Unit: Why is Jesus important to Christians?

Transcription

1 Unit: Why is Jesus important to Christians? About this unit: The aim of this unit is to introduce Children to the parables of Jesus as a first look at his teaching, also to introduce them to the Birth of Jesus and to begin to understand its significance for Christians. The idea is to take one parable and explore this in detail making use of many literacy techniques and approaches. The parable of the Lost Sheep is used here but with minimum adaptation other parables could be used. Prior learning Technical Vocabulary Resources It would be helpful if pupils had:- In this unit children will have an opportunity to use words Some knowledge of the nativity story and phrases related to:- through e.g. a Parable nativity play Emmanuel Some experience of books and hearing stories The characters and events of the Christmas story. Had done some The temple introductory work on Judaism Passover festival The lion Storyteller Bible: Bob Hartman The 99 TH Sheep: The Story of Little Bear (or similar) Lost and Found Books I+2 Diane Walker (Stapleford Centre ISBN I ) A selection of Christmas Carols Inc in the bleak midwinter (Used?) Christmas Cards Expectations At the end of this unit Most children will: Be able to retell religious stories and be able to suggest meanings to actions and symbols in those stories Be able to identify that religious ideas can be expressed in different ways Be able to ask and respond sensitively to questions about their own and others feelings Recognise that some questions can cause people to wander and are difficult to answer some children will not have made so much progress and will: Some children will have progressed further and will: Be able to recall religious stories and recognise symbols Be able to talk about their own experiences and feelings Be able to ask questions of things they find puzzling Be able to make a link between Christian beliefs and events of the parable of the lost sheep /Christmas story They can describe some forms of Christian religious expression

2 learning Objectives Possible Teaching Activities Learning outcomes Contribution to other Curriculum Areas Jesus the Storyteller. Be able to identify some Brainstorm what we already religious words and phrases Literacy know about Jesus. Pick up that he told stories. Pupils should learn about:- What makes a good story That stories often have meanings and can be used to put across ideas. What makes a good story? What is a story? Who tells stories? What kinds of stories do you like best? Read a story that has a meaning i.e. The story of Little Bear, discuss what it means identify the key feelings and ideas in the story. Identify the characteristics of a good story Identify and talk about their feelings Suggest that stories can have meanings Opportunity for moral development Pupils should learn:- That Jesus told stories That Jesus were a way of teaching people about God Learn what a parable is Why did Jesus tell stories? Remind the Children of the story you looked at last time. Recap on the main feelings and ideas. Explain that Jesus was also a storyteller and that he told stories to make a point, we call them Parables. Read or tell the parable of the Identify central characters and feelings Talk about their own feelings and concerns Recall/retell a religious story Literacy

3 To understand that Jesus was teaching about love and forgiveness begin to understand the meaning of a parable lost Sheep (Luke 15 v 4-7, Matt 18 v12-18) either from The Lion Storyteller Bible or a story book like The 99 th Sheep. Identify the main feelings and ideas. Draw fortune lines for the Sheep character and for the shepherd. Sequence the events the story. What do Christians learn from the stories Jesus told? Explore the importance of Sheep in Jesus time and the role of the Shepherd. (Lost and Found Books I and 2) are very good for ideas and approaches to this. Discuss who the sheep and the shepherd represent in the story and consider what Jesus may be trying to say to his followers. Design a book cover for a new version of The Silly Sheep ; include front cover and some (simple) blurb for the back cover. Be able to identify/explain that in the story Jesus was teaching about how much God loves us and will car for us. Describe/explain the meaning of the story Ask and respond sensitively to their own and others experiences and feelings Thinking skills Literacy Art and design/ ICT

4 Pupils should;- Learn about the Christmas story Consider the reasons why presents are given at Christmas What do we know about the birth of Jesus? Provide a selection of boxes wrapped with Christmas paper, discuss what might be inside, talk about what they would like to be inside! Discuss what is the best present they have ever had. Write short Thank you letters. Ask why do we give Christmas presents? Retell the story of Christmas. What gifts might they have given him? What gifts did they get as babies? What gifts did Jesus get? Why? Listen to some Christmas Carols i.e. In the bleak midwinter. Why might a Christian want to give their heart.? Listen to a Carol that contains Identify aspects of their own feelings in relation to giving and receiving Be able to recall/retell the narrative of the Christmas story be able to use religious words and phrases in relation to the Christmas story Identify how religious belief is expressed in a number of ways Recognise that some Music Opportunity for spiritual development

5 the word Emmanuel (God with Us) explain that Christians believe that Jesus was God s Son and that he was the greatest gift God could give. Use Christmas cards to time line the Nativity story. Make a group list of the questions they would ask some of the characters in the Christmas story. What happened next? Discuss what sort of boy Jesus would have been. Tell class that Jesus would have grown up in the Jewish faith. Predict the sort of things he might have done. Use the Lion Storyteller Bible to tell the story of Jesus in the temple. questions cause people to wonder and are difficult to answer Recall /retell stories and recognise symbols. Be able to show awareness of similarities in religions. (link to Judaism) Literacy

6 Suggested Assessment Task: Design the book cover/dust jacket for a book called The Silly Sheep The front cover should show the most important moment in the story. Be prepared to say why you chose that moment. On the back cover say what happens in this story and say what you like about the story. (a suitable writing frame will be needed)