Elementary (Grades 3-5)

Middle School (Grades 6-8)

• Have chart paper and markers.

• Preprint on chart paper the titles “Sacred Buildings” (2 charts), “Sacred Locations in the United States” (2 charts), “Sacred Places in Other Parts of the World” (2 charts), “Examples of Non-Religious Sacred Places” (2 charts).

• Have copies of individual numbered paragraphs from the handout What is Sacred Space? so that each student in a numbered group gets a copy of the group’s paragraph. (Example: In a class of 24 students, there will be eight groups of three students per group. Therefore, you will need three copies of paragraph 1, three copies of paragraph 2, etc.)

• Have copies of the handout What is a Sacred Space?, one for each student with extra copies as needed.

CASEL Core Competencies

• Self-Awareness

• Self-Management

• Social Awareness

• Relationship Skills

• Responsible Decision Making

Common Core ELA-Literacy Standards

• Reading Informational Text

• Writing

• Speaking and Listening

NCSS Social Studies Themes

• Culture

• Individuals, Groups and Institutions

• Define sacred

• Identify different kinds of spaces that are sacred to religious and non-religious people

• Describe how people dress and behave in sacred spaces

• Explain why people behave differently in sacred places

• Explain why it is important to show respect to spaces that are sacred to others

• Sacred

By a show of hands, ask: How many people know what the word sacred means?

Post the definition of sacred: connected with a god (or gods) or dedicated to a religious or spiritual purpose so that it is deserving of great, deep respect.

Review the definition to ensure all students understand it.

Ask: How many people have been in a building that is dedicated to a god or gods or is used only for religious reasons?

Post the chart titled “Buildings Dedicated to a God or Gods Used Only for Religious Purposes.”

Ask: What was the building called? Chart student responses.

After students have listed as many different kinds of religious buildings they know of, tell students the class will get back to this.

Divide the class into eight small groups, numbered 1-8. Give each member of group 1 the paragraph(s) numbered 1, each member of group 2 the paragraph(s) numbered 2, etc.

Tell students they have five minutes to read their document. While students are reading, distribute the preprinted charts to the groups with the applicable reading passage – Sacred Buildings (two charts, one for group 1 and one for group 2), Sacred Locations in the United States (two charts, one for Group 3, one for Group 4), Sacred Places in Other Parts of the World (two charts, one for Group 5, one for Group 6), Examples of Non-Religious Sacred Places (two charts, Group 7, one for Group 8). Give each group colored markers.

When all students finish reading, tell the class the groups have five minutes to write down information about what they have read on their chart paper. Tell students that each group’s members should be prepared to answer the questions that relate to their reading passage.

Ask: Groups 1 and 2, besides the list of buildings we started together, what are some other buildings that are places of worship for different religious faiths?

After the groups provide their information, ask the groups to post their charts on the wall. Do this after each question set.

Ask: Groups 3 and 4, what are some natural places or locations in the United States that are considered sacred to people in their religious belief? Why is the place considered sacred? What do people who consider it sacred do when they go to the place?

Ask: Groups 5 and 6, what are some places in other parts of the world that are considered sacred to people of different faiths? Why is the place considered sacred? What do people who consider it sacred do when they go to the place?

Note: Depending on the size and grade level of the class, this lesson may take two days for the groups to report.

Ask: Groups 7 and 8, what are some secular or non-religious places in the United States that are not connected to a specific religious faith but that many people consider sacred? What happened at these places that made them sacred?

When all groups have answered and posted their charts, distribute to each student a copy of the complete handout What is Sacred Space?

Ask students if they have any questions about any of the information that has been shared. Ask students to provide clarification and/or the teacher can provide clarification depending on the grade level of the class.

Ask: Based on your own experience and what you have just learned, how is someone supposed to behave when she or he goes into a place of worship? Chart student responses. (Prompt students to include information from what they have read.)

Read aloud some of the behaviors. Ask: Why do people behave this way? (Make sure that one or more students refers to the behavior being respectful.)

Ask: Are there other ways that people who go into a sacred place show their respect? Chart responses. (Again, ask for specific examples from the reading.) If no one mentions the sign mentioned in reading #4, read the passage and ask: What does this sign tell us about how people were being disrespectful?

Ask: Can any of you share examples of places you consider sacred? How would you feel if someone went to those places and ____ fill in with behaviors opposite those provided by students such as “yelled” instead of spoke quietly, “ran all over the place” instead of walked, and so on. Chart student responses.

Ask: Why would you feel this way?

Ask: How do you want people to act when they are in a space that you consider sacred?

• Handout- What is a Sacred Space?