2016 Lesson Two Part Two: Religions of South Asia
Dates: Tuesday, February 23, Block Days of Wednesday, February 24 or Thursday, February 25, Friday,
February 26, Monday, February 29, Tuesday, March 1, Wednesday, March 2, and Thursday, March 3,
2016
Day One: Tuesday, February 23, 2016
1. Writing Prompt: The teacher is going to read aloud the current event article below, and you
are to annotate/Talk to the Text. Then you and your partner will answer the following
Reflection Questions:
a. What religions are currently in conflict in the article?
b. Why? What is the main belief that is dividing them and causing this conflict?
c. From this current event, what can we infer about the impact of the religions of South
Asia? Explain.
Asia Pacific The New York Times
In First, Indian State Bans Possession and Sale of Beef
By NEHA THIRANI BAGRIMARCH 3, 2015
UMBAI, India — The state that includes Mumbai, India’s financial capital, this week became the
latest state to ban the possession and sale of beef, imposing fines and up to five years in prison
for violations.
The ban in the populous western state of Maharashtra, which was passed Monday, came as an
amendment to a 1972 law prohibiting the slaughter of cows, which has been expanded to ban the
slaughter of bulls, bullocks and calves. The slaughter of water buffaloes will still be allowed,
subject to permission from the authorities.
The Maharashtra Animal Preservation bill, championed by right-wing Hindu organizations, was
first passed in 1995 but languished for two decades under a governing coalition between the
Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party. The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya
Janata Party was the clear winner in state elections last October after Narendra Modi, the party’s
leader, took office as prime minister in May.
The law, which allows a fine of 10,000 rupees, about $162, took effect Monday night after
approval from India’s president, Pranab Mukherjee. Maharashtra’s chief minister, Devendra
Fadnavis, gave the president credit and expressed his thanks over Twitter. “Our dream of ban on
cow slaughter becomes a reality now,” he wrote.
The move was far less popular with those who run Mumbai’s restaurants, and some retailers
warned that it would cause jobs to be lost and send the price of other meats spiraling upward.
“This is extremely sad to hear,” Glyston Gracias, a chef at Smoke House Deli, told The Indian
Express, a daily newspaper. “I will have to go to another country.” “A lot of our foreign clientele,
such as Japanese and Europeans, will miss beef on the menu,” he said. “I will find it difficult to do
international cuisine.”
The protection of cows is a volatile subject in India, where the animals are revered by the
majority-Hindu population. Nearly all of India’s states already have provisions restricting or
banning cow slaughter. In addition, the state of Gujarat, Mr. Modi’s home base, bans the sale,
purchase and transportation of beef, and Madhya Pradesh State prohibits beef consumption and
transportation. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s election manifesto included promises to work toward
“the protection and promotion of cow and its progeny.”
As India’s beef trade is largely controlled by Muslims, a religious minority in the country, the issue
has become a point of contention between them and Hindus, and manifests itself as a political
dispute during elections. Last month, beef traders in Maharashtra complained that they were
being harassed by right-wing Hindus who were attacking vehicles transporting cattle to abattoirs,
seizing the animals and beating the drivers. In February, beef traders across the state went on
strike for more than a week until the chief minister, Mr. Fadnavis, assured them protection.
India is a top exporter of meat from buffaloes, which are more common and less revered in India
than cows. India’s exports of beef, including buffalo meat, have been rising steadily. Before the
state elections, Satpal Malik, a vice president of the farmers’ wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party,
said that if elected, the party would “crack down on beef exports” and “review the subsidy the
government gives for beef or buffalo meat exports,” according to a report by Reuters.
2. Class: We are now going to begin the “Introduction to the Religions of South Asia”
PowerPoint Lecture. As we do this, you should be taking notes in the provided graphic
organizers.
3. Homework: You are to complete the short reading on Hinduism and do the 10% summaries
on the basic beliefs of Hinduism. This will be checked for Class Participation Points on the
next class period.
a. You are to highlight, but no more than 20 to 30%.
b. You are to Talk to the Text.
c. Then you are to do the 10% Summaries for each section.
Days Two and Three: Block Day
4.
Class: We are going to finish the “Introduction to the Religions of South Asia” PowerPoint
Lecture. As we do this, you should be taking notes in the provided graphic organizers.
5. Class: The teacher is going to check the Hinduism Reading Assignment.
6. Class: We are going to watch a YouTube Documentary on Hinduism. As we do, you should be
adding more information to the Hinduism section of the graphic organizer or on a separate
piece of paper.
Documentary] Hinduism - Religious Traditions of the World
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Documentaries 4U
Published on Jan 2, 2015
Running time of 47:12 minutes
[Documentary] Hinduism - Religious Traditions of the World
7. Homework: You are to read, annotate, and do the corresponding activities for the two
Buddhism Supplemental Readings. This will be checked for Class Participation Points on
Monday, February 29.
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Supplemental Reading: The Story of the Buddha’s Enlightenment: You are to read, annotate,
and answer the following up questions.
Supplemental Reading: Teachings of the Buddha: You are to read, annotate, and do the
Eightfold Path: Personal Response Activity.
Day Four: Friday, February 26, 2016:
8. Class: We are going to watch a YouTube Documentary on Buddhism. You are to add to your
Buddhism PowerPoint Notes in the graphic organizer or on a separate piece of paper.
The Life Of The Buddha Full BBC Documentary
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National Buddhist Authority Srilanka
Uploaded on Dec 11, 2011
Running time of 49:56 minutes
9.
Homework: Finish the Buddhism Readings and Activities. This will be checked for Class
Participation Points on Monday.
Days Five and Six: Monday, February 29 and Tuesday, March 1, 2016
10. Groups: Using the Jigsaw Method, you will be broken up into groups and assigned one of the
three religions of South Asia and a specific holiday for that religions to research and create a
poster on.
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This is your class work and homework for the two days. They will be collected on
Wednesday, March 2, 2016.
When it comes to culture and religion, South Asia is as diverse as any region we have studied this
year. In order to take a closer look at that diversity, you will be assigned one of the following
holidays/festivals from South Asia’s major indigenous religions – Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.
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Hinduism
o Holi
o Diwali
o Mahashivaratri
o Rama Navami
o Krishna Jayanti
Buddhism
o Vesak
o Bodhi Day
o The Elephant Festival
o The Festival of the Tooth
Sikhism
o Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday
o Maghi
o Guru Nanak’s Birthday
o Martyrdom of Guru Arjan
Using reliable sources, research the following information on your assigned festival and create a
poster to share with your peers. Your poster should include:
1) Festival Title
2) Answers to the following questions in BULLET FORMAT:
a. Why does the festival occur? (5 Points)
b. When & where does the festival occur? (5 Points)
c. What happens at the festival? (5 Points)
3) One image that you think BEST represents the festival with a caption explaining the image. (5
Points)
4) A written explanation (one paragraph) of how this festival connects back to the foundational
beliefs of the assigned religion.
a. Write this response on the back of the poster.
Resources:
a) BBC Religions Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/
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b)
Go to your assigned religion.
Click on Holy Days and look for your specific Holy Day.
ABC-CLIO World History and World Geography Databases through the Library---see your
handouts from the Africa Research Project.
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Type in your assigned religion.
Type in your assigned holiday.
Days Seven and Eight: Comparing and Contrasting Hinduism and Buddhism Summative Assessment
Wednesday, March 2 and Thursday, March 3, 2016
11. Turn in to the substitute the Festival Days Posters. Make sure the grade sheet is stapled to
the front and all your group members’ names on written on it.
12. Individual/Homework for Wednesday, March 2: You are to read over the directions for the
Summative Assessment Compare and Contrast Essay on Hinduism and Buddhism. Then you
are to use the different resources to complete the provided Pre-Write Graphic Organizer.
13. Individual/Homework for Thursday, March 3: You will have the class period to begin your
Rough Draft of the Compare and Contrast Essay. The Final Draft is due on:______________.
2016 Academic A Summative Assessment
South Asian Religions Compare and Contrast Essay Grade Sheet:
Due on:
Student’s Name:
Period:
1.______________No Excuses: It was typed, spell-checked, edited for grammar and capitalization.
 There was a self-edited rough draft that had content, formatting, and writing style
corrections made.
 Worth 10 Points.
2.______________FCA One: The student wrote a strong comparative thesis statement that was
thoroughly proven in the essay. Worth 10 Points.
3.______________FCA Two: The student followed the format for writing an Introduction.
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Started with a proper hook: an interesting story, a shocking or surprising statistic, or a
thoughtful quote.
There were connections made between the hook and the premise or topic of the essay.
There were a few sentences introducing Hinduism and Buddhism. This acted as a transition.
Then there was the thesis statement.
This should consist of about six strong well-developed sentences.
Worth 10 Points.
4.______________FCA Three: The student followed the format writing the Body Paragraphs---Proof
Sandwiches.
 There must be a minimum of 4 well-developed paragraphs.
 TWO SIMILARITIES WERE EXAMINED IN SEPARATE PARAGRAPHS.
 TWO DIFFERENCES WERE EXAMINED IN SEPARATE PARAGRAPHS.
 Remember a strong sentence should either identify and define, provide examples and explain,
or examine the historical context/relationships.
 The student used detailed historical information PowerPoint Lecture, the different YouTube
Documentaries, the different Supplemental Readings, the BBC Religions Website, and the
additional Hinduism and Buddhism Outlines.
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Worth 60 Points.
Body Paragraph Structure:
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For the first body paragraph, it identified the first similarity and explained it. (one to two
sentences)
Then historical evidence was provided for how this is found in Hinduism. (two to three
sentences)
The historical evidence is explained and not listed. (two to three sentences)
Then historical evidence was provided for how this is found in Buddhism. (one to two
sentences)
The historical evidence was explained and not listed. (two to three sentences)
The final analysis of the two tied into the similarity and the thesis statement. (one to two
sentences)
When you go to a new paragraph, make sure there is a transition sentence to connect the
previous point with the next. It makes it flow more.
5._______________FCA Four: The student followed the format for writing a Conclusion.
 Reviewed the main points made in the essay: reviewed the similarities and differences.
 Restated the thesis statement.
 Closed with a reference to the hook used in the introduction to pull it all together.
 Worth 10 Points.
Total:
/100 Points
2016 Accelerated Summative Assessment
South Asia Religions Compare and Contrast Essay Grade Sheet: Due on:
Student’s Name:
Period:
1.______________No Excuses: It was typed, spell-checked, edited for grammar and capitalization.
There was a self-edited rough draft that had content, formatting, and writing style corrections made.
Worth 5 Points.
2.______________FCA One: The student wrote a strong comparative thesis statement that was
thoroughly proven in the essay. Worth 5 Points.
3.______________FCA Two: The student followed the format for writing an Introduction:
 Started with a proper hook: an interesting story, a shocking or surprising statistic, or a
thoughtful quote.
 There were connections made between the hook and the premise or topic of the essay.
 There were a few sentences introducing Hinduism and Buddhism. This acted as a transition.
 Then there was the thesis statement.
 This should consist of about six strong well-developed sentences.
 Worth 10 Points.
4.______________FCA Three: The student followed the format writing the Body Paragraphs---Proof
Sandwiches. Worth 70 Points.
 There must be a minimum of 6 well-developed paragraphs.
 THREE SIMILARITIES WERE EXAMINED IN SEPARATE PARAGRAPHS.
 THREE DIFFERENCES WERE EXAMINED IN SEPARATE PARAGRAPHS.
 Remember a strong sentence should either identify and define, provide examples and explain,
or examine the historical context/relationships.
 The student used detailed historical information PowerPoint Lecture, the different YouTube
Documentaries, the different Supplemental Readings, the BBC Religions Website, and the
additional Hinduism and Buddhism Outlines.
 Remember a strong sentence should either identify and define, provide examples and explain,
or examine the historical context/relationships.
Body Paragraph Structure:
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





For the first body paragraph, it identified the first similarity and explained it. (one to two
sentences)
Then historical evidence was provided for how this is found in Hinduism. (two to three
sentences)
The historical evidence is explained and not listed. (two to three sentences)
Then historical evidence was provided for how this is found in Buddhism. (one to two
sentences)
The historical evidence was explained and not listed. (two to three sentences)
The final analysis of the two tied into the similarity and the thesis statement. (one to two
sentences)
When you go to a new paragraph, make sure there is a transition sentence to connect the
previous point with the next. It makes it flow more.
5._______________FCA Four: The student followed the format for writing a Conclusion.
 Reviewed the main points made in the essay: reviewed the similarities and differences.
 Restated the thesis statement.
 Closed with a reference to the hook used in the introduction to pull it all together.
 Worth 10 Points.
Total:
/100 Points