accurate. There are 1‐2 instances of inaccuracy, but for the most part the ideas are correct. 

ALL of the Voicethread content is historically accurate. 

Sentence Fluency 

Very little information flows well. The comments seem like loose facts thrown together. 

Most of the information flows nicely. However, there are a few choppy bits of information. 

ALL of the information flows together. The author did a good job or putting the ideas in their own words and presenting them smoothly to the reader. 

Picture Citation The author correctly linked the picture to its site.