Key Stage 1: Year 1
Autumn Term
How and why do people give thanks to God? (Judaism)
WALT and Success Criteria / Main Activities / Resources / AssessmentWALT: find out why Harvest is important.
I can talk about why we bring food to the Church at Harvest time.
I can look at a picture of Jews celebrating Harvest and talk about what they are giving thanks for. /
- Who can remember what Harvest is?
- Talk to the children and tell them that Harvest is a special time when many religions give thanks for food and share food with their friends, families and people that are poorer than them.
- What do we do at Harvest? Discuss how we give food to the Church so it can pass it on to a charity that feeds homeless and poor people. Do you think many Christians do this? Talk about how at Harvest Christians give food to the less fortunate as a way of helping the world like God wants them to.
- Show a picture of a Jewish child and give them a name. Tell the class that this child is from the religion Judaism and so is called a Jew. Tell them that at Harvest this child shares food with his family and says thank you to God for all of the food he has to eat.
- Talk about how this Jewish child believes the same things about Harvest as a Christian as they believe that God created the world and that we should give thanks for it just like Christians.
- Suggested task: draw a picture of the Church at Harvest time and write about why we bring food to it.
Pictures of the Church during harvest. / Sub question: Why is Harvest important?
AT1 (L1) – ‘I can use the right names for things that are special to religious people.’
AT2 (L1) – ‘I can talk about what is important to me and other people.
WALT: explore the story of Sukkot.
I can listen to and retell the story of Sukkot. /
- Tell the children that there is a special story that Jewish people celebrate at Harvest.
- Using Godly Play tell the story of the Israelites in the Wilderness. Tell the children that this is the story of Sukkot.
- What happened in the story?
- Suggested task: give the children in pairs or groups mixed up cards telling the story. Ask them to put them back in order and then pick out their favourite part and say why it is their favourite.
AT1 (L1) – ‘I can remember a religious story and talk about it.’
AT1 (L2) – ‘I can tell a religious story.’
WALT: explore how and why Jews give thanks to God at Sukkot.
I can look at pictures of sakkahs and explore why Jews give thanks at this festival.
I can write about what I am thankful for. /
- Who can remember the story that we read last week?
- Recap using the picture cards from last week.
- What were the shelters that the Jews built called? Sukkahs. Why did they build them? Talk about how hot it would have been in the desert and how these shelters helped them to survive.
- Show the children pictures of people celebrating this story. What can you see in the pictures?
- Tell the children how Jewish people build sukkahs in their gardens to remind them of the hardship that the people in this story went through. They decorate them with pictures of fruit and things that are important to them and give thanks to God for their homes.
- What are you thankful for?
- Suggested task: ask the children to draw a picture of something that is important to them that they are thankful for. Higher ability to write about why they are thankful for this.
AT1 (L1) – ‘I can remember a religious story and talk about it.’
AT1 (L2) – ‘I can tell a religious story.’
AT2 (L1) – ‘I can talk about what is important to me and other people.’
AT2 (L2) - ‘I can talk about what is important to me and other people with respect for their feelings.’
WALT: explore how and why Jews give thanks to God at Sukkot.
I can talk about why Jews give thanks to God during Sukkot.
I can create a picture of my favourite fruit or vegetable to go in a class sukkah. /
- Who can remember what Jews build in their gardens to celebrate the story of the Israelites in the Wilderness? – sukkots.
- Teacher to show the children a sukkot that she has made out of a cardboard box. What is missing from it?
- Talk about how it needs pictures of fruit or vegetables on it so that they can say thanks for food.
- What fruit or vegetable do you like best?
- Suggested task: using paint or the ICT suite, ask the children to create a picture of their favourite fruit or vegetable to be hung in the sukkot.
- Teacher to hang these in the sukkot and display the sukkot in the classroom for all of the children to see.
AT1 (L2) – ‘I can say some things people believe.’
AT2 (L1) – ‘I can talk about what is important to me and other people.’
WALT: explore how and why Jews give thanks to God at Sukkot.
I can retell the story of Sukkot and talk about why it is important to Jews.
I can say what is important to me and how I would give thanks for it. /
- What story have we been learning about?
- Get children to retell the story to you.
- Ask them to fill in the cloze on the whiteboard to tell the story of the Israelites in the Wilderness.
- Why do you think this story is so important to Jews? Talk about how it is important to Jews as it shows them how their ancestors kept going even though they had such a hard time. Talk about how our family and what they do are important to us and how the Jews see the Israelites as being part of their Jewish family.
- Suggested task: children to write sentences using the sentence starter ‘Sukkot is important to Jews because...’ and ‘I would give thanks for... by....’
AT1 (L2) – ‘I can say some things people believe.’
AT2 (L2) - ‘I can talk about what is important to me and other people with respect for their feelings.’
WALT: explore why Jews give thanks for the world.
I can listen to the song ‘What a wonderful world’ and talk about why Jews would give thanks for the world.
I can make drawings of fruit and vegetables from different countries and talk about why they are important to me. /
- Show the children a selection of fruits that they might not have seen before from different countries. Allow them the opportunity to smell and touch them. What are they like?
- Do you think these are grown in this country?
- Talk about how we should be thankful for people in other countries who grow these fruits for us and how dependent we are on them for many of our favourite fruits and vegetables.
- Listen to Louis Armstrong’s ‘What a wonderful world.’
- What was the song about? Do you think the world is wonderful?
- Talk about how Jews think the world is wonderful as they believe that God created it.
- If God created the world, would Jews want to protect it and give thanks for it?
- Suggested task: get the children to make drawings of these fruits from different countries. Higher ability to write about why fruit is important to them.
Fruit and vegetables from another country. / Sub question: Why are foods important to us?
AT1 (L2) – ‘I can say some things people believe.’
AT2 (L2) - ‘I can talk about what is important to me and other people with respect for their feelings.’
Why is light important in some religious festivals?
WALT and Success Criteria / Main activities / Resources / AssessmentWALT: explore why light is important.
I can listen to a story about light and look at a candle and say how it makes me feel.
I can talk about why light is important at Christmas. /
- Introduce the topic of light. Why is it important to you?
- Set up the electric candles in the middle of the circle and share the story ‘Can’t You Sleep Little Bear’ and discuss. How did the story make you feel? What was the story about? Why was light important in the story? How did having the candles out make you feel?
- Discuss how light is important in many religious festivals. Ask the children if they can think of any religious festivals in which light is important. Discuss the importance of light at Christmas and share the Advent Wreath with the children.
- Suggested task: children to draw a picture of a candle in the middle of their page and write words around it to say how light makes them feel. (Word bank on the board would be helpful to support them with this task.)
Story – Can’t You Sleep Little Bear?
Advent Wreath (RE cupboard) / Sub question: Why is light important to us?
AT1 (L1) – ‘I can use the right names for things that are special to Christians.’
AT2 (L1) – ‘I can talk about what is important to me and other people.’
AT2 (L2) – ‘I can talk about what is important to me and other people with respect for their feelings.
WALT: understand why light is important in the story of Rama and Sita.
I can listen to the story and talk about why I think light is important in it.
I can say what I think my favourite part of the story is and why. /
- What topic are we looking at? Recap.
- Tell the children that light is very important in the Hindu festival of Diwali.
- Share the story of Rama and Sita with the children (big book or powerpoint).
- Discuss what the story was about and talk about why light is important in the story.
- Tell the children that Hindus celebrate this story at the festival of Diwali.
- Suggested task: ask children to draw their favourite part of the story. Higher ability to write why they picked it.
AT1 (L1) – ‘I can listen to a religious story.’
AT1 (L2) – ‘I can tell a religious story and say some things that people believe.’
AT2 (L1) – ‘I can talk about what I find interesting.’
WALT: explore how Hindus celebrate Diwali.
I can look at pictures and videos of people celebrating Diwali and talk about what I can see.
I can create Rangoli patterns, Diwali cards and diva lamps to celebrate Diwali with. /
- What story did we hear last week? Recap.
- What festival do Hindus celebrate this story at? Diwali.
- Show children pictures/video clips of people celebrating Diwali.
- What are they doing? How are they celebrating? Is there anything you find interesting or confusing? Discuss the fact that it is a very colourful, happy festival!
- Get out a Diva lamp and allow children to explore it. Why is this used to celebrate Diwali? Talk about how Hindus light them to welcome home Rama and Sita.
- Allow the children to explore different Diwali cards and ask them about what is on the cards and why.
- Suggested tasks: children could make Rangoli patterns outside (chalk or Rangoli material from RE cupboard). Children could make a Diwali card, explaining why they have made it. Children could design a diva lamp and explain why they designed it.
Diwali cards
Chalk/ Rangoli materials.
All of the above are in the RE cupboard.
Pictures and videos of people celebrating Diwali. Some are on the staff shared area, and try BBC Class Clips for videos. / Sub question: Why is light important in the festival of Diwali?
AT1 (L2) – ‘I can tell a religious story.’
AT2 (L1) – ‘I can talk about what I find interesting or confusing.’
AT2 (L2) – ‘I can talk about what happens to others with respect for their feelings.’
WALT: understand why light is important in the story of Hanukkah.
I can listen to the story of Hanukkah and talk about it.
I can create my own Menorah and write about what I hope for this Christmas. /
- Explain to the children that they are going to learn about the story of Hanukkah from the religion Judaism. Does anyone remember anything about Judaism?
- Share the story of Hanukkah with the children using a big book or powerpoint. Share the story in two halves, stopping at where there is not enough oil to last all of the days and ask the children to predict what is going to happen next before telling the rest of the story.
- What difference does a candle flame make in a dark room? How do you feel in the dark? How do you feel in the light? What do you think the oil lamp in the temple represents? (hope)
- Get out the Menorah and allow the children to explore it. Discuss the significance of it with them.
- Look at videos of people celebrating Hanukkah. What is happening? What are they doing?
- Suggested task: get the children to design their own Menorah and write a sentence about what they are hoping for – could be connected to Christmas or their family.
Menorah / Sub question: Why is light important in the story of Hanukkah?
AT1 (L1) – ‘I can listen to a religious story.’
AT1 (L2) – ‘I can tell a religious story and say some things that people believe.’
AT2 (L1) – ‘I can talk about things that happen to me.’
AT2 (L1) – ‘I can talk about what is important to me and other people.
Why do Christians believe Jesus is God’s gift to the world?
WALT and Success Criteria / Main Activities / Resources / AssessmentWALT: understand why gifts are important.
I can talk about how giving and receiving a gift makes me feel.
I can write about what the most important gift I have been given is and why. /
- Read the story ‘A Friend for Little Bear’ by Harry Horse – what did Little Bear value most? How did the wooden horse feel? Discuss the importance of friendship and how it is much more important than our possessions.
- Show the children a wrapped box. What do you think is in the box? Unwrap it and let all children have a peep inside without telling the others what is in it. They will see a mirror and so a reflection of themselves!
- What is a gift you have been given that is really important to you? How does giving a gift make you feel? Who do you give gifts to and why? Draw out an understanding of love and affection.
- What would be the best gift you could give to your parents? Talk about how it might be something that is not material but simply helping them or behaving well.
- Talk about how in the Christmas story Jesus is sent down to the world as a gift from God.
- Suggested task: in the outline of a present, write or draw what the most important gift you have been given is. Higher ability – write about what memories it holds and why it is important.
Wrapped box with a mirror inside facing upwards.
Outline of a present. / Sub question: Why are gifts important to us?
AT1 (L1) – ‘I can use the right names for things that are special to religious people’
AT2 (L1) – ‘I can talk about what is important to me and other people.’
WALT: find out what gifts the Three Wise Men brought Jesus.
I can listen to the story of the Three Wise Men and retell it.
I can talk about how the people in the story were feeling and why. /
- Read a suitable version of the story of the Three Wise Men, using the Crib to act it out.
- What happened in the story?
- What gifts did they bring to the baby Jesus?
- What did you find the most interesting or confusing about the story?
- Practice singing the ‘We Three Kings’ carol (child friendly version on cbeebies).
- Discuss how the people in the story were feeling and what colours could symbolise these different feelings.
- Suggested task: give the children a different character from the story in groups for example Jesus, Wise Men, Mary, Joesph. Ask them to discuss how they thought they were feeling throughout the story and put pictures of the characters onto the different colours and explain to the rest of the group why they might have been feeling like this.
Pictures of the characters from the story.
Crib / Sub question: What gifts did the Three Wise men bring Jesus?
AT1 (L1) – ‘I can remember a religious story and talk about it.’
AT1 (L2) – ‘I can tell a religious story.’
AT2 (L1) – ‘I can talk about what I find interesting or confusing.’
AT2 (L2) – ‘I can talk about what happens to others with respect for their feelings.’
WALT: understand why the Three Wise Men brought Jesus gifts.
I can retell the story of the Three Wise Men and talk about why they brought these three gifts for him.
I can write about what gift I would bring the baby Jesus and why. /
- What did the Wise Men give Jesus as gifts?
- Discuss the symbolism of Gold Frankincense and Myrrh.
- Give each pair something ‘Gold’ – what words can use to describe the gold. Why do you think Jesus was given gold? Talk about the fact that he was going to be a King.
- Frankincense – have something frankincense scented and tell the children that in Jesus’ time it was used to give a pleasant smell, to calm and to symbolise prayers rising to God. Why do you think Jesus was given frankincense? To symbolise that he was going to be a holy man.
- Myrrh – introduce this as a perfumed lotion which people used to show that someone was loved and special. Talk about who might put lotion on each other such as mum and baby and why Jesus might have been given this.
- Recap the fact that Jesus was God’s gift to the world and that this is why many people gave gifts to him.
- Look at the last verse of the Christmas Carol ‘In Bleak Midwinter’
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him: give my heart.
- What does this verse tell us? – about the gifts that people gave the baby Jesus and about how the best gift Christians can give to Jesus is their love.
- Suggested task: draw a picture of the baby Jesus and what you would give him as a gift. Talk or write about why you would give him this gift.
Frankincense
In Bleak Midwinter – last verse / Sub question: What gifts did the Three Wise Men bring Jesus and why?
AT1 (L1) – ‘I can remember a religious story and talk about it.’
AT1 (L2) – ‘I can tell a religious story.’
AT1 (L2) – ‘I can say what some religious symbols stand for.’
AT2 (L1) – ‘I can talk about what is important to me and other people.’
Spring Term