Awareness, Mystery and Value (AMV) 2011
Key Stage 2 Unit 10: What can we learn from the life and teaching of Jesus
This unit explores aspects of the person, life and teaching of Jesus and how they relate to Christian life, practices, celebrations and
the pattern of Christian festivals
About this example
This example is intended to provide a set of learning activities for a Year 4 class (or may be adapted for a Y3 class). Teachers may decide to
cover the Christmas and Easter aspects at the appropriate times in the year.
It was written by Katy Staples (Advisor to Bristol SACRE) and Sue Thompson, (AST and Y5 teacher at Elmlea Junior School, Bristol).
Where the example fits into the new primary curriculum
This example is likely to be used as a ‘stand-alone’ sequence of learning within a discrete unit of learning for RE or may be used to support
PSHE activities.
Essentials for learning and life. This sample scheme will support pupils to learn how to listen attentively, talk clearly and confidently about
their thoughts, opinions and ideas (Literacy), investigate and communicate (learning and thinking skills) and work collaboratively towards
common goals (social skills).
Prior Learning
Pupils will have some experience of, and practice at being able to put forward a point of view and say why things are important, giving reasons.
1
Featured Religions / Beliefs
Christianity
Areas of Enquiry
AT 1: Learning ABOUT religion and belief
AT 2: Learning FROM religion and belief
A. Beliefs, teachings and sources
D. Identity and belonging
B. Practices and ways of life
C. Forms of expression


E. Meaning, purpose and truth
F. Values and commitments
Key Question: What can we learn from the life and teaching of Jesus?
Supplementary Questions
a) Who is Jesus and what does it mean to follow him today?
b) What did Jesus teach about:

Love

Sin, forgiveness and redemption

Revenge and peace/reconciliation

Greed and giving

Making a difference

Prayer

Faith and hope

Life after death?
c) What do the narratives of Jesus’ miracles tell us about some of the big questions of life?
d) Why might Christmas, Lent and Easter be important to ourselves as well as (other) Christians?
Resources
The following texts and e-resources have been used for the sample learning activities below. Teachers are, of course, free to vary the
resources suggested here to suit their pupils. Picturing Jesus: Pack A and B and Fresh Ideas, The Christ we Serve CMS, USPG, Jesus His Importance
to believers, Jesus Through Art, The parables Project, The Lion Storyteller Bible, The Animated Stories, The Prodigal Son, Opening Up Easter.
These resources are available to loan from The All Saints Resources Centre, 1 All Saints Court, Bristol BS1 1JN. resource.centre@bristoldiocese.org
2
Learning Outside the Classroom
Pupils could have had the opportunity to visit a church or ask a Christian to speak about his/her beliefs about Jesus and what Jesus means to
him/her
Expectations: ‘B & E’ are the focus areas of enquiry identified on the previous page
By the end of this sequence of learning:
All pupils:
B2 talk about some of the things that are the
same for different religious people
Most pupils (majority class expectation):
B3 describe some of the things that are the
same and different for religious people
E2 talk about some things in stories that make
people ask questions
E3 ask important questions about life and
compare my ideas with those of other people
Some pupils: (G & T Y4s)
B4 use the religious language accurately to
describe and compare what practices and
experiences may be involved in belonging to
different religious groups
E4 ask questions about the meaning and
purpose of life, and suggest a range of
answers, which might be given by me, as well
as members of different religious groups
These statements are taken from the ‘Can-do’ levels published on the AMV website at: http://amv.somerset.gov.uk/syllabus/standardsand-assessment/
3
Key Question: What can we learn from the life and teaching of Jesus?
Key vocabulary: Redemption, sin, Lord, neighbour, parable, Samaritan, compassion, redemption, reconciliation, forgiveness, prodigal, greed, tax collector,
prayer, Pharisee, Lord’s Prayer, miracle, incarnation
Learning
objectives and
questions
Lesson 1
Pupils will:
 begin to explore
who others think
Jesus is?

begin to explore
who they think
Jesus is?
Question:
Who is Jesus?
Suggested activities for teaching and learning
Outcomes
Have 6-10 stations around the room with pictures and
quotations of Jesus and what people think about
Jesus (see p4 & 5 of “Jesus His Importance to his
believers” for ideas for quotations).
Pupils in pairs go around the stations and complete a
KWL about Jesus (Know, want to know, learned).
Pupils:
 can explain that
different people have
depicted Jesus in
different ways and
that people have
different views about
the person of Jesus
and his impact on
their lives.
Picturing Jesus: Pack A and B and Fresh Ideas
RE Today services
http://shop.retoday.org.uk

Jesus His Importance to believers
Edited by Pamela Draycott
http://shop.retoday.org.uk
Feedback their findings to the whole class and
discuss what they want to know, know and have
learned.
ACTIVITY:
Write a poem entitled
“Who is Jesus?”
Either
 free flowing,
 acrostic or
 cinquain form (an increasing syllable count in the
first four lines, namely two in the first, four in the
second, six in the third, and eight in the fourth,
before returning to two syllables on the last line).
express their own
beliefs as to who
Jesus was.
References, points to note, resources
The Christ we Serve CMS, USPG, Methodist
Church
http://www.cmsshop.org.uk/mall/productpage.cfm/CMS/_WPack004/132343/The%20Christ%20we%20Share
Jesus Through Art: Margaret Cooling
Plenary : Those who have finished their poems read
them out to the class and explain them.
4
Lesson 2
Introduce the key question.
Pupils will:
 begin to
understand that
for Christians the
love of God is
expressed in
loving one’s
neighbour,
regardless of
barriers and
boundaries
Show the Good Samaritan clip (recommended).
During this, pupils should be trying to answer the
question “Who does Jesus say we should love?”
(The story could be read instead e.g. “The Kind
Stranger” from the Lion Storyteller Bible.)
Question:
What did Jesus teach
about love?
In pairs or groups, ask pupils to discuss the following
questions:
 Why do you think the Priest and Levite didn’t
stop?
 Was the Good Samaritan sensible?
 What would be a modern equivalent of The Good
Samaritan?
Feedback responses as a class.
Pupils:
 know the story of the
Good Samaritan
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/thegood-samaritan/4445.html

The Parables Project

understand that in this
parable, religious,
social and racial
divides and priorities
were put aside to help
someone in need
will have explored how
Christians might reflect
God’s love and
compassion in ways
that might be costly,
difficult or risky
http://www.exeterccyp.org/schools/parablesproject/the-parables-project
(Picture called What Must I do?)
The Lion Storyteller Bible
Show What Must I do? Explain that it is an artist’s
portrayal of the story.
Divide the class into 4 groups then in paired work talk
about a different section of the picture. Then feedback.
Discuss the style of the artist’s work and ask the pupils
to talk about whether the key message of the story is
portrayed.
ACTIVITY:
Create own picture showing a key moment from the
story
OR:
Write a Good Samaritan Rap
(If the second option is chosen, it is recommended that
What Must I do? is used as a plenary)
5
Lesson 3
Pupils will:
 understand how
the parable
illustrates that
forgiveness is a
central aspect of
God’s love

explore the
concept of
reconciliation and
redemption
Question:
What did Jesus teach
about sin, forgiveness
and redemption
(coming back to
God)?
Show the picture on the IWB and give pupils the
opportunity to look in silence for 2-3 minutes, trying to
answer the questions:
 What can I see?
 What do I think is going on?
 Who are the main characters?
Share responses
Tell the pupils that the picture is an artist’s
representation of a Bible story. Tell them that it is a story
told by Jesus to teach important lessons about
forgiveness and coming back to God (redemption).
Pupils:
 retell the parable
showing an
understanding of the
main characters

show an
understanding of the
Christian view of
forgiveness,
reconciliation and
redemption
Note that there is also teaching on love in
this parable
www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-lostson/4154.html
or
The Animated Stories The Prodigal Son
(Nest Entertainment)
Show BBC clip (recommended) or DVD asking pupils to
note what they think are the key messages in the story.
The Parables Project
http://www.exeterccyp.org/schools/parablesproject/the-parables-project
In pairs pupils discuss:
 Who does the father represent? (God)
 Who does the younger son represent? (people)
 Who could the eldest son represent? (The
Pharisees)
(Picture called The Foolish Father?)
NB Teachers’ notes give good background
information on the story
ACTIVITY:
Imagine that you are the father in the parable. Write a
letter to the elder son, explaining how you feel and
inviting him to join the celebrations.
PLENARY:
Listen to the artist talking about her work.
(recommended)
Return to the key question, discussing with the pupils
what Jesus taught about sin, forgiveness and
redemption.
6
Lesson 4
Pupils will:
 begin to
understand
what Jesus
taught
about
giving and
greed

think about
their own
responses
to Jesus’
teachings
about
giving and
greed .
Question:
What did
Jesus teach
about greed
and giving?
Pupils watch
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/zaccheusmeets-jesus/4465.html
Ask half the class to watch it so they can explain what
this story tells us about Jesus; the other half to watch it
so they can explain what this story tells us about
Zacchaeus.
Feedback what they have noticed.
Ask a child (or the teacher or TA) to be Zacchaeus and
hot seat “him” about “his” experiences.
Read The Widow’s Coins from The Lion Storyteller’s
Bible p134+135
(Invite class participation in the counting)
Ask the class to discuss in pairs:
 Who does Jesus say gave the most?
 Was Jesus right?
Feedback
Pupils:
 can explain
some of
Jesus
teachings
about greed
and giving

http://www.request.org.uk/unpacked/teachings/greed/greed.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/zaccheus-meetsjesus/4465.html
The Lion Storyteller’s Bible
can express
their own
responses
to greed
and giving
in the light
of Jesus
teachings
PLENARY:
Scenario:
You have won the lottery and have 1 million pounds –
you can just spend it all on a new house, holidays etc
or you could give half away to help Oxfam and a local
charity for children. What should you do?
Ask 14 of your class to form in a “Conscience Alley”
(7 on each side) and ask 1 person to walk down the
middle to receive advice that the children would give.
Ask the children to swap over and those who have
been observing form the conscience alley – this time
the people are going to give the advice that they think
Jesus would give.
7
Lesson 5
Pupils will:
 understand Jesus’
teaching about how
to pray

explore the Lord’s
Prayer and begin to
understand what it
means
Question:
What did Jesus teach
about prayer?
Introduce the key question.
In groups on one large piece of paper, note ideas on:
 What prayer is
 What prayer isn’t
 Is there anywhere you can’t pray?
 Are there any words you can’t say?
Feedback findings. (Ensure that pupils understand that prayer is
Talking to God)
Then read the story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.
Discuss the following key ideas:
 Being too big for your boots
 Humility and forgiveness
Ask pupils to role play the body language of both characters and
say who the “hero” was.
Show copy of The Lord’s Prayer on IWB
Explain that this was a “model” for praying that Jesus taught
Read it through and explain any difficult words
ACTIVITY:
Give a copy of The Lord’s Prayer to each pupil and alongside each
line write own version of it
(E.g. LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION...help us to avoid doing
bad things)
Pupils:
 know the story of the
Pharisee and the tax
collector praying and why
Jesus told it
Copy of the Pharisee and the
Tax Collector story

www.churchschoolseast
website has a resource to
purchase called The Lord’s
Prayer which includes a disc
with songs, artwork,
recordings of the prayer in
different languages etc.
understand the different
aspects of prayer as
demonstrated in The
Lord’s Prayer
Copies of The Lord’s Prayer
prepared so that there is
space for the pupils to write
their own version alongside
each line
God’s Special Prayer:
Marjory Francis and Helen
Jenkins
PLENARY:
Ask some pupils to read their version of the prayer, then return to
the key question noting if pupils’ versions help to answer it.
Play a sung version of The Lord’s Prayer (e.g. Charlotte Church,
available with many others on YouTube) or one from the
churchschoolseast website perhaps sung in a different language.
8
Lesson 6
Pupils will:
 describe and
show
understanding of
a miracle story
Questions:
What is a miracle?
What do the
narratives of Jesus’
miracles tell us
about some of the
big questions of
life?
Show the story from the BBC clip (recommended).
Prior to viewing explain that this is a miracle story from
the life of Jesus.
Pupils:

Or read or re-tell the story from Luke Chapter 9 (or
use Lion Story Teller Bible – “The Marvellous
Picnic”)
1st ACTIVITY:
In pairs or individually use the Miracle Definition
Sheet to discuss how the pupils would define a
miracle (Sheet 1)
Collect feedback: Ask, as appropriate:
 What do pupils understand by the word
‘Miracle’?
 Can they give some examples of miracles?
 What kind of miracle is the Loaves and Fishes
story?
 Where would they place that miracle on the
miracles definition line?
describe the events
of The Loaves and
Fishes story

be able to define a
miracle

understand what the
story shows
Christians believe
about Jesus/God
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/theultimate-takeaway/2875.html
Lion Story teller Bible
Miracles – different definitions activity sheet
(Sheet 1)
Who made the miracle happen? (Sheet 2)
Both sheets may be downloaded from the
Bristol Diocesan website: click here
2nd ACTIVITY:
What did the different people do to make sure this
miracle happened?
The boy, disciples, Jesus, God, the crowd (Sheet 2)
PLENARY:
Discuss the last 3 questions as a whole class.
Reflect on the fact that the boy gave his lunch and
what each person could do to make a difference to
the world.
Ask: If this miracle is an answer to a question, what
might that question be?
9
Lesson 7
Pupils will:
 read and
understand
stories of
Jesus’ miracles

know that the
narratives of
Jesus’
miracles tell
us about
some of the
big questions
of life
Question:
What do the
narratives of Jesus’
miracles tell us
about some of the
big questions of
life?
1ST ACTIVITY:
Pupils:
Jesus – His importance to believers: Pamela Draycott
(RAINBOW ACTIVITY)
 show knowledge
and understanding Copies of miracles E.g.
Put children in groups of about 5
of some of Jesus’
Number each group member 1-5
 Jairus’ Daughter Mark 5 21-43
miracles
Then ask all the 1s, 2s, 3s etc. to group
 Ten Lepers Luke 17 11-19
Give each new group a copy of a miracle story
 A man at the pool at Bethesda John 5 1-15
Each group should read and discuss their story
 Lazarus raised from the dead John 11 1-24
and become familiar with it
(Other stories listed in Jesus book)
Then the pupils return to their original group
Pupil 1 will then tell his/her story to the group,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/raising-the then pupil 2 etc until all members have told
roof/2876.html
their story
2nd ACTIVITY
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/lookingChoose one of the stories (or another of own
rough/2877.html
choice) and either:
Make a story board of the main events or
Choose one to draw and annotate
EXT:
Say How the miracle happened (touch,
command, forgiveness etc.
Try to explain why Jesus chose to perform the
miracle
PLENARY:
Watch Raising the Roof clip (the paralysed
man lowered through the roof by his friends)
and
Looking Rough clip (the calming of the storm).
Discuss the question:
What do these stories tell us about Jesus and
the big questions of life?
10
Lesson 8
Pupils will:
 consider how the
birth of Jesus has
a meaning far
greater than the
historical details
of his birth for
Christians
Question:
Why is Christmas
important to
Christians?
Explain that although the pupils will probably already be
Pupils:
familiar with the Christmas story, in today’s lesson they
 know the story of The
will be focusing, not so much on the events, but on the key
Other Wise Man
question:
 begin to understand
the meaning of the
Why is Christmas important to Christians?
word Incarnation and
its importance for
Christians
Then read the story The Greatest Gift - The story of the
Other Wise Man telling the pupils that Artaban is a fictional
Wise Man who is searching for the truth.
1st ACTIVITY:
As the story is being read, make a story map, showing in
words and pictures the key events (or make a rough
“listening aid”)
Notes for teachers
For Christians, Jesus is both fully God and
fully human. In other words, he is God
incarnate. The fact of the incarnation is
intimately bound up with the question of
who Jesus is. Jesus is held to be the son
of God, who came from God to be the
saviour of the world.
(Taken from Jesus by Pamela Draycott)
http://shop.retoday.org.uk/9781904024224
The Greatest Gift – The Story of The
Other Wise Man retold by Susan
Summers
Introduce the word Incarnation and ask the pupils to
answer the following questions:
 What does incarnation mean for Christians?
 What does it tell Christians about Jesus?
 Why is Christmas important to Christians?
PLENARY/2nd Activity:
Design a poster for outside a church at Christmas that will
communicate to people walking past:
Why Christmas is important to us
11
1st ACTIVITY: (Getting ready)
(Before Easter Christians have a period of 40 days when
they may give up eating rich foods, try to pray more and
Pupils will:
be kind and generous to others. This is to prepare
 understand why
themselves for the feast of Easter – a time when they
Lent is marked
remember the death of Jesus. This time is called Lent.)
and Easter is
Put a selection of words and pictures on the board and
celebrated
ask the pupils to put them in two lists:
Christians would do in Lent / Christians would not do in
 focus on what
Lent
Jesus’ death and
(e.g. eat cake, be mean, eat simple food, read the Bible,
resurrection
lie and cheat, give money to charity)
teaches
Christians about
Discuss:
life and death
What would it be like to live like this for 40 days?
Why do Christians do this?
Question:
2nd ACTIVITY:
Why might Lent and
Easter be important to (Either use Grubby Grubb story from Opening Up Easter
or Waterbugs and Dragonflies)
ourselves and to
Christians?
Read the story.
Then either follow Activity 2 from p13 of Opening Easter or
ask pupils in groups to answer one of these questions:
 Why might Christians like this story?
 What might this story be trying to say about life after
death?
 What do you believe about life after death?
 What might this story tell us about Easter? Jesus?
3rd ACTIVITY:
Read the story of the death of Jesus from the Storyteller
Bible or show scene 17 from The Miracle Maker
(Follow Activity 3 from Opening Up Easter)
Invent 3 questions to ask Mary, the mother of Jesus
Hot Seat Mary
Lessons 9 & 10
Pupils:
 describe some
aspects of Lent
 are able to explain the
belief about life after
death that the Easter
story brings for a
Christian today
 begin to describe their
own beliefs about life
after death
Opening Up Easter Edited by Fiona Moss
RE Today Services p 13-15
http://shop.retoday.org.uk/9781905893461
Waterbugs and Dragonflies story by Doris
Stickney available on many websites
The Miracle Maker DVD scenes 17 and 18
The Lion Storyteller Bible p 106-109
12
Lessons 9 & 10
(Continued)
Read the story of the resurrection or show scene 18 from
The Miracle Maker
Hot Seat Mary again after Easter Sunday morning
PLENARY:
(see Activity 4 from Opening Up Easter)
OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES
Write a Good Friday poem
What did Jesus think …
He must have …
What did Mary think …
She must have …
What do you think …
This could also be done for Easter Sunday
13
OTHER IDEAS:
Invite a Christian in to answer the following questions:
What do I believe about Jesus? and
What does Jesus mean to me?
Invited speaker
Study the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7) and ask
the question:
What important values of life did Jesus teach?
Homework tasks:
Investigate a further miracle or parable and ask the
question:
What does this story teach me about God/Jesus
Enquiry Activity – Find out about some of Jesus’ friends
and answer the question:
Why were these people chosen by Jesus to be his
friends?
Build up a timeline of Jesus’ life
Take an event from the life of Jesus, e.g. his baptism,
healing miracles etc. and write a diary entry from someone
else’s point of view or
Bullet 8-10 key Christian beliefs about Jesus, then say
what you believe
(POSSIBLE ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY)
14
RECORD OF ATTAINMENT
KS2 Unit 2: What can we learn from the life and teaching of Jesus? Christianity (B & E) Year 4 (possibly Y3)
All pupils: (Level 2)
B2 talk about some of the things that are the
same for different religious people
Most pupils - majority class expectation:
(Level 3)
B3 describe some of the things that are the
same and different for religious people
E2 talk about some things in stories that make
people ask questions
E3 ask important questions about life and
compare my ideas with those of other people
Some pupils: (Level 4)
B4 use the religious language accurately to
describe and compare what practices and
experiences may be involved in belonging to
different religious groups
E4 ask questions about the meaning and
purpose of life, and suggest a range of
answers, which might be given by me, as well
as members of different religious groups
15