How can we best equip teachers to have conversations about religion with their students? There are great resources available on the subject. In addition, during the ICJS Teacher Fellowship, educators develop a Lesson Plan for use in their own classroom or educational institution. They work with ICJS staff to develop expertise and curate resources, then present the lesson to their colleagues for critique.
These are some of our favorite resources to use in the classroom when talking about religion.
This lesson is adapted from a unit on revolutions. After introducing the Russian Revolution in earlier class periods, students will use sources to answer the question: How did the 1917 Revolution impact Jews in Russia? The instructor teaches at an arts school and regularly makes connections to art for their students; here she uses a scene from the iconic film, Fiddler on the Roof.
This lesson has students consider the definition of nationalism and different types of nationalism. It focuses on religious nationalism and highlights its historical and current place in the United States.
Students will get an overview of Sufism and will dive into Rumi’s poetry in connection with Sufism and Islam. They will learn about radical love and the connection with the mystical Sufi practice.
This lesson introduces the importance of language and perspective for understanding the practice of religion. The goal then is to utilize these ideas in relation to the importance of clothing and fashion in Catholicism, Judaism, and Islam.
Students are to explore their prior knowledge and biases when it comes to speaking about Islam. Throughout the lesson, students will have the opportunity to acquire knowledge on the Abrahamic Religions, and with the provided graphic organizer, discuss with their classmates and reflect on what similarities and differences they noticed about the faiths.
Designed for a Spanish language and culture class, this lesson explores the ways religion and culture blend and bend and form something new. By studying the Guatemalan Semana Santa and alfombra traditions, this lesson digs into religious syncretism today.