IntroductiontoEasternPhilosophyLessonPlan/PeelingAwayMisconceptions

ContentStandards:
ConnecticutCommonCoreofLearning

read,write,speak,listenandviewtoconstructmeaningofwritten,visualandoral
texts;
readwithunderstandingandrespondthoughtfullytoavarietyoftexts;
writeandspeakEnglishproficientlytocommunicateideasclearly;
createworksusingthelanguageartsinvisual,oralandwrittentexts;
chooseandapplystrategiesthatenhancethefluentandproficientuseoflanguage
arts;
understandandappreciatetextsfrommanyhistoricalperiodsandcultures;and
employthelanguageartsforlifelonglearning,workandenjoyment.

1.ReadingAndResponding:Studentswillreadandrespondinindividual,literal,
critical,andevaluativewaystoliterary,informationalandpersuasive
texts.
2.ProducingTexts:Studentswillproducewritten,oralandvisualtextstoexpress,
developandsubstantiateideasandexperiences.
3.ApplyingEnglish:StudentswillapplytheconventionsofstandardEnglishinoral
LanguageConventionsandwrittencommunication.
4.ExploringAndRespondingToTexts:Studentswillusethelanguageartsto
exploreandrespondtoclassicalandcontemporarytextsfrommanyculturesand
historicalperiods.

LearnerBackground:

StudentscontinuallyareapproachedbyteacherswithliteraturefromtheWestern
canon.ThislessonismeanttoinitiatestudentsintoaunitofEasternthoughtand
theliteraturethereofthroughvocabulary.Byexposingstudentstoalternative
perceptionsoftheworldtheywillthenbeabletoviewtheirsurroundingsfroma
richerculturalcontextthantheywouldhavebeenabletootherwise.

StudentLearningObjectivesandAssessment:
1.Studentswilldiscusswhattheywilldowhentheycomeacrossanunfamiliar
wordwhenreadingsothattheylearnorareremindedwhattodoinsuchan
instance.
2.Studentswillexploretheirpreconceivednotionsaboutkeywordsthatcomefrom
Easternideasandwhattheythinkthosewordsmean.Studentswillthenreevaluate
theirconceptionsofthosewordswhen/whereappropriate.

3.Studentswillbepromptedtointeractdifferentlytothevariousvocabularysothat
theyareabletorespondtonewwordsinseveralways.
4.StudentswilldiscusswhattheyknowandwanttoknowaboutBuddhismand
Hinduism.
5.Studentswillwriteaboutwhattheyhavelearnedfromtodaysclass.

Materials/Resources:

1.PowerPoint

2.Studentswillneedtheirnotebooksandsomethingtowritewith.

3.Aglobeoftheearthasademonstrationforthemeaningofmandala.

4.MusicvideoorCDofNirvana

5.CDplayer

6.Mandalaworksheet
LearningActivities:

1.Studentswillwriteandthendiscusswhattheywilldowhenfacedwithanew
word.
2.Studentswillbegivenashortlistofvocabularywordsandwilltalkabouttheir
meanings.
3.Studentswillthendiscusswhatpreconceivednotionsareandhowtheyaffect
theirdecisionmaking.
4.StudentswillwatchamusicvideoofNirvanatofurthertalkaboutpreconceived
notions.
5.Themeaningofthewordnirvanawillbediscussed
6.Studentswillthendiscussthewordkarmaandhowitrelatestotheconceptof
poeticjustice.
7.Themeaningofkarmawillbediscussed.
8.Studentswillbeaskedtofreewriteaboutwhatcomestomindwhentheyhearthe
wordenlightenment.
9.Studentswilldiscussthewordmandala.
10.Eachstudentwillbegivenaworksheetwitharelativelyblankmandalainit.In
eachofthefoursectionsstudentswillwriteordrawsomethingdifferent.
11.Aglobewillbeusedtohelpdemonstratethemeaningofthewordmandala.
12.StudentswilldoaKWLchartaboutBuddhismandHinduism.
13.Studentswillwriteonethingtheylearnedonanindexcardtobehandedinfora
grade.

IndividualsNeedingDifferentiatedInstruction:

Eachvocabularywordisscaffoldedwithadifferentwayofinteractingwithitin
ordertoincreasethelikelihoodofastudentneedingdifferentiatedinstruction
understandingit.

PointsfromLessonPlanSuggestionsList:
Createalessonthatintegratesart
Developalessonthatinvolvesstudentswithcriticalthinking