NARCREA • RERC
This Is Our Faith Planning Exemplars
S2 / Suggested Theme:
Advent / Suggested Timescale:
Dates:
Teacher: / Class:
TIOF Core Learning
RERC 3-06a(1)
Having learned about the social, political and religious situation in Palestine at the time of Jesus, and knowing the meaning of “Messiah”, I can explain how these factors influenced the lives of the Jewish people at the time of Jesus.
RERC 3-06a(2)
I have used Scripture to deepen my understanding of the special relationship between God and the Jewish people and I know how this connects to their history as a nation and their expectation of the Messiah.
RERC 3-06a(3)
  • The Messiah would be born of the Line of David (2 Samuel 7: 12-16),
  • would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14) and be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5: 1-4);
  • The New Covenant (Jeremiah 31: 31-34);
  • The Triumphant Entry to Jerusalem (Zechariah 9:9);
  • His Royalty (Daniel 9:25).
RERC 3-06a(4)
In light of my focus on Old Testament scripture, I can explain the ways in which Jesus fulfilled Jewish expectations of the Messiah.
RERC 3-06a(5)
I can assess the importance of the person and the message of John the Baptist in preparing the way for the Jewish people to understand Jesus as the Messiah for example by considering both Isaiah 40: 3‐5 and New Testament passages (Lk. 1: 5‐25, 57‐80 or 3: 1‐20, Mt. 3 or Mk. 1: 1‐11)
RERC 3-06a(6)
I can evaluate the extent to which Jesus fulfilled Jewish expectation of the Messiah.
RERC 3-18a(7)
I have developed my understanding of the liturgical events of Advent and Christmastide, and I am maturing in my understanding of their significance by exploring:
  • the preparation for the coming of Jesus: the period of Advent up to and after 16th December
  • Changes in themes of the Liturgy of the Word (from the Last Coming of Christ to the Coming of Christ at the Nativity);
  • the use of the ‘O’ antiphons;
  • change to the Gospel acclamation;
  • no Gloria sung during Advent.
RERC 3-18a(8)
  • the Birth of Christ: the period from the Nativity to the feast of the Baptism of the Lord
  • Christmastide begins with the Nativity and ends with the Baptism of Our Lord;
  • the significance of feast days within this period (Epiphany, Holy Family, Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God);
  • colours of vestments worn;
  • the significance of the readings used in the Liturgy of the Word.

Experiences and Outcomes:
RERC 3-06a SON OF GOD
I have researched into the social, political and religious life in Jesus’ land 2000 years ago to develop my understanding of Jewish expectations of the Messiah.
RERC 3-18a HOURS OF GOD
I have considered the liturgical events of Holy Week, Easter, Advent and Christmastide. I can reflect critically on the central importance of the feast of Easter in the Church’s Liturgical Calendar.
Other curricular areas:
Learning Intentions:
I am learning:
  1. To recall my knowledge of the social, political and religious life in Jesus’ land and how these influenced the lives of the Jewish people of the time.(1)
  2. That the Jewish expectation of the Messiah is closely connected with their special relationship with God.
  3. The ways in which Jesus fulfilled Jewish expectation of the Messiah.
  4. About the liturgical events of Advent and Christmastide and how we celebrate these.(7&8)

Success Criteria:
  1. I can recall and explain my learning from S1 on the social, political and religious life in Jesus land.
  2. I can share my knowledge of how these affected the lives of the Jewish people at the time of Jesus.
  3. I can describe my learning about the special relationship between God and the Jewish people.
  4. I can identify Old Testament Scripture passages and evaluate the ways in which they show that Jesus fulfilled Messianic expectation.
  5. I can explain some of the liturgical events of Advent.
  6. I can share my learning about the significance of Christmastide and the liturgical events of this time.

Key Vocabulary from TIOF:
Messiah, Scripture, Antiphons, Nativity, Christmastide
Write / Say
Note taking.
Annotation
Messianic expectation Dominoes game (“What was expected?)
John the Baptist task (why he is important) / Palestinian houses discussion.
Discuss roles of those in Scripture narrative
Messianic expectation Dominoes game (Explain)
John the Baptist task (what do you see, hear & read)
Share Advent research with other groups
Feedback to peers on homework task
Make / Do
Decisions of how to complete homework task
Time for prayer and Reflection
John the Baptist task (Summary)
Decisions for self assessment and peer assessment tasks.
Changes and improvements to homework after peer assessment. / Palestine Map match exercise.
Interrogate Images
Read scripture
Messianic expectation Dominoes game (Match)
Scripture referencing
Advent research
Time for prayer and Reflection
Planning Outline (including what pupils could write /say/make/do as a result of learning):
This unit has been designed to be delivered through a variety of activities. There are no formal worksheets with summary questions on the topic. Pupils are given a homework task at the beginning of the unit. This will be the means of recording evidence of their personal learning and how they will demonstrate meeting the success criteria. Pupils are encouraged to take notes, jot down thoughts, record conversations, draw and annotate diagrams etc to build their evidence.
The unit is described in ‘lessons’ however each lesson could last more than one period.
Lesson One: (SC1 and 1a)
Pupils were given an overview sheet of the unit, including the homework task.
The learning intentions for the unit were displayed.
The class discussed the success criteria, amended any words to ensure challenge, and identified which lessons they expected to achieve each. Pupils mapped their own date line onto their personal learning plan for the Advent unit.
Re-cap of S1 learning in Palestine at time of Jesus.
Work station based activities where pupils have to:
Look at map of Palestine and identify important areas / regions pin pointing them with flash cards on the map.
Look at models of Palestinian houses and discuss reasons for design, areas within the house, who would have lived there etc. Discussions are recorded on post it notes
Interrogate images of Roman culture and annotate what they recall from S1
Read scripture passages where Jewish Religious Leaders are involved and discuss each groups role in Jewish society at time of Jesus.
At each station there were notes and information cards to assist pupils if they were unable to recall their previous learning.
Plenary class discussion on activities and what impact the situation in Palestine had on the people of the time.
Homework exercise:(SC1, 1a, 2 & 3)
“Did Jesus fulfil Jewish Messianic expectation?”
The homework was given at the beginning of the first lesson and discussed at the end.
Pupils were given free choice as to how to evidence that they had successfully achieved success criteria 1, 2 and 3. Pupils were reminded that to complete this homework they should think about which aspects of class work they could incorporate into their evidence (e.g. notes & learning from discussions, annotated pictures, scripture references)
Lesson Two: (SC 2 & 3)
Pupils are learning about how different Old Testament scripture passages inform our understanding of Jewish Messianic expectation and then move on to considering how Jesus fulfils these expectations.
In pairs pupils are given ‘dominoes’ cards. They have to discuss and successfully match 3 cards for each aspect of Jewish messianic expectation:
OT Scripture – What was expected? – NT Scripture
The “What was expected?” cards are blank. Pupils have to read the OT Scripture passage. Discuss what the Jewish expectation was. Write a summary of this on the blank card and then find the NT passage which shows that Jesus met this expectation.
e.g.

To differentiate pupil learning some pairs are not given the NT Scripture cards, rather they are given a copy of the Gospels and have to source the scripture passage and note it down for themselves on their 3rd card.
Key words and phrases cards are available for pupils who find it difficult to summarise the Jewish expectation.
Pairs are asked to peer assess another pairs work to ensure that they have all answers correct.
Following on from this activity pupils are given time to make notes to assist them in their homework task.
A time of prayer and reflection is then had with the whole class. The teacher uses a power point with words, images and music. This power point uses scripture and prayer to travel through the OT to John the Baptist, showing examples of God’s relationship with his people, the history of the nation of Israel and outline some of their expectations of the Messiah.
Pupils are then given the starter line:
“John the Baptist is important because...”
In groups they are given scripture passagesrelating to John the Baptist. (Isaiah 40: 3‐5 and Lk. 1: 5‐25, 57‐80 or 3: 1‐20, Mt. 3 or Mk. 1: 1‐11)
They are also given examples of paintings and pieces of art inspired by John the Baptist.
As a group they have to discuss what they see, hear and read and reflecting on what they have already learned, consider why he as a person was important and why his message was important.
Each group has to produce a summary of their answer. This can be done by annotating a picture, highlighting the key words from scripture and making group notes on the importance of these words, mind map or spidogram, simply as a list or a combination of all of the above.
Each summary is displayed on the class learning wall.
Lesson Three (SC4)
The class is divided into 6 groups. Each group is given a resource pack which includes scripture readings for one week in Advent or Christmastide, suitable websites for research and a list of questions to investigate.
The groups have to decide how best to investigate and answer the questions. Once they have completed all of the questions each group must present their findings to the rest of the class.
Once pupils have peer-shared their learning the groups are changed so that each new group has at least one member from each ‘week’ group. (i.e. there is someone who was investigating week 1 of Advent, someone looking at week 2 etc). The groups now have a ‘compare and contrast’ task to complete where they have to map out the readings, themes and liturgical events for each week (using the expertise and learning they each bring from the week they have studied in detail or from what they learned during the peer sharing exercise) and note any similarities and differences between each.
The groups then rotate round the work of all the other groups, looking at what they have said and on returning to their own station make any adaptations or changes to improve their work.
This lessons concludes with a power-point with extracts from the liturgies of each week of Advent , art work and reflective questions.
Lesson Four (SC 1, 1a,2&3)
Pupils are expected to hand in their homework task which was given at the beginning of the unit. As part of their homework pupils will have completed a ‘self assessment’ sheet where they have identified that they have completed all aspects of the task. During lesson four pupils peer assess each other’s homework task, giving them notes and pointers for improvement. This can be done verbally or on a similar assessment sheet. Pupils are allowed then to make any changes or additions before handing in their homework to their teacher.
Evaluation of Learning & Teaching: