Authentic Lessons for 21st Century Learning

Monotheism: Everyone Prophets

Monotheistic Religions 

Kristen Sublett | Published: May 31st, 2022 by K20 Center

  • Grade Level Grade Level 6th, 7th
  • Subject Subject Social Studies
  • Course Course World Geography
  • Time Frame Time Frame 1-2 class period(s)
  • Duration More 70 minutes

Summary

Using a graphic organizer, students record what they know about Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Then, collaborating with partners, students expand their knowledge with group discussion and research. Students then create a Venn diagram to examine and compare the three monotheistic religions as a final evaluation.

Essential Question(s)

What are the main beliefs of the three major religions?

Snapshot

Engage

Students list everything they know about Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in the innermost circle of an Inside Out graphic organizer.

Explore

In the second circle of the organizer, students share with partners everything they wrote down and add any information gleaned from their group.

Explain

Students Jigsaw a reading on the three monotheistic religions, adding information learned to the outermost circle of the organizer.

Extend

Students create a Venn diagram to highlight the similarities and differences of these three religions.

Evaluate

The Inside Out graphic organizer and Venn diagram serve as formative assessments of this lesson.

Materials

  • Monotheism Lesson slides (attached)

  • Inside Out handout (attached, one per student)

  • Jigsaw Reading handout (attached, one per student)

  • Venn diagram handout (attached, one per student group)

Engage

Use the attached Monotheism lesson slides to guide the lesson. Begin with slides two and three, introducing students to the lesson title and the Essential Question.

Next move to slide four and introduce the Inside Out instructional strategy. Pass out the attached Inside Out graphic organizer handout to all students. Invite students to fill out the innermost circle of the organizer, where the words Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are written (see slide four). Students should write anything they know about those three religions. Give students 5–10 minutes to brainstorm their thoughts.

Explore

Continue to slide five. Have students share what they know about the three religions with two Elbow Partners around them.

Ask students to write anything they learned about the three religions from their partners in the second (or middle) circle of the Inside Out handout. Give students 5–10 minutes to discuss with their partners and write down any additional information they learned. After students have had enough time to share with each other, ask each group to share out 1–2 things with the entire class. Tell students to add information they learn from the other groups who share out to the middle circle as well. Tell students that next, they will add more information to their organizers by examining text.

Explain

Display slide six. Pass out the attached Jigsaw Reading handout on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to each group. Introduce students to the Jigsaw instructional strategy. Using this strategy, each student in a group will read about only one of the religions in the reading. Each person in the group will become the "expert" on the religion they read about and to share the information they learn with their partners. Note that each group member will also read the introduction, "Three Religions, One God."

Display slide seven. Introduce students to the CUS and Discuss instructional strategy as a means to analyze the text they have been assigned to read. As students read, ask them to circle important people to the religion, underline important books or writings, and star core beliefs of the religion. Give students about 10 minutes to read their part and complete annotating the article.

Once students have finished reading, display slide eight. Ask students to share what they CUS'd about their assigned religion with their group. Instruct students to write down what they learned about their religion, as well as their groups' religions, in the outmost circle of the graphic organizer. Give students about 10 minutes to complete this part of the assignment. Afterward, ask a few groups to share information they learned from the reading and their partners with the whole class. At the end of this discussion, students should have all three circles filled out.

Extend

Display slide nine and pass out the attached Venn diagram handout. Ask students to write down things that pertain to each religion in their individual circles. For example, students may refer back to important people, beliefs, and writings of each religion. Then, have them write down similarities between two religions where their circles intersect. In the center space, have students write what all three religions have in common. Once students have finished, ask student groups to share out. While listening to what other groups put in their circles students should be encouraged to add or make any changes to their own Venn diagram

Evaluate

The Inside Out activity and Venn diagram handout serve as formative assessments for this lesson.

Resources