Students explore the religions of Hinduism and Buddhism. They learn the origins, beliefs, important people, and key features. They compare and contrast the two religions. Finally, they learn about the holiday Diwali and consider what it might be like to participate in such a celebration.
Students read an introduction to Hinduism and Buddhism, view an image of a Hindu temple, and watch selected Hinduism and Buddhism segments of the video The Five Major World Religions. They then post a question they have about either religion in a shared class table, ensuring their question is not a duplicate of one already posted.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives, briefly introduce Hinduism and Buddhism, and prompt students to generate thoughtful questions after viewing the video segments. Plan to revisit these questions at the end of the lesson to check which have been answered.
Students view an image of a Hindu pilgrim, read background text about Hinduism’s long and varied history, and use Beliefs of Hinduism and Principal deities of Hinduism to learn about key beliefs, major deities, and important facts. They summarize their learning by completing a three-column table on key concepts/beliefs, deities/people, and important facts.
Teacher MovesEnsure students understand core Hindu concepts such as multiple gods as manifestations of a single unity, karma, reincarnation, and the possibility of release from the cycle of rebirth, as well as principal deities like Vishnu, Shiva, and Ganesha. Use the sortable class table to review and discuss student entries, clarifying misconceptions and highlighting key ideas.
Students are introduced to Buddhism with an image of the Buddha and a brief transition text. They watch The Philosophy of the Buddha and read Introduction to Buddhism, taking notes in a three-column table on key concepts/beliefs, deities/people, and important facts. Using their notes on both religions, they then post to a class wall describing elements that Hinduism and Buddhism share and discuss their responses with classmates.
Teacher MovesGuide students as they take notes on Buddhist ideas such as karma, reincarnation, nirvana, and the structure of the universe, and the role of the Buddha. Lead a whole-class discussion of their findings, prompting them to compare and contrast Hinduism and Buddhism. During the wall and follow-up discussion, steer students toward shared elements (for example, origins in India, belief in reincarnation and karma, the importance of meditation, and the idea that much of life involves suffering) and encourage further inquiry where interest arises.
Students view an image of Diwali oil lamps and read about Diwali as India’s major festival of lights, noting that it is celebrated by people of various faiths. They watch Diwali: Festival of Lights and read the article Diwali to learn about the holiday’s practices and significance. Using this information, they write a diary entry from the perspective of someone their age attending a Diwali festival for the first time, describing the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings of the celebration.
Teacher MovesClarify how Diwali connects to Hinduism while also being a broader cultural celebration in India. Invite students to share selected diary entries, highlighting vivid sensory details and accurate references to Diwali traditions, and use these examples to deepen discussion about how religious holidays shape cultural life.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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