7th Grade Social Studies

World Religions Note Catcher

Name
________________________________________

Period ________

Monotheistic Religions (one god) Polytheistic Religions (more than one god)

Judaism Hinduism
Sacred Texts: Sacred Texts:

Geography: Geography:

How it Started: How it Started:

Core Beliefs: Core Beliefs:

Symbol: Symbol:

Christianity Buddhism
Sacred Texts: Sacred Texts:

Geography: Geography:

How it Started: How it Started:

Core Beliefs: Core Beliefs:

Symbol: Symbol:

Islam
Sacred Texts:

Geography:

How it Started:

Core Beliefs:

Symbol:
Project Description:

Research In this project, you will research five main religions of the world. This
will include finding out the origin, concepts, and spread of each religion.
Interactive Glossary
Primary Source Analysis
Cornell Notes

Project In this project, you will pick one of the five religions to research further.
Your focus will be current events involving your religion. You will pick
one of the three assessment options and create a product.

Pick Your Assessment

#1 #2 #3
Newspaper Article or News Essay Historical/Contemporary
Broadcast Script Fiction

Project Must Haves:

Religion Explanation Origin of religion

Main beliefs
Sacred texts
Geography (origin and current day)
Current Event Location
Who is involved?
What is happening?
Challenges How are peoples reactions affected by their religion?
What historical relationships are involved?
Possible Solutions One possible solution
Potential compromises
 Judaism
Glossary

Judaism the worlds first

religion that believes in one god;
Interactive Glossary
followers are known as Jews
Part A Pick 5 words from the glossary and redefine each in your own words.
Word Definition Israel & Judea a small area of
1 land in the Middle East next to
the Mediterranean Sea; this is
2 where the 12 tribes of Israel, also
known as the Israelites, lived
3
Jerusalem the holy city of the
Jews located in the Judean hills
4
Abraham a Jewish prophet
5
who led his people from the city
Part B Pick 2 words from the glossary and use each in a sentence. of Ur to an area called Canaan
Word Sentence
Canaan the coastal area of land
1 next to the Mediterranean Sea in
1250 BCE; today this area
2 includes Israel and Lebanon
Part C Pick 1 word from the glossary and create a visual representation.
Covenant a binding agreement
Word Visual
that cannot be broken
1
Exodus the escape of the
Israelites from slavery in Egypt

Moses a Jewish prophet who

led the Israelites out of Egypt and
received the 10 Commandments
from God
Religious Text: Primary Source Analysis
Analysis Read the religious text and state the main idea. 10 Commandments the ten
orders from God to the Jewish
people
Have no other gods besides Me, and do not make idols and worship them.
Torah the Jewish holy text with
- text from the 3rd Commandment; Exodus 20:4 from the Torah 5 books: Genesis, Exodus,
Source Main Idea of Document Leviticus, Numbers, and
Deuteronomy
(Blank pages to be replaced with Cornell Notes pages)
 Christianity
Glossary

Christianity a religion that

believes in one god and the
teaching of Jesus Christ;
Interactive Glossary
followers are known as Christians
Part A Pick 5 words from the glossary and redefine each in your own words.
Word Definition Jesus a Jewish man that
1 Christians believe is the messiah
and the son of God
2
Messiah savior
3
Salvation Christians believe
that people need God to forgive
4
their sins so that their souls can
live on after death in the presence
5 of God in heaven
Part B Pick 2 words from the glossary and use each in a sentence.
Word Sentence Trinity Christians believe that
God exists in three forms: God
1 the father, Jesus the son, and the
Holy Spirit
2
Bible & New Testament the
Part C Pick 1 word from the glossary and create a visual representation.
holy text of the Christians; it
Word Visual includes the five books of the
1 Jewish Torah as well as books
from Jesus followers

Gospels the first 4 books of the

New Testament: Matthew, Mark,
Luke, and John

Apostle the 12 closest followers

Religious Text: Primary Source Analysis of Jesus who spread his teachings
after his crucifixion
Analysis Read the religious text and state the main idea.
Crucifixion a Roman method
In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you. of execution; the victim was
nailed to a wooden cross and
- Matthew 7:12 from the New Testament hung until dead
Source Main Idea of Document
 Islam
Glossary

Islam a religion that believes in

one god and the teachings of
Interactive Glossary
Muhammad; followers are known
Part A Pick 5 words from the glossary and redefine each in your own words.
as Muslims
Word Definition
1 Allah the one god of Islam

2 Muhammad the holy

prophet of Islam who was a
messenger of Allah
3
Mecca & Medina The two
4
holiest cities in Islam which are
located in Western Saudi Arabia;
5
Mecca is where Islam began
Part B Pick 2 words from the glossary and use each in a sentence.
Word Sentence Quran the holy text of Islam; it
is copied from Muhammad and is
1 considered the word of God

2 Hajj a pilgrimage to Mecca;

the Quran instructs Muslims to
Part C Pick 1 word from the glossary and create a visual representation.
make the Hajj at least once
Word Visual
1
Ramadan the 9th month of the
Islamic calendar; Muslims fast
during the day in Ramadan

Sunni & Shia the two largest

groups of Muslims; they both
believe in the Quran but they
disagree about certain religious
Religious Text: Primary Source Analysis rules and interpretations; 85% of
Analysis Read the religious text and state the main idea. Muslims are Sunni

Sharia the Islamic law code,

He who eats his fill while his neighbor goes without food is not a believer which describes the right way to
act through specific rules of
- excerpt from the Hadith (a set of Muhammads writings on moral personal conduct
behavior)
Source Main Idea of Document Mosque an Islamic temple
 Hinduism
Glossary

Hinduism a religion that

believes in many gods; followers
are known as Hindus
Interactive Glossary
Part A Pick 5 words from the glossary and redefine each in your own words.
Brahman one supreme force
Word Definition or god, that binds the universe
1 together

2 Brahma, Vishnu, & Shiva the

three main gods of Hinduism;
Brahma is the creator god; Vishnu
3
is the preserver god; and Shiva is
the destroyer god
4
River Ganges a sacred river
5 that purifies those who wash in it
Part B Pick 2 words from the glossary and use each in a sentence.
Word Sentence Vedas one of Hinduisms holy
texts; it is a collection of sacred
1 hymns that describe how to live

2 Reincarnation rebirth of a soul

in a new body that helps lead to
Part C Pick 1 word from the glossary and create a visual representation.
enlightenment
Word Visual
1 Enlightenment or Moksha to
become free of suffering by
exiting the cycle of reincarnation
and becoming one with Brahman

Karma the effect of a persons

actions, which determines how a
person will be reborn
Religious Text: Primary Source Analysis
Castes a fixed social class that
Analysis Read the religious text and state the main idea.
a person is born into: Brahmins,
Kshatriyas , Vaishyas, Shudras,
As a man discards worn-out clothes to put on new and different ones, so the and Dalits
(soul) discards its worn-out bodies to take on other new ones.
Ahimsa avoiding doing harm to
- Excerpt from the Hindu sacred text, the Bhagavad-Gita any living thing
Source Main Idea of Document
 Buddhism
Glossary

Buddhism a religion with no

god based on the teachings of
Interactive Glossary Buddha; followers are known as
Part A Pick 5 words from the glossary and redefine each in your own words. Buddhists
Word Definition
Buddha the man who taught
1
how to reach enlightenment

2
Meditate to calm or clear the
mind by focusing on one object
3
Enlightenment a state of
4 perfect wisdom

5 Nirvana a state of blissful

peace with no suffering
Part B Pick 2 words from the glossary and use each in a sentence.
Word Sentence
Four Noble Truths
1 1. All of life involves suffering
2. Suffering is caused by selfish
desires
2 3. The way to end suffering is to
overcome selfish desires
Part C Pick 1 word from the glossary and create a visual representation. 4. The way to overcome selfish
Word Visual desires is to follow the
1 Eightfold Path

Eightfold Path
1. Right Belief to believe and
understand the Four Noble
Truths
2. Right Purpose to make
spiritual growth the purpose for
ones life
3. Right Speech to become
Religious Text: Primary Source Analysis aware of what one says; no
Analysis Read the religious text and state the main idea. lying or hurting others
4. Right Conduct to work on
improving ones behavior; no
This is my last advice to you. Allthings in the world are changeable. They are
stealing or hurting others
not lasting. Work hard to gain your own salvation. 5. Right Livelihood to pick a
job that supports spiritual
- According to legend, these are the dying words of Buddha growth and doesnt hurt others
6. Right Effort to avoid having
Source Main Idea of Document
bad thoughts