American Documentary
Comparative Religion Investigation: What Happens When We Die?
How do different religions offer explanations for what happens when we die? Invite your learners to consider the variance and complexity of religious beliefs, and to research and compare/contrast the concept of death and afterlife...
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Haven't I Seen You Somewhere Before?
High schoolers discover the true meaning of karma and the related concept of samsara by reading the Jataka Tales. Learners work in groups to become familiar with one form of Buddhist storytelling and examine how Jataka Tales are used as...
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BUDDHISM
Students engage in a variety of activities that investigates the religious and cultural practice of Buddhism. The emphasis is upon students comprehending the Eightfold Path of Buddhism.
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American Transcendentalism and Buddhism:
Students study American transcendentalism through readings of Emerson and Thoreau. They make cognitive connections to the similarities to Buddhism in these writings. The connection of the literary movement is explained in the art of the...
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Lesson Plan: The Tour Starts at Noon
The Eleven-Headed Bodhisattva is a piece that represents characteristics, meanings, and ideals common to those who practice Buddhism in Japan. Learners fully analyze this piece, then take a virtual trip to examine the Buddhist temples...
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Beyond Burma
Students consider the relationship between religion and society in Myanmar. They study about recent military violence against Buddhist monks in Myanmar by reading and discussing the article " What Makes a Monk Mad". Students research and...
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Dalai Lama: Day 2 of 5
Sixth graders explore philosophy by researching the Dalai Lama. In this Tibetan history lesson plan, 6th graders discuss the influence of Buddhism on the Dalai Lama and the unique view on life a Buddhist must have. Students read a...
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The Noble Eightfold Path
Learners gain an introduction to Buddhist teachings about moral behavior by exploring a depiction of the Buddha and by writing a speech inspired by their interpretation of the Noble Eightfold Path.
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Buddhist Art - Lost In The Landscape
Students explore new objectives for art and examine how Chinese painting reflects Buddhist principles. This lesson includes a vocabulary list and possible lesson extensions for various student levels.
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The Teachings of His Holiness: The Dalai Lama - Day 1 of 6
Sixth graders explore philosophy by analyzing the teachings of the Dalai Lama. In this Buddhist history lesson plan, 6th graders analyze a quote from the Dalai Lama and discuss their opinions on his philosophical teachings. Students...
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The Medium And The Message
Students compare and contrast Buddhist sculpture in varying materials through in-class discussions and small cooperative learning groups. This lesson includes possible lesson extensions.
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Japanese Haiku and the American Experience
Twelfth graders research the history to Haiku Poetry. They read classical haiku to comprehend their special sensibility and form. Students encounter the Buddhist philosophical background of this poetry and its roots. They write original...
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Sharing Beliefs and Ideas
Students examine how cultural ideas and thought were exchanged as travelers and traders of the Silk Road met, interacted, and traded with different peoples from different regions and cultures along the Silk Road.
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Sacred Art
High schoolers view a PowerPoint about Tibetan monks to help them explain the culture's world views, myths and religious beliefs. They investigate Navajo sand paintings and compare how they are similar to the Tibetan monks' artwork.
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Words in the News
Students brainstorm ideas about the life of Buddihist monks through the internet or temples. The teacher identifies key terms and has the students look them up for meaning and put them in their notebook. The students then have a...
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Your Story, My Story
Students write from differing points of view, and act out stories in pantomime as another student narrates.
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Technology-Supported Lesson Template
Students identify the major elements of a culture and the importance of religion in it.
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Creative Writing and Analysis
Young scholars read and analyze poems by Li Po and Wang Wei. They answer discussion questions, identify the elements of the poems, examine and discuss Chinese landscape paintings, write an original poem, and write a comparison/contrast...
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One With Nature
Learners discover the connection between Japanese art and Romantic literature using a variety of sources and the impact of nature on these two art forms. This lesson plan is a three-day exploration.
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Shigaraki Pottery
Students write position papers from the point of view of a Shigaraki art collector in this lesson on pottery techniques found in Japan between the Kamakura and Muromachi periods.
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History of Japan
Students research the mythological and factual founding of early Japan. They compare and contrast the two accounts. As an assessment activity, they fill out a chart that compares and contrasts the facts and myths surrounding Japanese...