Visit Your Local PBS Station PBS Home PBS Home Programs A-Z TV Schedules Watch Video Support PBS Shop PBS Search PBS
Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly -- An online companion to the weekly television news program
Keyword Search
Topic Index Stories by Week
Home
Current Stories
Headlines
Election Coverage
Special Issues
TV Schedule
Calendar
Newsletter
Subscribe or unsubscribe to the E-mail Newsletter, or edit your preferences.
The Series
About the Series
Funding
Biographies
Awards
Credits
For Teachers
Overview
Lesson Plan List
Tips
Teacher Resources
Resources
Viewer's Guides
Featured Sites
Calendar
Feedback
Contact Us
Story Suggestions

For Teachers: LESSON PLAN
Read This Week's November 7, 2008
Go
Overview Lesson Plan List Tips Teacher Resources

Spirit and Nature by Michele Israel Back to Lesson Plan List
Level: High School
Background Procedures for Teachers Organizers for Students Print this lesson plan

Background

Overview

Is the environment a religious issue? Across many religious faiths, nature's beauty and value are embraced. Sacred texts speak to the miracle of earth's creation and bounty and to the ways humanity both benefits from and needs to protect its riches. The natural world is at the heart of a variety of spiritual practices and beliefs, underscoring a great reverence for all that the environment holds. For some, nature itself has become a primary source of spirituality.

In this lesson, students delve into the connection between the natural and human world from a spiritual, ethical and faith-based point of view. Resources include segments from RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY (the Web page for each segment also includes links to many more related resources and readings) and other Web sites.

Grade Level:

Grades 9-12

This lesson is intended for high school grades, but can be adapted for middle school students.

Time Allotment:

Activities may take several classroom periods. Estimated timeframes for each activity are noted under learning activities. Culminating activities may extend over longer periods of time depending on level of student interest and commitment to the projects.

Subject Matter:

Social studies; English/ language arts; religion

Learning Objectives

Tell a friend: Email this page
Let us know what you think of these lesson plans
Students will:
  • Express their relationship (or concept of their relationship) with the natural world
  • Interpret spiritual/religious texts centered on humanity's connection to and responsibility for the natural world
  • Consider the responsibility of religious figures and faith-based organizations to be actively involved in the civil rights movement.
  • Recognize how different faiths/spiritual beliefs/practices and individuals relate to the natural world
  • Devise a school or community-based or personal project that demonstrates their relationship to the natural world
Standards

Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning
4th Edition Standards & Benchmarks http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/browse.asp

Geography

Standard 14: Understands how human actions modify the physical environment

Level IV [Grade 9-12]

Benchmark 3: Understands the global impacts of human changes in the physical
environment Language Arts

Standard 9: Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media

Level IV [Grade 9-12]

Benchmark 1: Uses a range of strategies to interpret visual media

Benchmark 2: Uses a variety of criteria relevant to evaluate informational media

This lesson was prepared by: Michele Israel

What do you think of this lesson plan? We want to know!

Good teaching gets better, and becomes more exciting, when people share ideas. If you've used this or any of R&E's lesson plans, please take a moment to e-mail us to describe what worked best for you, what you might have wanted done differently, or anything else you feel would make our lesson plans better.

Contact David Streight  |  Ask a question  |  Make a suggestion

R&E's Master Teacher David Streight

Background Procedures for Teachers Organizers for Students
Choose another lesson plan

Visit PBS TeacherSource Top