Teaching the Abrahamics
across the 5 strands:
5 Practical Resources
Catherine
Syms
HOD for RS at
Diocesan
school
Auckland
csyms@diocesan.school.nz
Aims of the session...
• To review tried and tested teaching strategies
designed for the middle school classroom
• To consider creative and challenging ways of
engaging students in understanding the
Abrahamic faiths
• To share collective experience and ideas
Strand 1 – Bible & Christianity
Is Jesus relevant today?
• Context:
‘Who was Jesus?’
• For:
Year 6 , 7 ( 8, 9 NZ)
• Development ideas: Research a selection of
religious inspirational
figures: Muhammad, Moses
Task Outline
• You will carry out an investigation into the
life of one Christian person who has been
inspired by Jesus Christ during the last
century.
• The aim is to produce a one page summary,
a short movie or 6 powerpoint slides about
this person.
• You will be expected to present your work
as a formal assessment in 3 lessons time.
Outline of specific tasks....
• In your summary you must include the following information:
• Paragraph/slide 1: A description of the person’s background –
when and where he/she was born and childhood/teenage details.
• Paragraph/slide 2: How and when he/she became inspired by
Jesus.
• Paragraph/slide 3: A discussion about what he/she
fought/worked for.
• Paragraph/slide 4: Show how his/her faith in Jesus Christ
influenced his/her actions.
• Paragraph/slide 5: Outline the difficulties he/she encountered
and the achievements you think he/she made.
• Paragraph/slide 6: Say whether you think this was a ‘great’
person - give reasons for your view
• Any other relevant information/pictures.
Choose one from the list below...
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Martin Luther King, (Civil Rights in America)
Mother Teresa, (Worked with the destitute in Calcutta)
Mother Aubert, (French Catholic nun - great work in early NZ)
Bishop Selwyn, (first Anglican bishop of New Zealand)
Nicky Cruz, (Former murderer and drug addict who converted to
Christianity)
Jackie Pullinger, (worked with drug gangs in Hong Kong)
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, (Christian leader against apartheid in S.
Africa)
Kathleen Hall, (missionary in China, her statue is in Holy Trinity
Cathedral)
Corrie Ten Boom (survivor and heroine of the holocaust)
Bono of U2 (singer and activist for humanitarian causes)
Mel Gibson (Actor and film producer of the Passion of the Christ)
Brooke Fraser (New Zealand born singer –song writer )
Pope John Paul II (The Pope from Poland who died two years ago)
Bishop Oscar Romero (Assassinated for standing up for the poor in El
Salvador)
Websites for basic information...
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Martin Luther King
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/mlkbiospot.html Biography of M.L.King
http://ctlibrary.com/6294 has details about M.L. King’s Christian beliefs.
Mother Teresa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa biography
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20031019_madre-teresa_en.html read
first paragraph to find out about what inspired her
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Mother Aubert
http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/A/AubertMotherMaryJoseph/AubertMotherMaryJoseph/en Read how
she was born in France and came to New Zealand - she had the largest funeral for a woman ever held in
New Zealand
http://www.monumentalstories.gen.nz/bio_28.html a brief biography of Mother Aubert telling more…
http://www.anglican.org.nz/Liturgical%20Resources/Other%20Liturgical%20Resources/FATSweb/0110.rtf
the first paragraph outlines why she became a nun and what sort of nun she wanted to be
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Archbishop Desmond Tutu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Tutu a biography
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1850318 this site has an excerpt from Tutu’s book
God has a dream
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/142334.stm this is useful for Tutu’s Christian beliefs
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And more...
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Mel Gibson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Gibson#Religion Look under the headings of Early Life, Family,
Religion,
The Passion of the Christ.
http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/mel_gibson_biog/10 See pages 8 and 9 for
back-ground to his film The Passion of the Christ.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/chrgibson1.htm An easy to read page on Gibson and his Christian
beliefs
Brooke Fraser
http://www.nzgirl.co.nz/articles/4285 An interview includes the statement that she is a Christian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooke_Fraser#_note-1 See Personal Life section with useful references
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsong_Church The church Brooke attends (See the heading Music)
Oscar Romero
http://www.answers.com/topic/scar-romero a good Wikipedia biography in English!
http://www.silk.net/RelEd/ezineromero.htm Skim one or two of these quotations to find his beliefs
http://www.wagingpeace.org/menu/programs/youth-outreach/peace-heroes/romero-oscar.htm A good
first two paragraphs to read
And Finally...
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Pope John Paul II
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_Paul_II A full biography
http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/96may/johnpaul.html You can find some of the things he believed in
so strongly in this brief biography
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/pope/ Click on the different parts of his life for details and pics.
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Bono
http://www.adherents.com/people/pb/Bono.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/02/14/60II/main271952.shtml
http://www.u2station.com/news/archives/1993/08/interview_with.php
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Kathleen Hall
http://www.nzchinasociety.org.nz/kathleenarticle.html Paragraph 3 begins to tell you about her belief
http://www.polygraphianz.com/ShrewdSanctity.html A brief biography on this site
http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/default.asp?Find_Quick.asp?PersonEssay=5H3 paragraph 3 excellent !
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Nicky Cruz http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicky_Cruz Excellent biography
http://www.nickycruz.org/about/the_man.htm also helpful - click on his Testimony
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Jackie Pullinger
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Pullinger and use the links given on this site
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Corrie Ten Boom
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrie_ten_Boom a good starter
http://www.intouch.org/myintouch/mighty/portraits/corrie_ten_boom_159770.html A good account!
Follow up activities...
•Students present their work to the rest of the class
•Hold a debate/vote about which person they think
most exhibits Christ’s teachings and message
•Issue cards with different statements about who
Jesus is – e.g. The Son of God, a clever man with good
ideas... Students select one or two they most identify
with and give reasons in an 100 word answer
Strand 2: World Religions
• For:
Years 6 – 8 ( NZ 7 – 9)
• Context:
Exploring religious identity
in symbols and places
Research alternative spiritual
places for identity and meaning
Interview members of
Abrahamic faith communities
to gain a better understanding
of religious unity and diversity
• Development:
Religious Identity: At the Western
Wall
View the western wall live on a
Webcam:
http://www.aish.com/wallcam/Win
dow_on_the_Wall.asp
•Read an account of a visit to the
western wall in Jerusalem
•Highlight every phrase or word
that shows Jewish identity
•What can you deduce from the
account about Jewish identity?
•What questions would you like
to ask? Research Judaism to find
out how a Jew might answer
Pilgrims in Makkah
•Watch the video link about
pilgrimage to Makkah with
specific questions – go to Google
search for ‘Makkah’
•In groups design a board game
about the Hajj. In it...
A. Tell the story of the hajj
including the key stages
B. Outline the purpose and
meaning for Muslim attendees
3. Ethics
• For:
Use with Year 10, 11, 12
(NZ 11, 12 & 13)
• Context:
Using music to introduce
Ethics
• Development ideas:
Compare materialism
with Abrahamic approaches
to ethics e.g. Natural Law,
Situation Ethics
An Introductory Exercise for Ethics..
Lily Allen – The Fear
I want to be rich and I want lots of money
I don't care about clever I don’t care about funny
I want loads of clothes and f@#kloads of diamonds
I heard people die while they are trying to find them
I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless
'Cuz everyone knows that's how you get famous
I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror
I'm on the right track yeah I'm on to a winner
Lily Allen Lyrics on www.lyrics-celebrities.anekatips.com
Chorus
I don't know what’s right and what's real anymore
I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
When we think it will all become clear
'Cuz I'm being taken over by The Fear
Life's about film stars and less about mothers
It's all about fast cars and passing each other
But it doesn't matter cause I’m packing plastic
and that's what makes my life so f@#king fantastic
And I am a weapon of massive consumption
and its not my fault it's how I'm program to function
I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror
I'm on the right track yeah I'm on to a winner
Bridge
Forget about guns and forget ammunition
Cause I'm killing them all on my own little mission
Now I'm not a saint but I'm not a sinner
Activity:
Groups analyse each
stanza and report back.
What does it tell us about
western society? Do they
think it’s true? Do they
disagree?
Look at evidence to
support this – ‘What’s
happening to our Girls?’
Stats.
Compare this with
Abrahamic religions
approach to ethics.
Apply ethical theories to a
range of current issues e.g.
Abortion, IVF , saviour
siblings
Follow up/alternatives
• Compare the lyrics with other pop artists e.g.
Pink ‘Stupid Girls’ – what are they saying?
• Consider questions of purpose and meaning
• ‘The Trouble with Paris’ – a Christian response
to materialism
• Film Study - ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’,
‘Happy Go Lucky’
• Groups explore a range of religious/ethical
responses/theories and present ideas
4. Philosophy
• For:
Use with Years 9 - 12
(NZ 10 -13)
• Context:
Evil, suffering and death
in the Abrahamics
• Development ideas:
Use video and film to
explore related themes
e.g. Blood Diamond, Hotel
Rwanda, The Matrix, Schindler’s
List, Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas
‘Tackling Tough Questions’
• Can be ordered from REToday Services, UK
ISBN 9781905893065
Includes...
• a CD rom with interviews between 2
Young people – an atheist and theist
exploring challenging questions
• a booklet with hundreds of ideas for use
in the classroom
• discussions on questions in 3 separate
programmes–
Why Evil? Why suffering? Why death?
Programme 1: Why Evil?
DVD clips in Programme 1
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Is evil real? Duration 4.54 mins
The source of evil: God or the Devil?
Evil as the misuse of freewill
A source of selfishness and altruism
Religion as a source of evil
Ideas to develop using art ...
• Ask students to sketch the work of art they
would make about evil and God
• Show the class 4 images created by students
in the UK
• Initially in pairs, then in groups of four, ask the
students to rank them: Which is best? What
does best mean here?
• In collaboration with the art department,
learners make creative responses to the topic
evil and God for themselves
Powerpoints on Spirited Art
• Pictures from the Spirited Art competition
based in the UK can be used here – see link See Google – ‘Tackling Tough questions’ PPT
http://www.retoday.org.uk/v_lib/ttq.ppt
Where is God?
In this slate-grey 3-D
corridor, a hunched red
plasticine figure sits.
Meredith (12) expresses
an experience. The words
say:
‘There was a man who
suffered every day and
every night. His sadness
radiated from him and his
anger burned like fire. He
sat in the dark at the end
of the corridor. He asked
“Is there a God? If there
is, why does he let me
suffer?” No answer came,
only silence. He curled up
and cried.’
Is personal suffering good
grounds for atheism?
Monumita’s picture of two young Muslims
praying over a backdrop of the shattered Twin
Towers of 9/11 asks profound questions about
God and religions. She writes: ‘devoted and
peaceful Muslims pray amongst the rubble of
the twin towers. This symbolizes the impact on
the perception of Islam in the media and
society today. I am very interested in this
religion: there are so many assumptions &
misinterpretations made by people about it. I
want to find out more and not be swept into
the acceptance of rumours and images
portrayed by the media and naivety of society.
The purpose of any religion is the spread of
peace. However if people continue to corrupt
this and use religion to channel their
aggression towards mankind then religion will
continue to be converted into political groups.
It’s up to us to stop this happening. Religion
and God are beautiful values which live deep
within us. Acted upon in a correct, unselfish
way, religion can help to rid the ever growing
injustice and discrimination against religions in
the world.’
My picture shows how I think god
is in the world. He is everywhere:
in good places but also in bad.
There are war images: is god
there when people fight and kill?
There is also a woman crying,
asking if god is there when you
feel alone. There are children, thin
and suffering: does god know that
they are ill? Is he watching them
slowly die? There is a Nazi flag
and the Jewish Star of David,
Holocaust and Hitler. Was God
there? But there are also children
dotted around happy and smiling,
the world isn’t only made up of
sadness, suffering, death, murder,
but also of happiness, joy and
love. Where is God? God is in
every person.
Elena is 15
Where is God?
Newspaper clippings
from today’s news with
barbed wire. My way of
symbolising war and
suffering for the world.
In the top left there’s a
big tear in the fabric;
underneath is bright
gold. This is where I
think God is, forever
growing larger in the
world and in our
hearts, biding his time
to cover the whole
image in gold.
Nicky, 14
Is Nicky correct? Is
God at work to bring
about more and
greater good in the
world?
5. Stillness and Silence
• For:
• Context:
• Development:
Year 6 – 9 (NZ 7-10)
Reflection on light
Investigate how the
Abrahamics respond to –
suffering, festivals, light,
good and evil....
Activity Outline
Sit in a circle where the lighting is soft. The group should be used to reflective silence
and be willing to sit quietly and still for a while
• Place a candle in the centre of the room, on a table visible to all. Ask the group to
look at the candle and speak about their responses
• After a few minutes take the candle away and put a spiral of wire in its place. Again
ask for responses
• After a few minutes place the candle inside the spiral of wire. Allow time for
responses.
• Ask the pupils to collect the resources they need to complete a personal response
to the exercise. Then provide an opportunity for discussion, initially in twos and
threes and then as a whole class.
• A group activity can follow to develop understanding of the themes or concepts
raised
Questions to ask
• What did the candle alone represent to you?
• What did the barbed wire alone represent to
you?
• What did the candle surrounded by the
barbed wire represent to you?
• What did you feel most strongly when viewing
each symbol?
• Do the Symbols remind you of any past events
or current events? What do they say about
those events?
Follow up work...
• Draw or paint or write a poem to represent
personal experience and feelings, expressing
what the symbols meant personally.
• Create a symbol to represent the meaning
identified most clearly or strongly in the
activity.
• Group work: Prepare and present a
dance/drama expressing different meanings
and questions
• Investigate: what the Abrahamics say about
God, suffering, peace, war...
Materials for Stillness and Silence...
This exercise was taken from ‘Reflections’:
Edited by Rosemary Rivett
REToday Services: ISBN 1904024076
Plenary
• Strand 1 – Using technology to
understand Christianity
• Strand 2 – Real time visits to special places in
the Abrahamics
• Strand 3 - Music as a tool to Religious ethical
thinking and theory
• Strand 4 – Art as a philosophical tool
• Strand 5 – Stillness and reflection
on Abrahamic themes