Teacher's Guide for CALLIOPE ^® Zoroastrianism

January 2005

Have students read "Zarathustra" and answer the following questions.

1. Who is Zarathustra?
2. When and where did Zarathustra live?
3. What are the Gathas and what do they tell us about Zarathustra?
4. What does the biography developed by the maji tell us about Zarathustra?

Have students read "Good vs. Evil" and then pair up students. Have them create a collage representing the notions of Good and Evil in Zoroastrianism. The collage should be created on poster board with a clear line dividing the poster into two haves (one for the Good side and one for Evil). Students can use words, images, drawings, and colors to demonstrate their understanding of different aspects of Good and Evil in Zoroastrianism. The internet may be useful for gathering images (Google Images is a recommended search engine).

Once each pair has completed the collage which may be done as class work or a homework project, they can present their collage to the class.

Have students read this article and fill in the blanks.

1. The six spiritual beings are known as the _________________.
   
   
2. _______________________is considered the father of Zoroastrianism.
   
   
3. ________________protects animals.
   
   
4. __________________protects fire.
   
   
5. _________________________protects metals and minerals.
   
   
6. Beneficent Devotion protects the ________________.
   
   
7. ____________________________protects the waters.
   
   
8. Immortality protects the _________________.
   
   
9. Ahura Mazda protects _______________.
   
   
10. The Amesha Spentas' other spiritual helpers are called ______________.
    
    
11. ______________________goddess of rewards.
    
    
12. _________________ is the greatest fighter of the demon.
    
    
13. Amesha means _________.
    
    
14. Spenta means ________________.

Divide students into groups of three or four and have them read this article and answer the following questions.

1. In what language is the Avesta composed?
2. Who were the Airiya?
3. What are the Gathas?
4. What does the Vivedad tell us?
5. According to the Zoroastrians, what did Alexander the Great do when he conquered Achaemenid Empire?
6. Why was the Avesta translated to Pahlavi?
7. Why did Zoroastrian priests have to develop a new alphabet to record the Avesta?
8. What is the Denkard?
9. Why have only a few Avestan manuscripts survived today?
10. Where can surviving Avestan texts be found today?

Create a Navruz banquet in your classroom! Assign or have students volunteer to bring in various foods and items found in a traditional Navruz banquet. Additionally, have students bring in a food item that they believe represents or symbolizes rebirth, rejuvenation, fruit of the earth, health, love and beauty, age and patience, and the idea of conquering darkness. Have students arrange their tables (you can bring desks together) in the same way it is done for Navruz. This activity is a great community builder!

Have your students read this article and then in pairs, have them create a chart with five columns on it. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Western Thought should each have its own column. Have students take notes on how Zoroastrianism influenced each religion/philosophy. Create a replica of this chart on the board and have each pair come up to the board and write down a contribution.

This writing activity will draw upon the personal experiences of each one of your students. After reading this article, in one paragraph, have your students summarize the main points of a Navjote ceremony. In an additional 1-2 paragraphs, have your students write about similar rites of passage in their culture/religion and in American culture in general.

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Updated: 11/21/08 09:56 am
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