INTRODUCTION Introduction to Worldview PURPOSE You will Begin

INTRODUCTION Introduction to Worldview

PURPOSE You will: Begin to understand the concept of worldview. Develop an interest in learning how the worldviews of different groups of people at different times affected how they lived. Begin to think about how your worldview defines who you are.

KEY TERMS Worldview Point of view Identity Values Beliefs Society Western world Multicultural Perspective History Systems Resources

WHAT DOES WORLDVIEW MEAN TO YOU? We will discuss pages 2 -3 together as a class. What does the word “worldview” mean to you? A worldview can be defined as: A collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group; the overall perspective from which one sees the world.

WHAT DOES WORLDVIEW MEAN TO YOU? Think about your own points of view about the world: ü What are your most important values and beliefs? ü How do they agree with the worldview of your society? § Using the examples on page 4… use the template provided to answer these two questions.

INTRODUCING WORLDVIEW Get in groups of 2; an “elbow partner” will work well for this. Using pages 2 -7 of the textbook, make a list of important ideas about worldview. We will use our first graphic organizer to do this: A Bullseye Organizer! What are some of the worldviews/perspectives of key Canadian groups? (I. e. First Nations, Francophones, British? )

ELEMENTS OF SOCIETY AFFECTED BY WORLDVIEW As a class we will read pages 8 -10. Ø Let’s discuss the elements of society affected by worldview by looking at the graphic organizer. What does placing Worldview: Values and Beliefs at the centre suggest? What do you think the direction of the arrows is meant to show?

FACTORS AFFECTING WORLDVIEW Same idea: What does placing Worldview: Values and Beliefs at the centre suggest? What do you think the direction of the arrows is meant to show?

WORLDVIEW REVIEW

WHAT A WORLDVIEW IS NOT: Your worldview is not your point of view. Your point of view is your individual opinion and preference. Ex. Some people like the Calgary Flames and some people like the Edmonton Oilers and some like another team or do not like hockey. Worldview is much more than a preference or opinion.

WHAT A WORLDVIEW IS NOT: A worldview is not a perspective. A perspective is a point of view that a group of people share. For example, thinking back to the wonderful year of Grade 7… v From the European perspective, North America was the New World to be owned, but from the First Nations perspective, how could anyone own the land?

WHAT A WORLDVIEW IS: A worldview includes perspective and point of view. It is pervasive: something that is everywhere. It also creates meaning and answers questions, such as: Who are we? Where do we come from? How do we manage our way of life? Where are we going? Why is the world the way it is? What is true and what is false?

WHAT A WORLDVIEW IS: A worldview changes over time and with new experiences. It is more than how we see the world; it becomes how we act and make choices as global citizens.

THINKING CRITICALLY Thinking about worldviews requires us to examine beliefs and assumptions we may never have before. To do this we need to be critical thinkers—that is, to carefully question your own thoughts, that you may not have examined before.

THINKING CRITICALLY An effective critical thinker is: Open minded Raises important questions and problems and expresses them clearly Gathers and assesses information effectively, and tests conclusions against relevant information Communicates well with others to find effective solutions to problems.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE WORLDVIEW? Wrap-Up Task: Ø In larger groups, define worldview by using words, shapes, pictures, and colours. Ø Use the chart paper/manila tag provided any markers you may need.