Judaism Christianity Unit:
Scripture as Literature

Grade Level: Sixth Grade
Presented by: Harley Talkington
Hamilton Creek School, 32135 Berlin Rd. Lebanon, Oregon
Length of Unit: Five for central unit; 15 or more lessons for related activities.

I. ABSTRACT

The purpose of this unit is to integrate our study of Judaism and Christianity with the scripture references in the Core Knowledge Sequence appendix. Students will become familiar with the organization of the Bible into Old and New Testaments. Each student will select one passage from the list, read it, and write a book report on it. Students will come to interpret scripture as literature, as well as see how central these writings are to Judeo-Christian beliefs.

II. OVERVIEW:

1. Understand the key events, people, beliefs and places of Judaism and Christianity, particularly those recorded in the Bible passages cited. Beliefs and places will be explored through readings from the Old and New Testaments.
2. Specific content to be covered: Stories from Core Appendix. Bible Phrases are covered later, under VI. B.
   See Appendix C: Suggested Bible Knowledge of the Core Knowledge Sequence. Entire list for Grades 1 through 6 are included here. Most of the content mentioned for Judaism and Christianity at Grade 1 and 6 may be covered through background investigations of the setting (context) for these Bible topics.
   The following list of topics could be “discovered” or taught by the end of this unit. See in particular Appendix I.
   1. Judaism beliefs : belief in one God; conquered; enslaved by Egypt; Exodus; and enslavement by Babylonians; Israel; Torah; synagogue; Monotheism; idea of a "covenant" between God and man; concepts of law, justice, and social responsibility: the Ten Commandments
   2. Christianity: outgrowth of Judaism, meaning of "messiah"; Jesus; Christmas and Easter; cross; New Testament extensions of Judaic principles (e.g., "an eye for an eye" to "turn the other cheek"); Sermon on the Mount; Christianity under the Roman Empire; Roman persecution of Christians; Jesus' instruction to Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's"
   3. What is meant by "Judeo-Christian" (see “Culminating Activity on Greco-Roman Judeo-Christian beliefs)
   4. Basic ideas in common: the nature of God and of humanity
3. Skills to be taught
   1. Citing scripture by book, chapter, verse
   2. Review of “B.C.” and “A.D.” in terms of dating scripture writings
   3. Using accurate literary terms: plot, setting, protagonist, conflict, climax, resolution, theme; applying them to scripture
   4. Organizing a paragraph, including a topic sentence, supporting details.

III. BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

A. For teachers:

1. Appendix C in Core Knowledge Sequence.
2. Appendix A included here, labeled “What? Me Teach Scripture?”
3. “Guidelines for History of the World Religions.” Core Knowledge Sequence. Revised 1995. Core Knowledge Foundation.

B. For students:

1. Ancient Romans from Grade 3 Core Knowledge topics
2. Early Civilizations (Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt) History of World Religions (Judaism and Christianity ) all from Grade 1
3. Geography of the Mediterranean Region from Grade 3
4. Geography of the Desert from Grade 6

IV. RESOURCES

1. The Golden Bible Atlas. Golden Press. New York. 1966.
2. The Holy Bible. (King James, The Way, Women’s Bible, The Living Bible, and assorted other versions available)
3. Bible Gateway (an Internet website containing the entire Bible in NIV, NASP, RSV, KJV, Darby and YLT versions. Passages can be found by subject, phrase, or verse) at http://www.gospelcom.net/bible
4. Desktop Bible CDROM. by CompuWorks
5. The World, Past and Present. Macmillan/McGraw-Hill School Publishing Co. Copyright 1991. ISBN 0-02-145917-7
6. Crossing the Ancient Desert. Video. Stanton Films. Redondo Beach, California.
7. Desert Regions: Nomads and Traders. (video) Wolfgang Bayer Production.
8. Bible Concordance. Often included in back of the Bible.
9. “Lands of the Bible.” New American Bible. 1980. Catholic Book Publishing Co. New York.

V. LESSONS

A. Lesson One: “Pick a Passage”
1. Objectives: Student should know the difference between Old and New Testaments; find, read, and understand the plot of one passage from the Scripture Stories list
2. Materials:
a. Appendix B, C, D (class set of each) and E
b. printouts from one or more Bible CD ROMs or websites grouped by author book, chapter and Biblical order
c. Golden Bible Atlas
d. Bibles, as many as possible.
3. Key Vocabulary:
a. Old and New Testament, “book, chapter, and verse”
b. “Gospel” (good news)
c. All Bible Knowledge topics from Core Knowledge Sequence. Appendix C. 4. Procedures/Activities:
a. Have Bibles out and visible around the room.
b. Print out scripture passages from CD ROMs and Internet sources already organized, labeled.
c. Begin by asking questions:
(1) What makes the Old Testament “old?” (all writings are at least 2,000 years old)
(2) Which has more writings: Old or New Testament? (Old Testament)
(3) What is your favorite Bible story?
(4) How did you hear your first Bible story? (Told or read to)
(5) How have they first passed down from generation to generation? (Spoken word, then with Gutenberg Bible, printed)
d. Pass out list of scriptures (Appendix C)
e. Ask how many stories class members recognize?
f. Explain the notation after each one (“Ex: 14: 5-31” means Book of Exodus, Chapter 14, verses 5 through 31)
g. Model this by picking up a Bible and turning to this passage. Read it aloud.
h. Pass out available Bibles to groups of students. Invite them to browse through it briefly. Ask: “How many know your way around the Bible?” Make a note of these students to help others find their passages. (Make a list on the blackboard called “Scripture Scholars.”)
i. Explain the printouts of various scripture passages that are already made.
The Bibles and these printouts are the two places to look for a passage.
Longer passages will require the Bibles.
j. Tell your favorite story (see appendix E for mine).
k. Inform class that their assignment will be to summarize one of these stories.
l. Ask: “When you choose a passage, why might you want to choose a story you don’t already know very well? (You’ll learn more.) Mentally choose more than one passage. That way, if yours is chosen, I’ll try to call on you next for your second (or third) choice.”
m. Have students raise their hand and tell you what passage they have chosen. Each student should select a different passage. First come, first served. If more than one student wants the same passage, the student who doesn’t get their first choice gets to choose next.
n. Scripture scholars and adults can help students find and begin to read over their passage.
o. Assignment: Read over your story and be able to tell it orally to someone tomorrow.
4. Evaluate/Assessment: Each student shows teacher or helper his or her passage. Next day they share with one or more students the main character and plot of their story.
5. Standardized test/state test connections: Identify main ideas, make literal and inferred interpretations

B. Lesson Two: Theme Teams
1. Objectives: Understand the context, events and meaning of a scriptural passage.
2. Materials: Appendix D, Scripture Story Report Form (transparency, class set);
Appendix C, Simple List of Bible Settings
Golden Bible Atlas, New American Bible and Great Events of Bible Times
3. Key Vocabulary:
a. Bible topics
b. Literary terms: plot, setting, protagonist, conflict, climax, resolution, theme
c. Students already should know what the literary terms mean. All of these could be briefly reviewed.
4. Procedures/Activities: Complete Scripture Report Form
a. Discuss each term on form.
b. On overhead, fill in transparency of this for Prodigal Son or use own story. c. Show class the Golden Bible Atlas, New American Bible and Great Events of Bible Times
d. Distribute copies of Appendix E, Bible Settings sheet.
e. Discuss how to locate the time and place (setting) for each story by using Appendix C. Other Bible aids may have same information.
f. Explain that the setting will be less exact for parables, or stories considered more literary, instructive or prophetic than historical. This would include Job, Jonah, Ruth, Daniel, Isaiah.
g. Assess need to review any of the literary elements. Ask a Scripture Scholar to summarize his or her story and then ask the class for ideas on its theme.
h. A variety of themes may be appropriate, so long as student has support for it, within the context of the story.
i. One easy way to create a generic theme is to tell students to fill in this blank, “__________ should __________________.” For the Prodigal Son story, the following would be appropriate. Many more themes are possible.
(1) People should ask for forgiveness of one another.
(2) We should admit our mistakes.
(3) See others already included from Lesson 1, Appendix E.
j. Once students have completely filled out their forms, they may pair up.
First, they should read the Bible selection chosen by their partner. Then the partners can discuss what they wrote on their forms, particularly checking for theme, or any other element that is a challenge.
5. Evaluate/Assessment: Complete the form accurately, including all the terms in 3a.
6. Standardized test/state test connections: Student should demonstrate comprehension of the main ideas and be able to interpret the selection, analyzing and evaluating the author’s ideas.

C. Lesson Three: Building a Paragraph
1. Objectives: Student should take the information gathered about the scripture story and organize it into a paragraph. The story’s theme is the topic sentence for the paragraph. The paragraph needs to include all the information included on the Scripture Report Form .
2. Materials : Completed Scripture Report Form, Appendix D; copies of two student paragraphs for students, and transparency of Appendix F. Note: These paragraphs have been typed exactly as the students wrote them. Students enjoy finding the mistakes in each other’s pieces, so encourage them over the course of this lesson to proofread and edit the two paragraphs. Naturally, making corrections on someone else’s paper is a great warmup for correcting their own writing.
3. Key Vocabulary: topic sentence
Pass out two paragraphs by students (Appendix F). Show transparency.
4. Procedures/Activities:
a. Read one of the paragraphs aloud. Ask the class if they can identify the sentence containing the theme. This is the topic sentence. Underline the topic sentence on the overhead. “Never give up in what you believe....” is the sentence in the Plagues paragraph. In Jonah, the final sentence contains the theme. Remind the class about the “____________________ should _________________” formula.
b. Students already have their own topic sentence if their theme is determined. Now they need to plan their own paragraph. The Scripture Form Appendix D can be seen as a “prewrite,” or list of ingredients. The student’s completed form is similar to having all of the ingredients needed to baking a pie. How the student decides to organize the information is his/her own recipe. Say: “Imagine that your form here is a list of all the ingredients you need to bake an apple pie. What part of the pie would the topic sentence be? ” (The apples.) The student then needs to take each part of this form and write a sentence on it. The setting makes for a logical introductory sentence. Prodigal Son could be discussed orally or written together on board or students may be ready to write on their own. Encourage those who successfully finish their paragraph to help others.
5. Evaluation/Assessment: When the student has a first draft or D.1 of this written, it needs to contain sentences for setting, protagonist, conflict, climax, resolution and
theme. Sentences all need to support the theme as stated in the topic sentence.
6. Standardized test/state test connections: Students should be able to find sentences that discuss the protagonist, or the setting, for example.

D. Lesson Four: The Finale!
1. Objectives: Students are to incorporate their use of writing traits into this paragraph. These traits include: ideas and content, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency and conventions.
2. Materials : A copy of an Oregon Analytical Traits score sheet with these terms and their definitions. (Each state will likely have their own standards.)
3. Key vocabulary: see traits list, above. Also Core list of sentence mechanics, kinds of sentences, and “thesis.”
4. Procedures Activities:
a. Reread the two paragraphs on Appendix F. Ask students to correct them, if they haven’t already done so. Invite students to look over the Analytic Traits Score Sheet, and score the two paragraphs for each trait, on a 1 to 6 scale.
(1) 1=low
(2) 4=competent level/use
(3) 5=very strong
(4) 6=exemplary
b. Take a vote among the students as to how they would score the two paragraphs. Discuss why students scored them as they did. Challenge them to be specific. Ask them to write a suggestion to each paragraph’s author, recommending how the writing could be improved. If they think the paper is quite strong, then give the author specific feedback on that. Examples for comments on the Plagues of Egypt paragraph:
(1) Your paragraph had good organization, with a definite beginning, middle and end.
(2) There were several missing words here. Proofread more carefully.
(3) Your theme made a lot of sense and you gave good support for it.
(4) Avoid run-on sentences.
c. Students then are to read over their own paragraphs, keeping the traits in mind. Ask: “How would you score your paper for each trait?” Once their papers have been scored, students should see all scores. Any scores below a “4” is a message that the paper needs to be improved in that trait. Ask the class for some quick recommendations on how low scores could be improved. If your state has resources (guidelines, checklists) for making improvements, use them here. Tell students their first draft, D.1, is to become a “sloppy copy.” Encourage them to mark theirs up, making revisions, moving things around, adding new details, strengthening their beginning and ending, correcting for errors, etc. Below is a quick list of suggestions to improve low scores in the traits mentioned.
(1) Ideas and content: add more adjectives, adverbs, details
(2) Organization:
a. Create a “grabber beginning” by starting with an action. Show something happening right away. Begin your paragraph En medias res. This means starting it in the middle of things, where something exciting is happening.
b. Make sure you have a beginning, middle and an end. Plan out your writing in chronological order.
(3) Voice: How do you feel about this story? Add in your own personal thoughts and feelings. Try to say things in a powerful way.
(4) Word choice: find any words that you use more than once in your paragraph and cross them out. Use a thesaurus and substitute in a different word.
(5) Sentence fluency: Check the first four words of each sentence. If you have sentences beginning with the same words, either substitute different words, or rearrange your sentences. Count up the words in your sentences. If you have several sentences in a row with roughly the same number of words, try breaking up some of the sentences if they are too long, and combine the ones that seem short and choppy.
(6) Conventions: Use a Spellex book or Spelling Dictionary to doublecheck any words you are unsure about for spelling. Have you crossed all your “t’s” and dotted every “i” ? Any missing words? Have a good writer read over yours.
d. After making your D.1 a sloppy copy, rewrite it in your best handwriting, being as careful as you can, continuing to make corrections as needed. Make sure you give your paragraph a title. Your paragraph should have a minimum of six sentences (one for each part of your form: setting, protagonist, conflict, climax, resolution, theme).
5. Evaluation/Assessment: use a scoring guide of writing traits to evaluate the quality of the final paragraph. See above for example. Students and teacher may each score the final draft, if you wish.
6. Standardized test/state test connections: The final draft should be the product of revisions based on the student’s understanding and skill with using the Oregon Analytical Writing Traits, or other state’s standards.

VI. Culminating Activity and Other Connections
A. Share Your Story
After all papers have been scored and returned, the teacher can have them read aloud. Have students use their Scripture Stories Lists as a kind of script for the order in which the stories will be shared. Beginning in Genesis students share the story upon which they reported. The stories will be shared in somewhat of a chronological and Biblical order. Students can volunteer to share what they know of the stories listed that were not chosen by students. This is an opportunity for students to hear all of these important stories. I also encourage students to add any other information they may know about the stories that others are sharing.

Basically, this is a publishing time. The paragraphs have been written and rewritten. At this stage, it is good to have students also give each other feedback - positive feedback only. We generally sit in a circle for this sharing time, so that all students can see and hear each other. Students are encouraged to make specific comments about the strong points of each other’s paragraphs. Model this at first, if it is not something the students have done before.
Examples: (1) “I enjoyed your word choice, using words like elaborate, and striking.”
(2) “You really grabbed my attention by starting off your paragraph with the battle scene.”
(3) “Your theme was funny.”
Students could be assigned to make note of the themes, or settings for each story. The class could discuss what were the Top Ten Stories of the Old Testament and New Testament. Other questions that could be discussed: What one book from the Old Testament or New Testament would you say is the most important? Why?

B. Scripture Sayings/Phrases
Pass out the copy of Scripture Sayings. These are the list from the Core Appendix which were not parts of events or stories. Have each student choose one and then read the passage in context. Then students fill out Sayings Form Appendix H. Students then write a D.1 and Final, following the same steps as outlined above. Next, they share their understanding of their phrase, copying down the message from each saying as they are shared in front of the group.

C. Related Activities
(Several of these would be very good as introductory to literature study above.)

1. GEOGRAPHY/WRITING (3 days)
Have a contest in class to see who can find the most deserts in the world. For each mentioned, it should be located on a world map.
Understand the geography of the desert: causes, climate, lifestyle of inhabitants. Have an understanding of the setting for important events such Abraham’s journey, Exodus, etc. and other events mentioned in the Scripture passages from the Old and New Testament passages. Show video “Crossing the Ancient Desert.” Write a letter back home, imagining you are on a 600-mile caravan across the desert. Discuss the circumstances and challenges that Abraham and Moses must have faced.
Subsequent to this focus on these two faiths, students will briefly examine Islam. Students will complete a map all of the important places mentioned by Core Knowledge in the Middle East area. This includes Taurus and Atlas Mountains, cities such as Jerusalem, Mecca, and others. (See Core list of geography for complete listing.)

2. LITERATURE (1 day)
Students will compare the Code of Hammurabi, the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. Discuss the meaning of covenant.

3. ART (2-3 class days)
Students will choose one aspect of the Judeo-Christian heritage and create an art project from it. Posters, models, sculptures, maps, charts, illustrations are all possibilities. See attached list, Appendix I.

4. MATH (1 day)
Calculate the total number of gifts that the subject of the song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” would receive. On the first day she receives one partridge, on the second day she receives one partridge and two turtle doves, etc. (The total after the twelve days would be 364 presents, enough to bring her back to the next Christmas.) If you do this unit in December, this activity is perfect for the last class day before Christmas break.

5. SCIENCE (1 day)
Students could draw the Old Testament view of the universe: including the firmament, the waters above the firmament, and the earth. Compare with our study of astronomy, and early Greek views of the universe.

Research could also be done on the archaeological evidence for Noah’s Ark, the Tower of Babel, King Solomon’s Temple, Jericho, or the Dead Sea Scrolls.

D. Culminating Activity for Greco-Roman Judeo-Christian Studies

1. WRITING (3-5 days)
Students will write a paragraph in which they compare the Judeo-Christian view with that of the Greco-Roman. Skill emphasis here will be on sentence variety, including a topic sentence.

2. REVIEW
Once the entire study of the Judeo-Christian tradition has finished, a review of it, alongside one done of the Greeks and Romans is in order. Brainstorm a large list on the board. Categories could include leaders, values, beliefs about God or gods, each culture’s legacy, and others. Students should make their own charts, mind webs, or lists of things they remember studying. I then give them a list of general questions about comparing these two world views. I ask them which one they like or agree with. Why? Is it possible to combine the Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian? They are told to give specific examples. For “The College Paper” I also include the writing trait of sentence variety. After students write their first draft, have them list the first four words of every sentence, and list the number of words in every sentence. Once done, the student can see if their sentences are beginning in too predictable of a pattern. Work can be done then on teaching or reviewing dependent and independent clauses, complex and compound sentences, etc.

Note: December has been the best month to teach the Judaism and Christianity unit. With Hanukkah, and Christmas falling in this time, these topics blend quite easily into the religious atmosphere of the school and society.

VIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barr, Allan. The Story of the Bible. W.H.. Wise. New York. 1948 (1200 illustrations)
Bible Gateway (an Internet website containing the entire Bible in NIV, NASP, RSV, KJV, Darby and YLT versions. Passages can be found by subject, phrase, or verse) at http://www.gospelcom.net/bible
The Collegeville Bible Study Atlas Liturgical Press. Collegeville, Minnesota. 1990.
ISBN 0814619762
Corswant, Willy. A Dictionary of Life in Bible Times. Oxford University Press. New York. 1960.
Crossing the Ancient Desert. Video. Stanton Films. Redondo Beach, California.
Desktop Bible. CDROM by CompuWorks
Desert Regions: Nomads and Traders. (video) Wolfgang Bayer Production.
Everyday life in Bible Times. National Geographic Society. 1967. ISBN 087040441310
The Golden Bible Atlas. Golden Press. New York. 1966. ISBN 0307657493 (out of print)
The Glory of the Old Testament. Jerusalem Publishing House. Jerusalem. 1983.
Great Events of Bible Times. Doubleday and Company. Garden City, New York. 1987
ISBN 0-385-23678-6
Henderson, Robert. Life in Bible Times. Rand McNally. Chicago. 1967. ISBN 0528877658
The Holy Bible (King James, The Way, Women’s Bible, The Living Bible, and assorted other versions available)
The Israelites. Time-Life Books. New York. 1975. ISBN 0809412950
Kraeling, Emil G. Our Living Bible. McGraw-Hill. New York. 1962.
Moorey, P.R.S. Biblical lands. Elsevier-Phaidon. London. 1975. ISBN 0872262472
New American Bible, St. Joseph Edition. Catholic Book Publishing Co. New York. 1980.
Orlinsky, Harry Meyer. Understanding the Bible through History and Archaeology. Ktay Publishing House. New York. 1972. ISBN 087068096X
The Pentateuch and Haftorahs. Hebrew text and English translations. Hertz, J.D. ed. Soncino Press. London. 1960. Rasmussen, Carl. Zondervan NIV Atlas of the Bible. Regency Reference Library. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1989. ISBN 0310251605
Thomas, Harry Frank. Discovering the Biblical World. Harper and Row. New York. 1975.

Appendix A

What? Me Teach Scripture?
by Harley Talkington

Judaism and Christianity are the cornerstones for much of our Western Civilization. Our concepts of God, justice, and morality are all founded on their central teachings, which are based on the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. Jesus Christ has had a greater impact on Western Civilization than anyone. Indeed, our Western measurement of human history has been centered on his life. “B.C.” time means before Christ, “A.D.” translated from the Latin, “Anno Domini” means the year of Our Lord, as in the years of Christ’s life and beyond.
The scripture references included in the Core appendix are found in the Old and New Testament. The first five books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) comprise the Torah or laws of the Hebrews. Other key books for both Jews and Christians from the Old Testament include the Wisdom books such as Job, Psalms and Proverbs. The book of Psalms may have been the main form of prayer that Jesus Christ would have been taught. The Psalms are central to most Christian liturgies even today, Psalm 23 being universally known. The first four books of the New Testament are the four gospels (meaning “good news”) of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These tell the story of Christ’s life, teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection. The book of Acts depicts the birth of the Christian Church in Jerusalem, Antioch and elsewhere. With the exception of the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelations or Apocalypse, the remainder of the New Testament books consist of letters written to early Christian communities.
Careful preparation is essential to avoiding controversy and confusion in teaching this unit. Lay the groundwork for this lesson well ahead of time. Notify parents in a matter-of-fact way that as part of your study in Judaism and Christianity, you will be exploring their writings. Have copies of the passages printed out ahead of time or an assortment of Bibles already available. Asking students to bring Bibles to school can cause problems. Try to not sound defensive or apologize for what you are doing. When students are reading the passages in class, it would be good to have another adult in class with you to help the students locate their passages, especially chapters, verses, and settings for the story they are reading. Try to find an adult ahead of time who works in the school and is comfortable or supportive of what you are doing in this unit. Having another adult present might be helpful also, if there is any hearsay about what you are doing with scripture in a public school. Find out what students in your class read scripture. Encourage them to help others as well. Once this project has become a traditional unit in the curriculum, students from previous years may be invited back to help at the gathering and writing stages. The teacher needs to have a basic understanding of the Old and New Testament stories
mentioned and the organization of the Bible. He or she needs to be willing to discuss these stories in the classroom. This activity is primarily a reading of scripture as literature. His or her own beliefs are not important here. This is literary interpretation. All themes that are logical and supported need to be accepteions