RE KS3 scheme of lessons on Prejudice & Discrimination

A 7-lesson scheme fully resourced for each lesson with a detailed overview document, PPT for each lesson, worksheets clearly labelled according to the phase of lesson. I have quite a few years’ experience as Head of RE & have been tweaking this particular scheme for years now. It is written in a way so that non-specialists can “turn up and teach” without any planning. Literacy skills are built into the lessons and if you can book ahead it would be ideal to try to get a Holocaust survivor into school to support this - the Holocaust Education Trust can help with this for the cost of travel expenses and it is a really worthwhile experience. The assessment task can be based on this talk, or if not possible, show them a film clip.

Lesson 1 - Extremism
The scheme starts with considering extremism & terrorism and asks where this comes from. Students explore the causes and suggest solutions.

Lesson 2 - Salem Witch Trials
In 1692 the people of Salem go on a witchhunt - food supplies dwindle, there are family rivalries and people begin to fear the unknown. Hysteria sets in and in the course of one winter they have put over a dozen people to death. What are the parallels with today?

Lesson 3 - Martin Luther King
What was the problem? How did Dr King lead the Civil Rights Movement? How does pacifism overcome hatred? Examine his “I have a dream” speech in detail and think about whether the dream came true.

Lesson 4 - Jews in Germany
Why were they singled out? Where did antisemitism come from? Why were they blamed? Looking at the history of antisemitism, we must confront the unpleasant truth that antisemitism has been around for centuries and is built into our institutions.

Lesson 5 - The Holocaust
Look in detail at what happened and why. Allow students to ask questions and reflect on the scale.

Lesson 6 - Assessment piece - why should we remember the Holocaust?
If you can book a speaker then they can write about that specific example - if not, show them a film clip of a survivor and base their ideas on that. The important thing here is to develop their explanation of why we ought to remember the Holocaust and what it teaches us - when politics move from patriotism to nationalism there is always a group of people who are demonised.

Lesson 7 - Reconciliation
After you’ve done some follow-up work from last lesson’s assessment, there is some information to read about what happened in South Africa after aparteid ended. Is it possible for groups who previously feared each other to come together? I hope so.