I'm Head of Department and AQA examiner for Religious Studies. I teach the AQA spec and provide tried and tested resources. I'm uploading resources all of the time; my newest collection is the #FUN LESSONS range which are engaging, exam focused, challenging and getting great results. Lessons are fully resourced and easy to follow with minimal printing. I hope you enjoy teaching them.
I'm Head of Department and AQA examiner for Religious Studies. I teach the AQA spec and provide tried and tested resources. I'm uploading resources all of the time; my newest collection is the #FUN LESSONS range which are engaging, exam focused, challenging and getting great results. Lessons are fully resourced and easy to follow with minimal printing. I hope you enjoy teaching them.
NICENE CREED. FUN AND ENGAGING. VARIETY OF TASKS TO STIMULATE LEARNING. #CHECK UNDERSTANDING. ADDRESS MISCONCEPTIONS. SINGLE LESSON
Pedagogy Focus:
• Check understanding and address misconceptions throughout
• Reduce cognitive overload
• Build on Prior knowledge
• ‘I do, we do, you do’
• Exam skills: refer to a source of authority
No printing. Concise and easy to follow. Date on slide updates automatically.
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:
Explain origins of Nicene creed
Explain key beliefs of Christianity with reference to the Nicene Creed
Building on Prior knowledge: Key Christian beliefs: Trinity, incarnation, resurrection
I hope you enjoy teaching this lesson. Your feedback is welcome.
INTRO TO SIX WORLD RELIGIONS. FUN AND ENGAGING LESSON. VARIETY OF TASKS TO STIMULATE LEARNING. CHALLENGING . MASTERY AND EXAM SKILLS FOCUSED. SUITABLE FOR SPECIALISTS AND NON-SPECIALISTS.
• Emphasis on exam skills. Assessment and extra challenges throughout.
• Minimal printing, concise and easy to follow. Date on slide updates automatically
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO
To identify the six main religions in the world.
To describe their main beliefs.
To explain their similarities and differences
I hope you enjoy teaching this lesson. Your feedback is most welcome.
Concise, easy to follow and comprehensive, ‘MASTERY’ and exam-focused lesson.
Date on slide updates automatically
Resource light
Easy to follow & Suitable for non-specialists (notes on slides)
SUITABLE FOR DELIVERING:
AQA RS THEME C: Enlightenment as a source of knowledge of the divine and ultimate reality Religion (Christianity and Buddhism)
Students will be able to (with reference to source of authority):
• Define enlightenment
• Explain an example of enlightenment (Buddhism)
• Explain two contrasting beliefs about how ultimate reality can be known? Refer to Christianity and Buddhism. 5 marks
Activities include:
Customisable recap starter (just add two questions), reading and question task, mini-plenary quiz with ‘stretch and challenge’ questions, ‘depth and mastery’ (partnered discussion), debate, ‘Skills mastery’, model answer analysis, exam question with peer assessment & student friendly success criteria.
I hope you enjoy teaching this lesson. Your feedback is most welcome.
DESCARTES SUBSTANCE DUALISM: METHOD OF DOUBT #FUN LESSONS.
OCR RS SOUL, MIND & BODY. Concise, easy to follow and comprehensive, ‘MASTERY’ and exam-focused lesson. RESOURCE FREE
SUITABLE FOR DELIVERING:
A LEVEL: SOUL, MIND AND BODY CAN BE ADAPTED FOR VARIOUS EXAM BOARDS
Students will be able to (with reference to source of authority):
EXPLAIN DESCARTES METHODOLOGY
EXPLAIN 2 PROOFS OF DESCARTES SUBSTANCE DUALISM
Activities include:
Customisable recap starter (just add two questions). Tasks to link to prior learning.
Key term test and self assessment. Engage in a thought experiment (following video clip) describe the experiment and explain its conclusion. Interpret sources of authority, Explain the properties of matter and mind. Frequent mini-plenaries. Culminating in a written A01 question:
Explain Descartes method and his two proofs of Substance Dualism using every term in the word bank , Include a quote (and interpretation) and check you have met each of the A01 success criteria.
Model answer & student friendly success criteria provided. Peer assessment. No hands up questioning - questions provided.
I hope you enjoy teaching this lesson. Your feedback is most welcome.
Person of Jesus: Crucifixion / CHRISTIAN BELIEFS/AQA/ A concise and easy to follow, ‘MASTERY’ ‘and EXAM SKILLS focused lesson. Students will learn the GCSE content plus be challenged by dipping into some relevant A Level material. There will be an emphasis (and modelling) of key skills needed in evaluation questions. Mini plenary’s and extra challenges throughout
Date on slide updates automatically / Resource light / Easy to follow & Suitable for non-specialists
SUITABLE FOR DELIVERING:
Crucifixion: Person of Jesus / Christian Beliefs
Students will be able to (with reference to source of authority):
• To explain Christian beliefs about the earthly and spiritual reasons for Jesus crucifixion.
Activities include:
Customisable recap do-now starter, a variety of tasks to learn about:
Sinful nature of human beings
The nature of atonement and Jesus role in this
The Four Gospel accounts: comparative analysis
Spiritual and earthly reasons for his death
Time line from arrest to death
Non-Christian sources of the Crucifixion
Exam skills: 5 mark answer with model answer full self-assessment
I hope you enjoy teaching this lesson. Your feedback is most welcome.
‘Christian Practices – Revision lesson’ is a concise and easy to follow. It is a fun lesson to recap on the content. Students should be learning without realising it!
Date on slide updates automatically / Resource light / Easy to follow & Suitable for non-specialists
SUITABLE FOR DELIVERING:
Christian Practices - Revision
Students will be able to (with reference to source of authority):
• Engage in lots of fun game to revise for test. To prepare and present multiple views on a variety of statements with a strong religious reference.
**
Activities include: FULLY RESOURCED**
• Articulate game
• quotes master game (sorting)
• presentation game: students are required to give reasons for and against variety of statements and include a strong religious reference
• pub quiz (without the beer!) and peer assessment
HOME LEARNING TASK
I hope you enjoy teaching this lesson. Your feedback is most welcome.
Creation of the World and Life - Different Christian + scientific views. CHRISTIAN BELIEFS/AQA/#FUN LESSONS. Concise and easy to follow, ‘MASTERY’ and EXAM SKILLS focused lesson. Students will learn the GCSE content plus be challenged by dipping into some relevant A Level material. There will be an emphasis (and modelling) of key skills needed in evaluation questions. Frequent mini plenary’s for assessment.
Date on slide updates automatically / Resource light / Easy to follow & Suitable for non-specialists
SUITABLE FOR DELIVERING:
Creation of the World and Life – Christian and scientific views
Students will be able to (with reference to source of authority):
• Explain a variety of Christian and scientific beliefs about the creation of the world and life
• Evaluate whether the world and life have a creator.
Activities include:
Customisable recap do-now starter, a variety of tasks to learn:
Fundamentalist, liberal and mythical interpretation of Bible, Differences between Genesis 1 and 2, to what extent is Genesis compatible with the evolution theory, A Level Stretch: Calvin’s -Sensus Divinitus links to Christian belief that man was created in God’s image, Materialists and substance dualists. Working on key skill of development with model answer, writing task and peer assessment. Key term bingo.
I hope you enjoy teaching this lesson. Your feedback is most welcome.
THE EXISTENCE OF GOD: ARGUMENT FROM MIRACLES & EVALUATION # FUN LESSONS. A fun and engaging lesson with a variety of tasks, multi-media and games to stimulate learning. It is ‘MASTERY’ ‘and EXAM SKILLS focused.
• Resource light, concise and easy to follow. Date on slide updates automatically
• Suitable for specialists and non-specialists.
Emphasis on exam skills: Assessment and extra challenges throughout.
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO (WITH REFERENCE TO SOURCE OF AUTHORITY):
Explain literal, metaphorical, and natural interpretations of miracles which application to Biblical miracles.
Explain what miracles might show about the nature of God.
Evaluate: 3 criticisms: favouritism, Hume, Natural explanations + Give counter arguments
I hope you enjoy teaching this lesson. Your feedback is most welcome.
ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT. PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION OCR A LEVEL. MODEL ANSWER: TO WHAT EXTENT DOES KANT SUCCESSFULLY CRITICISE THE ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT?
Exemplar Essay: Thesis, body and conclusion
Demonstrates OCR success criteria for a top-level answer.
INCLUDES REFERENCE TO SCHOLARS:
Descartes, Anselm, Gaunilo, Kant
SOURCES OF WISDOM:
Bible
CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP AND DOMINION. KS3 RELIGION AND THE ENVIRONMENT. FUN AND ENGAGING LESSON. VARIETY OF TASKS, MULTI-MEDIA AND GAMES TO STIMULATE LEARNING. CHALLENGING, MASTERY AND EXAM SKILLS FOCUSED.
• Assessment and extra challenges throughout.
• No printing, concise and easy to follow. Date on slide updates automatically
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO (WITH REFERENCE TO GENESIS):
To evaluate whether it is solely the duty of Christians to take care of the planet
I hope you enjoy teaching this lesson. Your feedback is most welcome.
BONHOEFFER’S THEOLOGY. OCR DCT. 100 MINUTES. FUN AND ENGAGING MULTI-MEDIA LESSON WITH A VARIETY OF TASKS AND GAMES TO STIMULATE LEARNING. CHALLENGE AND MASTERY FOCUSED.
This is lesson 2 of 3 lessons that covers the OCR specification on Bonhoeffer.
• Aimed to offer clarity on a complex topic
• Customisable recap ‘do now’ task
• Emphasis on Exam Skills: A01
• Scholar quotes
• Sources of Wisdom
• Assessment throughout.
• No printing, concise and easy to follow. Date on slide updates automatically
• Information provided (not dependent on a textbook)
**STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: **
Explain Bonhoeffers theology including:
Obedience & leadership
Civil disobedience
Spiritual discipline
Cost of Discipleship – Cheap and Costly Grace
Suffering
Solidarity
I hope you enjoy teaching this lesson. Your feedback is most welcome.
CHRISTIAN FUNERALS. 100 MINUTE LESSON. FUN AND ENGAGING WITH A VARIETY OF TASKS AND GAMES TO STIMULATE LEARNING. CHALLENGE AND MASTERY FOCUSED.
Information sheet
Customisable recap starter
Emphasis on Exam Skills
Sources of Wisdom
Assessment and extra challenges throughout.
Minimal printing, concise and easy to follow. Date on slide updates automatically
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:
Explain Christian funeral rituals with reference to scripture
I hope you enjoy teaching this lesson. Your feedback is most welcome.
Six articles of faith and five roots lesson enables learners to: recall and explain and compare the key beliefs of Sunni and Shia Islam. #engage, check understanding, correct misconceptions, differentiate, reduce cognitive overload.
TWO SINGLE LESSONS. CHUNKED WITH FREQUENT WHOLE CLASS ASSESSMENT.
AS THIS IS A CONTENT HEAVY SUBTOPIC WITH ARABIC TERMS AS WELL AS BELIEFS OF BOTH DENOMINATIONS TO REMEMBER I HAVE CHUNKED CONTENT AND INCLUDED FREQUENT WHOLE CLASS FEEDBACK. ACRONYMS ARE ALSO PROVIDED TO AID RECALL.
LESSON INCLUDES INFORMATION SHEETS.
Lesson one focuses on similarities eg tawhid and prophethood with some differences eg imamate in shia islam and sunni beliefs in angels and holy books. This will prepare them well for lesson 2 which begins with recall of these key beliefs and then proceeds to deliver the remaining key beliefs of shia and sunni. This has proven very effective with my students in terms of recalling the six articles and five roots and explaining these with reference to scripture.
TEACH AS PART OF GCSE. AQA ISLAM BELIEFS OR AS A STAND-ALONE LESSON
PRIOR LEARNING: Students should have some knowledge of Tawhid, imamate and knowledge of the Shia/Sunni divide following death of Prophet Muhammed.
**PEDAGOGY FEATURES: **
• Exam skills – development
• Recap (activate prior knowledge)
• Planned questioning
• Check whole class understanding.
• Address misconceptions
• Peer learning
• Reduce cognitive overload
• End task assessment
• Differentiation
EASY TO DELIVER
• Concise and logically sequenced
• Minimal printing
• Accessible for specialists and non-specialist teachers.
• Date on slide updates automatically.
• Task time indicators.
**I HOPE YOU ENJOY TEACHING THIS LESSON. YOUR FEEDBACK IS WELCOME. **
**FOR MORE LESSONS AND RESOURCES VISIT MY SHOP: **
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/Examined_Life
AFTERLIFE. CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM, HUMANISM LESSON ENABLES LEARNERS TO: Evaluate the statement: Is death the end? With reference to sources of authority in Christianity, Islam, and Humanism. More able students will be able to refer to concepts such as substance dualism, materialism, and eternal oblivion.
#ENGAGE, CHECK UNDERSTANDING, CORRECT MISCONCEPTIONS, DIFFERENTIATE, REDUCE COGNITIVE OVERLOAD.
SINGLE LESSON
TEACH AS PART OF GCSE. AQA THEME B: RELIGION & LIFE
OR AS A STAND-ALONE LESSON
PRIOR LEARNING: Students should know some concepts from the ‘beliefs’ component; however this is not essential since this lessons serves as a recap on beliefs such as personal/last judgement, resurrection, ensoulment and the nature of the afterlife in Islam and Christianity.
**INCLUDES RELIGIONS/PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWS: **
Humanism (Dawkins)
Christianity: (Protestant and Catholic)
Islam
**TASKS INCLUDE: **
Do Now task (recap to activate relevant knowledge applied to this lesson)
Planned questioning
Peer learning: Matching elements of a PEEL paragraph
Discussion: Do Near Death Experiences prove existence of a soul
Frequent whole class assessment to check understanding
End task Writing task with writing frame for PEEL paragraphs and quote bank for books
**PEDAGOGY FEATURES: **
• Exam skills – PEEL paragraph
• Recap (activate prior knowledge)
• Planned questioning
• Check whole class understanding.
• Address misconceptions
• Peer learning
•Chunked activities to prevent cognitive overload
• Differentiated End task assessment
EASY TO DELIVER
• Concise and logically sequenced
• Minimal preparation
• Accessible for specialists and non-specialist teachers.
• Date on slide updates automatically.
• Task time indicators.
**I HOPE YOU ENJOY TEACHING THIS LESSON. YOUR FEEDBACK IS WELCOME. **
**FOR MORE LESSONS AND RESOURCES VISIT MY SHOP: **
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/Examined_Life
Sin and Salvation (Christian Beliefs) is a** resource-light,** useful and easy to follow lesson for delivering:
AQA Religious Studies: Christian Beliefs / Different Christian beliefs about the afterlife
Students will be able to:
• Explain the meaning of Grace, Sola Fide (faith alone), Good deeds and Gods laws
• Explain different Christian beliefs about the means of salvation with reference to scripture
• Evaluate which (if any) is a sufficient means of salvation
Activities include:
Starter stimulus: the story behind Amazing grace (video) / carousel posters (A3) / 5 mark question on contrasting Christian beliefs salvation. silent writing activity with timer
Differentiation: **Differentiation by task **
ANIMAL STATUS & USE. Theme B: Status/Use of Animals (Food/Testing) Christianity, Islam, Humanism. Concise, comprehensive challenging exam-focused revision or lesson (prior knowledge not necessary). **Resource light- easy to follow. ** DOUBLE LESSON
Suitable for delivering:
AQA Theme B Humans and Animals (Christianity, Islam, Humanism)
Students will be able to:
Explain religious beliefs about the use of animals for food
Evaluate whether it is wrong to use animals for food.
Explain religious beliefs about animal experimentation
Evaluate whether animal experimentation is always wrong with reference to religious scripture and contemporary philosopher, Peter Singer
Activities include:
Reading log activity, exam questions with model answers. Optional video tasks to enrich learning and give their writing hands a rest, Peer/self assessment with success criteria.
MISSION & EVANGELISM. AQA RELIGIOUS STUDIES: CHRISTIAN PRACTICES:
Concise, comprehensive and challenging exam-focused lesson.
Date on slide updates automatically. **Resource light & easy to follow **
SUITABLE FOR DELIVERING:
AQA RELIGIOUS STUDIES: CHRISTIAN PRACTICES: MISSION AND EVANGELISM
Students will be able to (with reference to source of authority):
• Explain two ways (mission and evangelism) in which Christians carry out their responsibility of discipleship (spreading Christianity)
Activities include:
Recap on prior learning of Christian Practices, Research and presentation, exam question with modelling of developed points /self/peer assessment with student friendly success criteria/mini-plenaries/structured discussion of one short video clip (Bear Grylls Alpha Course)
I hope you enjoy teaching this lesson. Your feedback is most welcome.
NATURE OF ALLAH. AQA RELIGIOUS STUDIES: ISLAM BELIEFS. Concise, comprehensive and challenging exam-focused lesson. Date on slide updates automatically. Resource light & easy to follow
SUITABLE FOR DELIVERING:
AQA RELIGIOUS STUDIES: ISLAM BELIEFS NATURE OF ALLAH
Students will be able to (with reference to source of authority):
Explain Muslim beliefs about the nature of Allah
Evaluate whether ‘transcendent’ is the best way to describe Allah
Activities include:
Paired Reading log activity, exam questions with model answers and analysis / structured discussion / self/peer assessment with student friendly success criteria.
I hope you enjoy teaching this lesson. Your feedback is most welcome.
CONTRACEPTION. AQA RELATIONSHIPS (Humanism/Islam/Christianity).
Concise, comprehensive and challenging** exam-focused** lesson.
Date on slide updates automatically. **Resource light (one reusable information sheet) Easy to follow (non-specialist friendly) **
SUITABLE FOR DELIVERING:
AQA RELIGIOUS STUDIES: RELATIONSHIPS: CONTRACEPTION (Humanism/Islam/Christianity)
Students will be able to (with reference to source of authority):
• Define different types contraception
• Evaluate whether contraception is acceptable
Activities include:
Recap starter, mastery through structured partnered discussion, model answer analysis, structured debate, content mastery task, skills mastery task exam question with self/peer assessment & student friendly success criteria.
I hope you enjoy teaching this lesson. Your feedback is most welcome.
GENDER EQUALITY. AQA Relationships/Human Rights: Gender Equality (Christianity, Islam). Concise, comprehensive. ‘MASTERY’ and exam-focused lesson. Resource light. Easy to follow (with notes) Date on slide updates automatically. SINGLE LESSON
SUITABLE FOR DELIVERING:
AQA RS: Relationships: Gender Equality (Christianity, Islam)
Students will be able to (with reference to source of authority):
• Evaluate whether men and women are equals
Activities include:
Recap starter, reading log task, debate, ‘depth and mastery’ (partnered discussion) ‘Skills mastery’, model answer analysis, exam question with peer assessment & student friendly success criteria.
I hope you enjoy teaching this lesson. Your feedback is most welcome.