For KS 3 Religious Education A Power Point of images and questions explores similarity difference and change using leaves. Then reflecting on similarity and difference in people - not just physical similarities and differences but also in thoughts and beliefs. Exploration of prejudice, bullying and intolerance in the lives of the pupils present and in wider society. Moving on to reflect on the question 'What is the Purpose of life?' - with some food for thought taken from the six major religions.

Youtube interviews with inspiring spiritual people - including Satish Kumar, Desmond Tutu, Anthony De-Mello, Ekhart Tolle and more. Do suggest some of your own favourites

what Jesus says about Love. Where might a Christian start when reading the Bible -\n\nStudents can have little idea about how Christians seek guidance, through prayer and Bible reading.\nThis starts with a post from a conversation with an atheist. I've added a bit which reflects on Jesus in an inter-faith way. \nThe Sunday School experience story is in italics. \nUse with exam classes - to give students insight into what it is like to practise a religion \nOther resources which relate to this passage and to text-analysis and understanding the Bible are added

Yr 9 experience a good place to start. Readings / examples of missionaries. Success - eg Bruce Olson (from Wikki), \nfaith challenged - remaining Christian but no longer exclusivist fundamentalist - more liberal - eg blog by Lana Hope in Missions from an unfundamentalist Christian\nsome put Christianity to aside and became atheist in response to their experiences eg Daniel Everett - in the articles about his book 'Don&'t Sleep, There are Snakes.&';\nI hope to add more examples - please suggest some and give your comments.

This is a Facebook Live I recorded relating to my thoughts around a quote from the Sermon on the Mount which I felt was out of context. In Religious Education the one thing we all focus on is the quest for Truth. Truth is elusive - a bit like Life or Reality - impossible to define - but we do have the capacity to aim for it. As a Religious Education Specialist, when anyone uses a quote from any scripture to reinforce their argument, it rings alarm bells because it is possible to justify almost anything with the judicious use of quotations. In this video I refer to the US elections and Mr Trump as an example of some of the things we value and need to protect.

From HOD in Religious Education to giving Mindfulness-Meditation and Empowerment Workshops for resilience, improved mental health and happiness. In this Ebook, DurgaMata shares some practical strategies for reducing stress and increasing happiness - both in your own life and when dealing with challenges in the classroom. DurgaMata gives a fascinating overview of her own ‘spiritual sadhana’ which has taken her from teaching in the classroom to offering an Online Programme to reduce stress, build resilience and increase happiness - which can span the world. DurgaMata writes - The spiritual side of life has always been important to me. In this account I look back at how circumstances moved me from joyful and devoted Head of Religious Education in a large Secondary School, through a challenging time of unemployment as the Ebacc changed the educational landscape - to developing increasing expertise in Health and Wellbeing - especially mental health. After retiring from teaching, I developed a unique and comprehensive program for Raising Consciousness - which I translate as Reducing Stress, Building Resilience and Increasing Happiness. In my small book The Seven Steps to Happiness, I share some of the experiences which have been significant and a mini-seven-step strategy to use in the classroom when a challenging situation occurs. Before 2020, my workshops were all face to face but corona-virus has turned that - on its head, forcing me to take my signature Program ‘The Seven Steps to Happiness’ online. Everyone is suffering from stress - but my particular concern is to support and empower teachers in every way I can, so I dedicate this little book to you. I hope my book will encourage you to see beyond the surface of events to the great, underlying inner principles of love, compassion and oneness which we can all engage with, whatever crazy things may be happening in the world outside - and remind you that if we are to achieve that ideal, we need to begin by taking care of our own physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs and ring-fencing the time we need to look after ourselves. If we want to serve others - if we want to care for the children, pupils and students we teach - and if we want to have positive and happy relationships in the staffroom - then we have to ensure we are taking care of ourselves and we have an effective way of replenishing our own reservoir of inner peace and happiness. I hope this little book will give you some leads and encourage you to follow them. Love and Peace DurgaMata ps, hold fire on buying this. I have to edit all the quotes slides to ensure I’m not breaking copyright rules. I’ll let you know when it’s done.

This ten-word crossword-puzzle with Teacher's Notes and Helpful Hints is designed to reinforce or revise the main Key-Words for the GCSE Religious Studies topic 1.1 Believing in God. This resource includes 3 crosswords, Teacher's Notes which include answers and hints - and a Helpful Hints sheet to aid differentiation. Ideal for use as a Starter Activity, part of a lesson about the topic, extension activity, homework or revision, there is a second crossword to cover all the Key Words in this topic. In addition to the required Key-Words, a small number of additional words relating to this topic have been included. note - here you have an extra version of the crossword, as I was experimenting with different systems. I preferred the one which I then felt required enlarging, but have kept all the versions for you convenience.

Resources to use when exploring the story of Creation in the Bible, Genesis 1\n\nAn exploration of Genre and the different ways the Creation Story (Poem or Song) can be interpreted.\n\nLink this with some quotes from the Native American resource and environmental issues.

Part One with ten minute (reflections on life, part 1) lead-in. this is the first of four parts 1) Religion and Me - which explores religion as a universal subject made up of the beliefs and perspectives of each and everyone. This includes an exploration into what it means to be a human being.

This eleven-word crossword-puzzle with Teacher's Notes and Helpful Hints is designed to reinforce or revise the main Key-Words for the GCSE Religious Studies topic 1.1 Believing in God. This resource contains * two versions of the crossword * teacher's notes - including the answers and hints * helpful hints for students. This can be used to aid differentiation or shared with the whole class towards the end of the exercise, to help everyone finish - or as you go through the activity, together Ideal for use as a Starter Activity, part of a lesson about the topic, extension activity, homework or revision, this is the second of two crosswords for Believing in God. In addition to the required Key Words, a small number of additional words relating to this topic have been included.

A selection of articles mostly from Wikki and youtube videos about a young Nepali Buddhist who at the age of about 13 was inspired to go into the forest / jungle and meditate for six years sitting under a tree - in a similar way to the Buddha.\nHis tree became a focus of pilgrimage and tourism. The Discovery documentary team went to investigate and filmed for 96 hours without a break - proving that he did not eat, drink or move from the spot in all that time (something that science does not recognise as possible.)\nAlso info about the American Buddhist monk Steve Hagen and some of his books.

This crossword-puzzle with Teacher's Notes and Helpful Hints is designed to reinforce or revise the main Key-Words for the GCSE Religious Studies - unit 1.3 Marriage and family life. This resource includes: two versions of the crossword puzzle, Teacher's Notes which give all the answers plus hints and Helpful Hints which you can use to aid differentiation or share with the whole class when the time provided for this activity is nearly up. Ideal for use as a Starter Activity, part of a lesson introducing the topic, extension activity, homework or revision. In addition to the required Key-Words, a small number of additional words relating to this topic have been included.

Looking into the content of the Creation-Story, how it is found in both the Jewish Hebrew Bible and The Christian Bible. Where does the story originate - what is its Genre and what is the nature of the truths it offers? How do different people approach the Bible and the Story of Creation - and how does this lead to different interpretations? In what ways may the Creation-Story conflict or support the discoveries of science - which point to evolution over millions of years rather than an event spanning seven days? What truths or insights does the Creation-Story offer which complement scientific disovery? What might Einstein have meant when he said that without religion, science is blind and without science, religion is lame?

Responding to comment about the Gospels being contradictory, my answer outlines some of the different ways of interpreting the Bible in general – Fundamentalist, Liberal and Conservative perspectives, applied to the story of Creation, the science/religion debate and the issue of Gay Marriage.

This twelve-word crossword-puzzle, with Teacher's Notes and Helpful Hints, is designed to reinforce or revise the main Key-Words for the GCSE Religious Studies topic Matters of Life and Death. This resource includes * 2 versions of the crossword, * Teacher's Notes which include answers and hints - and a * Helpful Hints sheet which you may use to aid differentiation or as the alotted time is nearly up - to speed up completion. Ideal for use as a Starter Activity, part of a lesson introducing the Key Words, extension activity on this topic, homework or revision.

The Bible is a complex document. The very word means a library of books. What is it’s origin, how were the books chosen and when, Where does the Story of Creation appear and what genre of writing does it belong to? How do different Christians choose to interpret the Bible and why? Before we can even start to ask The Great God-Question, we need to ask all these questions and more. What is the relationship between Science and Religion. Exploring the God Question will help us understand. This is just the first slide in a series - exploring the God Question from different angles and religious perspectives. Who knows, it could even become another book!

In process - so far just the first crossword. Supporting files will be added soon.

Crossword using the Key Words and more from the old Unit 8: Religion and Society Based on a Study of Christianity and at Least One Other Religion Section 8.1: Religion: rights and responsibilities. While the spec has changed, the words found here are important to understand. My crosswords aid learning and revision of important concepts and words found at GCSE Level in RE. This one is also relevant for Citizenship and PSHE.

This 13-word Community Cohesion crossword, with Teacher's Notes and Helpful Hints, is designed to reinforce or revise the main Key-Words for the GCSE Religious Studies topic 1.4 Community Cohesion. This resource includes * 2 versions of the crossword, * Teacher's Notes which include answers and hints - and a * Helpful Hints sheet which you may use to aid differentiation or as the alotted time is nearly up - to speed up completion. Ideal for use as a Starter Activity, part of a lesson introducing the topic, extension activity, homework or revision. In addition to the required Key-Words, a small number of additional words relating to this topic have been included.

The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew - Luke’s version is on a Plain - contains a distilation of Jesus’ teaching. It is focussed on Love. I am a Religious Education Specialist teacher - so when anyone reinforces their words with a quote from any scriptural source - from any of the religions - alarm bells sound for me. I have a very dear friend - Sri Akarshana - who gives daily Youtube videos to inspire and educate. I love the way he brings together the inner and the outer world, spirituality and materialism. But this morning he used a reference to The Sermon on the Mount - and I was inspired to investigate…