Overview
Mainstay of Cambodian Culture: The Buddhist Temple
Author: Christine Su
Grade: 6
Suggested Amount of Time: 120 minutes
Area of Study: Introduction to Cambodian History
Compelling Question
- How does learning about Cambodian history promote a greater understanding of Cambodian American experiences?
Lesson Question
- What is a wat?
- What role do Buddhism and wats play in Cambodian culture?
- How have Buddhism and temples played a major role throughout Cambodian history?
Lesson Objective
Students will understand the importance of the wat in pre-Khmer Rouge village life in Cambodia and understand how the post-Khmer Rouge and refugee experience affected Cambodians’ experiences of Buddhism.
Lesson Background
“In pre-revolutionary Cambodia, the Buddhist temple (wat in Pali, the holy language of Theravada Buddhism; vat in Khmer) was a central fixture in Khmer villages, where it functioned not only as a religious shrine but also as a school, refuge, and social center. Buddhist holy days and life-cycle ceremonies punctuated the Khmer calendar and gave religious meaning to the stages of life. Buddhist norms of conduct were important guides for daily behavior.” (Smith-Hefner, 21)
Image Citation: United States Central Intelligence Agency. Southeast Asia. [Washington, D.C.: Central Intelligence Agency, 2003] Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/2003682647/.
Materials
Supplies
- Rubric
- Picture of Angkor Wat
Readings
- Buddhism: Cambodian Adaptations
- Buddhism: Role of Buddhism in Cambodian Life
- Buddhism and Revolution in Cambodia
- Handouts: https://ucdavis.box.com/s/m8nywazsp3d32osrelkuv1t9gm3qn3ei
Procedures
- Cultural Energizer:
- Prompt students to think of a place that makes them feel at peace and tranquil. Examples of this could be a room at home, a garden, a religious site, or the beach. Have students explain why this place brings them peace.
- Ask them to share with their peers and have a class share out.
- Introduce the lesson questions and objectives. Have students discuss the following with a partner. They can choose to answer the question(s) they are comfortable with.
- Building Context
- Teachers to display the following image of Angkor on the board for students: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/668/
- Students will engage in a See-Think-Wonder with the image.
- Ask students to share with a partner what details they see in the photo, what they think the wat is, and what questions or wonderings they have after looking at the picture. What details in the photo lead them to that conclusion?
- Have a class discussion and allow students to share their thoughts.
- Provide students with context from the lesson background.
- Before students interact with the sources, have them create a note taker (digital or on paper) to answer the lesson questions below. Suggested format of notes: T-Chart (a two-column table used to organize information, particularly when comparing or contrasting two different sets of data). The left side will be labeled ‘Past’ and the right side will be labeled ‘Present’.
- What role do Buddhism and wats play in Cambodian culture?
- How have Buddhism and temples played a major role throughout Cambodian history?
- Interaction with the first source
- Share this quote with students and read it together as a class: “In pre-revolutionary Cambodia, the Buddhist temple (wat in Pali, the holy language of Theravada Buddhism; vat in Khmer) was a central fixture in Khmer villages, where it functioned not only as a religious shrine but also as a school, refuge, and social center. Buddhist holy days and life-cycle ceremonies punctuated the Khmer calendar and gave religious meaning to the stages of life. Buddhist norms of conduct were important guides for daily behavior.” (Smith-Hefner, 21).
- First Read: Highlight and define unfamiliar terms. Define them together as a class.
- Second Read: Teacher will model how to extract information from this quote to add onto the T-chart notes.
- Teacher Note: Most of the details from this quote depict the role of Buddhism and wats, therefore the teacher should model how to synthesize the information into bullet points for the left of the T-chart.
- Interaction with second source
- With a partner, students will look at the following source: https://countrystudies.us/cambodia/48.htm
- Draw students attention to the sections: Cambodian Adaptations and Role of Buddhism in Cambodian Life
- First Read: Highlight and define unfamiliar terms. Partners will define them together.
- Second Read: Students will work as pairs to extract information from this source to add onto the T-chart notes.
- Once complete, have a class discussion to compare notes.
- Interaction with third source
- Students will analyze the final source independently: https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/buddhism-and-revolution-cambodia
- First Read: Highlight and define unfamiliar terms. Partners will define them together.
- Second Read: Students will work as pairs to extract information from this source to add onto the T-chart notes.
- Once complete, have a class discussion to compare notes.
- Assessment and Cultural Production
- Have students review their T-chart notes. Have them highlight or star the details that were similar on both sides (past and present).
- Students will choose from one of the following options to complete their assessment:
- Infographic or Collage of Cambodian Buddhism and Wats - This infographic or collage should include images that represent the significance of Buddhism and wats in the Cambodian culture. Students can include theme words, quotes, and symbols to represent the various aspects.
- Day in the Life Journal Entries - Students can take on the role of a Cambodian community member (either in past or present) and write about their experiences with Buddhism and wats. The journal entry should be in the first person point of view and illustrate the significance of Buddhism and temples, drawing from facts learned in this lesson.
- Once students are complete, allow them to share their final product with a peer who did the opposite project. This will present students with a different approach towards understanding the lesson content.
Assessments
Students will choose from one of the following options to complete their assessment:
- Infographic or Collage of Cambodian Buddhism and Wats - This infographic or collage should include images that represent the significance of Buddhism and wats in the Cambodian culture. Students can include theme words, quotes, and symbols to represent the various aspects.
- Day in the Life Journal Entries - Students can take on the role of a Cambodian community member (either in past or present) and write about their experiences with Buddhism and wats. The journal entry should be in the first person point of view and illustrate the significance of Buddhism and temples, drawing from facts learned in this lesson.
Scaffolds
Engagement: Consider the following method to support with lesson engagement:
- Create expectations for group work (e.g., rubrics, norms, etc.)
- Provide feedback that is frequent, timely, and specific
Representation: Consider the following method to support with multiple means of representation:
- Embed visual, non-linguistic supports for vocabulary clarification (pictures, videos, etc)
- Provide checklists, organizers, sticky notes, electronic reminders
Action and Expression: Consider the following method to support in presenting their learning in multiple ways:
- Provide models or examples of the process and product of goal-setting
For additional ideas to support your students, check out the UDL Guidelines at CAST (2018) http://udlguidelines.cast.org.
Multilingual Learner Supports
Emerging: Consider the following method to support with emerging students
- Reading: Pair students to read one text together
- Students turn to their designated partners to discuss prompts posed by the teacher. Partnerships are organized in teams of two.
- Students read with a partner and concisely summarize text together using critical content vocabulary, but limiting summary to essential words. Begin in pairs of two, but move to partnerships of four for more practice.
Expanding: Consider the following method to support with expanding students
- Reading: Use guided reading
- In a shared or interactive writing format, chart out characters, setting, problem, and events (including orientation, complication, and resolution). Add theme, as appropriate.
Bridging: Consider the following method to support with bridging students
- Reading: Ask students to analyze text structure and select an appropriate graphic organizer for summarizing
- In a shared or interactive writing format, chart out characters, setting, problem, and events (including orientation, complication, and resolution). Add theme, as appropriate.
For additional guidance around scaffolding for multilingual learners, please consult the following resources:
- English Learner Toolkit of Strategies https://ucdavis.box.com/s/ujkdc2xp1dqjzrlq55czph50c3sq1ngu
- Providing Appropriate Scaffolding https://www.sdcoe.net/educators/multilingual-education-and-global-achievement/oracy-toolkit/providing-appropriate-scaffolding#scaffolding
- Strategies for ELD https://ucdavis.box.com/s/dcp15ymah51uwizpmmt2vys5zr2r5reu
- ELA / ELD Framework https://www.caeducatorstogether.org/resources/6537/ela-eld-framework
- California ELD Standards https://ucdavis.box.com/s/vqn43cd632z22p8mfzn2h7pntc71kb02
Enrichment
- Visit a Cambodian Buddhist temple in the area where you live (if possible). Make note of your first impressions: what strikes you about the temple itself? What types of things are inside the temple? Whom do you see there? What are people doing? (This could be a class activity, depending upon time and proximity of a temple).
- Students could compare Buddhist temples in Cambodia with Buddhist temples in the United States.
Works Cited
Britt, K. 2020c, May 11. English learner toolkit of strategies. California County Superintendents. https://cacountysupts.org/english-learner-toolkit-of-strategies/
California Department of Education & English Learner Support Division. 2012. California English Language Development standards (Electronic Edition) kindergarten through grade 12 (F. Ong & J. McLean, Eds.). California Department of Education. https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/er/documents/eldstndspublication14.pdf
California Educators Together. (n.d.). ELA / ELD framework. https://www.caeducatorstogether.org/resources/6537/ela-eld-framework
Cambodia - Buddhism. (n.d.). Countrystudies.us. Retrieved April 18, 2024. https://countrystudies.us/cambodia/48.htm
CAST. 2018 The UDL guidelines. http://udlguidelines.cast.org
Keyes, C. 2018. Buddhism and Revolution in Cambodia. Culturalsurvival.org. https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/buddhism-and-revolution-cambodia
San Diego County Office of Education. (n.d.). Providing appropriate scaffolding. https://www.sdcoe.net/educators/multilingual-education-and-global-achievement/oracy-toolkit/providing-appropriate-scaffolding#scaffolding
Smith-Hefner, N. 1999. “To be Khmer Is to Be Buddhist.” In Khmer American: Identity and Moral Education in a Diasporic Community. University of California Press.
Tulare County Office of Education. (n.d.). Strategies for ELD. https://commoncore.tcoe.org/Content/Public/doc/Alpha-CollectionofELDStrategies.pdf
UNESCO World Heritage Centre. 2009. Angkor. Unesco.org. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/668/
Supplementary Sources:
Ehlert, J. 2014. Proto-Civil Society: Pagodas and the Socio-Religious Space in Rural Cambodia. In G. Waibel, J. Ehlert and H.N. Feuer (Eds.). Southeast Asia and the Civil Society Gaze: Scoping a contested concept in Cambodia and Vietnam. Routledge. https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/50886/9781134634293.pdf?sequence=1#page=226
Douglas, T. 200). Changing Religious Practices among Cambodian Immigrants in Long Beach and Seattle. In K. Leonard et al. (Eds.), Immigrant Faiths: Transforming Religious Life in America (2nd ed.). AltaMira Press.
Ivanescu, C. 2020. Khmer identity: a religious perspective. https://www.iias.asia/sites/default/files/2020-11/IIAS_NL40_27.pdf
IIAS Newsletter #35, International Institute for Asian Studies, Leiden.
Kent, A. 2003. Recovery of the collective spirit: The role of the revival of Buddhism in Cambodia. Legacy of War and Violence Working Paper #8, Department of Social Anthropology, Goteborg University https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VACImT1JMpoioC8oxdvbJYIJoiSsZ3H_/view?usp=sharing
Lewis, D.C. 2001. From Cambodia to the United States: The Disassembly, Reconstruction, and Redefinition of Khmer Identity [Master's Thesis, University of Kentucky]. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_theses/185
Levin, C., & Holt, L.R. (Directors). 199). Rebuilding the Temple [Film]. Florentine Films. https://www.folkstreams.net/films/rebuilding-the-temple.