TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR RELIGIOUS
EDUCATION
The following activities have been offered as teaching and learning
strategies and possible assessment opportunities over the past year.
Some of the ideas may be transferable to current topics and teaching.
Make creative adaptations to suit your needs and apply strategies
appropriately.
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Imagine you are a creative designer. You have been asked to design
covers for a new range of Bibles. Create one for children under 5, one
for your own age group and one for adults. Show in your illustrations
all you have learned about the Bible as a sacred text and Good News.
Formulate a series of questions you would want to ask Simeon and
Anna. Hotseat one or both of them.
Older children write a pamphlet explaining to younger children how to
look up Scripture references.
In small groups, design an activity matching Scripture references to
well known stories or quotations for children your age.
Working with finger puppets, present the story of the Presentation
and/or Finding in The Temple.
Write a letter to someone of another faith explaining why the Bible is
the special book of the Christian family.
Interview a character who was present at the Last Supper about their
memories of the event, e.g. Peter, Judas, Jesus, John, a servant.
Write down 3 questions ( more or less according to age and ability) to
ask. What might the answers be? Script the conversation, if
appropriate.
In groups, pupils make a radio or TV broadcast or newspaper article
reporting on the Last Supper.
Work with a collection of paintings/posters/pictures of the Last
Supper. Compare them with Scripture accounts. Which evangelist
would have painted each picture?
Formulate an appropriate number of questions to ask Judas. Work in
groups or pairs. Then hotseat Judas.
Collect songs and hymns about the Last Supper. Which Gospels are
they taken from? Write a Last Supper song to a well known tune.
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Build up a time line of Jesus’ last days, through drawing and/or
writing.i.e Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy
Saturday, Easter Sunday. Attach a question to each incident. How
might it be answered?
In pairs, pupils have a telephone conversation at the end of Good
Friday.
Make a box story of the events of Holy Week. ( A to Z Practical
Learning Strategies p21)
Keep a diary of Holy Week as a particular character e.g Mary
Write a playscript of any or all of the Holy Week events.
Find a collection of different types of crosses. Make a booklet for
parents explaining what different types of crosses symbolise.
For younger children, prepare a sorting activity of matching captions
and pictures.
Prepare an article for someone of another faith explaining what Good
Friday and Easter Sunday tell us about Jesus.
Use DVD clips from Jesus of Nazareth, MiracleMaker etc.
Younger children – Use ‘The Wind Blew’ by Pat Hutchins in Recognise
to work with how everything is changed by the wind.
‘The Owl who was afraid of the Dark’ by Jill Tomlinson is a good way
into reflecting on the transforming power of wind/fire. The fireworks
extract in Chapter 1 can be related to the excitement felt by the
disciples at Pentecost.
Opposites activity –‘I feel energy/joy when..(then opposite)
Using the picture on p84/5 of God’s Story 2, choose one of the
characters and write a letter, diary account, journal, poem of what is
happening and what you are feeling.
Prepare some interview questions for one of the apostles after the
Pentecost experience to find out how they are feeling. What answers
would you expect?
Prepare a leaflet for someone of another faith explaining why
Pentecost is important for Christians ( see Level 3 & 4)
In groups of 4, identify a key event in the Pentecost story. ‘Freezeframe’ it. Present your ‘freeze-frame’ to the class. Characters
respond ‘in role’ to questions about their feelings. In same small
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groups, talk about times when they have felt energy, joy, amazement,
fear, strength etc. Record in any way.
One group act out the Pentecost story. Interview one of the
characters asking how belief in this event will affect how they live
from now on. Record in any way.
Explore ‘How does believing in the coming of the Holy Spirit at
Pentecost help Christians to live today? Debate, press release,
magazine article, TV presentation with panel, sermon for Sunday
Mass.
Make a collage/montage of ‘energy’ words, pictures and symbols.
Design a ‘Feelings’ sheet – How the friends of Jesus felt when he had
gone, How they felt when the Spirit came, How they were
changed/transformed.
Draw a Pentecost picture. In ‘thought clouds’ above the heads of some
of the characters, describe how they are feeling in the picture.
Make a storyboard/cartoon strip of the Pentecost story, then make
another sequencing the feelings in words and pictures.
Write a recipe for transformation showing the fruits and gifts of the
Spirit.
Using the Scripture passages given for Y5&6, show how decisions we
might have to make in life may be influenced by the gifts of the
Spirit.
Make a poster of the gifts of the Spirit. Write a commentary to
accompany it showing how belief in these gifts affects our behaviour,
how we make decisions, how they transform us.
Pentecost press release. Scene: An empty upper room with evidence
that something has happened. Shutters blown open, furniture
upturned etc. Rumours flying around the city that a group of people
are going around speaking in all kinds of languages. Children are asked
to interview one of the disciples of Jesus and write a report about
the event and what they think will/should happen next and why.
Choose and research a saint and find evidence for the gifts of the
Spirit being evident in their lives. Their life could be portrayed
pictorially using the Traidcraft El Salvador crosses as a model.
Design a Baptism/Confirmation card
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Put yourself in the role of the priest. Prepare a leaflet for parents
explaining and giving reasons for a Baptism/Confirmation. Call it e.g.
‘Your child is being baptised/confirmed.’
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Using the pictures on p34-36 of Church’s Story 2, ask children to
annotate the signs and symbols and actions used and use speech
bubbles.
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Prepare a script for a TV documentary on Liturgies.
(Baptism/Confirmation/Easter Vigil)
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Write a letter to someone of another faith explaining the significance
of renewing Baptismal vows at Confirmation and the Easter vigil.
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Make a zig-zag book for a younger child explaining
Baptism/Confirmation.
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Make an information booklet for the back of Church on
Baptism/Confirmation.
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Prepare a radio script for a broadcast called ‘ Grace’s Baptism’
describing and explaining the ceremony.
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Design a DVD cover, including ‘blurb’ for a film called ‘ I am being
Confirmed’ or ‘Liam’s Baptism’
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Prepare an article for the Parish Newsletter describing and
explaining the recent celebrations in the Parish of
Baptism/Confirmation.
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Prepare a presentation for an Assembly explaining Initiation into the
Church.
Read the Matthew and Luke versions of the Nativity. Write a
Christmas play based on each. What is common, what is different?
What do Mark and John have to say? What would the play look like
then?
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Take a well known Christmas carol. Which Scripture story do you think
it was based on, if any? Compare it with different Gospels. Discuss
what is taken from any of the Scriptures and what is not.
 Re write a well known carol based on one particular Gospel account.
 Use a range of paintings/pictures of the Annunciation and/or Nativity.
Study them looking at similarities and differences. What is common to
each?
 Compare a painting with a version of Scripture.
 What title might you give a range of paintings/pictures, including the
word ‘gift’?
 Explore a painting and a Christmas carol. What questions are there?
What do you think the writer/artist believes?
 Use DVD clips from Miracle maker, Matthew’s Gospel etc. What is the
same/different? Compare with paintings, songs etc.
 Having read a version of the angels telling the shepherds the Good
News that Jesus is to be God’s gift to the world, explore the question:
What does this tell us about God?
 Use the jigsaw technique on a picture or painting?
 Work with the chorus of the song ‘God’s Greatest Gift’. Listen for key
words. Then read Annunciation story. What is the connection? Listen
again, one group have a picture, one a version of Scripture. Compare.
 Use all Nativity pictures from God’s Story Books 1,2,3. Research
which Gospel writer would have drawn which ones?
 Write a song to a well known tune about God’s Greatest Gift.
Experiment with planning the same activity across the school age range to
see evidence of progression.
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LEVEL 1 ( Special Places)
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Design own place for worship, recognising and naming religious
symbols. (AT1 ii)
Take photos of your special place. Talk about how it makes you feel.
( AT2 i)
LEVEL 2
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Using a variety of writing genres, make a class book about the special
places in Jesus’ life – Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem. ( AT1 i)
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Make a question board of puzzling questions about special places in
the life of Jesus. ( AT2 ii)
LEVEL 3
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Research Bethlehem, Nazareth and Jerusalem. Make a pilgrimage
booklet/display/leaflet giving reasons why pilgrimage to these places
is special for the Christian community. (AT1 ii)
Write to your Headteacher explaining why you would like a school trip
to one of the special places and why you believe it is important.
( AT2 i)
LEVEL 4
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Research a place of pilgrimage in groups. Make a Powerpoint
presentation for someone of another faith showing understanding of
why Christians visit this special place. Present your work to the other
groups. ( AT1 I, AT2 ii, AT1 iii)
Level 1 ( Homes and Families)
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Role play a range of activities that you recognise need to be done for
your family that show love and care. ( AT2i)
Write a class psalm, litany or book of prayers ( as suggested in Y1
folder) using some religious words and phrases. ( AT1ii)
Make large word cards ( brick shaped) that can be put together to
make a house shape. On each brick write all the things that you
recognise need doing in a family to show love and care. ( AT1iii)
Level 2
 Use this modern version of what Jesus says about how to be happy in
your home and family to describe some ways in which they can live
these out at home.
‘You will be happy if you share your things and give things to others.
You will be happy if you are kind and gentle and let others go first.
You will be happy if you try to make others happy.
You will be happy if you stand up for what is right.
You will be happy if you forgive people when they hurt you.
You will be happy if you are first to say sorry after a quarrel – even when
you were right.
You will be happy if you don’t try to get your own back if people laugh and
make fun of you.
You will be happy if you think about our Father in heaven and talk to him.’
( Based on ‘Beautiful Attitudes’ source unknown)
 What is God like? ( AT2ii)
Level 3
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Using the Scripture given on p359/360 of Y3/4 HIA folder, make
links between what Jesus said and how we are to live as Christian
families. ( AT1iii, AT1i, AT2i)
Jesus said………
I think this means…..
If everyone in my
family followed this
advice it would……….
Level 4
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Through using either Rembrandt’s painting of The Prodigal Son or
Frank Wesley’s ‘The Forgiving Father’ ( in RE Today publication
’Spirited Arts’), show understanding of the giving and forgiving love of
God.(AT1i, AT1iii, AT2i)
Level 5
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Using the range of Scripture on p361/2, explain how a topical news
item could be viewed in different ways according to belief in this
Scripture. Set up a debate, TV interview/programme contributing to a
piece of persuasive writing. ( AT1iii, AT2i)
(The Newsround Archive on BBC website has news items and stories
which may be useful.)
When planning other activities such as: What makes a h house a home? Or
exploring what ‘Home is where the heart is’ means, be aware at what level
you are working and what strands you are addressing by how you word the
activity and teach at the appropriate level. Enjoy!!!!
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Read the Matthew and Luke versions of the Nativity. Write a Christmas
play based on each. What is common, what is different?
What do Mark and John have to say? What would the play look like then?
Take a well known Christmas carol. Which Scripture story do you think it
was based on, if any? Compare it with different Gospels. Discuss what is
taken from any of the Scriptures and what is not.
Re write a well known carol based on one particular Gospel account.
Use a range of paintings/pictures of the Annunciation and/or Nativity.
Study them looking at similarities and differences. What is common to
each?
Compare a painting with a version of Scripture.
What title might you give a range of paintings/pictures, including the
word ‘gift’?
Explore a painting and a Christmas carol. What questions are there?
What do you think the writer/artist believes?
Use DVD clips from Miracle maker, Matthew’s Gospel etc. What is the
same/different? Compare with paintings, songs etc.
Having read a version of the angels telling the shepherds the Good News
that Jesus is to be God’s gift to the world, explore the question: What
does this tell us about God?
Use the jigsaw technique on a picture or painting?
Work with the chorus of the song ‘God’s Greatest Gift’. Listen for key
words. Then read Annunciation story. What is the connection? Listen
again, one group have a picture, one a version of Scripture. Compare.
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
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Use all Nativity pictures from God’s Story Books 1,2,3. Research which
Gospel writer would have drawn which ones?
Write a song to a well known tune about God’s Greatest Gift.
Experiment with planning the same activity across the school age range
to see evidence of progression.
LEVEL 1


Design own place for worship, recognising and naming religious
symbols. (AT1 ii)
Take photos of your special place. Talk about how it makes you feel.
( AT2 i)
LEVEL 2


Using a variety of writing genres, make a class book about the special
places in Jesus’ life – Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem. ( AT1 i)
Make a question board of puzzling questions about special places in
the life of Jesus. ( AT2 ii)
LEVEL 3
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
Research Bethlehem, Nazareth and Jerusalem. Make a pilgrimage
booklet/display/leaflet giving reasons why pilgrimage to these places
is special for the Christian community. (AT1 ii)
Write to your Headteacher explaining why you would like a school trip
to one of the special places and why you believe it is important.
( AT2 i)
LEVEL 4
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Research a place of pilgrimage in groups. Make a Powerpoint
presentation for someone of another faith showing understanding of
why Christians visit this special place. Present your work to the other
groups. ( AT1 I, AT2 ii, AT1 iii)