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An investigation into Buddhist values through a study of the Buddha’s enlightenment and one of his previous lives.

KS1 and lower KS2. Originally written by Lorraine Haran, updated in April 2019.

Key Buddhist Teachings (background for teachers)

The Four Noble Truths

• Life involve suffering (dukkha).
• The origins of suffering lie in wanting, which is made more intense by greed, hatred and ignorance (Samudaya)
• The ending of suffering is possible (Nirhodha).

The Noble Eightfold Path is the way to end suffering and become enlightened (Magga).

• Right understanding (seeing the world as it is, in terms of the Four Noble Truths).
• Right Thought (commitment to follow the path).
• Right Speech (truthfulness, gentle and useful speech).
• Right Action (following the Five Precepts with love and compassion).
• Right Livelihood (avoiding work that causes harm or injustice, choosing one which is beneficial to others).
• Right Effort (avoiding bad thoughts, encouraging good).
• Right Mindfulness (attentiveness and awareness).
• Right Meditation (training the mind in meditation).

(When people follow the path, the wheel turns in a positive direction traditionally clockwise symbolising their development).

The Five Moral Precepts: Buddhists should refrain from:

• Harming and killing living beings,
• Sexual misconduct,
• Taking drugs or drinking that impair clarity of the mind,
• Taking what is not freely given,
• Wrong speech.

(There is a positive aspect of each precept, e.g. it is not enough not to harm – one should show compassion for all living things).

Enlightenment and Nirvana: Buddhist believe that there is a cycle of birth, life and death and rebirth. This goes on and on. They believe that unless someone gains Enlightenment, when they die they will be reborn. If a person can gain Enlightenment, they can break out of this Breaking out of the cycle is called Nirvana (sometimes called Nibbana) It is the end of everything that is not perfect. It is perfect peace, free of suffering.

Meditation: Buddhists try to reach Nirvana by following the Buddha’s teaching and by Meditation means training the mind to empty it all of thoughts. When this happens what is important comes clear.

Buddha: the ‘Awakened’ or ‘Enlightened’ One. The Buddha was born as Siddhartha Gautama in Nepal around 2,500 years ago. Siddhartha was born into the royal family of a small kingdom on the Indian Nepalese border. He is believed by Buddhists to be a human being who became Enlightened (awakened).

Dharma: universal law; ultimate truth. The teaching of the Buddha.

The Jataka Tales or Birth Stories form one of the sacred books of the Buddhists and relate to the adventures of the Buddha in his former existences, in both human and animal form. The Buddha was a great storyteller and often told stories illustrate his thinking. Stories were also told about the Buddha by his followers both to explain and understand the Dharma. These stories have been passed down to the present day and the most popular ones are the Jataka tales, a collection of hundreds of tales about the Buddha’s past lives. They show the kind of life one should lead to become a Buddha one day. In many of these stories, the Buddha appears as an animal to teach the value of qualities such as kindness, compassion, and giving.

Karuna: compassion. The importance of being compassionate, generous, kind, truthful, helpful and patient: Actions have consequences.

Learning activities

Resources:

This lesson requires several images and a video clip of Siddhartha’s life. You will need to find these online before you start.

Images: lotus flower, Prince Siddhartha, Gautama Buddha

Video clip: the life of Siddhartha Gautama, or the life of the Buddha

Show the class an image of a lotus flower. This is a well-used symbol in both Hinduism and Buddhism and you will find may examples online.

Explain to the children that the flower is a lotus flower and that this is a symbol that is frequently used in Buddhism, because it shows how something beautiful and precious can grow out of the soil of the earth. Explain that they will be thinking about the most valuable things in the world in the next few sessions and that this will include an investigation into what followers of the Buddha – Buddhists – think is most valuable.

Ask the children for their ideas about what is most valuable (a) in their lives and (b) in the world.

Explain that in Buddhist philosophy many people can be seen as too distracted to see what is really valuable in life. The person whose teachings they follow became known as ‘The Buddha’ and they are going to find out about his life and what he taught.

Write the names ‘Prince Siddhartha’ and ‘The Buddha’ on the board. Play the video clip you have found. Explain that at the end you will talk about how the Prince became The Buddha. Play the video.

At the end of the film, show the children a picture or image of the Buddha and ask them to recall the story: what do they think were the most important parts? Record what pupils say on sticky notes and share with class, placing answers around the image.

Ask the children to share experiences and feelings about times when they have done something that was extremely difficult, for example, learning something new or embarking on something that will take a long time. What do they think were the difficult things that Prince Siddhartha did when he went on his search for the truth about life? Ask them to complete the sentence, “I think the hard challenges that Prince Siddhartha had to face were…” and to explain why they think these were hard challenges. Can they think about how he might have been feeling when he saw the old man, the sick man, the dead man and the ‘seeker’? [This activity could be done as a ‘hot seat’ activity for lower KS2].

Ask the children to share experiences of times when members of the class have experienced or done something that put the needs of others before their own. Ask them to respond to such questions as:

• Have you ever given away something you wanted for yourself?
• What did you give away?
• Was it easy to do?
• Why did you do it
• How did you feel?
• What effect did it have on you / the other person?
• Encourage them then to complete a couple of sentences such as:
• I put others first by ………………………………………………………………
• This made me feel ………………………………………………………………

Some children could go on to draw a picture of an experience of a time when they put others first, and write simple sentences about it.

Next, remind the children of the part in the film where the Buddha remembers all his ‘past lives’ and explain that Buddhists believe that when a person dies they will usually be ‘reborn’ in a different form depending on how they have lived their life. There are many stories in Buddhism that describe the Buddha’s previous ‘lives’, sometimes as an animal. These stories show how the Buddha did many helpful things in his previous lives and this helped his progress from one life to the next. One of these stories is about a monkey king who put others before himself.

Download the story: http://www.clear-vision.org/Fileshttps://clearvision.education/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/MonkeyKing.pdf/MonkeyKing.pdf

Read the story from the beginning and stop at the point where a mango falls into the water and drifts downstream. Ask the children to talk with each other about what might happen next.

Read the rest of the story. Stop reading from time to time to check understanding.

Engage the children in a sequencing activity to help them recollect the main aspects of the story. Provide them with a set of the following sentences on separate cards [You could also provide the pupils with a set of six picture cards depicting these scenes: you can find these in the Clear Vision pack if you have it]:

• A little monkey found a mango.
• “Pick those mangoes”, said the Monkey King.
• The King found the mango.
• The King saw the monkey’s tail.
• The Monkey King held on.
• The Monkey King died.

Ask the children to work in small groups to put the cards in sequence, making sure they can justify their choice of order. Most children can then go on to write their own sentence for each picture, using some key words that you can put up on the board: Moon, mountain, river, monkey, mango, tail, King, died, tree, bridge, monument. Some children may be able to independently write up the story, using illustrations and key words as support.

Next, engage the children in a drama re-enactment of the story. [This could also be adapted for a Music activity, with children choosing choose a variety of musical instruments which will they think will express the emotional tempo of key events in the story, e.g., finger cymbals – calmness, drums – the King’s men approaching, bells to build up to tension, or an Art activity with children using different media to make props representing, e.g., masks, river, tree branches, crowns.]

Ask them to imagine that they are one of the band of monkeys living harmoniously in the mango tree. Take them through the following actions:

• Climb the tree.
• Explore.
• Eat and enjoy the mangoes.
• Sleep, play and carefully pick all the fruit that hangs out over the water.
• Tell them that the human King and his soldiers arrive: hide in the bramches.
• You are very frightened. Try not to move or make a sound.
• You see the monkey King leap over the river and make himself into a bridge. [Use long piece of ribbon or string and lay it on the floor to represent the bridge.]
• One at a time, quietly and carefully, cross the bridge to safety.

Then ask the children to respond to such questions as:

• How did it feel living in the tree?
• How did you feel hiding from the King?
• Why did you cross?
• What advice would you give to those who have yet to cross?
• How did you feel when the monkey king made himself into a bridge for you to cross?
• How did you feel when you escaped?
• When did you feel safe?
• What would have been the consequences if you didn’t cross?
• How would the world change if everyone was selfish?
• Who would you look to in your life to guide you in times of fear?
• Why might Buddhists think this story is a good one?

Prepare the outline of a mind-map on what the Monkey King might be thinking and show it to the pupils. Ask them to complete their own version in small groups and to share their ideas with the rest of the class.

Encourage the children to then offer views about what Buddhists might believe this story tells them about what is of great value and to add their ideas on the edge of their mind- map diagrams.

Engage the pupils in a ‘Conscience corridor’ activity around the Monkey King’s sacrifice:

• Select one pupil to be the Monkey King and ask the rest of the class to create two lines approximately a meter apart facing each other.
• Ask pupils on one side of the ‘corridor’ to think or a reason for the Monkey King to act selfishly and just save himself. Ask pupils on the other side to take the opposite view and think of a reason for the Monkey King to sacrifice himself to save the other [Pupils could choose which viewpoint they wish to voice or be told which view point to take.]
• The Monkey King then walks slowly through the corridor and pupils on each side whisper their reasons. [Pupils who lack confidence can ‘pass’ by clapping or repeat a comment that has already been spoken.]
• Once the King has reached the end of the corridor, ask them to recall the main reasons on either side and to say what they would have done in the King’s What were the main reasons for their decision?
• Ask the other children to say what they think they would have done, with reasons that link the situation to their own lives and experiences.

The ‘Conscience corridor’ activity could then be repeated, but with a different pupil playing the part of the human King. This time the dilemma is whether to order his men to shoot the Monkey King:

Again, at the end of the corridor, ask the pupil playing the part of the human King to recall the main reasons given on either side and to say what they would have done in the King’s situation. What were the main reasons for their decision? What do they think a Buddhist would do, and why?

At the end of the activity, engage pupils in a class discussion and write up their ideas on sticky notes to put on a ‘Monkey King’ poster. Ask them for their responses to such questions as:

• What is the opposite of selflessness?
• What does the story tell us about greed?
• What is ‘compassion’?
• How did the Monkey King show compassion for others?
• What is ‘sacrifice’?
• What sacrifice did the Monkey King make?
• Who do you know that is selfless in your life?
• What does it mean ‘to set a good example’?
• In what ways did both kings in the story set a good example?
• Can you think of how people could set a good example, in the school, or locally or globally?
• What is ‘wisdom’?
• What does the story tell us about the qualities of a good leader?
• What do you think happened to the human king after the monkey king died? Did he change his life? Did he grow in wisdom?
• Finally, encourage pupils to add their own sticky note to the poster, completing this sentence:

I think that Buddhists value ………… the most.

An investigation into questions about life, suffering and death, using Buddhist sand mandala, shrines and through contact with a local hospice.

For Upper KS2. Originally written by Sabah Raza, updated in April 2019.

Key words

Mandala: The meaning of mandala comes from Sanskrit meaning ‘circle’. The circle represents a symbolic picture of the universe in Buddhism and Hinduism, often using geometric patterns.

Sand Mandalas: An ancient, sacred form of Tibetan Buddhist art_. According to Buddhist scripture, mandalas made from sand transmit positive energies to the environment and to the people who view them; they are believed to purify and heal. The Buddha himself introduced mandala sand painting; the many different sand designs each have a different lesson to teach.

Sacred Tibetan Mandala: The mandala’s purpose is to help transform ordinary minds into enlightened ones and to assist with healing.

Chak-pur: Cone shaped metal funnels with ridges, used to disperse sand in a controlled way.

Buddha: The Buddha was born as Siddhartha Gautama in Nepal around 2,500 years Siddhartha was born into the royal family of a small kingdom on the Indian- Nepalese border. He is believed by Buddhists to be a human being who became Enlightened (awakened).

Buddhism: Buddhism is a religion to about 300 million people around the world. The word comes from ‘budhi’, ‘to awaken’. It has its origins about 2,500 years ago. The basic concepts in Buddhism can be summed up by the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.

Dalai Lama: The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is believed by his followers to be the spiritual leader of Tibet and the Head Monk of Tibetan Buddhism.

Monk: A member of a religious community of men, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Nirvana: the highest state that someone can attain, a state of enlightenment, meaning a person’s individual desires and suffering go away; the goal of the Buddhist path.

Life: The condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.

Dying: Occurring at or connected with the time that someone dies.

Death: The action or fact of dying or being killed; the end of the life of a person or organism.

Hospice: a home providing care for people with a life limiting illness.

Note

If possible, this lesson involves some children visiting a local hospice to create a mandala with residents.

An alternative could be a visit to the classroom of staff form the hospice, or pupils interview family members.

Learning activities

You will need to find the following items online:

• Still image of Buddhists constructing a sand mandala
• Video of the construction and destruction of a sand mandala
• Information about a hospice- website or video

Begin by displaying any image of Buddhists constructing a sand mandala, there are many online, including of the Dalai Lama.

On each table, have an A3 copy of the image stuck on a large piece of sugar paper (groups of six work well for this activity)

Ask the pupils to write down one question each about what they would like to find out about the picture and stick it around the picture [small sticky notes work best].

Ask them, in their groups, to select one question, putting the rest of the questions to one side for now. [Help pupils to modify the question if necessary, so that the question is an ‘open’ one with no ‘easy answer’.]

Encourage one pupil from each group to read out their chosen question, then ask the class to select one main question, which will be investigated over the course of the topic.

The rest of the questions can go in to a ‘We Were Wondering…’ box, to be answered by pupils as extension work over the duration of the unit.

Now show the class the video clip of the construction and destruction of a sand mandala, asking them to look out for answers to some of the questions they might have heard earlier and to note down anything they think is important.

Ask the pupils:

• to feedback any key points they picked up and/or to answer any of the questions that were asked on their table
• What did you notice was being made in the video?
• What do you think the meaning of the image is?
• What sounds, sights and actions did you notice?
• What people did you notice?
• What happened to the image?
• What do you think happens to the sand?

Explain that Buddhists (who follow Buddhism) believe in a cycle of life, death and rebirth. Nirvana is believed to be the end of the cycle of death and rebirth and that Buddhism teaches that Nirvana is reached when all want and suffering is gone. Explain that Nirvana Day is an annual Buddhist festival that remembers the death of the Buddha (the founder of Buddhism) when he passed into Nirvana at the age of 80. On Nirvana Day, Buddhists think about their lives and how they can work towards gaining the perfect peace of Nirvana. They remember friends or relations who have recently died and reflect on the fact that death is a part of life for everyone.

Explain that the idea that nothing stays the same is central to Buddhism. Buddhists believe that loss and change are things to be accepted rather than causes of sadness. Mandalas are a key symbol for this idea, a circle that carries on and on. Sand mandalas that are constructed and deconstructed illustrate this especially well. Explain that this idea is key to their learning in this unit.

Ask the question, What happens to us after we die? What do you think? [Have it written on a large piece of sugar paper.] Encourage pupils to write a brief response on a sticky note and stick it around the question on sugar paper. Give them an opportunity to discuss their answer to this, first in pairs, then as a group and then as a class. Over the course of the next few lessons, read out a few ideas about what pupils think happens to us after we die. Some pupils may suggest viewpoints from their faith, which could lead to further discussions. Have a selection of books from all faiths available and if possible, a pupil laptop for further investigation.

Ask the pupils to think about something or someone they have lost. How did it make them feel? Give out thought bubbles. Ask them to write down their thoughts and feelings and give them an opportunity to share their feelings if they wish to do so.

As a whole class, create a Buddhist Shrine with the following artefacts: a statue of Buddha (Buddharupa), incense (symbolising the fragrance of the perfect life), flowers (the impermanence of life) and lights or candles (representing truth). [Over the coming weeks, the pupils should see the flowers withering and die, demonstrating and reinforcing the key message that loss and change are to be accepted and that all living things die. It is best not to use carnations or chrysanthemums because these remain fresh for a long time. Refer back to the shrine weekly, making observations of the flowers. Add the main class enquiry question to this display, referring back to it at the beginning of each lesson. Have the box of remaining class questions nearby on display, with books on Buddhism for reference.]

Encourage pupils to describe the different items in the shrine and how they reflect Buddhist beliefs.

Introduce pupils to the word ‘Hospice’ and ask Does anyone know what a hospice is or who might go visit one? Think about the beginning part of the word ‘hosp’, does it remind you of anything? What kind of a building do you think it is? What would you expect to find inside? Ask the pupils to write their ideas on a large sheet of paper, to compare to attitudes later in the lesson.

Explain what a hospice is and who would use it. [A home/place that provides care for people with a life limiting illness.] Show information you have researched about a hospice.

Ask for pupils’ responses to such questions as: What do you think about hospices now? Has your opinion changed? What kind of place do we now know a hospice is? How helpful is it to the people that visit it/stay there? Tell me about the sort of people that work/volunteer there. What kind of things can people do there? Ask pupils to compare responses to answers written down earlier.

Ask pupils to suggest similarities and differences they can identity between what they notice about the hospice and Buddhist beliefs, attitudes and symbols. [Bring out points about life, suffering and death and the feelings associated, e.g., with items in the Buddhist shrine, like candles, or in the making of sand mandalas, such as peacefulness, emotional needs, acceptance of change and death.] Ask them to suggest reasons for similarities and differences and whether they think having religious beliefs might make a difference to a person’s attitudes to hospices.

If you are making a hospice visit

Explain that some of the class will be visiting a hospice and will be working with a patient (in pairs), to create a beautiful mandala with oil paints.

Use cardboard or canvas to paint on.

Explain that when they visit, they will be able to talk to their patient and ask prepared questions, so they can start to depict that patient’s life story on a mandala. Remind pupils that the patients they will be meeting will have a life limiting illness and that this is their opportunity to leave a legacy at the hospice/school of their life journey in the visual art form of a Buddhist Mandala. To help pupils make the explicit link, remind them at this point of the Buddhist belief that loss and change are things to be accepted rather than causes of sadness and that Mandalas are a key symbol for this idea.

Alternatively, staff from the hospice can be invited in to lead this session to meet the pupils and answer questions.

Or

Children can interview family members.

Most hospices will only be able to accommodate a fixed number of pupils, depending on space and the number of patients using their services at that time. One suggestion is to select pupils on your gifted and talented register for RE and Art. The rest of the pupils complete the same activities, however they prepare a mandala to tell the story of a parent/grandparent/carer and complete this in school.

Note: Pupils interviewing family members will need to be reminded that they should not ask questions about an illness, e.g. What have you been diagnosed with? Their focus should be the life journey of that person, e.g. key events/journeys/moments in their lives. When selected pupils are visiting the hospice over the next three weeks (for one morning or an afternoon, to be agreed with the Hospice), the rest of the class/classes remain in school to prepare their mandalas.

After a tour of the hospice to view their facilities, pupils ask their questions to their patients. It is key that this is in a relaxed environment and is informal, if possible over a glass of squash and biscuits! Pupils in school will have taken their questions home as homework and should have had their discussions already. All pupils should begin to think about symbols, words or pictures to represent key events and the general layout of the mandalas in this session.

Ask all the pupils, over the next two or three sessions, to draw, then paint their mandalas, either in class, or jointly with their patient at the hospice. Encourage them to use different forms of expression, e.g., words as well as symbols, and to describe the meaning(s) of their designs. [As the project progresses, pupils will have begun to develop confidence and important conversations may be taking place between the patient and the pupils. This spiritual, moral and social element of the project is absolutely key here.]

It may be appropriate to also hold a small ‘tea party’ at the hospice, to include any patients that may be too unwell to travel to school for the assembly. The parents of the pupils involved could also be invited to this. One of the aims is to raise awareness of the great work of hospices and to encourage parents to donate and/or support the school in fundraising for your local hospice.

Encourage pupils to think of five questions to ask a partner in class. Encourage them to think carefully about the wording of their questions and explain that they should try to find out as much as possible about that person, including their beliefs about what they think happens after death, whilst being tactful. Give pupils an opportunity to feedback what they have found out about their friend. Highlight good examples of open questions and suggest ways of rewording closed questions.

Ask them then to compile a similar list of questions to ask their patient or family member; all pupils could use this question as a starting point: Buddhists believe that loss and change are things to be accepted rather than causes of sadness. We will be painting mandalas, as they are a symbol of this idea, a circle that carries on and on. What do you believe happens after we die? Encourage them to suggest answers that might be given by the patients. Ask them to say what answers they think might be given by a patient who was a Buddhist.

Refer pupils back to the Buddhist Shrine and the main class question on life, death and dying and ask them what they have learnt. Invite answers to the main question. Observe the flowers (they should be at least wilting by now, if not dead), demonstrating and reinforcing the key message in Buddhism, that loss and change are to be accepted and that all living things die.

In the final week, hold a whole school assembly, to which all of the year group’s parents are invited, along with the patients and staff of the hospice. This should be a celebration of the completed mandalas. Where possible, pupils and patients briefly present their life journeys and talk through the words and symbols on their mandala, highlighting reasons for similarities and differences in the forms of expressing meaning, and the questions and answers about life, suffering and death that they explored. Pupils who represented the lives of family members on their mandalas, should also showcase their work in this assembly with their family member if possible.

Here are some examples of complete mandalas:

We recommend extending the unit with the activities below:

Divide pupils in to groups of six. Each group chooses a religion or philosophy of life represented in the UK and prepares a project to show adherents’ beliefs about life and death. Pupils plan their own enquiry and resources they will need, asking ‘What do they believe about life and death?’

Note: ensure you are using a pupil-friendly search engine, as there are many inappropriate websites and video clips on death. We recommend setting up several ‘fixed’ searches in a folder of safe websites, that pupils can select from.

Use Mackley, J. (2006) Exploring the Journey of Life and Death, Birmingham: RE Today Services. This publication has several challenging activities, encouraging children to think about the journey of life and death. For example, pupils could explore their own ‘journey of life’ by thinking about the high points and low points in their life so far. Pupils could also explore ‘The Journey of Life’ illustration and pick a route they would like to take, thinking about what they would avoid and what they would include and pupils could write the first page of a ‘Guidebook’ for life.

An enquiry into an icon of Christ the Teacher.

For 3-5 year olds. Originally written by Emma McVittie. Updated in April 2019.

Key words and concept

Icon: painting or mosaic of Jesus, Mary, a saint, or a Church feast. Used as an aid to devotion, usually in the Christian Orthodox tradition.

Devotion: (in a religious context) an act of worship which usually involves prayer.

Orthodox: (i) the Eastern Orthodox Church consisting of national Churches (mainly Greek or Slav), including the ancient Eastern Patriarchates. They hold the common Orthodox faith, and are in communion with the Patriarchate of Constantinople. (ii) Conforming to the creeds sanctioned by the ecumenical councils, e.g., Nicaea, Chalcedon.

Belonging: can be defined in a variety of ways including a sense of belonging through connections to: people, places, groups and communities. Belonging can enhance our sense of identity and aid the development of relationships within particular groups and communities.

Symbolism: the use of one object / picture to represent another object, idea, action or thought. Widely used in religion and can evoke a sense of emotion and an affinity with an individual’s faith.

Learning activity

Each activity is designed to have 10-15 minutes of teacher led input either as a whole class or in small groups, followed by children engaging in related activities.

Stage 1: Christ the Teacher:

Show the children icon of Christ the Teacher. There are many images online. This icon shows Jesus holding an open book, has hand raised and a halo around his head.

Ask the children some of the questions from the selection below, which can be tailored to specific age groups:

• Who is it?
• What are the letters for?
• What does the book say?
• What is the mark on his hand?
• What’s the shape on his head for?
• What can you see?
• What part of the icon do you see first?
• Why do you think this is?
• What did you notice next?
• Where do you think you might find it?
• Who is in the painting?
• What is the person holding?
• What do you think the artist was thinking about when they painted this?
• What might a Christian think about the icon?
• What do you think about this piece of art?
• What do you like?
• Is there anything you don’t like?

Would you change anything about it?

Invite and record children’s own questions. Keep them visible and answer them when you can.

Explain to the children that an ‘icon’ is a painting or mosaic of Jesus, Mary, a saint, or a Church feast. It is used as an aid to devotion (prayer and worship), usually in the Christian Orthodox tradition.

Ask if the children have any questions of their own about the icon.

Now ask the children where they think they might see a picture like this? You might want to display a selection of pictures for children to choose from, e.g. a church, a school, a house. Explain that you might see it in all of those places but especially in churches in the Orthodox tradition.

Find images of Orthodox churches and cathedrals online- show children a selection, showing icons and the richly painted walls and woodwork.

Explain to the children that icons are usually found in a Christian Orthodox place of worship but also in other Christian places too.

Give small groups a selection of icon pictures to look at, gathered from the internet. Look for icons of:

• Jesus as a baby with Mary
• Jesus and his disciples
• Jesus and the saints
• Scenes form Jesus’ life

Give pupil five minutes to choose the one they like the best and to think of a reason why they like it.

Ask the children to show their picture to the class and take it in turns to share it and say why they like it.

Stage 2: Symbols

Show children some of the images of the stained glass windows, asking the same questions as in stage 1 with the additional ones below, if appropriate:

• How do you think these are made?
• What do you think the person is doing?
• What do you think the person is holding?
• What do you think the colours tell you?

Explain the meaning of some of the windows and introduce the idea of symbolism being a way to say something but without words.

Can they think of ways to say things without using words? Ask children to mime: Hello, goodbye, I’m tired, I’m grumpy, thank you.

In small groups with an adult, can they think of a picture or a symbol to ‘say’ these things, e.g. draw round their hand to say hello or goodbye.

You can also use road signs, commercial symbols, charity symbols and mascots.

Work with the class to think about a picture for class stained glass window and the colours and symbols you might use and why. [The outline can be drawn for the children and then completed using a variety of media.] Throughout the activity, ask the children about what symbolism they want to use and why.

Stage 3: Symbolism from world religions

This can be split into 3 short sessions

Session A

Remind children about the icons and the stained-glass windows they have looked at and tell them that as well as symbols being used in religious worship and celebrations that actions and music are also used. All these things help people to feel part of their religious group/community.

Ask children to sit in a circle quietly and explain that they are going to close their eyes and listen to some special music.

Play The ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ from Handel’s Messiah and ask the children to think of one word to describe how it made them feel.

Explain that the words were taken from the Christian Bible by a composer named George Frideric Handel over 300 years ago.

Session B

Now ask the children to watch some dancing from the Hindu tradition. There are many clips online.

Ask the children to think about a question they would like to ask about what they have seen, share the questions with the class and display.

Session C

Explain to the children that Islamic art patterns have no beginning and no end – ask children to create their own using a variety of media such as pastels, paints, chalk, water and food colouring, drawing in sand. Along the lines of ‘taking a pencil for a walk’ rather than creating geometric patterns at this stage.

Bringing it all together

Ask the children to report back on what have seen and heard: what was their favourite and why?

Explain that these different ways of showing belonging are also about a person’s thoughts, feelings and ideas (their identity). Work with small groups to either compose some music, make up a special dance or design a pattern based on Islamic art. Ask them to relate their ideas to themselves and what kind of person they think they are.

Stage 4: Personal signs and symbols

Ask children if they belong to any groups e.g. football, dance, rainbows etc. Do they have to wear anything special when they go to the group? Do they follow special routines there?

Explain that sometimes people who belong to / follow a religious faith wear special symbols to show belonging. You could use pictures of such items as: a cross, a hijab, a kippah, a tilak mark, a turban.

It is useful to be able to have the objects available for the children to handle at this stage.

Encourage children to ask questions about the objects:

• What is it used for?
• When is it used / worn?
• Who wears it?
• Why do they wear it?

Ask the children to give their views on each item.

In small groups support children to think of a special symbol for themselves. This can then be made using a variety of media. When all the children have made their own identity symbol, they can be put together to create a symbol of the whole class.

An examination of how stories, hymns and prayers can help people understand more about themselves and others with reference to Judaism.

For 8-12 year olds. Originally written by Dave Francis. Updated in April 2019.

Key words and concepts

Rosh Hashanah: Head of the Year. Jewish New Year festival.

Shofar: ram’s horn blown at the season of Rosh Hashanah.

Yom Kippur: Day of Atonement. Fast day occurring on the tenth day after Rosh Hashanah; a solemn day of Tefillah and Teshuva.

Tefillah: self-judgement. Jewish prayer and meditation.

Teshuva: repentance. Returning to G-d. (Jews often write G-d instead of ‘God’ in order to avoid any accidental misuse of the Holy Name.)

Torah: law; teaching. The Five Books of Moses.

Kol Nidrei – lit. ‘All Vows’: Prayer recited on the evening of Yom Kippur.

Fasting: willingly abstaining from food, drink or both, for a period of time.

Forgiveness: in human terms, the giving up being resentful or angry at someone because of a perceived wrong. It can also refer to giving up the demand that someone be punished. When asking for G-d’s forgiveness, people generally refer to their hope that the punishment they deserve from a just G-d will be tempered by mercy.

Creation: the Judaeo-Christian stories of the creation of the world are written in Genesis Chapters 1 & 2. The Jewish calendar is dated from the Creation. Jews write ‘AM’ after each year – meaning ‘Anno Mundi’ (Year of the World). The pattern and purpose of Creation is revealed in the Torah and Talmud (collection of oral Torah / teaching).

Sin: in Judaism, because human beings are given free-will, they are responsible for their own sin. But because human beings are weak and give in to temptation, G-d allows repentance and, through His mercy, can give forgiveness.

Atonement: in the days of the Temple in Jerusalem, there were rituals for making amends for wrong-doing, and animal sacrifices were made. On Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, most Jews today do not make animal sacrifices, but offer prayers of confession and repentance. Yom Kippur is a day for fasting and charity.

G-d’s forgiveness: according to Rabbi David Shlomo Rosen, to secure G-d’s forgiveness, ‘It is not enough to hope and pray for pardon: man must humble himself, acknowledge his wrong, and resolve to depart from sin (e.g. II Sam. 12:13ff; 1 Kings 21:27-29)’ and then, ‘remorse must be translated into deeds.’ See D. Rosen, 2003, ‘The concept of Forgiveness in Judaism’.

Learning activities

Tell pupils about the investigation they will be doing: into how different sorts of activities and actions can help us understand more about themselves and their relationships. Explain that to know what is important to us, it’s a good idea to compare with what other people find important. Ask pupils to discuss in pairs how we can keep our relationships in a good state of repair.

This lesson focuses on Jewish actions and underlying beliefs around Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (see definitions above). It is a good idea to start by showing pupils examples of modern Jews celebrating these days. There are many video clips on You Tube, some created to teach children, such as BBC clips, some by Jewish musical groups. The Yom Kippur clip should show the blowing of the horn (shofar). Yom Kippur is solemn and Rosh Hashanah is more celebratory, look for clips that reflect the different emotional tones of these days, such as through worship, practices and especially songs sung on these days.

Explain that Jews believe that although people are ‘sinful’ G-d can forgive sins provided people say sorry (repent). So, every year on a special day called Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), Jews say sorry for anything they have done wrong and remember that G-d will balance their good deeds against their bad. It is a time to start the new year with good deeds. Ask pupils what their favourite or most special time of the year is.

Play a clip of the shofar (ram’s horn) being sounded at Yom Kippur, as well as Yom Kippur prayers and songs. Ask pupils for their reflections about the music: the chanting and the blowing of the shofar. What are their reactions?

Teach about some Yom Kippur traditions:

• The sound of the shofar reminds Jews of the soul’s yearning to be reunited with God
• Fasting for 25 hours
• Reflecting on the year’s past behavior; resolving to do better in the coming year
• Confession and forgiveness of sins
• Chanting the Kol Nidrei (see key words above)
• Retelling the story of Jonah and the Big Fish which reminds Jews that God will hear them when needed

Why do the class think the tradition of using these practices have survived in Jewish practice for hundreds of years?

Teach about Rosh Hashanah traditions:

• Rosh Hashanah is Jewish new Year, it is celebrated a week before Yom Kippur
• Apples are dipped in honey to represent the hope of a good year to come
• The first day of Rosh Hashanah recalls the first day of creation.
• Sweet delicacies are eaten at meals to represent the hope of a good year
• The shofar is sounded

Ask pupils to work in pairs to create three questions they would like to ask a Jewish teenager during this period. Collect these questions and see if the class can agree on one or two questions to follow up. Ask them to record these questions on paper. Explain that this paper will be their ‘Investigation Sheet’ to record evidence that may help answer their question(s).

Ask pupils to work in small groups to make notes on their investigation sheets of some of the beliefs and concepts underpinning the celebration of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur e.g. creation, repentance, atonement, forgiveness, joy. Allocate separate beliefs and concepts to each group so that all are covered by the class as a whole. Ask each group to note on their sheets what they think Jews may learn from taking part in the festivals, especially about themselves and their relationships.

Share information about Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur found in text books such as in RE Today’s publication, Opening Up Judaism, by Fiona Moss, (ed.) 2011 to explore with pupils what these festivals mean to Jews and ask why all religions have evolved festivals and holy days; what purpose do they serve? Do such festivals help families in some special ways? Ask pupils to add any evidence to their investigations in writing.

What other ways of finding answers to their questions might there be? Do they think of asking members of a nearby Jewish community or family? How about asking you, their teacher? Try ‘Email a Believer’ on REonline.org.uk.

Ask the class to work in groups to research the four foods often used at Rosh Hashanah: challah (bread), pomegranates, honey cakes, and apples. What does each symbolise? Can pupils find any information about the history of their usage? Ask groups to draw the food and write inside what it symbolises at the festival.

Show Rosh Hashanah cards, there are many to browse through online. Alternatively show Rosh Hashanah cards from your artefacts collection or from a supplier.

Ask the groups to make Rosh Hashanah cards featuring symbolic foods or any practice discussed. Inside, alongside a suitable greeting, they should complete a sentence beginning, ‘Rosh Hashanah is important because …’

As pupils are completing their cards, tell the story of Jonah and the Big Fish, a story often told at Rosh Hashanah, e.g., from Opening Up Judaism, 17, and ask pupils what they think Jewish people might learn from this story about (a) human beings and (b) G-d. What are their favourite stories? Do they think that stories can influence the way we behave towards others? Ask pupils to add a note on the back of their cards one of the things they think Jews may learn from the story of Jonah. They should then add the name of a story that they think important or meaningful to themselves, with a point they learnt from the story.

Explain that many stories are told in order to encourage people to lead a better life. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are times when Jewish people recommit themselves to being kinder to others in the new year ahead. Ask pupils what good deeds they think they might do today / in the coming week. On their investigation sheets, encourage pupils to add some notes showing how the lives of Jews who keep the festivals may be changed in some way.

An investigation into the importance of Muhammad (pbuh) for pupils with special needs achieving at ‘P Levels’ 1-8.

For pupils with special needs achieving at ‘P Levels’ 1-8. Originally written by Anne Krisman. Updated in April 2019.

Learning Outcomes

Emerging

• Talk about what makes you and others special and unique
• Use the word ‘Qur’an’ in talking or writing

Expected

• Use the words ‘Muhammad’, ‘Islam’ and ‘Muslim’ correctly
• Explain how Muhammad heard God’s words
• Explain why Muhammad is inspirational to Muslims

Exceeding

• Explain, with reference to two Islamic practices, how we can see the impact Muhammad had on Islam

Key words and concepts

Hadith: a report of what the prophet Muhammad said or did. Used as guidance by Muslims.

Nasheed: a form of unaccompanied Islamic devotional music. Sometimes a drum is used.

Qur’an: meaning ‘recitations’. God’s words revealed through the prophet Muhammad in Muslim belief.

Inspirational: influencing people to lead their lives in a special way.

This resource uses the idea of ‘burning core ideas’ to express the key knowledge to communicate to pupils:

• Muhammad is special to Muslims;
• Islam is the name of the Muslim religion;
• Muslims believe in one God called Allah;
• Muslims cannot see their God;
• Muslims do not make pictures of Allah or Muhammad as people;
• Muslims’ holy book is called the Qur’an.

Further key ideas and knowledge:

• Muhammad was  trusted  by people – they called him Al-Amin (the one you can trust);
• Muhammad believed in  one God  called Allah;
• Muslims call him a  messenger  and prophet of Islam (rasul);
• Muslims say ‘Peace be Upon Him’ after the name of Muhammad, sometimes written as ‘pbuh’;
• Muslims believe an  angel  appeared to Muhammad in a cave on a mountain (Mount Hira);
• Muslims believe the angel, called Jibril, revealed the words of the  Qur’an;
• Muslims try to lead their lives from the  example  of Muhammad.

Learning activities

The following activities follow the ‘Five Keys Into RE’ approach (Anne Krisman)

1 Connection – How can we link our theme with pupils’ lives?

Share these thoughts with the pupils:

• We all have special unique qualities.
• We like to help others.
• We have special places where we can be calm.
• We care about

Let pupils know that Muhammad was known as ‘The Friend’ and ‘The Helper’ and that they are going to look at things that connect them with the life of Muhammad. This will begin by looking at their special unique qualities.

Share or gather the special qualities of each child in the class. This can be done by sharing ideas in the classroom, by going around the school and asking people who know them well, or by asking parents and carers to respond. Words such as helpful, kind, peaceful will be gathered.

Make the names and qualities into a class performance: names can be signed, clapped, drummed or chanted for each child, e.g., Joshua the Peaceful, Hannah the Friend.

Make a display with pupils’ pictures, their new values name and where appropriate, comments about why this name is right for them.

Paint either a) the pupil’s first name or b) their values name onto the fold of an A3 or larger piece of paper. Fold the paper to create a symmetrical design. Ask the pupils to then decorate and beautify their name.

An additional idea is to write the pupil’s values name in PVA glue and to encourage children to throw different coloured sand onto it. If you wish to highlight Muhammad’s special colour during this theme, use green sand.

While working you could play different nasheeds about Muhammad, you will find many on you Tube, such as:

• Ya Muhammad
• Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him)
• 99 Names for Muhammad
• 99 Names of Muhammad (translated)

2 Knowledge – How can we communicate burning core knowledge within the theme to our pupils?

Share these examples of burning core knowledge with the pupils:

• Muhammad was trusted by people (Al-Amin);
• Muhammad believed in one God called Allah;
• Muslims call him a prophet and messenger of God (rasul);
• Muslims believe an angel appeared to him in a cave and revealed to him the words of the Qur’an.

Let pupils know that Muhammad was valued by people and called Al-Amin – The Trustworthy. Muslims believe he was a messenger of God and that they are going to learn more about his life.

To highlight the importance of Muhammad’s name of Al-Amin – The Trustworthy – trust the pupils to take a special gold wrapped package to another class. Arrange for the member of staff who receives the package to affirm the trust placed in the pupils and to pass on something special from their room for the pupils to take back to their class.

Ask pupils to carry a message in an envelope or sign that Muslims believe there is only one God and tell this to others in the class or around the school. Anyone who hears the message can take a gold star and add it to a picture of the Arabic calligraphy for Allah, to show that the message has been heard.

Let pupils know that Muhammad believed in one God called Allah.

Listen and watch popular nasheeds which mention Allah, for example Yusuf Islam: A is for Allah, Zain Bhikha: Mountain of Mecca.

Encourage pupils to sign the letter A and the number one while responding to the music.

Islamic plaques with Muslim prayers and the raised names of Allah and Muhammad can be touched – these can be obtained from shops in areas with a Muslim population and through artefact catalogues.

Print out lots of small pictures of the word Allah in Arabic calligraphy. Ask pupils to carefully stick the words on to gold paper, trying to put them on the right way up and showing care in placing them, to reflect how Muslims respond to the name of God. [This can also be repeated with the name of Muhammad, this time sticking the names on green paper and keeping the same rules of respect and care. These two pieces of work can be stuck together and a beautiful border made around them, to link them, with glitter.]

Let pupils know that, Muslims believe that an angel appeared to Muhammad in a cave and revealed to him the words of the Qur’an

Show images of Mount Hira while listening to Zain Bhikha’s Mountain of Mecca.

Ask pupils to create a collage made from brown ripped paper, of the cave at Mount Hira. Then, without creating a human image, add the feeling of the angel Jibril, using glitter, holographic paper, cellophane etc.

Make a peaceful cave area in the classroom by putting together prayer mats, cushions and glittery material. Add light changing resources to show the presence of an angel.

Introduce pupils to the first of four stories of Muhammad and use the sensory story guide to help pupils know about the revelation that Muslims believe Muhammad received on Mount Hira.

Share the sensory story together, allow time for the stimuli to be experienced by each pupil.

Ask pupils to reflect on the story and, where appropriate, to ask questions about it.

Where appropriate, choose a question to focus on, for example, ‘Why did the angel say, “Read!”?’ and share possible answers. Adults can also ask questions and respond.

If time, share the story once more.

3 Senses – Which sensory elements are in the theme?

The following sensory activities can help pupils experience something of the life of Muhammad and the importance of Islam to Muslims:

Recitation of the Qur’an and Call to Prayer (adhan);

Islamic nasheeds (unaccompanied devotional music, sometimes using drums);

Prayer mat and topi (prayer cap).

Play a version of the Call to Prayer (adhan) to pupils while they use red, orange, purple and yellow crayons or sponge paint to create a sunset sky. Versions to be used could include those from Turkey, Bosnia, Saudi Arabia and Egypt as well as British muezzins.

Afterwards, encourage pupils to add a black paper cut-out of a dome and minaret, to give a scene of a mosque at sunset.

Engage pupils in the experience of wearing or touching a Muslim prayer cap (topi) for boys and headscarf for girls, while turning the pages of a Qur’an on the whiteboard, a resource called ‘Baybar’s Magnificent Qur’an’.

Encourage them to touch some Muslim prayer mats and then look at how Muslims pray, such as by looking at video clips or animation online.

Help pupils make a prayer mat out of sensory materials, such as textured wallpaper. The prayer mat could include arches, a picture of the Ka’bah at Mecca, and a hanging lamp to stick on.

4 Symbols – Which symbols are the most accessible in the theme?

Share these examples of Muslim symbols with the pupils:

• Moon and star;
• Arabic name of Muhammad and Allah;
• Salaam (peace) – Muslims say ‘peace be upon him’ when talking about Muhammad;
• Islamic art symmetrical designs.

Crescent Moon and Star

Invite pupils to recognise the moon and stars in a slideshow of pictures and to sort a selection of pictures of crescent moons and stars.

Encourage pupils to use Makaton signing for star and moon while listening to a song about wonder in the universe, for example There is Only One God by Zain Bhikha.

Encourage pupils to make collage pictures of the Muslim symbol – the crescent moon and star, or rub over a moon and star stencil and decorate.

Salaam – Peace

Ask pupils to identify what makes them feel peaceful out of a choice of different pictures, such as listening to music, going on the computer, lying down, praying, etc.

Help them practise writing the word Salaam in paint while listening to peaceful chill out music.

Ask pupils to make a dove of peace – there are many templates online. Add cut-outs of the name of Muhammad, with crescent moon and star symbols, to show that Muslims say ‘peace be upon him’ when talking about him.

Islamic art symmetrical designs

Explain that Muslims believe only Allah is the creator and so natural designs are shown in a non-realistic but beautiful way, with unexpected colours being used. Repetition of designs shows that God goes on for ever. An example can be found in Iznik pottery from the 16^th century Ottoman Empire, although its designs are still being used for ceramics in Turkey.

Show images of Iznik art from the Turkish tradition. Ask pupils to look for the colours of blue, red and white and for flowers.

Prepare four pieces of black, blue, red and white paper and make concertina folds. The black will be used for the background. Ask pupils to draw simple flower designs and leaves shapes on the three pieces of paper and to cut these up. They should then lay out the three elements of the flower design on the concertina folded black paper, trying to repeat the pattern.

Create an Iznik Art gallery from the pictures, displayed with images of Iznik art pottery.

5 Values – Which values in the theme speak to our pupils?

Share these examples of Muslim values with the pupils:

• Following a straight path
• Helping poor people
• Caring for animals
• Forgiveness

Explain to pupils that they are going to learn about three more stories about Muhammad (Muslims say peace be upon him) that will help them understand how inspirational he is for all Muslims and how he set an example for all Muslims to follow.

Share the sensory story of Muhammad and Crying Camel allowing time for the stimuli to be delivered in a caring manner to each pupil.

Ask pupils to reflect on the story and, where appropriate, to comment and ask questions about it.

Where appropriate, choose questions to focus on, for example, ‘How do we look when we are sad?’ ‘How can we be kind to animals?’ and share possible answers. Adults can also ask questions and respond.

If time, share the story once more.

In follow up lessons, use Muhammad and the Old Woman, as a call and response poem, and Muhammad and the Sleeping Kitten, with the associated activities, to show how inspirational Muhammad is for Muslims. Can pupils identify the parts of each story that show that Muhammad was helpful, kind, compassionate, loving, generous, following a straight path, brave, forgiving?

An investigation into Islamic history and beliefs based on the sitarah.

KS2&3. Originally written by Jim Robinson, updated in April 2019.

Learning Outcomes

Emerging

• Explain the purpose of the sitarah cloth
• Explain the significance of on Qur’anic passage on the sitarah cloth

Expected

• Explain how at least two key Islamic beliefs are represented on the sitarah cloth
• Compare and contrast one ancient use of the sitarah to a modern use
• With reference to two pieces of information, explain what secret story the cloth tells

Exceeding

• Offer a supported view as to whether the sitarah is a sacred object or not

Key words and concepts

Sitarah: screen or curtain hung near the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad.

Haramayn: holy sanctuaries of Mecca and Medina.

Kiswa: ceremonial embroidered black cloth used to cover the Ka’bah.

tomb: place where someone is buried, usually casket-shaped in Islam.

Qur’an: Muslim holy book containing 114 verses of the revelations of Muhammad.

Shahadah: confession of faith, one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Muhammad [often succeeded by ‘Peace be upon him, pbuh, as a mark of respect]: the final prophet of Allah, the ‘Seal of the Prophets’, to whom Allah revealed the Qur’an, the Muslim sacred scripture.

Medina: city established by Muhammad as the first Muslim community, where the Mosque of the prophet houses his tomb along with the tombs of other key figures in Islam.

Mecca: sacred city of Islam and direction of prayer for Muslims.

hajj: annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

mosque: Muslim place of worship.

mihrab: niche in a mosque indicating the direction of Mecca.

Sultan Selim III: Ottoman or Turkish ruler who reigned from 1789-1807.

donation: gift given without expectation of payment.

piety: the quality of being religious or reverent. For Muslims this might be expressed through an act of devotion, e.g., charitable giving at an auspicious event, such as the hajj.

prestige: widely recognised respect and admiration felt for someone or something.

sacred: set apart, special because it is in a sacred space or place or relates to a religious concept or person.

calligraphy: the art of using special script when writing out sacred verses e.g. the thuluth script used on the sitarah to record verses in Arabic from the Qur’an.

Allah: Arabic for God, means literally ‘the’ [al] ‘God’ to represent the fact that there is only one God, as monotheism is a key belief in Islam. ‘Alahu Akbar’ or ‘God is great’ is a key phrase used by Muslims.

Shirk [idolatry]: the placing of an individual or thing above Allah for worship is regarded as a grave sin. No images are allowed in Islam and calligraphy is used instead.

Prophet: messenger of God, Allah. Muslims believe that there have been at least 25 prophets in total starting with Adam, each of whom provided partial messages from Allah whereas the message or revelation imparted to Muhammad is complete and perfect and the final one.

Caliph [successor]: there are believed to be four Rightly Guided Caliphs or ‘successors’ of the prophet Muhammad. These are: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali. They are mentioned by name on the top of the sitarah.

angels: the angel Gabriel [Jibril in Arabic] revealed the Qur’an to Muhammad. A belief in angels is central to the Six Articles of Faith in Islam. Angels are heavenly beings who do the will of Allah.

blessings: the conferral of sacred benefits, spiritual rewards from Allah. Some Muslims believe that possessing or being close to objects such as the sitarah confer blessings because they have been close to a sacred place such as the tomb of the prophet Muhammad. For example, reciting one of the verses found on the sitarah is said to confer blessings and lead to paradise.

paradise: in Islam the place where the righteous will go as reward in the afterlife from Allah. Allah judges all individually. There is no intercessor who will stand between the individual and Allah on Judgment Day. There are different ideas about what paradise or Jannah will be like and there are references to it in the Qur’an where it is sometimes described as a celestial garden.

pilgrimage: a sacred journey undertaken as a religious duty or in the hopes of spiritual reward. In Islam pilgrimage [hajj] is one of the Five Pillars or duties of Islam. Only the fit and healthy and those who are free of debt are expected to undertake hajj to Mecca. In Islam there is minor hajj, which can be undertaken at any time of the year, and major hajj which is annual pilgrimage undertaken during the month of hajj [dhul-ul-hajj]. Pilgrimage can include an optional visit to the Mosque of the Prophet in Medina where pilgrims can be near the tomb of Muhammad, which is screened off.

Learning activities

The learning activities are based around the Sitarah, an embroidered cloth to cover the prophet’s tomb in Medina. The Sitarah is held in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and is available to look at online.

Firstly, search for Sitarah, Jameel Centre, Ashmolean and make sure you have this resource. The Jameel Centre is an online resource allowing viewers to look at and learn about some of the museum’s collection.

Explain that pupils are going to investigate and then make a presentation on a museum exhibit [or better still take them to the Ashmolean Museum, Room 31 Islamic Middle East Gallery to look at the sitarah] to answer the question: What secret stories can be told by a sacred object in Islam? This can be done using it as a mystery object initially or a group exercise where they are given the task of identifying what the object is using the weblink above. Prior knowledge of what the inside of a mosque looks like is needed. Labelled drawings of a mosque showing the mihrab, mosque lamps and use of calligraphy would be useful from the start. Similarly, prior knowledge of aspects of the hajj is required such as the decoration of the Ka’bah with a cloth similar to the sitarah and a map of Saudi Arabia showing the pilgrimage route with Mecca and Medina.

Provide some background historical information about the sitarah as a sacred curtain donated initially by a Muslim ruler during hajj to be hung on a wall in or near the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad in Medina. Pupils can be given the task of finding additional background information using a range of resources such as: the video of the tomb, recent photographs of the tomb, links to the British Museum hajj exhibition, weblinks to information about the Prophet’s Mosque and the Green Dome in Medina, information about the Ka’bah and the kiswa cloth that cover it and the sacred sites of Mecca and Medina [the Haramayn]. Remind them that they are trying to find out what secret stories can be revealed by the sitarah and that they are acting like detectives finding clues.

Show pupils the sitarah either in the Ashmolean Museum as part of a museum visit or as a PowerPoint presentation in the classroom using its online resources. Take pupils through what they need to focus on working from the outside edge to the middle in a clockwise direction. Draw attention to the framing of the overall design within arches and columns that resemble the mihrab, then the calligraphy and the finer details such as the imperial monogram of Sultan Selim III at the bottom which is two crossed swords and symbol in between. Ask pupils to write down as many key facts as they can remember about the sitarah and then share these in pairs or groups. If pupils are on a museum visit there is an interactive board with a link to the online information about the sitarah also.

Provide pupils with quote from Dr Christopher Brown CBE Director of the Ashmolean Museum about why the sitarah is so important in understanding the ‘complex nature of the Islamic cultural tradition’. Ask pupils to record on a large sheet of paper what they have learnt so far about this Islamic cultural tradition and about their own cultural traditions [e.g. the importance of learning about other cultures and religions, shared values, celebrating diversity]. Then ask them to record at least three questions they would like to ask about the sitarah as a sacred object and about the possible secret meanings and stories hidden in its design. Swap questions with each other to use as a later task where the other pupil has to try and answer the question and provide useful information regarding the sitarah.

Provide pupils with a printed version of the Ashmolean information about the sitarah. Ask pupils to work in pairs to recall aspects of the sitarah and then label an image of the sitarah explaining what it shows about Muslim beliefs.

Ask pupils to work in pairs to exchange views and make a range of written comments on why each of the following five verses from the Qur’an was chosen to be embroidered onto the sitarah.

Encourage them to say what each verse reveals about why the sitarah is a sacred object, and what each verse might be saying about the meaning and purpose of life. Prompt their thinking by asking which quote from the Qur’an might be the most revealing in this respect. [The Throne Verse seems the most likely as it brings rewards.]

Ask them to focus on the design which recalls the mosque, the place of worship and in particular the mihrab showing the direction of prayer [Mecca] and the references to Caliphs and the donation of the sitarah by the Sultan. Direct the discussion towards whether the sitarah is an example of piety [devotion through the act of giving at an auspicious event, the hajj] or prestige [marking the accession to the throne of the Sultan; something that was standard practice at the time amongst the Ottoman rulers].

1. 29:35 Chapter of the Light which proclaims God as the ‘light of the heavens and ’ [Think about the mosque lamp.]
2. 33:56 Chapter of the Clans: ‘Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on him, and salute him with all ’
3. The Shahadah: ‘There is no god but God and Muhammad is His Prophet.’ [The names of Allah and of Muhammad are on the red roundels at the top of the ]
4. 2:225 Throne Verse. One part of it states: ‘His throne extends over the heavens and on earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them, for He is the Most High, The Supreme in “’

Explain that you would now like them to work out answers to their original questions asked about the sitarah and its possible secret meanings and stories. They can email a Muslim or ask an RE Expert to help them find the answers. Share some of the answers across the class.

In preparation for the next lesson, pupils should assemble all the information that they have gathered so far about the sitarah in response to the original main question about the secret stories it might reveal and then decide how this information will be presented. Examples could include: a poster display of questions and answers; a cartoon illustrating the voyage of the sitarah from Constantinople to Medina and then Oxford; an interactive quiz; a guidebook for visitors to the museum going to see the exhibit; a letter of thanks to the museum or the donor Dr Khalil explaining how it has helped deepen understanding of Muslims tradition and culture; or as a collection of recordings of pupils speaking about what they have learnt about and from the sitarah to donate to the Ashmolean Museum Education Department for use as a resources for future RE students.

Provide access for pupils to computers and other resources to enable them to produce their presentations. They should choose a catchy title, bearing in mind the key question, ‘What secret stories can be told by a sacred object in Islam?’ and think about the intended audience. This is where Assessment for Learning could be applied to improve presentations and think about assessment opportunities.

Encourage the pupils to include some or all of the following ideas in their presentations:

• the ‘secret stories’ that can now be told about the sacred object, the sitarah (this could include a sense of competition for finding the most obscure or most revealing secret e.g. Sultan Selim III, the original donor of the sitarah, was a member of the Sufi order of whirling dervishes and this means the sitarah may well have been given out of piety as well as prestige;
• some mistaken beliefs about the prophet’s tomb, e.g. that you should ask for Muhammad’s mercy when only Allah can grant mercy to the believer;
• their ideas about the sitarah as a CURTAIN – why might that be significant for Muslims here?
• what big questions of life are being addressed within the design of the sitarah and within the embroidered quotations [e.g. about God, the role of Muhammad as God’s prophet, the ultimate rewards for Muslims who honour God, Muhammad and the teachings of the Qur’an]
• how people might give different answers to those questions, depending on their own beliefs;
• their own insights into the stories, mistaken beliefs, mysteries and big questions raised by their study of the sitarah, using reasoning and examples to support their ideas;
• their thoughts about how and why the Sufi practice of dhikr which involves the repeated recitation of the name of Allah might create a trance like state of union with God;
• the choice made by the designer of the sitarah to use the Thuluth script for the embroidered verses of the Qur’an and what secret stories this tells us about the art of calligraphy [e.g., the belief that you cannot be a calligrapher until you have mastered the Thuluth script; the beauty behind the lines and shapes created this way and how it might show devotion to Allah and His revelation in the words of the Qur’an];
• their own thoughts about how the arts and beautifully embroidered cloth specifically might lift people spiritually [e.g. linking with the idea of beauty and order in creation being a sign or ayat of Allah].

Ask pupils to present their completed work to others. This can be done in a variety of ways: as a poster in which questions are answered; as a PowerPoint presentation; as a cartoon charting the creation of the sitarah to its donation to the Ashmolean; as a guide for visitors to the Ashmolean; as a question and answer interactive display to go in the museum for young visitors.

Remind pupils of the questions they wrote about the sacredness of the sitarah and ask them to choose three of the best. Explain that a key Muslim belief is that there is only one God and worship of anything or anyone other than God is called shirk (idolatry), which is a sin. Ask them to work out in small groups what answers they think that present day Muslims might give to these questions, bearing in mind the points above about shirk. What answers might believers from another religion such as Christianity give? [This could link with the idea of relics of Jesus and saints.]

Explain that not all Muslims will agree about the value of the sitarah in providing protection and blessings. Most believe that only Allah can provide this, so Muslims should perform their religious duties such as prayer (du’a), follow the teachings of the Qur’an and remember the words of the 1^st Caliph Abu Bakr, “Oh people, if Muhammad is the sole object of your worship, then know that he is dead. But if it is Allah the One God you worship then know that He does not die.” Other Muslims may believe that going to the Prophet’s Mosque at Medina as part of hajj and praying in front of his tomb will gain them protection (for example from hell) and blessings in life. However, visiting the Prophet’s tomb is regarded as an optional part of hajj. The verses from the Qur’an embroidered onto the sitarah remind Muslims of the Allah’s power over the universe and the importance of worshipping Him alone. Remind them also about shirk (see above). This could provide the basis of a pupil debate about the spiritual value of the sitarah, arguing both for and against from a Muslim perspective.

Revisit the group exercise and the sheet summarising what was learnt about Islamic cultural tradition and one’s own tradition (based around the quote from Dr Christopher Brown). What can now be added to this? In summary and as feedback, do pupils feel that the sitarah is an object of piety or prestige? What has it taught them about their own beliefs and what insights have they gained about the beliefs of Muslims, bearing in mind that there might be differences within these?

[There are videos of the hajj available from the British Museum shop that might be relevant in terms of the procession of the kiswa or ceremonial cloth covering the Ka’bah at Mecca.]

A consideration of the meaning, purpose and gender of Power, looking at Hinduism

For 8-12 year olds. Originally written by Sushma Sahajpal. Updated in April 2019.

Learning outcomes

Emerging

• Explain why female deities are revered in Hinduism as well as male
• Offer a response in discussions of gender and power

Expected

• Explain, using at least two pieces of information, what is celebrated at the festival of Navratri
• Explain the nature and role of Durga in Hindu belief
• Offer a view as to whether power can or should be linked to gender

Exceeding

• Explain the meaning of the three archetypes
• Offer your response to the idea of balance in the universe

Key words and concepts

Divine: In the Hindu context this refers to the Benevolence that transcends normal human comprehension.

Shakti: Raw Energy that moves through all matter in every existing world (denoted as feminine comparable to the Yin/Yang concept in Chinese Philosophy).

Devi: Divine Force or Power at work in the world – feminine aspect (note: depicted as female), often translated as ‘Goddess’ but this is a confusion with popular perception of Greek/Roman Mythology.

Deva: Divine Will at work in the world – masculine aspect (note: depicted as male), often translated as ‘God’ but this is a confusion with either the Abrahamic entitlement in the singular or in the plural with popular perception of Greek/Roman Mythology.

Divine Consort: Each named Devi is depicted as the Consort (Marriage Partner) of a corresponding Deva. This teaches that Divine Intervention or Agency is the co- operative union of benevolent, transcending Will/Intention (masculine) and Power (feminine).

Trimurti: The collective reference for the three main Divine Forces at work in the world (i.e. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva).

Tridevi: Tridevi is a collective reference for their three Consorts (Saraswati, Lakshmi and Durga).

Saraswati: The Devi who embodies the Power of Pure Knowledge, the ability to understand it (learning), explore it (science) and express it, both creatively (Arts and Music) and verbally (True Speech). Consort of Brahma (Divine Creative Intention).

Durga: The Devi who embodies the Power of Explosive Transformation. Her stories tell of fierce battles killing demons and protecting the righteous. She can manifest when needed with the supreme power of the entire universe. She is the Consort of Shiva (Divine Transformative Intention).

Lakshmi: The Devi who embodies the Power of Material Resource, such as Wealth, Health, Beauty and Good Fortune. She is the Consort of Vishnu (Divine Sustaining Intention).

Navaratri or Navratri: Name of the Hindu Festival celebrated twice a year (March and October) at two points of transition between Seasons. Sanskrit meaning literally ‘Nine Nights’ which are dedicated to Durga in some states and to the Tridevi in others.

Raas Garba and Dandiya: Two folk dances originating in the Indian state of Gujarat which are specifically danced during Navratri and are linked to the themes of the festival. (Worth a go!)

Learning activities

The learning is based around the Navratri festival. Find images or videos of Navratri being celebrated such as on the BBC schools service, You Tube or True Tube.

You will also want to find images of three female deities: Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati for later in the activities.

Basic information about this festival:

• Navratri is celebrated twice a year.
• Navratri celebrated at harvest (October) is dedicated to the goddess Durga
• Durga represents the power of the mother or the female
• Navratri lasts for 9 days
• Hindus ask for a good harvest, for peace and prosperity and celebrate the fertility and bounty of feminine power

Lakshmi and Saraswati are also honoured; together Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati are three different representations of cosmic power.

Explain that pupils are going to learn about the Festival of Navratri when Hindus celebrate the Divine Power they believe is available to all of us (not just Hindus) in whichever form is best for us, in the way a loving mother helps her children. This will help them explore what people think about types of power in themselves and the world and question what role gender plays and what power as a force for good might look like.

Remind them that Hindus believe that God is neither male nor female but is everywhere in everything and everyone. Thus they believe God can intervene to support righteous living (meaning for universal good) at anytime in any form including as a man, woman, child, animal, river, etc. Explain the forms that are celebrated at Navratri are three Mothers.

Ask the pupils to think of words they may use to describe a mother. List these up on a Now ask them to think of activities/actions that they think mothers do. Again capture these on the board. Now consider mothers from the animal kingdom (hunting, fighting off predators, etc.), does this bring forth any more adjectives or verbs?

[N.B. The three archetypes are:

1. Provider – supplying material well-being and nourishment: Lakshmi;
2. Protector/Powerhouse – fighting off predators / pure strength: Durga;
3. Teacher – teaching / explaining / advising: ]

Deepen and widen the discussion to get a good spread of words through as many different ‘forms’ of mothering as possible. Some words like ‘helper’ can be unpacked into types of help.

Ask pupils to work in groups with three very large pieces of paper per group. Ask the groups to write ‘Provider’ in large letters in the middle of the first sheet, ‘Protector’ in the middle of the 2nd and ‘Teacher’ in the middle of the 3rd. Their task then is to write or draw around the key aspects the ideas, actions, tools and questions they associate with those roles. Encourage the pupils to consider the differences between the three aspects.

You may need a fourth sheet (Other) for characteristics that are either more human than divine such as ‘Cranky’ or ‘Bad-tempered’ or don’t fit into the archetypes.

Reviewing the fourth sheets may offer up a potentially very useful broader discussion.

Introduce the images of the three female deities (or ‘Devis’); either handing them out or showing them on the whiteboard, one at a time. Explain that each picture represents a different form of Divine Mother. Explain that Hindus believe that all the power needed to succeed comes to human beings through Divine Mothers providing the three lists of things already discussed, that is, Knowledge (Power of Understanding), Personal Strength (Raw Transformation Power) or Material Abundance (Power of Physical Well- Being). Before exploring the images in detail, give the pupils a chance to examine carefully for themselves the symbols and colours of each picture and see if they can suggest which image goes with which of the archetypes they have defined.

Now go through each deity engaging the pupils’ questions and ideas in considering what each deity is sitting on, holding and wearing. Explain that it is possible to take these definitions literally, i.e., as supernatural beings that may manifest in the world, but that it may also apply to our lives here and now in terms of wanting more of the resources the Mothers offer to be in our lives. Clarify, that just like a human mother, the Divine Mothers do not ‘take over’ and do things ‘for us’. Hindus believe that they assist us in finding the skills and strengths we need inside ourselves.

Put the Lists of words about mothers that the pupils have already compiled on the board below each Deity and ask pupils to add some more words to their sheets that they think Hindus would associate with each of the key aspects.

Ask pupils what sorts of situations might people feel the need for wealth, wisdom or strength. Aim for concrete examples of each of these in their own lives and list them on the board. Who would many Hindus pray to for help with each of these? Go through each ‘need’ and ask How might a Hindu feel those prayers might be answered. Does strength have to be physical? Does physical well-being have to mean money?

Explain that, in the Christian Bible, God is often presented as a ‘Father’ figure (although there are some female metaphors) but that, for many Christians, prayer for help in times of trouble is often directed to holy people called ‘saints’ and there are many male and female saints. This is not because they think the saints are divine or equal to God, but because the saints lived such good lives that they are very close to God and thus have power to ask God to help those who pray to them. Many Christians in the Orthodox, Catholic and Anglican traditions pray to Mary, who, as the mother of Jesus (who is believed to be ‘God and man’), is in the best position to intercede with God to request his help. Can they see this is different from how Hindus relate to the Devis? [Highlight how the female figures in Christian traditions are loving intercessors with God rather than God themselves.]

Ask pupils to list some words that a Christian might use to describe God as Father. What words might they use to describe Mary? Ask pupils to compare her qualities to the three Hindu Deities we have looked at [Highlight similarities, e.g., loved as a mother, as well as differences, e.g. ‘holy not divine’] and to say how they are each thought to make a difference to believers’ lives.

Invite pupils to link things that are important to them, e.g. who helps them, with the way we might offer to help other people, and different kinds of help; physical and mental / spiritual. Encourage them to think about who they might turn to in their own lives. What sort of skills would the person they turn to, need to help them and what form would that help take? How might they help someone who was confused, for example unable to do their homework? or had less money or was physically weaker and being bullied? [This could be a very worthwhile drama lesson with some interesting role-play activities about what they feel is appropriate assistance/relationship with someone with less power / advantages than themselves.]

Broaden the discussion into thinking about how wealthy or powerful countries treat those with less. Ask pupils to say when they think aid or trade are most appropriate. What about Fairtrade? If powerful nations used the qualities of the Tridevi how might that affect their foreign policy?

By now the children would have a good understanding of the three Devis. Hindus remind themselves of this relationship with female divinity twice a year during Navratri. What does this festival look like?

Play the video clips you have found as well as any images you would like to display.

Explain that during Navratri many Hindus fast during the day and then feast and dance in the evening time on traditional festival food. During the fast Hindus only eat foods that can be eaten very simply and with minimal process such as fruit, nuts etc. This is to encourage them to take time out from focussing on their material appetites and wishes but instead to focus on their spiritual goals of personal discipline and following divine guidance rather than personal desires. Ask pupils to identify what it might be good for them to give up for a week even though they might find it difficult to (such as a television program or chocolate) and give reasons. Consider asking them to actually try doing this for parts of the day (or a week!) and perhaps be sponsored for each day they succeed in doing so as a charity fundraiser. Journal their thoughts and feelings if they do it or make up an imaginary journal of someone their age trying to do so.

Explain that once the fasting days and dancing nights are completed (this varies across regions and families, but typically on the 8^th or 9^th day), a special feast is prepared and offered to young girls. This is to celebrate and reflect on the Divine Contribution of females in families as Mothers, Sisters and Daughters, Creators of Life, Bringers of Love and Good fortune into men’s lives. The nine nights are dedicated as three nights for each of the three divine forms. Thus femaleness has a very special place in Hindu Spiritual life. Can the pupils think of other religions that have special female images [e.g., Christian Saints, Mary, Mother of Jesus, etc]; Are there any powerful females that you look up to or turn to in times of trouble? Why might it be important for some people to turn to women for help?

Ask pupils whether Hindus would traditionally think men or women are more powerful in the family? [No right or wrong answer to this – just a discussion point about who if anyone, might be ‘in charge’?] Who has most ‘say’ in the home? What do the pupils think themselves? Does it matter if it’s Father or Mother? Ask pupils to give reasons for their answers and compare across the class.

Provide pupils with a printed version of the Deities; Lakshmi, Durga and Saraswati. Ask them to work in pairs/small groups to recall aspects of each Deity, labelling the different items with key points about what Hindus believe is being illustrated/symbolised.

Encourage pupils to discuss the details of the pictures in their pairs/groups and then to share ideas on the most important aspects for them. Prompt their thinking by asking whether they can tell which figure represents what sort of Divine Maternal help and whether they can work out why each Hindu Deity is sitting on such a different symbol?

Ask pupils to then add their own labels saying what they think is good about each of the Female Deities symbolic gifts, e.g. ‘The lute plays music’, ‘The sword is powerful’, ‘The book is for wisdom’. Provide pupils with some of these words to help them. [Of course the symbolism goes deeper than this; the idea is to start pupils thinking about how worshipping the different Female Deities helps believers in a variety of ways.]

Now divide the class into three groups. Assign a deity to each group. Ask each group to note what form of ‘Blessing’ their Female Deity represents (Protection/Strength, Provider/Well-being, Wisdom/Understanding). Ask pupils to imagine three (or more) situations that a child or adult might find themselves in when being blessed by their Deity would help. Have one example prepared for each Deity in case they get stuck! Pupils can work out their ideas in smaller groups, type them up on a computer as three separate sheets, then compare across the group. Ensure that the deity’s name is NOT on any of the papers! Collect in all nine situation sheets, shuffle them up and number them 1 to 9. Hang onto these for the next activity (below).

Explain that you would now like them to work out the role and meaning of the Female Deities in a range of situations. Divide the class into nine groups. Provide each group with one situation sheet made earlier. Ask each group to read the situation and to record their answer of which Deity’s power would be most helpful on a piece of paper next to each Situation number – give each group just 3 or 4 minutes for each situation. They then pass their situation on to the next group and so on till all groups have considered all the situations. This might be easier to share electronically so pupils can all consider all the situations at their own pace in pairs on computers. Share and discuss the answers across the class. What advice might pupils give if they were being appealed to for advice about these situations?

Tell pupils the story of how Durga vanquished the Demon.

The gods (Devas) are always in conflict with the demons (Asuras). The army of the buffalo demon, Mahishasura, defeats the gods. The gods are cast out of heaven. They appeal to Vishnu and Shiva for help. These two produce a light from which Durga is born.

She enters into battle with the demon army, slaying every last one. Durga has rescued the gods and achieved victory over evil.

This is the central story of Navratri.

Ask pupils to write their own ‘metaphorical’ story with a character needing to call upon each of the three Deities turn by turn to help him or her through the challenges within the story. The challenges need to be such that each needs the particular blessing of each Deity to overcome the problem. The story should include questions that the main character asks about their dilemmas and how what the consequences might be of following or ignoring the help of the Deities.

An investigation into the Jewish concept of Tzedakah

KS1. Originally written by Mary Myatt. Updated in April 2019.

Learning Outcomes

Emerging

• Explain what it feels like to give and receive
• Give a reason why it might be good to give

Expected

• Use the word ‘Tzedakah’ correctly showing understanding of its meaning
• Explain why two different type of things can both be given as gifts
• Explain the purpose of Tzedakah in Judaism

Exceeding

• Make a link between conversations about giving and receiving and a Jewish stimulus (artwork or story) studied
• Explain why Tzedakah is important in Judaism

Key words

Judaism: Judaism, the religion of the Jews, traces its roots back to Abraham, and most of its laws back to the time of Moses. It is a worldwide religion with around 15 million followers. The vast majority of Jews live in Israel and the United States of America. Many of the words here are Hebrew in origin, though some variations come from Jewish communities who lived throughout central and eastern Europe, and elsewhere.

Tzedekah : This is an act of charity and literally means, ‘justice, fair action’ or ‘righteousness’. Jewish people traditionally give 10% of their income to charity and it is an important religious duty to give assistance and money to those in need.

Mitzvot: This means ‘Commandment’, that is, what God commands that people do or don’t do. The Torah – the first five books of the Hebrew Bible – contains 613 Mitzvot.In practice, Jews should do mitzvotevery day.

Torah The Torah is the first part of the Jewish bible. It is the central and most important document of Judaism and has been used by Jews through the ages.

Learning activities

Set the learning activities in the context of a key question:‘What does it mean to give?’

Show a picture of Julie Wohl’s Tzedekah (found on the link below, if broken, search Google for the painter and title: https://www.pinterest.pt/pin/92394229825353634/)

Ask the children to spot 10 things in the painting.

Can they make a link between two or more items and something in their own lives?

Introduce children to some stories about giving, e.g., A Thread of Kindness (ISBN 1-929628-01-3) or Ten Tzedekah Pennies (ISBN 1929628196) and ask the children to say what things in the story might be special to Jewish people.

In order to help children understand what it is like to give something away they could try this exercise: Each child could be given some Play Doh (or similar modelling clay) to make into a ‘gift’. When they have made a gift, ask them to give it to their neighbour. Ask them to talk about what it feels like to give something away. Is it a difficult thing to do?

With separate pieces of Play Doh ask them to make something which represents something that doesn’t cost money but would be good to give to someone else. This could be a shape which represents friendship, a smile, good wishes. They could be asked ‘Are there other things which we can give as gifts which don’t cost money?’

Engage children in thinking about what they like to give and receive. Ask them such questions as: ‘What is the best present you have ever given to someone?’ ‘Why do you think they loved it?’ ‘What do we value that doesn’t cost money?’

Ask, ‘When we give something away, do we sometimes get something back?’

Explain that Tzedekah tells Jewish children something important about how to live together: that it is important to give to people in need: that we enjoy things which people give to us: that gratitude is important: that there are things apart from money which we can give to other people. Children could ask one another whether they enjoy giving or receiving – reflecting on when they might have been given something which is exciting and that they had wanted. How does it feel to give something, e.g., a picture, or something they have made such as a cake, to someone in their family?

Ask the children to think about whether they should share some of the things they have been given, and to talk to a partner about things that should be shared. Gather some ideas from the class as a whole.

Encourage children to ask their own questions about giving and receiving. What questions would they ask Julie Wohl about the gifts in her painting?

Provide the children with some boxes with Tzedekah written on them and ask them to create pictures of people in need within their own community, e.g., someone looking lonely. Give the children tokens to put in the boxes. As they put the token in the box they could say why Jewish children might want to help that person. Ask them to say whether children from other religious groups might want to help those people and to give a good reason for their answer.

The children could have a blank box where they reflect quietly on who they think might need help in their school and family and what the token could do for them. Provide large circles of paper to act as ‘tokens’. On the token, ask children to complete the sentence ‘I think they are in need because… and ‘This is what could be done to help them: …’ When they have finished, ask them to fold their tokens and put them in the Tzedekah box. Ask the children whether they think the tokens should be read out, or be kept secret. What reasons can they given for their answer? What other questions can they think of about giving and receiving?

Remind the children of the big question: ‘What does it mean to give?’ and of the main resource, the Tzedekah Artwork by Julie Wohl. Show children pages from the Islamic Aid, Christian Aid and Comic Relief websites and explain that all sorts of people of different religions and beliefs try to help people in need. Ask them to describe things on the websites which seem similar and some things which seem different, e.g., The Christian Aid site may show crisis appeals; The Islamic Aid site may show current projects; the Comic Relief site may show comedians and Red Nose Day. All the sites may show people in need, how to give money, etc.

Culham St Gabriel’s has teamed up with award-winning film-makers, TrueTube, to produce seven exciting new films to support Key Stage 1 RE. These excellent five minute films are already rating as the most popular on TrueTube. Together with the well-worked out lesson plans that accompany each film they make a substantial resource for introducing key ideas in six major religions.

Each film revolves around a little girl called Charlie and her loveably inquisitive soft toy, Blue. Together, Charlie and Blue investigate an RE-inspired question and they meet people from different religions and beliefs who can help them find the answers they are looking for, enabling Key Stage 1 children to learn alongside them.

Script-writer: Kath Yelland

Lesson Plans: Emma McVittie, Linda Whitworth, Dave Francis and Bob Ayres

Zippity-zip, let’s go on a trip! Charlie and her favourite soft toy (and best friend) Blue visit a Hindu Mandir where Geetha shows them how Hindus use their senses of sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell in worship.

Download the teacher notes

Charlie and Blue in the Classroom (About the Films)

Find out more about how the Charlie and Blue films and teacher notes can be used in primary classrooms.

Culham St Gabriel’s has teamed up with award-winning film-makers, TrueTube, to produce seven exciting new films to support Key Stage 1 RE. These excellent five minute films are already rating as the most popular on TrueTube. Together with the well-worked out lesson plans that accompany each film they make a substantial resource for introducing key ideas in six major religions.

Each film revolves around a little girl called Charlie and her loveably inquisitive soft toy, Blue. Together, Charlie and Blue investigate an RE-inspired question and they meet people from different religions and beliefs who can help them find the answers they are looking for, enabling Key Stage 1 children to learn alongside them.

Script-writer: Kath Yelland

Lesson Plans: Emma McVittie, Linda Whitworth, Dave Francis and Bob Ayres

Zippity-zip, let’s go on a trip! Charlie and her favourite soft toy (and best friend) Blue visit a Buddhist Centre to find out what it means to be enlightened, and how Buddhists try to live more peaceful lives.

Download the teacher notes

Charlie and Blue in the Classroom (About the Films)

Find out more about how the Charlie and Blue films and teacher notes can be used in primary classrooms.