Activity #4: Pro-social Behavior/Citizenship/Religion/Moral

Development

Pro-social Behavior/Citizenship/Religion/Moral Development

Questions: Your Answers:
4. Web/Professional Journal Project on Morals and Religion in Public Schools (TPE 12 & 13)
Explore the topic of teaching morals and religion in public schools on the Internet /professional journals.
Do the following:
• Download 2-4 articles that provide information concerning the proper teaching of religion and morals in the public school.
• Read the articles and color highlight key points. Submit articles in your folder.
• Record an annotated site directory of 5-7 beneficial web sites that pertain to this topic. Your directory should guide another
person to the best web sites for study of this topic. This means that you look at more web sites than what you select so that
you share the best of the best in terms of beneficial sites.
Be able to discuss and answer the following questions:
• What does the law say about teaching these topics? (See CA Education Code on web or bookstore)
• How do you teach morals and religious ideas that may come up in the curriculum or from student inquiry?
• Notes are sufficient...no formal paper necessary.
• Answer the questions below based on your fieldwork experience.

What connections do you find in the SS
curriculum and pro-social (moral
development) behavior in general?
Ask the teacher/view school web site and
find out what steps the school is taking to
provide safety for students and staff (e.g.,
earthquakes, hate crimes, fire, etc.)
Some of the Social Studies and Language Arts material refers to building
community and kindness.
School website does not include information regarding safety measures such as
earthquake drills; however, there is a powerpoint available to answer questions
regarding bullying policies at Mark Twain.

How is religion appropriately taught
throughout the content of social studies?
Provide examples you find appropriate
based on the curriculum you have
reviewed.
How/When is moral development
addressed though content and learning
activities?
From what I had observed, I did not see religion taught in the social studies
content. In the curriculum I observed, the only religious item that was taught
was a brief detail of the cross at Mt. Rubidoux.
Moral development is addressed in the books that students listen to during
reading comprehension instruction. One of the stories that was read during
Language Arts encouraged sharing with those in need. Students were prompted
to make inferences of the character of kind individuals.

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 List several CA State Academic HSSCS
Standards that apply to teaching religion
and moral development across the grade 5.4 Students understand the political, religious, social, and economic
levels of social studies content. institutions that evolved in the colonial era.

4. Identify the significance and leaders of the First Great Awakening, which
marked a shift in religious ideas, practices, and allegiances in the colonial
period, the growth of religious toleration, and free exercise of religion.

6.2 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social
structures of the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Kush.

3. Understand the relationship between religion and the social and political
order in Mesopotamia and Egypt.

ELA Common Core Standards

RL 8.9 . Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of
events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works
such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new

W 8.9 . Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,

reflection, and research.
a. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how a modern
work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from
myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including
describing

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