Unit: Are miracles evidence for God? About this unit: This unit is intended to develop the thinking skills of pupils probably in year six. It looks forward to the work they will be doing at KS 3 on Ultimate Questions and develops the analytical skills pupils will need. Prior learning Technical Vocabulary Resources It would be helpful if pupils: In this unit children will have an opportunity to use words and phrases related to:- Had examined why Jesus is important to Christians Had some experience of evaluating different source materials Had some experience of interviewing AOTs (Adults Other than Teachers) Miracle Faith Interpretation Lourdes Active Resources for Christianity 2 by Phil Grace (Heinemann) Jesus for Today by Chris Wright (Oxford) www.news.telegraph.c o.uk Video on Lourdes www.lourdes-france.com A brave willing local Christian i.e. the local Vicar/minister happy to be hotseated and questioned Expectations At the end of this unit Most pupils will: some children will not have made so much progress and will: Some children will have progressed further and will: Be able to describe and show understanding of Christian beliefs about miracles using a developing religious vocabulary Describe the impact that miracles may have on a Christian s life Be able to raise and suggest answers to questions in relation to their own and other people s views on the miraculous Ask important questions about religion and beliefs, making links between their own and others responses Be able to make links between beliefs and sources including religious stories Be able to explain how religious sources are used to provide answers to ultimate questions
Be able to suggest reasons for the different Christian interpretations of miracles Be able to express their own views and those of others in relation to miracles
Learning Objectives Possible Teaching Activities Learning outcomes Contribution to other Curriculum Areas Pupils should: Explore the meaning of the term miracle Consider different responses to the miraculous Reflect on their views of the miraculous What is a miracle? Investigate the difference between a magic trick and a miracle. Perform a simple magic trick is this a miracle? Why not? Ask the question what is a miracle? Can they come up with a definition? In groups look at a range of newspaper articles describing a miraculous event e.g. www.news.telegraph.co.uk (type in miracles into search engine) Pupils are to consider the following questions Pupils should be able to: Raise and suggest answers to questions about miracles Describe the impact that experiencing miracles may have on a person s life Literacy Thinking skills - Do they consider these to be miracles? - Are there any other explanations? - Why would some people consider these to be miracles - What effect would experiencing these miracles have on the
people involved? Pupils should: Learn about the miracles of Jesus such as the feeding of the 5000 Reflect on the significance of the questions that accounts of miracles raise for Christians and others. Was Jesus a miracle worker? Give out a copy of one of Jesus miracles e.g. The feeding of the five thousand (Luke 9:12-17) Using the Lipman method of philosophical discussion, pupils are to reflect on and discuss this account. This should follow the following format: - Each pupil is to read the account of this miracle - Each pupil should think of one question that the account raises - In their groups, pupils should listen to each other s question - They should then decide on one question to focus on - One pupil should explain their opinion on this question. Pupils should then take it in turns to explain their own views on this question - They should use the format I agree/disagree with (name of previous pupil) because - Each student should then decide what they think about this Pupils should: Describe/show understanding/explain an account of one of Jesus miracles Ask/raise/suggest answers to question on issues raise by an account of a miracle Apply/express their own ideas/ to issues connected with miracles Thinking skills
account Pupils should learn about:- A modern miracle i.e. Lourdes Contemporary Christian views on miracles Reflect on their own reactions to modern miracles and Christian responses to contemporary miracles (Active Resources for Christianity 2 explains this approach in detail) What do Christians believe this miracle shows about Jesus? What effect would experiencing this miracle have had on the people involved? Why are miracles important to Christians? Give background information about Lourdes (if possible show a video clip) www.lourdes-france.com includes a webcam from the grotto! Discuss their own views on this account Explore why miracles are important to Christians what difference may they make to a Christian s life? Interview a local Christian about how they would respond to Biblical and modern miracles Pupils should be able to:- Describe/show understanding/explain an account of a modern miracle Describe/show understanding/explain of contemporary Christian responses to an account of a modern miracle Ask/raise/suggest answers to question on issues raise by an account of a miracle Apply/express their own ideas/ to issues connected with miracles Opportunity for spiritual and Cultural development
Pupils should:- Consider different responses to the miraculous Reflect on their views of the miraculous What might miracles show about God? What might the fact that there are miracles show about God? Give pupils a list of adjectives e.g. kind, caring, loving, cruel, unfair etc Pupils have to choose an adjective that they think best describes a God that performs miracles. They must justify their choices. Pupils are to write questions that they would like to ask God about miracles Possible hot seat activity for someone to try to answer these questions on God s behalf Pupils should be able to: Raise and suggest answers to questions about miracles Describe the impact that experiencing miracles may have on a person s life Literacy
Suggested Assessment Task: Pupils are to produce a radio/tv broadcast about one of Jesus miracles or Lourdes. This broadcast must contain: A short description of this miracle An interview with someone who witnessed this miracle and how it affected their life An interview with a Christian about what they believe about this miracle An interview with a sceptic about what they believe about this miracle