RE medium-term planning
Year: 8 approximately May - July
Unit title: The Smart Guide to Religion
About the unit
This unit will explore Smarts theory of the seven dimensions of a
religion. Looking specifically at each of the dimensions and how aspects
of religion link to the dimensions.
Expectations
At the end of this unit
Most pupils will: (level 4) Describe the concepts of rituals,
experiential, mythical, Doctrine, ethical, social, and material
dimensions of Ninian Smart concepts of what makes a religion. They
will be able to begin to explain how these dimensions apply to different
aspects of religion. They will be able to evaluate the dimensions and
begin to decide whether anything could be a religion.
Some pupils will not have made so much progress and will(l3)
Where the unit fits in
It follows on from a unit of work where students looked into whether
they thought God existed, this unit builds on that looking at what
actually makes a religion.
Prior learning
It is helpful if pupils have:
A clear definition of symbolism.
Give a simple description of the concepts of rituals, experiential,
mythical, Doctrine, ethical, social, and material dimensions of Ninian
Smart concepts of what makes a religion. They will be able to begin to
explain how these dimensions apply to different aspects of religion.
They will be able to evaluate the dimensions and begin to decide
whether anything could be a religion.
Some pupils will have progressed further and will(level5)
Explain the concepts of rituals, experiential, mythical, Doctrine, ethical,
social, and material dimensions of Ninian Smart concepts of what
makes a religion. They will be able to explain how these dimensions
apply to different aspects of religion. They will be able to evaluate the
dimensions and begin to decide whether anything could be a religion.
Developed their enquiry and evaluative skills
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Overview of unit
Cycle of learning
1
Lesson 1
Key concept
Key question
Religion
What is it that makes a religion?
An Introduction to What is religion.
2
Lessons 2 – 4
Ritual Dimension
What is ritual?
3
Lesson 5
Setting up the Homestudy
Pupils to invent their own religion based on the 7
dimensions.
4
Lesson 6
Experiential Dimension
What is awe? Is it central to a religion?
5
Lesson 7 - 8
Holy Books
What is the benefit of Holy books to a religion?
(Philosophy, Mythical and Narrative and
Ethical and Legal Dimensions)
6
Lesson 9
Social and Institutional
What does a social dimension bring to a religion?
7
Lesson 10
Material
Should religious believers be able to show their
‘material’ dimension?
8
Lesson 11
Final Project
Could football be a religion?
9
Lesson 12
Final Project
Is football a religion?
10
Lesson 13
Homestudy Presentations
Pupils to present Homestudies
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Language for learning
Resources
Speaking and listening
See individual concept
cycles
Extension for the most able
ICT opportunities
VLE tasks online
Through the activities
students could:
Reading and writing
Through the activities
students could:
Key vocabulary
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Enquiry and skills
Cycle of learning no: 1
Lesson: 1
Key concept: religion
Key question:
Intended learning
outcomes
Resources
Teaching and learning activities
Points to note/
Differentiation
Most pupils should be
able to:
Level:
What is religion?
What is it that makes a religion?
To communicate a
response to what is
religion
Apply the response by
looking
Enquire into the
concept of Brahman in
Hinduism – the
formless
understanding of God
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Ask pupils to communicate a response
to this question. Pupils to brainstorm
and then feedback to the class,
Movie Maker“What is a
religion?”
Develop this further by showing
students the movie on what is it that
makes religion. Is there anything that
they would add to their brainstorms?
Why?
Enquire into the pupils views? Are there
common themes? Can you group these
together? For example are there
common practises, laws, ethics, etc
4
Contextualise within a
clear definition of the
Hindu concept of
Brahman
Evaluate whether
anything can be a
religion
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Contextualise this within the unit of work
that the pupils will be studying. Hand
out unit overviews and explain the 7
Dimensions that Ninian Smart decided
that religion could be classed as, go
through the seven dimensions as an
overview:
1. Practical/Ritual dimension
2. Experiential dimension
3. Narrative/Mythical dimension
4. Doctrinal/ Philosophy dimension
5. Ethical and legal dimension
6. Social and Institutional
7. Material dimension
With this in mind and what we have
discussed do they think that anything
can be a religion? E.g. Nationalism,
football, etc
5
Enquiry and skills
Intended learning outcomes
Cycle of learning no: 2
Most pupils should be able to:
Lessons:2 - 4
Key concept: Ritual
Resources
Teaching and learning
activities
Video clip of
the Hakka
and Hakka
explanation
Videos
Show the video clip of the
Hakka.
What is happening?
Explain this is the New Zealand
rugby team. Before every game
they do the Hakka which it their
own ritual. It is a war dance
which will bring them victory in
battle. But you can show them
the Hakka explanation video
which explains the Hakka to
them.
Points to note/
Differentiation
Level:
Key question: What is
a ritual?
Communicate
and apply a
response to
rituals
Show them a clip about
footballers and religion from
Google video and then discuss
what faith and ritual brings to
their lives
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http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/
Primus-reveals-secret-behindPompey39s.3253145.jp
Show students the news report of
Linvoy Primus at Portsmouth
football club go through the rituals
that the Portsmouth football club do
before a match,
Ask students what rituals they do?
Does a ritual have to be religious?
Get them to write a brief answer in
their books.
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Enquire into what ritual
acts are
Will be beginning to
develop there explanations
of the reasons why the
different artefacts
Selection of
rosary beads,
prayer mats,
Candles, Icons,
Incense
Have selection of artefacts
on the table.
Pose the question, what do
you think that these are
used for?
Pupils are to enquire into
what they think each item is
used for and why they may
significant for that religion.
Why would they be used?
When would they be used?
Draw out from pupils when
they think they would be
used and what significance
they would have for people
using them,
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Contextualise this
within the first of the
7 dimensions.
Puja Clip on the
VLE
Explain that the first of the
seven dimensions is the ritual
dimension.
Explain that as we have seen
rituals are not always
religious e.g. the Hakka.
Show them the clip of the
Puja video on the VLE to
show an example of religious
ritual.
Different
religions text
books.
Explain that ritual is the first of
Ninian Smarts 7 dimensions.
Explore the ideas behind
what Ninian Smart said.
*Judaism for
Give pupils time to explore
today pg 22 –
different rituals within
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religions using the different
text book s that we have,
*Islam pg 22
Pupils need to have explored
*The Hindu
three separate types of ritual
experience pg 50 – and what happens within
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these. At this point take time
*Christianity pg to reiterate the symbolism of
religion.
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Evaluate whether
the ritual aspect of
a religion is
pointless.
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Pupils to complete the
assessment:
‘Rituals are a pointless
waste of time’
You will need to prep
students for this, this
could be done as verbal
boxing or a think talk
lesson,
After students have been
given time to discuss the
question they need to
spend a whole lesson
completing the
assessment Please go
through the markscheme
and WAD analysis with
them as this is the last
assessment in year 8.
THIS IS THE
ASSESSMENT
IN THIS UNIT.
A5 MARKSCHEMES
MUST BE ATTACHED
TO WORK AND
LEVELS ADDED TO
MARKBOOK
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Lesson number 5
The Home Study.
Set up the
homestudy with
the pupils.
CLIP FROM
SHAMAN
RELIGION
AND
http://video.google.com/videoplay?d
ocid=745733053160431398&ei=XyRwSD0NpHFAaMkuzkBg&q=shamanism&view=
3#
ANIMAL
PLANET –
REPTILE
CLIP
Show the pupils this video. Explain
there are all kinds of different
religions in the world and this is a
different religion that they may not
have heard of, a religion about
spirits.
This is
uploaded on
the VLE
Also show them the reptile
religion clip and talk about how
that is a different religion which
people believe in.
Hand out the homestudy task
sheets and go through it explaining
that they have to invent their own
religion and it has to include all of
the dimensions. Set hand in dates
for each part of the religion.
They can spend the rest of the
lesson beginning their homestudy
task 1 to come up with ideas and
ask any questions about the project.
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Spend a lesson setting up the home study and discussing what the
Requirements and setting up hand in dates.
The homestudy sheets are photocopied in the cabinet in 562
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The home study is
to be marked with
a P and Att grade,
but not until the
end of the unit!!
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Enquiry and skills
Intended learning outcomes
Cycle of learning no: 3
Most pupils should be able to:
Lesson: 6
Key concept: Awe
Resources
Teaching and learning
activities
PowerPoint
ALL VIDEOS ARE
INSERTED INTO
THE PowerPoint
BUT YOU DO
NEED TO HAVE
THE VIDEO CLIPS
SAVED ON YOUR
COMPUTER FOR
THEM TO WORK
CORRECTLY
Alternatively they
are also uploaded
to the VLE
Show ingredients of humanswhat does it make?
What is it that makes you
you? Discuss the idea of the
soul, and the thing inside us,
where is that?
Students draw a picture of
themselves in their books,
draw an arrow to where their
soul is, why can you not pin
point where the soul is?
Lead into the idea that is
something invisible that is
indescribable…
AMAZING PIC’S
CLIP
Show students pictures of
amazing pictures that make
people go WOW. What is
that? Draw out what the idea
of Awe is and where we can
find it.
Points to note/
Differentiation
Level: …..
Key question: what is it
that gives humans a
sense of Awe?
Communicate a
response to the idea
of awe
Apply the concept of
Awe to a sense of
wonder in the world
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Enquire into the
concept of awe
1
contextualise the
concept of awe
with mysticism
PRINCE OF
EGYPT CLIP
For religious people it is this
thing that makes them
religious. Show clip of Moses
and the burning bush (From
prince of Egypt)
- talk through the idea of a
religious experience and link
back to the work that we did
in the Does God Exist unit.
Discuss with students the
idea of awe from a religious
experience.
BUDDHISM CLIP
OF YOGA
Show Buddhism clip of
yoga. Go through with
students the idea of
Buddhism and mysticism
which comes from
meditation and yoga.
Discuss the need for
mysticism within a religion.
Develop the idea of awe
within this. In what other
ways may someone get a
sense of awe from a
religious practise?
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Evaluate the concept
of Awe within religion
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Does a believer need to have
a sense of awe in order to be
part of a religion?
Can a religion be a religion if
it doesn’t have a spiritual
dimension?
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Enquiry and skills
Cycle of learning no: 4
Lessons: 7
-8
Key concept: Holy
Books
Intended learning
outcomes
Resources
Teaching and learning activities
Powerpoint
Pupils to consider what the
pictures on the PowerPoint have in
common. – They are all about the
law.
The pupils then need to discuss
what laws exist and what laws they
know
Points to note/
Differentiation
Most pupils should be able
to:
Level: 5
Key question: What
benefit does a holy
book bring to a
religion?
Communicate a
response to where
pupils think laws
come from
Describe what laws are,
why they are needed.
Apply this to the
pupils thinking
about what happens
if there is no law
To be able to explain what
the consequences are if
there is no law
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Pupils then need to think about
what would happen if these laws
didn’t exist – what would be the
consequences?
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Enquire into where
laws come from
Contextualise the
idea of Holy Books
by looking at
different Stories
from the Bible
To be able to explain where
laws originate from
Ask pupils where they think laws
come from. Draw out the idea that
it isn’t just the government or the
country originally laws come from
This will take 2 lessons to
religion. Talk through 10
commandments and ask them if
complete.
they know where these come from.
Set up and give pupils some
Draw out the idea that these come
from the Bible, the Christian Holy
time to start the presentation
Book and people previously used
in lesson 1 and finish off and
Holy Books for a deeper
present in lesson 2
understanding of how people
should live their lives.
To be able to understand
Play Doh
Pupils will look at the importance
the importance of Stories
of Holy Books by looking at some
within Holy Books.
Bible Story Books
different stories from the Bible.
(You will need to
The pupils will work in table groups
share as there is
and will be given a different Bible
only enough for 2
story. The pupils can choose to
classes at one time) recreate the story using play-doh
You can move this
or role play. They will have some
lesson if there are
time to prepare before presenting
no books available
their ideas to the class before the
and do lesson 9
end of the lesson. It is important
before this one if
the pupils portray the importance
necessary.
of the story and the meaning
behind the story in their
explanation – What is the purpose
of the story?
(You could get a camera and film
their work)
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Explain that a Holy
Book contains
Stories – The
mythical and
Narrative
dimension, Rules
and Laws – The
Ethical/Legal
dimension and A
philosophy or
deeper meaning –
The Doctrinal
Dimension. The
Stories contain a
philosophy or
purpose.
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Evaluate why do we
need Holy Books in
a religion
To be able to explain with
reasons as to why we
need holy books in a
religion and why they are
important.
Is the only purpose of a Holy Book
to tell us a story?
Do we need Holy Books?
Pupils to write a answer to these
questions in their book – To be
marked with an attitude and
progress Grade
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To be marked
with an Attitude
and Progress
Grade
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Enquiry and skills
Cycle of learning no: 5
Lessons: 9
Key concept: Social and
Institutional Dimension
Intended learning
outcomes
Resources
Teaching and learning
activities
PowerPoint to
accompany the
lesson
Show first two slides of the PP
going through the idea that the
previous dimensions have all
been abstract and that the final
two are all about the
‘incarnation’ of the religion.
Points to note/
Differentiation
Most pupils should be able
to:
Level: …..
Key question: Why would
the community be s
important for a religious
believer?
Communicate a response to
the term social and
institutional
Ask pupils what they think the
Social and Institutional
dimension links to.
Apply this to themselves
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Having discussed what social
and institutional means to them,
draw out what social and
institutional groups the students
belong to, eg. Friend, family,
school, tutor group,
Ask the question of why people
group together.
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Enquire into the Social
Dimension of Islam
Contextualise this within
the Dimensions
Evaluate whether it is
necessary for religions to
come together as a
community.
Ummah prayer clip is
on the vle. It is a link
to Google video.
Go through the idea of the
Ummah with the students and
watch the clip on Islamic Prayer,
It is very Islam orientated.
The point of the clip though is to
discuss with the students the
idea of prayer together, and how
Muslims come together each
week and pray,
Why do they think that this is so
important for Muslims?
Brainstorm in groups examples
in other religions where people
come together as a
community/social aspect (e.g.
Christianity and Christmas –
could be social events where
people of that religion come
together to celebrate a common
belief)
Can we have a community of
one?
Is it important for religions to
celebrate their faith together or
individually?
Pupils to come up with reasons
why individually it might be
important and also why socially
group celebration is important.
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Enquiry and skills
Intended learning outcomes
Cycle of learning no: 6
Most pupils should be able to:
Lessons: 10
Key concept: Material
dimension
Key question: Should
e religious believer be
able to wear their
symbol of faith?
Resources
Teaching and learning activities
Points to note/
Differentiation
Level:5
Pupils be able to evaluate with
reasons as to whether religious
believers should be able to wear
their symbol of faith freely..
To communicate
a response to
short movie on
symbols of
identity
To think about the
symbols of belonging on
the mini movie
To apply this to
their own
symbols of
identity
To be able to describe what
symbols of identity they
have
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Mini movie Pose the question: What
on symbols symbols show our identity?
of identity
Show short film of different
symbols of identity.
Ask students the question what
symbols show our identity?
What symbols do you have that
show who you are?
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Enquire into the
material dimension
of the seven
dimensions
Contextualise the
material dimension
within Sikhism
To explain why students think
that Ninian Smart had this as his
last dimension
To be able to give a reasoned
argument as to what the
purpose of each of the five
Khelsa’s are.
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Explain that the last of the seven
dimensions is the material
dimension,
Ninian Smart states that it is the
material dimension that sets the
religious believer out from another,
whether it is the symbol of wearing
or the religious building or sacred
place that the believer will go on
pilgrimage.
If this is the outward sign of a
religion why do you think that Ninian
Smart kept the material dimension
till the end?
Explore into material dimension with
the students
5 Khalsa
picture cards
and
matching
definition
cards
Sikhs are a prime example of the
material dimension.
Hand out the Khelsa cards- pupils
are to discuss with each other what
the purpose of each of these
Khelsa’s are. What do they each
symbolise?
Give pupils time to discuss this and
then ask each group to present their
findings. Then hand out the second
set of cards with the definitions on
and see of they match up together,
Why do they think that these are
used by the Sikhs?
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Evaluate whether
religious followers
should allowed to
wear their symbols
of faith openly.
To be able to give a developed
perspective as to whether
religious believers should be
able to openly show their
material dimension.
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Article on
wearing of
crucifix and
wearing of
the Sikh
dagger.
Ninian Smart states that all religious
followers must have a symbol of
faith, e.g. the cross in Christianity
and the 5 K’s of Sikhism.
Show students the two articles from
the BBC on two people who have
campaigned to wear their symbols of
faith.
Ask students- do you think that
religious followers should be able to
show their material dimension
wherever and whenever they want?
Pupils could write an answer in their
books and then share it with the rest
of the class.
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Enquiry and skills
Intended learning outcomes
Cycle of learning no: 4
Most pupils should be able to:
Lessons: 12
Key concept:
ASSESSMENT
PREPERATION
Resources
Teaching and learning
activities
Is foot ball a
religion DVD clip
Explain that next lesson
they will be completing a
final creative piece for this
unit where they will have to
answer the question, “is
football a religion” they
need to use this lesson to
come up with ideas to help
them
Points to note/
Differentiation
Level: …..
Key question:
THESE LESSONS The pupils will be
WILL BE A FINAL answering the question.
“Is football a religion?”
CREATIVE
Show the pupils the movie
maker clip about whether
or not football could be a
religion.
Ask the pupils for their
initial thoughts about
whether they think football
could be classed as a
religion. Discuss as a
class.
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Sheet on
‘matches made
in heaven’
Hand out ‘Matches made
in heaven’ sheet. Get
pupils to read through the
sheet, or read through it as
a class. They need can
work in pairs then to pick
out bits which show
football as a religion.
They can highlight the
sheet or make notes in
their books.
Discuss as a class what
they have come up with.
Hand out A3 sheets to
pupils. Each table should
have 1 sheet each. Each
table will look at a different
dimension so you may
have to split tables up so
there are 7 groups.
They need to think of as
many reasons for each
dimension for how football
could be classed as a
religion.
Once they have
brainstormed ideas each
group needs to present
their ideas to the rest of
the class.
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Pupils should brainstorm in
their books ideas from
each presentation as to
why football could be a
religion.
To finish ask some pupils
to come up with one
reason why football could
be classed as a religion
and one reason why it
could not be a religion –
You can ask them to think
about this for a few
minutes and get them to
share their answers
verbally
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Enquiry and skills
Intended learning outcomes
Cycle of learning no: 4
Most pupils should be able to:
Lessons: 13
Key concept:
ASSESSMENT
Resources
Teaching and learning
activities
Points to note/
Differentiation
Level: …..
Key question:
PUPILS NEED TO
CREATE A
CREATIVE
RESPONSE TO
THE QUESTION –
Pupils can spend this
lesson in groups creating
their creative piece – this
can be completed in any
way that they wish!
“IS FOOTBALL A
RELIGION”
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