Imagine you have been designated as a mentor for a first-year teacher on your campus. This teacher is overwhelmed with how to integrate content standards. What are the first steps to consider when planning cross-curricular instruction? How would you suggest incorporating the arts into social studies, while still being mindful of content standards and the extent of planning required for a new teacher?

 

 

 

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.

God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Sample Answer

Sample Answer

 

Title: Integrating Content Standards and Arts into Social Studies for First-Year Teachers

Introduction

As a mentor to a first-year teacher struggling with integrating content standards, especially in the realm of social studies, it is essential to provide guidance on how to approach cross-curricular instruction effectively. This essay will outline the first steps to consider when planning cross-curricular instruction and provide suggestions on incorporating the arts into social studies while being mindful of content standards and the workload of a new teacher.

First Steps for Planning Cross-Curricular Instruction

1. Understand the Content Standards: The first step is to thoroughly understand the content standards for both the subject areas you are integrating. This will help in identifying overlapping themes and concepts that can be connected in the lesson plans.

2. Identify Common Themes and Concepts: Look for common themes, topics, or skills that can be integrated across subjects. For example, in social studies and art, concepts like culture, history, and symbolism can be explored together.

3. Collaborate with Colleagues: Reach out to other teachers in different subject areas to collaborate on cross-curricular projects. They may have insights or resources that can enhance the integration process.

4. Design Engaging Activities: Plan activities that actively engage students in both subjects. This could include projects, presentations, or hands-on activities that connect the content standards of both subjects.

Incorporating Arts into Social Studies

– Visual Arts: Encourage students to create visual representations of historical events, cultures, or figures studied in social studies. This could involve creating timelines, maps, or artistic interpretations of primary sources.

– Performing Arts: Incorporate drama or role-playing activities to bring historical events to life. Students can act out scenes from history or create skits based on social studies concepts.

– Music and Dance: Explore how music and dance have been used throughout history to express culture and identity. Students can create songs or dances that reflect the themes studied in social studies.

Being Mindful of Content Standards and Workload

– Focus on Depth Over Breadth: Rather than trying to cover a wide range of topics superficially, focus on a few key concepts deeply to ensure thorough understanding and alignment with content standards.

– Utilize Existing Resources: Look for pre-existing lesson plans, activities, or resources that integrate arts and social studies. This can help reduce planning time for a new teacher while still meeting content standards.

– Start Small: Begin with simple integration activities and gradually increase the complexity as you become more comfortable with cross-curricular instruction. It’s important not to overwhelm yourself or your students with overly ambitious projects.

Conclusion

Integrating content standards and the arts into social studies can enrich students’ learning experiences and make lessons more engaging and memorable. By following the outlined steps and suggestions, first-year teachers can successfully plan cross-curricular instruction that aligns with content standards while incorporating creative elements from the arts. Remember, collaboration with colleagues and a focus on student engagement are key to effective integration across subjects.

 

This question has been answered.

Get Answer