Course Syllabus

Syllabus World Religions

Welcome

Welcome to World Religions! We’re so glad you’re here.

Every lesson is designed to help you grow as a thinker, problem solver, and global learner. As a Mizzou Academy global student, you will complete lessons and assignments on your own schedule, interacting with course content, participating in interactives, and completing practice activities, as well as drafting and revising assignments, preparing for quizzes and assessments, and taking exams.

To stay on track, we recommend using a pacing guide. You can find more information about pacing in the Course Resources section, along with helpful tools, technology support, and tips for online learning success.

As you begin, remember that online learning requires both independence and communication. Be curious, stay organized, and don’t hesitate to reach out to your teacher if you need support.

We’re excited to learn with you, and we’re happy you’re part of our Mizzou Academy community! 

Pacing

This course can be completed in as few as six weeks or take up to 6 months (180 calendar days). The six weeks are counted from the date of the first lesson submission and not the date of enrollment.

This course is asynchronous, meaning you can complete lessons and assignments at your own pace.

Most students spend approximately 10 hours per lesson interacting with course content, participating in interactive activities, and completing practice exercises, as well as drafting and revising assignments, preparing for quizzes and assessments, and taking exams. Your time may vary depending on your goals and learning style. 

We encourage you to work at a consistent pace, allowing time to absorb new ideas, build skills, and reflect on what you’ve learned. Use a pacing guide to plan ahead, stay organized, and finish strong. 

Course Description

You will begin each lesson by exploring a religion through a historical/traditions-based model, which provides a brief overview of some of the major concepts and historical people associated with that specific religion. As you study, keep in mind each of these traditions has a deep and complex history dating back centuries and examining the rich texture of this history in such an introductory course will often not be possible. As you study, think about things you know about these religions that the course does not cover. Additionally, we at Mizzou Academy encourage you to explore additional lines of inquiry related to the history, texts, and current events of religion. 

The next section of each lesson will focus on analyzing a piece of literature associated with a particular religion. Some examples of texts you will read are The Bhagavad Gita, The Sermon at Benares, the Tao Te Ching, the Gospel of Mark, and more. 

The final part of each lesson will be devoted to the exploration of two issues or current events showing how the religion is relevant, internally diverse (meaning views are different from person to person, even within a particular religious tradition), and changing in modern society. This approach is known as the cultural studies model.

The major goals of this course are to study religions and come to understand that:

  1. Religions are internally diverse
  2. Religions are dynamic and beliefs and practices can change throughout time
  3. Religions change with the culture in which it is practiced and cultures can also change to reflect the religions practiced

Let’s explore these in a bit more depth:

Outcome One: Religions are Internally Diverse. Within this course, you will likely be exposed to many ideas for the first time. When exploring ideas for the first time, it is important to remember these traditions are venerated and respected by people all over the world. For this reason, it is important to retain a climate of tolerance for the duration of this course. Given that all religions are internally diverse and changing at all times, we must move away from basic generalizations, such as saying “All Jewish people believe….” or “All Christians believe…,” and more towards asking questions that can be answered by different people in different ways. Answers to questions about people’s experiences practicing a religion vary for almost every person. 

Outcome Two: Religions are Dynamic and Changing Throughout Time. Religions change with each passing year and century. For example, the King James Bible was written about 400 years ago and a lot of the language was relevant to early 1600’s English society. This version of the Bible was interpreted for its time and place, and is still being re-interpreted today.

Outcome Three: Religions Change with the Culture and Cultures Change with Religions. It is impossible to understand the complexity of a society’s culture without investigating religious participation within those trends. For example, Bible-themed cartoons regularly show up in The New Yorker magazine, the Bible is consistently cited on the floor of the US Senate or on election campaign trails, and groups such as the “Moral Majority” demonstrate how like-minded religious groups can make an impact on a nation’s social and political fabric. 

 

With these goals in mind, let me say once again that I’m excited you’re here. Let’s investigate some religions of the world!

Course Essential Questions

List two essential questions students will explore in your course–one for each half of the course.

 
  1. How do religious traditions develop and transform over time in response to historical, social, and cultural change?
  2. In what ways are religions internally diverse, and how do factors such as culture, geography, language, and personal experience shape the way individuals practice a shared tradition?
  3. How do religious texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Gospel of Mark, or the Tao Te Ching reflect the historical and cultural contexts in which they were written, and how are they interpreted differently across time and communities?
  4. How do religions interact with, influence, and respond to the cultures in which they are practiced, and how do those cultures in turn shape religious life?
  5. How can studying current events through the lens of religion help us understand the complexity, diversity, and contemporary relevance of religious traditions today?

PreRequisites

No prerequisites are required but World History A/B are preferred.

Course Overview

World Religions

Lesson

Objectives

Quiz

Assignment

1: The Study of Religion

1.1 Summarize the four approaches to studying religion

1.2 Define religious literacy

1.3 Develop questions that promote religious literacy

N/A

L1 Podcast Project Episode 1: Religious Literacy

2: Hinduism

2.1 Describe the role of iconography in modern Hindu practice.

2.2 Summarize the religious and philosophical insights conveyed in the Bhagavad Gita

2.3 Recognize the significance of the Bhagavad Gita on contemporary Hindu life.

2.4 Describe the various representations of God in Hinduism

2.5 Recognize major Hindu deities

2.6 Describe the guiding principles of Hinduism

2.7 Connect lessons from the Bhagavad Gita to personal experiences (synthesize the…)

2.8 Contrast the concept of Yoga in Western society to the yoga that is a central part of Hindu belief

10 MCQ 

N/A

3: Buddhism

3.1 Summarize the historical beginnings of Buddhism 

3.2 Describe the significance of the Sermon at Benares, the Buddha’s first teaching, in the founding of Buddhism

3.3 Define the elements of the Eightfold Path 

3.4 Summarize how the Eightfold Path guides the day-to-day life of modern Buddhist practitioners 

3.5 Compare the three vehicles of Buddhism

3.6 Analyze how the practice of mindfulness in the West was influenced by Buddhist tradition 

3.7 Connect lessons from the Sermon at Benares to personal experiences.

10 MCQ

N/A

4: Jainism

4.1 Summarize the historical beginnings of Jainism

4.2 Explain how the Five Great Vows are guides the day-to-day life of modern Jain practitioners

4.3 Describe the significance of the swastika symbol within the Jain religion

4.4 Summarize the challenges Jain practitioners face while navigating modern society

4.5 Explain the significance of the concept of ahimsa (non-violence) within the Jain religion

4.6 Recognize Jain dietary restrictions and their roots in non-violence

4.7 Plan a menu that adheres to Jain dietary restrictions

N/A

L4 Podcast Project Episode 2: South Asian Religious Traditions

5: Taoism

5.1 Summarize the historical beginnings of Taoism

5.2 Describe the significance of key symbols used within Taoism

5.3 Recognize the major techniques aimed at cultivation within Taoism

5.4 Summarize the major Taoist deities and their roll in the Taoist belief system

10 MCQ

N/A

Midterm Exam - 2 parts

Part 1: Objective & Short Answer - 20 MCQ and 3 Short Answer

Part 2: Midterm Performance - Advanced Journal Revision

6: Judaism

6.1 Summarize the historical beginnings of Judaism as a religion.

6.2 Identify important sites of Judaism.

6.3 Differentiate between denominations of Judaism

6.4 Differentiate between the sections of Jewish holy scriptures.

6.5 Connect lessons from Genesis and Exodus to personal experiences.

6.6 Summarize ways Jews respond and adapt to modern contemporary issues.

10 MCQ

L6 Assignment: Torah Project

7: Christianity

7.1 Summarize the historical beginnings of Christianity as a religion and the life of Jesus, the apostles, and Paul.

7.2 Identify important sites of Christianity.

7.3 Connect the history of Christian schisms to sects and denominations found today.

7.4 Differentiate between denominations.

7.5 Differentiate the sections of Christian holy scriptures.

7.6 Identify important contextual details in the New Testament

7.7 Connect lessons from the Gospel of Mark to personal experiences.

7.8 Summarize ways Christians respond and adapt to modern contemporary issues.

10 MCQ

N/A

8: Islam

8.1 Summarize key events and context details regarding the life of Muhammad and the founding of Islam as a religion.

8.2 Identify key locations and important sites of Islam

8.3 Connect the history of Islam to the sects of Islam

8.4 Identify important contextual details in the Qur’an

8.5 Differentiate between thematic categories within the Qu’ran

8.6 Connect lessons from the Qur’an to personal experiences.

8.7 Define the pillars of Islam

8.8 Compare Islamic clothing choices across different cultures

8.9 Summarize ways Muslims respond and adapt to modern contemporary issues

N/A

L8 Project: Abrahamic Monotheism

9: Sikhism

9.1 Summarize key details in the founding of Sikhism as a religion.

9.2 Identify basic beliefs and practices within Sikhism

9.3 Explain the importance of important sites in Sikhism

9.4 Connect the history of Sikhism to other traditions of Hinduism and Islam

9.5 Identify important details of the Guru Granth Sahib’s creation

9.6 Explain the role of key symbols within Sikhism

9.7 Summarize ways Sikhs respond and adapt to modern contemporary issues.

9.8 Connect lessons from the Guru Granth Sahib to personal experiences.

9.9 Describe major Sikh celebrations. 

9.10 Examine ways in which Sikhs are misidentified and discriminated against.

10 MCQ

N/A

10: Spirituality

10.1 Recognize trends that are prevalent among the religions of the world.

10.2 Recognize how religion is changing in the world today.

N/A

L10 Project: Research/Interview a Local Religious Presence

Final exam - 2 parts

Part 1: Objective & Short Answer - 20 MCQ and 3 Short Answer

Part 2: Midterm Performance - Advanced Journal Revision

 

Grades

Your final grade will be based on the number of points you earn on submitted work and exams. The available points are distributed as follows:

Source Available Points
Lesson Assignments 115
Lesson Quizzes 60
Midterm Exam 130
Final Exam 130
Total 435

 

Textbook & Technology Requirements

To fully participate, make sure you have:

  • A computer that meets our Mizzou Academy technology requirements
  • A microphone and webcam for recording audio and video assignments
  • Any other required textbooks or materials for the course

Textbook

There are no required materials for this course.

Technology

The most up-to-date requirements can be found here: 

Additional requirements for the course are below: 

  • audio and video recording capabilities (e.g., smartphone, camera)

If you ever have trouble accessing course materials or recording tools, reach out to your teacher for support. We are here to help!

Accessibility

If you anticipate barriers related to the format or requirements of this course, please let Mizzou Academy know as soon as possible. If disability-related accommodations are necessary (for example, a scribe, reader, extended time on exams, captioning), please contact Mizzou Academy.

Canvas Technical Support

Canvas will be used as the primary platform for accessing course materials and assignments for this class.