Cosmology
Different Stories

Cosmology is the story of the universe. According to the Green Studies Curriculum, cosmology is “the study of the origin, processes, structure, and/or dynamics of the universe.”

For the purposes of these activities, it is the science-based story of the universe. Personal cosmologies may differ according to culture and background and providing a basis for much discussion, they are not the definitions we use.

 

Objectives

Green (Earth Literacy Goals)

  1. The student will consider how three different bases for a universe change perspectives and outcomes.
  2. The student will evaluate the relevance of a universe story is to culture.
  3. The student will evaluate the impact of different universe stories on the planet.
  4. Students will consider how different universe stories might drive action.

 

ESL

  1. Students will practice small group discussion skills.
  2. Students will use the etiquette of turn taking.
  3. Students will practice effective listening skills.
  4. Students will practice summarizing and retelling essential elements of a discussion.

 

Materials

This activity requires only that students have paper (for any notes they want to write for the presentation) and writing tool. It is a classroom activity with an optional reading assignment for follow-up discussion on day 2.

 

Time

1- 1.5 hours

 

Steps/procedures

This is fundamentally a simple discussion activity.

  • Have students form several small groups of three people.
  • Ask them to decide who will later represent the group in relating the discussion they will have had.
  • Tell students to think about these three possible bases for a story:
  1. First there was a man and then there was a woman.
  2. First there was a woman and then there was a man.
  3. First there was a fox and a coyote.
  • Instruct the students to use the following questions for consideration of the above possibilities:
  1. What is fundamentally different about them?
  2. How do the legends differ from each other?
  3. How might belief in each of these influence us?
  4. How might belief in each of these influence our relationship to the earth?

 
  • After students have had fifteen to twenty minutes to discuss these ideas in small groups, one person from each group will relate to the whole class a short summary (three minutes maximum) of what was talked about in the small groups.
  • At the end of the class give the students the handout of the Miwok story from Keepers of the Animals by Michael Caduto and Joseph Bruche. They can read it and think about it.
  • If desired, the next class could use the handout for a discussion.

 

Resources:

Keepers of the Animals by Michael Caduto and Joseph Bruche
On Amazon.com