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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?

For 9-12 year olds. Originally written by Fiona Moss. Updated in April 2019.

Learning Outcomes

Emerging

• Use the words ‘fasting’, ‘Ramadan’ and ‘sawm’ correctly in talking or writing
• Give one reason why fasting is important for Muslims, and one reason why it is difficult

Expected

• Give two reasons why Muslims fast, supported by a teaching from the Qur’an
• Give a balanced response to the question of whether athletes should fast
• With reference to Muslim athletes and fasting, give a supported view as to why holding beliefs can be difficult

Exceeding

• Offer a supported view as to how easy or hard it is in life to stick to beliefs

Key words and concepts

Five pillars: The basic precepts of Islam including belief in One God and his prophet Muhammad, prayer, giving of charity, fasting and pilgrimage to Mecca.

Id-ul-Fitr: Celebration of breaking the fast on the day after Ramadan ends, which is also the first day of Shawal, the tenth Islamic month. Also known as Id-ul-Saghir – the Lesser Id – and Sheker Bayram (Turkish) – sugar feast.

Iftar: A meal served at the end of the day during Ramadan, to break the fast. Literally, ‘break-fast.’

Imam: Leader. A person who leads the communal prayer, or a founder of an Islamic school of jurisprudence. In Shi’ah Islam, Imam is also the title of Ali (Radhi-Allahu-anhu – may Allah be pleased with him) and his successors.

Ramadan: The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, during which fasting is required from just before dawn until sunset, as ordered by Allah in the Qur’an.

Salah: Prescribed communication with, and worship of, Allah, performed under specific conditions, in the manner taught by the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and recited in the Arabic language. The five daily times of salah are fixed by Allah.

Sawm: Fasting from just before dawn until sunset. Abstinence is required from all food and drink (including water) as well as smoking and conjugal relations.

Ummah: Community. World-wide community of Muslims; the nation of Islam.

Belief: a confidence that something is true that is not easily proved and is something that others will have different views and opinions about. The term often refers to people’s faith or religious convictions.

Fasting: for Muslims, going without food or liquid between dawn and dusk. Fasting also means not taking medication or smoking. Muslims undertake this for 29-30 days at the time of Ramadan. Muslims also undertake extra prayers and believe fasting brings them closer to Allah.

Commitment: showing dedication to something that is important to you perhaps a particular belief, activity or cause, even if that commitment means forgoing other things.

Learning activities

Set the learning activities in the context of the enquiry question, in this example we have suggested the question, ‘Why can holding beliefs be difficult?’ However, much of the learning suggested could be adapted to questions relating to a religion specific question, e.g., ‘What are the challenges of fasting for Muslims?’

Ask pupils what they recall about the practice of fasting. Can they think of different practices in different religions concerning the length of the fast, what the fast consists of and what exceptions there may be? For example, do they know about the Christian observance of Lent and giving up of luxuries during the whole period of 40 days? Can they compare this with the Muslim practice of fasting during the month of Ramadan and the abstinence from food and drink during daylight hours?

If pupils are not already familiar with the practices of Muslims at Ramadan, explain that for practising Muslims over the age of puberty, about 11, they will fast in daylight hours for approximately 30 days. Fasting means going without food or drink, even water, during the hours of daylight. In the height of summer this means approximately 18 hours with no liquid or food. There are however exemptions from fasting, e.g., for those who are ill or pregnant.

Ask pupils to make a connection between the Muslim practice of fasting during Ramadan with something they could do to (a) remind themselves of people in the world who do not have enough to eat and (b) improve their own will-power and self-control.

Share with pupils that the Olympic games in London 2012 was during Ramadan, and that around 25% of the athletes taking part were Muslim. Introduce pupils to the mystery: Should Imran fast during the Games? (The event and sport that Imran is potentially competing in can be adapted to make it topical, e.g., in 2016 this could be the Olympics in Brazil; in 2014 the Wimbledon Tennis Championships will coincide with Ramadan). Provide pupils with the following scenario:

Imran is a 17 year old tennis player…(sport could be adapted) who has qualified for the … [insert event]. A vital part of the event coincides with Ramadan and, as a Muslim, he is worried about whether he should fast whilst training and competing. He collects together information about the importance of fasting and what other athletes have decided to do to help him make his decision.

Organise pupils to work in groups of 3 or 4 and provide them with the different pieces of information that Imran has collected.

General Islamic Teaching

Muslims who are ill or need to look after their bodies (such as when pregnant or breastfeeding.

It is possible to ‘catch up’ with fasting after a period when Muslims couldn’t fast during Ramadan.

When fasting, Muslims do not drink a sip of water, even if it is very hot.

Muslims do not eat or drink between the hours of daylight.

Children as young as 9 will fast.

Ramadan is a month of fasting in Islam.

Giving up food helps Muslims think about those who go hungry all year round.

Muslims are proud to fast to show their obedience to Allah.

Qur’anic Teaching

Qur’an 2: 185

O you who have faith! Prescribed for you is fasting as it was prescribed for those who were before you, so that you may be Godwary. (alQur’an.info)

Suggests God wants Muslims to fast because it makes them righteous, or ‘Godwary’

Qur’an 2: 184

But should any of you be sick or on a journey, let it be a [similar] number of other days. Those who find it straining shall be liable to atonement by feeding a needy person. Should anyone do good of his own accord, that is better for him, and to fast is better for you, should you know. (alQur’an.info)

Suggests God recommends Muslims fast, but if they cannot, they could feed a needy person instead.

Qur’an 2: 185

Allah desires ease for you, and He does not desire hardship for you,  (alQur’an.info)

However God does not create responsibilities that Muslims cannot meet. Islam should not be a burden.

Qur’an 16:128

Indeed Allah is with those who are Godwary and those who are virtuous. (alQur’an.info)

Fasting shows restraint, this pleases God

What do Muslim athletes do?

Reference: ‘Ramadan in Sports: How do Elite Athletes Cope?’, Ricard Winton, BBC Sport, bbc.com, 05.09.15

Mo Farah, the runner, eats and drinks if Ramadan occurs during a performance season. He fasts once the season has finished.

Moe Sbihi, an Olympic rower, does not fast if Ramadan falls in the Olympic period.

He fasts instead in the winter months, and eats huge amounts of food in the morning before daybreak, about 4am. He finds it hard to not drink all day when he is training and fasting.

Mo Farah, Moe Sbihi, Abdul Buhari (discus) and other British Muslim athletes did not fast in the run up to London 2012. They did not want to let the team down. Instead they funded meals for a poor community in Tangiers.

Ask pupils to read the information on the cards and group together information that links, e.g., narrative, facts, opinions, important information, irrelevant information. Pupils need to decide for themselves how to sort the information. The challenge for them is that at the end of the time allocated they must give Imran some advice.

Offer pupils a series of oral sentence starters to frame their group response to Imran:

• I think Imran should… ..
• I think this decision is hard for Imran ..
• One argument for breaking the fast ..
• One argument for keeping the fast ..
• If I were a Muslim I ..

Once pupils have offered their responses ask them to think what the counter argument might be and how that might affect their life as a member of the Muslim community.

You could link this work to literacy and ask pupils to write a balanced or a persuasive argument.

Write in the centre of six large pieces of paper ‘Beliefs about…’ and then finish the statement with food, behaviour or clothing. Give each group a piece of paper.

1. Ask the first group to write any beliefs that might have to do with this category, g., not eat meat.
2. Move the piece of paper to a different group. Ask this group to draw a line from a belief and write an example of an occasion when it might be a challenge to hold that belief, e.g., at a party.
3. Move the piece of paper to a final group. Ask this group to write suggestions of what believers might say or do to keep to their belief.

As a result of this work support pupils to work in groups to enquire into people who have held a set of beliefs and had them challenged. Give pupils a series of people to choose from e.g., Sarika Watkins-Singh who as a teenager was banned from wearing the Kara but took her school to Court and won; the disciple Peter who denied Jesus three times; Samantha Devine, a 13-year-old Catholic pupil in Kent, who was told not to wear a crucifix on a chain because it breached health and safety rules.

Ask pupils to create a presentation telling this person’s story through drama, newspaper report or other method to share what the person’s beliefs were, how they were challenged, and how they managed to resolve the dilemma. In their presentations, pupils should include:

• different opinions that followers of the religion(s) involved in the story might have about what can be learnt from it;
• at least TWO important questions that pupils think should be asked about the story they are investigating and the possible answers they think relate best to the way people should live their lives.

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.]

An exploration of the contribution of Christian and other groups and individuals to the community.

KS 2&3. Originally written by Dave Francis & Tina Ward. Updated April 2019.

Learning Outcomes

Emerging

• Offer a definition of ‘community’, including at least three factors
• Explain, with reference to two examples, how working as a community might help achieve goals

Expected

• Define ‘community’, including one religious non-religious and one non-religious factor
• Offer a supported view as to what enables communities to work together to achieve hopes and dreams
• Offer a supported view as to the contribution of religion and belief in a community achieving their goals

Exceeding

• Contrast religious support in the community with non-religious support
• Offer a supported view as to whether there is a difference on religious and non-religious supports to the community

Key words and concepts

religion: ‘an organised collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence’ (Wikipedia, as at 10/02/2014). But note that ‘religion’ cannot really be captured in a single definition. Where are the dividing lines between religion and culture, and religion and ethnicity? Can religious identity be properly separated from other ways of identifying oneself?

belief: acceptance that something exists or is true, especially where there is no actual proof. Also refers here to religious convictions, e.g., that God answers prayers.

atheism: the belief that there is definitely no God.

atheist: one who believes that there is no God.

agnosticism: the position of not knowing, or not being sure about the existence of God.

agnostic: one who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God.

theism: belief in the existence of God or gods.

theist: one who believes in God or gods.

humanist: a person who follows a life system of values and beliefs that is based on the idea that people are basically good and that problems can be solved using reason instead of religion.

community: usually referring to a small social unit or group of people that share a set of values. Can be understood as referring to people who live in a specific geographic area or to a ‘virtual’ group connected, e.g., via the internet, by a common interest.

responsibility: having a duty to deal with something or having control over someone.

voluntary: in this sense, referring to work done without payment.

inspiring: filling with encouragement to do something, especially something creative, ambitious or helpful; sometimes accompanied by an elevated feeling.

character: qualities that distinguish a person, e.g. type of temperament, qualities of mind, their ‘nature’, attitudes or dispositions.

Learning activities

This scheme is designed to take place over several sessions with one or two years in between Parts 1 and 2, e.g., Part 1 in Year 4, and Part 2 in Year 6. Alternatively, the scheme could be undertaken as a cross-phase unit from primary to secondary schools.

You will be using clips from the film Rise of the Guardians. 

Part One

Explain to the pupils that they are going to finding out some more about the place where they live and the groups and individuals in their local communities: the focus here is on Christianity and humanism, but you could choose different worldviews as appropriate. Pupils will be able to explore the things that interest them most in this context and what they start to investigate in their present class, they will be able to follow up in one or two years’ time. The key concept for investigation is ‘community’.

Ask the pupils to talk to a partner about their ideas of the local community: what different groups are they aware of? What different buildings, including religious buildings are they aware of? Do they know people, including in their own family, who are involved in any voluntary activities? What celebrations or processions are they aware of? Have they been to any big family events recently: baptisms, naming ceremonies, weddings, funerals? Which ones had a religious context and how could they tell?

Get some feedback and then ask them in pairs again to think of different community leaders, e.g., mayor, council leader, priest, imam, minister, vicar, rabbi, sports coach, music group director, cubs/scouts/guides/brownies leader etc. and to talk about what each one might do to fulfil his / her role. What do they think makes a good leader of a community? Where do they think that religious belief might make a difference?

Focus attention on the idea of people’s hopes and fears and dreams and nightmares. Introduce the film, Rise of the Guardians, and play an extract: Scene 2, where the main characters are introduced: the Guardians whose task it is to protect children’s hopes and dreams, and ‘Pitch Black’, the character who wants to replace hopes and dreams with fears and nightmares. Stop the film where the Easter Bunny says, ‘Jack Frost is many things but he is not a Guardian’ (6’ 27”)

Ask pupils to say what they think about these characters and what might make a good ‘guardian’ for children. What do they think is the biggest influence on themselves and others: hopes and dreams, or fears and nightmares?

Next, play Scene 5, where ‘North’ (i.e. Santa Claus) questions Jack Frost about his character and uses a Russian Doll to illustrate his point. Stop the film when Jack says, ‘I don’t know’ (2 minutes). [You could use a Russian Doll, if you have one, to illustrate the point.]

Ask pupils to think of the layers of a person’s ‘character’. Ask them to reflect on what they show to the outside world and what is kept hidden deep inside. What kinds of things might be at a person’s centre? Can they give examples of hidden strengths that might emerge at times of need? Make a list of suggestions on the board.

Ask pupils to draw the outline of a person in the middle of a page, to select at least three words from the class list to describe ‘hidden qualities’ that could best help people and to write them inside the outline. Then, from each word, encourage them to draw an arrow moving outside the outline and to describe a situation where that quality might be of help, e.g.,

• honesty — admitting you have broken your mum’s flower-vase;
• or calmness — not panicking in an emergency;
• or loving — forgiving someone who has offended you.

Next, focus pupils’ attention on the idea of the power of belief and play Scene 12 where the boy Jamie talks with his toy rabbit and then Jack Frost. Stop the film just after the point where the Easter Bunny says, ‘He made you believe… in me?’ (4’ 45”).

Ask pupils to say what they think this part of the story is about and what questions they would like to ask about it? Point out the questions that go deeper into the meaning of the story. How do their own ideas and questions compare with others in the class? Do they think that believing in such things as Jack Frost, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, the Sandman (creator of pleasant dreams) and Santa Claus are a waste of time, or is there a point to such belief? What happens when children stop believing in such characters?

Next, play Scene 13 where the Guardians and the children make a stand against Stop the film where Jamie says, I’ve got it. I know what we have to do’ (6’ 30”).

Ask pupils to say what they think is important in this scene. In what sense have the children ‘grown up? How important do they think it is that the other children supported Jamie when he decided to stand up against Pitch? What questions would they like to ask Jamie or the other children if they could? Can they say whether they, or anyone they know, have been helped by anyone to overcome their fears and nightmares?

Ask them to ‘hot seat’ (a) Jamie and (b) Pitch. Choose pupils to take their parts and ask the rest of the class to take turns asking them questions and noting the replies. Some pupils might like to suggest alternative replies.

Finally, play Scene 14 where the Sandman returns, defeats Pitch and restores the children’s dreams, and Scene 15 where Jack becomes a Guardian and tells Jamie that he has become a Guardian too. Stop the film when Jack and the Guardians take off in the sleigh and the children wave (6’ 46”). There’s no need to include the final lines of the film where Jack says, ‘If the Man in the Moon tells you something, believe him!’, as this may be somewhat of a distraction!

Ask pupils to say what message they think this scene is giving about human beings. What questions would they like to ask (a) Jack Frost and (b) Jamie? What answers do they think these two characters would give to their questions? In what sense might this film be called a ‘religious’ film?

Encourage pupils then to work in small groups to produce a poster in two halves indicating in words and drawings: hopes and dreams on one side and fears and nightmares on the other.

When the pupils have finished or are close to finishing their designs, ask them to add comments on how being part of a community might help (a) fulfil some of the hopes and dreams (b) keep people safe against their fears and nightmares. Ask them to visit other pupils’ designs so that they can compare ideas.

Explain that the class is now going to enquire into a big question: ‘What is the contribution of religion and belief in the community? They will have the chance to identify important features, to reflect upon them and to apply them to their own situation.

Display a series of pictures (at least A4 size) of different community events and features around the room, such as:

• A food bank
• Bereavement counsellor or prison visitor
• Religious charity shop
• Religious funeral
• Religious youth group or festival
• A demonstration or protest
• Military chaplain
• People offering comfort to someone in trouble
• People worshipping in a church or cathedral
• A religious ritual
• Street evangelists
• Sunday school

Ask the pupils to circulate around the displayed pictures for a while and then to stand by the picture they find most inspiring, interesting, confusing or different. Go round the class asking for explanations, then ask the pupils to move again if they want to, to stand by the picture they now find most inspiring, interesting, confusing or different.

Take the two most popular pictures and move them to a prominent position at the front of the class. Share some key aspects of knowledge about the chosen pictures, e.g., which religious/belief tradition the picture features, if any, and some of the beliefs and/or practices of the group.

Encourage the pupils in groups of 5 or 6 to come up with one or at most two questions comparing the two pictures; remind them that ‘open’ questions that go beyond the pictures themselves are likely to be harder to answer and more interesting. Ask them to write their questions on A3 paper. These can then be displayed around the room, on a cleared floor space or on tables.

Ask pupils to circle round the displayed questions. If possible pupils can add comments and extra questions on Sticky Notes and put them on each A3 paper. Invite comments and links. Clear up any ambiguities and ask pupils to stand by their favourite question. Narrow these down by single transferable vote system until one question remains. Ask the group whose question is voted for by the class to explain their rationale and their thoughts. Tweak the question if necessary to make more open / philosophical.

Issue pupils with two tokens / cards, indicating the maximum number of contributions to the discussion that can be made. Steer the enquiry around the main question, building towards better understanding of the issue(s) being raised by the pupils. [In a large class, invite the question generators to make some summary comments about what has been said, indicating, with respect, where they agree or disagree.] Invite a few more comments from those who have not said anything or much, up to this point.

Self-evaluation: pupils raise hands according to whether they have done the things indicated at the start. Did they identify some important features of religion and belief in the community? Did they reflect on what these features might mean? Did they apply their reflections to their own lives?

Part Two (To take place over several sessions in the Middle / Secondary school, e.g., in Year 5, 6 or 7)

Remind pupils (and inform new pupils) of the investigation being undertaken into the contribution of religion and belief in the community, the film Rise of the Guardians, the pictures of community events and features, and the question(s) they came up with in the first part of the investigation.

Explain that they are going to take this investigation to a deeper level, enquiring into specific contributions of religion and belief groups locally and how their practices / ways of living reflect beliefs about what is most important in life.

Get pupils to recall parts of the story of the Rise of the Guardians. Bring out the idea that ‘Pitch Black’ is trying to destroy children’s hopes and dreams and replace them with fears and nightmares. The characters who fight against him represent hopes and dreams: Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and Jack Frost.

Show pupils Scenes 14 and 15 near the end of the film, where the children get together against ‘Pitch Black’ and say, ‘I do believe in you. I’m just not afraid of you’, and the scene where the Sandman returns and Jack tells Jamie that he has also become a kind of Guardian (6’ 46”). Stop the film before the final sentence about the Man in the Moon.

Ask pupils to say what they see in the film that perhaps they didn’t see when they first watched it. Bring ideas of community and responsibility into the discussion.

Ask pupils to then work in small groups to produce a poster of messages learnt from the film. Ask them to reflect on what people can do today to fight fears and nightmares. Prompt their thinking by pointing out that distress, anxiety, loneliness, feelings of worthlessness, etc, all have causes, and provide a list of such possible causes: bullying, violence, poverty, addiction, hunger, disease, illness, lack of love and affection, inequality. Can they add others?

Engage the small groups in a ‘Give an example’ activity, where they agree on a good example of where such causes [bullying, violence, poverty, addiction, hunger, disease, illness, lack of love and affection, inequality] have led or could lead to making life worse for people. Get some feedback from the groups on their examples and ask them to say how they think such problems can be solved. Are such problems easier for people to solve if they are members of communities?

Show pupils the list of possible contributions made by religion and belief communities on page 4 above. Ask them to narrow the list down to the one or two that seem most interesting or important to them. Can they give reasons for their selection?

Ask pupils to prepare for the visit of a member of a local community of religion/ belief by preparing questions they would like to ask about their beliefs and practices as members of that group. [Invite and prime your visitor to expect such questions!]

At the next session, introduce a visitor from a particular community group to the class. Encourage the visitor to offer a brief presentation outlining how they came to be in that group and on what sort of activities the group engages in, including any festivals, celebrations, and different sorts of religious and other meetings. Then invite pupils to ask their questions.

When questions and answers are exhausted, encourage pupils to work in small groups on a (digital) presentation that addresses the question, ‘What did religions and beliefs ever do for us?’ If it’s possible for your visitor to stay, encourage them to circulate around the groups offering suggestions and insights. Remind pupils about their work on the Rise of the Guardians film, and ask them to add any ideas they have on:

• the way different groups, including religious and humanist groups, might have an impact on people’s hopes and fears, dreams and nightmares;
• why people may belong to different religion and belief communities;
• what challenges that might bring;
• whether having religious beliefs makes a difference;
• further unanswered

Ask pupils to work on their presentations ready to show in the next session.

Allow some time for pupils to complete their presentations and then to show a selection. [Others could be made ready for upload to the school website.] Offer feedback in terms of pupils achievements in answering the set question.

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 how feminism has led to different interpretations of the Bible.

KS4&5. Originally written by Bob Bowie. Updated in April 2019.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Emerging

• Offer an argument based on evidence as to how Christianity/ the Bible could be seen as sexist
• Explain two different interpretations of the Fall

Expected

• Using a feminist framing, critique a biblical text
• Set out and compare two contrasting interpretations of the Fall, referring to text
• Offer a supported answer to the question; ‘what can be learnt from feminist interpretations of the Bible?

Exceeding

Compare and contrast two different feminist interpretations of the Fall

Key words and concepts

Hermeneutics: How we read, understand and handle texts, especially those written in another time or in a very different life context.

Biblical Hermeneutics: The process of understanding the Bible using doctrinal, historical and critical approaches.

Biblical Criticism: Making sense of the Bible through a better understanding of the history and culture of the times.

Demythologizing the Bible: An approach to understanding that sought to remove the other-worldly outdated understandings in the Bible to find what was thought to the essential ethical understanding.

The Fall: the event in the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate from The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen. 2 and 3).

Feminism: Movements which aim to establish women’s equal rights. A feminist is an advocator or supported of the rights and equality of women and so can be male or female.

Christian feminism: This movement seeks to understand the equality of men and women in terms of morality, society, spirituality and Christian leadership. One major area of work is in the reinterpretation of Christian doctrine. Another is in the movement for ordination.

Feminist theology: A movement found in several religions that reconsiders religion from a feminist perspective, reinterpreting existing interpretations of religion, which have tended to be exclusively or largely made by men.

Feminist theory: Thinking that seeks to understand gender inequality examining women’s social roles and lived experience.

Patriarchal/Patriarchy: A system that puts and keeps women in submissive and/or subservient role to men.

Reader response: Making sense of the Bible through personal prayer and meditation and reflection on words from the Bible and life experience.

Sexism: Beliefs, attitudes and actions that see women as second class to men.

Inequality: A basic value position that gives more recognition and importance to one ‘kind’ over and against ‘another’.

Women’s liberation: a movement that opposes inequality, patriarchy and sexism in an attempt to secure equal rights in all areas of life.

Women’s ordination: This practice of some religions and some Christian denominations is an area of dispute both across religions and within Christianity.

Learning activities

Explain to the students that they are going to conduct two investigations to work out what can be learnt from feminist interpretations of the Bible. Each investigation has a focus statement and some ‘tabloid headlines’. The headlines are used to characterise the learning investigation at each stage but could also be a template for producing media accounts of the examinations.

The investigations should enable students, working in small teams, to produce TV style interviews with characters in the stories examined and with the Feminist commentators in the Resource. Newspaper stories can be written to reflect sexist interpretations of the stories, in the style of tabloid revelations, with follow up denials and alternative accounts of what really happened, generating the sense of the interpretation.

Learning investigation 1: Christian comments on women and feminist comments on Christianity 

Tabloid Headline: SEXIST RELIGION OR RELIGION MADE SEXIST?

Introduce the students to some of the controversy surrounding women and Christianity. Explain that they are going to investigate why some people might think the Bible, or Christianity, is sexist and to examine the thinking of some feminist theologians who in different ways respond to the question of sexism in the Bible or Christianity.

Give the following quotations. Ask students to find three challenging or unexpected quotes. Encourage them to decide in small groups: which of the quotes are most striking to them and to write a written response.

Tertullian (about 155 to 225 CE):

“Do you not know that you are each an Eve? The sentence of God on this sex of yours lives in this age: the guilt must of necessity live too. You are the Devil’s gateway: You are the unsealer of the forbidden tree: You are the first deserter of the divine law: You are she who persuaded him whom the devil was not valiant enough to attack. You destroyed so easily God’s image, man. On account of your desert even the Son of God had to die.”

Augustine of Hippo (354 to 430 CE). He wrote to a friend:

“What is the difference whether it is in a wife or a mother, it is still Eve the temptress that we must beware of in any woman……I fail to see what use woman can be to man, if one excludes the function of bearing children.”

Thomas Aquinas (1225 to 1274 CE):

“As regards the individual nature, woman is defective and misbegotten, for the active force in the male seed tends to the production of a perfect likeness in the masculine sex; while the production of woman comes from a defect in the active force or from some material indisposition, or even from some external influence.”

Martin Luther (1483 to 1546):

“If they [women] become tired or even die, that does not matter. Let them die in childbirth, that’s why they are there.”

Matilda Josyln Gage, et. al, “1876 Declaration of Rights” on the rights of women

“…we declare our faith in the principles of self-government; our full equality with man in natural rights; that woman was made first for her own happiness, with the absolute right to herself – to all the opportunities and advantages life affords for her complete development; and we deny that dogma of the centuries, incorporated in the codes of nations – that woman was made for man – her best interests, in all cases, to be sacrificed to his will. We ask of our rulers, at this hour, no special favors, no special privileges, no special legislation. We ask justice, we ask equality, we ask that all the civil and political rights that belong to citizens of the United States, be guaranteed to us and our daughters forever.”

Pope John Paul II (1995)

“Woman’s identity cannot consist in being a copy of man, since she is endowed with her own qualities and prerogatives, which give her a particular uniqueness that is always to be fostered and encouraged… To all in our age who offer selfish models for affirming the feminine personality, the luminous and holy figure of the Lord’s Mother shows how only by self-giving and self-forgetfulness towards others is it possible to attain authentic fulfillment of the divine plan for one’s own life.”

Statement by “Christians for Biblical Equality” a conservative Christian organization

“…the Bible, properly interpreted, teaches the fundamental equality of men and women of all racial and ethnic groups, all economic classes, and all age groups, based on the teachings of scripture as reflected in Galatians 3:28: ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’ ”

Jerry Falwell

“Most of these feminists are radical, frustrated lesbians, many of them, and man-haters, and failures in their relationships with men, and who have declared war on the male gender. The Biblical condemnation of feminism has to do with its radical philosophy and goals. That’s the bottom line.”

Randall Terry, head of Operation Rescue

“…make dads the godly leaders [of the family] with the women in submission, raising kids for the glory of God.”

Anon, “Why women need freedom from religion,” pamphlet

“The various Christian churches fought tooth and nail against the advancement of women, opposing everything from women’s right to speak in public, to the use of anesthesia in childbirth…and woman’s suffrage. Today the most organized and formidable opponent of women’s social, economic and sexual rights remains organized religion. Religionists defeated the Equal Rights Amendment. Religious fanatics and bullies are currently engaged in an outright war of terrorism and harassment against women who have abortions and the medical staff which serves them.”

Ask students to write a newspaper column under this headline:

SHOCK REVELATIONS. EQUALITY HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION INVESTIGATES ACCUSATIONS OF SEXIST DISCRIMINATION IN SO CALLED COMPASSIONATE RELIGION

Alternatively, they could produce a report on an investigation into what Christianity is really all about, identifying aspects of the Christian tradition that seem sexist.

Now introduce some responses to misogyny in Christian thought. For example search online for ‘Mary Daly quotes’. Other Christian feminists are Daphne Hampson, Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenzaand Phyllis Trible. Search You Tube for modern Christian feminist posts and videos.

Can students define the term ‘thealogians’ (with an ‘a’ instead of an ‘o’)? Teach that the Greek word for Goddess is Thea or Theia, rather than Theos (the masculine ‘God’). Are Christian feminists Thealogians?

Thealogians argue the job of Feminist Thealogy is to:

• Correct mistaken patriarchal interpretations of the Bible;
• Search the Bible for anti-patriarchal sources;
• Provide a better ethical framework to change Christian understanding of all creatures;
• Reinterpret religion from a feminist perspective based on women’s experience and not tradition;
• Move away from religion as something which upholds patriarchal systems.

Make the ‘Five Feminist Theologians/ Thealogians’ Resource into separate cards for each of the five thinkers. Divide students into small groups and issue each group with one card. Ask them to express in a single sentence or two how their thinker has responded. This could be done with groups looking at the information on their card and responding initially to what they seem to be saying. For example, instruct them to ‘read the card with the information on your thinker and try to agree with your group on the three key things your person is saying’. So students might suggest, for example, ‘I think she is saying ….’

In a plenary session, ask each group to report on their three key things to the whole class, listen to each other’s reports and then give some initial responses. [Until the students have sought to apply these interpretative perspectives that the thinkers have, it may be difficult to for them to see the implications of these perspectives but this provides an opportunity to ask the class, ‘how do you think each of these women might view x or y?’ for some hypothesis work.]

Ask students to write a magazine column under this headline: WE TALK TO FOUR INSIDERS WHO REVEAL THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRISTIANITYʼS SEXISM! Here, the article author (or news item presenter) interviews four of the feminist thinkers capturing their beliefs about Christianity and their feminism.

Learning Investigation 2: Adam and Eve

Part A: Tabloid Headlines:

SULTRY TEMPTRESS SEDUCES ADAM AND LOSES EDEN FOR ALL OF US! WAS IT ALL EVE’S FAULT?

Ask students to apply the different kinds of feminist thinking introduced in Investigation 1 to interpret the Adam and Eve text, and to evaluate some questionable representations of Adam and Eve and the ideas they convey.

Read, with students, the account of the creation of Eve in Genesis 2:4-25 and her role in the Fall in Genesis 3. It is important to read the actual text and begin there, in a suitable translation, instead of beginning with an enactment or video impression of the account for example, as these inevitably involve interpretation.

Ask the whole class for their thoughts on the following questions:

• Why do you think this story is so important in Christian tradition? [Some reference to the place of the creation story in wider Christian belief could be made if they are unfamiliar with it: that it is commonly read from at Church; that some Christians believe it to be the literal account of the creation of the world; that others see it metaphorically or symbolically as having meaning but not actually happening as if it was history.]
• What is meant by ‘The Fall’? [It is essential that the doctrinal importance of the Fall is understood. If women play a key role in the fall then their status is affected for all time. Theologically, the Fall is the reason for the corruption in the world as we experience – the fallen world is a terrible place with all of its imperfections. Christians say that people need saving from this place but there was once a time and a place when life was good, back in the garden of Eden.
• Is it important to believe that the Adam and Eve narrative reflects an historic event that really happened? [Many Christians see the story simply as an expression of the Jewish people trying to understand the world as they saw it, and trying to find a reason for life being hard while at the same time believing in a creator God.]
• Which parts of the story appear to support the authority of men over women, i.e. patriarchy?

Ask students then to work in pairs or threes to consider briefly the following ‘unpacking questions’:

1. How and why is Eve made, according to the text?
2. What is the role of Eve in this account?
3. How is she punished? What do you think about that?
4. What questions does this story ask about the place of women in Christianity? Is it their fault?

Gather feedback. Ask students to discuss then suggest interpretations of the myth of Eve.

Part B. How is the story of Adam and Eve depicted in medieval pictures? Tabloid Headline:

DODGY ARTISTS BESMIRCH HONOURABLE EVE WITH ‘PAGE 3’ PAINTINGS OF GENESIS!

Move students’ focus to how some Christians in medieval times interpreted and depicted this story. This will show how it was interpreted in different times and places.

Explain that in medieval Christianity no one really questioned the existence of Adam and Eve or the Garden of Eden. The depictions of the story in paintings of the time provide an impression of what artists thought about the Creation story. Within these depictions certain attitudes and interpretations can be perceived. [Students may well have engaged with the idea of propaganda in history which could be drawn upon for comparison.]

Show the students a selection of mediaeval depictions of the creation story, such as:

• Adam and Eve, from the ‘Stanza della Segnatura’:
• Adam and Eve – Lucas Cranach the Elder:
• Adam and Eve – Hans Holbein:
• The Temptation of Adam – Masolino:
• The Fall of Adam – Hugo van der Goes:

Explain that the pictures chosen here are an example of one of the things feminist thinkers are concerned about so they illustrate the problem. Ask students to look at these images alongside the text and (a) pick out any ideas that appear to have been placed into the story and (b) decide whether the artist was reading other things into the account or was he revealing the implicit messages in the text itself?

Explain that this discussion is a key question for feminist theology – is it that the interpretation is wrong, or is it the source itself that is the problem? [These could be looked at together as a class or in groups if the images are printed. These could be compared with traditional easily available images on Adam and Eve which do not so clearly reveal elements that feminist thinkers are concerned about.]

Encourage students to write down their answers to the following questions:

• What messages might the artists be trying to convey in these images?
• Why might it be argued that these images reflect patriarchal or sexist images of God?

Ask all the students to then produce their own caricature of the Genesis account emphasising the text and the interpretation. They could use a tabloid-style headline such as, “IT WAS EVE WHAT DONE IT!” with a by-line such as, “While the Bible just says she offered the fruit to him, insiders speak out in our exclusive report to reveal she was starkers at the time and the serpent was her sister”

Part C. How might Christian feminists respond differently to these images and texts?

Give pairs 5 minutes to sketch or write ‘Genesis 3 from Eve’s point of view’ in four frames, images or sentences. Share ideas. Is the story changed?

Ask students for their reflections on the Genesis accounts so far: are the stories in themselves sexist or is it the interpreters throughout history (usually men) who are sexist in their interpretation? Are they in need of reinterpretation or do they need to be rewritten?

Return to quotes or texts from the Christian feminists studied previously. Using these views, work in pairs to evaluate the myth of Eve: what is the main message, what is its purpose, what is its value?

Break the students up into small groups made up of individuals who had been studying different feminist thinkers so all are represented in the groups. Supply them with very large sheets of paper with the Genesis text inserted in the middle and some of the mediaeval Adam and Eve images round the outside. Ask each group to build an ideas map of feminist interpretations of the creation story by writing in notes on the interpretations of the feminist thinkers around the key phases of the story and next to the images. What might each thinker say, at each point? These could be highlighted in different colours. Students should demonstrate where the different feminist thinkers might agree or disagree about the interpretation of each significant part of the text by making connections on the sheets. The groups should aim to depict the possible interpretations of the story.

Once the ideas maps are complete, students should share their findings with the rest of the class.

A final report on their investigations will then enable students to demonstrate their ability to analyse and evaluate the biblical text in relation to feminist and other points of view. Ask them to compile their reports under the key question: What can be learnt from Feminist interpretations of the Bible? Ask students to include in their reports (which could be presented in a variety of ways) the following features:

• their own research into sexism in the Bible, with comments on methods used;
• different interpretations of the story of Adam and Eve in different times and places;
• personal views on the importance of feminist interpretations of the Bible

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.

An investigation into how different artistic and musical forms inspired by Biblical texts have been used to express Christian beliefs about peace, including the idea of divine.

For 7-11 year olds. Originally written by Rachel Woods, updated in April 2019.

Learning Outcomes

Emerging

• Offer a meaning of the word ‘peace’
• Make a link between Christian belief and the idea of peace with reference to a piece of Christian art or music

Expected

• Show understanding of two Christian concepts, such as forgiveness and justice, through talking or writing
• Identify an aspect of a painting and explain how it links to a Christian idea

Exceeding

• Make a link between a Christian idea or belief and a biblical text read
• Suggest, with reference to Christian art or music, why these pieces were created

Key words and concepts

The Peace of God: In the book of Genesis, in the Bible, all the creatures are described as being in harmony with one another and at peace with God. Before the temptation of Adam and Eve, Adam is described as walking with God in the cool of the day. As a result of the falling of Adam and Eve into sin in the Garden of Eden, after they had eaten the fruit from the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil, Christians believe that all humans failed to be obedient to God, and so were separated from God’s love. A core belief in Christianity is that Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross for the sins of every human being, enabled all people to receive the peace of God, through restored relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, and with other people.

Reconciliation: The belief that situations, relationships between people and God can be put right.

Restoration: The belief that God, through Jesus death and resurrection, offers healing, wholeness, justice, peace in people’s lives.

Inspiration: Here, referring to an uplifting influence or feeling (that some believe could be divine) that motivates or qualifies a person to communicate moral or religious ideas or truths in a creative way. People who observe the results of that creativity may in turn be ‘inspired’ to change their life in some way, or look at life differently.

War and Spiritual battle: War may be understood as the opposite of peace, both in military and relationship terms. That there is a constant spiritual battle between life and death, good and evil is a core belief in Christianity. Christians believe that Christ’s death on the cross was the ultimate victory over sin and death, making it possible for people to be at peace with God and in relationships with one another.

The Trinity: Christianity is a monotheistic religion which teaches that God has three ways of being. These are the Father, Jesus the incarnate and the Holy Spirit working in the world. The Trinity is held to be one God working in harmony in three different ways.

Incarnation: The doctrine that God took human form in Jesus Christ. It is also the belief that God in Christ is active in the Church and in the world.

Christ/Messiah: The anointed one. Messiah is used in the Jewish tradition to refer to the expected leader sent by God, who will bring salvation to God’ s people. Jesus’ followers applied this title to him, and its Greek equivalent, Christ, is the source of the words Christian and Christianity.

Pacifist: a person who believes in pacifism or is opposed to war or to violence of any kind.

The Parables: g., The parable of the prodigal, or lost son. Jesus communicated about the Kingdom of God, and God’s relationship with people through stories, using everyday situations and objects.

Ritual: The Peace: a part of some church services where people offer one another a sign of peace, by shaking hands, or greeting with a kiss on the cheek.

Ritual: Eucharist: A service celebrating the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, using elements of bread and wine (also known as Holy Communion).

Learning activities

The learning activities below are based around art and music expressing Christian beliefs. A full table is given. These pieces of art and music should be easy to find online, but you will want to identify them before you start teaching.

Explain to the pupils that amongst the most powerful ways of expressing important ideas are the use of art and music, and that as a class you are going to look at how different artistic and musical forms inspired by Biblical texts have been used to express Christian beliefs about peace, including the idea of divine peace.

As a class, create a mind map harvesting all that the pupils know about peace in Christianity and comparisons with other religions. Remind them, for example, that peace – ‘shalom’ – is an important idea in Judaism and that peace – ‘salaam’ – is in the root of the word ‘Islam’.

Explain that ‘peace’ is one of the main themes of the Bible (it appears around 250 times) and that many artists and composers have tried to communicate its importance. Remind the pupils that the Bible was written down over several hundred years and ask them why they think peace might have been such an important idea over this length of time. Is it still an important idea for us today? Encourage pupils to share their ideas on why this might be so. Explain that one way of gaining insights into this big idea is to investigate artistic and musical expressions and to think of how this might inspire us today.

Arrange the pupils into groups of three and give each group one key text from the Christian Bible and examples of the following visual art, music, and songs (including lyrics).

Old Testament

New Testament

Working with art

Show the class the following pictures: Jan Breughel – ‘Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden’, Paul Hobbs – ‘Three in One,’ Raphael – The Mond Crucifixion, Craigie Aitchison – ‘Crucifixion’, ‘Rembrandt – Return of the Prodigal Son’, Charlie Mackesy – sculpture The return of the Prodigal Son’ (NB without the pupils seeing titles and descriptions)

Ask the pupils to describe what they see in the works of art and to consider the idea that ‘peace’ is not just ‘the absence of war’.

Give them the titles of the works of art and ask them to match these with the pictures. Encourage them to say how the title might help to understand more about the theme, and where or how they see Peace communicated in these works of art? [Remind them about of the idea of peace being a great theme of the Bible – see above.]

Ask them what they know about Christian ideas of forgiveness, reconciliation, justice and restoration and whether these ideas appear to feature in the artworks. How might these ideas help us understand what these artists were communicating about the Christian concept of ‘the Peace of God’? How might they help us go further than thinking of peace as more than just the end of a conflict?

Encourage pupils to record any views, observations, and comments they have about peace and the different ways in which the works of art express it, and add them to a working wall display.

Now arrange the pupils into groups of four and ask each group to comment on the works of art under three headings – subject, atmosphere and message. Ask them to write any questions the work of art raises, what they agree with and what they disagree with.

Each group then meets up with another group and compares works of art. They could then try to answer one another’s questions and explain what they agree and disagree about. Ask them to describe and interpret the meaning of:

• the ideas they notice in each individual work of art;
• the similarities they notice between any two or three of the works of art;
• the differences they notice between any two or three of the works of art.

Each group can then feedback to the whole class and pupils can be encouraged to research any unanswered questions. Any new ideas can be added to an ongoing ‘Ideas about the Art of Peace’ record.

Conduct a vote for the work of art that pupils think most effectively communicates Christian beliefs about peace. The results and reasons given can be added to the working wall display.

Explain that to get further insights into how the idea of peace can really make a difference to us today, it is worth examining the Bible texts that inspired the different works of art. Provide pupils with the Bible texts: Genesis 1 and Matthew 26 v 32- 66 or a children’s version and ask them to search for evidence or make inferences and deductions about the Christian beliefs about peace from the texts.

Lead a short period of reflection, encouraging pupils to think about how the texts and works of art might inspire people to search for peace in their own lives.

Following the reflective time, ask each group to write a label for the works of art, describing their response to them, and about how the content of the Bible text might be reflected in the artwork.

Ask them to further consider what difference these art works could make to a Christian believer’s understanding of peace, and what response they might inspire from a believer and non-believer. What are their own reflections on the ‘search for peace’? What would life be like if more people looked for this kind of peace? Encourage them to add to the ‘Ideas about the Art of peace’ working wall display.

Extend pupils’ understanding by introducing them to the examples of sacred music, both orchestral choral and solo pieces inspired by the same Bible texts, as the different works of art. [See above for samples.]

Ask the pupils such questions as:

• Why have the pieces of music been given these titles?
• What do you think the composer or song writer believes about peace?
• What do you think the composer or singer believes about God?

Ask the pupils to work in pairs to either create a piece of art, or write their own song lyrics responding to the stimulus ‘Finding Peace’, using the artwork, texts and music as stimuli. Encourage pupils to choose their own titles, to feature Christian ideas about ‘the Peace of God’ in their responses and to provide some accompanying notes to explain the ideas that they present.

When the pupils have completed their work give them an opportunity to present a selection to the whole class. Ask them to say which religious groups they think might share these ideas or think differently. Are there any groups’ ideas they think have not been represented in the pupils’ creative reflections? What might those groups think?

Encourage them to add any last questions and answers about what peace might mean to Christians, themselves and others to the ‘Ideas about the Art of Peace’ working wall display.

As a further assessment activity pupils could be asked to choose the content, artwork and design for a website homepage on the theme of inspiring others to explore how Christian and other ideas about peace are communicated through different art forms.

A consideration of forgiveness in relation to Christianity.

KS2&3. Originally written by Mary Myatt, updated in April 2019.

Learning outcomes

Emerging

• Retell the story of the Prodigal Son, explain one meaning of the story
• Explain at least two aspects of the story and what they may symbolise

Expected

• Explain the story of the Prodigal Son through two different viewpoints
• Give an account of what the story tells readers about forgiveness
• Answer the question, with evidence; ‘how hard is it to forgive? What is it like to be forgiven?’

Exceeding

• Make a connection between the story and modern examples of forgiveness

Key words and concepts

Parable: a short story with something for people to think about in their own lives.

Prodigal: wasteful, extravagant or foolish.

Forgiveness: letting go of anger and resentment.

Redemption: rescue from sin.

Reconciliation: restoring of respect between people who have hurt one another.

Love: affection, kindness, compassion.

Mercy: forgiveness and kindness.

Jealousy: negative thoughts of fear and resentment.

Selfishness: personal concern regarded as higher than concern for other people.

Pride: an inflated sense of personal importance.

Greed: wanting more than is needed.

Parable: this comes from the Greek, meaning comparison or analogy. Many Christians refer to the parables Jesus told as ‘earthly stories with heavenly meanings’.

Redemption: – this means to ‘buy out’ and originally meant buying freedom for a slave. For Christians it means that through dying on the cross, Jesus bought freedom from sin for all people.

Forgiveness: – this means to give up resentment or to grant pardon. For Christians, it is an important idea – as people ask forgiveness from God for their wrong doings they are also expected to forgive those who have done wrong to them.

Grace: – the unconditional love which Christians believe God has for humans.

Reconciliation: – the restoring of good relationships after a break up. For Christians, Jesus’ death on the cross reconciled human beings to God.

Learning activities

This lesson planning is built around the story of the Prodigal Son from Luke 15: 11-32. Later in the learning process pupils will read this biblical text but start by introducing the story through a video or animation, or through a graphic bible. Your first task is therefore to locate the story of the Prodigal Son in a format suitable for your pupils.

As preparation for watching the video ask pupils to complete the following stems:

• The times I want my own way are when …
• I realise I’ve made a mistake when …
• It can be hard to say sorry when …
• It can be hard to forgive when …

Explain to the pupils that they are going to be watching a video about the story of the lost, or prodigal, son. Prodigal means wasteful, extravagant or This is a story Jesus told.

Remind pupils that Jesus told parables as a way of helping people understand what God wants them to do with their lives. Some people say that parables are an earthly way of telling a heavenly story.

Jesus had been telling a number of stories or parables to help people understand what God is like. Some of the people Jesus was talking to were tax collectors and sinners and others were important people in the Jewish community called scribes and Pharisees. They were not happy that Jesus was talking to sinners as well as to people who lived within the law.

Ask each of the pupils to look at the video through the eyes of either the father, the ‘good’ son or the lost (prodigal) son.

At the end of the video ask each pupil to spend a few minutes drawing a fortune On a sheet of A4 the vertical axis is marked on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 is sad, worried, anxious and 10 is happy, exhilarated, joyful). The horizontal axis is marked 1 to 10 to represent different stages of the story. This shows what the character in the story was thinking or feeling at different stages in the story. Once pupils have completed the fortune graph ask them to compare notes, i.e., those who had looked at the story through the eyes of the father to talk together, the good son and the lost (prodigal) son groups to work together.

Bring the groups together as a class and draw out the main themes of the pupils’ findings. How do these compare with the findings from the question stems which the class did before watching the video? Who do the pupils think Jesus meant the characters in the story to represent? What might Jesus have wanted his followers to think about in their own lives? E.g. When might they have acted like the father? Are their times in peoples’ lives when they might have acted like the good son and at other times like the lost (prodigal) son?

What questions could pupils ask about the decisions which each of the characters in the parable made? What might have happened if the father had acted differently? What if the good son and the lost (prodigal) son had acted differently?

Now read the story from the Bible (Luke 15: 11-32) with pupils.

Divide the story into sections: the father giving his sons his fortune: the younger son leaving to explore the world: the hard times for the younger son: the homecoming. Ask pupils to work in pairs on one of the sections. Encourage them to discuss their ideas on the most interesting or puzzling aspects of their section of the story. What are the two or three things that they think are most important about this section of the story? Ask them to choose one key point to explain to the other groups – i.e. what the key point is and why it is significant?

Ask pupils to think about a time when they have made a mistake and been forgiven. Ask them to create a paper chain. On one side of each paper chain, ask them to write the key words for what it felt like to be forgiven.

Now ask pupils to think about a time when they have forgiven someone for something which has hurt them. How hard was it? What did it feel like? On another paper chain, ask them to write the key words for forgiving someone else. Is there a difference between the two types of paper chain? Create a wall display with the heading: ‘The Forgiveness Project’

Ask pupils to research another Biblical reference on forgiveness: Colossians 3 v 13 ‘Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another’. Ask pupils to summarise the reference and think of two questions they would want to ask a Christian about the Biblical quotes.

Ask pupils to create images in pairs representing ‘forgiveness’: and ask them to say how these images relate to the parable of the lost (prodigal) son.

Consider some examples in the world today where forgiveness has made a Ask pupils in groups to look at one of the following examples where the principles of forgiveness have been at the heart of the work:

• Corrymeela
• Foundation for peace
• The Iona community
• The Taizé community
• Truth and reconciliation in South Africa

Ask pupils to work in pairs to research one of the examples above. They should find out the answers to these questions: What is the main focus of the work in this organisation? Why does this organisation exist? Why would someone get involved in this organisation?

As each group feeds back to the rest of the class, ask them to collect the main ideas on a grid. [For a sample grid download the pdf of this resource at the bottom of the page.]

Ask pupils to fill a backpack with heavy items which represent carrying heavy burdens e.g., resentment, hurt, bitterness, anger, revenge. Using examples from the accounts on the websites above, ask them to describe what it feels like to carry the heavy burden from the point of view of some of the people they have researched.

Ask them to write a song/poem or create artwork which shows what it is like when that is removed. Make links to the idea of forgiveness.

Final personal reflection:

• This is what I set out to do …
• This is what I found hardest …
• This is what I learned from doing this work …
• If another group were going to explore this, they could also think about … and this would make it even better: …