Buddhism Learning Pack
This semester we are studying India. Back in September I shared the huge India Unit packet I made. We’ve gone through most of that packet and have done a lot of the readings I mentioned in that post. Then while I was recovering from my surgery the kids and my mother-in-law read lots and lots of children’s books about the various Hindu gods and goddesses (books are listed in this post).
As you probably know, Buddhism began in India. Siddhartha Gautama was a Hindu prince who was protected from the harsh realities of life as a youngster. When he realized the extent of human suffering (old age, sickness, death), he was profoundly moved and set out to find the answers to life. He wandered for six years living in poverty, fasting, listening to holy men while looking for the answers he needed. He finally found enlightenment while sitting under a sacred fig tree. To many, Buddhism is more than just a religion, it is a way of life. Buddhism explains the purpose of life and Buddhists try to live a to lead a moral life, try to be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions, and try to develop wisdom and understanding.
Resources:
Last we watched segments from the BBC documentary about Buddha. It’s available online: The Life of Buddha a The Life of Buddha– BBC Video Online.
Some of the books we used for this part of our unit included The Story of Religion, The Evertyhing World Religions Book, and several children’s books including Becoming Buddha. My kids loved the children’s book The Prince Who Ran Away (in fact, DD has read this book at least a half-dozen times!!).
and Buddha by Demi:
And here are a few other books we read. The books above (and the one on the left below) were about Buddha’s life, the two books below on the right are stories Buddha told:
And, once again I made some notebook pages for the kids. It includes some information about Siddhartha Gautama, Buddhism today (how many followers there are, how many Buddhists there are in the world and where they live), and some famous Buddhist temples.
I’ll share it below with anyone who might be interested. It is about 10 pages:
If you found this helpful, I’d love to hear from you over at my Homeschool Den Facebook Page! It really makes my day to hear from other educators!
Other Posts on other World Religions: If you are studying other world religions you can check out the free resources I have made on
Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
Learning about Islam (Free Worksheets and Resources for Kids):
Learning about the New Catholic Pope:
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You might also be interested in the free India Unit Packet (20 pages):
See you again soon here or Homeschool Den Facebook page. Don’t forget to Subscribe to our Homeschool Den Newsletter! ~Liesl
Thanks, I really enjoyed looking at your packs. Well done.
Thanks Leah! The kids and I sure learn a lot along the way and I’m so happy other people have found them useful too! ~Liesl