Wednesday 7th October 2009
Primary RE Conference
The Law of Karma –
Teach Well, Learn Well
(Buddhism in Year 6)
Alexis Fowler
Session Outcomes
To gain knowledge and understanding of the changes
made to the Hertfordshire Scheme of Work for Year 6.
To participate in an Interactive Overview, understanding
their place throughout KS2.
To participate in an activity which uses an example of a
weblink.
To re-familiarise with the balancing AT1 and AT2.
Hertfordshire Scheme of Work for
RE - Year 6
Non-statutory
Meets the statutory requirements of the Agreed Syllabus
In response to teachers’ request due to the curriculum
overload in the year of SATs, the study of Hinduism has
been moved to Year 4, reducing the content in Year 6 to
Christianity and Buddhism
- Teaching activities can be amended, substituted or deleted,
providing there is coverage of the Programmes of Study across
KS2 (Agreed Syllabus). Use tick sheets on pages 11 and 12.
-RE can be taught in weekly, in blocks, around revision and testing,
or any other way, providing 156 hours are taught in KS2.
-Visits and visitors contribute to this time allocation.
Optional unit to introduce aspects of Holocaust education
Interactive Overview
Getting the Wheels in Motion
Year 6 Autumn A (p158-9)
HOW DO CHRISTIANS AND BUDDHISTS LIVE
THEIR LIVES? (2:1, 2:5, 2:22, 2:23, 2:24)
• Provide on display a picture of an eight spoke wheel. Write in each section a
right way of living according to the Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path. Conceal
these eight rules for living under flaps. (This is The Buddha’s first teaching.)
•Reveal one at a time and discuss.
Interactive Overview
Getting the Wheels in Motion
Right
Effort
Right Living
Year 6
Autumn A (p159)
How does the way
people speak to
each other have an
effect on others?
What is the ‘right
way’ to speak.
Right Action
Right
Speech
Right
Awareness
Right
Concentration
Right
Understanding
Right
Thought
Can you provide
any good
examples that
would be worthy
of displaying?
Interactive Overview
There is an Interactive Overview like this at the start of each academic year in Key
Stage 2.
Provide an opportunity to ascertain pupil prior knowledge. The Scheme allows for
flexibility to change activities. Link prior knowledge to these teachings on the
display.
Present to the children what they will be learning about during the year. Practices and
ways of life that are connected with these teachings.
Provide an opportunity for a growing interactive display throughout the year which can
be used interactively with both pupils and teachers contributing to it. The displays can
be used as learning aids, a place for pupils to contribute their thoughts and a
celebration of their learning.
2.2 is an on-going Pos – To use specialist vocabulary in
communicating their knowledge and understanding. Recommended vocabulary is
listed in an adjacent column. Vocabulary can be displayed and children encouraged
to use it.
Provides opportunity for both learning about Buddhism and learning from Buddhism.
Provides opportunity for personal reflection.
Pupils may have questions they gather over time and should be encouraged to
note these to ask a Buddhist visitor later in the year. Pupils should be
encouraged to understand that this is a living religion.
The Buddha
The Buddha is not a God. He does not hand out rewards or
punishments.
The relationship between The Buddha and Buddhists is that
of teacher and students.
Buddhism does not call for unquestionable faith, but places heavy
emphasis on self discipline and individual striving.
Anyone can become a Buddha (enlightened) if one practices
diligently and attains purity of mind.
The purpose of shrines are not to
worship the Buddha, but to look to
him for inspiration to develop his
good qualities.
Year 6 Autumn A (p160)
Discuss in groups – What do these images show
about the character and qualities of the Buddha?
Hand(s)
raised,
palm out
Flame-like headdress
Bump between eyes
Legs crossed, hands
in lap palms up
Half-closed
eyes/
withdrawn
expression
Light of supreme
knowledge
Wisdom eye
No weapons or
fighting
Friendship
Fearlessness
Two hands raised strength
Calm / meditating
Bump on top
of head
Teaching / preaching /
instructing
Elongated
ear lobes
Reason / logic / intellect
Wisdom bump
Palm out, circle
made with index
finger and thumb
Calm/meditating
Wise / spiritual
understanding
The Buddha
Friendly
Gentle
Strength of mind
Fearless
Wise
Supreme knowledge
Calm
Peaceful
Self Control
Teacher
Preacher
Instructor
Logical
Intelligent
Spiritual
understanding
Meditates
Empathetic
Commitment
Right Understanding
Buddhists use images like these when meditating to help them to
focus on The Buddha’s teachings and qualities and move towards
a complete or perfect vision / RIGHT UNDERSTANDING.
Ask your pupils - What qualities would you accredit to the most
enlightened human being?
The images are from two websites – Buddhanet and the Clear
Vision Trust. Other images are from Buddhaimages.com.
Buddhanet also provides detailed explanation of the symbolism.
The Year 6 Scheme of Work has links to all of these.
The laughing Buddha is a Chinese symbol for good luck, not a
Buddha rupa used for meditation.
Year 6 Autumn A (p161)
Values Game
The Values Game is not sufficient as an RE lesson on it’s
own – alone this would be a PSHE lesson.
The Values Game provides an AT2 element to The Buddha
activity which is necessary for balanced religious
education. The game encourages pupils to rank personal
qualities.
The game may also provoke personal reflection.
There a link to the Year 6 Literacy genre – argument.
Values Game
In a moment move if necessary, so you can play in groups of
four.
Groups need a board and set of cards.
The first player takes the top card (pack face down) and
decides where to put it, on the grid or in the dustbin, explaining
why it should be placed there.
Next player can either move that card up or down one
‘brick’ or take the next card from the pile. Explanation and
negotiation over moves is key to the game.
Play until all the cards have been turned over.
Values Game
What qualities were at the top?
The Buddhanet website states that RIGHT
AWARENESS means ‘awareness/mindfulness of
things, oneself, feelings, thought, people, reality. “If
you hold yourself dear, watch yourself well”.
The ‘Commitments Game’ demonstrated in this
morning’s Overview Session is available in Lat
Blaylock’s book and costs £6. The ‘Values Game’ will
come free with the purchase of this book.
Year 6 Autumn A (p161)
The Life of Prince
Siddhartha
Conscience Tunnel
We will draw out the contrast of Siddhartha’s life as a
rich prince living a sheltered life inside the walls of the
palace and his life searching for the truth and helping
people to find peace.
Form a tunnel with two lines of people.
One side of the tunnel encourage Prince Siddhartha to
leave the palace to search for the truth (become
enlightened) and help others. The other side of the
tunnel speak against the idea of him leaving. Delegates
say what Prince Siddhartha is thinking or what others
think about him.
One person in character as Prince Siddhartha, walk
through the tunnel deciding whether or not to leave the
palace.
Conscience Tunnel
Provides a lively, interactive and interesting way to learn
the story of how Buddhism began.
Pupils learn about Buddhism (AT1) while balancing it
with learning from Buddhism (AT2) by reflecting on
ideas of right and wrong and responses to it (2.23).
Cross-curricular link - Could provide a starting point to
Year 6 Literacy, journalistic writing, where pupils write
a newspaper report. Or a script for television/radio of
an interview with Prince Siddhartha after seeing the
four sights or after becoming enlightened.
Right effort – Prince Siddhartha consciously directed his
life’s energy on a path to foster wholeness.
Year 6 Autumn B (p162)
RIGHT THOUGHT;
acting from love and compassion.
The Dalai Lama said – ‘If you want others to
be happy, practise compassion. If you want
to be happy, practise compassion.’ Discuss.
Concentrating the mind
RIGHT CONCENTRATION
According to Tibetan meditation master and teacher of
Buddhism Geshe Kelsang,
“Meditation for Buddhists is to calm the mind and be free
from worries and mental discomfort in order to experience
true happiness.
If we train our mind to become peaceful we shall be
happy all the time, even in the most adverse
conditions;
but if our mind is not peaceful, then even if we have the
most pleasant external conditions we shall not be happy.
Therefore, it is important to train our mind through
meditation”.
Year 6 Spring A (p166)
Concentrating the mind
‘Don’t Just Sit There, Do Something’ by Mary Stone
Year 6 Summer (p171)
RIGHT ACTION;
ethical principle of non-exploitation of oneself and others
(five precepts)
List examples of things people do because of a belief they
hold.
Relate this to themselves ‘I strongly believe… so I
do/do not …’
e.g, ‘I strongly believe animals should be
respected, so I do not buy products tested on animals’.
Year 6 Summer (p173)
RIGHT LIVING;
livelihood based on the ethical principal of non-exploitation
Page 173
Which of these jobs would a Buddhist find
acceptable/unacceptable?
– Cook, shopowner, tobacconist, builder, butcher, teacher,
soldier, nuclear power worker, fisherman,
doctor, librarian.
Pupils should give their own examples of ‘Right Living’
Conscience
Tunnel
The Values
Game
(resource)
Jobs
discussion
Right
Effort
Right Living
Right Action
I believe…
Right
Speech
Interactive
Overview
(vocabulary)
Right
Awareness
Stilling Activity
(resource)
Right
Concentration
Right
Understanding
Right
Thought
Dalai Lama
discussion
The Buddha
Activity
(weblink)
Session Outcomes
To gain knowledge and understanding of the changes
made to the Hertfordshire Scheme of Work for Year 6.
To participate in an Interactive Overview, understanding
their place throughout KS2.
To participate in an activity which uses an example of a
weblink.
To re-familiarise with the balancing AT1 and AT2.
Any Questions?
Time for Tea!