Students will explore the concept of a “just war” by examining various religious traditions as well as international law. They will study the criteria of a “just war,” apply what they learn to the case of the War on Terrorism, and decide whether they think the War on Terrorism is a justifiable and appropriate response to the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Students will also examine the pacifist perspective on war and retaliation, and they will evaluate pacifism as an alternative to war — be it “just” or otherwise.

Grade Level:

Grades 6-8

Time Allotment:

5-7 class periods

Note: The time needed for each learning activity is approximate. It will vary depending on the particular needs and skills of your students, as well as on course parameters and time constraints you may have to consider.

Subject Matter:

United States History; World History; Ethics; Culture and Society; Sociology; Religion.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Research and understand the “just war” theory as laid out in religious traditions and in international law.
• Analyze and explore the various perspectives on whether the War on Terrorism is a “just war.”
• Research and understand the anti-war and pacifist positions.
• Develop skills in creating and conducting surveys.
• Work cooperatively in small groups.
• Make historical connections related to government, individuals, social attitudes, and needs/desires.
• Synthesize the information gathered during the lesson in a final essay and a visual component.
• Understand the following vocabulary: “just war,” pacifism, retaliation, just cause, patriotism/patriot, preemptive strike, unilateral, proportionality, non-combatant immunity, collateral damage, genocide.

Standards

• Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

This lesson plan was prepared by Thandi Center

One of the most emotional and controversial issues raised by the First Amendment is the question of the role religion should play in public institutions. The First Amendment prohibits government from establishing a religion and protects each individual’s right to practice (or not practice) any faith without government interference. In this lesson, students will focus on one aspect of the presence of religion in public institutions: the controversy surrounding religion in the public schools. Through research and interviews with community members, students examine different perspectives on this issue. They then act as a fact-finding commission whose job is to offer a recommendation to a school administration about its policy on religion in the school.

NOTE: This lesson would work well in the context of a unit on the United States Constitution and the events that led to the ratification of the Bill of Rights.

Grade Level:

Grades 6-8

Time Allotment:

5-7 class periods

NOTE: the time needed for each learning activity is approximate. It will vary depending on the particular needs and skills of your students, as well as on course parameters and time constraints the teacher might have to consider.

Subject Matter:

U.S. History; U.S. Government; Ethics; Culture and Society; Sociology; Religion, English/ Language Arts

Learning Objectives:

Students will:

• Conduct research on important background information regarding the role of religion in American public schools.
• Examine and become familiar with the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights.
• Use analytical skills to explore and understand the controversy surrounding the First Amendment and its application to public schools.
• Develop interviewing skills.
• Work cooperatively in small groups.
• Synthesize the information they gather during the unit in a class presentation.
• Understand the following vocabulary: Bill of Rights, First Amendment, freedom of conscience, official neutrality, soliciting, religious garb, endorsement.

Standards

• Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

This lesson plan was prepared by Thandi Center

In this lesson, students will have an opportunity to explore the controversy surrounding capital punishment by reviewing and discussing a number of Religion and Ethics resources, as well as other sources of information. The lesson exposes students to a number of different viewpoints from religious leaders and communities, and to some of the main arguments in support of and in opposition to the death penalty. Students will have the opportunity to develop their interviewing and position-development skills and will learn to synthesize the information they have gathered in the form of a final presentation.

Grade Level:

Grades 6-8

Time Allotment:

5-7 class periods

Note: The time needed for each learning activity is approximate. It will vary depending on the particular needs and skills of your students, as well as on course parameters and time constraints.

Subject Matter:

U.S. History; U.S. Government; Ethics; Culture and Society; Sociology; Religion.

Learning Objectives:

Students will:

• Conduct research on important background information regarding the death penalty.
• Use analytical skills to explore and understand the viewpoints of various religious communities regarding capital punishment.
• Understand the controversy generated by capital punishment.
• Work in cooperative groups.
• Develop interviewing skills.
• Synthesize the information they gather during the unit through interviews and in a class presentation.
• Understand the following vocabulary: capital punishment/death penalty, retribution, moratorium, DNA evidence, religious denominations, abolition, and exoneration.

Standards

• Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

This lesson was prepared by: Thandi Center

Jewish culture provides a lens through which students can observe how traditions endure and transform over time. In this lesson, students learn about Jewish culture as a living, changing tradition, and they relate some of Judaism’s traditions to their own lives.

Students learn about Jewish culture from a variety of perspectives: They look at Jewish religious and secular traditions including holidays, sacred and secular music, dance, and visual arts. They also consider the relationship between religious traditions and secular cultural traditions. Resources include segments from Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, Web sites, and interviews with guest speakers. As a culminating activity, students explore and synthesize the themes of the lesson through arts activities.

Grade Level:

Grades 6-8

Time Allotment:

This lesson [unit] may take a few days or several weeks, depending on students’ level of interest and commitment to the topic.

Subject Matter:

Social studies; history; music; English/language arts; religion

Learning Objectives:

Students will:

• Interview guest speakers on the subject of Jewish culture.
• Produce creative reflections on their own family traditions.
• Use a variety of materials and resources to research and report on one of the following: the Jewish nation, Jewish holidays, Jewish art and Jewish music.
• Create group poems and murals around themes of Jewish culture.

Standards

• Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

This lesson was prepared by: Kathleen M. Cochran, Ed.M.

Recent developments in gene cloning, imaging technologies, and transplantation have given rise to difficult and troubling ethical questions. In this unit, students explore bioethical dilemmas in several areas. They look at the promise and the perils of creating life through cloning and other processes, the intersection of brain imaging technology with privacy issues, and questions about the use and allocation of high-tech medical care. They reflect on these issues in relation to the overarching theme of the rapid advance of technology and the unknown future.

Resources include segments from RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY, Web sites, and interviews with guest speakers. As a culminating activity, students explore and synthesize the themes of the lesson through arts activities.

Grade Level:

Grades 6-8

Time Allotment:

This lesson [unit] can carry over anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the level of interest and commitment to the topic.

Subject Matter:

Science; social studies; English/ language arts; religion

Learning Objectives:

Students will:

• Use a variety of materials and resources to research and report on ethical issues involving technology, medicine, and reproduction.
• Demonstrate an understanding of bioethical issues, articulating potential risks and benefits.
• Demonstrate an understanding of bioethical issues in literature and films.
• Create group poems and dramatic pieces around bioethical themes.

Standards

• Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

This lesson was prepared by: Kathleen M. Cochran, Ed.M.

The United States was founded on the principle of separation of church and state, to guarantee religious freedom and prevent any one religious group from imposing its beliefs on others. Yet the line between the religious and the secular is often blurred, and conflict often arises between those who want to see more evidence of religious faith in public life and those who want to maintain strict separation. This tension was seen recently in the plan to fund faith-based social and charitable services with federal monies.

In this lesson, students explore the complex territory where church and state intersect. They frame their own questions about the Bush administration’s stance regarding faith-based initiatives and charitable choice, and they examine the recent issue of the Ten Commandments monument placed in front of an Alabama courthouse.

Resources include segments from RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY, Web sites, and interviews with guest speakers. As a culminating activity, students explore and synthesize the themes of the lesson through the process of creative controversy.

Grade Level:

Grades 6-8

Time Allotment:

This lesson [unit] can carry over anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the level of interest and commitment to the topic.

Subject Matter:

Science; social studies; English/ language arts; religion

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Identify everyday ways in which religion is infused into public life.
• Examine questions regarding government funding of social service programs that are affiliated with religious institutions.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the rationale for the separation of church and state.
• Appreciate the important role of faith-based and secular social service programs.
• Comprehend the diversity of points of view on the role of religion in public life.
• Use a variety of resources to research and report on an issue related to the separation of church and state
• Carry out a debate around an issue related to the separation of church and state.

Standards

• Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

This lesson was prepared by: Kathleen M. Cochran, Ed.M.

Diversity and pluralism are hallmarks of our society. The plethora of traditions and values that share our continent are bound both to conflict with, and to enrich, one other. Each new group of immigrants challenges the mainstream to accept its religion and culture, and is challenged to keep its identity while getting along and blending in.

In this lesson, students learn more about various religions, they share their own religious traditions, and they explore some of the tensions associated with religious and cultural differences. Resources include segments from RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY, Web sites, and interviews with family members and other adults. Art projects on themes of religion, spirituality, and diversity are a culminating activity.
Grade Level:

Grades 4-8
This lesson is intended for elementary grades but can easily be scaled to accommodate middle school students.

Time Allotment:

This lesson [unit] can carry over anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the level of interest and commitment to the topic.

Subject Matter:

Science; social studies; English/ language arts; religion

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Recognize that religious differences are a source of controversy and conflict, as well as growth and change.
• Recognize that newcomers who are different are not always welcome.
• Learn about the beliefs and practices of a variety of religious groups.
• Interview grandparents and/or other older adults about their religious and cultural traditions.
• Reflect on their own religious and cultural traditions.
• Appreciate the diversity of religious and cultural traditions in the U.S.
• Identify everyday ways in which religion is infused into public life.

Standards

• Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

This lesson was prepared by: Kathleen M. Cochran, Ed.M.

At one time or another, everyone has told a lie. Perhaps we’ve exaggerated the truth in an effort to be funny, manipulated small facts of a story to spare someone’s feelings, or created a false scenario in order to surprise a friend or family member. In some cases, a lie might be told with only good intentions in mind; but in others, a lie might be told to hurt someone’s feelings or protect ourselves from punishment. Regardless of the rationale behind a lie, it’s important to ask ourselves: Is dishonesty ever the best policy?

In this lesson, students will examine the pros and cons of honesty and dishonesty. They will consider whether some lies are acceptable and ethical or dishonesty should be avoided at all costs. Students will discover the most common types of lies told among their peers and the reasoning behind them. They will examine “white lies” and determine whether some lies truly are harmless. They will also determine how adults, including their parents and teachers, perceive dishonesty.

Grade Level:

Grades 5-8

Time Allotment:

Four to five 45-minute class periods

Subject Matter:

Character Education, Communication Skills, Ethics, Health, Interpersonal Relationships, Language Arts, Psychology

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

• Consider the pros and cons of honesty and dishonesty.
• Examine the reasoning behind lies.
• Recognize the many areas of their life in which they should exercise honesty.
• Determine whether certain lies are more acceptable or ethical than others.
• Distinguish between lies that are generally told by their peers and lies that are told by parents and other adults.

Standards

• Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

This lesson was prepared by: Erin Audia

It’s inevitable that children and teens will resist their parents from time to time. Regardless of how strong the relationship is between a parent and a child, certain rules and requests will always be met with a struggle. Most of the time, parents create rules and set boundaries that are intended to keep their children safe, healthy, and disciplined. But sometimes, parents make requests that are unreasonable, unethical, and even illegal.

In this lesson, students will consider instances in which it is reasonable for children to oppose the demands of their parents. They will discuss requests that could put children at risk of physical or emotional injury, and they will recognize instances in which a parent’s demands may be read as abusive. Students will determine specific examples of unethical and irrational requests that should be met with resistance, and they will consider the ways in which a child or teen might seek help if a parent’s behavior becomes burdensome or abusive. Students will explore the channels that are open to children and teens who need help dealing with the unreasonable demands of parents, and they will think about how they might help or advise a friend who is dealing with a difficult or dangerous home environment.

Grade Level:

Grades 5-8

Time Allotment:

Four to five 45-minute class periods

Subject Matter:

Communication Skills, Ethics, Family Life, Health, Interpersonal Relationships, Language Arts, Parenting, Psychology, Religion

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

• Discuss the ways children and teens might resist their parents.
• Explore the reasons children and teens challenge their parents.
• Identify demands or behaviors that should be met with resistance by children and teens.
• Determine the channels that are available to help children and teens who are dealing with a difficult or dangerous home environment.
• Consider the ways they would try to help a friend or peer who struggles with unreasonable requests or demands from a parent.

Standards

• Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

This lesson was prepared by: Erin Audia