religious education ks2 lesson plans

RE lesson plans Christianity

There are two ways of viewing the lesson plans:

• This page lists all lesson plans, worksheets, resource pages and PowerPoint Presentations.
• A more pictorial way of seeing the lesson plans and

Teachers just do not have the time to research RE Christianity, so here are 36 free, ready-made lesson plans with worksheets to give an introduction to Christianity.

Each of these KS1 and KS2 RE lesson plans is for a complete, standalone classroom lesson.

Just choose Keystage 1 or Keystage 2 and then locate your teaching theme. All these Christianity lesson plans are designed for busy teachers to print, or display electronically, with very little planning or effort.

The material will suit a wide range of churches from traditional, Charismatic and catholic religious education lesson plans.

I am gradually putting these lesson plans onto PowerPoint presentation slides that can be used directly by the teacher in the classroom for the pupils. See SlideShare .

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Table of Contents:

Please send any feedback on these lesson plans via the comments page , thanks.

Using the progression documents in the Agreed Religious Education Syllabus

“The Progression Documents are designed to support teachers with the preparation of schemes of work. The progressions contain information on the important knowledge appropriate to each key stage, as well as suggestions for vocabulary, questions and activities. Following the progressions should enable students to develop an understanding of the religion or non-religious worldview and what it means to live one’s life as a follower of the religion or world view today. These progressions are not designed to tell teachers how to teach RE. They are a guide to what core content is recommended to be covered in order for students to develop a sound understanding.” [iii] ‘The Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education’ Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Peterborough, Rutland County Councils.

These lesson plans are based on the Progression Documents of The Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Peterborough, Rutland County Councils. This is in the light blue text. The green text is from other Councils: Lewisham Borough, West Sussex, Hull and East Riding.

RE Lesson Plans Key Stage 1

Key vocabulary to be used in KS1 lesson plans:

Advent, Baptism, Bible, Christ, Christmas, Church, Creation, Disciple, Easter, Faith, God, Harvest, Holy, Hymn, Jesus, Prayer, Priest, Vicar, Worship.

1.[a] Visit to a local Church KS1. RE resources:

1.[a] and 1.[b] have overlapping lesson plans depending on whether a church visit is available or not:

(If you are not planning to visit a church then do 1.[b] ‘What is the church? RE lesson plan’ below.)

Visiting a local church can be fun and gives a big, fat tick on what you should be covering in RE. The lesson plan gives suggestions on what questions to ask and what to look out for on the visit. The resources include:

• What is the Church? – RE Lesson plan as a PowerPoint presentation
• Places of worship. Lesson plan as a PowerPoint presentation
• A free children’s song: ‘L.O.V.E.’
• Children could ask these questions when visiting a church as part of the lesson plan
• Teacher’s cheat question sheet

See: Visit to a local Church KS1. RE resources

1.[b] What is the Church? RE resources:

Is the Church just a building? The lesson plan looks at different types of churches and what makes them different. Explore why Christians go to church and what actually happens there. what is a church service like? The resources include:

• What is Church? Lesson plan as a PowerPoint presentation
• What is Church: lesson plan
• What is Church Worksheet 1
• What is Church Worksheet 2
• What is in a Christian service at church? lesson plan
• Church items worksheet
• Three free children’s songs: [i] ‘What is Prayer?’ [ii] ‘Why do We Pray?’ [iii] ‘How do we pray?’

See: What is the Church? RE resources

2. Is Jesus a historical figure? RE resources:

Jesus is a person from history and there are non-Christian records of him. Here we look at the evidence and at how many eyewitnesses there were. How many Christians are there in the world now? How many followed Jesus then – his teaching and miracles attracted people. The resources include:

• Is Jesus a Historical Figure? Lesson plan as a PowerPoint presentation.
• Timeline downloadable template.
• Is Jesus a Historical Figure – RE lesson plan.
• Create a historical timeline.
• Timeline pictures.
• Two free children’s songs about Jesus: [i] ‘Jesus’ compassion -The Man with Leprosy Bible Story. ‘ [ii] ‘God’s Story – Jesus’.

See: Is Jesus a historical figure? RE resources

3. Parables of Jesus. RE resources:

What are the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan, and other parables all about? They were just simple stories, but they had deep spiritual meanings and truths. The resources include:

• Parables of Jesus – RE lesson plan (Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan).
• Parables of Jesus Worksheet.
• More Parables of Jesus – RE lesson plan – Coming soon.
• Three free songs: [i] ‘Bouncing Back – Resilience & Wellbeing Song.’ [ii] The story of ‘The Prodigal Son.’ [iii]‘The Good Samaritan.’

See Parables of Jesus. RE resources .

4. Christmas and Easter simply explained. RE resources:

[a] Christmas is a busy time of sourcing presents, writing cards, stocking up on food, and drink and then hopefully having good times with others. So what is behind the festival of Christmas, most people know it is about Jesus being born, and then the other details come from Nativity plays. We will take a look at what actually happened over 2000 years ago…

[b] Easter is, for most people a welcome break, but what were the actual events that occurred in what is now known as Holy Week and Easter?

The resources include:

• Christmas Explained. RE lesson plan.
• Christmas drama: Christmas Nativity drama.
• Easter Explained. RE lesson plan.
• Three free children’s songs about Christmas: [i] ‘A Band of Angels.’ [ii] ‘Let us Go to the Manger and Join the Celebration.’ [iii] ‘Animal Christmas Manger.’

See Christmas and Easter simply explained. RE resources

5. What is in the Bible? RE resources:

The Bible has been written over thousands of years and consists of many authors, yet Christians believe that it was inspired by God. The children will learn what makes the Bible one complete story and how it relates to each of its other parts.

• What is in the Bible? RE lesson plan – Coming soon due to changes in the RE syllabus.
• Three free songs: [i] ‘What is the Bible?’ [ii] ‘How Do We Read the Bible?’ [iii] ‘The Books of the Bible – a Fun way to learn the order of the 66 books.’

See What is in the Bible? RE resources

6. Big Bible stories. RE resources:

There are many great stories within the Bible and it is difficult to narrow it down to five really good ones. You can choose from this list which ones to use:

Creation of the world, Moses and the Egyptians, David and Goliath the Philistine, Daniel in the lion’s den, and Jonah swallowed by a giant fish. The resources include:

• [a] Ruth and Naomi Bible Story video.
• [b] Jonah and the Whale Bible Story video.
• [c] Noah and the Flood Bible Story video with puppets giving the story of how the animals came to Noah, how the Ark was built, etc.
• [d] Big Bible stories – RE lesson plan – Coming soon due to changes in the RE syllabus.

See Big Bible stories. RE resources

7. Does Christianity change lives? RE resources:

Being a Christian does change lives. The result should be no cheating, bullying, aggressive attitudes and more peace and fulfilment. The resources include:

• Does Christianity Change Lives? RE Lesson plan.
• Gang Members sketch.
• Christian Life – RE lesson plan – Coming soon due to changes in the RE syllabus.
• Three children’s songs about having Christian attitudes. [i] ‘Build a strong foundation in your life.’ [ii] ‘Be kind and compassionate.’ [iii] ‘The Tadpole and Caterpillar Song.’

See Does Christianity change lives? RE resources

8. Harvest festival. RE resources:

An in-depth look at the harvest festival and how Christians believe that God created the world to be fruitful. The lesson plan introduces the idea that throughout the year there are several Christian festivals.

• Three children’s songs about Harvest time: [i] ‘Harvest song – the wonderful world we live in.’ [ii] ‘Harvest song – Growing, Growing taller every day.’ [iii] ‘Harvest song – A miracle is happening to you and me.’
• Harvest – RE lesson plan – Coming soon due to changes in the RE syllabus.

See The Harvest Festival. RE resources

9. Famous Christians. RE resources:

There are Christians who are competing in sports and we will look at some of them.

Also, a young girl of about 8 or 9 called Mary Jones, in about 1793 was determined to get her hands on a Bible that she went to extraordinary lengths to get one. She became famous because of what she did. The resources include:

• Famous Christians – Mary Jones lesson plan.
• A free children’s song about us being unique – Nobody’s A Nobody.
• The Christians in Sport lesson plan Coming soon due to changes in the RE syllabus.
• Video shorts of Christians in sport: [i] An overview of Christians who play sports professionally. [ii] Jenny Tait, an international volleyball player speaks briefly about her faith. [iii] A Welsh Rugby World Cup player shares a piece of his faith. [iv] Ultramarathon athlete Donnie Campbell answers a question about his faith. [v] Peter Browne, a professional rugby player, says how Christianity shaped his life.

See Famous Christians. RE resources

RE Lesson Plans Key Stage 2 Lower

Advent, Baptism, Bible, Christ, Christmas, Church, Creation, Disciple, Easter, Faith, God, Gospel, Harvest, Holy, Hymn, Jesus, Lent, New Testament, Old Testament, Parables, Pentecost, Prayer, Priest, Prophet, Ten Commandments, Vicar, Worship.

10. The Church year and the festival of Harvest. RE resources:

Some Christian churches have a ‘Church Year’ where Christian festivals are set throughout the year, such as; Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and Harvest. Other churches may celebrate some of these festivals. Here we give an overview of the festivals, looking more closely at the Harvest Festival.

• Three free children’s songs about Harvest and the wonderful world we live in. [i] ‘Harvest song – the wonderful world we live in.’ [ii] ‘Harvest song – Growing, Growing taller every day’. [iii] ‘Harvest song – A miracle is happening to you and me.’
• Harvest festival – RE lesson plan – Coming soon due to changes in the RE syllabus.

See Church year and festival of Harvest. RE resources

11. Christian Festival of Advent. RE resources:

The children will look at the festival of Advent which celebrates Jesus Christ as God, leaving heaven to be born of Mary in Bethlehem. Advent also looks to the future when, Christians believe that, Jesus will return again as the all-powerful king at the end of the world, when there will be a completely new heaven and Earth where there will be no more suffering or pain. The resources include:

• Christian Festival of Advent. RE lesson plan
• Advent worksheet
• Two free children’s songs about Jesus: [i] ‘What is Advent? for Kids’. [ii] ‘The Kingdom of God Song (In God’s Kingdom everyone is welcome)’.

See the Christian festival of Advent. RE resources

12. The festival of Christmas. RE resources:

This is a deeper look at the festival of Christmas (there is a lesson plan for Key Stage 1 which is not so detailed, see; Christmas and Easter simply explained ).

It is a tough, but exciting story when seen in its full details, especially focusing in on how those involved at the time were affected by it. The story is much deeper than a baby being born in Bethlehem. There is also a reminder of the Church Year with its different festivals.

• Two children’s songs about Christmas: [i] ‘A Band of Angels.’ [ii] ‘The Busy Little Christmas Song – Make Time For Jesus This Christmas.’
• The festival of Christmas lesson plan. Coming soon due to changes in the RE syllabus.

See The festival of Christmas. RE resources

13. Lent, Ascension Day & Pentecost festivals. RE resources:

Here are three lesson plans covering three Christian festivals from the Church Year:

[a] Lent celebrates when Jesus was in the desert for 40 days and was tempted by the Devil and overcame his schemes.

[b] Ascension Day celebrates Jesus rising from the dead, showing himself to over 500 people and then ascending back to heaven from a mountaintop.

[c] Pentecost celebrates Jesus sending the Holy Spirit from heaven upon his followers.

• [1] The Festival of Lent lesson plan (also looks at the Trinity).
• Lent Worksheet.
• Two free children’s songs: [i] ‘The Lent Song’. [ii] For Lent: ‘What Is Fasting?’
• [2] Ascension Day Festival lesson plan. Coming soon due to changes in the RE syllabus.
• A free children’s song: ‘Ascension Song.’
• [3] The Festival of Pentecost lesson plan
• Pentecost Worksheet.
• A free children’s song – ‘Pentecost Song No More Waiting.’

See Lent, Ascension Day & Pentecost festivals. RE resources

14. Christian Festival of Holy Week. RE resources:

The children will learn about Holy Week where Jesus, knowing that the religious leaders were jealous of him and were going to kill him, still continued to teach about the Kingdom of Heaven and perform miracles. He also told his disciples that he was going to be beaten and crucified, but that he was going to be raised back to life. Holy Week takes us up to his trial and crucifixion. The resources include:

• The Christian festival of Holy Week lesson plan (Palm Sunday to Thursday night)
• Christian Festival of Holy Week worksheet 1
• Christian Festival of Holy Week worksheet 2
• Free songs: [i] ‘Cloaks and Branches’ about Palm Sunday. [ii] ‘E is for The Easter and Holy Week Song with Actions.’

See the Christian festival of Holy Week. RE resources

15. Christian festival of Easter. RE resources:

This lesson plan looks at Easter in more detail than the earlier one for Key Stage 1 ‘4. Christmas and Easter Simply explained’ above. The children will learn about the horrible events of Easter that eventually turned into a huge victory. The story includes murderous jealousy, a friend’s betrayal, wicked unlawful actions by the authorities, a weak governor washing his hands and authorising Jesus’ cruel whipping and crucifixion, his lifeless body being laid in a cave and guarded by soldiers, but then him being raised from the dead…

• Christian festival of Easter. RE lesson plan
• Easter worksheet – Football sketch
• Easter worksheet
• Two free children’s songs about Good Friday and Easter [i] E is for The Easter and Holy Week Song with Actions. [ii] ‘God’s Story – Easter’ by Crossroads Kids’ Club. [iii] ‘Good Friday and Easter Sunday actions poem’ for Children.

See the Christian festival of Easter. RE resources

16.[a] KS2 Church visits. RE resources:

Hopefully, the children have looked around a church in KS1 and ideally have learnt about the sort of things that happen in churches. Now the children should explore why certain ceremonies and things are done, for example, child and adult baptism, etc.

• KS2 Church Visits lesson plan – Coming soon due to changes in the RE syllabus.
• A free children’s song about forgiveness – ‘Forgiving Song – Forgiving Isn’t Easy!’

See KS2 Church visits. RE resources

16.[b] What is Christian baptism?

Find out what Christian baptism means. For some, it is being baptised as a baby and then confirming their belief in Jesus when old enough to decide. Others see baptism as being carried out when someone becomes a Christian. The children will explore these situations. The resources include:

• What is Baptism and Confirmation? RE Lesson plan as a PowerPoint presentation.
• What is Christian baptism? RE lesson plan.
• Baptism worksheet.
• A free children’s song – ‘Baptism – God’s Story’ by Crossroads Kids’ Club.

See: What is Christian baptism? RE resources

17.[a] What did Jesus do? RE resources:

Why did Jesus choose to mix amongst the crowds, did he have a definite mission, or did he adapt as he went along? The lesson plan gives an outline of what Jesus did. He stood out for relating to the despised, the marginalised and he spoke out against those who abused their power. The resources include:

• Jesus and Nicodemus Lesson Plan
• Rule Cards to go with the lesson plan above.
• Jesus and Nicodemus worksheet
• What did Jesus do? RE lesson plan – Coming soon due to changes in the RE syllabus.
• Two free songs: [i] ‘Jesus Never Turned Anyone Away – Never, Never, Never!’ [ii] ‘For God so loved the World.’

See: What did Jesus do? RE resources

17.[b] How to find a Bible verse lesson plan:

The children look at using a grid reference to find a place on a map, then they will try to find a sentence in a book and lastly find several Bible verses.

• How to find a Bible verse lesson plan. The song in 17 [a] could be used.

See: How to find a Bible verse lesson plan

18. What did Jesus teach? RE resources:

The Old Testament had many laws and the most famous collection of laws was the Ten Commandments. For hundreds of years, the Jews thought that believing in God was only about obeying all those laws. Jesus came and seemed to take it even further:

“You have heard that it was said to those of old ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment…” Matthew 5:21-22

What is going on? One of the lesson plans will explore this and look at the ‘Two Great Commandments’, and other teachings. Also, we will learn about the four gospels giving ‘good news’ about Jesus and how to find a reference in the Bible using chapters and verses.

Another lesson plan will look at what Jesus said about himself: “I am the good Shepherd… I am the bread of life… I am the Resurrection… I am the Light of the world”.

• What did Jesus teach? RE Lesson plan as a PowerPoint presentation
• What did Jesus teach? Lesson plan.
• I am the Resurrection sketch
• What did Jesus teach? Worksheet.
• Two free children’s songs about what Jesus taught: [i] ‘For God so loved the world.’ [ii] ‘Born Again John 3:3’
• RE lesson plans covering the “Two Great Commandments”, some parables, the Kingdom of God and the four gospels. – Coming soon due to changes in the RE syllabus.

See: What did Jesus teach? RE resources

19. What is the Bible? RE resources:

The Bible is several books and has two main parts; the Old and New Testaments. Although it is written by a lot of different people, Christians believe that it is all inspired by God. What can the Bible teach us nowadays? The resources include:

• What is the Bible? Free Lesson plan as a PowerPoint presentation.
• What is the Bible? RE lesson plan.
• What is the Bible? Worksheet 1.
• What is the Bible? Worksheet 2.
• A free children’s song – ‘God’s Story: The Bible’ by Crossroads Kids’ Club.

See: What is the Bible? RE resources

20. A Famous Christian in History. RE resources:

John Bunyan, born in 1628, was a non-conformist trying to live out his Christian faith away from the government-controlled church. He is one of the many famous Christians in history, he suffered terribly for many years in a deplorable prison cell, but he still managed to write a book ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ which is now second on the 10 Best-Selling Novels of All Time having sold 250 million copies. The resources include:

• Famous Christians in history. Lesson plan as a PowerPoint presentation
• Famous Christians in history lesson plan (about John Bunyan).
• The true story of John Bunyan – Children’s handout.
• John Bunyan questions printable worksheet.
• Two free children’s songs: [i] ‘Go Out Of Your Way To Help Others’ (Out of His Way). [ii] ‘Wherever I Go’

See Famous Christians in History. RE resources

21. Christian visitor to talk at the school. RE resources:

Invite an active Christian into school to talk about themself and to answer the children’s questions. Find out what motivates them, how they become a Christian, why and how they pray, their meaning and purpose in life, how their church helps the local community, etc. The resources include:

• Organise a Christian visitor to talk in an RE lesson
• Questions to ask a Christian visitor at school for the KS2 lesson
• A free children’s song – ‘Growing! Springing into life.’

See Christian visitor to talk at school. RE resources

22. Looking at a contemporary Christian. RE resources:

Twenty-two-year-old Jackie Pullinger went to Hong Kong to work in the most horrendous conditions and she has worked there for her whole life. The Walled City where she lived and worked was full of Triad gangs, heroin addicts and slaves, but because she was full of love for God and people the Triad gangs started to trust her. Many hundreds were converted to Christianity and came off of heroin. The resources include:

• Looking at a contemporary Christian. RE lesson plan
• Looking at a contemporary Christian RE worksheet
• Two free children’s songs: [i] ‘You Are You!’ A song about being you. [ii] ‘God’s People Aren’t Super Brave, Super Heroes!’

See Looking at a Contemporary Christian. RE resources

RE Lesson Plans Key Stage 2 Upper

Advent, Ascension, Baptism, Bible, Christ, Christmas, Church, Creation, Disciple, Easter, Faith, God, Gospel, Grace, Harvest, Holy, Holy Communion, Holy Spirit, Hymn, Incarnation, Jesus, Lent, Lord’s Prayer, Lord’s Supper, Mass, Miracle, Myth, New Testament, Old Testament, Parables, Pentecost, Prayer, Priest, Prophet, Psalm, Resurrection, Saint, Salvation, Sin, Soul, Ten Commandments, Trinity, Vicar, Worship.

23. What is Holy Communion / the Last Supper? RE resources:

Christians celebrate Holy Communion (also called the Lord’s Supper, or Mass). The children will learn how Jesus started this practice and why. Knowing that he was shortly going to be unlawfully executed, he announced that his blood was going to be for a new covenant, poured out for the forgiveness of sins. The resources include:

• What is Holy Communion – the Last Supper? RE lesson plan
• The Courtroom sketch lesson plan
• Holy Communion worksheet
• Free children’s songs: [i] ‘Why Do We Do Communion?’ [ii]’How Do We Do Communion?’ [iii] ‘Only Jesus’

See What is Holy Communion, the Last Supper? RE resources

24. The Lord’s Prayer. RE resources:

What’s in the Lord’s Prayer and what does it mean? Jesus tells the crowd how not to pray, and then he gives a demonstration prayer. It contains many elements and the children can unpack all the meanings. Many people have learnt the prayer and can recite it from memory. The resources include:

• The Lord’s Prayer lesson plan
• The Lord’s Prayer Worksheet 1
• The Lord’s Prayer Worksheet 2
• Free children’s song – ‘The Lord’s Prayer Song – Our Father in Heaven’

See The Lord’s Prayer. RE resources

25. Christian hymns and songs. RE resources:

Christian hymns, songs and Psalms tell stories, express emotions, and reveal spiritual truths. The children will discover different styles of music, and be taught more about the Christian faith. The resources include:

• Hymns, Prayers and Creeds lesson plan
• Christian Hymns and Songs Worksheet
• How Christians Worship. Lesson plan as a PowerPoint presentation
• What is Christian worship? RE lesson plan
• What is Christian Worship Worksheet 1
• What is Christian Worship Worksheet 2
• Free children’s songs: [i]‘For Your Glory’ [ii] ‘Great Big God’ [iii] ‘We Want to See Jesus Lifted High’ [iv] ‘On We Go’

See Christian hymns and songs. RE resources

26. The Biblical Creation story. RE resources:

Some see the creation story as a myth or parable, others take its six sections as being six long eras, whilst others see the six days being literally six days. The children will explore this and how it fits with modern scientific views. The resources include:

• The Biblical Creation Story lesson plan
• The Biblical Creation Story worksheet 1
• The Biblical Creation Story worksheet 2
• Free children’s song – ‘Great is the Lord’ by the Compass Bible Church.

See The Biblical Creation story. RE resources

27. What are miracles? RE resources:

Jesus performed many miracles. These were not tricks, even his enemies did not doubt the reality of someone getting healed in the presence of many people – a crowd that would have known the crippled person, etc. These miracles were signs, there were prophesies in the Old Testament that implied that the Messiah when he came, would be recognised by his miracles. The resources include:

• What are miracles? Lesson plan
• What are miracles worksheet
• Free children’s song – ‘Jesus and his Miracles’

See What are miracles? RE resources

28. The Trinity in the Bible and the Holy Spirit. RE resources:

The word ‘Trinity’ is not actually in the Bible, it refers to the three persons that make up God; God the Father, God the Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. These three persons are obviously seen within the pages of the Bible and are all present when Jesus got baptised in the river Jordan.

God’s Spirit within the Old Testament came upon his prophets so that they could speak his words. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is available to those who believe, and he comes within them to be their helper.

• The Trinity and Holy Spirit – lesson plan – New version coming soon due to changes in the RE syllabus.
• Free children’s song – The Trinity Song 3 in 1.

See The Trinity in the Bible and the Holy Spirit. RE resources

29.[a] Death and life after death. RE resources:

In our ‘Western culture’ death is not talked about and at funerals, the deceased person is not seen. Whereas in some countries the coffin is open. Also, if it is a burial, the soil is covered over by carpets to ‘soften the impact’ that this person’s body is being laid in the ground. Death is one of life’s certainties, that is, at some point we have all got to die, so why should it be a taboo subject? Many families keep pets and inevitably one of those will die, so it is good for providing us with some experience in handling life’s problems.

Some people believe that somehow people live on after death and are looking down upon us now, others that death is the end – that nothing exists beyond that, and others believe in a God that creates a life after death. The children will explore this subject. The resources include:

• Death and life after death lesson plan.
• Death and life after death worksheet 1.
• Death and life after death worksheet 2.
• Free children’s songs: [i] ‘For God So Loved the World.’ [ii] ‘I Know The Plans I Have for You’

See Death and life after death. RE resources

29.[b] Why is there suffering in the World?

The first answer may be because of some aggressive, greedy dictator but suffering can be caused by natural disasters, accidents, own irresponsibility, a hard training regime, bullies, and even rescuing someone from a freezing river. Many Christians suffer in countries that want to destroy Christianity. But that still leaves the difficult question of why is there suffering in the world. We will try to explore this difficult subject. The resources include:

• Why is there suffering in the World? Lesson plan
• Why is there suffering in the World? Worksheet 1
• Why is there suffering in the World? Worksheet 2
• A free children’s song – ‘Remembrance Song – Wear your Poppy with Pride’.

See: Why is there suffering in the World? RE resources

30. Looking after our Planet. RE resources:

It is sickening to see wonderful forests being destroyed, rivers and oceans polluted, etc. This world is an amazing place that was designed to support life in all its abundance. The children will look at how and why we should look after the world. The resources include:

• Looking after our Planet lesson plan
• Looking after our Planet worksheet
• A free children’s song – ‘One World’

See: Looking after our planet. RE resources

31. Lifestyle and moral principles. RE resources:

Some want new cars, new houses, and the latest gadgets for their lifestyle to be acceptable. Others waste their lives waiting to win the Lottery and so they do not enjoy the moment. Some find satisfaction in helping others. The children will look at some situations to enable them to decide on what to do.

Then another lesson plan looks at Zacchaeus from the Bible who was very greedy and cheated people out of their money until he met Jesus… The resources include:

• Lifestyle and Moral Principles lesson plan
• Lifestyle and Moral Principles Worksheet 1
• Lifestyle and Moral Principles Worksheet 2
• Free children’s song about not grumbling or arguing, but shining like stars – ‘Stars Song’.
• Values example: ‘bad’ Zacchaeus lesson plan
• Values example: ‘bad’ Zacchaeus worksheet 1
• Values example: ‘bad’ Zacchaeus worksheet 2
• Free children’s songs: [i] ‘Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man’ [ii] ‘The short story of Zacchaeus.’

See Lifestyle and moral principles. RE resources

32. Christian ministries and talents. RE resources:

People may think that all Christian ministries are all paid roles, but that is just not the case. Christians believe that God gives talents and gifts to everyone, however insignificant that person may seem.

• Christian ministries and talents – lesson plan – New version coming soon due to changes in the RE syllabus.
• A free children’s song about being faithful. ‘Daniel a Fun Bible Story Song’ – Dare to Be different and to remain faithful!

See Christian ministries and talents. RE resources

Wide public support for RE in schools

“New research published today reflects public endorsement for high quality Religious Education (RE) in our schools. Good quality RE is widely understood to be at risk of being squeezed out of the curriculum despite it being highly valued. This new research shows over half (53%) of all adults in England and Wales who gave an opinion either way say RE should remain a compulsory subject. 58% agreed it is beneficial for all pupils to participate in RE lessons. This rose to a majority (63%) among 18-24 year olds. Today’s research on attitudes to RE was conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Religious Education Council of England and Wales (REC)” [i] ‘RE for good – wide public support for RE in schools’ Religious Education Council of England and Wales.

Why RE Matters

“The ability to understand the faith or belief of individuals and communities, and how these may shape their culture and behaviour, is an invaluable asset for children in modern day Britain. Explaining religious and non-religious worldviews in an academic way allows young people to engage with the complexities of belief, avoid stereotyping and contribute to an informed debate.” [ii] ‘Working together to strengthen the provision of religious education in England and Wales’ Religious Education Council of England and Wales.

Teacher comments on RE lesson plan resources

To make your comments, thoughts and feedback known, go to:

• Teacher’s comments from around the world on Free Primary R.E. resources
• Some more comments: KS1 and KS2 teacher comments on free lesson plans

What makes a good RE lesson?

Christianity RE should be focused on the teachings and life of Jesus Christ. The lesson should provoke lots of questions from the children. A good Christianity lesson is one that does not just focus on objects, like a font, a chalice, a lectern, etc. These lesson plans have many questions that the teacher can ask the children to get them interested and involved. Christianity is not a detached religion but is a way of life.

References:

[i] ‘RE for good – wide public support for RE in schools’ Religious Education Council of England and Wales. https://www.religiouseducationcouncil.org.uk/?news=re-good-wide-public-support-re-schools [ii] ‘Working together to strengthen the provision of religious education in England and Wales’ Religious Education Council of England and Wales. https://www.religiouseducationcouncil.org.uk/ [iii] ‘The Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education’ Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Peterborough, Rutland County Councils. https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/asset-library/imported-assets/AgreedReligiousEducationSyllabus2018-2023.pdf

• Get Involved

Encountering Faiths & Beliefs for KS2 and KS3

To succeed in today’s complex and diverse world, young people need to be able to communicate sensitively and effectively with anyone, regardless of beliefs or background.

This resource enables your students to ‘meet’ people (films of our F&BF speakers) of different faiths, beliefs and identities, telling their personal story of their lived experience of their faith or belief. This is a unique experience, as the speakers are opening up about what their beliefs mean to them, and it offers your students to relate, question, draw out similarities and identify differences in their own beliefs. Students will hopefully find a connection with someone they may not ordinarily meet and explore their own identities.

Curriculum mapping:  

Encountering faiths & beliefs map to the following topics and subtopics in the national curriculum for  Religious Education.

World religions:   Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Interfaith issues, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism 

Meaning and Purpose:   Belief in God, Identity, Spiritual and personal views  

Religion and society :  Community cohesion

Explore each story or scroll down to find a lesson plan to help with class teaching.  KS3/Secondary School stories and classroom resources are further down the page.

KS2 PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Below you will find YouTube films of our trained and DBS checked F&BF speakers, talking about their Faith or Belief.

KS2 LESSON PLAN, WORKSHEET AND PRESENTATION

Download our lesson plan, which guides you on how to use the films in the classroom.

SAFE SPACE FILM FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS COMING SOON (years 5 and 6 can use the KS3  Safe Space film)

Send worksheet questions for speakers to [email protected] who will arrange an online session with the speakers to discuss the answers.

KS3: SECONDARY SCHOOLS

KS3 LESSON PLAN, WORKSHEET AND PRESENTATION

Send workseet questions for speakers to [email protected]  who will arrange the answers or live forum session with speakers.

ACTIVITY BANK

Journey Wheel

Topic: World religions, Meaning & Purpose/Key Stage: 2

Journey Wheel activity

Decisions diamond

Topic: World religions, Meaning & Purpose/Key Stage: 3, 4

Decisions diamond activity

Topic: Identity/Key Stage: all

Backpack activity

Backpack template

Circles of me

Topic: Identity/Key stages: 3,4

Circles of me activity

Circles of me template

Design my dream place

Topic: Group Identity/Key Stage: all

Design my dream place activity

My name my story!

Topic: Identity/Key Stage 2,3

My name my story activity

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What do Muslims believe?

In this lesson, we will be learning about some of the key aspects of the Muslim faith, exploring their six main beliefs, as well as taking a glance at the Five Pillars of Islam.

Lesson details

Key learning points.

• How Islam means 'submission'
• Belief in the existence and oneness of God (Allah).
• Belief in the existence of angels.
• Belief in the existence of the books of which God is the author: especially the Quran (revealed to Muhammad).
• Belief in the existence of all Prophets.

This content is made available by Oak National Academy Limited and its partners and licensed under Oak’s terms & conditions (Collection 1), except where otherwise stated.

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Exclusive for NATRE School Enhanced members, discover our new Primary RE Curriculum— an all-inclusive lesson plans tool crafted by expert teachers at RE Today Services . Revolutionise your approach to teaching religious and non-religious worldviews to pupils of 4 to 11-year-olds (EYFS, KS1 and KS2).

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Each lesson is written with local syllabuses in mind and will complement many agreed syllabi.

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• Religion and worldviews

Progressive scheme of work taking a new approach to teaching religion in primary schools. Lesson plans and resources KS1 and KS2, including CPD videos, pupil videos and planning materials.

• Religion and worldviews scheme of work for Year 1 - Year 6
• Written in consultation with experienced advisors and representatives from the included worldviews
• Covers the Religious Education Council Curriculum Framework for RE in England (non-statutory guidance)
• Built-in CPD with teacher subject knowledge
• Progressive, diverse and relevant curriculum

Knowledge and skills developed

• Responding to life's 'big questions'
• Understanding key religious concepts
• Building substantive knowledge
• Developing disciplinary skills
• Contributing to informed discussions
• Exploring diversity

Useful resources

• Religious Education Council curriculum framework mapping
• Information about the scheme for the school website

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Our approach.

Our Religion And Worldview Approach

Are you a subject leader?

Access a free toolkit packed with valuable resources to support curriculum planning and organisation in R&W/RE. You’ll find pupil voice documents, an Ofsted audit, a teacher knowledge audit, and more. Feel confident in your leadership role!

Find out more

Discover Kapow Primary blog posts for an enriched experience beyond our schemes of work. Access topical posts offering valuable support and guidance, enhancing your CPD and subject knowledge.

• Understanding The Ofsted 2024 Religious Education (RE) Subject Report
• Adapting A Religion & Worldviews Scheme To Suit Your Local Area

Coming soon

• Mixed-age planning
• Unit overview videos in every unit to prepare teachers for upcoming content, misconceptions and terminology.

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Life has become so much easier as a teacher and as a subject lead I know that key concepts are covered and lessons are clear and follow a logical sequence. There is also room for adapting for my class too.

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The Religion Teacher | Catholic Religious Education

Catholic Lesson Plans

What makes catholic lesson plans different.

Teaching in a Catholic school or parish religious education program, you know that lesson planning for religion is different from any other topic. While teaching about God and faith is essential, so too must we strive to teach young people to love God and serve him and others. This is no easy task. It takes careful planning and the use of practical resources and engaging activities to pull it off well.

I outlined the best approach I know to lesson planning that leads students into a relationship with Christ in my book, Christ in the Classroom: Lesson Planning for the Heart and Mind .

Listed below you will find a collection of lesson plans that should help you teach religion.

The Religion Teacher Lesson Plans

Check out all of The Religion Teacher Lesson Plans that have been posted on the blog.

View All of the Religion Teacher Lesson Plans

Top Catholic Lesson Plans from The Religion Teacher :

• Lent Project and Lesson Plan Ideas
• Ash Wednesday Lesson Plan
• “And with Your Spirit” Lesson Plan
• 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit Lesson Plan
• Rite of Confirmation Lesson Plan
• Genesis Creation Stories Lesson Plan
• Catholic Thanksgiving Day Lesson Plan

Free Catholic Lesson Planning eBook

If you’re interested in getting a little more help, join the thousands of people who have downloaded a free copy of The Religion Teacher’s Guide to Lesson Planning , which includes lesson planning training and 250 activity suggestions:

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Introduction To Euthanasia - Template Lesson - Resource Pack

Subject: Religious education

Age range: 11-14

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

2 September 2024

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A complete lesson, worksheet, lesson plan and homework for a lesson on ‘Introduction to Euthanasia.’

Learning Objectives:

• Students understand what Euthanasia is.
• Students will be able to start to express their thoughts about the morality of Euthanasia.
• Students will develop their empathy and question the need for Euthanasia.

With the content provided you will be able to develop a lesson suited to your pupil/department’s expectations.

As a dedicated professional I take a lot of pride in the work I create, most of which I have offered on TES free of charge. My free lessons and resources come mostly with 4.5+ star ratings and to be sure of their quality you’re welcome to download them. I also offer charged lessons tailored to teachers and pupils of all ability and experience and I encourage you to check them out if you like what you see.

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Year 6 Religious Education

Here you'll find complete Year 6 RE planning packs about major world religions and a variety of faith and community lessons and resources. In these ready-to-teach lessons, pupils will learn more about the role of religion in not only their own communities, but global communities, too.

Expressing faith through the Arts

Religion has been linked with the arts for thousands of years. This series of six lessons for Year 6 gives your class the chance to find out how, w...

What is the Qur'an and why is it important to Muslims?

Introduce your class to the sacred book of Islam in these informative and accessible lessons as they discover the Qur'an and why it is important to...

What is a Church?

Challenge your Year 6 children to think about Christian places of worship and whether a church is a building, its people or both. As well as doing ...

What happens when we die?

These plans, slides, worksheets and other resources for Year 6 children explain the ideas and beliefs of religious and non-religious groups about w...

Stories of Christianity

This 'Stories of Christianity' RE scheme of work for Year 5 and Year 6 will help your class learn about Christianity through some less familiar Bib...

Buddhist Worship and Beliefs

This RE scheme of work introduces your Y5/6 class to the Buddhist religion in a lively and engaging way. Your class will find out who Siddhartha Ga...

Jewish Worship and Community

This complete RE scheme of work will help your class further understand the fundamentals of the Jewish faith and how Jews worship at home, in the s...

Stories of Hinduism

This KS2 Religious Education scheme of work for Year 5 and 6 introduces your class to Hindu concepts using stories in an exciting and engaging way....

Belief In Our Community

Get your children thinking about their own beliefs as well as those of others in their local community with these Key Stage Two R.E. lessons for Ye...

Sikh Worship and Community

Take a look at the ways in which Sikhs worship privately and as a community, at home and in the gurdwara.   #TheCompleteSeries5lessons This complet...

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