I am curreny teaching across the Key Stages as the Head of Religious Studies in a comprehensive secondary school. Previously I have led a RS department in an inner-city school and also taught Humanities including experience of teaching Geography at KS3, as well as History at KS3 and KS4 and Sociology at KS5. I'm a Religious Studies and Philosophy specialist, having studied Philosophy at university and taught RS at KS3, KS4 and KS5.
I am curreny teaching across the Key Stages as the Head of Religious Studies in a comprehensive secondary school. Previously I have led a RS department in an inner-city school and also taught Humanities including experience of teaching Geography at KS3, as well as History at KS3 and KS4 and Sociology at KS5. I'm a Religious Studies and Philosophy specialist, having studied Philosophy at university and taught RS at KS3, KS4 and KS5.
A lesson suitable for GCSE or A-level to introduce Jeremy Bentham's Act Utilitarianism. The main focus is on Bentham's 'Principle or Utility' and how it can be applied to moral decision making. The lesson gives a comprehensive introduction to action based Utilitarianism and includes several moral dilemmas for students to apply to the theory. The main task gives students a range of essay based questions to choose from to argue either in favour or against the 'Principle of Utility'.
A GCSE or A-level lesson introducing Situation Ethics and Joseph Fletcher's core principle of Agape. Introduces the Working and Fundamental principles which govern moral decision making in Situation Ethics. Each task is designed and differentiated to work either as written work or class based discussion. The attached work sheet gives a summary of Situation Ethics which students have found very helpful for revision.
A GCSE or A-level lesson investigating the benefits of palliative care and how it compares to euthanasia as an end of life decision. Three case studies allow students to apply palliative care and compare it effectively to euthanasia. The main task is an extended piece of writing, which is differentiated by both task and ability and is aimed at stretching students in their critical analysis.
A three lesson short-term scheme of work to introduce the topic of abortion and euthanasia suitable for GCSE or A-level teaching. I have found this introduction sets the tone really well with students for an in-depth analysis and evaluation of why Christians place such importance on the sanctity of life and how this in turn reflects on their attitudes to abortion and euthanasia. Includes reference to sources of wisdom and authority from Christianity. Start with the lesson on the purpose of life, followed by the value of life and end with the quality of life, which starts to question Christian concepts and gives students the opportunity to contextualise the concept of the sanctity of life.
NEW 2016 Religious Studies KS3 curriculum lesson on the Bible as a source of authority for Christians. A visual starter asks students to identify the content of the Bible through the interpretation of pictures to each represent certain elements, e.g. the life of Jesus. Sources of wisdom and authority are used through quotes from the Bible to suggest why it has such authority within Christianity, focusing on the elements of worship, the conscience, the nature of God and the creation story. Students are then asked to complete a diamond 9 activity in pairs, to evaluate a number of reasons why Christians consider the Bible as a source of authority. The plenary asks students to reflect on their learning through the PLTS (Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills).
NEW 2016 Religious Studies KS3 curriculum lesson on the symbols and artefacts used by Christians during worship. The lesson focuses on symbols and artefacts linked to Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Church services. Quotes from the 'Last Supper' in the Bible are used as sources of wisdom and authority to get students to explore why religious symbols have survived thousands of years and are important to Christians today. The plenary asks students to use scrabble tiles to create between 2 and 5 words linked to the lesson and compete to get the highest scoring words.
NEW 2016 Edexcel Religious Studies lesson on the role of the prophets in Islam following the 'Religion, Peace and Conflict through Islam'. Students start off exploring the nature of prophet-hood and the importance of prophets in religion. Students investigate the history and importance of all the prophets in Islam including; Adam, Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma'il (Ishmael), Musa (Moses), Dawud (David), Isa (Jesus) and Muhammad. Students then get the opportunity to create a Facebook profile for one of the prophets. Finally, students evaluate reasons why the prophets are still important and relevant to Muslims today. The plenary involves students reflecting on their learning and progress through the PLTS (Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills).
NEW KS3 History curriculum on British Reforms following the NEW 1-9 grading criteria. This lesson focuses on the work of the Suffragists (NUWSS) and the tactics they employed to gain equal rights for women including getting the vote. Students are given the opportunity to practice source analysis skills by investigating the successes and failures of the Suffragist movement. Students reflect on their learning by using De Bono's thinking hats to examine the strategies employed by the Suffragists. All tasks are clearly differentiated and this lesson is suitable for all abilities.
GCSE Edexcel Religious Studies lesson on the role of women in society for the topic Community Cohesion. The idea of gender stereotypes is introduced through a variety of posters and videos to engage the students and then followed by discussion of gender roles in society. A team work task with information about the legal and historical changes of the role of women in society is delivered through peer-to-peer 'experts' from each team sharing specific knowledge for students to fill in a worksheet. Finally, students can consider gender equality in the 21st century through their own experiences.
A medium-term scheme of work covering an introduction to morality and ethics and examining the Utilitarianism of Bentham and Mill in a comprehensive overview, suitable for GCSE or A-level Religious Studies. Start with the introduction to morality and ethics, followed by Act Utilitarianism and then the Hedonic Calculus. Finish off with Bentham's and then Mill's approach to Utilitarianism.
NEW 2018 AQA Religious Studies Specification ‘A’ lesson on ‘Buddhist Beliefs and Teachings’ following the 1-9 grading criteria. The lesson includes differentiated tasks for every activity, designed to stretch and challenge all students. The first task gets students to explore the definitions of the three marks of existence, before completing a specific task on each mark of existence; dukkha, anicca and anatta. For dukkha, students investigate different causes of suffering. For anicca, students consider ways in which humans change over time in different ways. This is extended during the anatta task, to include specific elements of a person and what makes someone who they are. Students then respond to 'sacred writing' through the story of Kisa Gotami and link it to all three marks of existence. As a plenary, students complete a 'why-tree' based on the key question: why does suffering happen?
NEW 2018 AQA Religious Studies Specification ‘A’ lesson on ‘Buddhist Beliefs and Teachings’ following the 1-9 grading criteria. The lesson includes differentiated tasks for every activity, designed to stretch and challenge all students.
Students are hooked into the lesson by considering if it is possible for humans to overcome suffering. Students then have the opportunity to consider how the life of the Buddha could link to him considering suffering to be a major problem that needs to be overcome.
Students then listen to the Rolling Stones song 'satisfaction' and link the message of the lyrics to Buddhism and suffering in particular.
Students then summarise the Four Noble Truths by responding to a definition of each and respond by giving an example of suffering that can be applied to the Four Noble Truths (model answer provided).
Students then consider evidence for Buddhist beliefs about the Four Noble Truths by analysing sacred writing, before summarising their learning as the plenary.
NEW 2018 AQA Religious Studies Specification ‘A’ lesson on ‘Buddhist Beliefs and Teachings’ following the 1-9 grading criteria. The lesson includes differentiated tasks for every activity, designed to stretch and challenge all students.
Students respond to an overview of the Eightfold Path by considering its nature and the role it plays in overcoming suffering before explaining how following the Eightfold Path can lead Buddhists towards enlightenment.
Students then attempt a 12-mark GCSE style exam question, which has scaffolded sentence starters as well as a fully written model answer and a student friendly mark scheme, which can be used for self- or peer-assessment.
Finally, students reflect on their learning using PLTS.
A KS3 Religious Studies lesson, using an enquiry based approach to learning and based on Christianity as a way to explore belief in God. Following the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context. This is lesson 2 of the topic ‘Does God have a message’. This lesson introduces students to the Holy Trinity and the incarnation of Jesus through the use of quotes from the Bible. The key question for this lesson is; ‘Why is the incarnation important to Christians?’
A KS3 Religious Studies lesson, using an enquiry based approach to learning and based on Christianity as a way to explore belief in God. Following the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious and secular context. This is lesson 4 of the topic ‘What do I believe’. Students engage with the Christian creation story and comparing it to the Big Bang theory and evolution. The key question for this lesson is; ‘Are science and religion compatible?’ leading to a discussion about why science makes people question belief in God.
A KS3 Religious Studies lesson, using an enquiry based approach to learning and based on Christianity as a way to explore belief in God. Following the 2018 Berkshire SACRE agreed syllabus with a focus on exploring the principles of ‘believing, belonging and behaving’ in a religious context and secular context. This is lesson 3 of the topic ‘What do I believe’. Students start off by discussing a ‘diamond 9’ list of reasons why people might believe in God, before going on to exploring the nature of the Bible, miracles, near-death experiences and prayers coming true as possible evidence for the existence of God. This is followed by a whole class discussion about the key question; ‘Is there any good evidence for the existence of God?’
A set of individual lessons or thorough revision resources (using PPT) following the 2016 Eduqas Religious Studies A-level course focusing on Christianity Topic 1E. This resource requires the use of the WJEC/EDUQAS RS FOR YR 2/A2 CHRISTIANITY textbook (ISBN: 978-1-911208-36-5).
Each slide represents 60 minutes worth of work, which can be done as a class or independently. The rationale is to encourage students to be as independent as possible when working through the information. Each slide includes a list of relevant key words (without definitions), a brief overview of core content, as well as a series of tasks, which can range from reading, to quote analysis, probing questions and graphic organisers. Each slide also features a ‘take it further’ task which allows students to explore the topic further. Wherever reference is made to resources other than the course textbook, these will be included as separate files.
Topic 1E includes; The early church, Kerygmata, Dodd and Bultmann on the Kerygmata.
A set of individual lessons or thorough revision resources (using PPT) following the 2016 Eduqas Religious Studies A-level course focusing on Christianity Topic 1D. This resource requires the use of the WJEC/EDUQAS RS FOR YR 2/A2 CHRISTIANITY textbook (ISBN: 978-1-911208-36-5).
Each slide represents 60 minutes worth of work, which can be done as a class or independently. The rationale is to encourage students to be as independent as possible when working through the information. Each slide includes a list of relevant key words (without definitions), a brief overview of core content, as well as a series of tasks, which can range from reading, to quote analysis, probing questions and graphic organisers. Each slide also features a ‘take it further’ task which allows students to explore the topic further. Wherever reference is made to resources other than the course textbook, these will be included as separate files.
Topic 1D includes; The biblical canon, Diverse views about the authority of the Bible, John Calvin’s accommodation theory.
GCSE lesson on the Holy Trinity in Christianity, exploring Christian beliefs through quotes from the Bible. Follows the 'NEW' Edexcel GCSE specification.
KS3 lesson on the Bible as a source of authority in Christianity following the NEW SACRE KS3 specification for Religious Studies. The focus of the lesson is on independent and peer-to-peer learning and encourages the use of HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills). Also ideal as a recap or 'skeleton' lesson for KS4 students.
