KS3 RE self-contained workbook on Islam, written for home learning or lessons

So I started writing workbooks for my KS3 students in the first lockdown, realising that firstly, many students don’t have access to the internet, or when they do it is patchy when all their family are on it, and secondly, that today’s children who do have the internet at home are not going to be impressed by any sort of IT that an old man like me can do. So I began writing workbooks that are fully self-contained and discovered that my students prefer this style even though we are back in school. For a start, many RE lessons at my school are taught by nonspecialists, and this workbook style of lessons means that the lack of subject specialism doesn’t really affect things too much. Also they can catch up when they are absent, or when the teacher is absent they can get on with the work with no fuss. I find parents like it too as the information is all there and this means they can help their children with working from home.

I’ve been an RE teacher for about 20 years, and been HoD for 15 of those, so what you are getting here is a set of lessons that I have worked on to improve each year, and the benefit of my experience as an RE teacher.

The file will download as a PDF so you can just ping it to your school reprographics department to print as an A4 booklet.

I try to be faithful to the faith and although I am not a muslim myself, my local Imam whose mosque I visit each year with students has read through this booklet in the draft stage and given me his input, and then sort of “approved” the final version, in that it doesn’t miss anything obvious out and is respectful to the principles of Islam - importantly, it is a learning material that you could use with muslims in the class.

The unit is loosely based around the 5 pillars of Islam, lessons are:

Lesson #1: What do Muslims believe in? P2
Lesson #2: How do Muslims worship? P10
Lesson #3: What is the purpose of fasting? P15
Lesson #4: How do Muslims help others? P18
Lesson #5: What is a pilgrimage? P23
Lesson #6: Is it difficult to be a Muslim in the UK? (Assessment task) P29
Key Concepts to learn P35