Objectives

• Explore different religious organizations and their impacts' on the community
• Identify the location and denomination of each area church
• Collect, organize and synthesize data

Time Required

Grade Level

Curriculum Fit

• 113.22.b.7.A. Examine and determine the historical and cultural foundations of the world's major religions in the context of ancient cultures (include Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and Confucianism).
• 113.22.b.7.B. Evaluate the impact of religious ideas on the development of contemporary cultures.
• 113.22.b.7.C. Explain the significance of important religious holidays and observances to contemporary cultures.
• 113.22.b.16.A. Identify institutions basic to all societies, including government, economic, educational and religious institutions.
• 113.22.b.16.B. Compare characteristics of institutions in selected contemporary societies.
• 113.22.b.21.B. Analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions and drawing inferences and conclusions.
• 113.22.b.21.C. Organize and interpret information from outlines, reports, databases and visuals including graphs, charts, timelines and maps.
• 113.22.b.21.D. Identify different points of view about an issue or topic
• 113.22.b.22.D. Create written and visual material such as journal entries, reports, graphic organizers, outlines and bibliographies.

Resources

• Directory of Various Church Websites
• Yahoo Street Maps
• Mapquest
• The History of Houston Heights, by Sister Agatha
• Handbook of Texas
• 169 Years of Historic Houston
• Focus on Your Community  Resource Page

• Church records and officials
• Telephone Directory
• Large map of your community

Materials

• graph paper
• data charts or notebooks
• digital camera

Preparation

• Be familiar with your area churches and official contacts
• List several churches of various denominations in you community and divide them evenly among the number of groups you'll use
• Acquire a large map of your community
• Format disks for use in digital camera

Procedure

Step A: Locating Area Churches

1. Display a large map of your community at the front of your classroom
2. Divide students into small groups
3. Using the telephone directory, have groups locate between 4 and 7 chruches in their neighborhood. They should note their addresses.
4. Now have each group color code their churches on the large area map
5. Debrief your class on the basic data results
6. Ask students to individually chart or graph the data results and reflect on the day's work in their notebooks. They can make some chart or graph depicting the number of churches, grouped by denomination, in your community.

Step B: On-site Data Collection

1. The groups created in Step A will select a church to study
2. Each group will visit their church and collect the following data about churchgoers:
   • age
   • gender
   • ethnicity
3. The groups should take a photograph of the church's exterior and obtain church bulletins containing the following information:
   • times of church services
   • hierarchical listing of church jobs
   • names of those who fill church jobs
   • list of the church's community services
4. Debrief groups on data results
5. Have students chart or graph data results and make reflections in their notebooks focusing on the deomgraphic character of the church studied.

Step C: Testing and Hypothesizing

1. Have groups repeat Step B over the next month
2. Compare data results from different times and days
3. Ask students to hypothesize reasons for data discrepancies

Evaluation

Conclusion

• What denominations are the most prevalent in your community?
• Which church had the greatest number of members?
• Which church offers the most community services?
• What impact do churches have on your community?

Extension

1. Science
   • Have your students survey the materials from which the church was constructed to learn about weathering and erosion. Ask them: Why were churches made with thses materials instead of something else?