CSJO-CU8.1

=CSJO-Grade 8 Lesson 8.1 (CSJO-Template)=

1. **Gain the attention of the learner**: Welcome back to Folkshul. Play **Share Summer Experiences** (Each student in turn, says their name and in pantomime, demonstrates something fun s/he did this past summer. The other students try to guess what it was). Have the students share what is/was the branch of Judaism of their parents and grandparents. (Be aware that several of the students may have non-Jewish parents, etc. ) 2. **Relevant past learning**: Previous years explored Jewish pluralism from its beginnings 3000 years ago through the 1700's. Since then, new forms have arisen and existing forms have changed and for much of this year we will look at how and why the modern versions of Judaism came about. Today we will examine who we are and what it means to be a secular humanistic Jew to help us be aware of the differences between our beliefs and those of contemporary Jewish forms. 3. **Introduce new material**: Secular humanistic Jewishness (see more formal definitions below) is a mouthful that is better understood by defining its components. Secular is the separation from a higher power. Secularism is marked by questioning and evidence-based conclusions. Humanism combines the belief in human, and not divine, power for accomplishment with compassion. Humanism encompasses social responsibility, peace, and dignity. Jewishness is most easily defined by those who believe themselves to be Jewish. At Folkshul, if you consider yourself Jewish, then so does the community. 4a. **Provide guided practice**: As a class, play a handful of rounds of "Most Likely to..". This game is a simple one of saying, "Most likely to [invent something that will change the world]" and then everyone points at a person in the circle that they think is most likely to do that action. This game simulates people's natural inclination to categorize others. Discuss the idea of questioning these natural tendencies, as an essential part of growing and allowing others to grow. 5a. **Provide independent practice**: Split class into partnered pairs. Put multiple choice questions about Jewishness around the room. In pairs, students will go around the room individually answering the questions by putting a check next to the answer they identify most with. Pairs will discuss these answers. 4b. **Provide guided practice**: In larger group, students will each go around explaining their connection with Jewishness. 4c. **Provide guided practice**: Read the poem, "Curious Me" by Judy Spain Barton and ask students to summarize the concepts in the poem. Explain to the students that questioning, as this boy does in the poem, is a crucial component of being secular. 5b. **Provide independent practice**: Split students up into three groups and give each group a different empirical phenomenon (e.g., gravity, 4 + 5 = 9, flight). Ask each group to prove its phenomenon. Each group will present their evidence and the rest of the class will serve as the judges, deciding whether the explanation was convincing from a secular stand point. After each group presents, assign the existence of God to each group to prove and present and then for the class to judge. 4d. **Provide guided practice**: Define humanism. Read the lyrics of humanist songs, in the Folkshul song book, and ask students how these songs incorporate humanist values. Sing some songs! 6. **Close the lesson**: Have each student develop his/her own version of an elevator answer to the question: Who is a Secular Humanistic Jew? (see definitions and example below) 7. **References**: (optional list of references, links and reading related to the lesson)
 * TITLE**: Survey of Students Values and Beliefs
 * GOALS**: Welcome back students to Folkshul, get a very general preview of what the grade will cover, and explore both the meaning of and the students attitudes towards secular humanist Jewishness
 * MATERIALS**: "Curious Me" by Judy Spain Barton (found in Book, __Little Feelings__); Folkshul Song Books (alternatively: lyrics to Blowin' in the Wind, Imagine, Strangest Dream); Jewishness multiple choice questions; markers or other writing utensils




 * Supplement**
 * Who is a Secular Humanistic Jew? **
 * **Secular Humanistic Jew:** A Jew who is a secular humanist
 * **Jew:** A person who identifies with the history, culture, and fate of the Jewish people.
 * **Secular Person: ** A person who explains observations and feelings in natural, nontheistic, concrete ways.
 * **Secular Humanism:** A rational philosophy informed by science, inspired by art and motivated by compassion. Affirming the dignity of each human being, it supports the maximization of individual liberty and opportunity consonant with social and planetary responsibility. It advocates the extension of participatory democracy and the expansion of the open society, standing for human rights and social justice. Free of supernaturalism, it recognizes human beings as a part of nature and holds that values - be they religious, ethical, social, or political - have their source in human instinct, experience, and culture. Humanism thus derives the goals of life from human need and interest rather than from theological or ideological abstractions, and asserts that humanity must take responsibility for its own destiny. (Definition of Humanism in //The Humanist//, May/June 1997)
 * **Judaism: ** what Jews do at any particular time in history
 * **Religious Judaism**: the religions of the Jews at any time in history
 * **Cultural Judaism**: the civilizations of Judaism at any time in history.


 * An example of a too big elevator response to the question of Who is a Secular Humanistic Jew? is:**

A person who belongs to and carries on traditions of the Jewish people; who respects and works to increase human integrity and dignity; who explains all experience, including that of the Jewish people, in natural ways; who uses critical thinking bound by experience and tested in a public forum to evaluate explanations; and whose significant goals include among others to increase the happiness, freedom, social justice and progress of humankind. Some ethical values include among others love of learning, personal responsibility for our actions and their consequences, Tsedakah (duty vs. charity), social justice, respect for life and love of life (this life is worth living and enjoying) The class discussed the concept of putting people in boxes through a game of "Most Likely To...". This game is a simple one of saying, "Most likely to [invent something that will change the world]" and then everyone points at a person in the circle that they think is most likely to do that action. Not surprisingly, the majority of the students all chose the same person each round. . We often two-dimensionalize ideas or people to make sense of our surroundings. Though, questioning those natural tendencies is an essential part of growing and allowing others to grow. In the continuation of creating a non-judgemental space, I found this concept important to talk about.
 * Julie's Annotations**

After this simulation and discussion, we got into the meat of the lesson: defining secular humanistic Jewishness. It was broken down into each word, beginning with Jewishness. The students were split into pairs and went around the room answering multiple choice questions about their Jewish beliefs. Afterward the students each explained to the class their connection with Jewishness (of course, there was much overlap). We next talked about secularism. We read a poem about a little boy who asks questions and highlighted questioning as a crucial component of being secular. Next, the students were split into three groups and asked to develop a proof different phenomenon (gravity, 4 + 5 = 9, flight) and present that proof to the rest of the class. At each presentation, we decided, as a class, whether or not the explanation was convincing from a secular stand point. This section culminated in each group attempting to prove God's existence. They had a little more trouble making convincing arguments that round.

Humanism was the final topic of the day. As a class, we defined the word and then went to the music books for some confirmation. We read the lyrics of several songs in Folkshul's song book and discussed how these songs incorporated humanist values. Afterwards, we wrapped up the class by singing.