THENEWBURYMARTYRS.org.uk

Title: KS3: RE Religious and Judicial positions in 1556 © E Bellchambers &C West 2011

MARTYRS - 2 Exemplar Lesson Plans for Upper KS3 or KS4 RE

– as appropriate for the syllabus in use in the school

The lessons will help teachers to use drama strategies to: -

– explore differing beliefs of Protestant & Roman Catholics (at the time of Mary Tudor) including the intercessionary role of priests, the celibacy of priests, the question of transubstantiation,and the authority of the Pope;

- explore attitudes and concepts of Ecclesiastical and Civil Authority; the supremacy of the Crown (divine rule); succession regardless of gender; a ‘law established church’

- explore the motivation for martyrdom

Subject
RE / Class/Year
KS3/4 / Lesson 1 of 2
Date:
SEN and/or EAL info. / Range of prior attainment e.g. NC levels:
Learning outcomes: NC or syllabus refs:
- students will be able to understand and identify different Denominational concepts, particularly with reference to differing beliefs of the Protestants & Roman Catholics (at the time of Mary Tudor) in regard to the place of Ecclesiastical and Civil Authority: e.g. including the intercessionary role of priests and saints; the celibacy of priests; scriptures in ‘vernacular’ translations; transubstantiation;the authority of the pope; and the supremacy of the Crown (divine rule)
- students will develop and deepen their understanding of issues surrounding the concept of martyrdom
Lesson activities
Teacher will:
- establish some common understanding of the term ‘martyr’ - by looking at 3 or 4 pictures of people prepared to die for what they believe is right: e.g. crowds in Libya fired on by Gaddafi’s troops; aid worker in Iraq killed by ‘friendly fire’ in a rescue attempt; Martin Luther King; migrant workers in Greece on hunger strike against deportation; a 9/11 or 7/7 bomber. If you can, give them print outs of the pictures for ongoing reference.
- Without telling the students who they are or what concept you will be looking at, use the pictures to stimulate group and class discussion.
- Ask the students to consider – who are these people? Do they have anything in common?
- if necessary, observe that they were/are all prepared to die for their beliefs; groups to discuss why/how this might (have) happen(ed)
Quote from The Guardian re imprisoned asylum seekers in Greece:
The hunger strikers are martyrs in a double sense. In Greek, ‘martyr’ means both witness and sacrificial victim. They bear witness to higher truths than life; they state that life is worth living if it is worth dying for. In this sense, the strikers are exercising what [many] philosophers...... consider as the essence of freedom: acting against biological and social determinations in the name of a higher truth. Sacrifice means sacrum facere, making the ordinary sacred. It bridges everyday life with what transcends it. The truth the hunger strikers defend at the personal level is dignity – what makes each person unique in our common humanity.
- sum up the discussion, emphasising that ‘martyr’ depends on his/her own beliefs, and the points of view of others about them.
- use as a stimulus for discussion the wood cut of the burning of the 4 Newbury martyrs, from Foxe’s Book of Martyrs;
- use drama strategy of Teacher in Role
- provide opportunities for some of the questions to be answered through an In Role interview with Julins Palmer
(Teacher or another person, as Julins Palmer, needs to be well prepared;e.g. with some knowledge of protestant reformation views and beliefs, especially Calvin’s doctrines and documents, the burning in Oxford the previous year of Bishops Latimer and Ridley, and Cranmer’s burning. Another adult or drama student for exam assignment, willing to do some research in advance be questioned, in role, for 5–10 minutes)
- refer to the woodcut again.
Who else is there? Why have they gone there?
- view trial scene clip from MARTYRS
- provide trial scene transcript MARTYRS ACT 2 Scene 1a&b
- divide the students into 4 groups:
1) Ecclesiastical Authorities;2) Civil Authorities; 3) sympathisers with Palmer, Robyns (Askine), and Gwyn; 4) other onlookers
- provide each group with a briefing sheet and image (or ask them to do research and comeback with information to share with the rest of the class)
- give the students a very short period of time to prepare a Still Image (Freeze Frame) of those people watching the burning - that in body language, facial expression, gesture and proximity (or not) to the burning makes clear who they are and their views/reactions and feelings about what is happening
- ask students to activate the images by adding no more than one word or line of dialogue OR speaking their thoughts aloud by expressing them in a whisper
- discuss what the students feel about the people now
- ask students to reflect on events by writing a short diary entry in role as their character (if necessary, imagine they can write!)
Differentiation: by outcome / Students will:
- begin to explore the concept and language associated with ‘martyrs’
- In groups, consider questions, such as :
Who they are? What is it they might have in common?
- choose a spokesperson from each group to feedback to the class as a whole and stimulate whole class discussion
- discuss concepts of martyrdom:-
Who makes who a martyr?
What does being a martyr mean?
Do people set out to be martyrs?
- understand that ‘suicide bomber’ or‘martyr’ depends on your viewpoint and beliefs
- discuss why/how they might have died for their beliefs
- consider questions, such as :
What is happening? Why were they burnt?
What crime could people have committed to deserve such horrific punishment?
What other questions does it raise?
- prepare questions for Palmer
- question the Person in Role
- discuss what additional questions the interview has raised
- look at the woodcut again
- discuss: Who else is there? Why have they gone there?
- researchbriefly into these people, asking themselves questions; e.g. why are they there? Why do they not take sides?
- work in role, developing characters
- share their knowledge while preparing a Freeze Frame that in body language, facial expression, gesture and proximity (or not) to the burning makes clear who they are and their views/reactions and feelings about what is happening
- activate the images by adding no more than one word or line of dialogue OR speaking their thoughts aloud by expressing them in a whisper
- share these snippet scenes, like clips from a film
- discuss their feelings about the people now
- reflection on experience – oral and written: short diary entry in role as their character
Differentiation: by outcome
Homework/ Extension work
Research into the Catholic church’s and Protestant/Palmer’s views about transubstantiation, celibacy and the role of priests and saints, the authority of the Pope and /or the Queen (or Crown). Look at these beliefs from the point of view of your group (as above)
Resources


The clip of the trial scene from MARTYRS –a community play
Report on Palmer and the others in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
TA’s / support staff role
In role as Palmer
Assessment
- through level of participation, contributions to questioning, perceptions expressed in discussion
- through evidence of research in the form of notes etc.
- through written diary reflections
Evaluation
Subject
RE / Class/Year
KS3/4 / Lesson 2 of 2
Date:
SEN and/or EAL info. / Range of prior attainment e.g. NC levels:
Previous lesson
Learning outcomes: NC or syllabus refs:
- students will be able to understand and identify different Denominational concepts, particularly with reference to differing beliefs of the Protestants & Roman Catholics (at the time of Mary Tudor) in regard to the place of Ecclesiastical and Civil Authority: e.g. including the intercessionary role of priests and saints; the celibacy of priests; scriptures in ‘vernacular’ translations; transubstantiation; the authority of the pope; and the supremacy of the Crown (divine rule)
- students will develop and deepen their understanding of issues surrounding martyrdom
Lesson activities
Teacher will:
- use the previous groupings to prepare verbal reports on the facts and issues above that they have researched for HW – 10 minutes preparation time – remembering that the information they provide will be used in the second assignment
- discuss the differing beliefs to reinforce understanding, highlight tensions between these groups of people and raise awareness of the issues
- ask them to consider what they would say about these beliefs and the events around them to Queen Elizabeth’s advisors in 1558 as she struggles to bring stability and unity back into England.
What would they like the new Queen to be aware of, what advice would they send to her?
- consolidate the learning - discuss whether there are any lessons / any relevancy / resonances for us today
- Assignment – a reflection on -a) What we, today, can learn from what happened in the past
and /or
b) Have we learned from it?Could it happen again?
Differentiation: briefing materials and starting points like the websites previously mentioned as starting points for those who need them / Students will:
- prepare verbal reports on the facts and issues they have researched for HW from the point of view of those groups, remembering that the information will be used in the second assignment
- present their reports from their group’s point of view
- discuss these beliefs and the tensions and issues arising from them
-consider what they would say about these beliefs & the events around them to Queen Elizabeth’s advisors in 1558 as she struggles to bring stability and unity back into England.
What would they like the new Queen to be aware of, what advice would they send to her?
- prepare to brief Queen Elizabeth’s advisors
- present those briefs as if to her advisors
- discuss any lessons / any relevancy / resonances for us today
- complete the Assignment either by –
a) writing an essay or report – may be illustrated
or
b) creating a documentary or docudrama, using ICT to reflect on the historical tensions and how they might resolve them
Differentiation: briefing material; websitesprovided
Homework/ Extension work
Assignment – as above – a report or essay reflecting what we today can learn from what happened in the past and whether it could happen again - or - using ICT to create a documentary or docudrama, reflecting on the historical tensions and how they might resolve them
Resources


The clip of the trial scene from MARTYRS –a community play
Report on Palmer and the others in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
TA’s / support staff role
Assessment
- through level of participation, contributions to reports and ‘briefings’, perceptions expressed in discussion
- through evidence of research in the form of notes etc.
- through written assignment– the short essay reflecting what we today can learn from what happened in the past
Evaluation