Whole unit on a page!
This is a learning mat indented for independent study or revision for the topic of Developments in Christianity: Jesus Christ, as part of the OCR AS/A Level specification, although it can be applied across specifications. Document can be downloaded as an A3 Word document and as an A4 PDF, for compatibility.
Resource Includes:
Jesus as the Son of God
Jesus as Liberator
Jesus as Teacher of Wisdom
Whether Jesus relationship with God was special or truly unique
Heresies
Key Texts
Created with the OCR RS AS/A Level in mind, though can be applied across specifications and qualifications.
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
Religion Studies / Philosophy / PSHE
This 12-lesson unit, ‘Religion and the Media’, is an update to a previous incarnation of this unit, modernised, well-designed and made even more engaging to keep in line with current thinking and relevant issues.
Individual lessons are intended as a double (roughly one and a half hours per lesson) however, due to time restrictions and the embedded support in the corresponding Work Pack, could also be taught in a minimal one hour per lesson.
Lessons Include:
What is a Media Message
Religion in the Media
Charlie Hebdo
Westboro Baptist Church
Banksy
How do religions use the media (inc. LGBTQ+ case study)
Is there a balance between freedom of speech and harmful content?
Are gagging orders moral?
Should the media profit from tragedy?
When does the media become propaganda?
Should the media promote ethical advertising?
What is the future of ethics and the media?
*Lesson resource sheets if using exercise books
This scheme of learning has been devised explicitly to support the Recovery Curriculum, interleave learning with previously-learned units and support cognition through interleaving techniques.
Although part of a unit, lessons can also be taught as a stand-alone lessons, e.g. for revision. The corresponding Work Pack(s) would also support a home-learned curriculum as the PowerPoints and Packs themselves include differentiation and scaffolding, where required.
The new scheme of work is specifically designed to promote the two skills desired for success at GCSE (and beyond):
AO1 (Knowledge and Understanding)
AO2 (Analysis and Evaluation)
The resources are specifically created to ensure students are aware of the skill they are demonstrating and how to improve further through modelling.
These new units bring the relevance back to our topics, for example, through thought experiments and reference to current affairs. Students will experience greater engagement and enjoyment in a fair and balanced approach.
Lessons include:
Homework Slide
Unit Cover and lesson overview
Starter activity, including interleaving
Key words (literacy focus)
Introduction of key information (AO1 - knowledge) and how this is used (AO1 - understanding)
Introduction of a contentious issue or debate (AO2 - analysis) and finalised judgement (AO2 - evaluation)
Plenary
The lesson resource sheets:
These are designed so that even those who have limited curriculum time can explore the full unit without having to feel the time pressures on their classwork.
The resources provide time-saving activities, whilst still being able to cover the breadth and depth of the course.
In addition, students who may be limited by literacy issues, e.g. slower writing paces, are not disadvantaged or capped in their progress. Therefore, some classes could use a mixed approach - part resources, part exercise book - and all students will be able to progress through the same volume of content.
Please give feedback: I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
Created with the AQA RS GCSE specification in mind, though can be applied across specifications and qualifications. Quick and easy revision presented in a creative way!
Each revision card includes definitions, teachings, the importance and an opinion question. Answers are also available on the reverse of each card for student to work independently.
The final slide (with practise questions) also comes with answers using the appropriate exam technique.
The flip cards include the following topics, according to the specification:
What are good and evil?
What are the different reasons for crime?
What are the different types of crime?
What are the aims of punishment?
What are UK prisons like?
How important is forgiveness?
What is corporal punishment?
What is capital punishment?
Can suffering be a good thing?
Is real forgiveness possible?
Practise Exam Questions
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
Created with the AQA RS GCSE specification in mind, though can be applied across specifications and qualifications. Quick and easy revision presented in a creative way!
Each revision card includes definitions, teachings, the importance and an opinion question. Answers are also available on the reverse of each card for student to work independently.
The final slide (with practise questions) also comes with answers using the appropriate exam technique.
The flip cards include the following topics, according to the specification:
Procreation
Sex and Contraception
Sexuality
Cohabitation and Marriage
Divorce
Remarriage
Families
Gender Equality
Contemporary family issues (same-sex parents/polygamy)
Practise Exam Questions
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
Tes paid licence
This resource is Lesson 5 on a new unit aimed at KS3, but also suitable for KS4 learners due to the skills-focus. The lesson and PowerPoints include a range of engaging, high-quality activities covering an introduction to to the History of (Western) religion, re-branded as ‘History of Ideas’.
Lesson includes:
Homework slide
Review of prior learning
Title, objective and date
Key Words
Knowledge building
Analysis Task
Evaluation
Plenary
Scaffolding is included in the Powerpoint itself and also in the resources to ensure maximum engagement and comprehension. Challenges (extension tasks) also exist throughout the lessons to further enhance skills and understanding.
There are a variety of knowledge, understanding and evaluation tasks throughout the lesson, including video and debate activities that the students always love - year-on-year.
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
**Philosophy of Religion: Religious Experience
**
This is a brand new unit (2022) of work on Religious Experience as arguments for the existence of God.
Each lesson is intended to last between 60-90 minutes and is for the OCR unit on Philosophy of Religion: Religious Experience, though could be applied across specifications. Lessons cover a variety of tasks, activities and learner styles, geared towards the final exam.
This unit of work is specifically designed to promote the two skills desired for success at A Level:
AO1 (Knowledge and Understanding)
AO2 (Analysis and Evaluation)
FREE with this unit is the A3 and A4 Learning Mats / Revision Mat for this topic, (available to purchase separately) and the Word/PDF Workbook.
Lessons are:
Introduction
William James and Mystical Experiences
Conversion Experiences
Psychological Causes
Physiological Causes
Corporate Experiences
Each lesson also includes assessment of the arguments proposed and an essay-style question for discussion and development.
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of students’ Philosophy education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
KS3 Religious Studies/Philosophy and Ethics: Ethical Questions
Lesson: What makes a (human) life valuable?
This unit, ‘Ethical Questions, is devised as part of a brand new, interleaved scheme of work for KS3, aimed to prepare KS3 students for the move up to KS4, introducing some key concepts that can be developed later on at GCSE.
Individual lessons are intended as a double (roughly one and a half hours per lesson) however, due to time restrictions and the embedded support in the corresponding Work Pack, could also be taught in a minimal one hour per lesson.
This scheme of learning has been devised explicitly to support the Recovery Curriculum, interleave learning with previously-learned units and support cognition through interleaving techniques.
Although part of a unit, lessons can also be taught as a stand-alone lessons, e.g. for revision. The corresponding Resource Pack(s) would also support a home-learned curriculum as the PowerPoints and Packs themselves include differentiation and scaffolding, where required.
The interleaved schemed of work are specifically designed to promote the two skills desired for success at GCSE:
AO1 (Knowledge and Understanding)
AO2 (Analysis and Evaluation)
The resources are specifically created to ensure students are aware of the skill they are demonstrating and how to improve further through modelling.
These new units bring the relevance back to our topics, for example, through thought experiments and reference to current affairs. Students will experience greater engagement and enjoyment in a fair and balanced approach.
Lesson includes:
Homework Slide
Unit Cover and lesson overview
Starter activity, including interleaving
Key words (literacy focus)
Introduction of key information (AO1 - knowledge) and how this is used (AO1 - understanding)
Introduction of a contentious issue or debate (AO2 - analysis) and finalised judgement (AO2 - evaluation)
Plenary
The Work Pack:
If you would rather work in exercise books, the Work Pack is designed so that you can print off relevant pages - it is a resource pack. This would be useful if you have appropriate curriculum time to cover the content of the course. Unfortunately, this is not the case across all schools, and therefore the Work Pack helps by providing time-saving activities, whilst still being able to cover the breadth and depth of the course.
In addition, students who may be limited by literacy issues, e.g. slower writing paces, are not disadvantaged or capped in their progress. Therefore, some classes could use a mixed approach - part Work Pack, part exercise book - and all students will be able to progress through the same volume of content.
Please give feedback: I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
This thorough and interactive revision lesson on the topic of ‘Soul, Mind and Body’ (in the Philosophy of Religion) section of the course helps learners to revise both AO1 and AO2, in line with the specification requirements. The lesson PPT and resources can be downloaded as both a PPT document and a PDF, for compatibility.
Activities include card sorts, fill in the blanks, video tasks, quizzes and more!
This 23-slide lesson specifically follows the requirements of the OCR A Level Religious Studies Spec, though they can be edited easily for other specifications. They explore appropriate AO1 (knowledge and understanding) followed by AO2 (analysis and evaluation), culminating in exam practise with a choice of four essay titles.
The lesson itself can be both teacher-led and used as a revision resources for at-home learning. It is a versatile resources for both class and home.
Resource covers:
The philosophical language of the soul, mind and body in the thinking of:
Plato
Plato’s view of the soul as the essential and immaterial part of a human, temporarily united with the body
Aristotle
Aristotle’s view of the soul as the form of the body; the way the boy behaves and lives; something which cannot be separated from the body
Metaphysics of consciousness, including:
Substance dualism
The idea that mind and body are distinct substances
Materialism
The idea that mind and consciousness can be fully explained by physical or material interactions
Knowledge and understanding (AO1) relating to:
Plato’s and Aristotle’s view of the soul
Substance Dualism as the idea that mind and body are separate or distinct substances
Descartes’ proposal of material and spiritual substances as a solution to the mind/soul and body problem
Materialism as the idea that mind and consciousness can be fully explained by physical or material interactions
The rejection of a soul as a spiritual substance
oAnalysis and evaluation (AO2) relating to:
Materialist critique of dualism and dualist responses to materialism
Whether the concept of ‘soul’ is best understood metaphorically or as a reality
The idea that any discussion about the mind-body distinction is a category error
o Exam practise questions
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
This is a unit of 5 lessons for the OCR unit on Christian Moral Action/Practices. Lessons cover a variety of tasks, activities and learner styles, geared towards the final exam. In addition, included for free is the Workbook for home-study and revision and the Learning Mat, which is a summary of the unit on one page!
Lesson 1: Introduction to CM Action
Lesson 2: Duty to God and Duty to State
Lesson 3: Confessing Church and Finkenwalde
Lesson 4: Discipleship, Suffering and Solidarity
Lesson 5: Analysing Bonhoeffer
Free resource: Workbook on Christian Moral Action; Learning Mat for whole unit
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
This resource is for revision and exam preparation. It is based on the topic-by-page programme I do with my students.
Each topic comes with knowledge (AO1), questions to develop understanding (AO1), questions to develop analysis and evaluation (AO2) and an essay-style question.
This resource is indented for the OCR AS/A Level specification, although it can be applied across specifications using alternative marking schemes.
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
This is a unit of 5 lessons for the OCR unit on Developments in Christian Thought: Death and the Afterlife. Lessons cover a variety of tasks, activities and learner styles, geared towards the final exam. Also included is the A3 and A4 Learning Mats / Revision Mats for this topic. In addition, included for free is the Workbook for home-study and revision!
Lessons are:
Intro and Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
Heaven
Hell
Purgatory
Election
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
These engaging and colourful learning mats are indented for independent study or revision for the topic of Philosophy of Religion, as part of the OCR AS/A Level specification, although it can be applied across specifications. Each learning mat is downloaded as an A3 Word document and an A4 PDF, for compatibility.
Topics include:
Ancient Philosophical Influences
Soul, Mind and Body
Arguments from Observation
Arguments from Reason
Religious experience
Problem of Evil
Nature of God
Religious Language
20th Century Perspectives
Created with the OCR RS AS/A Level in mind, though can be applied across specifications and qualifications.
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
This is a unit of 3 two-hour lessons for the OCR unit on Philosophy of Religion: Religious Language. Lessons cover a variety of tasks, activities and learner styles, geared towards the final exam. Also included is the A3 and A4 Learning Mats / Revision Mat for this topic.
Lessons are:
The Apophatic Way / Via Negativa
The Cataphatic Way / Via Positiva
Tillich on Symbols
This resource also includes a free summary booklet.
Each lesson also includes assessment of the arguments proposed and an essay-style question for discussion and development.
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of students’ Philosophy education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
This resource includes two essays answering two different A-Level exam question on the topic of Christian Moral Principles and Practices. Both essays have been marked stringently and comments are written throughout. Overall comments and banding is awarded, with justification, and an overall grade.
The resource also includes the essays without comments, for students to mark on their own, before going over comments/grades. The essays can also be used as revision resources for students practising their own exam-style essays.
Grade A+ and B essays
Mark scheme for both AS and A Level included for marking.
Download as both Word and PDF documents.
These essays are indented for the OCR AS/A Level specification, although it can be applied across specifications using alternative marking schemes.
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
This resource includes two essays answering an A-Level exam question on the topic of Natural Law. Both essays have been marked stringently and comments are written throughout. Overall comments and banding is awarded, with justification, and an overall grade.
The resource also includes the essays without comments, for students to mark on their own, before going over comments/grades. The essays can also be used as revision resources for students practising their own exam-style essays.
Grade A and D essays
Mark scheme for both AS and A Level included for marking.
Download as both Word and PDF documents.
These essays are indented for the OCR AS/A Level specification, although it can be applied across specifications using alternative marking schemes.
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
This resource is a series of three instructional videos (and their accompanying PowerPoints) to cover exam technique in GCSE Religious Studies - AQA specification.
The videos are ideal for home/remote learning - or just as a reminder before sitting formal exams and assessments. In addition, the PowerPoints are also included for classroom practice and for individual teachers to create their own exam technique videos.
There are three videos:
Q1 and Q2 (1-mark and 2-mark questions) - lasting <5 mins
Q3 and Q4 (4-mark and 5-mark questions) - lasting > 10 mins
Q5 (12-mark questions) - lasting >10 mins
Each video explores:
What to expect from each question
Wording of the question
Marks available
How to achieve the marks
Sample questions
Sample answers
Exam practise
Scaffolding is included in the videos/Powerpoint.
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
This is a unit of 5 lessons for the OCR unit on Philosophy of Religion: Ancient Philosophical Beliefs. Lessons cover a variety of tasks, activities and learner styles, geared towards the final exam. Also included is the A3 and A4 Learning Mats / Revision Mats for this topic.
Lessons are:
Introduction and Background
Plato’s Reality
Aristotle’s Causes
Aristotle’s Prime Mover
Comparing Plato and Aristotle
Learning Mat / Revision Mat also included.
Free Workbook also included
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
This is a workbook indented for independent study or revision for the topic of Religion and Ethics: Utilitarianism, as part of the OCR AS/A Level specification, although it can be applied across specifications. It is a 26 page document (PDF also included) to support your learners.
These workbooks are ideal for independent study or set as topic-specific homework/revision.
Resource Includes:
Bentham (utility)
Hedonic calculus
Mill’s utilitarianism
Act and rule utilitarianism
Analysing utilitarianism
Peter Singer (preference utilitarianism)
*Exam questions (35 marks) and exam technique
Created with the OCR RS AS/A Level in mind, though can be applied across specifications and qualifications.
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!
Religions covered: Christianity and Humanist/Atheism
27 slide PPT, which is editable for your classroom. Two to view as examples.
Created with the WJEC / Eduqas RS GCSE in mind, though can be applied across specifications and qualifications. As an examiner for this specification, I have used what I know of the course to create this physically engaging and informative revision PowerPoint.
Topics covered:
0. Key Concepts
1. Creation
2. Evolution (+ Big Bang)
3. Stewardship
4. Sanctity of Life
5. Quality of Life
6. Abortion
7. Euthanasia (including hospices)
8. Soul and Afterlife
9. Judgement, Heaven and Hell
10. Funeral Services
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future!
This learning mat was created to support learners of the Study of Theme D: Religion, Peace & Conflict - the whole unit on one A3 sheet (Word document) or A4 sheet (PDF document)
Topics covered:
Justice
Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Violence and Violent Protest
Terrorism
War
Just War and Holy War
Victims of War
WMDs
Peace and Pacifism
Created with the AQA RS GCSE in mind, though can be applied across specifications and qualifications.
Please give feedback! I am always happy to respond to comments - whether positive or constructive - this will help to improve the quality of my resources in the future and, more importantly, the quality of pupils’ RE/RS education in general - which is what we’re all here for!