Common Core Lesson Plan
Topic: Ancient South Asia
Title: Development and Roles of the Caste System
Resources (primary resource documents, artifacts, material needs, etc.)
Bellwork PPT slide
The Four Orders of Human Beings Reading
Graphic organizer and questions on the Caste System
Common Core Standards
RH 6-8.1
RH 6-8.7
Essential Standards
6.H.1
6.H.2
6.G.2
6.E.1
6.C&G.1
6.C.1
Background Information
Students should be able to understand the basic tenants of Hinduism (polytheistic, belief in
reincarnation, multiple holy texts. etc.)
Basic understanding of the Aryan culture
Instructional Sequence (before, during, and after instruction)
Step 1
Project Bhagavad Gita Ch 4 vs. 13 on the board. Have students make predictions about the scripture using the following
questions:
1.Who do you think the author of this quote is? (A: The highest ‘creator’ god, Punjabi)
2.What is the Bhagavad Gita? (A: Ancient Hindu Text)
3.What type of ‘divisions’ is the author referring to? (A: social classes)
4. In what ways did the author divide human order? (A: Differences in quality, activities and aptitude)
Step 2
Go over student predictions as a class, explaining the Bhagavad Gita was a Hindu holy text, first passed down through
oral tradition, and eventually written down and complied into a holy text. Teacher can also play the audio clip of this
verse sung in Sanskrit to ‘hook’ students: http://www.bhagavad-gita.org/Gita/verse-04-13.html
Step 3
Recall as a class who the Aryan people were. Explain to the class that the Aryan’s had several holy texts, one of which
was called the Rig Veda. The Rig Veda contained stories that came to organize the basis of Indian society. Explain to your
class that the verse from bellwork came from a portion of the Rig Veda and was referring to the creation of the Caste
System.
Step 4
13-Aug-
WCPSS Middle School Social Studies (919) 431-7482
12
Show YouTube clip to build students’ understanding of the Caste System.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh_xvKLhZHg
- Ask students why there was a Caste System, what did it provide for each person in Indian society?
Step 5
Pass out graphic organizer of the Caste System as well as the article. Explain that because of reincarnation, Hindu’s
believed whatever caste you were born into was a result of your past life. As a class, read the introduction to the Caste
System.
Step 6
Then, students will get in partners and conduct a close reading of The Four Orders of Human Beings, answering
questions and filling out the graphic organizer as they read.
Step 7
If time permits, have students share their responses of guided questions.
Step 8
Supplemental activity: have students compare the Caste System to culture in the United States.
What type of social classes does the United States have?
Can Americans move into different social classes? If so, how? Also, how is this different from Ancient Hindu
society?
What ‘caste’ do you feel your family would be in if you were born into Hindu society? How does this make you
feel?
13-Aug-
WCPSS Middle School Social Studies (919) 431-7482
12
“The four divisions of human order were
created by me according to differences in
quality, activities and aptitude.”
– Bhagavad Gita, Ch 4 Vs. 13
Original
Sanskrit Writing
WELCOME! Please respond to the following questions:
1. Who do you think the author of this quote is?
2. What is the Bhagavad Gita?
3. What type of ‘divisions’ is the author referring to?
4. In what ways did the author divide human order?
http://www.bhagavad-gita.org/Gita/verse-04-13.html
Brahmins
Kshatriyas
Vaisyas
Sudras
The Caste System
Castes were the central feature of people's identities in ancient India. Beginning soon after the Aryan invasion,
people in India began to divide everyone into one of five groups, or castes. People thought of the caste system
as a mirror of the way the universe worked. Just as the sun and the planets each had to follow its prescribed path,
in the same way people had to live according to their caste. This parallel between the real world and the caste
system made the caste system seem natural and impossible to change or avoid. Caste gave some people special
rights and privileges that other people did not have.
The Rig Veda describes each of these castes. There were really four castes, and then the lowest group had no
caste, and were known as Untouchables. Below the untouchables were the slaves.
There were also a lot of smaller groups within these castes. People who came from different castes could
not eat together. Usually people from one caste did not marry or make friends with people from another caste.
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/india/people/index.htm
The Mahabharata
(A major epic poem in Hindu culture)
Santi Parva, Section CLXXXVIII
Translated by Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Bharadwaja: very important
Hindu teacher
Bhrigu: said to be born from
Brahma (the greatest Hindu
god)
What actions does a Brahman
person do to earn the highest
position in society?
Bharadwaja said:" By what acts does one become a Brahman? By what a
Kshatriya? By what acts again does one become a Vaisya or a Sudra? Tell me
this, O foremost of speakers."
Bhrigu said, "That person is called a Brahman who has been sanctified by such
rites as those called JATA and others; who is pure in behaviour; who is engaged
in studying the Vedas; who is devoted to the six well-known acts (of ablutions
every morning and evening, silent recitation of mantras, pouring libations on the
sacrificial fire, worshipping the deities, doing the duties of hospitality to guests,
and offering food to the Viswedevas); who is properly observant of all pious
acts; who never takes food without having offered it duly to gods and guests;
who is filled with reverence for his preceptor; and who is always devoted to
vows and truth. He is called a Brahmana in whom are truth, gifts, abstention
from injury to others, compassion, shame, benevolence and penance.
If a Kshatriya is engaged in
battle, what would be his job in
society?
He who is engaged in the profession of battle, who studies the Vedas, who
makes gifts (to Brahmanas) and takes wealth (from those he protects) is called a
Kshatriya.
Why are the Vaisya an
important caste in Hindu
society?
He who earns fame from keep of cattle, who is employed in agriculture and the
means of acquiring wealth, who is pure in behaviour and attends to the study of
the Vedas, is called a Vaisya.
How is the Sudra caste different
from other castes?
He who takes pleasure in eating every kind of food, who is engaged in doing
every kind of work, who is impure in behaviour, who does not study the Vedas,
and whose conduct is unclean, is said to be a Sudra...
The Caste System
Castes were the central feature of people's identities in ancient India. Beginning soon after the Aryan invasion,
people in India began to divide everyone into one of five groups, or castes. People thought of the caste system
as a mirror of the way the universe worked. Just as the sun and the planets each had to follow its prescribed path,
in the same way people had to live according to their caste. This parallel between the real world and the caste
system made the caste system seem natural and impossible to change or avoid. Caste gave some people special
rights and privileges that other people did not have.
The Rig Veda describes each of these castes. There were really four castes, and then the lowest group had no
caste, and were known as Untouchables. Below the untouchables were the slaves.
There were also a lot of smaller groups within these castes. People who came from different castes could
not eat together. Usually people from one caste did not marry or make friends with people from another caste.
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/india/people/index.htm
The Mahabharata
(A major epic poem in Hindu culture)
Santi Parva, Section CLXXXVIII
Translated by Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Bharadwaja: very important
Hindu teacher
Bhrigu: said to be born from
Brahma (the greatest Hindu
god)
What actions does a Brahman
person do to earn the highest
position in society?
Bharadwaja said:" By what acts does one become a Brahman? By what a
Kshatriya? By what acts again does one become a Vaisya or a Sudra? Tell me
this, O foremost of speakers."
Bhrigu said, "That person is called a Brahman who has been sanctified by such
rites as those called JATA and others; who is pure in behaviour; who is engaged
in studying the Vedas; who is devoted to the six well-known acts (of ablutions
every morning and evening, silent recitation of mantras, pouring libations on the
sacrificial fire, worshipping the deities, doing the duties of hospitality to guests,
and offering food to the Viswedevas); who is properly observant of all pious
acts; who never takes food without having offered it duly to gods and guests;
who is filled with reverence for his preceptor; and who is always devoted to
vows and truth. He is called a Brahmana in whom are truth, gifts, abstention
from injury to others, compassion, shame, benevolence and penance.
If a Kshatriya is engaged in
battle, what would be his job in
society?
He who is engaged in the profession of battle, who studies the Vedas, who
makes gifts (to Brahmanas) and takes wealth (from those he protects) is called a
Kshatriya.
Why are the Vaisya an
important caste in Hindu
society?
He who earns fame from keep of cattle, who is employed in agriculture and the
means of acquiring wealth, who is pure in behaviour and attends to the study of
the Vedas, is called a Vaisya.
How is the Sudra caste different
from other castes?
He who takes pleasure in eating every kind of food, who is engaged in doing
every kind of work, who is impure in behaviour, who does not study the Vedas,
and whose conduct is unclean, is said to be a Sudra...
Fill out the roles of each caste found in the excerpt from The Mahabharata:
What distinguishes one caste from another? What are the main differences between each caste?
How would the lifestyles of a Brahmin and Sudra differ? Give several examples.
If you were born into a caste, which one would you choose? Be specific in explaining your answer.
Do you feel it is necessary to have social classes to create an organized and well working society, why or why
not? You must use evidence to support your answer!