Upper School Curriculum: Religion

The Lovett School Upper School Religion Curriculum

The Lovett School Vision for Learning Lovett offers experiences that inspire our students to love learning. We encourage them to think critically, communicate effectively, engage creatively, and collaborate purposefully. We provide the opportunities and resources that help our students develop independence and self-direction and extend their learning beyond the walls of the classroom as they grow intellectually, emotionally, physically, aesthetically, morally, and spiritually.

600 - Introduction to Religious Studies Course Description

Grade: 9 Group: I Units: 0.5 Offered: Fall/Spring Note: Core religion This course focuses on the essential role of religion as a means of faith and connection to belief. The fundamental questions of the course are: “what is faith and how does it relate to the human condition?� In the process of examining these questions, students consider the foundational stories of the world’s great religions, as well as engage fundamental philosophical concepts regarding knowledge, reality, and what it means to live a good or moral life. In addition, we also investigate secular expressions of faith, or vocation, and ask whether religiosity can be found in the secular world. Sources for reading and writing include the Hebrew Bible, the Christian Bible, the Quran, and the Vedas, but also include Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse and other fictional, biographical, and historical materials. The goal of the course is for students to develop an understanding of faith as it relates to belief, an appreciation for the diversity of faith practiced around the world, and a more mature awareness for how they may begin to conceive of their own faith as it inspires them to think with empathy, act with purpose, and pursue a life well lived.

Essential Questions 1. What are the qualities and characteristics of founders and refounders of faith traditions and of major social movements and of prophets?

2. What conditions (religious, philosophical, social, economic, political) call forth founders, refounders, and prophets?

3. How do these leaders respond to these conditions?

4. What is truth?

5. What are the sources of authority for founders and prophets?

6. What is the source of truth for founders and prophets?

7. What makes someone a prophet?

8. What motivates prophets and founders?

9. Who are our modern day prophets?

Assessments 1. There are three or four in-class essays/unit tests and one final exam to evaluate comprehension, application, and evaluation of unit material.

2. Frequent quizzes to help students to be accountable for the reading assignments.

3. Short writing assignments (note cards and/or short papers) to help students think more creatively and practically about key lessons from the semester.

4. A participation grade each marking period.

Skills Benchmarks 1. Students will be gain familiarity with reading sacred texts and an understanding of some of the ways people interpret those texts.

2. Students will develop skills in reading texts and describing them in ways that can be supported by the texts themselves.

3. Students will gain a rich understanding of what it means to be a prophet beyond the common notion of someone who predicts the future.

4. Students will learn key life events and teachings of several great moral figures.

5. Students will be able to analyze how those figures determine right from wrong and how they develop moral authority in their communities and will be able to identify the sources of their moral authority.

6. Students will be able to compare and contrast the figures discussed in class.

7. Students will develop an understanding of how the academic study of religion is different from and relates to a personal life of faith.

8. Students will acquire basic knowledge of at least three major religions and, in the case of the Abrahamic traditions, how they relate to one another.

9. Students will listen and share in an academic discussion in ways that are helpful to self and others.

10. Students will evaluate how these founders and refounders communicated their vision and what seemed to be the key components of effective rhetoric and communication.

11. Each student will be responsible for delivering one or more class summaries and for leading at least one day’s discussion so as to garner a fuller understanding of what makes for an effective presentation. Each student will also deliver a recitation of a major speech from memory.

Course Units 1. Judaism - Figures covered include: Abraham, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and Elie Wiesel.

Alternative figures may include (among others): Hagar, Rebekkah, Moses, Solomon, David, Elijah, Jeremiah, Ezekial, Micah, and Sampson.

2. Christianity - Figures covered include: Jesus, Peter, Judas, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Alternative figures may include (among others): Mary Magdalene, Sojourner Truth, Corrie ten Bloom, Clarence Jordan, Dorothy Day, Oscar Romero, Leo Tolstoy, Porter Halyburton, Janine Maxwell, Desmond Tutu, and Barbara Jordan.

3. Faith and the State - Figures covered include: Gandhi and Mark Twain. Alternative figures may include (among others): Abraham Lincoln, Henry David Thoreau, Leo Tolstoy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Fannie Lou Hamer, and Sojourner Truth.

4. Islam - Figures covered include: Mohammad. Alternative figures may include (among others): Amy Nelson, the BESA community of Albania, and Shirin Ebadi.

Textbooks and Materials 1. The Bible 2. The War Prayer​ by Mark Twain (Harper Collins, New York: 1923, 1951, 1968) 3. Night​ by Elie Wiesel (Hill and Wang, New York City, 1958) 4. Glad Reunion: Meeting Ourselves in the Lives of Biblical Men and Women​ by John Claypool (Insight Press, New Orleans, 2000) 5. Poets, Priests, and Kings​ by F. Washington Jarvis (The Seabury Press, New York City, 1974) 6. Eight Spiritual Heroes, Their Search For God​ by Brendan Hill (St. Anthony Press, 1989) 7. Lincoln: The Spiritual Growth of a Public Man​ by Elton Trueblood (Trinity Forum, 1993) 8. Readings on Frederick Douglass 9. Assorted articles about founders and refounders.

10. Journey to the Common Good by Walter Brueggemann (Westminster John Knox, 2010) Updated May 2016

602 - Old Testament Course Description Grades: 10-12 Group: I Units: 0.5 Offered: Fall/Spring/Summer Note: Core religion This course covers the great texts of the Bible, examining them to see what they meant for people thousands of years ago as well as what they mean for us today. We will look at the formation of Israel and the roots of the Judeo-Christian tradition as we know it today. Students will develop skills in reading and understanding the Bible. Text-based l writing, classroom discussions, and a class project and presentation will be required.

In this course, students will have daily opportunities to extend their learning beyond the classroom by reflecting on the degree to which their individual experience connect with the biblical narrative. Students will evaluate how and whether their values, beliefs, and opinions reflect biblical influence. To grow as critical thinkers, students will explore the Bible from a variety of vantage points, including literary and historical analysis. To foster communication skills, both written and oral, students focus on the fundamentals of argumentation, including how to formulate a thesis and support it with clear and convincing evidence. To stimulate creative problem solving, the curriculum requires students to apply biblical ideas to new contexts. To foster collaboration, students read and discuss the texts in pairs via the ancient method of textual analysis known in Hebrew as ‘hevruta.’ Essential Questions 1. How is the Bible relevant?

2. How does what we say we believe affect the way we live our lives?

3. How do the biblical texts influence the world in which we live?

4. What does it mean for the Bible to be authoritative?

5. How do different religious traditions interpret the texts?

Assessments 1. Semester Project: Students will investigate a religion-based topic of their choice in this major assessment. The steps of this project include research; an annotated bibliography; and a polished presentation, with visual aids, to the class.

2. Unit tests consisting of short answer and essay questions 3. Comprehensive Final Exam Skills Benchmarks 1. Students will become practiced and skilled at the close textual reading of the Bible.

2. Students will be able to identify and explicate central religious themes throughout the text.

3. Students will increase their biblical literacy.

Course Units 1. Prehistory; Genesis 1-11 2. Ancestral History; Genesis 12-50 3. Moses and the exodus; Exodus 1-15 4. Commandments for Ethical Living; Exodus 16 - Deuteronomy 5. Selections from Historical Writings and Wisdom Literature Core Texts The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible Updated June 2016

604 - New Testament Course Description Grades: 10-12 Group: I Units: 0.5 Offered: Fall/Spring Note: Core religion New Testament allows students the opportunity to learn about the writings of the New Testament, to appreciate the historical context in which the Christian canon arose, and to discuss the theological perspectives of these texts. As students do close textual study and interpretation, they are challenged to make connections between the first-century world and their own lives. Students read significant portions of the Gospels, Letters and the book of Acts.

Essential Questions 1. What is the Bible?

2. What is the historical context of the New Testament texts and why is it important to be knowledgeable about it?

3. What are some appropriate interpretive approaches to the Bible?

4. In what ways has the Bible been interpreted by different people historically?

5. How can someone assess the validity/merit of a given interpretation?

6. What is the relationship between the New Testament, the history of Christianity, and the Church?

7. What theological questions are contained within or arise from Biblical texts?

8. How does the Bible help us to ‘live’? What life lessons can be drawn from these texts?

Assessments 1. Unit Tests​​ will test student knowledge and understanding of texts and historical context.

They will additionally evaluate developing analytical, application, synthetic, and evaluation skills. Tests will be variously formatted to target different learning styles: essay, short answer, multiple choice, true/ false, matching, identification.

2. Reflection papers​​ are 2-3 page papers that encourage students to strengthen their written communication, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation skills by addressing theological questions/issues related to Biblical texts/ Christian history. They will be graded for both content AND grammar.

3. Participation ​grades are based on overall contribution to classroom dynamic, thoughtful and respectful attention to diverse opinions, ability to communicate clearly, ability to ask creative and productive questions, and the courage to seek clarification.

4. Study Guides ​are designed to help students read Biblical texts carefully to promote memory and comprehension of texts as well as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

5. Final Exam or Alternate Assessment​​: Research/Creative Analysis paper or Interpretive Project Course Benchmarks

1. Students will identify and explain the basic contents, genres, the creation of Biblical texts, the process of canonization, major Jewish and Roman groups, and other key historical/social elements of the 1​st​ century.

2. Students will understand the Jewish context of early Christianity and the history of anti-Semitism in the Church 3. Students will be familiar with and use Biblical interpretive tools, such as the Internet, concordance, biblical dictionaries, maps, gospel parallels, translations, and commentaries.

4. Students will read critically and thoughtfully examine Biblical texts 5. Students will be aware of personal subjectivity and the influences that shape interpretation and will appreciate the complexity of biblical texts and interpretive process.

6. Students will produce and critically respond to diverse theological/philosophical questions explicitly and implicitly related to the Bible.

7. Students will apply the understanding of personal experience, historical events, and insights to the interpretive process.

8. Students will evaluate the ways Biblical interpretation has been applied to/ influenced historical events and individual faith development.

9. Students will identify ‘problems’ that arise with diverse interpretations/applications of Biblical teachings and consider consequences/alternatives/solutions.

10. Students will have the ability to appropriately describe the contents of Biblical texts.

11. Bloom’s Taxonomy will be integrated into every aspect of the classroom experience to promote student knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Course Units 1. Bible Basics and Historical Context - This unit provides an overview of the political, social, and historical context that shaped the life of Jesus, early Christians, and the writers of 1​st​ Century Christian documents. In addition, students are introduced to general knowledge concerning the contents and construction of the New Testament.

2. Church History - Theological and historical interpretation of Acts of the Apostles with particular attention to the developments of early Christianity and the life/contributions of Paul.

3. Paul and the Letters - Theological and historical interpretation of both the Pauline and non-Pauline letters, with special emphasis on social/ethical/ political issues 4. Gospels - At least one gospel is read and interpreted in great detail, with special attention given to its author’s understanding of Jesus and its major themes.

Comparisons with other gospels are made to demonstrate each writer’s unique contributions to our understanding of Jesus/ the early church/ major themes.

Texts and Materials 1. Bible, New Oxford Annotated Revised Standard Version 2. Articles 3. The individual teacher may emphasize different biblical texts Updated August 2013

606 - World Religions Course Description Grades: 10-12 Group: I Units: 0.5 Offered: Fall/Spring Note: Core religion The World Religions course is premised on the understanding that religion arises from culture and is diverse in its forms and expressions. This class explores the basic precepts, general histories, important religious figures, and texts from a broad cross-section of traditions, including indigenous religions, the religions of India and China, and the monotheistic religions.

Essential Questions 1. What is religion?

2. Why is it important?

3. How is it expressed and practiced in different cultures?

4. What are some of the unifying practices, beliefs, and features found in religion?

5. How do we make sense of crucial differences between religions?

6. How can we be in respectful dialogue with diverse religious traditions, while simultaneously strengthening our personal religious commitments and development?

7. What are the historical development, religious organization, cultural context, beliefs and practices in the studied religious traditions?

Assessments 1. Participation - Ability to listen carefully and thoughtfully to the texts, instructor, and peers; ability to contribute meaningful questions and insights.

2. Weekly Reflection Papers - Students will respond to weekly topics requiring them to think critically, apply personal knowledge, draw connections to previously learned information, and express original ideas. Students are given a content and technical grade of equal weight. (1-2 pages) 3. Powerpoint Project - The major assessment in Unit 2 is the development of a presentation and accompanying reflection paper (2-3 pages) exploring the unique expression of religion and spirituality in a specifically chosen Native American culture.

4. Unit Tests - Students are tested on the Indian, Monotheistic, and Chinese religions.

These tests vary in composition, including essay, short answer, multiple choice, T/F, Matching, Identification, in class and take home.

5. Final Assessment - Analytical paper comparing and contrasting one element of religious belief/practice as found in two distinct religious traditions. (5 pages)

Skills Benchmarks 1. Students will understand different methodological approaches for the study of religion and appreciate their advantages and disadvantages.

2. Students will be able to provide an accurate description of the basic characteristics of religion.

3. Students will identify and explain major models for conceptualizing the sacred.

4. Students will understand, critically analyze, and evaluate the nuanced relationship between religion and culture.

5. Students will understand and appreciate the historical development, cultural context, beliefs, practices, sacred texts, religious organization and distinctive vocabulary of each religious tradition.

6. Students will dialogue with the texts, concepts, and people of diverse religious traditions with openness, curiosity, and respect.

Course Units 1. Definitions and approaches to religion 2. Indigenous religions 3. Hinduism 4. Buddhism 5. Jainism 6. Sikhism 7. Islam 8. Chinese Religions Core Texts 1. Religions of the World, 10​th​ ed. Lewish M. Hopfe and Mark R. Woodward 2. Sacred Texts from each tradition: Baghavad Gita, Sutras, Agamas, Adi Granth, Qur’an Variable Texts Students are provided with articles relating to specific issues such as ecological understanding, social organization, etc. In addition, documentary and feature films are used to help students gain a greater appreciation for the richness and diversity of each religion in their cultural contexts.

Updated August 2013

620 - Ethical Leadership Course Description Grades: 9-12 Group: II Units: 0.5 Note: Elective religion This course examines the concept of leadership in the context of the Lovett’s Character Pledge and the broader world around students while focusing on specific skill development to give students the tools to lead in the future. Leadership develops through self-awareness and character. Leaders are responsible for their own actions and choices. Through initiative, collaboration, faith, success, and failure, leaders understand the importance of being both a leader and a follower. Leaders believe that building personal integrity and character allows everyone to see their unique role and contributions to the greater community, and to hear all voices while seeking the greater good.

Essential Questions 1. Is Leadership something that is inherent, or can it be learned?

2. How does one define Leadership? Is it a mindset? A set of skills? Are they universally applicable, or might they differ from person to person? What do the answers to these questions mean for individuals? Organizations? Societies?

3. How does a leader know when to lead? Is it a calling? A feeling? A necessity? How can we recognize and capitalize on our leadership opportunities?

4. What values do leaders possess? How do we learn our own value systems?

Organizational values? Societal values? How do we know when values are noble, and just? What do we do when we are confronted with a moral conundrum?

5. What is the role of relationships for any effective leader? How do we cultivate these relationships? How do we engage in authentic connection with others?

6. How does a leader know when to follow? When does a leader prop up others? What role does mentoring play for any leader? How can we help others reach their own leadership potential?

7. How does a leader inspire others to act? Is it through oration? Written word? Action?

Some combination?

8. What role does accountability play in leadership? Self-Discipline? Holding others accountable?

9. Why do people say that “Millennials” and “Gen Z” lack leadership? Is this even true?

How has leadership evolved through time, and what will leadership look like in the future?

Assessment 1. Individual and Group-Based Project Assignments - Including investigating pop-culture icons and historical figures, analyzing case studies of groups or organizations, developing speeches and presentations, developing resumes, and developing organizational business plans.

2. Reading Quizzes

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Reading Reflections and Personal Journaling In-Class Discussion Participation Current Event Presentations Longer Writing Assignments - These will range from personal reflections, to film and book reviews, to research assignments.

7. Semester’s End Reach Project - A culminating project that asks students to take what they have learned in class and to use it in their own lives to enact positive growth or change in a group/organization/team/etc of their own choosing.

Skills Benchmarks 1. Improve confidence in group conversations. Students will improve their ability to advance a personal thought or opinion in group discussion, engage others through questions and positive reinforcement in group discussion, and most importantly actively listen to other group members and learn from one another.

2. Continue developing their own values systems, learning that these values are both important and ever-developing. Students will engage these values, and learn how to voice them with confidence and conviction.

3. Think critically about the examples of leadership that they see in their own lives.

Students will engage with the concept of human fallibility and forgiveness. From the examples in their lives, they will learn to glean values, skills, mindsets, and plans for their own future leadership models.

4. Deepen research skills. Through independent and group work, students will deepen their understanding of what constitutes academic research, and how to carry out effective research projects. Hopefully, by researching beyond the academic realm, they will learn skills that are translatable to both the academic and business worlds.

5. Learn about and develop a “Growth Mindset.” Students should leave the semester understanding that sometimes failure is the best teacher and that through grit, determination, and a mind that is open to new ideas and solutions, resilience and creativity are skills that will take them far.

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Leadership of Self Values, Purpose, and Mindsets Relationships Taking Action & Inspiring Others Final Reach Project

Textbooks and Resources 1. Learning Leadership ​by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner Updated August 2018

622 - Human Development Course Description Grades: 10-12 Group: II Units: 0.5 Offered: Spring only Note: Elective religion This course will introduce students to the biological, social, emotional, cognitive, ethical, spiritual and psychological factors that affect human development across the lifespan. An emphasis will be placed on Human Ecology Theory and looking at how individuals interact with and are affected by their environments. General topics discussed will include, but not be limited to, self-awareness, culture, family, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. More specific issues that affect development to be discussed may include, but will not be limited to: gender, race, communication, pregnancy, childhood disabilities, birth order, abuse, trauma, family structures, parenting styles, substance use, body image, media, peer pressure, dating, sexual orientation, and marriage. By the end of the course, students should be able to recognize the various factors and experiences that impact their cognitive, physical, social, emotional, moral and spiritual development across the lifespan.

Essential Questions 1. What does it mean to be human?

2. What are the biological, social, emotional, cognitive and spiritual factors that affect human development across the lifespan?

3. How do culture, gender, race, religion, and socioeconomics affect human development?

4. How do one’s life experiences and environments impact his or her development?

5. How does family affect one’s development?

Assessments 1. Personal Reflections and in-class assignments 2. Class Participation 3. Research Project on a topic related to adolescent human development 4. Egg Project (a parenting project to give students insight into what it is like to parent an infant and the specific needs of an infant) with an emphasis on various factors/experiences that affect child development 5. Roots project (a final project in which students identify significant people/experiences in their lives that have influenced their cognitive, social, emotional, physical and spiritual development) Skills Benchmarks During this course, students will ‌ 1. Develop an understanding of human development across the lifespan.

2. Gain an understanding of human development theory with an emphasis on Human Ecology Theory.

3. Develop an understanding of the role family structure and parenting styles play in the human development.

4. Be able to identify cultural factors that affect human development.

5. Gain an understanding of how gender, race, religion, and economics affect development.

6. Gain an understanding of various life factors/experiences that affect development (e.g., stress, trauma, substance use, technology, media, etc.).

7. Develop the ability to think critically regarding their goals in life.

8. Develop an understanding of the importance of relationships in the stages of development.

9. Develop the ability to be open and share personal views in a candid and respectful manner.

Course Units 1. Introduction to Human Development - What is human development? What are the factors/experiences that affect our development across the lifespan? Students are introduced to Human Ecology Theory.

2. Culture - This unit focuses on the elements within one’s culture that affect human development. Topics discussed include, but are not limited to: gender, race, communication styles, traditions, etc. Students will reflect on their own culture and how various factors/experiences in their lives have affected their development.

3. Family - This unit focuses on family structure and parenting styles and their impact on human development. The impact of family roles and values will be discussed. Students will reflect on the characteristics of their own families and how they affect their development.

4. Child Development - This unit focuses on development during infancy and childhood and the physical, social, emotional and moral factors that affect development. Topics discussed include but are not limited to pregnancy and potential complications, birth order, childhood disabilities, trauma, abuse, etc. Students will complete the ​Egg Project, which requires them to care for a “Baby Egg.” As part of the project, they will develop their own parenting plan and reflect on their envisioned parenting style. They will have to research the physical, medical and emotional needs of their infant.

5. Adolescence - This unit focuses on a variety of issues that occur in adolescence.

Students will complete a research project on a topic of their choice. Topics discussed include but are not limited to spiritual development, stress, peer pressure, substance use, trauma, suicide, body image, media, etc. We also discuss the family and personal issues relevant to adolescents.

6. Adulthood - This unit focuses on a number of life issues including careers, communication styles, marriage, etc. Students will complete the ROOTs project, which will require each student to identify people, events, and experiences that have significantly impacted their development to date.

Resources 1. Various human development websites 2. Quests and Quandaries: A Human Development Workbook, 2nd ​ ​ Edition ​by Carol W. Hotchkiss 3. The Essential Guide to Talking with Teens​ by Jean Sunde Peterson, Ph.D. 4. Character Development and Leadership​ by Joseph M. Hoedel, Ph.D. 5. Guest Speakers Updated May 2016

624 - Good vs. Evil: Religious and Moral Themes in the Movies Course Description Grades: 9-12 Group: II Units: 0.5 Offered: Spring only Note: Elective religion This course will examine films in the context of their religious and moral themes: redemption, forgiveness, enlightenment, calling, justice, truth, hope, suffering, resurrection, and rebirth. Story has long played a role in how people make sense of the world around them and in shaping public consciousness about what it means to be human. We will introduce these themes and explore them through the medium of the ancient stories found in the Bible as well as modern movies. We will then investigate the spiritual hunger behind the enormous popularity of story throughout time.

Note: This course also may be applied towards the fine arts requirement if a student has already completed 811 - History of Film.

Essential Questions 1. How can a lie (fiction) convey truth - How does story convey truth 2. What does it mean to be evil? What does it mean to be good?

3. What does it mean to be Redeemed and why is Redemption central to most great stories 4. Why are we fascinated with the concept of a Reset- An apocalypse? A Savior 5. How is Hero’s Journey a universal expression of the Human condition?

6. How does the Hero’s Journey present a personal call to enlightenment and promote personal responsibility in helping good to overcome to evil Assessment 1. Unit tests 2. 10-15 page research paper in late spring.

3. Weekly Reflection Papers of 1-2 pages each.

4. Monthly class presentations.

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Story/Truth Easy v. Complicated Evil Good v. Complicated Good Redemption Apocalypticism/Messiah - There’s long been a fascination with the idea that a Messiah, a savior, will come 5. Hero’s Journey- The Hero’s Journey is the road to enlightenment 6. A Personal Hero’s Journey. It’s not a spectator sport. It’s our job to help good to overcome evil.

Updated August 2018

640 - Urban Experience Course Description Grades: Rising 10-12 (priority to rising 11-12) Group: II Units: 0.5 Offered: Summer only Fee: $1000 Note: Elective religion This summer course is a two-week, full-day study of issues facing metropolitan Atlanta, including poverty, racism, homelessness, immigration, transportation and the environment.

Through readings, site visits, guest speakers, and small group discussion, we will not only learn about these challenges, but also about the different organizations - community, governmental and faith-based - who are working to solve them.

Essential Questions 1. How does learning about my community enable me to become a better citizen?

2. How does learning about my community help me to become involved in my community?

3. How does Urban Experience enable me to identify my own faith and values?

Assessment 1. Journals 2. Participation in class discussions 3. Oral and written presentations in class Skills Benchmarks ​For each major issue (unit), students will be able to: 1. Identify the needs and issues relative to that unit in an urban environment.

2. Identify the agencies available to help with this issue in the city of Atlanta.

3. Visit and volunteer at Atlanta agencies that deal with these issues.

4. Develop their own values and ideas related to providing assistance to those dealing with this issue.

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Homelessness and Poverty Immigration and Refugees Crime and Justice The Environment Healthcare

Textbook and Materials Current periodicals, news sites, government documents Updated June 2014

645 - Israel: Holy Land, Divided Land Course Description Grades: Rising 10-12 Group: I Units: 0.5 Offered: Summer only Fee: Approx. $4,199 Note: Core religion

 For members of all three of the world's major monotheistic traditions (Jews, Christians, and Muslims), Israel is more than a country. It is a spiritual destination. To journey there is to visit the heart of what it means to "walk through the Bible" in the modern day. This course will explore Israel's complex role as a biblical land, on the one hand, and as a contemporary nation, on the other. Students will study texts from Old and New Testament in the very locations where these stories are situated. They will also study modern Israel, exploring the contentious relationship between Israel and the Arab world today.

Note: This course may also be taken for history credit.

Essential Questions 1. What does Israel symbolize in biblical tradition? What does it symbolize for people today?

2. What are the ancient roots of religious claims to the land? What are the modern roots?

3. What are the modern roots of the contemporary Arab-Israeli conflict? What is the status of the conflict today?

4. What is in store for the region’s future? Can Israel preserve its religious identity while at the same time protecting the rights of its all of its inhabitants?

Assessments 1. Student journals, completed on-site 2. Short research paper, completed post-visit 3. Final exam, started on-site and completed post-visit Skills Benchmarks 1. Students will appreciate the traditions and holy places of the three monotheistic traditions.

2. Students will practice close textual reading of ancient texts and contemporary documents.

3. Students will write and speak clearly, precisely, accurately, and reflectively.

4. Students will grapple with and appreciate the diversity of views within the region.

5. Students will critically analyze the nuanced relationship between Israelis and Palestinians.

6. Students will hone their research and analytical skills.

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Pre-Visit Orientation: Biblical Texts and Modern History Ancient Israel (c.1000 BCE): King David and His Battles Romans in Israel (c. 100 BCE): The Aqueducts of Caesarea Jesus in Israel (c. 33 CE): From Bethlehem to Galilee Jewish Jerusalem: From the Western Wall to the Holocaust Memorial Museum Muslim Jerusalem: From the Dome of the Rock to East Jerusalem and Ramallah Christian Jerusalem: From The Christian Quarter to Gethsemane

Materials 1. The New Oxford Annotated Bible 2. To Israel and Back: A Journey to Our Future​, Center for Israel Education at Emory University, Project Director: Kenneth Stein, Research: Roni Eshel, Curriculum Development: Tal Grinfas-David. Atlanta, GA, 2013.

Updated May 2014

534 - History of Global Nonviolence Course Description Grades: 11-12 Group: I Units: 0.5 Offered: Spring only Note: Elective religion The History of Global Nonviolence class examines the prevalence and persistence of nonviolence throughout the world’s history. The course begins by helping students understand that diverse types of violence must be met by equally diverse types of nonviolence. The instructor seeks a balance between personal and political, theory and practice to help students understand the complexity and nuance involved in diverse examples of historical examples of violence and nonviolence. Recognizing that Gandhian nonviolence was instrumental in the rise of nonviolence as a global phenomenon, considerable attention is paid to his synthesis of religious and strategic nonviolence in South Africa and India. Students are also introduced to the work of Gene Sharp, an American historian and nonviolent theorist whose work set the stage for multiple nonviolent movements in the 21st century in Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. The instructor connects history with current events and student interest to show how nonviolence has effectively addressed a variety of forms of violence around the world.

Note: This course may also be applied toward the history elective requirement.

Essential Questions 1. What is Violence?

2. What is Nonviolence?

3. What is Peace?

4. What do the religions of India teach about nonviolence?

5. Do enduring peaceful cultures exist?

6. What are the beliefs, values, and practices of enduring peaceful cultures?

7. Are the cultural technologies of peaceful cultures transferable?

8. What evidence exists to support the thesis that nonviolence has always been part of human history?

9. Who are the most influential theorists of nonviolence in the 20​th​ and 21​st​ century?

10. What factors have contributed to the rise of global nonviolence?

11. Why do people choose nonviolence?

12. How can one evaluate the “success” of nonviolence (and violence)?

Assessments 1. Participation (25%) Includes active listening, making meaningful contributions, and having a consistently responsible work ethic. It encompasses the student's attitude, curiosity, and demeanor as she/he engages in the learning process.

2. Ning (55%) All written homework is submitted via the online discussion forum (Ning).

Each student is expected to participate twice each week in on-going written discussions

with the instructors and other New Testament students. Students should produce their best written work and attend to the grading expectations as outlined in the rubric (posted under the Ning Assessment Page). Please note: Missing, late, and poorly developed responses can significantly impact a student's grade.

3. Final Assessment (10%) Students will design, implement, and critically evaluate a nonviolent strategy for social change group project in lieu of a final exam.

Units of Study 1. Religious Roots and Cultural Technologies of Nonviolence a. Jainism and Buddhism (India) b. Indigenous Peace Cultures (Africa, South America, Asia, South Pacific) 2. History of Nonviolence through the 1900’s (Western focus) 3. Strategic Nonviolence in the 20​th​ and 21​st​ centuries a. Gandhi: Synthesizing Religious and Strategic Nonviolence (Africa/India) b. Gene Sharp: Strategic Nonviolence (South Pacific, Africa, Europe, Middle East, South and Central America, Asia) c. Recent local, national, global examples of nonviolence Skills Benchmarks Students will: 1. Understand, analyze, and evaluate the nonviolent values, beliefs, and practices found in diverse indigenous and major religions.

2. Understand, analyze, and evaluate the strategic nonviolent theories articulated and practiced by M. Gandhi, Gene Sharp, and others in the 20​th​ and 21​st​ centuries.

3. Understand and evaluate the efficacy of different nonviolent strategies and tactics.

4. Learn and practice interpersonal conflict resolution strategies.

5. Trace, analyze, and evaluate the emergence and success of nonviolent leadership and campaigns in India, Africa, South and Central America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

6. Reflect upon the dialectical relationships between American and global expressions of nonviolence 7. Practice and strengthen research skills, identifying, analyzing, and evaluating the value of diverse sources.

8. Develop stronger written and verbal communication skills through weekly writing exercises and class discussion 9. Learn to identify and evaluate the strength of achievable goals 10. Develop, implement, assess, and refine strategies for nonviolent social change.

11. Develop collaborative skills, working in partnership and small groups on project-based assignments 12. Practice leadership and communication skills in the implementation of the strategizing for social change project Texts​​: Excerpts from the following. Please note: Readings are variable and students are expected to do independent research each week to supplement the required texts.

1. ​Sharp, Gene. ​Waging Nonviolent Struggle: 20th ​ ​ Century Practice and 21​st​ Century Potential​, Boston: Extending Horizons Books, 2005.

2. Zunes, Stephen, ​Nonviolent Social Movements: A Geographical Perspective 3. Chenoweth, Erica, ​Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict 4. Schock, Kurt, Unarmed Insurrections: People Power Movements in Nondemocracies 5. Ackerman, Peter, ​Strategic Nonviolent Conflict: The Dynamics of People Power in the 20​th​ Century 6. Smith-Christopher, Daniel L., ​Subverting Hatred: The Challenge of Nonviolence in Religious Traditions 7. Stephan, Maria J. ed., ​Civilian Jihad: Nonviolent Struggle, Democratization, and Governance in the Middle East 8. Semelin, Jacques, ​Unarmed Against Hitler: Civilian Resistance in Europe, 1935-1943 9. Numerous articles Updated June 2018

536 - History of American Nonviolence Course Description Grades: 11-12 Group: I Units: 0.5 Offered: Fall only Note: Elective religion

Developed as a companion course to American Studies around the theme of conflict and conflict resolution, American Nonviolence explores the evolution of nonviolent theory and practice in the United States. Students examine diverse theologies, theories, and practices of nonviolence from colonial to contemporary times, exploring a broad range of issues. Special focus will be given to strengthening communication, conflict resolution, and research skills.

Note: This course may also be applied toward the history requirement.

Essential Questions 1. How has nonviolence shaped America’s history?

2. What perceptions of nonviolence have shaped American attitudes?

3. What is the difference between sectarian and strategic nonviolence?

4. What unifies the diverse expressions of Christian nonviolence in America?

5. What is the relationship between theory and practice in American nonviolence?

6. What are some important examples of nonviolent theorists, practitioners, actions, and movements in American history?

7. How does the narrative theme of American nonviolence evolve in relationship to other narratives examined in American Studies?

8. What is the historical relationship between American and global nonviolent theory and practice?

Assessments Students will be assessed through a variety of methods including daily writing, weekly dialogical reflection, research papers, multimedia presentation, and group projects. Students will write an integrative reflection paper in lieu of a final exam.

Units of Study 1. Colonial Period: Sectarian Nonviolence - Christian Foundations a. Community Formation and Personal Identity b. Unifying Principles: Equality, Freedom of Conscience, Nonviolence c. Conflict management and resolution strategies d. The relationship between Church and State e. Was violent revolution necessary to gain independence?

2. 17th-19​th​ Centuries: Interconnected issue-based nonviolent application a. Anti-War b. Human Rights

c. Economic Rights d. Environment 3. Secularization and Strategic Nonviolence in the 20​th​ Century a. Gandhi b. Gene Sharp c. Strategic Nonviolence 4. Globalization and Applied Nonviolence in the 21​st​ Century a. Interconnections between American and Global nonviolence b. Current Nonviolent American Events c. Strategizing for Social Change Skills Benchmarks Students will: 1. Understand and identify distinctive expressions of American nonviolence, especially the differences between sectarian and strategic forms.

2. Understand and identify the unifying values, beliefs, and practices that distinguish Christian nonviolence.

3. Identify and explain the significance of nonviolent theorists, actions, and events in the history of American nonviolence.

4. Research and uncover “hidden” examples of nonviolence.

5. Understand how nonviolence relates to and co-exists as a theme alongside other narratives in American history.

6. Strengthen their understanding of the dialectical relationship between American and global expressions of nonviolence.

7. Understand how Americans have historically understood and responded to nonviolence.

8. Improve their critical thinking skills through close reading of primary and secondary sources.

9. Learn to identify bias and evaluate the quality of diverse sources of information.

10. Identify, analyze, and evaluate historical and contemporary examples of nonviolence.

11. Strengthen their writing, public speaking, and presentation skills.

12. Apply strategic thinking/problem-solving skills.

13. Strengthen interpersonal communication and conflict resolution skills.

14. Improve their ability to write clearly, precisely, and accurately.

Representative Texts and Resources 1. http://wagingnonviolence.org/ 2. http://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/ 3. Barash, David P. ed. ​Approaches to Peace: A Reader in Peace Studies.​ New York: Oxford, 2000.

4. Chernus, ​Ira. American Nonviolence: The History of an Idea​. New York: Orbis, 2004.

5. Lynd, Staughton, and Alice Lynd. ​Nonviolence in America: A Documentary History​.​ ​New York: Maryknoll, 1995. Print.

6. Dear, John ed. ​Mohandas Gandhi: Essential Writings​, New York: Orbis, 1970.

7. Roth, John D. ​Choosing Against War: A Christian View,​ Pennsylvania: Good Books, 2002.

8. Sharp, Gene. ​Waging Nonviolent Struggle: 20th ​ ​ Century Practice and 21st​ ​ Century Potential​, Boston: Extending Horizons Books, 2005.

9. Multiple scholarly articles Updated August 2018

556 - AP Art History Course Description Grades: 11-12 Group: I Units: 1.0 Prerequisite: Application AND History Department recommendation Fee: $94 AP Exam Fee

AP Art History is a year-long course of study designed to help students prepare for the AP Art History Exam. The curriculum touches upon many cultures from pre-history to the present day.

As instructors, we hope to acquaint students with a deep understanding of the works featured in the AP overview plus a further accounting of the works of art and architecture that help bridge our understandings from one culture to another.

Note: One-half unit must be applied to TWO of the following graduation requirements: history, fine arts, or elective religion (fall only) - the course may not satisfy one full unit in any department. For the University System of Georgia, AP Art History may only satisfy a fine arts graduation requirement. (See your college counselor for more details.)

Essential Questions: 1. How does an understanding of the art and architecture of a particular culture provide insight into the values, beliefs, and ideologies of that culture?

2. What are the primary works comprising the canon of Western art and architecture?

3. How does one approach and seek to understand an artistic expression which is premised upon aesthetic guidelines which are alien to our own?

4. How does the study of art relate to the study of other disciplines such as literature, religion, and philosophy?

5. How effectively does art reveal history?

6. What is art? Why do you think something is or is not a work of art? Can you prove your point?

Assessments: 1. Unit tests 2. Fall final exam 3. Class discussion and “Four Sentences” homework assignments 4. Quizzes on themes and concepts 5. Compare and Contrast projects 6. Presentation projects on particular units Several practice A.P. exams throughout the year 7. Spring Advanced Placement exam Course Units Units of study include the art and architecture of: Ancient Near East (Mesopotamia)

Ancient Egypt Ancient Greece and Hellenistic Art Republican and Imperial Rome Late Antiquity Early Christian Byzantine Islamic Global Traditions Medieval Europe Romanesque and Gothic Asian (East Asia, China, Japan - ​with special emphasis on Buddhist art)​ Early Renaissance Northern Renaissance Italian Renaissance Baroque Rococo and Enlightenment Art of Africa Art of the Americas Art of the Pacific and Oceania Neoclassicism and Romanticism 18th and 19th-Century America 19th and 20th-Century Europe Modernism African-American Art Post World War II Contemporary Art ​Skills Benchmarks​​: 1. Students should learn to suspend judgment when looking at a work of art until such time as a) they have come to understand the limitations and biases that color their own ability to make an objective evaluation, b) developed the critical thinking to enable them to adequately understand the circumstances related to the creation of the work, and c) put that work of art within the historical context.

2. Students should develop a visual memory which will help them to not only recognize specific works of art but also elements of style which may characterize the work of an era or a movement or an artist. This will be accomplished by students learning to look for specific traits in a work of art (i.e.: color, pattern, shape, size, etc.), with extra practice on the study of "unknowns".

3. Students will come to understand and to appreciate the aesthetic criteria of cultures and eras different from their own.

4. Students will learn which works constitute the canon of western art and architecture, why they are in such canon, and they will come to appreciate the problems of trying to establish and preserve such a canon in the first place. Students will know the 250 works of art prescribed by the College Board, which includes several non-Western works to incorporate a global curriculum.

5. Students will come to understand how art and architecture serve as a primary source for viewing and understanding history.

6. Students will come to understand how mankind’s most important ideologies are often preserved in the creations of its artists.

7. Students will come to understand the nature of the evolving relationship between patron, artist, critic, and collector.

8. Students will come to understand and utilize a vocabulary of terms which is unique to the study of aesthetics, art, and architecture.

9. Students will learn to be more alert to their visual environment and to be able to interpret the social expressions and ideas which are often encoded in the signs, advertisements, fashions, and buildings which they encounter on a daily basis.

10. It is to be hoped that students will develop a greater interest in eras of the past and societies quite distant from their own; in short, students should be led to develop a curiosity and an awareness which will enrich their lives as engaged life-long learners and travelers.

Materials: 1. Fred Kleiner, ​Gardner’s Art Through The Ages, Volumes 1 and 2 2. AP Art History Course and Exam Description Revised Edition, Effective Fall 2015 3. Slide sheets on each unit of study 4. Supplementary materials including primary and secondary sources such as texts, articles, maps, church plans, and videos.

Updated May 2016