Tapestry of Faith: Building Bridges: A World Religions Program for 8th-9th Grades

Activity 5: Time Line

Activity time: 3 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Religions Time Line (Workshop 1)
  • Sticky notes and fine-point markers
  • World map or globe

Preparation for Activity

  • Display the Religions Time Line.
  • Write a sticky note saying "Indigenous Religions, 3 million BCE" and add a left-pointing arrow.

Description of Activity

The Religions Time Line is updated to add Indigenous Religions.

Ask participants if they remember when humanity began practicing religion. Tell them it was three million years ago, according to archaeological and anthropological evidence. Explain that our time line does not go back nearly that far, but that the arrow indicates the early origins of indigenous religions. Ask if participants remember where the largest groups of people belonging to indigenous religions live. As they call out the locations, identify them on the map. (China, eastern and southern Africa, Southeast Asia, Japan, Australia, Mexico, Central America, Ireland, United States)