Boredom is the enemy of education. These resources aim to give students an engaging, fun way into topics that are relevant to their lives, including awkward ones like sex education, and informing about issues that are shaping the world and their future. My hope is that they help be an effective tool to the teacher to wake up a hunger for knowledge in students, and that everyone in the classroom would have a more enjoyable and enriching experience because of their use.
Boredom is the enemy of education. These resources aim to give students an engaging, fun way into topics that are relevant to their lives, including awkward ones like sex education, and informing about issues that are shaping the world and their future. My hope is that they help be an effective tool to the teacher to wake up a hunger for knowledge in students, and that everyone in the classroom would have a more enjoyable and enriching experience because of their use.
This is a lesson that focusses on the FBV of tolerance and mutual respect. It looks at worldwide variations in family structures, gender and religion. It encourages students to see their ideas of ‘normal’ (i.e. in France they drive on the ‘wrong’ side of the road) as simply another way to do things. Hopefully without slipping into complete relativism, students are encouraged to question, develop and refine their opinions rather than give any opinions up all together. Learning objectives include:
Does culture affect what is ‘normal’?
How and why does culture affect religion, gender and family?
Extension: Does the information in this lesson change how you think about your own norms and values?
Tasks are differentiated by outcome, with group learning carousel, whole class discussion, and individual tasks all incuded. Questions become increasingly high level as they go on. Suitable for KS3-5. With some simplification it could work with KS2, but it would take some work to do so. It includes in the powerpoint slides to print out with the information on the case studies and a document about the many different forms of Islam in the world, and how culture affects religion. (As an aside, I could have chosen any religion. Christianity has 40 000 types!)
This lesson has been a few years in the making. I have been struggling to get together decent resources that inform, without shame or judgement, a generation of young people for whom porn is highly accesible, in huge quantities and ubiquitous (25% of all internet searches are for pornography).
I hope this goes some way towards that ambition.
The lesson covers:
What is pornography?
Why is it so addictive?
Is pornography having a negative effect on society?
Should all, or some pornography, be illegal?
It includes research tasks about fightthenewdrug.org, and then goes on to deconstruct that website to try and encourage critical thought, infographics, group tasks, debates and discussions. It aims to inform students of the dangers of porn addiction.
I have included here some controversial material for KS5 if you want to have a more nuanced discussion. The research done in the article ‘the sunny side of smut’ is quite problematic, and students should be directed to deconstruct it whilst also considering the points it makes.
Feedback really, really welcome.
This lesson is part of a scheme of work on Judaism, aimed at KS2-3 students. The objectives it covers are:
To know and understand the main symbols of prayer in the home
To think about what is most important in my life, and write a short prayer or poem about it and create a symbol for it
It includes the main symbols used by Jews in prayer, including the Tefillin, Mezuzah, Kippah and Tallit. Ideally you would have these in the classroom and be able to dress up a student in them. There’s also a song including of the Shema, the main prayer of Judaism.
Differentiated comprehension questions, a range of activities, and information slides to help students get to grips with how Jews may worship in the home. Worksheets also included.
This lesson aims to explore the seder meal with students, and includes the necessary information to run your own mini seder meal in the classroom if you so choose. It is part of a scheme of work where students create a booklet about Judaism, and hence one of the objectives is about creating the relevant chapter of that booklet.
Objectives include:
To know what Seder is, and the main signs and symbols that are used
To prepare for Project Chapter 5
To think about the importance of Festivals in our own lives
There are differentiated activities in this KS2-3 resource, and ideally there would be some role play that the powerpoint and teacher would facilitate with groups of 6. Lesson plan, song, youtube links and powerpoint iuncluded. Enjoy!
This lesson aims to cover 3 objectives, and is lesson 4 in a series about Judaism and the key beliefs, symbols and practices within it. It is part of a Judaism booklet project.
These objectives are:
To know what the Passover is, and understand the importance of it for Jewish people.
To prepare for Project – chapter 4 (of a booklet)
To reflect on the value of freedom.
Differentiation by task (comprehension questions), video links embedded, and team work tasks (T-P-S) are all included, as well as a cover lesson with a couple of options for the cover teacher. The presentation itself is in a prezi, the link for which can be found in the lesson plan, which is also included.
The video clips are from the Disney film: the prince of Egypt, and students always enjoy this zooming presentation. The presentation can be downloaded onto your hard drive if you wish to.
This is a marketplace activity which aims to give students some introductory knowledge about four key aspects of Jewish life. The four aspects included here are:
Beliefs about G-d
The Shema
Shabbat
The Ten Commandments
What are some key Jewish beliefs and practices?
What are their benefits for Jewish people?
EXT: What are their challenges for Jewish people?
Good lesson for Religious Studies, PHSE, Citizenship, SMSC and improving community understanding.
This resource looks at Jewish identity, and is part of a scheme of work about the Shoah/Holocaust. It includes some basic beliefs about G-d (including why Jews often write G-d, instead of God) as well as a brief overview of 1000 years of anti-semitism. It puts the anti-semitism that flared into the Shoah into perspective and I’ve used it mainly with KS3 students. It includes a clip of some survivors testimonies which speak about their experience of antisemitism, and has differentiated tasks that explore quotes from the Torah and Talmud in more depth. Extension tasks also included. Easily adaptable for KS4.
Ideal for religious studies, SMSC, citizenship and PHSE.
Learning Questions (Objectives) include:
Can I imagine the possible impacts of the Holocaust on a Jewish person?
How may the Holocaust have influenced or challenged Jewish beliefs?
What are some key Jewish Beliefs?
EXTENSION: Can I evaluate how the Holocaust may effect Jewish people today?
This lesson explores who is to blame for the Shoah/Holocaust. It endeavours to introduce nuance and deeper empathy into students’ understanding in that the Shoah cannot simply be Hitler’s fault: millions of people collaborated, agreed and perpetuated anti-semitism, including some Jews in the Ghettos who faced making impossible decisions in desperate circumstances. Activities are differentiated, with youtube videos of survivors testimonies (which are a little quiet), and the lesson is perfect for religious studies, PHSE, citizenship and SMSC. It’s perhaps a bit personal for a history lesson, but may be used to augment existing scheme’s of work to help engagement.
Learning Questions include:
Can I describe the different things that were lost in the Holocaust? (level 4-5)
Can I explain my opinion on who was responsible for different things in the Holocaust? (5-6)
Can I evaluate different opinions on who was to blame in specific situations? (level 6-7)
There are also extension tasks which include footage of Otto Frank after his loss of his entire family.
All feedback gratefully received.
This lesson is an exploration of the incredible human beings who risked (and sometimes lost) their lives working to rescue Jews from the Holocaust. It is an inspiration from Philip Zimbardo who encourages us to educate children about the psychology of heroism. This powerpoint and collected resources aims to help students understand and be inspired by the incredible acts of bravery these people engaged with. I greatly encourage you to play the video linked to this lesson to students: it moves me to tears every time!
Learning Questions include:
How did some people act heroically in the Holocaust?
How did these heroes’ beliefs affect their actions?
Can you evaluate the motivations for people’s actions?
EXT: What is the psychology of Heroism? What can we do to help ourselves become more heroic?
Great for PHSE, Citizenship, Religious Studies and History. Extension tasks and differentiated activities included.
Including youtube links, independent learning activities, discussion activities and plenty of information, this lesson is about exploring the 'snoopers' charter' culture of the NSA and GCHQ, Edward Snowden's role as a whistleblower, and if we should allow our governments to spy on us. Particularly good for citizenship, sociology, RS and Politics this lesson is engaging and interesting to students.
Did you know facebook's new privacy policy allows them to use your microphone and camera? AI notes down everything we say via their app...1984? Or safety procedure?
Differentiated activities by outcome and task design, there's plenty here to stretch and challenge as well as scaffold.
This lesson also includes a debate and information which can be used like a treasure hunt activity. 26 slides of high quality teaching material.
Learning questions are:
Why is privacy important?
What is a whistleblower and what were Wikileaks?
Is the internet a force for increased freedom, or increased surveillance?
Which is more valuable, freedom or safety?
At the school where I work we do 'Beliefs and Values': PHSE, Citizenship, Religious Studies and SMSC all rolled into one. These 2 lessons, one for KS4 and one for KS3, explore what SMSC is and why it is important. There is a lot here, so plenty for you to pick and choose from, all exploring the following learning outcomes:
All of you will be able to explain what SMSC is.
Most of you will be able to explain where we learn about SMSC
Some of you will be able to evaluate why we teach SMSC in our school community.
As always, feedback and recommendations warmly received. :)
11 Lessons, including an assessment, covering:
Causes of War
The Just War Theory
Christian and Muslim Attitudes to War
Jihad (comparison with the Just War Theory)
Nuclear War
Terrorism and War
Independent Research Task
The Sanctity of Life
The Iraq War and Refugees
Assessment
This bundle includes worksheets, videos, presentations, assessment, starters, plenaries and everything you should need to teach this fascinating topic of Peace and Conflict. There's plenty here (hence the size of some of the presentations) so space for trimming slides and activities out. Feedback gratefully received.
A whole Holocaust/Shoah scheme of work with videos, worksheets, wordsearches, youtube videos, embedded videos that include real survivors talking about their experience. I've taught and tweeked this over 6 years, teaching it perhaps 30 times, adding a real dimension of Jewish faith and how the Holocaust/Shoah challenged and strengthened different people's faiths. Excellent resource for higher achievers: level 7-8 is quite common with the scafolding here. It starts historical, and then becomes increasingly integrated with the effect on Jewish Faith.
There's really loads here, including 34 files in total, so plenty to chop and change.
Lesson 1: Introduction: 6 258 673
Lesson 2: Propaganda and Indoctrination
Lesson 3: Timeline and Gradual Change in Nazi Germany
Lesson 4: The Ghettos
Lesson 5: Jewish Identity
Lesson 6: The Concentration camps and Anne Frank
Lesson 7: What was lost? Who's to blame?
Lesson 8: Rescuers
Lesson 9: Fight Back! The Bielski Brothers
Lesson 10: Lessons from the Holocaust
Lesson 11: Assessment
An entire 6 lesson bundle about science and religion. Includes videos, youtube links, wordsearches, assessment AND an alternative 5 lesson SEND series of lessons with simpler language and more visual activities. All for £3. Bargain.
9-11, ISIS and The Truth and Reconciliation Trials. Here are 3 examples of terror and a lesson about moving forward, past the cycle of retribution. A highly rated resource with over 6000 downloads in the past, and now monetized as they are a three in one pack! Includes a trimmed down version of what caused 9-11.
UPDATED from last year with more detailed exploration of all topics. A Resource written, compiled and edited by yours truly which should cost about £1 to print in school. Students can hopefully buy this from your department, and it is a good middle ground between the official revision guide and, well, nothing at all! :) My students have found it very helpful. Covering Islam and Christianity, mainly, with a smattering of Buddhism.
Also includes the most challenging exam questions from past papers on the last pages, as well as an overview from AQA.
An attempt to help students understand how we might move past the viciousness of violence and extremism using the examples of the truth and reconciliation commission and Desmond Tutu.
What are religious Laws in Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Hinduism? How have they influenced society? Is it time we got rid of all religious laws? Should we tolerate a plurality of religious laws in one society?
These are all questions this resource explores. Plenty of scope for more able students to thrive as well as some scaffolding for students who struggle more.
Video embedded in the PPT, as well as an opinion line plenary.
Enjoy!
Suitable for year 6 and up, this is a single lesson, complete with clips and independent activities, to explain to your students what the refugee crisis is, how it happened, and if we should help. These can either be teacher led activities or student led, using a carousel system or marketplace. It therefore lends itself well to differentiation, and can be adapted to be an assembly too.
2 video clips included in this pack.
This resource is intended to facilitate independent inquiry and a choice of activity. Students should pick an activity and go through it, so this lesson works well with computers/iPads to access the resources attached which include video clips. There are also religious opinions and quotes to the environment, facilitating SMSC, RS, PHSE and Citizenship targets being met, and the lesson can of course be teacher led too. I usually give students 10-15minutes to feedback to the class what they found out.