World Religion, Philosophy, and Government
In this course, 7th graders will explore some of the belief systems that have impacted human societies around the world. They consider how different people live and reflect on how groups of people can live together. The course begins with a short exploration of identity and then delves into the tenets of the major monotheistic religions. Students follow the spread of Islam from the Middle East to West Africa and consider the role of cultural diffusion and religious syncretism in this region. Students then examine the philosophies of Asia, beginning with Hinduism and Buddhism. They follow the expansion of Buddhism into China, and compare and contrast this belief system with Confucianism and Daoism, while exploring the role of syncretism. Students then engage in a comparative exploration of civics in Aztec society, ancient Greece and ancient Rome. This exploration addresses connections between ancient civics and the roots of government in the United States today.
The new comparative societies unit was created by CPS teachers in partnership with the Democratic Knowledge Project.
Units of Study |
Year-long Essential Questions |
Introduction - Identity
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Why should we learn people’s stories?
How should I live?
How should we live?
How do our beliefs shape our actions?
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Monothestic Religions in the Middle East
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West African Societies
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Asian Civilizations: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism
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Comparative Societies: Aztec, Greek, and Roman
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All seventh grade students will complete several shorter writing assignments, a research project with multiple sources and MLA citations, and work with primary and secondary source documents related to a Document Based Question (DBQ).