Religion and Life
General Unit 1
Course Outline
Weeks Syllabus Content
TERM 4
1-3 Experiences that prompt people to ask questions about the meaning and purpose of life.
Focus Questions Suggested Learning Activities
What experiences prompt people to look for meaning in their life?
What questions do such experiences prompt?
 Introduce the focus of Religion and Life Unit 1
- Write the word RELIGION on the board. In their workbooks students to write down all they know about religion, and then ask students to write down what they think about religion. Share and discuss some of the comments.
Review these comments at the end of the unit.
- Show students PowerPoint and identify the main themes of
The unit. Students can then write a reflection about how they feel about the unit Religion and Life now that they know what the course entails.
 Search for Meaning and Purpose
What types of experiences can lead us to question the meaning and purpose of life-
Students create a table with experiences and the types of questions one may ask due to these experiences
Discuss the concepts of Creation and the
Goodness in People as examples of experiences that lead us to question. Complete Activity 1
Personal Mystery and basic human mysteries- discussion show PPT- Students take notes-
Activity choose one of the four basic mysteries
Resources
Picture of a bug that can camouflage as a leaf
TM- PPT “Personal
Mystery and the Basic
Human Mysteries

3 A definition of Religion What does the term religion mean?
What are some examples of religions and reflect on an experience that has caused them to question their own meaning and purpose. You may choose to ask students to share their answers
 The Catholics Understanding of people’s need to search for meaning
Watch the first section of “Chasing God”
(9.13mins) ask students to take notes, discuss what some of the reasons suggested by those interviewed. Complete Worksheet “God: a relentless search”
Read as a class Finding fulfillment and
Conscience: The Source of true religious yearning. Discuss. Complete comprehension questions.
Genuine Religious Experiences- Read through as a class and discuss. Complete activity 2 worksheet
Define the term ‘religion’- Students reflect on their own understanding of religion and write this down in their workbooks. Read the first page of the resource booklet that gives some definitions of religion.
How and why are they different? What similarities are there?
Read through Religion and the development of religion and discuss as a class. Create a class definition of religion basis of their own
DVD- “Chasing God”
(9.13Mins)
TM- Handout and
Questions Finding
Fulfillment and
Conscience
TM-Booklet Module 2
Resource Booklet. Used throughout the unit
(Information sources-
CEO background information, Living
Religion 3 rd Edition)

4-6 An overview of the main characteristics of a religion understanding and personal experiences.
Read worldview that contributes to the lives of individuals. Answer questions.
Characteristics of Religion
Read and discuss. Students answer questions.
Religions of the World
Discuss 5 major world religions- create a table in their books and students list what their understanding is of each religion.
Read through information in student resource booklet. Ask students to identify the common characteristics of each religion.
Students work in pairs and research one of the five major religions of the world. They will create a poster and present the information to the class. During the presentations, students are to fill-in the comparing religions pages of their resource booklets.
Aboriginal Spirituality
Discussion related to students understanding and prejudices against Aboriginal people.
Read through information in resource booklet and discuss.
Answer questions at the bottom of the reading.
Read through “The Relationship between other religions and Catholicism” and students answer

The Role that religion plays in Society questions in Journal.
The Role of Religion in Society
Read through section on student resource booklet, which will give an overview of the role that religion plays in society.
Discuss the students’ views on how they see
Religion in society
Article analysis of three (3) examples of
Religion in Society.
Assessment 1 (explanation): Case Study of how religion plays a role in society
Religions answers to life’s questions and experiences
Referring back to the 4 basic human mysteries
(Birth, Development into adulthood, Marriage and death), students create a table- life experiences, questions, religious answers.
(Leave this blank, fill-in after discussion)
Read through handout religious responses to the basic questions of life- discuss
Please reiterate that the ‘religious” dimension of life is experiencing, searching, finding answers.
TM- Revision PPT
Revision question worksheet
TMR- Handout using documentation from
CEOWA

7-8
Term 1
1
Examples of religious answers to life’s questions and experiences
What are some answers to the questions that people ask about the meaning of life?
What are some religious answers?
What are some answers that the
Catholic religion offers?
Where can people find out about what God has revealed?
Why is Jesus so important for Christians?
pose the following question to students. Ask them to write their responses in their journals
“Why is Jesus so important for Christians?”
Discuss and create a list of what students know about Jesus and why he is so important (clarify and correct where necessary)
Students research the following terms and create a glossary in their books: Messiah,
Saviour, Redeemer, Son of God.
Where can people find out about what God reveals?
Bible discussion- gauge student understanding of the structure and important of the bible and how it is used. Discuss the sections of the bible.
List some key events and people of the bible
Read through information sheet about the bible and answer questions
Assessment 2 (explanation):
Characteristics of Religion
Revision of the Role of Religion in Society
Focus on the different roles that religion plays amongst our society.
Clarify the four (4) categories that that are used to classify the different areas in society that religion has an impact.
May like to use the recent siege in Sydney as a discussion point.
TM- Handout information from
CEOWA “The Role of
Religion in Society” and questions

2-3
An overview of the role religion plays in society
What are some examples of how religion participates in society?
How can one relate more closely with God?
What are some of the different roles religion plays in society?
What are some examples of how religion participates in society?
Read through information sheet and students brainstorm examples of religion playing a role in society for each category.
Students can then reflect upon how they see religion in society.
Aim of the Catholic Faith and Personal religious development
Discuss as a class what social role religion plays in our society (using St. Andrew’s parish or our school community as an example- Christmas appeals, supporting one another etc.)
Read through hand out from previous lesson and discuss the concept of personal religious development-
Relating to God
Discuss this notion of relating to God.
Students reflect in their journals upon their own understanding of "Who is God"- where have these ideas come from?
Brainstorm: Why do people feel disconnected and discontented with God??
Read through information sheet and answer questions
TM- Handout information from
CEOWA “Relating with
God” with questions

God’s Relationship with all people
Discuss three (3) significant relationships documented in the bible that involved a personal relationship with God:
-Abraham
-Covenant of Mount Sinai
-Jesus
You will need a set of bibles during this lesson. Referring to biblical references referred to in the handout.
Make sure students understand the Promises of God, The obligations required to God and the Type of Intimacy that results from that relationship.
This should take two lesson.
10 Commandments
Read Deuteronomy 5:1-22 “The Ten Commandments”
Discuss some of the common themes of the
Commandments noting that 7 of the 10 relate to the rights of people.
As a class read through the information about the first three (3) commandments
Class activity, Pair Learning: Place students in groups, give them a section of the text to summarise, they will then pass the information onto the next group.
Assessment 3: Source Analysis
Covenant: God’s Relationship with all people
TM- Handout information from
CEOWA
“Covenant: God’s relationship with all people”- Activity sheet
TM- Handout information from
CEOWA “The Ten
Commandments” activity sheet

4-8
Overview of the
Foundation and
Development of
Christianity
Major
Divisions/Denominations within Christianity
 Gauge students knowledge of the foundations of
Christianity (Brainstorm)
Place Jesus and his followers in the context of 1 st
Century Palestine within the Roman Empire (Use a map)
 Overview the major time periods of the development of Christianity – Highlighting the the key people, events and issues of each period
Early church up until the conversion of Constantine
Constantine’s conversion and the split of the church between east and west
The church in the west during the middle ages
The reformation
Post-reformation Christianity
Assessment 4 (Investigation)- Select one time period
Identifying and describing the key contributions to
Christianity of the key people, events and issues of the time.
 Outline the Church’s understanding of it’s own history
“Living Religion 3 rd
Edition”
Page 62-65
TM- Handout information from
CEOWA
“Key Moments in the
History of Christianity”
TMR: Handout with information from
CEOWA Documents
“The Church Today”

9
Term 2
1
The key features of religious practice, ritual, celebration or event
 Define terms division and denomination in terms of Christianity
 Outline the major denominations of Christianity
(Catholicism, Church of England, Lutheran)
Discuss how the divisions came about
Identify reasons these divisions occurred
 Ecumenism- define the concept
Outline ways in which the Catholic Church has responded to other denominations.
 Define: Religious practice, ritual, celebration and event.
 Overview of the Seven Catholic Sacraments
 Key features of baptism noting the rite.
Define: sign and symbols of baptism
Identify the steps of the ritual
Clickview: “Christianity:
A History” episode of
Compass
Textbook- “Catholic
Studies for Senior
Students”
Page 161-166
TMR PPT: “Catholic
Rituals”
YouTube clip: Sacrament of Baptism https://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=4r9AuY1Br1 c
YouTube Clip: Catholic
Baby Baptism https://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=_LB5zL2api w
Teachers baptism gown, baptism certificate and baptism candle.

2-3
4
Religion and Social Issues  Define term “Social Issue”
 Brainstorm current social issues in Australia
 Overview as to how the church responds to these issues
 Review “Social Justice Statement 2014/15”
Identify current social issues mentioned in the document
Summarise five (5) main issues, why is each a concern in Australia.
Summarise what the Australia Catholic Bishops say about each issue
Assessment 5 (Source Analysis)
How a religion responds to a current social justice issue
Assessment 6- Common Assessment Task CEOWA
(Response & Source Analysis)
The Australian Catholic
Bishops Conference
2014–2015 Social Justice
Statement, A Crown for
Australia: Striving for the best in our sporting nation. http://www.socialjustice
.catholic.org.au/files/SJS andresources/2014-
2015-SJS-Statement.doc