DRIVING QUESTION:
What impact does faith have on my life and how can religious belief benefit society?
Project Overview:
Students of Abbotsford Christian School will host a religious symposium in order to accomplish the following goals:
- Students will learn more about the beliefs of their non-Christian neighbours in the interest of building mutual respect and understanding
- Students will learn how to articulate their own beliefs as Christians to a non-Christian audience
- Students will have the opportunity to reach beyond the walls of the school and practice hospitality
Student participation in the planning and facilitating of the Symposium will also give students the opportunity to reflect on the “Big Ideas” of the course which include:
- Religious belief, across time and place, is a common aspect of many human societies
- Religion can powerfully shape social, political, legal and environmental values
- Comparing beliefs provides insights and understanding of diverse global cultures and peoples
- An individual’s search for existential insight and transcendence can be shaped by a variety of different religious, spiritual, or philosophical traditions
“This project was a big success. The project really lent itself to the content and competency skills beautifully. I think the next time around, students would benefit from interacting with each other at a basic level prior to the Symposium. For example, the teachers from ACS and Dasmesh could collect students questions that they would like to have addressed during the symposium ahead of time. Students having to customize the presentations for the audience would add another layer of authenticity.”
Product/Presentation:
- Whiteboard Animation Video and Presentations
How has this engaged students in ACS’ mission and vision?
Engaging Minds: The community building aspect of this project and the fact that it culminates with a public audience will make this experience engaging for students. Additionally, the project requires students to take a high-level of personal ownership.
Nurturing Hearts: This project requires students to reflect on own their beliefs and how to share them in a way that is winsome. They will also learn what it means to be a good neighbour and a kind host.
Shaping God’s World: This project will enable students to reach beyond the walls of the school to other community members in a spirit of mutual respect and understanding. Sharing our beliefs in a respectful way as gracious hosts will enable our class to be an effective witness to our non-Christian neighbours.
How has this learning experience served or connected to our community?
For many of our students, Christianity is something that is part of the fabric of their lives. Growing up in a Christian home, going to a Christian school, youth group and church on Sunday has given them a foundation for their faith, but they maybe have not had many opportunities to share their beliefs with others outside of the community. This symposium will require students to consider exactly what it is they believe as Christians and how best to share their beliefs to an audience that is unfamiliar with Christianity.
Once this process is complete, students then have the opportunity to reach out beyond the walls of the school and share their beliefs with students from another school (Dasmesh Punjabi School). Conversely, our students have the opportunity to learn about the core beliefs of the Sikh community. The breakout sessions that students participated in also helped students to build relationships with students in another religious community in Abbotsford and practice hospitality.
“I really liked hosting Dasmesh. I learned so much more from the students than I could have learned by researching.” – Grade 11 student
“It was really cool connecting with another school and getting to know the students from Dasmesh.” – Grade 12 student
SAMPLE PROJECT FILES:
Please do not reproduce without prior permission. To make this request, please email us.
Symposium Rubric
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