Since returning from winter break, sixth graders have been learning about Ancient India, Hinduism, and Buddhism. The sixth-grade humanities curriculum centers on ancient civilizations, the origins of many religions, and drawing connections to modern day. The class took a field experience to the Asian Art Museum on January 8th and have since been using a combination of museum artifacts, textbook materials, articles, and expert visits to better understand early settlements on the Indian subcontinent and the religious practices that originated in that part of the world.
Experts have included yoga practitioner Richard Rosen and Saklan parents, Manju Rajashekhar and Toshie Baba. Through their experts and resources, students have been searching for evidence of their 3B framework and their three claims about all religions, which they call the 3Bs and 3Cs for short. Using these as touch points, students seek to understand similarities and differences across religious traditions and work to put ancient and modern-day practices into context. The 6th graders will continue to use the 3Bs and 3Cs in their discussions for the remainder of the year.
3B Framework (3Bs)– supports the idea that an individual’s religious identity may be a unique mix of:
- 1. beliefs– ideas about holy scriptures, texts, teachings
- 2. behavior– actions, habits, practices
- 3. belonging– a sense of community
3 Claims About All Religions (3Cs)
- 1. All religions are internally diverse.
- 2. All religions evolve and change over time.
- 3. All religions are informed and influenced by the cultures they are situated in.
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