KS3 lesson on Situation Ethics and using the new 1-9 GCSE grading criteria. The lesson introduces students to the nature of Situation Ethics and asks them to respond to its core principles by analysing and examining sources of wisdom and authority. This is followed by a class discussion (this can also be done in pairs, teams, or individually if that suits your class better) on a number of different moral principles to live by and an evaluation of how far Situation Ethics has got it right when it promotes Agape as its core moral principle. I like to give students contribution tokens to ensure that all of them contribute and no-one dominates the discussion. It also avoids students going off topic as they only have a fixed amount of contribution tokens to use before they run out and have to stay silent for the rest of the task. The tokens also promote student's listening as they have to be able to respond to comments made by other students. Finally, students explore a moral dilemma using Situation Ethics.

NEW 2018 Edexcel GCSE in Religious Studies. Lesson on Religion, Peace and Conflict through Islam chapter 3, Living the Muslim Life. This lesson focuses on the nature, role, significance and purpose of Zakah and Khums in Islam. All tasks are differentiated to provide stretch and challenge for all pupils. Students start by considering the nature and benefits of charitable giving and follow this with an analysis of sources of wisdom and authority from the Qur'an to describe the purpose of Zakah in Islam. The main task involves students using an information sheet to complete a table of information on the role and benefits of Zakah and Khums for Muslims. Students then create a Venn diagram to assess the benefits of charitable giving to those giving and receiving as well as for society as a whole. Students apply their learning to an exam style question and self/peer assess using a student-friendly mark scheme. The plenary involves 10 statements students have to correctly identify as true or false.

NEW 2018 Edexcel Religious Studies GCSE lesson on Religion, Peace and Conflict through Islam, topic three; Living the Muslims Life. The learning outcomes follow the 1-9 grading criteria. This lesson is intended to be taught across two 60 minute sessions and asks students to use information from the first half of the lesson to respond to a 12 mark practice exam question. Sentence starters and structure for the NEW Edexcel 12 mark question are included, as well as a model answer and a student friendly mark scheme. The lesson focuses heavily on collaborative learning through working in teams, however, it can work equally well working in pairs or independently as students can access the information in a number of ways. Students are hooked into the lesson by considering the concept of giving up something important to them, linking this to fasting during Ramadan. As the main task for the first session, students get into 5 teams and each analyse a different source of wisdom and authority, as well as team investigating non-religious views on Sawm. There are information sheets included in the PPT for this. The teams are then mixed up, so that 5 students who have researched information are matched up to peer-teach each other and collaborate on creating a poster detailing Muslim views on Sawn, Ramadan and the Night of Power. In the second session, students use the information gathered in the first session to answer a 12 mark GCSE practice exam question, using a scaffold of sentence starters and overall writing structure. Students then respond to a model answer and the mark scheme (this can be printed out to allow students to annotate) by improving their own work through self-assessment. Finally, students reflect on the progress they have made, their strengths and weaknesses.

NEW 2018 Edexcel Religious Studies lesson on the Hajj, following the 'Religion, Peace and Conflict through Islam' topic, section three; Living the Muslim Life. Following the 1-9 GCSE grading criteria with a practice GCSE exam question and a mark scheme for self or peer assessment included. Students start by thinking about a special occasion or event they have attended and explore why they wanted to attend and what they got out of the experience. This is followed by a HOTS task where students see a picture of the Ka'bah and have to respond by asking a question. The main task is differentiated by outcome and requires students to respond to an information sheet about the Hajj by writing a travel blog from the perspective of a Muslim. A stretch and challenge extension is based around sources of wisdom and authority from the Qur'an. Students peer-assess this work with reference to the learning outcomes for the lesson. Students follow on by responding to a GCSE style practice exam question, complete with sentence starters and a mark scheme. Students get to spin the plenary wheel for a choice of plenaries.

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. Start with a class discussion about why abortion is a contentious issue, using statements about abortion on the board (this could be done as paired work or an individual task if necessary). Students respond to 'sacred writing' from Buddhism and examine why some Buddhists allow abortion and some do not. Students then respond to Christian 'sacred writing' and organise this under different denominations. Students then apply religious attitudes to three case studies, which can again be done as a class discussion or as individual written work. Students then reflect on their learning. An extension discussion task / written task to stretch the most able is attached right at the end. Students tend to respond really well to the different points of view, which can be explored in depth through discussion or team work.