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...

Writing poetry in ancient China was the modern equivalent of sending a greeting card. Scholars learn about the ancient Chinese poetic form called the lu shih. They read about the context of poetry during the T'ang Dynasty and complete a...

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...

Learners explore the principal religions which are alive today: Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and the Philosophies of the Chinese. They determine that there are scientific explanations for many of the subjects that...

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.

". . . gentlenenss is stronger than severity, water is stronger than rock, love is stronger than force." Prior to beginning Siddhartha, employ a KWHL strategy to provided your class members with the background knowledge of Hinduism,...

Learners determine how and why an individual from each of four disciplines - Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Legalism - might respond to the same problem.

Sixth graders explore philosophy by researching the Dalai Lama. In this Tibetan history lesson, 6th graders discuss the influence of Buddhism on the Dalai Lama and the unique view on life a Buddhist must have. Students read a Tibetan...

Learners 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...

Examine how immigrants have changed the environment of the United States. Individually, middle schoolers will take a pre- and post-test to assess their reading comprehension. In groups, they compare and contrast the religions of...

Students discover the main subjects and objects of Buddhist art and how symbolism in the Arts can enhance the artistic elements. The instructional activity concludes with the creation of student works using iconography.

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...

Young scholars 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.

How is religious freedom connected to the conflict between China and Tibet? After reading an online passage of background information, your learners will divide into groups and both read and view an interview with the Dalai Lama. They...

The Chinese, Dish with the Eight Buddhist Emblems contains symbols and visual references for learners to explore. They search for Buddhist symbolism on the dish and then they use their observation skills to locate and explore...

Investigate the life of Mahatma Gandhi by researching non-violent lifestyles. Learners define the word ahimsa and discuss the personal characteristics that made Gandhi a peaceful warrior. They also create a poster about the story "The...

Fifth graders investigate bullying and nonviolent ways to deal with bullies.  In this conflict management lesson, 5th graders discover the definition for the word ahimsa and examine ways to incorporate that philosophy into their...

Young scholars work collaboratively to analyze the various religious beliefs of Zen Buddhists. Emphasis is placed upon class discussion and the ideal of a Utopian environment or society.

Students analyze changing and competing interpretations of issues, events, and developments throughout world history. They analyze the roles and contributions of individuals and groups in cultural and religious practices and activities.

High schoolers examine the principles of Haiku as they relate to idealss found in Zen Buddhism in this High School instructional activity. The instructional activity concludes with the creation of individual haikus by each student.

Middle schoolers examine the historical Buddha and Buddhism through in-class discussions, visual artifacts, and the practice and performance of the play "The Enlightened One". Evaluation occurs after performance of the play.

Students investigate the historical Bodhidharma and focus upon the founding of Buddhism in China. They create two-dimensional Daruma dolls and define the term of enlightenment using simple language. Students read about the legend while...

Students discuss the importance of guardian figures in Japanese Buddhist practices using prior knowledge and visual cues gathered from examples of Japanese art. This instructional activity can be extended to include a creative project.

Students examine two Buddhist images. Using Venn Diagrams, students compare and contrast the images in an effort to decode their meanings. Students are then introduced to Buddhism through a story of Buddha.