We can describe the central ideas and distribution of Buddhism.
Why do you think Buddhists are often opposed to violence?
I think Buddhists are often opposed to violence because...
By studying this visual, students might:
- Siddhartha Gautama left a royal life to seek enlightenment
- Buddhism teaches about karma and reincarnation
- The Eightfold Path and Four Noble Truths guide Buddhist actions
- Buddhism spread along the Silk Road and blended with local cultures
- Buddhism is practiced in many countries today
- What does the Dharma Wheel represent?
- Why is there a map showing the spread of Buddhism across Asia?
- How can one religion be practiced alongside another like Shintoism?
- What do the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path actually mean?
- Why is there a swastika symbol in the visual, and what does it mean in Buddhism?
Extending the Discussion
- After randomly calling on students, if there is anything from this list that was not mentioned, then ask the class, "Did anyone notice...?"
- After students have shared what they notice, ask the class, "Did anyone wonder...?" using the suggestions above or anything else you might think is interesting or relevant to the lesson.
Structured Conversation Prompts
What are the beliefs of Buddhism?
The beliefs of Buddhism are...
How is Buddhism different from Shintoism?
Buddhism is different from Shinto because...
Why do you think Buddhists are often opposed to violence?
I think Buddhists are often opposed to violence because...
Example Student Responses to the Observational Question
The beliefs of Buddhism are about understanding suffering, karma, and reaching Nirvana.
The beliefs of Buddhism include the idea that life is full of suffering, but peace can be achieved by following the Eightfold Path and understanding the nature of desire and karma. These teachings come from the Buddha’s enlightenment experience and are meant to guide people to Nirvana.
Responding to Responses
Emphasize and celebrate each student's use of the key vocabulary to support a culture of "no wrong answers."
Structuring Student Conversations
Have students list observations from the visual as a warm-up, then use the Q-SSS-A process to guide small-group conversations. In the slide decks, brackets can be moved to prepare the structured conversation. In the example to the right, students will be instructed: Q-SSS-A.
- To put a thumb up, then lower their hand when they are ready to answer the question
- To share with their elbow/shoulder partner, and that the student with the darkest shoe will share first
- That they will be randomly called on after the conversation
Here is an example of structuring a conversation with Q-SSS-A.
Note: the inferential question is the same as the language objective. It is recommended that students answer the inferential question in a small-group discussion before answering it individually as the closure or exit ticket of the lesson.
Structured Reading
The purpose for reading is to understand the core beliefs of Buddhism, how they influence how people behave in everyday life, and how the religion spread to different parts of the world.
- The core beliefs of Buddhism
- What karma means and how it affects actions
- The goal of Nirvana and how it is achieved
- How Buddhism spread to other parts of Asia and the world
- How Buddhist beliefs might lead followers to avoid violence
How is the Buddhist idea of karma different from the way some other religions, like Christianity or Islam, encourage people to do good?
The way Buddhism teaches about karma is different from how some other religions motivate good behavior because...
Structuring the Reading
Communicate the purpose of reading to the students and instruct them to make a note every time they see something on the PAT ("Pay Attention To") list. How you have students note items on the PAT list is up to you. This could include:
- Putting an asterisk in the margin
- Underlining text that supports the PAT list
- Putting a comment in the margin
Follow the reading with the post-reading discussion. Structure this discussion using the Q-SSS-A process just like the structured conversations in this lesson.
Note: you might find the relational question is better discussed before or after the reading. This depends on whether the relational question is directly related to the reading or might make connections across units.
Differentiating the Reading
You will notice that three different reading passages are provided with this lesson. Look at the shapes in the top-left of each passage to determine the grade level.
In a class with students at diverse reading level proficiencies, you can give the appropriate reading passage to different students, while having all students follow the same PAT list and post-reading discussion.