As a fifth grade teacher I am challenging myself more each year to present lessons of Science, Social Studies, and Religion in ways that promote higher thinking and the promotion of discussion. I want to bring real issues to the table and beg for thoughtful reflection upon those issues.
I review my Religion text and it has the teacher simply translating the history of our Catholic faith to the children with little room for them to consider their big questions. The textbook lesson on Creationism teaches that God created the world in seven days and that Jesus is God's greatest gift to humanity. That is fine doctrine, but wouldn't it be as nice to let the children consider other versions of Creation as put forth by other groups? Wouldn't it be nice to mention the theories of evolution and create some moments of disequilibrium in the class not to discourage them from adhering to Roman Catholic beliefs, but to perhaps invoke deep discussion on other viewpoints so that they can appreciate Roman Catholic beliefs even more?
I think our lessons should take an ordinary transmission model and turn it on its head. Only then will the children consider deep thought.
With that in mind, I teach the story of Creation by first giving the children a chance to read what the Bible says about Creation. I used to have them complete a seven panel poster that illustrates the story of Creation and though the finished projects always made for a nice display I always felt something was lost on this lesson because it didn't invoke discussion or deeper thought on the subject.
Now, after having them read the story of Creation I give pairs a story of Creation as written about in various early Native American cultures. I put them to the task of reading those stories, one per pair, and then summarizing it in words and pictures on a piece of poster paper. The children then return to the full group and share their summaries together. We discuss commonalities between the biblical story of Creation and the ones they read about from early cultures in their partnerships. How are these stories the same? How are they different? How do we know the biblical story is the true story? Is the biblical story meant to be taken literally?
After the discussion of various Creation stories I have the children return to their partnerships and complete a Venn Diagram comparing the Biblical story of Creation and their Native American version of Creation. Then I have them attempt to surmise the Big Idea that seems to come across in most of the stories of Creation no matter who tells them...that of their being a God who created all things. This notion can then be turned back to what our faith teaches us about how the world came to be and that it is okay to wonder and question and even doubt in our faith because it is those doubts that help to strengthen our faith as we explore them to seek truth.
When discussing Jesus as being God's greatest gift to humanity the Native American stories again can be called upon. Are there any important figures in those early stories that resemble Jesus in the Bible? Compare and contrast Jesus with those portrayed in the other stories. How were they the same? How were they different.
With the above lesson one can go beyond transmitter of information and enter realms of higher thought, which should be the inevitable goal of any lesson.
