Introduction to Christian denominations focusing on a comparison of conformist and non-conformist groups. Great as an introductory lesson for KS3 with the opportunity of a very creative lesson. Alternatively suitable for use as a GCSE lesson for students to form a fuller understanding of divergent Christian views. Also relevant as a KS5 revision lesson. Focusing on the Protestant and Catholic divide as well as introducing several non-conformist denominations including Quakers, Baptists, Presbyterians, Evangelicals and Church of England. Worksheet goes through some core beliefs so that students can pick out differences between each group.

Revision resource for Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies Unit 1 'Religion and Life with Christianity' and Unit 8 'Religion and Society with Christianity and Islam'. Based on the Million Pound Drop game show, each round covers one sub-topic and has 7 questions with 4 multiple choice answers - these are all set up with a 30 second timer and questions and answers can be amended. Topics covered - Religion and Life: Believing in God - Matters of Life and Death - Marriage and the Family - Community Cohesion. Topics covered - Religion and Society: Rights and Responsibilities - Environmental and Medical Issues - Peace and Conflict - Crime and Punishment. I usually bring in sweets and ask students to 'gamble' with them on the answers just as in the TV show, where students lose their sweets if they get the wrong answer and can split their sweets between answers if they want to.

A GCSE lesson introducing the concept of euthanasia and the different types of euthanasia. This lesson asks students to reflect on their personal views of end of life decisions and is taught through four case studies that allow students to immerse themselves into specific situations where euthanasia becomes an option.

NEW 2016 KS3 Religious Studies curriculum lesson on the topic of 'Belonging' using the 1-9 grading criteria. There is specific focus on Hindu Samskaras and in particular the Sacred Thread Ceremony. The first task allows students to gain a general understanding of the nature of Samskaras followed by an in-depth examination of the Sacred Thread Ceremony and how it links to Hindus starting a 'new' religious and spiritual life. There is analysis of a source of wisdom and authority through the Gayatri Mantra and students get an opportunity to write a diary entry from the perspective of someone who has just undergone the Sacred Thread Ceremony, with a specific emphasis on how it shows belonging. All tasks are differentiated and suitable for all abilities.

NEW 2018 Edexcel Religious Studies GCSE following the 'Religion, Peace and Conflict through Islam' unit on Crime and Punishment. Students respond to four aims of punishment and then analyse and evaluate Muslim attitudes to the different aims using sources of wisdom and authority. Students are asked to think critically about the nature of dealing with criminals and divergent interpretations of Allah's commands. Students then get to practice an exam type question and self- or peer-assess their work.

NEW 2018 Edexcel Religious Studies GCSE, following the 'Religion, Peace and Conflict through Islam' topic and also using the new 1-9 grading criteria. Students engage with the concepts of punishment, justice and forgiveness and how these might be linked, using sources of wisdom and authority as a guide. Students then complete a carousel task around the classroom using a doughnut-shaped work sheet, with 5 distinct sections; Qisas, blood money, Qur'an Surah 2, Qur'an Surah 5 and Situation Ethics. Students need to read and summarise each section on their doughnut. Following this, students get the opportunity to answer an exam style question and self- or peer-assess their work.

NEW 2018 Edexcel GCSE Religion and Ethics through Christianity, with a focus on 'Living the Christian Life'. This lesson follows the new 1-9 assessment criteria and includes a variety of tasks, such as exam style questions with mark schemes for student self-or peer-assessment. A video from 'request' introduces the nature and purpose of pilgrimage for Christians today. Sources of wisdom and authority are given for students to respond to the history of Christian pilgrimage and modern day places of pilgrimage are given as case studies for students to examine the purpose of pilgrimage; Taize, Walsingham and Iona.

NEW 2018 Edexcel GCSE in Religious Studies, following Religion and Ethics through Christianity and using the new 1-9 grading criteria. Students have to respond to a number of sources of wisdom and authority to investigate the history, nature and purpose of evangelism. Students then suggest ways in which Christians could evangelise through a number of different situations, e.g. education. Anglican and Catholic attitudes to evangelism are explored through case studies including the ALPHA course and students are asked to make links to why Christians would engage in evangelism today.

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.