Worksheet 1
Religious world views
A religious world view that holds the belief in a divine power
and/or powers beyond the human dimension is characteristic of
religions traditions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Each of these traditions share common elements.
Name these elements.
A religious world view that holds the belief in a divine being or
powers dwelling within the individual is characteristic of religious
traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism.
Each of these traditions share common elements.
Name these elements.
©
2005 Preliminary Course: Nature of Religion and Beliefs. This sheet may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use only.
Worksheet 2
Glossary of Terms
Aboriginal Belief Systems and Spirituality
Term
Definition
Dreaming
©
2005 Preliminary Course: Nature of Religion and Beliefs. This sheet may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use only.
Worksheet 3
Living the Dreaming / Aboriginal Studies
Episode 5
1. What is the link between Aboriginal people and the land?
2. Name some of the dualities that exist in Western culture.
3. Does this duality exist in Aboriginal culture?
4. What effect does this have?
5. What does Pat Dodson mean by ‘transcendence’ in the landscape?
6. Is the Dreaming a past event?
7. How does the Dreaming give the Aboriginal people purpose and
meaning in their lives?
©
2005 Preliminary Course: Nature of Religion and Beliefs. This sheet may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use only.
Worksheet 4
The land and kinship
Research the following:
1. What is the kinship system?
2. Why is kinship seen as the ‘fabric of aboriginal society’?
3. How are the bonds of kinship reinforced in Aboriginal society?
4. Why is the kinship system so complex?
5. What does kinship require?
6. How do the Aboriginal people regard the land?
7. How are the land and the kinship system related?
©
2005 Preliminary Course: Nature of Religion and Beliefs. This sheet may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use only.
Worksheet 5
Aboriginal Art and Symbolism 1
Log onto the website:
Jinta Desert Art, Aboriginal Art Dealers
http://www.jintaart.com.au/index1.htm
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Go to ‘Aboriginal Art Presentation’
View the Slide Show
Choose one art work depicting the dreaming
Draw it in the space below and describe what the art work is depicting.
Name of Art Work
Description
Return to the index
Click on “Iconography”
 Read the information
 What are the basic symbols used in Aboriginal Art?
 What do the following represent?
Symbol
Description
Concentric circles
Straight lines between circles
Wavy lines across a painting
“U’ shaped figure with straight lines
next to them
©
2005 Preliminary Course: Nature of Religion and Beliefs. This sheet may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use only.
Worksheet 6
Click on ‘Iconography pages 1, 2 and 3’
 Draw the following:
Emu
Footprints
Goanna
Sites
Men hunting
Campsite
Rain
Waterhole
Thunder and lightning
©
2005 Preliminary Course: Nature of Religion and Beliefs. This sheet may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use only.
Worksheet 7
Aboriginal Art and Symbolism 2
Log onto the website:
Aboriginal Art of Australia
http://www.aaia.com.au/
Click on “Aboriginal Culture”
 Read the information on page 1 and 2
 What do the following symbols represent?
©
2005 Preliminary Course: Nature of Religion and Beliefs. This sheet may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use only.
Worksheet 8
Aboriginal Art and Symbolism 3
Log onto the website:
Aboriginal Art and Culture Centre
http://www.aboriginalart.com.au/didgeridoo/
Click on “Dreamtime”
 Read the relevant information.
 Answer the following questions:
1. According to Aboriginal belief, how is life seen in today’s terms?
2. How does the “dreaming” continue in the spiritual lives of Aboriginal
people today?
Click on “Dreamtime Chart”
 Use this chart, and other information gathered, to create your own mind map
to show the relationship between the land and the Aboriginal People.
E.g.
LAND
©
2005 Preliminary Course: Nature of Religion and Beliefs. This sheet may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use only.
Worksheet 9
Media File Assessment Task
Choose one issue from your media file (this may include
more than one article) and answer the questions below:
1. What is the issue about?
2. Who are the characters involved?
3. What are the facts presented about this issue?
4. List the emotional points of view that are presented.
5. List the negative outcomes that may arise from this
issue.
6. List the positive outcomes that may arise from this
issue.
Hand in your answers with your media file, which will be
marked in conjunction with these answers.
©
2005 Preliminary Course: Nature of Religion and Beliefs. This sheet may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use only.
Worksheet 10
Revision assignment
Essay Question
The “Dreaming” permeates all facets of Aboriginal life.
Discuss this statement with reference to five aspects of the
“Dreaming”.
Relationships
Land
Division of Labour
People
Sacred objects
Art
Rituals
Technology
Dreaming
Territorial Rights
Hunting and gathering
Songs
Plants
ages
Langu
To
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on
ial
C
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mi
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ites
it b
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ir
Celestial Bodies
y
log
tho
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on
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a
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r
lO
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So
ein
g
s
from An Introduction to Aboriginal Societies pg. 13 - 10)
2005 Preliminary Course: Nature of Religion and Beliefs. This sheet may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use only.
Worksheet 11
Characteristics of Religion
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©
The following find a word has twenty-three words
associated with the Characteristics of Religion.
Find as many words as possible.
Write these words down.
Choose six of the above words and explain why they
are characteristics of religion.
2005 Preliminary Course: Nature of Religion and Beliefs. This sheet may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use only.
Worksheet 12
Characteristics of Religion
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ACROSS
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©
The Bible is an example of one of
these characteristics.
Something believed or accepted as
true.
A strong belief in a supernatural
power or powers that control human
destiny.
The study of human values and moral
conduct.
DOWN
1
2
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6
A formal act or set of acts performed as
prescribed by a ritual or custom.
Collection of stories based on sacred or
important people from history.
Fictitious stories told to point out a
moral about ordinary people.
These can be both religious and secular
in nature, and can be described as a
patterned series of activities that are
capable of being repeated.
2005 Preliminary Course: Nature of Religion and Beliefs. This sheet may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use only.