Unit 1: Beliefs and Values
'Who We Are and How We Express Ourselves'
An inquiry into human diversity and how we come to hold our values; looking at culture, values and belief systems through the eyes of children from around the world with a view to identify and reflect upon our own values.
The unit will culminate with the 'Beliefs and Values: This I Believe & This I am Thankful For' key assignment, a short film featuring student interviews with staff and QISS students about their beliefs and values, and a display of the collective beliefs and values of QISS staff and students using data gained through a student designed survey. Data will be displayed on tables, graphs and charts applying knowledge and skills students gained throughout the unit.
Science: An Inquiry into The Scientific Method - The origins of science comes from belief systems and has since branched off as its' own "belief system." This unit will compare Scientific thinking from the thinking of Belief systems. The unit will also teach the practices and procedures of the scientific model/method/thinking through controlled experiments and examples (through texts and observations) A.K.A. "How to Think Like A Scientist."
The class will be reading about and studying different cultures and belief systems from around the world with a view to understand that diversity makes the world interesting. They will identify which factors are important in determining someone’s values and beliefs and then reflect on their own values. The unit will end with the observation that there is no way of concluding that one belief system is absolutely right, but rather they are different ways of seeing and thinking about the world around us. Students will attempt to understand the importance of all belief systems coexisting peacefully.
An inquiry into human diversity and how we come to hold our values; looking at culture, values and belief systems through the eyes of children from around the world with a view to identify and reflect upon our own values.
The unit will culminate with the 'Beliefs and Values: This I Believe & This I am Thankful For' key assignment, a short film featuring student interviews with staff and QISS students about their beliefs and values, and a display of the collective beliefs and values of QISS staff and students using data gained through a student designed survey. Data will be displayed on tables, graphs and charts applying knowledge and skills students gained throughout the unit.
Science: An Inquiry into The Scientific Method - The origins of science comes from belief systems and has since branched off as its' own "belief system." This unit will compare Scientific thinking from the thinking of Belief systems. The unit will also teach the practices and procedures of the scientific model/method/thinking through controlled experiments and examples (through texts and observations) A.K.A. "How to Think Like A Scientist."
The class will be reading about and studying different cultures and belief systems from around the world with a view to understand that diversity makes the world interesting. They will identify which factors are important in determining someone’s values and beliefs and then reflect on their own values. The unit will end with the observation that there is no way of concluding that one belief system is absolutely right, but rather they are different ways of seeing and thinking about the world around us. Students will attempt to understand the importance of all belief systems coexisting peacefully.
Essential Questions
Social Studies:
- What is diversity?
- Why is diversity important?
- How can we solve problems that are caused by differences?
- What are the main elements of culture?
- What are the elements of a belief system?
- What are the principle tenets of Islam?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages associated with cultural diversity?
- What is the difference between “acceptance” and “tolerance”.
- How does society and/or culture help to define a family/person/you?
- Where do people get their culture, values and beliefs from?
- Are we born with culture, or is it learned/ taught to us?
- How do my belief(s) affect my daily life?
- What events and/or experiences have led you to what is important to you and/or your family?
- What do I believe?
- What do I value?
- What is a Scientific Method?
- How does one execute the Scientific Method?
- What are the origins of Scientific thought?
- How are belief systems/thought interrelated to Scientific method/thought?
- How do scientists approach problems to reach a conclusion or solution?
- How can I design a reliable experiment?
- How can I be safe online while also being able to express and communicate myself to the public?
- How can computer software make my work quicker, more efficient and more presentable?
- How can I use Microsoft Office programs to create word documents and spreadsheets to present data in a more effective manner? (tables, charts, graphs)
- How do the main characters in "The Breadwinner" respond to the conflict presented in the novel?
- Why might Nooria and Parvana each handle the Taliban's rules differently?
- What events in the my own life help to determine my personal beliefs?
- How does genre affect how I interpret the text and how information is shared?
- How does the environment in which she lives shape Parvana's values and beliefs?
- How important is her family in shaping Parvana's values?
- What makes a proper sentence?
- What are the different types of sentences? (declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory
- What is the structure of a paragraph
- What is a subject/verb/compound sentences?
- How does creating a pre-writing ritual, such as cluster-webs / mind-maps / brainstorming and drafts improve my writing?
- Why write?