My Religion

Gr 2—6—In brief vignettes narrated by youngsters from different countries, six six-minute chapters introduce the family and community life of the followers of Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baha'i Faith. Viewers accompany these sometimes atypical youngsters as they worship in Canada, Australia, Germany, England, Italy, and the United States. We visit their homes and meet their families, pets, siblings, and classmates; go to their places of worship; sing; eat; and celebrate at least one festival or tradition with them. Since these segments are narrated by the children in their native language, they are sometimes translated into English and some additional description and explanation is provided by adult narrators. Many unfamiliar words are explained and highlighted with captions, but some are not. Since each segment is so brief, some points are simplified or not explained. Men and women are shown worshiping separately in the Hindu Temple and Jewish Synagogue, yet the segregation of the sexes is only mentioned during a visit to a Muslim Mosque. In the section about Christianity, a discussion of Christmas describes a Christmas tree as the holiday symbol, but no mention is made of a crèche. A young Jewish boy describes Hanukkah as lasting eight days, "One for every night of Hanukkah," and only later, as latkes are cooked, does he tell of the oil in the Temple lasting eight days and nights. Still, each youngster helps to show that all religions share common goals, and this understanding of their beliefs and culture is hoped to dispel fear and misunderstanding. Chapter selection is optional, and still photos from each chapter are included for discussion and review.—MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann Elementary School, Binghamton, NY —