1. religion and spirituality

IN THE NEWS
1. Celebrations
With your class, talk about different ways families celebrate
important events such as the birth of a child, becoming
an adult, weddings, the New Year and other holidays.
Think about a special event that is celebrated in your family.
Write down the answers to the following questions.
(These questions are known as “The 5 Ws and How”.
All newspaper stories answer these questions.)
• Who celebrates this special event?
• Where do you celebrate?
• What are you celebrating?
• Why is this celebration important?
• When does the celebration take place?
• How do you celebrate?
Use your answers to write a paragraph or two about the
celebration. Add a picture.
2. Special Events
Find a newspaper picture about someone who is
celebrating. Who is in the pictures, and what are
they celebrating? Is it something that is celebrated
by many people, or just by this individual or
group? How are they celebrating?
Write a sentence or two describing the
picture.
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IN THE NEWS
3. Birth Notices
Parents sometimes place a birth notice in the
newspaper to celebrate the arrival of a new baby.
Read some newspaper birth notices to find out the
kinds of information they include. Write a birth notice
for yourself, as it might have appeared after you
were born.
Now read a story about the birth of Jesus or another
religious figure. Write a birth notice for him as it might
have appeared in a newspaper at the time.
Follow-up:
Using newspaper
obituaries (death notices)
for style, write an obituary
for Jesus or another religious
figure as it might have
appeared following
his death.
4. Holidays
As a class, create a list of important holidays
celebrated by various religious groups (e.g.
Christmas, Passover, Ramadan, etc.)
From the list, choose one celebration from a religion
with which you are unfamiliar. Find out as much as
you can about this holiday, and write a news story
about it. Remember to include answers to the 5 Ws
and How. If possible, interview someone who
celebrates this holiday and include a quotation
or two about what the holiday means to him or her
and how the family celebrates.
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IN THE NEWS
5. Traditional Food
Many religious holidays are celebrated with special
foods. As a class, discuss why you think food is
such an important part of many celebrations.
What special foods are part of your family’s
celebrations? Why?
In the newspaper, find a recipe for a holiday dish.
Prepare the recipe and share it with the class.
Follow-up:
Discuss why you
think other religious
holidays – such as
Ramadan – involve
abstaining from food
and drink.
6. What’s On
Newspapers include listings of cultural and religious
events happening in your community. They might
list times for church or temple services, for instance,
or a concert by a gospel choir, or a lecture by a
visiting religious leader.
With a partner, create a ‘What’s On’ listing of
religious activities – or cultural events influenced by
religion – that are happening in your community in
the coming weeks. Compare your list with those of
your classmates, and create a master list to post in
the classroom.
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IN THE NEWS
7. Buildings & Momuments
Identify various religious buildings and monuments in
your community. Choose one, and learn as much
about it as you can. Design a travel ad encouraging
tourists to visit this site. Include a brief history of the
building or monument, where it is located, why it is
important, what makes it special, etc. Add a picture.
Before you begin, examine newspaper travel ads for
design ideas.
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8. Music
Music is an important part of many religions, and religious
music has inspired many of our most famous classical and
contemporary composers. With your class, make a list of all
the kinds of music you can think of that have been inspired
by religion. Do you know of any current singers who got
their start singing religious music? Listen to several pieces
of religious music.
Now, individually, listen to a CD of music that has been
inspired by religion. What do you feel and think about as
you listen? Write a newspaper-style music review of the CD.
Include the name of the musician(s), the style of music, what
you think of it, etc. Would you recommend it to a friend?
Why or why not? Examine some newspaper music reviews
for style.
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IN THE NEWS
9. Art
Pretend an exhibit of religious artwork has come
to a local museum. You are the newspaper’s art
critic, and have been asked to review one of the
masterpieces. Choose a painting, drawing or
sculpture with a religious theme, and write a
newspaper-style review of it. Who is the artist?
When was it created? What does it represent?
What do you think of it? Read some art reviews
for style.
10. Clothing
Those who belong to various faith groups often wear
special religious clothing. Divide the class into groups,
with each group researching the special clothing worn by a
particular faith (Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Natives,
etc.). Show your results in the form of a newspaper fashion
page. Include a description of each article of clothing, its
history, what purpose it serves, who wears it, etc. Examine
the newspaper’s fashion section for design ideas.
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Share your newspaper page with the rest of the class.
Discuss why you think different faith groups wear different
kinds of clothing. Why might the clothing change over
time? What are the advantages and disadvantages of
wearing religious clothing?
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IN THE NEWS
11. Native Spirituality
Before Europeans brought Christianity to Quebec,
the land was inhabited by native peoples who led a rich
spiritual life. Native spirituality is based on the belief
that all forms of life are inter-connected. The greatest
importance is placed on the land, Mother Earth.
Find newspaper articles showing that man is or is not
showing respect for the natural environment. With your
class, discuss the attitudes towards nature that human
beings are showing in these articles. Do you agree or
disagree with the way they are behaving?
12. Historical Figure
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Pretend you are a journalist sent to interview a
religious figure from Quebec’s Catholic past. List
5-10 questions you would like to ask this person.
With a partner, gather information about the
historical figure from your library or the internet.
Use your questions and the information gathered
to role play an interview, with your partner acting
as the historical figure.
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IN THE NEWS
13. Catholic Heritage
Until the late 1950s, the Catholic Church had a strong
influence over all areas of Quebec life, from politics and
education to culture and family life. Evidence of
Quebec’s Catholic heritage is still all around us.
Look around your own community. What evidence
can you find of Quebec’s Catholic heritage (churches,
hospitals, street names, museums, cemeteries, religious
symbols, music, etc.)? Write a news story sharing your
findings. Add pictures and a headline.
14. My Class
During the past 50 years, more and more
immigrants have come to Quebec from other
countries, bringing with them many different
religious traditions – Islam, Hinduism, Judaism,
Buddhism, etc.
How many different religious traditions are
represented in your class or school?
Design a questionnaire and carry out a survey.
Use the results to write a newspaper story about
the diversity in your class. Include a graph or
other illustration.
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IN THE NEWS
15. A Different Faith
Interview an adult from a faith that’s different from
yours. Before you begin, write down 5-10 questions
you want to ask this person. (When you are talking with
him or her, you don’t have to stick to these questions,
but they give you a starting point.)
Write a newspaper feature story about this person
and his or her faith. (A feature story starts with the
most interesting information, and contains more
description than a regular ‘hard news’ story.)
16. Religious Diversity
Imagine that you are a journalist visiting a very special school.
Each class consists of students from a wide variety of religious
backgrounds, along with students who have no religious
affiliation. Everyone celebrates different holidays, has different
prayer rituals, wears different clothing, etc. The goal is to learn,
work and play together in harmony.
Discuss with your class: What would be the advantages of such
a school? What would be some of the problems? What rules
would have to be established to make sure that everyone gets
along and learns as much as possible?
Write a newspaper column (opinion piece) about the benefits
and challenges of this special school. Remember, a column
allows you to include not only the facts, but also your thoughts
and feelings about those facts. Read several newspaper columns
before you begin.
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IN THE NEWS
17. Religious Conflict
Sometimes religious diversity can lead to conflict.
Find a news story that provides an example of
religious conflict and discuss it with the class. What is
the conflict about? Who is involved? What does each
side of the conflict claim? Do you think the conflict
could be resolved if each side listened to and understood the views of the other? Why or why not?
Make a list of possible solutions to the conflict.
18. Dear Annie
Imagine that someone in your class is being bullied
because of his or her religion. Why might the bullies
be picking on this student? How do you think it
makes the victim feel?
Write a letter to Annie’s Mailbox asking for advice
about how to help resolve this situation. Give your
letter to a classmate to answer.
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IN THE NEWS
19. 10 Tips
With newspaper items for inspiration,
list 10 things we could do to become
more tolerant and respectful of the
religious beliefs and practices of others.
20. Leaders
Follow-up:
Do you think the
current leaders will
have a long-lasting
influence on their
followers? Why or
why not? Write an
editorial to explain
your views.
Remember to back
up your opinions
with facts.
With a group, choose one of the great religious leaders
(e.g. Jesus, Abraham, the Buddha, Muhammad, or a
religious leader from Quebec’s past). Find out as much
as you can about what made this individual a great
leader, and make a presentation to your class. When
all the presentations are complete, list the qualities
these religious leaders had in common.
Now find newspaper coverage of some of today’s
leaders. List their leadership qualities. How do they
compare with the qualities of the great religious
leaders of the past? Write an essay to explain
your views.
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IN THE NEWS
21. Quote of the Day
The front page of the newspaper often includes
an inspirational quotation of the day. As you learn
about the teachings of various spiritual leaders, list
a series of 5 inspirational quotes that you think
would be suitable for the front page of the
newspaper. The quotations should apply to
everyone, not just individuals of a particular faith.
22. Obstacles
Many religious leaders overcame great obstacles in their
lives. They suffered everything from the death of loved
ones to ridicule, persecution and physical attacks. As a
class, discuss some of these obstacles. How did these
leaders respond to the challenges?
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stories
In the newspaper, find an article about someone who
has overcome great obstacles in his or her life to achieve
something special. What were the obstacles? How did
this individual overcome them?
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IN THE NEWS
23. Community Service
A common theme in religion is service to others.
Discuss why you think this is so. Do you think all
people have an obligation to help those who are
less fortunate? Why or why not? Why do you think
some people don’t help, even if they are able to?
Find a news story about a person or group who is
currently helping people in need. Share it with your
class. What do you think motivates this person or
group? How is it making a difference to those
in need?
Follow-up: Make a list of
things you already do to
help others (e.g. tutoring a
younger child, carrying a
neighbour’s groceries).
When you are finished your
personal list, brainstorm, as
a class, a list of things one
could do to help others on a
daily basis. You could also
contact a local community
service group and find out
how young people can help.
Post the information in your
school.
24. Inspirational Movie
Pretend you are a filmmaker turning a story from the Bible
or another sacred book into a movie. Outline the plot.
(Use the 5 Ws and How.) What is the main thing you want
the viewer to learn from this movie? Who would you cast
in the leading roles? Why?
Create a newspaper ad for the movie. Use movie ads from
the entertainment section for design ideas.
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IN THE NEWS
25. Ten Commandments
As a class, list the Ten Commandments from
the Old Testament. Break into smaller groups,
and look for news stories that show someone
breaking or keeping one of the Commandments.
Rewrite the lead paragraph of each story,
emphasizing the commandment it deals with.
26. Timeless Themes
Many stories from the Bible, the Torah, the Qur’an and other
sacred writings deal with themes that are still very relevant
today – e.g. good/evil, generosity/greed, peace/war,
justice/injustice, tolerance/prejudice, compassion/jealousy,
honesty/dishonesty, success/challenges, etc.
Choose a story from the Bible or from other sacred teachings.
List the themes dealt with in the story. Now find one or more
stories from the current newspaper that deal with the same
theme. What are the similarities and differences?
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IN THE NEWS
27. Good and Evil
Divide a large sheet of paper in two. On one half, write
“Man is good.” On the other, write “Man is evil.” From
today’s newspaper, paste or list items that might
demonstrate one statement or the other. Are there
some news stories that could go on both sides? Why?
If you were to use the newspaper as your only source,
would you think that man is basically good or evil, or a
combination of the two? Why? Does the newspaper
reflect all aspects of ‘real life’? Why or why not?
28. Justice
According to the Bible, the main charge against Jesus was
that he claimed to be King of the Jews. Under Roman law,
anyone who claimed to be a king was guilty of treason
against the emperor, and the standard punishment was
crucifixion.
Discuss how our justice system compares with justice in
the time of the early Christians. What do you think would
happen to Jesus today?
Write a newspaper story as it might apear if Jesus were
alive today.
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IN THE NEWS
29. Eye for an Eye
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Using examples from the newspaper,
write an essay contrasting the Old
Testament notion of ‘an eye for an eye
and a tooth for a tooth’ with Jesus’
commandment to ‘turn the other cheek’.
30. Walk a Mile
A Native-American proverb advises: “Never
judge other people until you have walked a mile
in their moccasins.” With a group, discuss how
this saying could apply to a story in today’s
newspaper.
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IN THE NEWS
31. Other Faiths
Research one of the lesser-known faiths, such
as the Bahá’í Faith, Hare Krishna, Jainism, Rastafari,
Sikhism, the Wiccan Church, Zoroastrianism, etc.
Write a news story explaining the origins, beliefs,
practices, etc. of this faith. Remember to include
the 5Ws and How. Share it with your class
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32. Creation, etc.
Use newspaper words and pictures to
create a collage illustrating a religious or
spiritual theme such as creation, faith,
grace, salvation, peace or love.
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IN THE NEWS
33. Meaning of Life
-up:
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Filmmakers have long explored some of the big
questions of life, such as: Where do we come from?
Is there life after death? Is man basically good or evil?
Why does man have to suffer? What is salvation?
What is man’s destiny?, etc.
Examine the movie ads and reviews in today’s
newspaper and identify any movies dealing with
these or related themes. What question(s) do you
think the filmmaker is trying to answer? If possible,
watch one of these movies to find out what answers
the film proposes. Are they plausible?
34. Controversy
Use the newspaper and other sources to prepare a
presentation (oral or written) on one of the following
controversial topics (or a related topic of your own,
approved by the teacher). Use information from a
variety of faiths. Try to make your report as objective
and balanced as possible.
• The role of women in religion
• Religion and war
• Religion and politics
• ‘Reasonable accommodation’ of religious minorities
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IN THE NEWS
35. Religious News
With a group, design a four-page newspaper based on
religious books or stories from the past. Include news
articles, opinion pieces, ads, entertainment, sports, etc.
For example, of you choose the Book of Exodus from
the Old Testament, you might include news stories
about the escape of the Israelites from Egypt and how
they received their laws; a profile of Moses or the
Pharaoh; an editorial about whether or not the parting
of the Red Sea was a miracle; a travel ad for Mount
Sinai; a weather report; a horoscope for the Israelites;
and a Help Wanted ad for a chariot driver.
36. Future News
Create the front page of a faith-based
newspaper as it might appear 100 years
from now. Include news stories about the
religious or spiritual issues you think will
be important then.
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IN THE NEWS
37. Keeping Up
Some religious institutions are trying to ‘keep up with
the times’ and attract young people. A recent newspaper
ad, for instance, described a temple’s services as ‘free and
fun’, and a news story told about a church hiring fashion
designers to give their statue of the Virgin Mary a
‘make-over’. Do you think these initiatives will make
a difference in keeping or attracting young people to
religion? What else do you think religious institutions
could be doing?
Create an editorial cartoon or cartoon strip showing
how you think religious institutions could adapt to
today’s world.
38. Crossword
Examine crossword puzzles in the newspaper to see
how they are created.
With a partner, list 15-20 important words from
your study of religious culture (Hinduism, Buddha,
monotheism, ritual, crucifix, etc.). Write a definition
for each word. Create a crossword puzzle using your
words. Give it to another pair to solve.
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IN THE NEWS
39. Show You Know
Over a period of several months, gather the
newspaper articles dealing with religion and
spirituality that have been discussed in class. Use
the information to create a quiz show for your
classmates. Come up with a name and a format
for your show. Challenge your classmates to
compete.
40. Religion Today
Do you think religion has a place in today’s world?
Why or why not?
-up:
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Write a newspaper opinion piece about the value
of religion in today’s world.
Use issues and events in the news to support
your views.
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