The Ramayana : reading

Please read the selection of the Ramayana provided here.

Your assignment is to prepare to discuss moral dilemmas that were present in the reading. Please be prepared to discuss AT LEAST the following:

1. King Darasatha grants the promised boons to Queen Kaikeyi
2. Lakshmana and Sita follow the exiled Rama into the forest 
3. Lakshmana deserts Sita at her request.

Consider the following when examining moral dilemmas:

1. Dharmic or non-dharmic
2. if it's dharmic, explain how
3. If it's non dharmic, explain how and what the consequences are. 

Current Event/Historical Inquiry - Activity Packet

Remember these are optional (+10 points) BUT have the potential to assist you with your essays. Please consider doing these activities. Any articles that I present in class with not count for the optional assignment.

Pope Francis in America, more Hinduism readings on Gender, Dharma, etc.

Pope Francis in America

Hinduism in the Home   (taken from "Teach Yourself Hinduism", 1995)

1.  First three pages discuss worship in the home 
2. Pg. 4-5 discuss women and religion in the home 
3. Pg. 9-10 discuss caste and women 

Voices of Dissent Assignment

You task is to focus on the main ideas of each of reading’s sections. For each section (the Bolded Titles within the chapters) you are to come up with the FIVE main points of that section. To do this you are to make a question out of the heading – the five points should address the question or help answer the question. When you complete the section, you are to develop a thesis statement / summary of the section. Please have a hard copy of this with you by Friday 9/25

Schedule for Upcoming Classes

Friday 9/18: Revise Laws of Manu assignment, viewing of "Water"

Tuesday 9/22: Finish "Water", Manu assignment needs to be completed. Reading from Contemporary Hinduism  - "Voices of Dissent: Gender and Changing Social Values in Hinduism" (reading assignment will be included) HW: read pages 90-100 in textbook

Friday 9/25:  Debrief, start lesson on Dharma


Hinduism PowerPoint

Hinduism for Beginners

Hinduism for Beginners

Gender and Hinduism

The Laws of Manu and Women (actual assignment)

BBC Link

Women's Dharma


The Status of Women

Students should complete the appropriate tasks and research/collect information to assist them in building an answer to the question, " To what extent does gender determine a Hindu’s experience of religion?"

*Due Day of Test (TBD)

Patterns of Faith Reading Quiz

Patterns of Faith Reading Questions (10 points)

1.      In two or three well thought out sentences, summarize the major point of this reading.

2.      List several things (at least 3) you learned from this reading that you did not know before this reading.

3.      Using the information from #2, explain how the reading assisted in your understanding of key Hindu concepts and/or the 3 IB Questions. (What is the human condition, where are we going, how do we get there). Hint: answers to focus on specific content.

4.      Discuss how one’s understanding of Tat tvam asi  could be expressed in the behavior of believers.

5.      Create one discussion question for the class. Provide at least 3 talking points.  

Hinduism Activity Packet and Vocabulary

Activity Packet Guidelines - class expectations

Hinduism Activity Packet

Hinduism Vocabulary

IB Command Terms


Homework for due September 10th: Read pages 72-88 in the text and start on Activity 5 (Study Questions 1-2 on pg. 107-108)

Consider the tasks each question asks you to complete. (what does it mean to outline? discuss? Look at IB Command Terms)

link to videos - World-view projects

http://youtu.be/4Fp8WjtdUcw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNQavIozeRc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvDFV54nL54

Grading Rubric - Writing Assignment

Here is a brief breakdown of how you will be graded:

30: Excellence beyond reproach (you should be published)

28-29: Very good performance: Detailed knowledge and understanding, logically structured, appropriate terminology; analysis, evaluation and synthesis of knowledge; strong awareness of multiple perspectives; strong evidence and critical thinking

23-27: Good Performance: Sound knowledge and understanding; answers are logical and coherent, but could be extended; some integration of knowledge and concepts; tendency to be more descriptive than evaluative although shows contrasting views; solid evidence of critical thinking; an ability to analyze data

18-22: Strong Performance: Secure knowledge and understanding beyond 'common sense' points; ability to structure, but need to improve clarity and focus; ability to develop ideas, relate facts, substantiate assertions, but is more descriptive than analytical; ability to interpret data, solve problems and engage in analysis.

14-17: Mediocre performance:Demonstrates some knowledge and understanding; a basic use of terminology and structure; some ability to make links between facts and ideas. Assignment clearly lacks the depth of response.

10-13: Poor performance: limited knowledge and understanding, some sense of structure, limited use of terminology, limited ability to make links between facts and ideas. Information is very limited in depth expected for assignment.

9 and below: Very poor performance: very limited knowledge and understanding; no clear structure, inadequate terminology, limited demonstration of understanding of data or analysis. Large gaps in demonstration or completion of expectations.

What needs to be done by class on 9/3??

For your reading that was handed out at the end of class:

Religious Roots of Society

1. Main ideas/key concepts
2. quotes
3. questions
4. Personal reflection  - what points could be sued to help answer the question? How and why?

**I need to see this on a sheet of paper. ***

Also, please look at the essential question and the quotes below. Do we need to revise the essay prompt? How so?

“The only progress that knowledge allows is in enabling us to describe more and more in detail the world we see and its evolution. What matters in a world-view is to grasp the meaning and purpose of everything, and that we cannot do.” Albert Schweitzer

“You can learn a lot from people who view the world differently than you do.” Anthony D’Angelo