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Exploration
Essays
These assignments direct you to use specific web
resources to explore more about various aspects of and topics related to
religion and then write your reflections on your learning.
Exploration topics include:
Click links above for details on each
Exploration
- Each 500 word essay is worth 5% of your course
grade
- Submit no more than one Exploration Essay per
week'
- Extra Explorations can make up for
missing discussions or be used for extra credit (to make up for a low grade
on some other assignment).
- See class schedule for due dates
Compare
World Religions
Click link to explore resource
Click link above to explore
a resource that allows you to compare and contrast many of the world's
religions as well as read some basic information on religions that might
interest you.
Assignment:
Grading:
Sacred
Stories Interactive
Click link to explore resource
Some animated and
narrated sacred stories from five of the world's religions.
Assignment:
- View/listen to several of the stories
- Pick one from a religion other than
your own
- Review the information in the "More
Information" tab (found at the top of each "book")
- Think about the questions at the end of this
information
- In a 500 word essay, write your
reflections:
- In the first paragraph: in
your own words, summarize the story
- In your second (and perhaps a
third) paragraph, discuss what you have learned from reading the
additional information about the context and background of the
story: What information surprised you? What did you find most
interesting? What insights about the story does this information
provide you? ("What you have learned" goes beyond the
information provided. "What you have learned" means your
interpretation of the story based on the information provided, the
lessons you can take from the story.)
- Answer at least one question
associated with this story (from the questions that follow the
information about the story. Be sure to make clear which question
you are addressing)
- Conclude your reflections by
addressing the following question: Why do we tell stories like these? What
value is there in telling a story to teach a lesson rather than just
teaching the lesson directly?
Grading based on:
- Addressing all parts requested, above
- Depth of thought (insight, originality)
- Composition
- Short papers will have a grade deduction
Understanding
Sacred Texts
Click link to
explore this resource
This interactive resource provides
a look at the sacred texts of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. There are
five topics with three questions each (15 questions total). There are up to
five kinds of people who discuss their responses to any given question.
To begin exploring this interactive resource, click
the link above:
- You start by picking a sacred text for one of the
religions.
- Then you are presented with five themes.
- Pick a theme and you have three questions to choose
from along with up to five people to hear responses from. Not every
person has a response to every question (see attached
.pdf file for a chart listing the questions and who, for
each religion, has a response to any given question).
For credit: Explore
this resource and write a 500 word reflection on your learning. Discuss how
you used this resource, what you looked at, and what insights you gained
from your exploration here.
Here's what I want you to do with this
resource:
- Pick one question, think about and write your own
response to the question.
- Then view the video interviews of how at
least six of the people in the interactive respond to
the question. The six people should include at least one
for each religion/text. This will allow you to compare and
contrast how different kinds of people in the different religions
respond to the same question regarding sacred texts.
Note:
To access the themes and questions you first have to select a text. But
do not limit yourself to just one text/religion. You'll have to
navigate though the interactive to view the videos associated with the
other texts. You should explore the same question
as addressed by at least one person in the other two religions so as to
be able to compare and contrast responses across religions as well as
from multiple perspectives of different people in the same religion.
Example:
-
you look at the theme: "whose
text", question: providing a "cut down version"
of the text
-
you look to see how three people for the
Quran answer this question, two people for the Christian Bible
and one person for the Jewish Bible (or something like that)
(note: this question has only four responses so you
won't be able to use this one for this exercise)
- Analyze (written): compare
and contrast these six responses with each other as well as with
your own initial response to the question.
- Reflect: Offer your own response
(written) to what any of them had to say - what you agreed with,
disagreed with and why and/or what gave you something new to think about
and consider.
- Reconsider your original response,
in light of the thoughts you are exposed to through the interactive.
Revise your response (written) as a conclusion to your reflections.
- Submit your written analysis
and reflections. Be sure you include:
- an introduction: note the
question you explored, your own initial response to the question and
the people whose responses you listened to (#1 and#2, above)
- analyze, compare and contrast the six responses
with each other (#3)
- discuss your response to their answers and your
own revised response (#4 and #5)
Grading based on:
- Completing all parts of the
activity as requested
- Depth of thought with both compare
and contrast analysis and personal reflection on the question explored
and what was learned from viewing the responses.
- Composition
- Short papers will have a grade deduction
Proving
God
-
Before you review these
resources, write your own position: Do you believe in God? Why or why not?
What evidence or argument would you use to support your belief or
disbelief? (note: a simple "gut" feeling,
"faith" or "because that's what I was taught to
believe" and other such "reasons" to believe - or not - are
not suitable "evidence" or "arguments". Think in terms
of how you would "make a case" for your belief to someone who
believed otherwise. That's what these arguments do.) (this will be your
introductory paragraph)
-
Now that you have taken stock of
your own position, click the link above to review the online readings and videos
and
reflect on at least three of the arguments in a 500 word
essay.
Among the pieces you discuss, be sure
to include:
-
at least one that you agree with
-
at least one that you disagree with
-
at least one that gave you something new to
think about
Conclude: Which argument made
the biggest impression on you and why? Were any of these arguments
similar to your own initial position?
Grading based on:
-
Content as requested, above (introduction,
discussion of three different arguments, conclusion)
-
Demonstrate clear familiarity with and
understanding of the arguments discussed
-
-
-
Short papers will have a grade deduction
The
Big Myth
Click link above to explore
some animated and narrated creation stories from different cultures around the
world
Exploring creation stories from around the world
Assignment:
- View several of the creation stories available at
this website
- Select three stories to compare and contrast (one can
be the story from your own culture/religion that you are familiar with)
- Write a 500 word essay addressing
the following questions:
- Introduction:
- What are the three stories you are discussing
here?
- Why did you pick these three?
- What is something you found most interesting
about each story?
- What is one question you have about each
story?
- Observations: Compare and Contrast: (be
sure to be explicit in mentioning specific things from the stories as
you compare and contrast them)
- What surprised you about these stories and
why (with regard to the individual stories and/or the stories as a
whole in comparison)?
- In what ways are these stories similar to
each other?
- In what ways do they differ?
- Speculate on why there are these similarities
and differences.
- Speculation and conclusions (cultural
considerations): Review some of the information provided about
the cultures these stories come from:
- How do these stories reflect the cultures
they are a part of?
- Attempt to answer your questions (from your
introductory paragraph) either through speculation or research
(the information provided about the cultures or pantheons might
help here)
- What more would you like to know about these
or other such creation stories?
Learn more about this resource:
Grading based on:
- Depth of thought (insight, originality)
- Addressing all questions noted, above
- Composition
- Short papers will have a grade deduction
The
Scopes Monkey Trial and Beyond
What are your thoughts with regard to the teaching of
evolution and/or "Creation Science" in the public schools?
- Before you review these resources,
write a paragraph in answer to the above noted question.
- Then click the link above to learn about The Scopes
Monkey Trial and the ongoing debate regarding the teaching of
Creationism in the classroom.
-
After exploring
these resources about the Scopes Monkey Trial and the the more
contemporary debate, in a 500 word essay, compare and
contrast these two pivotal time periods in American history.
-
Conclude with
a fair and reasonable solution to the debate.
Grading
Based on:
-
Familiarity
with the history and issues
-
Depth of thought
on the issues (originality, insight,
objectivity)
-
Composition (including a suitable introduction and
conclusion and proper
citation of sources discussed)
-
Short papers will have a grade deduction
Ethics
and Religion
Click link above to explore
some "hot topics" ethical issues
Directions:
-
Select
a topic of interest to you. Make sure the information provided for
that topic includes the "religious views" (not all of them do).
Topics you can choose from include: Capital punishment,
Euthanasia,
Ethics of War,
Abortion,
Animal ethics,
Contraception,
Male Circumcision
-
First
write your own position on the issue you've selected to explore. Why
did you choose this topic? (introduction)
-
Then
read some of the aspects, questions, pro and con arguments as well as the
views on the topic from various religions:
-
Pick
out at least three issues or arguments about the topic,
providing differences of opinion (pro, con, etc.). Discuss (write)
your response to these positions: anything you'd not thought of
before, what you agreed or disagreed with and why?
-
Read
about the position of the various religions on this moral issue. Compare
and contrast (write) the views of three different
religions.
-
Conclusion:
revisit your original position on the issue: what new ideas are you
left to consider after reviewing this material?
Grading based on:
-
Content as requested, above (introduction,
discussion of three different aspects or arguments as well as position
of three different religions, conclusion)
-
Demonstrate clear familiarity with and
understanding of the arguments discussed
-
Depth of thought
in reflecting on the arguments (not simply summarizing, but reflecting
on them)
-
-
Approximately 500 words (short papers will have a grade deduction)
The
First Amendment on Religious Liberty
Click link above to explore resources on this
topic
- Preliminary considerations: before you work
with these resources, answer this question: Do you think there is too
much, too little or just the right mix of religion in American public
life? Explain. ("public life" = government, public spaces like
parks, libraries, schools, sporting events, etc.) (a paragraph)
- Complete quiz 1 before reviewing
the materials. Review and save your results: what answers
surprised you and why?
- Review the materials (video,
audio, reading and interactive exercises)
- Complete quiz 2 after reviewing
the materials. Review and save your results: what answers
surprised you and why?
- General reflections on what you
have learned from this Exploration. Have your changed your answer to
your "preliminary considerations"? Why or why not? (a
paragraph)
Submit:
- Your "preliminary considerations" (#1
above) (a paragraph)
- Results of the two quizzes with your written
reflection on the answers (#2 and #4 above) (a paragraph)
- Copy of your response to the questions you'll find
in the interactive exercises (#3 above)
- General reflections on this Exploration (#5 above)
(a paragraph)
Grading Based on:
- How much of the above is submitted (in part or in
whole)
- Depth, insight and originality in reflection on
learning from the Exploration
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