Y8 I &S
Unit 2: Truth and Spirituality
Lesson 2.1 What is truth?
ATL focus Why is this lesson important?
Thinking Skills Application and analysis, This lesson lays the foundation for this unit by
acquisition of knowledge, encouraging students to think carefully about what
comprehension constitutes “truth,” whether there can be different
types of truth, and how we know whether something
can be considered a truth. Moreover, in the unit
Communication Skills Listening, speaking, assessment students will respond in long answer
reading, and writing form to an open ended question that requires them
Self-management Skills Workbook organization, to take a philosophical and thoughtful approach that
time management requires a level of complexity that this lesson and this
Social Skills Working and cooperating unit will demand of students.
in a group, decision
making and respecting
others
Guiding Question(s):
1. How do we define truth?
2. What are the different types of truth?
3. Is one form of truth more reliable than another?
Key terms
Truth Proof
Spirituality Consensus
Belief Certainty
Probability Doubt
Evidence Scientific truth
Moral truth Spiritual truth
Perspective Historical truth
Truth
Task # 1 Discuss the following with your partner and record your responses in your workbook.
Be prepared to share your responses with the class:
1. What words connect to truth?
2. Can you define it?
3. Look up the definition from Merriam Webster and record in your workbook.
4. What’s the opposite of truth?
5. State something that is true?
Task # 2 Create a table like the one below in your workbook and then sort the following words
by their association with one box. Explain the connection and be prepared to share your
responses with the class.
Truth Not Truth
Words to be sorted. Click on this link for a definition of each word to be sorted.
Perspective
Opinion
Fact
Belief
Subjective
Objective
Proof
Evidence
Probability
Certainty
Doubt
The nature of truth
1. Proof Proof means showing something to be correct beyond any doubt
2. Consensus A general agreement about the truth in a population
3. Evidence Objects or items that show something to be true
4. Probability Belief that something is more than likely to be true
5. Belief Faith and trust that something is true
6. Certainty The assurance that something is true.
Task # 3 Examine the table above and then discuss the following questions with your partner.
Record your ideas in your workbook and be prepared to share your ideas with the class:
1. Why is proof actually quite a rare form of truth?
2. What is the difference between Evidence and Certainty?
3. Which of the above concepts are linked and which ones lead to one another?
Task # 4 Which of the 6 natures of truth above is relevant to the statements below?
Discuss your ideas with a partner and record in your workbook:
1. Innocent until proven guilty
2. I saw it therefore it happened
3. Seeing is believing
4. I heard from a trusted friend
5. These people love each other
6. We are going to die
7. I just know it’s true
8. God loves us
9. Everyone believes it’s true
10. The death penalty is wrong
11. Earth’s climate is changing
12. The world is flat
13. Trees are green
14. Dreams predict the future
15. We live in a computer simulation
16. The best is yet to come
Task # 5 You have 10mins to become an expert on your assigned truth. Record your ideas on
your graphic organizer. Once you have completed this you will teach the rest of the people in
your group about your truth. Listen carefully to the other members in your group and record
their ideas on your graphic organizer. Take turns.
8 Peace 8 Trust 8 Care
1) Justin (Sc), Andrea (H), Xena 1) Dan (Sc), Naomi (H), Stella (M) , 1) Samuel (Sc), Belle (H),
(M), Aaron K.(S) Cyrus (S) Adianna (M), Keira (S)
2) Bryan (Sc), Jasmine (H), 2) Simon (Sc), Ellie (H), Hania (M), 2) Rishi (Sc), Hin Lung (H),
Marcus (M), Chloe (S) Asaph (S) David (M), Jade (S)
3) Ramey (Sc), Nathan (H), 3) Chloe (Sc), Kyle (H), Jayden (M), 3) Ian (Sc), Tiffany (H), William
Eileen (M), Audrey (S) Tracy (S) (M), Clementine (S)
4) Mason (Sc), Aria (H), Eric (M), 4) Julia (Sc), Ashton (H), Hania 4) Yuzhi (Sc), Hailey (H), Taliya
Lynn (S) (M), Alissa (S) (M), Dani (S)
5) Brandon (Sc), Ivy (H), Aaron R. 5) David (Sc), Ayden (H), Olivia 5) Angel (Sc), Jerry (H),
(M), Daisy (S) (M), Sophie (S) Winston (M), Valerie (S)
6) Kasey (Sc), CC (H), Adam (M), 6) Kaitlyn (Sc), Shanxi (H), Liam 6) Lucy (Sc), Hin Ching (H),
Liya (S) (M), Yu Fung (S) Louie (M), Hendre (S)
Sc- Scientific Truth
H- Historical Truth
M- Moral Truth
S- Spiritual Truth
Task # 6 Based on the previous activity, how do we “find truth” in
a. History class:
b. Science class:
Record your ideas in your workbook and provide examples.
Task # 7 Watch the video “Flat Earth Rising” and the record in your workbook how truth is
being challenged. Be prepared to share your responses with the class.
Scientific Truth
Historical Truth
Moral Truth
Spiritual Truth
Task # 8 Examine the statement below and then write a response in your workbook. Be
prepared to share your idea with the class:
“Spiritual truth is just personal opinion. It cannot ever be trusted.”
To what extent do you agree with this statement? Justify your response with an explanation.
Task # 9 Write a reflection (1 paragraph) in your workbook that addresses the following
questions:
1. What have you learned about the nature of truth from this lesson?
2. How did this lesson challenge your assumptions?
3. What questions do you have about truth now?
Assumption- a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof.
