FaithStatement

IntegratingaChristianperspectiveandworldviewintolessonsisveryvaluable
andimportanttome.ChristianityiswovenintoallaspectsofcreationbecauseGodisthe
creator.ThereisnowherethatHeisnotpresentanddoesnothaveahandincreating.
Therefore,integratingfaithandlearningisnotonlyimportant,butalsoverypossiblein
allaspectsoflessonsandpedagogy.
Themainpurposeofthisunitplanistoteachstudentshowtouseandexplore
nonfictiontextthroughtheunderstandingofnonfictiontextualfeatures.Ifstudentscan
understandtheimportance,significance,andpurposeofthesefeatures,theywillhavethe
toolsandknowhowtonavigateandutilizenonfictiontextsmoreeffectivelyand
efficiently.Thiscanbeanextremelyimportantskilltohavenotonlyinacademiclifebut
alsooutsideofanorganizedschoolsetting.
Uponfirstglance,thisappearstobeunrelatedinanywaytoChristianity.
However,Ibelievethatteachingstudentshowtousenonfictiontextualfeaturescanbe
extremelyimportant.Nonfictiontextsareanimportantlearningresource;aresourcethat
allowsustolearnaboutthecreatedworld.Godplacedusinchargeofhiscreationin
GenesiswhenHesaid,Letusmakemankindinourimage,inourlikeness,sothatthey
mayruleoverthefishintheseaandthebirdsinthesky,overthelivestockandallthe
wildanimals,andoverallthecreaturesthatmovealongthegroundand"Godcreated
mankindinhisownimage,intheimageofGodhecreatedthem;maleandfemalehe
createdthem(Genesis1:2627,NIV).HumanityhasbeenplacedinchargeofGods
createdworld.Wehavebeengiventheresponsibilityofcaringforitandnurturingit.We

cannotcareforitadequatelyifwedonotunderstanditorknowverymuchaboutit.Non
fictiontextsareanimportantwayforustolearnaboutGodscreationandhowtobest
careforit.Givingstudentsthetoolstousenonfictionallowsthemtheopportunityto
maximizetheirabilitytoutilizenonfictiontextsasalearningtool.
Duringthisunitplan,studentswillbeencouragedtointeractanddiscussideas
andtheirlearninginacommunity.InGenesis2:18,GodmakesitclearthatItisnot
goodforthemantobealoneand,becauseofthis,createsEveforAdam(Genesis2,
NIV).Wehavebeenbornintocommunityandthatwearerelationalbeingswhothrive
oninteractingwithandcaringforeachother(Stronks&Stronks,1999,p.33).Therefore,
itisimportantthatstudentsaregiventhechanceandopportunitytoengagein
relationshipsintheclassroom.
ThesearethetwomainwaysthatIhavechosentointegratefaithandlearning
intheclassroomduringthisunitplan.Studentsneedtoknowhowtousenonfictiontexts
inordertobeabletolearnaboutandcareforcreation.Studentswillalsohavethe
opportunitytogrowtheirrelationalskillsthroughinteractionwiththeirpeersthrough
discussionandgroupwork.Theseareimportantthingsthatintegratefaithandlearning.
Althoughthisismyworldview,theworldviewofmystudentsmaybevery
different.Iknowforafactthattherearestudentsintheclassroomwhocomefrom
Christianbackgrounds.Therearestudentswhocomefromavarietyofbackgrounds,
cultures,andhomesthatmaybeverydifferentfromthatoftheirpeersandalsovery
differentfromme.Itisimportantthatstudentsfeelsafeexpressingtheirthoughtsand
worldviewsinlessonseveniftheyaredifferentfromthatofothers.Theirworldviewis

thefilterthroughwhichtheywillviewthelessonsand,therefore,itisanimportantthing
toconsider.Althoughitwouldbeessentiallyimpossibletocreatealessonthatclearly
tookintoaccounttheworldviewofeverysinglechild,itisstillimportantformeto
considerhowtheworldviewofthesechildrenwillreflecthowtheylearn.
Forthisunitplan,themainareasinwhichstudents'worldviewwilllikelyhave
thegreatestimpactwillbeintheirinteractionwiththeinformationfoundinnonfiction
textsandintheirinteractionswithothers.Nonfictionopensthedoorstomanydifferent
truths.Howthestudentsinteractwiththesetruths,questionthesetruths,andacceptthese
truthswillgreatlydependupontheirworldview.AsIgothroughteachingtheseunit
plans,Ihopetoensurethatallstudentsfeelcomfortablebringingtheirquestionsand
thoughtsaboutthethingstheyread.Worldviewalsohadagreatimpactuponhowwe
interactwithothers.Thisunitplanallowsforagreatamountofsocialinteraction,partner
work,andsmallgroupwork.Howstudentsviewothers,howstudentsbelievethatothers
shouldbetreated,andhowtheybelievethattheyshouldbetreatedwillgreatlyaffecthow
theselessonsgo.IwillhavetokeepthisinmindasIgroupstudentsanddeterminewhom
theyworkwith.
Forthisunit,Iwillhavetoconstantlykeepinmindmyworldviewaswellasthe
worldviewofmystudents.Ihopetobeabletointegratethetwoinawaythatallowsfor
everyonetobeasuccessfullearnerthroughthisexperience.