Assessing Hinduism

 Today's Learning Objectives  * Explain the major beliefs and practice of the religion of Hinduism. * Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details.

Assessment: Hinduism Quiz  Today you will be taking a short quiz to demonstrate some of what you have learned so far about the religion of Hinduism. The quiz consists of five multiple choice questions and one short answer paragraph. You can find it here. You are allowed to utilize your Hinduism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts) notes during the quiz.

Determining the Central Idea of the Hinduism Unit  Over the course of the last several weeks as we have studied Hinduism, you have utilized the document Hinduism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts). You have taken notes on the parts, the details, and the various elements of Hinduism, while the leaving the 'Central Idea' section blank. What I want you to do today is to review your notes about the various elements of Hinduism in order to determine what is the larger, more central idea about Hinduism they work together to convey. Write a central idea statement about the religion of Hinduism based on the notes you have taken. 

The Beliefs of Hinduism: Reincarnation and Karma

 Today's Learning Objective  Explain the major beliefs and practice of the religion of Hinduism.  

The Beliefs of Hinduism: Reincarnation and Karma  Today we continue learning about some of the core beliefs Hinduism, while using our Hinduism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts) document to take notes. Our focus today is on the beliefs of reincarnation and karma. First, we will read excerpts from our Social Studies textbook Ancient Civilizations below. Then we will watch two different videos about Hindu religious beliefs. Remember to keep track of your various sources on your study guide.  

Now we will watch the video "The Hindu Belief System Dharma, Karma, and Moksha" below.

Finally, we will end today's lesson by watching Crash Course's take on some of the core beliefs of Hinduism. 

CNN Student News and The Week in Rap: Academic Conversations

Academic Conversation Topic: What do you think some of the solutions to school shootings should be? 

Academic Conversation Topic: What reasons do you think a foreign government might have for meddling or interfering in another country’s election?

Academic Conversation Topic: Why is diversity in the media important? Who would you like to see represented more frequently?

To help you dig deeper in your academic conversation refer to the poster below:

The Basic Beliefs of Hinduism: The Four Goals of Life

Living a moral life, known as dharma, is one of the goals of life for Hindus.

 Today's Learning Objective  Explain the major beliefs and practice of the religion of Hinduism. 

The Basic Beliefs of Hinduism: The Four Goals of Life  Today we will continue our study of the religion of Hinduism, while using our Hinduism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts) document to take notes. Our focus today is on learning about the "Four Goals of Life" for Hindus. We will read excerpts from our Social Studies textbook Ancient Civilizations below. 

Homework  Continue working on your Hinduism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts) document. 

Introduction to Hinduism

Hindu goddesses Saraswati (left) and Lakshmi (center), and the elephant-headed god Ganesh

 Today's Learning Objective  Explain the major beliefs and practice of the religion of Hinduism. 

An Introduction to Hinduism  Today we begin to learn about Hinduism, one of the oldest religions in the world. For more than 2,500 years, Hinduism has been the major religion of India. Over the course of the next couple of weeks, we will learn about and examine Hinduism from multiple sources and perspectives. As you learn about this fascinating and complex religion, I am going to ask you keep track of relevant facts and information you discover using the document Hinduism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts) (which can be found in your Social Studies Google Classroom). Please use the Study Guide to also make note of your sources of information.

Our first source will be the video "Introduction to Hinduism" featured below. As you watch, make note of the information you learn that you believe is most essential to understanding the religion. 

Hinduism: Sacred Texts and Belief in God(s)  We will now read an excerpt (below) from your Social Studies textbook Ancient Civilizations focused on some of the sacred texts of Hinduism and two of its core beliefs. Continue to make note of what you learn using your Hinduism Study Guide. 

Creating a Caste System Infographic

What Is an Infographic?  In traditional research reports, students gather information, analyze and organize, and then present their findings in essay style. They could  demonstrate all of those findings in another way — with an informational graphic! Informational graphics, also known as infographics, are a way of presenting information, data, or knowledge with the use of visual tools. They are quite ancient; early humans, for example, made maps and other visual representations of their lives which can be seen today. There are a wide range of modern uses for these graphics. Visual presentation of information is a powerful tool. Sometimes a complex concept can be more quickly understood with the use of infographics than through words.

Some examples of infographics can be found below.  Take a moment to look them over. What elements do they all have in common? How is information being presented? What might an infographic about the caste system look like? 

Creating a Caste System Infographic  Now that you know what an infographic is, it's your turn to make your own as a way of demonstrating what you have learned about the caste system. What information about the caste system might you include as part of your infographic? Your infographic may include information about how the caste system began, how it's both similar and different from other social class structures that you've learned about, the different levels (or castes) that make up the system, and its costs and benefits. You may also choose to use have your infographic shine light on the plight of the untouchables by including facts and statistics about their treatment, as well as the existence of caste system discrimination. You may rely on your notes from your Caste System - Study Guide, this Blog, your Social Studies text, and trusted online sources to assist you in gathering the necessary facts and information for this project.

Next, you will have to decide what application you want to use to design your inforgraphic. You may choose to use either Google Drawings or a website that specializes in the design of infographics called easel.ly. If you do choose easel.ly, click the link, login with your Google account, and get started. You may choose to a blank canvas or choose a pre-designed theme. 

Using easel.ly I started work on the infographic in progress featured below. Notice the use of a title, shapes, lines, graphics, images, color, and text. There is a learning curve if you choose to use easel.ly, but I'm willing to show you a few things I've learned so far. If you'd rather stick to what you know, then don't hesitate to use Google Drawing for this project. 

As for grading, this project will count towards your assessment grade. I haven't finalized a rubric but I found the one below online, and I plan on borrowing key elements from it in order to assess your work. Take a look. 

Homework  Continue working on your Caste System infographic, which will be due Friday, February 23. 

Examining the Caste System and Caste System Discrimination

Examining the Caste System  Today we will continue to examine the caste system by reading an excerpt from our Social Studies text and viewing videos from several different sources. Continue to take notes using the Caste System - Study Guide from yesterday. 

Begin by reading an excerpt from our Social Studies textbook below with the members of your team. According to this source, what are some costs and benefits of the caste system?

 

Now you will a few videos related to India's caste system. What do these videos add to your understanding of the caste system? Do you find the system unfair? Why or why not? Add your thoughts to the Caste System - Study Guide. 

Examining Caste System Discrimination  We will now continue to examine the caste system from multiple perspectives, as we take a more critical look at this institution and explore what is known as caste system discrimination. You will continue to take notes about what you learn and think using the Caste System - Study Guide. 

Watch the videos below, which shines light at the plight of the untouchables and the existence of caste system discrimination.

More information about caste discrimination from the International Dalit Solidarity Network can be found below.

India's Vedic Age and the Caste System

 Today's Focus Question  What impact did the Aryans have on ancient and modern India?

India's Vedic Age: Guided Reading  Today we are going to continue to learn about the impact the Aryans had on ancient and modern India. We will read about what their lives were like and some of their early religious beliefs (which would later become part of the foundation of the religion of Hinduism). Specifically, we will try to understand the Varna system (which the caste system evolved from). As you read and learn about the caste system from multiple sources, you will take notes using the Caste System - Study Guide (which can be found in your Social Studies Google Classroom).  

Videos: The Caste System and the Untouchables  While the caste system has changed and evolved since the days of the Indo-Aryans, it is still an established part of Indian society today. In the videos below, pay special attention to the role and treatment of Dalits (the modern name for untouchables). Continue to use your Caste System - Study Guide to take notes.   

 

India's Vedic Age: Vocabulary Study

Early Indo-Aryan charioteers

 Today's Focus Question  What impact did the Aryans have on ancient and modern India?

India's Vedic Age: Vocabulary Study  Today we are continuing to learn about the early civilizations of India, though our focus shifts to a group of people known as the Indo-Aryans who lived during a time known as India's Vedic Age. We will begin by studying some of the key vocabulary related this topic, using the document India's Vedic Age - Cognitive Content Dictionary, which can be found in your Social Studies Google Classroom. We will be using an excerpt from our Social Studies textbook can also be found in your Social Studies Google Classroom (and which you can find here as well), to help us understand the lesson's key words and concepts. Some images have also been posted below to help you conceptualize these new terms.

The Vedas are considered to be very sacred to the Hindu people. 

Your caste is a group you are born into.

India's untouchables often did the dirty jobs that no one else would do.

Edpuzzle Video Assessment: The Indus Valley

Edpuzzle Video Assessment: The Indus Valley  Today you will demonstrate some of what you've learned about the Indus Valley Civilization by completing a mini-video assessment through EDpuzzle. After the clicking the link, click "Login," "Student," and then "Sign in with Google."

Once you're logged in, locate the Social Studies video "Indus Valley Civilization: Crash Course." This is the same video we watched as a class yesterday and will cover some of the same things you have been learning about this week. If you have headphones, use them. As the video progresses, it will stop periodically and ask you a question. You must answer the question in order to proceed. Your score on this activity will count towards your assessment grade in this class. If you don't finish your EDpuzzle in class today, please complete it by Friday, February 9. Good luck!

The Indus Valley Civilization: Guided Reading and Video

 Today's Focus Question  How did people live in the first Indus Valley civilization?

The Indus Valley Civilization: "Into" Video Civilization  Before we read about the Indus Valley Civilization, we are going to watch a short computer-generated video that I think will help you better visualize what life may have been like for people living during this time. 

The Indus Valley Civilization: Interactive Website and Cloze Reading Activity  Today you are going to have an opportunity to explore an interactive and engaging website about the Indus Valley civilization and its people. The site hosted by the BBC can be found here. As you can see by the image below the site is organized into several different categories of information. As you explore each one, I want you to take notes using the Indus Valley Civilization - Cloze Reading Activity, which can be found in your Social Studies Google Classroom. Make sure to fill in the blanks with the pertinent information. 

Below you can also find a series of images to better help you understand the geography and economy of the Indus Valley civilization and the daily lives of its people.

Like the Nile River Valley, the Indus Valley was surrounded by desert and
included a river flooded each year, bringing forth rich soil and the threat of floods.

Indus Valley cities were well organized, which must have been the result of central planning.

Indus Valley homes included a bathroom, a toilet, a sewage system, and a trash chute.

The Indus Valley economy was based on farming and trade. Traders imported and exported a variety of goods.

Little is known about the writing system of the Indus Valley civilization.
Scholars have not been able to read the symbols found on stone seals and pottery. 

Crash Course Video: The Indus Valley Civilization  Finally, let's get the Crash Course take on the Indus Valley Civilization. Watch the video carefully because it will be used tomorrow as part of an EDpuzzle assessment.