Religious and Values Education Unit Planner Title: Beauty, Places of Worship, Religious Objects, Wonder and Awe, Jesus in the Desert, Magic Spots, Stillness and Silence Key Learning Area(s): Religious and Values Education – Affective, Bible, World Religion strands Year Level: Years 6,7 Teacher(s): Nan Williamson, Lynda Polain, Joy Magain, Dwayne Todd, Bianca Ludvigsen, Deb Dalwood, John Reddan Proposed duration: 1.Outcomes / Objectives: For the students: 1. To define their understanding of beauty … ie what makes something beautiful 2. To identify and respond to aspects of beauty in different forms (paintings, structures, sounds, human, physical environment, etc) 3. To recognise and demonstrate how people can have different perceptions of beauty 4. To examine different aspects of beauty in religious objects, literature, music and structures 5. To express their emotional response to different aspects of beauty 6. To recognise that there are physical environments that are conducive to stillness, silence, reflection and prayer 7. To develop the ability to construct or identify their own special place 8. To experience stillness and silence 2.Resources: Art works Music – environmental and classical Enya Cds Personal objects Religious objects Local excursions – Kent Town Church Places of Worship / Chapel Botanic Gardens Where the Forest Meets the Sea My Place – Nadia Wheatley American Beauty – Plastic Bag scene Everything is Beautiful – song What a Wonderful World – Louie Armstrong The Rainbow Connection Favourite Things – song Beautiful Boy – John Lennon Beautiful in my Eyes – Joshua Kadison Quotes Poetry – My Country (Dorothy McKellar) Posters Beauty and the Beast World Heritage Sites National Geographic magazines All Things Bright and Beautiful Angela Fisher book (African adornments) Photos Cameras 3.Key Questions: What is beauty? What do you think makes something beautiful? Where can you find beauty? Do all people find beauty in the same things? Why / why not? How do you know when something is beautiful? Can the beauty of something change? How? What is a religious object / structure / place of worship? What could make them beautiful? How can cultures affect people’s perceptions of beauty? How do you feel when you experience beauty? Where are some of the places that could be good for stillness, silence, prayer and reflection? What makes them good for such experiences? Where is a place that you could go to have some quiet time? What would make this place good for such an experience? How do you feel when you’re in this place? Why? Are there times when you have stillness and silence in your life? Do you think it’s important to have such time? Why? Can people of all ages have quiet time in their daily lives? How? 4. Activities: 1. Students view Beauty and The Beast 2. Students discuss the term ‘beauty’ … brainstorm synonyms, proverbs, sayings and titles containing references to beauty … students draft their own definitions of beauty and compile into a class dictionary … (homework task – students bring in an item or object containing an aspect of beauty) 3. Students break into pairs … each predicts the aspect of beauty in their partner’s object … students shares object and outlines aspects of beauty with peers. 4. “It’s a beautiful day today” … represent this statement with text and illustrations … students are given role description cards (eg You’re on holiday at the beach / surfer on the board / farmer waiting for rain to plant crops / spectator at the Olympic Opening Ceremony / getting married outdoors / firefighter fighting a fire / etc) … students complete their own perception of a beautiful day. Share and discuss. 5. Students attend the ‘Gallery’ in the classroom representing five examples of paintings, structures, humans and the physical environment … prioritise in each category and identify the aspects of beauty they perceive in each image. Discuss the concept of subjectivity. 6. Students listen to different sounds / music … students respond to each using De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats 7. Students in circle view and experience different religious objects … select one that appeals to them, identify aspects of beauty in it and visually represent … students research and share the meaning and symbolism of each object. 8. Students become Photojournalists … collate a ‘Personal Beauty Portfolio’ … identify and represent different items they perceive to contain different aspects of beauty … present to peers. 9. Students read the story of Jesus in the desert students visit Chapel, Cathedral, other Churches … students identify different aspects of beauty within these structures – sketch. Discuss the relationship between these aspects of beauty and the practice of worship as well as its function as a place of retreat. 10. Students identify different places within the school that could be conducive for some stillness and silence … represent and describe what would make them so good for such an experience … indicate these places on a school map if possible … compile a walk around school grounds for other students to complete (eg Go to Adventure Playground and listen to the birds … go to the Chapel and what do you see in the stained glass windows …) 11. Students survey parents and complete a diary entry indicating their movements including any periods of stillness and silence. Students and parents identify locations within the home environment that could be conducive to periods of stillness and silence … students represent and share. 12. Students define their understanding of beauty. 5. Assessment: Student Work Samples: Beauty Portfolio Students define their understanding of beauty. And samples according to selected objectives. 6. Evaluation: