Lesson: Intro to GCSE Buddhism / What is Buddhism?
This lesson is Lesson 1 in the new ‘Buddhist Beliefs & Teachings’ unit, devised as part of a brand new, relevant and engaging scheme of work for KS4. It is 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.
This lesson explores the origins of Buddhism and relevance of Buddhism in the UK today.
Although part of a unit, this lesson can also be taught as a stand-alone lesson, e.g. for revision. The corresponding Work Packs would also support a home-learned curriculum as the PowerPoints and Packs themselves include differentiation and scaffolding, where required.
The 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
Lesson overview
Starter activity
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
Lesson Sheets:
If you would rather work in exercise books, the Work Pack/lesson sheets are 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!
Lesson: What did the Buddha teach?
(Dhamma - Three Marks of Existence / Dependent Arising)
This lesson is Lesson 3 in the new ‘Buddhist Beliefs & Teachings’ unit, devised as part of a brand new, relevant and engaging scheme of work for KS4. It is 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.
This lesson explores the Buddha’s teachings, specifically the Three Marks of Existence and Dependent Arising.
Although part of a unit, this lesson can also be taught as a stand-alone lesson, e.g. for revision. The corresponding Work Packs would also support a home-learned curriculum as the PowerPoints and Packs themselves include differentiation and scaffolding, where required.
The 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
Lesson overview
Starter activity
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
Lesson Sheets:
If you would rather work in exercise books, the Work Pack/lesson sheets are 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 is a unit of 3 one-to-two-hour lessons for the OCR unit on Philosophy of Religion: The Problem of Evil, though could be applied across specifications. Lessons cover a variety of tasks, activities and learner styles, geared towards the final exam.
FREE with this unit is the A3 and A4 Learning Mats / Revision Mat for this topic, and the Word/PDF Workbooks.
Lessons are:
Presentations of the problem of evil
Augustine’s Theodicy
Irenaeaus and Hick
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!
These engaging and colourful learning mats are indented for independent study or revision for the topic of Developments in Christian Thought, 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:
1.Augustine on Human Nature
2. Death and the Afterlife
3. Knowledge of God’s Existence
4. Jesus Christ
5. Christian Moral Principles
6. Christian Moral Practices/Action
7. Religious Pluralism
8. Challenge of Secularisation
9. Gender
10. Karl Marx and Liberation Theology
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 4 lessons for the OCR unit on Religion and Ethics: Euthanasia. 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 to Euthanasia
Quality and Sanctity of Life
Euthanasia and Ethical Theories
Exploring Ideas of Personhood
Free resources: Learning Mat / Revision Mat and 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 unit of 5 one-to-two-hour lessons for the OCR unit on Philosophy of Religion: Nature or Attributes of God. 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. The summary booklet is also included in this resource for FREE!
Lessons are:
Omnipotence
Eternal/Everlasting God
Omniscience
Omnibenevolence
Conflicts between attributes
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!
All three units (Philosophy, Ethics and Theology), 28 PowerPoints in total, to revise the course from the specification.
It is advised that students revise from the specification rather than from any interpreted document, e.g. through revision guides (whether endorsed or not). Therefore, these PowerPoints enable students to revise the specific content and learn the language of the specification through directed note-taking (AO1) and questioning (AO2).
Philosophy topics:
Ancient Philosophical Influences
Soul, Mind, Body
Arguments from Observation
Arguments from Reason
Religious Experience
Problem of Evil
Nature of God
Religious Language
20th Century Perspectives
Ethics topics:
Utilitarianism
Natural Law
Situation Ethics
Kantian Ethics
Euthanasia
Business Ethic
Conscience
Meta-Ethics
Sexual Ethics
Theology topics:
Augustine on Human Nature
Death and the Afterlife
Knowledge of God’s Existence
Jesus Christ
Christian Principles
Christian Practices
Religious Pluralism
Secularism
Gender
Liberation Theology and Marx
This resource is indented for the OCR AS/A Level specification. For other specifications, the ‘what you need to know’ sections would need to be reviewed.
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 unit of 5 lessons for the OCR unit on Developments in Christian Thought: Knowledge of God’s Existence. 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 to Knowledge of God’s Existence
Natural Knowledge: Innate Sense of the Divine
Order of Creation
Faith and Grace
Jesus and the Bible
Also included is the Learning Mat (A3 andA4) and Workbook (Word and PDF)
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 19-slide PowerPoint (pdf also included) covering the topics for the OCR unit on Philosophy of Religion.Each slide covers a topic or sub-topic and thinkers/philosophers who have a view on that particular topic/sub-topic, which students can learn for their exams. Can be used an an in-lesson resource or for independent study / revision.
Slides are:
Ancient Philosophy
Knowledge / Reality
Soul, Mind and Body
Arguments based on observation
Teleological Argument
Cosmological Argument
Arguments based on reason
Ontological Argument
Religious Experience
William James on Religious Experience
Problem of Evil
OMnipotence
Eternal God
Omniscience
Omnibenevolence
Apophatic Way
Cataphatic Way (Analogy)
Cataphatic Way (Symbol)
20th Century Perspectives
My own students use this resource whilst writing and planning essays. I also find it useful when marking them - it is a reference/guide to who says what and gives a quick insight into what could be added/argued to make improvements to essays.
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!
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!
Whole unit on a page!
This is a learning mat indented for independent study or revision for the topic of Developments in Christianity: Gender (in Theology and Society), 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.
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!
Whole unit on a page!
This is a learning mat indented for independent study or revision for the topic of Developments in Christianity: Christian Moral Principles, 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:
Approaches to Morality
Bible as a source of ethics
Love as the only ethical principle
Christian virtue ethics
Authority of the Church
Authority of the Bible
Authority of Reason
Whether Christian ethics are distinctive, communal and/or personal
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!
WJEC Paper 1: Religion and Life Issues: Is it Fair?
Whole unit on one page. Easy and accessible resource.
Original word document included in the event that your computer has difficulties opening the image file!
Differentiated resource (green/orange/purple) information slides for research about Stewardship.
Topics include:
-Stewardship
-A Rocha
-Genesis
-Animal Rights and Testing
-Dominion
-What does the Bible say?
-Key words and definitions
-Is stewardship only for religious people?
These clear and engaging revision sheets are indented for independent study or to aid revision for the topic of Philosophy of Religion. Each sheet is downloaded as an A3 Word document and an A4 PDF, for compatibility.
I felt it was important to make these sheets as my students sometimes misunderstood the context of the philosophers or the chronology of the arguments (and responses). Therefore, these context sheets aim to tackle these misconceptions and re-examine the theory and/or philosopher within the context in which they should be viewed.
This specific sheet is FREE! Alternative topics and philosophers are available through my Tes shop :)
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 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 two different A-Level exam question on the topic of Bonhoeffer. 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 two different A-Level exam question on the topic of Gender. 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!