Unit Two: World Religions

Unit Two: World Religions

We will continue our study of World History by studying the world's major religions. We will study Judaism,Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism.

The guiding question for this unit is:

Why do religions exist?

By the time you are finished with this unit you will understand the following ideas:

• There are similarities and differences between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.



• That people's religion influence their culture and actions.



• That religion affects a society's economy and politics.



• Religions continue to influence modern time

Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) Addressed in Unit 2 are:

SSWH1 The student will analyze the origins, structures, and interactions of complex societies in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean from 3500 BCE to 500 BCE.
c. Explain the development of monotheism; include the concepts developed by the ancient Hebrews, and Zoroastrianism.

SSWH2 The student will identify the major achievements of Chinese and Indian societies from 1100 BCE to 500 CE.
b. Explain the development and impact of Hinduism and Buddhism on India and subsequent diffusion of Buddhism.
d. Explain the impact of Confucianism on Chinese culture; include the examination system, the Mandate of Heaven, the status of peasants, the status of merchants, and the patriarchal family, and explain diffusion to Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea.

SSWH5 The student will trace the origins and expansion of the Islamic World between 600 CE and 1300 CE.
a. Explain the origins of Islam and the growth of the Islamic Empire.
b. Identify the Muslim trade routes to India, China, Europe, and Africa and assess the economic impact of this trade.
c. Explain the reasons for the split between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
g. Analyze the relationship between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Below are your assignments for this unit. Read the directions for the due date, expectations, and method for receiving points for each assignment.

Assignment 1: Preview Reflection and Blog Post
Write a paragraph response to the following question to get you thinking about this unit.

Why do you think religions exist?

* Write your response as a blog post. Be sure include at least two specific examples to defend your argument. At a minimum your post should be 5-6 well written sentences. Watch your spelling and grammar. Be sure to give your post an appropriate title. Notify Mrs. Siegmund when you have published your post. *20 possible points

Assignment 2: Unit 2 Four Part Vocabulary and Vocabulary Quiz

Complete a four part definition (1. the definition 2. supporting fact 3. interesting fact 4. visual) for each of the following terms associated with this unit: Religion, Karma, Nirvana, Eightfold Path, Reincarnation, Yahweh, 10 Commandments, Allah, Five Pillars, Prophet

* This should be typed. Put in vocabulary section of your notebook. Must show to Mrs. Siegmund to get points for completing the assignment. You will take a vocabulary quiz after you have turned in your vocabulary assignment. 40 possible points for vocabulary assignment, and 10 points for the quiz.

Assignment 3: The Major World Religions Research Charts

Complete a chart for each of the six major world religions we are working with. Click here to open the charts. Be sure to copy an paste the charts onto a new document that you can save in your My Documents.

Here are a few good websites that I would recommend using to help you complete your charts.

• Religions from the BBC Website
• Religions from Woodlands Junior School

* After completing your charts put them in Mrs. Siegmund's drop box so that she can grade them and award points in the gradebook. 120 points

Assignment 4: The Origins and Spread of The Major World Religions- Map Work and Map Quiz

Click here to get the instructions for completing your map. Pick up your outline map from Mrs. Siegmund. Be sure to complete your map as accurately as possible to help ensure that you will do well on the open map quiz.

*After completing your map show it to Mrs. Siegmund so she can award your points. This map should go in your map section of your notebook. You will have an open map quiz using your completed map. * 60 points

Assignment 5: Founder of a New Religion: Your Holy Book

You are going to assume the role of the founder of a new world religion during a time of crisis. It is up to you to record the origin, beliefs, and rituals of your religion in hopes of spreading your religion and bringing peace to your followers. You are also trying to convert people to your new religion.

Assignment:

Create a holy book for your new religion. All six of today’s major world religions should serve as inspiration for your religion. Click here to get the detailed instructions for this assignment. You can also see how you will be graded by looking at the grading check sheet for this assignment.

*After completing your Holy Book turn it in to Mrs. Siegmund to be graded. You will also be expected to present your book to the class and try to persuade your peers to "convert" to your religion. * 100 possible points

Unit One: Early Civilizations

Unit One: Early Civilizations

We will begin our study of World History starting with the first major civilizations. We will study Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, and the Indus River Valley.

The guiding question for this unit is: What does it mean to be civilized?

By the time you are finished with this unit you will understand the following ideas:

• There are basic characteristics that all civilizations share.


• Physical geography shapes civilizations.
  


• Foreign interaction can result in a civilization’s development or downfall.
  


• Civilizations develop at different times and different places.
  


• Institutions and civilizations of the past continue to impact our world.
  


• A variety of governmental systems and political institutions develop over time.

Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) Addressed in Unit 1 are:

SSWH1 The student will analyze the origins, structures, and interactions of complex societies in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean from 3500 BCE to 500 BCE.
a. Describe the development of Mesopotamian societies; include the religious, cultural, economic, and political facets of society, with attention to Hammurabi’s law code.
b. Describe the relationship of religion and political authority in Ancient Egypt.
c. Explain the development of monotheism; include the concepts developed by the ancient Hebrews, and Zoroastrianism.
d. Identify early trading networks and writing systems existent in the Eastern Mediterranean, including those of the Phoenicians.
e. Explain the development and importance of writing; include cuneiform, hieroglyphics, and the Phoenician alphabet.
SSWH2 The student will identify the major achievements of Chinese and Indian societies from 1100 BCE to 500 CE.
a. Describe the development of Indian civilization; include the rise and fall of the Maurya Empire, the “Golden Age” under Gupta, and the emperor Ashoka.
b. Explain the development and impact of Hinduism and Buddhism on India and subsequent diffusion of Buddhism.
c. Describe the development of Chinese civilization under the Zhou and Qin.
d. Explain the impact of Confucianism on Chinese culture; include the examination system, the Mandate of Heaven, the status of peasants, the status of merchants, and the patriarchal family, and explain diffusion to Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea.
SSWH3 The student will examine the political, philosophical, and cultural interaction of Classical Mediterranean societies from 700 BCE to 400 CE.
a. Compare the origins and structure of the Greek polis, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire.
b. Identify the ideas and impact of important individuals; include Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle and describe the diffusion of Greek culture by Aristotle’s pupil Alexander the Great and the impact of Julius and Augustus Caesar.
c. Analyze the contributions of Hellenistic and Roman culture; include law, gender, and science.
d. Describe polytheism in the Greek and Roman world and the origins and diffusion of Christianity in the Roman world.
e. Analyze the factors that led to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.

Below are your assignments for this unit. Read the directions for the due date, expectations, and method for receiving points for each assignment.

Assignment 1: Preview Reflection
Write a paragraph response to the following questions to get you thinking about this unit. This will be your first blog post.

What does it mean to be civilized? What makes something or someone "civilized"?

* Write your response as a paragraph long blog post. Be sure to give your post an appropriate title and use proper grammar and spelling. Notify Mrs. Siegmund after you have published your post. *20 possible points

Assignment 2: 4 Part Vocabulary Slides and Vocabulary Quiz

Complete a four part vocabulary slide (1. the definition 2. supporting fact 3. interesting fact 4. visual) for each of the following terms associated with this unit: polytheism, monotheism, cuneiform, hieroglyphics, Hammurabi's Code, "Golden Age" under Gupta, Mandate of Heaven, Greek polis, Roman Republic, Roman Empire

* This should be typed using power point and following Mrs. Siegmund's example. Place finished vocabulary assignment in Mrs. Siegmund's drop box, and notify Mrs. Siegmund after you have completed this task to get points for completing the assignment. Add graded slides to your GPS ring. You will take a vocabulary quiz after you have turned in your vocabulary assignment.

*40 possible points for vocabulary assignment, and 10 possible points for the quiz.

Assignment 3: Civilizations Maps

Pick up the packet of maps from Mrs. Siegmund. Each map contains the directions for completing the map (the page numbers you'll use, the items you should label, and a key to complete).

*After completing your maps show them to Mrs. Siegmund so she can award your points. These maps should go in your map section of your notebook. You will need to study these maps to prepare for map test. 60 possible points.

Assignment 4: Civilizations Map Test

Study your completed maps from assignment 3. Be prepared to identify major geographic features (rivers, mountains, oceans) and important cities from the 6 civilizations we're studying. Also, be prepared to explain the geographic similiarities that all of the 6 civilizations share.

*You must pass the map test with an 80% or higher. You can retake the test if necessary.
50 possible points.

Assignment 5: 5 Traits of Civilizations Chart

Click here to open the charts you will need to complete for this assignment. All directions for completing the charts are located on the document.

*Save the completed charts in your documents, and place in my drop box when they are complete. Be sure to notify Mrs. Siegmund when you put the completed charts in her drop box. 65 possible points.

Assignment 6: Unit Project- Are We Civilized? Time Capsule

Click here to read the instructions for this project. Be sure to ask any questions that you have about the project. Click here to get the brainstorm chart that you need to complete first.

*Everyone's work will be due on _______________ TBA. You must present your work and well as turn it in to be graded and added to the time capsule. 100 possible points.

User Agreement

Mrs. Siegmund's Web Log User Agreement

Using a weblog for our classwork will require some parameters for your safety and the quality of everyone's work. First, you should recognize that your work, as well as mine will be published for the entire on-line world to see. This will ultimately make us all responsible for better and more original output than ever before.

By visiting other students' weblogs, you will be able to view all their work, and it will also make it easy for me to see who is not making an effort to submit work that is original.Once you have created a weblog at Classic City, I will add it to the class blog roll so everyone's work can be accessed from this page. I encourage you to look at your peers' work for ideas or inspiration, but what you submit must be your own. I also encourage you to post comments to your peers’ work.

I will leave comments about your work. These comments will usually instruct you on how you can improve your work. Please make sure you check your comments and your e-mail regularly, and make sure you are finished with one assignment before moving to the next. Since this weblog will be part of your education at Classic City High School, any activity on your weblog should be considered school activity, even if it is done outside of school. You should feel free to create posts that are not school related, but you should also be sure to refrain from anything that could be considered inappropriate. This includes, but is not limited to: references to alcohol or drugs, violence, or gang activity, foul language, nudity, threats, etc.

Plagiarism is submitting someone else's work as your own. This can be done in many ways: copying work from Wikipedia, classmates, Sparknotes, etc. If you plagiarize your work, you will receive a zero -- no questions asked.

THE USER AGREEMENT:1. I agree to submit original work to my weblog. I realize I will have the opportunity to view my peers' work, and I will use this opportunity constructively. I understand that if I choose to plagiarize, I will receive a zero for the work in question.2. I agree to keep my weblog appropriate for Classic City High School. I understand that if inappropriate material were to appear on my weblog, be it from myself or an outside comment, I will be asked to remove it. Failure to do so will result in my weblog being removed from the class roll. I also understand that references to illegal or dangerous activities will be reported since it is the legal responsibility of my teacher.

To agree, post a comment to this message like this:
I agree to Mrs. Siegmund's Weblog User Agreement.
I will not add your weblog to the class roll until I receive your message.