• Cultural Understanding – exploring the origins and practices of a world religion other than Christianity.

Cross Curricular Skills:

Communication

• Communicate information, meaning, feelings, imaginings and ideas in a clear and organised way.

Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities:

Thinking, Problem-Solving and Decision Making

• Sequence, order, classify and make comparisons;
• Generate possible solutions, try out alternative approaches, and evaluate outcomes.

• show deeper understanding by thinking critically and flexibly, solving problems and making informed decisions;
• work effectively with others;
• communicate effectively in oral, visual, written and ICT formats, showing clear awareness of audience and purpose.

Introductory Activity: Teaching Activity 1

Ideas Funnel - ‘Active Learning and Teaching Methods’ (page 38)

Group work - come up a definition of what a symbol is and why they are used.  Write it out on a piece of paper so that it can be stuck on the board for the class to see.  After a short period one member from the group will come up to the front, explain their definition and stick it on the board.  The class will then look at all the statements and will decide, through negotiation, a statement that they all agree with about symbols and their use in our society today.

Core Activity: Teaching Activity 1

Paired work - write down or draw as many religious symbols as they can.  If possible write beside each one which religion it belongs to.

Group work - discuss the symbols that the pairs have come up with and add any to their list. 

Core Activity: Teaching Activity 2

Place a large picture on the board with the main symbol for the religion that is being studied. 
Individual work - provide pupils with a worksheet that shows the symbol and ask them to find out the following:  

• what the symbol is (what it represents);
• why it is used by the religion;
• how/where it is used within the religion.

Research could be done through the use of textbooks, internet sites or information sheets provided by the teacher.

Discuss with class the importance of use of imagery within religion.

Introductory Activity: Teaching Activity 1

Teacher preparation:

• Write the names of different types of books on separate pieces of card.   There should be a good mixture of books: fiction, non-fiction, science-fiction, sacred writings etc.  Put each card into an envelope ensuring that there is one for every pupil in your class (one card per envelope).

Give each pupil an envelope containing the name of one book.  Ask pupils to pair up with someone who has the same type of book. (you could ask them to then find another pair with the same type of book etc).   When all pupils have done this ask them what the cards have in common.

Put the names of sacred writings from different religions on the board and ask the class why they are different from other books.  Choose the sacred writing/s from the religion being studied and ask the class if they know anything about it.

Core Activity: Teaching Activity 1

Teacher Preparation:

• 6-8 pieces of information about the sacred writing from the world religion being studied printed on to card. The information should be about how the sacred writings were written, how sacred writings are respected by followers and what they teach followers about God (if they believe in one) and how to treat others.

For example in Islam:

‘The Qur’an was revealed to Muhammad by Allah’
‘When the Qur’an is not being read it is wrapped in a clean cloth and kept on the top shelf’
‘When a person is reading the Qur’an they must not eat or drink’

• Prepare worksheet based on the facts on the cards that can be completed by the class in groups.

Group work – Each person in the group is given a number (the number of pupils in the group should match the number of information cards provided).

Each individual information card is put into an envelope and placed on a desk.  Each desk is given a number. 

Pupils from each group go to the desk with their number.  The envelope is opened and the information read.  The pupils must try to remember what has been read and the information is placed back into the envelope. 

They are given a new number and move to the desk with that number.  The envelope is opened and the information read. 

The pupils return to their original groups and exchange the information.  There should be six-eight pieces of information in total. 

Group work - pupils complete the worksheet provided by the teacher using the information from the cards they read.

Reinforcing Activity: Teaching Activity 1

Recap on what the pupils have already learnt about the sacred writing.  Discuss with the class:

What makes sacred writings so important?  Collate answers on flip chart or whiteboard for pupils to read and evaluate.  Pupils note the most important answers.

Reinforcing Activity: Teaching Activity 2

Teacher preparation:

• Write four case studies giving examples of situations teenagers may find themselves in.
• Print the case studies on to card.
• Four quotations from the sacred writing/s of the religion being studied that will teach, guide, inspire and encourage.  These need to be related to the case studies.  (See relevant web sites)
• Print the sacred writings on to card.

Individual work - give the pupils the case studies and sacred writings.  Ask the pupils to read the case studies and decide which piece of sacred writing will help the person in their situation.  They must be able to justify why they have chosen that piece of writing.

Pupils complete the case study in light of the teaching of the world religion being studied.  What will the main character do as they follow the teaching of their religion?

End Activity: Teaching Activity 1

Group work - design a board game using all the information that has been gained through this section.  The game will be played by the other members of the class therefore it must be designed and created.  Include the following:

1. A clear set of rules as to how the game is to be played.
2. The board on which the game will be played.  It should have 100 spaces.  You can set out the spaces in whatever way you wish.
3. You should have 20 spaces that have instructions on them.  For example for a board game on Islam: ‘In order to move on two spaces you must explain the symbol of Islam.’  ‘Move back three spaces as you left the Qur’an on its stand after you had read it’  On the space that they have moved back to ‘Explain what must be done to the Qur’an after it has been read.’ etc.
4. Decide how the players will find out the correct answers to the questions. (could provide fact sheet, answer cards)
5. Design the pieces that you will play with.  Four must be made.

The teacher could discuss the success criteria with the class.  It can also be used as self and peer assessment as the groups will play the games and decide if they were successful or not.  Questions that they could ask, did they understand the rules? Did the questions make sense? etc.