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Intro for teachers

This is a lesson asking an ethical question. Ethics is a branch of philosophy focussed on what can be said to be right and wrong, fair and just.

The enquiry question students will answer is an ethical question: it is about how and why people try to make the world more equal. In this lesson the focus is on wealth inequality, seen through the issue of hunger.

To explore the ethical question the Sikh langar and Trussel Trust charity are used as case studies. The social issue is poverty, hunger and the need for food banks. Students will be engaged in ethical thinking. They will answer the ethical question at the end of the lesson, using these case studies and their own analysis.

Learning Outcomes (KS3)

Emerging

• Explain how the langar is an example of Sikh sewa
• Explain how one action of the Trussell Trust meets their ethical aims

Expected

• Explain the ethical principle behind langar and sewa in Sikhism
• Explain the ethical principle behind the work of the Trussell Trust
• Using examples, compare the practical work done by religious and non-religious groups and suggest similarities or differences.
• Offer a supported answer to the question: Is the struggle for equality a spiritual or practical matter?

Exceeding

• Offer a supported answer to the question of whether there is a difference between religious and non-religious ethical inspirations to fight inequality
• Using the information studied, give a view as to whether altruism exists or not and why

Learning activities

Starter: start by introducing ways British Sikhs are adapting the duty of langar to current situations.

This video shows Ravi Singh, founder of Khalsa Aid, organizing deliveries of home-made food from Bradford to the flooded areas of Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire in 2015:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jNTegoLAR0

This video shows the charity Sikh Welfare Awareness Team (SWAT) giving hot meals to those homeless on the streets of London, as well as many others struggling to cope:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZmYx5DYGzc

If you can’t access these videos on You Tube try searching for other similar events, using search terms such as ‘langar’, ‘street kitchen’, ‘homeless’, ‘Sikhs welfare awareness team (SWAT)’. Find videos which show langar on the streets or outside Sikh religious settings.

As students watch ask them to note

1. Any mention of religious teachings relating to langar
2. All the ways people are being helped

Listen to answers. Talk about what seems to be inspiring Sikhs to give their time, skills and money. How far do Sikhs seem to be inspired by their religion, and how far by a general desire to help others?

Activity 1: What is the langar?

After the starter activity, challenge students to define ‘langar’.

Here is the definition, share after the students’ discussion:

The word ‘langar’ is a Punjabi word meaning ‘community kitchen’.

The langar is a meal served and eaten together in the Gurdwara, the Sikh place of worship.

All are welcome to the langar, Sikhs and non-Sikhs. The food is vegetarian or vegan so everyone can eat it.

The langar was founded by Guru Nanak in around 1500 CE. Rich and poor, men and women, people from different groups and of different statuses were all invited to eat together. This was to show clearly that all people are equal.

Today the langar happens at the end of the service in the Gurdwara.

Talk about the langar, has anyone in the class been to one? Find images of langars in the UK and around the world, such as the huge kitchens in Amritsar, which feeds 50,000 hot meals a day.

Discuss why eating together symbolizes equality.

Activity 2: Sewa: service to others

Bring a sweet treat to class, such as a bag of sweets or packet of biscuits. Give a treat to half the class and ask them to choose someone to give it to. The only rule is they cannot choose their best friend. Ask them to reflect on how it felt to give, and how the other half felt to receive. Give the other half of the class a treat so it is even!

Learn about ‘sewa’; the principle of service to others in Sikhism. Define ‘sewa’ as ‘selfless service’. Discuss the ‘selfless’ part of this phrase, what do students think ‘selfless’ means? Can students give examples of selfless service to others? Below is further information about the principle of sewa:

Sewa

Sewa, or selfless service, means supporting or giving to others with no expectation of reward. It is a central Sikh principle, seen as a religious duty for Sikhs.

Sewa can involve contributing to the community and Gurdwara, or wider work in education or charitable projects.

‘Sewa’ is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘service’ and refers to the duty to support and care for the vulnerable and needy in society. The concept is present in a number of religious traditions which emerged in the Indian subcontinent including Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism.

Ask the class for examples of selfless service, whether through charities they are aware of, a person they have learned about, or someone they know personally. Make a list of the board.

Look at this list- how many examples are associated with a religion? How many examples are not associated with a religion? How many religions are noted?

Give groups time to discuss this question: is ‘selfless service’ a religious principle?

Activity 3: Is altruism possible?

Ask students to talk to their partners about a good act they have done recently. How did they help another person, and what did it feel like to do this act? Discuss as a class whether being good, kind or generous has its own reward.

Define ‘Altruism’ using the notes below:

Altruism

From the Latin alteri, meaning ‘other people’. The word ‘altruism’ was first coined by philosopher Auguste Comte, meant to denote the opposite of ‘egoism’, or selfishness. Altruism describes a concern for other people.

Today the word altruism describes the support of others, or acting for the benefit of others, with no corresponding reward or benefit for oneself. This might be in giving time, money, practical or emotional support or expertise.

In biology social animals are seen to act for the good of the pack, such as by taking risks to protect young or sharing food.

Psychologists question whether ‘true’ altruism exists because there is usually some benefit, whether social approval, loyalty and gratitude, or a personal sense of wellbeing.

Ask students to discuss whether they think ‘true’ altruism exists: can they think of an example where someone is disadvantaged for the sake of others, and receives no social, emotional or personal reward.

In conversation link with religious ethics, such as sewa. Does such as thing as true altruism exist in religion as in society?

Activity 4: Wealth inequality

We will consider the work of a well-known charity that supports those in food poverty in the UK: The Trussell Trust.

https://www.trusselltrust.org/

Go through the website to get a sense of what this charity does and why. There are videos to watch and facts and figures about food poverty in the UK. Either scroll through some pages with the class, or take screen shots in advance for your PPT.

Make notes of the information gleaned from the website, such as by answering the following questions:

1. How many people are in food poverty in the UK?
2. Why do people slip into food poverty?
3. How does the Trussell Trust try to help?
4. What does the Trussell trust see as solutions to food poverty?

Ask groups to discuss what seems to inspire this charity and its volunteers. Is this an example of selfless service?

Activity 5: Selfless service: what is the inspiration?

Read this article about the langar, sewa and Sikh ethics in modern Britain:

http://theconversation.com/from-the-temple-to-the-street-how-sikh-kitchens-are-becoming-the-new-food-banks-44611

Give out highlighters, ask groups to highlight and then record in a table, these categories:

Complete the table using notes from the above discussion about the Trussell Trust.

Activity 6:   Is the struggle for equality a spiritual or practical matter?

Students will now answer this question and present their answers to the class. If you like, break down the question in advance, considering such elements as:

• What religious teachings encourage people to fight for equality?
• What non-religious ethical principles encourage people to fight for equality?
• Is there a difference between religious and ethical inspiration to fight for equality?
• What causes food poverty, what are possible solutions?
• Are religious and non-religious answers to food poverty the same or different?
• Is there practical work done by religious and non-religious groups to tackle food poverty the same or different?

Students should provide an answer to the question using elements of the case studies (Sikh langar and Trussell Trust) as evidence to base their answer on. They should explain their answer.

Students can give a presentation or create one page of A4 as a written answer.

By Barbara Wintersgill
with Denise Cush & Dave Francis

This book is a sequel to ‘Big Ideas for Religious Education’. As the name suggests, it demonstrates how Big Ideas might be put into practice in providing a rationale and learning objectives for the selection and organisation of subject knowledge and for assessment. It is intended for anyone who designs syllabuses, schemes of learning and units of work in RE. The book takes account of the recommendations of the Commission for Religious Education and also of the feedback received after the publication of Big Ideas for Religious Education.

Consideration of how important people such as great spiritual teachers can be deified by their followers.

For 10-14 year olds. Originally written by Dick Powell, updated in April 2019.

Learning Outcomes

Emerging

• Explain two key beliefs about Jesus and Gautama Buddha
• Explain what beliefs about Jesus and Gautama can be seen in an image of each

Expected

• Offer a view as to how far the ‘original’ message of Jesus and Gautama can be updated for future ages
• Offer a view as to how far humans tend to make their own meaning when it comes to religious teachings

Exceeding

• Give an example of an allegory or myth and explain the purpose of this type of thinking
• Give an example of a historical account and explain the purpose of this type  of thinking

Key words and concepts

General

Deity: an alternative word used to describe (a) God or a goddess, or the Supreme Being.

Deification: the word to describe the process by which godlike or extra-ordinary powers are placed on humans to show their supernatural status.

Christianity

God: the word given to the Supreme Being in the Christian tradition. Usually meaning a personal, creator Being who interacts with his creation in various ways, and is considered the first attribute of the Trinity – i.e. God the Father.

Incarnation: The concept that God is able to take human form, and in Christianity the incarnation is in Jesus of Nazareth.

Christ: a Greek word meaning Messiah, or chosen one (of God).

Messiah: a Hebrew word literally meaning the anointed human (by oil) of God. Became a figure in later Jewish theology of a person who would liberate the Jews from oppression – like King David.

Son of God: a Christian term relating to a title given to Jesus demonstrating Jesus’ relationship with God.

Miracle: a supernatural event usually performed outside the laws of natural occurrences.

Trinity: The belief that God is Three-in-One or the Trinity. The core of the Nicene Creed states the acceptance of God as Creator and Father, belief in Jesus as the Son of God, and faith in the Holy Spirit that permeates and reinforces the work of the Church.

Buddhism

Buddhism: Buddhism can be divided into 3 main groups: Theravada, Eastern Buddhism and Northern Buddhism. While these groups share certain core beliefs, there are some differences in interpretation. The main difference with the Mahayana (a kind of Buddhism adopted in Eastern and Northern Buddhism) is the belief that Nirvana / Nibbana is not the ultimate goal of Buddhism. Instead everyone should aim to become a Bodhisattva and eventually a Buddha and help with the salvation of all beings. Theravadins, on the other hand, believe that, while the Bodhisattva path is the best possible goal, it is not for everyone, only the noble few. The majority of people should aim for Nibbana / Nirvana.

Re-birth: Existence is a cycle of birth and death through samsara going on indefinitely until a person can be liberated (Nibbana / Nirvana). Rebirth is like flame passed from one candle to another – not an immutable soul passed from body to body as in Hinduism.

Bodhisattva: for Mahayana Buddhists a bodhisattva a being who is destined for Enlightenment or Buddhahood but who postpones final attainment of this in order to help all living beings to attain it.

Theravada: literally meaning the Way of the Elders, this is generally considered the principal tradition of Buddhism. It was established in Sri Lanka and South East Asia and is now found in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Burma as well as Sri Lanka.

Mahayana: Mahayana Buddhism is a later development of Theravadin teachings and generally speaking is to be found in countries to the north of India in Asia such as Tibet, China, South Korea and Japan. Mahayana Buddhists see Buddhas and many Bodhisattvas as transcendent and beings to whom devotions and worship can be offered.

Sakyamuni: Siddhartha Gautama also known as Shakyamuni / Sakyamuni (sage of the Shakyas).

Upaya: skill-in-means – the ability to adapt a message to needs of the audience: a skillful way of teaching a great truth. See the parable of the Burning House in Buddhism.

Some of these terms are also key concepts. Here is some further background to some of these to help you prepare for the teaching and learning activities:

Trinity: The central beliefs of Christianity are summed up in the Nicene Creed which is recited each Sunday by Christians of most denominations in their act of worship, usually the Eucharist or Lord’s Supper. The Nicene Creed was drawn up in 325CE by the Council of Nicaea in order to defend the orthodox faith from various heresies that had arisen. This Creed is the belief that God is Three-in-One or the Trinity. The core of the Nicene Creed states the acceptance of God as Creator and Father, belief in Jesus as the Son of God, and faith in the Holy Spirit that permeates and reinforces the work of the Church. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Messiah: a core concept in Christian and Jewish thought with a rich and ancient history stretching back to the time of King David. In Hebrew, originally meaning ‘the anointed’ one (as King David was with holy oil) it came to refer in New Testament times to a human character with king-like qualities who would free the Jewish people from all oppressors. It is likely that Jesus refused to accept this title, even though the word Christ is the Greek form of Messiah, preferring the title prophet. However, the title stuck and the early followers of Jesus probably called ‘Nazarenes’ by outsiders came to be known as Christians – or followers of the Christ – the anointed one sent by God to save his people from the realm of evil.

Trikaya: this is a word describing the three dimensions or bodies of the Bodhisattva concept and is an excellent, if complex, example of the way in which deification occurs from the human Theravadin Buddha character through to a vast cosmic Mahayana pantheon. The three dimensions of the Bodhisattva being the human nature of Gotama, the supernatural entities through which the dharma is transmitted, and the cosmic dimension of the dharma.

Bodhisattva: Mahayana Buddhists see Buddhas and many Bodhisattvas as being transcendent. This leads to devotional activities and worship. In Pure Land Buddhism, for example, faith in the Buddha Amitabha (or Amida) is emphasised. Adherents believe that faith and devotion will mean Amitabha will help them be reborn in the Pure Land he created in which Enlightenment is guaranteed.

Learning activities

Explain that the students are going to explore the lives and characters of two great religious founders in an attempt to discover what they thought about themselves, what their followers thought about them, and what people think about them today.

The intention of these learning activities is for students to gain an appreciation of the idea that ordinary people impose their own interpretations on events, people and experiences and that over the course of time people develop ideas which might differ from the intention of the original author but which might become mainstream ideas.

The focus of this lesson is Jesus of Nazareth and Siddhartha Gautama. Explain that both figures probably existed historically but that questions will be asked of the students about how this can be established. Suggest that the activities here will show how followers within the belief traditions of both figures, Christianity and Buddhism, have interpreted over time, sometimes gradually, sometimes quickly, the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth and Siddhartha Gautama so that the outcome we have in the 21^st century might be different from the original intention of that founder. Suggest to the students that the learning activities hope to show that we need to appreciate that religious ideas develop over time, and are influenced by communities and cultures, and other historical events.

Remind the students that although some people today think of Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God, and Siddhartha Gautama as man who attained Enlightenment, and then escaped from being reborn through Nirvana. The learning activities might demonstrate that we need to be critical about what these words mean.

Show different images of Jesus and Gautama Buddha. Can students identify them? How are they able to do this? Discuss if Jesus and Gautama Buddha would have really looked like this.

Create a set of images of Jesus in different cultural forms, some with a message intended by the artist, some telling a story of Jesus; life. For example; show a black, Chinese and Indian Jesus; search ‘Church Ads.net’ for Christian messages cleverly communicated with advertising campaigns; stories form Jesus; life such as miracles or the events of Holy Week. In pairs, students try to identify the meaning of the image for Christians, a message the artist or creator is trying to portray, and whether it would have made sense to 1st Century Jews, Jesus’ followers and companions.

Remind students of the trials of Jesus and if necessary provide the students with the Bible reference to the trial of Jesus by Herod (Luke 23: 6-12) to read in pairs.

As an individual exercise, suggest that they write a short report as a journalist for a newspaper as if they were at the trial and if they had the chance to ask Jesus some questions about his motives and actions, how he felt about his treatment, and how he sees the outcome. Encourage students to share their reports.

Return to the images of Siddhartha Gautama. Ask if students are less familiar with the stories of Siddhartha Gautama than Jesus of Nazareth. If so, ask them if this will affect their judgements, ideas, understanding of Gautama better or worse than Jesus?

Find a similar set of images of Gautama Buddha, such as in different cultural forms (Thai, India, Chinese, etc); at different points in his life (as a prince, starving, as a teacher, reclining prior to attaining Nirvana); and ways the Buddha image is used today, such as an ornament, in a Buddhist shrine, in association with mindfulness as therapy etc. ask pairs to conduct a similar discussion as for Christianity: what is the meaning of the image for Buddhists, what message is the artist trying to communicate, would the message make sense to North Indian people 2.5 thousand years ago?

Remind students of the story of the Buddha –find a clip online or retell the story of his early life, the 4 sights, and his renunciation of his life as a prince. Working in groups of three or four, ask students to present up to five similarities and differences between Jesus and Siddhartha, stressing not only physical ways but also ways they tried to find meaning in life.

Introduce a Stilling exercise of the type below:

A stilling exercise

Teachers of RE are usually familiar with stilling exercises. Follow your own procedures or use all or some of the following. After the exercise the students will be required to write a question on a sticky note and share this with their partner.

Allow the students to find a comfortable and secure place to sit or lie..

Once settled, lead the students in a breathing exercise so that they can become more focussed – this one is often used – instruct the students in an even and quiet voice to place their hand on their heart and listen for a heartbeat, ask them to feel the rhythm, and to see if it is slowing down or even, rapid or calm. Ask them keep their attention on their heartbeat and breathe regularly and calmly; and once they feel their breathing is in tune with their feelings of calm, to place their hand beside their sides and to listen carefully to the exercise. Hold the silence…

In a calm but quiet voice, taking pauses when necessary ask the students to see a path in front of them leading from the classroom to a delightful place in nature… it could be wide…. Or narrow…. winding…. Or straight… following a stream, or a coastal path ….to a forest or in the mountains… wherever the student feels most comfortable.

As you walk down the path you come to a small tree which has lots of branches. This is called the Tree of Troubles, and as you come to it, you pause …. and take any trouble you might have off your shoulders and hang it on the tree before you move off again..

You come to a small gate, it is bright green and as you pass through the gate you notice how all the flowers and trees, bushes and grass have become incredibly colourful and bright. The sun is shining, warm and it is exactly how you want it to be…

You notice a small tree to one side and underneath sits a man meditating cross legged. He is still and calm. His eyes are focused on a point a few inches from his nose. His hands are cupped in front of him on his lap. His name is Siddhartha.

As you approach him he opens his eyes and smiles in welcome. He looks kind… contented… happy and you have so many questions you want to ask him. He says “ask one question about me, but remember that words are valuable and you need to make them count”….

You ask the question. You wait and listen carefully for his answer…

You bow and say thank you – and you turn away back to gate… you go through it…. smiling as you pass the tree of troubles as you know those problems aren’t quite so bad now, and back to the classroom… and when you’re ready…

You open your eyes.

Follow up to the stilling exercise

Ask students to write down their question on the sticky note but not to show it to anyone at this point. Encourage students who couldn’t think of a question to think of one now.

Ask students to share their experiences as precisely as they can with a partner, discussing such questions as: What was the path like? What was the gate like? What did the man look like? Did the image of the man you saw have any features you could recognise? How did he act? How did he respond to your question? What question did you ask – if you think you can share it? Did you think of an answer that you might be given? What answer might we expect from a Buddhist? What answer might be given by a non-Buddhist?

Now consider these extremely challenging questions:

• Does it sometimes happen that what we imagine becomes our reality?
• Do we possibly impose on our reality what we would like rather than what is there?
• How do we go about answering these questions?
• Where should we look to find the answers to life’s deepest questions?
• What impact might answers to life’s deepest questions have on individuals?

Explain that the next learning activity moves on to an examination of story and texts, in order to show that many religious stories are not meant to be factual, nor written as factual by the authors, but interpretations by humans of human experiences. So some idea of what constitutes a story might be useful and the means by which students understand the tools that define these stories is helpful so this can be applied to religious stories – because the problem is that the words look similar, but have very different meanings, are easily confused and often Students might require access to computers in order to investigate the stories with which they are unfamiliar.

Explain that there are different ways of understanding stories from religious traditions. Ask them to work in groups of four to agree definitions and examples of five main types of religious story – firstly discussing and writing on sticky notes their own definitions; then looking at and discussing the definitions provided below and placing on the sheets with the examples.

Types of Story:

• Allegory
• Historical Account
• Legend
• Myth
• Parable

Suggested Definitions:

Allegory: A story using examples from nature to explain a moral or spiritual truth.

Historical Account: Description of what is actually believed to have happened, based on eye-witness testimonies.

Legend: A story using supernatural language to explain something about the relationship between humans and God.

Myth: An old or ancient story with some basis in historical fact.

Parable: A short story told to illustrate a moral point.

Examples:

• David and Goliath
• The Creation story in Genesis 1
• Robin Hood
• Coyote trickster
• The Good Samaritan
• The birth stories of Jesus
• The enlightenment of Gautama
• John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress
• Aesop’s story of the Fox and the Grapes
• Aesop’s story of the Tortoise and the Hare
• Icarus and Daedalus
• Dickens’ Christmas Carol
• Krishna’s birth
• Jesus’ parable of The Sower
• The Buddhist story of Kisa Gotami and the Mustard seed
• Atlantis
• Animal Farm by George Orwell
• Plato’s story of the cave
• King Arthur and the Round Table
• William Tell
• One Thousand and One Nights

Explain to the students that both Buddhism and Christianity have their own sacred texts and these are not only over 1500 years old or older but have also developed, been edited and have many assumptions in them about the faith. Such texts contain a mix of different types of story. Provide students with background information about Christian and Buddhist texts with the quotations on the Crucifixion of Jesus and Buddha’s Parable of the Burning House.

Ask students to focus on the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, e.g., how crucifixion was a Roman form of execution, not Jewish; how a purple cloak is meant to symbolise the kingship of Jesus, as purple was a colour reserved for royalty; how the charges against Jesus suggested he was being executed for treason and maybe rebellion against the Romans; how Jesus’ death is confirmed by the words “breathed his last”; how a leading Roman soldier made a statement about Jesus.

Ask students to read the five quotations from the story of the crucifixion of Jesus aloud to a partner.

Ask students to discuss the following questions in pairs or small groups:

1. consider how this story would fit into the whole Christian story.
2. If Jesus is referred to as the Son of God, what do you think the centurion meant by this, as he has just seen Jesus stripped, beaten and nailed to a cross?
3. What do you think the term ‘Son of God’ means?
4. Do you think the term ‘Son of God’ means that Jesus has the same characteristics and qualities as God? If so how does this work?
5. If this is an eye-witness account of the event, what would your thoughts be seeing someone spoken of in this way in his death?
6. Is it possible that the death of Jesus is interpreted by his followers to fit what they think rather than what Jesus thought of himself?

Now ask students to focus on the Buddhist Parable of the Burning House, noting that the story comes form the Lotus Sutra, and that there is no evidence to suggest that the Buddha actually spoke this text. It probably reflects the development of Buddhist thought and the manner in which his teachings are intended to help people understand his teachings. For Mahayana Buddhists, the Buddha has become a cosmic figure. He is eternal and has appeared in many forms in history to guide and comfort humans. The noblest form of the Buddha is as a Bodhisattva, who devotes himself to attaining Nirvana or ‘awakening’ for all beings. The parable may be seen as an example of upaya, (skilful means), in this case: a story about how something that is not actually ‘true’ in a literal way, being used as a skilful way of helping people to understand a larger ‘truth’.

Ask students to read the Parable aloud, in pairs, one paragraph at a time.

Ask students to discuss the following questions in pairs or small groups:

1. consider how this story would fit into the overall Buddhist story
2. Why do you think the children did not heed their father’s warning about the fire?
3. In what ways are people today like the children in the story?
4. What might wake people up to the way people waste their lives today?
5. Do you think it matters whether this story was told by the Buddha or not? Why / Why not?

As a summary activity, ask students to work in small groups on a poster or digital presentation that compares the Christian and Buddhist stories. They should use pictures and text and ensure that they have included:

1. similarities in the way Christians and the Buddhists may think about Jesus and the Buddha;
2. different beliefs people hold about Jesus and the Buddha;
3. answers to big questions that Christians and Buddhists can understand when they reflect on (a) the crucifixion and (b) the parable of the burning house;
4. some of their own questions about the meaning and purpose of life that are raised in the two stories, e.g., suffering of innocent individuals, the role of God in the world, the impact of the Buddha’s teaching on individuals and the world;
5. suggested answers to those questions that might be given by (a) Christians and (b) Buddhists;
6. their own reflections on questions of ‘truth’.

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