Hinduism and Buddhism Video Project and CNN Student News

CNN Student News and Google Mapping  As we watch CNN Student News today, identify one or two news stories that you can pinpoint geographically and place on the Current Event layer of your Social Studies World Map via Google Maps. 

Japan; South Africa; and Argentina were all featured in today's segment. After pinning at least one of these places on your map, consider the most important question: What happened here? You should include a title for the event, the date(s) the event took place, a brief summary of what happened, and include an appropriate photo or video. If you need to refer to a transcript of today's broadcast you can find it here.

Hinduism and Buddhism Video Project  Remember that before you can start making your video you need to finish your script about Hinduism and Buddhism and find and download the accompanying images. If you need help, please ask. Once you've completed these tasks, you're ready to start making your movie. If you need any help with how to upload images into WeVideo and add them to your storyboard, how to add text, how to edit the length of your segments, and how to change the background music and video theme, please ask. There is no reason to sit and suffer in silence. I'm here to support you! If you already understand how to put your video together, you are welcome to continue creating movie magic. Have fun!

Below is the rubric I plan on using to assess your project. I hope all videos will be completed by this Friday, March 18.

Hinduism and Buddhism Video Project: Next Steps

Finding Images to Accompany Your Text  Once you get 'script approval,' you get to move on to the next step: Finding images or pictures to accompany the written text for each of your slides. First, create a folder in your Downloads folder to host your images, preferably named "Hinduism and Buddhism Pictures." Then, search for images related to each of your statements about Hinduism and Buddhism. When you locate an image you like, make sure you open the highest quality version of it and then save it (using alt click) and then 'save as,' select Downloads, and choose your designated folder.  Next, name the pic (e.g., reincarnation.jpg).  

Getting Started with WeVideo  Before you get to start making your WeVideo, you need to finish your script of written statements about Hinduism and Buddhism and find and download the accompanying images. Once you've completed these tasks, you're ready to start making your movie. Watch a brief overview of WeVideo below to get oriented.  

Next, check out this more detailed tutorial on how to use WeVideo. 

Next steps: login to WeVideo, create a new video project, upload your images, add your text, choose a theme and music, and you are on your way. Please ask if you need help. I can't wait to see your creations!  Be creative and have fun!

Hinduism and Buddhism: The Final Project

Hinduism and Buddhism Video: Project Overview  Imagine that Lakeview Middle School is hosting a ‘Religions of the World’ night to educate families, fellow students, staff, and community members about the diverse religious beliefs of people around the globe. Considering you are now an expert on the origins, beliefs, and practices of Hinduism and Buddhism, you have been tasked with making a short informative video about these two religions which will be showcased at this community event. 

You will be using a program called WeVideo to combine images, text, and music together to produce a video that demonstrates both your understanding of the religions of Hinduism and Buddhism and serves to educate others. This project will serve as the final assessment for this unit.  

Mr. McGinty has made a short sample video below to show you what WeVideo is capable of and what I expect in your own videos, in terms of using images and text together to show understanding of an idea or concept. 

          
However, before you get to start making your own video, you must first produce a script.

Scripting Your Hinduism and Buddhism Movie  Before your movie gets “green-lighted,” you need to produce a script or screenplay. You need to develop a plan for what ideas and concepts you will focus on in your film, how they are ordered, and what the text for each will say. How will you condense and synthesize all that you have learned over the past few months down to what is most important and essential? You should start with reviewing your multitude of sources, which include: Hinduism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts), Buddhism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts), Buddhism and Hinduism - Venn diagram, previous Social Studies Blog posts, and your Ancient Civilizations textbook.   

Your ‘Hinduism and Buddhism’ WeVideo should contain, in addition to the ‘Title Screen,’ between 14 to 20 ‘slides’ (7-10 for each religion). Ideally, you should have just one well-written sentence, and no more than two, per slide. Try your best to be concise and use your own words, to split your focus evenly between Hinduism and Buddhism, and to carefully check your spelling, capitalization, grammar, and punctuation. Once you get script approval, you can start making your movie. You can start planning your script using the document Hinduism and Buddhism - WeVideo Script, which can be found in your Social Studies Google Classroom.

Homework  (1.) Complete your Buddhism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts), which is due Friday, March 11. (2.) If you have not yet turned in your Life of Buddha Comic Strip, it is now overdue and must be completed and turned in as soon as possible or risk a 'missing' or 'incomplete' assessment grade becoming permanent. (3.) Continue working on your Hinduism and Buddhism - WeVideo Script. 

Buddhism: Odds & Ends

 Today's Learning Objective  * Know the life and teachings of the Buddha. * Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details. 

The Buddha's Teachings: Nirvana  A final goal for a person who follows the Eightfold Path is to achieve nirvana. Read about this concept from an excerpt from your Ancient Civilizations textbook below and take notes using your Buddhism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts). How is the idea of nirvana both similar and different to Hindu belief in moksha?   

Buddhist Practice: Meditation  Meditation is an essential part of Buddhist practice, for Buddhist monks and ordinary people alike, but how exactly does it work? Read about it here and watch the video below. 

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

CNN Student News and Google Mapping  As we watch CNN Student News today, identify one or two news stories that you can pinpoint geographically and place on the Current Event layer of your Social Studies World Map via Google Maps. 

Macedonia; North Korea; Tungurahua Volcano, Ecuador; Brazil; and Traverse City, Michigan were all featured in today's segment. After pinning at least one of these places on your map, consider the most important question: What happened here? You should include a title for the event, the date(s) the event took place, a brief summary of what happened, and include an appropriate photo or video. If you need to refer to a transcript of today's broadcast you can find it here.
   
Homework  (1.) Complete your Buddhism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts), which is officially due Friday, March 11. (2.) If you have not yet turned in your Life of Buddha Comic Strip, it is now overdue and must be completed and turned in as soon as possible or risk an 'incomplete' assessment grade becoming permanent.   

The Beliefs of Buddhism: The Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path

Following the Eightfold Path is at the center of the practice of Buddhism. 

 Today's Learning Objective  Know the life and teachings of the Buddha.

The Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path  As we near the end of our unit on Buddhism, we are going to continue to examine Buddha's 'Four Noble Truths' and their relationship to 'The Eightfold Path.' We will begin by watching the video "The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path to Enlightenment" produced by Education Portal. Continue to take notes using your Buddhism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts). 

Now we are going to focus on 'The Eightfold Path' by reading an excerpt from our Social Studies textbook Ancient Civilizations. Continue to credit your sources in your notes. Additionally, make sure that as you take notes on each step that you're not merely copying what the text says directly, but rather paraphrasing and providing examples that are applicable to you. Work to develop a personal understanding of these concepts that makes sense to you.  

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

The Beliefs of Budddhism: The Four Noble Truths

 Today's Learning Objective  Know the life and teachings of the Buddha.

The Teachings of Buddha: The Four Noble Truths  Today we are going to continue to examine the teachings of Buddha, specifically the idea of the 'Four Noble Truths.' We will read a short excerpt from our Ancient Civilizations workbook, as well as watch a short video about Buddhism produced by Crash Course. Your task is to continue to take notes using your Buddhism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts).

CNN Student News and Google Mapping  As we watch CNN Student News today, identify one or two news stories that you can pinpoint geographically and place on the Current Event layer of your Social Studies World Map via Google Maps. 

Delhi, India and Rhode Island were both featured in today's segment. After pinning at least one of these places on your map, consider the most important question: What happened here? You should include a title for the event, the date(s) the event took place, a brief summary of what happened, and include an appropriate photo or video. If you need to refer to a transcript of today's broadcast you can find it here.

Homework  (1.) Continue working on your Buddhism and Hinduism - Venn Diagram and Buddhism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts). (2.) Complete your Life of Buddha Comic Strip, which is due on Friday, March 4.

The Beliefs of Buddhism

Buddha teaches the ascetics in Deer Park. 

 Today's Learning Objective  Know the life and teachings of the Buddha.

Compare and Contrast: Buddhism and Hinduism  When you compare, you look for the ways in which things are similar. When you contrast, you look for differences between things. Let's think about what we already know about the religions of Buddhism and Hinduism, as well as examine the text and graphic below, and identify some similarities and differences. Begin to fill out the Buddhism and Hinduism - Venn Diagram, which we will add to as our unit continues.

The Buddha's Teachings: The Middle Way and The Four Noble Truths  Today we are going to focus on understanding two of Buddha's teachings: 'The Middle Way' and 'The Four Noble Truths.' As we read excerpts together from your Social Studies textbook, Ancient Civilizations, record your essential understandings of these teachings using the document Buddhism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts). 

Homework  (1.) Continue working on your Buddhism and Hinduism - Venn Diagram  and Buddhism Study Guide (A Central Idea and Its Parts). (2.) Complete your Life of Buddha Comic Strip, which is due on Friday, March 4.