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.

NEW GCSE Edexcel RS specification covering Matters of Life and Death. A lesson based on an investigation of near-death experiences, paranormal activity and reincarnation as non-religious beliefs in life after death. The main focus of the lesson is through visual learning with three video clips to guide students through each factor behind life after death. A creative main task gives students the opportunity to write a fictional first person account using one of the factors. If watching all video clips in full this lesson will take two sessions to complete.

NEW GCSE Edexcel RS specification on Christian attitudes to sexual relationships with a strong focus on independent learning and interpretation of sources of wisdom and authority from the Bible. Main task includes detailed information sheet about non-religious attitudes with a focus on legal changes. Video starter task also included.

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.

NEW Edexcel GCSE RS specification lesson on Christian Teaching on Family Planning including sources of wisdom and authority from the Catholic Church and the Bible. Using the NEW 1-9 level descriptors for GCSE.

An introductory lesson to morality and ethics revolving around 5 contentious moral issues, which students are asked to respond to through discussion. A very engaging lesson that motivates all students to participate and promotes debating skills. In my experience, this works best when students can discuss each issue in groups before feeding back to the class and allowing different groups to go into short 'head-to-head' debates. Alternatively, this works very well in a P4C format, where each student is given a set amount of contribution tokens for the lesson and has to 'pay' for every contribution and can then no longer contribute when they are out of tokens. This really forces students to consider when to put forward their view.

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.

A GCSE or A-level lesson comparing the UK law on euthanasia with the legal view in Switzerland and the Netherlands (where euthanasia is currently legal under certain conditions) as well as reference to the United Nations Human Rights and how they can be interpreted as part of the euthanasia debate. This lesson has been planned as group work with subsequent presentations to the class, but can equally be delivered as paired work and also works for independent work. Students normally respond very well to the variety of legal perspectives on euthanasia and I have typically found the topic of what would be the 'perfect' legal response to euthanasia an interesting option for further class debate.

NEW Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies 2018 assessment criteria. A PPT with templates for the new GCSE style questions (a, b, c and d) for use during lessons or assessments with students at KS4. There is a clear and student friendly breakdown of the new question types, including tips for how to answer each question as well as sentence starters. There is also a student friendly mark scheme for each question, perfect for use as peer- or self-assessment. There are also basic instructions for how to write in PEE paragraphs as well as a student friendly overview of the requirement for both AO1 and AO2. Also included is a single information sheet with the assessment criteria, brief instructions for how to answer each question (a, b, c and d) and a breakdown of marks for every question, which has been extremely useful for students to use either as revision, during an assessment, or as a self- or peer-marking sheet.

GCSE introduction lesson on the causes of world poverty with Christian and Buddhist responses, following the AQA Religious Studies Specification B, Unit 3 - Religion and Morality. The starter hooks students straight away by showing them a series of pictures and asking them to find a link. This is followed by a task asking students to explain the nature of poverty and getting them to critically think about the difference between relative and absolute poverty, as well as suggesting causes of poverty. A stretch and challenge task is available specific to target grades. Students then respond to a 2 mark exam style definition question, before peer assessing it using the AQA marking criteria. The main task asks students to complete a diamond 9 task comparing and examining the causes of world poverty and how each cause may contribute to ongoing poverty. Students then use religious teaching from Christianity and Buddhism to suggest religious responses to world poverty with a task differentiated and linked to target grades. Students then answer a 3 mark personal opinion question and peer assess this using the AQA marking criteria. Finally, students reflect on the lesson using SMSC prompts. Every activity is differentiated either by outcome or task and allows stretch and challenge for the most able students.

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 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 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.