KEY STAGE 2
Mid-term planning
Year 4: Unit 5 / Term: Summer 1 / Year:
Did Jesus really do miracles?
Key Concepts:Miracles, faith, belief, doubt / Learning Objective:to explore at least two miracles of Jesus and evaluate them from the view of a believer and a sceptic
Background Information for teachers
In Luke 23:8 Herod is depicted as longing to meet Jesus, because he wants to see him perform a miracle. In John 14:11 Jesus says “Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.” Throughout the gospels there are references to the way that the miracles Jesus performs attract people to follow him, and it is the miracles, as well as his answers to questions, that lead the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law to seek his death. Performing miracles indicated Jesus’ divinity; in the old testament the miracles were performed by God: Psalm 77:13-14 “Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles…” The miracles that Jesus performed had spiritual significance as well as being miracles in their own right. Feeding the 5,000 and the 4,000 point to him as the bread of life, and reflect the provision of manna in the desert. Healing the sick and raising the dead show that Jesus has power over life and death, as well as care for the poor and the disadvantaged. Illness at the time of Jesus often led to destitution and exclusion from the community, particularly from worship as many diseases meant people were not allowed to enter the temple or the synagogue. Restoration to health meant that they could return to the religious life of the people of Israel. Non-Jews were also healed; this was significant as the original instructions to the people of Israel were to be a “light to the Gentiles” whereas in fact they had become exclusive. The stilling of the storm shows Jesus power over nature, reminiscent of God’s control over the Red Sea and the Jordan when Israel were fleeing Egypt and entering the Promised Land. Many of the miracles are attested in all three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke); the only miracle in all 4 Gospels is the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus did not perform miracles for himself, (see the temptations in the wilderness) nor did he perform miracles when challenged by the Pharisees, but in response to need, faith and relationship. The key miracle, as far as Christians are concerned, has to be the resurrection; the final vindication to prove Jesus as the son of God, God incarnate. There are many of course, who doubt that the miracles took place; there were people at the time who did not believe on the evidence of the miracles. This is the choice that faces anyone who reads these accounts. It is important that the pupils can explore these stories for themselves and realise the difference that it makes to Christians whether they believe or not. The pupils do not have to choose to believe.
Expected
Pupils will be able to recount the miracles that have been studied and be able to talk about the impact of them on the crowds, the disciples and the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. They will be able to give some interpretation of the miracles in theological terms and how that miracle may influence Christians today. They will show that they know why some people do not believe and the implications of the truth or falsity of the accounts.
Developing
Pupils will be able to retell one of the miracles, suggesting a meaning for the event. They will be able to ask questions about the miracle and suggest reasons why people might or might not believe and what difference that might make. / Excelling
Pupils will be able to make links between the miracles and the behaviour and beliefs of Christians. They will be able to explain the significance of the miracles and discuss the difference that believing in miracles makes to faith and belief. They will be able to talk about doubt and why many do not believe.
Engage:
- Explore pupils understanding of the word miracle, leading to a class definition. Ask pupils to list things that they think are miracles. Are there other logical or possible explanations? Think of an historic perspective to miracle – i.e. things considered miracles in the past now have a different explanation. Ask about how the word miracle is used to day. Does it still have the same meaning?
Enquire & Explore:(AT1)
- Read and watch stories of Jesus’ miracles (feeding of 5,000, stilling the storm, healing paralysed man). Ensure pupils can recall and understand stories. Explore using “I wonder” questions. E.g. I wonder how come there was enough food. I wonder if it was a miracle. I wonder whether others shared their food because of what Jesus did. Could the change be the miracle? Ask similar questions about the paralysed man, and stilling the storm. Gather all the different ideas. Talk about literal and metaphorical understanding of stories and discuss whether these stories teach important messages even if we don’t believe them? Does one understanding make Jesus seem more special than the other? Does either interpretation give the message better than the other?
Evaluate: (AT2 Impersonal)
- What effect did the miracles have on the people who witnessed them? Did they have the same effect on everyone? Why or why not? Which of the understandings of the miracles makes more sense to you?
- Does it matter if the stories are not literally true? How do Christians with both understandings believe the stories help them? Could these stories be of use to non-Christians? If there are pupils from different faiths, a discussion could be had about miracles in those faiths.
ReflectCommunicate: (AT2 Personal)
- Do you believe miracles can happen? What miracles would you most like to see? Do you believe Jesus could do and did miracles? What miracles do you think the world wants to see? Would miracles happening today make people believe that Jesus was/is the Son of God? Pupils could write prayers asking for miracles.
Evaluation:
- What went well?
- Even better if:
Some suggested resources:
- Bibles
- RE Today publications: Christianity Topic folder
Developing Primary RE – Faith Stories
Developing Primary RE - Stories about God
- Miracle Maker DVD
- Miracles of Jesus DVD
RE SCHEME OF WORK
CLASS RECORD SHEET
Assessment opportunities & activities
Year 4: Unit 5 / Term: Summer 1 / Year:
Did Jesus really do miracles?
Some pupils will have made more progress and will use a developing religious vocabulary to:
- Describe and show understanding of how the miracles of Jesus impacted on people at the time and on the church and believers today
- Describe and make links between a belief in miracles and the behaviour of Christians
- Show understanding of some reasons why people do or do not believe the miracles of Jesus
- Refer to biblical quotations when explaining their own beliefs about the miracles
- Create a statement about their own beliefs in miracles and describe a miracle they would like to see, assessing the potential impact on the world today
Most pupils will be able to use an increasing religious vocabulary to:
- Identify and compare the impact of Jesus miracles on the disciples, the crowds and believers today
- Make a link between the stories of Jesus miracles the work of the church
- Suggest reasons why people do or do not believe in the miracles
- Ask questions about the meanings of the miracles
- Write a reflection on whether the miracles are true or just stories
- Describe a miracle that they would like to see and assess the potential impact of that miracle on the world today
Some pupils will have made less progress and be able to use religious words and phrases to:
- Select from a choice some reasons why believers might choose to believe in miracles and rank them
- Retell a story of one of Jesus miracles suggesting a meaning for the story, perhaps by ordering the story, adding an interpretation
- Ask some questions about why people choose to believe in miracles
- Use the story of a miracle as a basis for their own beliefs
- Talk about the miracles that they would like to see in the world and Identify the impact such a miracle might have