Name of Unit: What Do the Miracles of Jesus Teach
What Do the Miracles of Jesus Teach? Christianity
Name of Unit: What Do the Miracles of Jesus Teach? / Faith: ChristianityKey Stage in which this unit should be taught: Key Stage 2 / Recommended Year Group (if specified): Upper Key Stage 2
Previous Learning:
Faith and the Mustard Seed; Creation; The importance of Jesus to Christians; Christian Baptism and Marriage; Why Are They Having a Jewish Party?
Foundation, KS1and some of KS2 units: Salvation;
Possibly: Should Every Christian Go On a Pilgrimage? (Depending on where the school has placed this unit in their RE Curriculum Map)
AT1 Learning About Religion
Focus: Beliefs, teachings and sources. / AT2 Learning From Religion
Focus: Meaning, purpose and truth.
What This Unit Teaches:
V What constitutes a miracle;
V Some of the miracles that Jesus performed;
V Magic versus miracles – what is the difference?
V Who performs miracles?
V Consideration of personal response to the miracles of Jesus;
V Specific places where people believe miracles happen; The importance of faith for miracles;
V Links with Salvation – Jesus’ miracle of the resurrection;
V What the miracles of Jesus’ ministry teach Christians about being the people of God;
V Comparing and identifying similarities and differences between faiths.
Key RE Vocabulary:
Christianity, Christian, miracles, Jesus, God, Bible, Gospels, believe, natural, Judaism, Hanukkah / Chanukah, pilgrimage, healing, faith, mustard seed, hope, resurrection, Church, incumbent, healing ministry, chaplain, chaplaincy, ‘People of God,’ candle, Bibliodrama. / Cross-Curricular Links:
Literacy, Oracy, Drama, Science, Computing, History, Geography, Art and Design, Music, Personal, Social and Health Education, Philosophy,
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development:
Deep thinking and reflection;
Collaborative learning;
Cultural opportunities for exploring miracles across faiths. / Sensitivities:
Pupils with families, friends and pets who are seriously ill and / or who have died,
Those experiencing bereavement;
Be mindful of pupils’ cultural backgrounds, and beliefs;
Reference to magic.
Possible Further Thinking and Extension Activities:
Miracles of Nature – Creation; art activities;
bereavement;
Educational Visits to parish church / local hospital chapel;
Collective worship – hymns / songs on the theme of Jesus’ miracles. / Things You Should Know:
The core miracles of Jesus and related Biblical text;
Baptism linked to Creation;
What the Catholic Church believes constitutes a miracle.
Future Learning:
Possibly: Should Every Christian Go On a Pilgrimage? (Depending on where the school places has placed this unit on their RE Curriculum Map)
The Journey of Life and Death;
Some of KS2 units: Salvation.
Learning Objectives / AT1 / AT2 / Suggested Teaching Activities / Points To Note /
Lesson 1
Pupils should:
understand what a Christian believes a miracle to be and know the miracle of the Feeding of the 5,000, showing what a Christian learns from this miracle;
(AT1)
ask questions about how the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 affected the life of those present and suggest a range of answers which might be given by themselves as well as those present.
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Introduction:
Using talk partners / trios ask pupils to give their initial definition of a miracle; share and discuss answers – follow up with a dictionary definition of the word ‘miracle.’
Main Part of the Lesson:
Next ask the pupils to work with their partner / trio “How many miracles of Jesus can you name? (2 minute activity.)
(Record answers for both activities in their own books.)
Ensure that the pupils are aware that the miracles of Jesus are found in the Gospels, in the Bible.
Tell the story of the miracle of the Feeding of the 5,000 / Show a video clip / explore the story by another media.
Activity:
After listening to the story, in small groups have a discussion on the miracle answering these questions: -
V What do the pupils think about this miracle?
V How do they think this miracle happened?
V Do the pupils think that it happened exactly as it is told in the Bible?
V If not, what might have been different and what do they think would have been the same?
V What is the lesson from this miracle?
V What was Jesus showing and teaching by performing this miracle?
V What does this miracle teach about God?
On an image from the miracle with a white border around it, pupils to record thoughts on the border in response to the questions and discussion.
Share thoughts with whole class.
Encourage pupils to think as broadly as they can about miracles.
What are your opinions on miracles? Do you believe they are real? Do they still occur today? Do they always happen when and as someone wants them to? Why do they think this?
Discuss what Christians believe about miracles and why and how Christians believe they happen.
Plenary:
Reflect on learning and pupils to review their original definition of a miracle and come up with a revised definition, informed by this lesson, to write on a thought bubble – use for a class display. / The miracles of Jesus:
Core miracles pupils need to know by the end of this unit: -
The Feeding of the Five Thousand;
Jesus turning water into wine at the Wedding at Canaan in Galilee;
Jesus Walking On Water;
The Calming of the Storm;
The Raising of Lazarus From the Dead by Jesus;
The Healing of the Paralysed Man;
The Healing of the Woman Who Touched Jesus’ Cloak,
Healing Jairus’ Daughter.
Other miracles could be studied as well, including:
The Healing of the Blind Beggar,
The Curing of the 10 Lepers.
Also needs to be linked to as well:
Jesus’ greatest miracle of all –
The resurrection.
The pupil definitions will serve as good pieces of formative assessment to show pupils’ thinking and learning at this stage of the unit.
Resources:
Dictionaries / Thesaurus;
The Bible;
Video clip;
Image from the miracle of the Feeding of the 5,000 with a white border around it;
RE books;
Thought bubbles to record definitions for plenary;
Display board to display pupil’s thought bubbles.
Sensitivities:
Please be sensitive towards pupils with families, friends and pets who are seriously ill and / or who have died,
please also be aware of pupils who may have experienced bereavement;
Remember to use the term: “Christians believe. . .”
Learning Objectives / AT1 / AT2 / Suggested Teaching Activities / Points To Note /
Lesson 2
Pupils should:
be aware of the difference between magic and miracles, understanding how a Christian perceives the miracles of Jesus;
(AT1)
Ask questions about magic versus miracles and suggest a rage of answers from themselves and (other) Christians.
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Introduction:
Discuss magic, what magicians have the pupils seen perform? What did the pupils and the magicians’ audience think?
Why was the magician performing?
(Purely entertainment.)
Main Part of the Lesson:
Tell the pupils that for the next part of this unit about the miracles of Jesus, they are going to think about magic versus miracles – what is the difference?
Share the story of the miracle of Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding at Canaan in Galilee –
Jesus Turns Water Into Wine - John 2:1-11.
If you want to use a video clip for this, you can find it at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaWI4-n0z_0
Tell the pupils that you are going to perform a miracle! Do they think you can? Why / Why not?
Demonstrate ‘turning water into wine!’ (Adult – Have two empty jugs, ensure that the base of each is covered so that children cannot see the base of either. Fill one with food colouring / blackcurrant cordial; tell pupils to watch carefully as you pour water into each jug, what has happened?
Now it’s their turn to replicate – create their own ‘miracle.’ (Ensure you have given them two empty cups and a jug of water.)
Can they ‘turn the water into wine?’
Did they succeed?
How / Why not?
How did you succeed whilst they did not succeed?
Or did you not really succeed? What did you do?
Take pictures for evidence and add to display.
Thinking about Jesus’ miracle of turning water into wine:
V What do the pupils think about this miracle of Jesus?
V What is the lesson from this miracle?
V What was Jesus showing and teaching by performing this miracle?
V What does this miracle teach about God?
Watch a video clip from Dynamo the magician: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeJveOOAgzA
Record pupil’s opinions / reactions to what they have seen.
Discuss.
Next watch a video clip of the miracle of Jesus walking on water https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2t3-S6eSUU
Again record pupil’s opinions / reactions to what they have seen.
Discuss.
Did both Dynamo and Jesus succeed?
If so, how / If not, why not?
How do they explain how Dynamo appeared to be ‘walking on water?’
Even if we do not fully know the trick that Dynamo did to appear to be walking on water and give that illusion, was he really able to do this? Why not?
Why, then, would Jesus, as a human, have been able to succeed at this and perform this miracle? What was the difference between Dynamo and Him?
(Jesus was human, but also divine, the Son of God.)
Thinking about Jesus’ miracle of walking on water: -
V What do the pupils think about this miracle of Jesus?
V How do they think this miracle happened?
V What is the lesson from this miracle?
V What was Jesus showing and teaching by performing this miracle?
V What does this miracle teach about God?
Christians believe that God is the creator of natural miracles e.g. the awe and wonder of nature; the miracle / gift of life.
Recap on pupil’s previous learning on baptism and the celebration of the miracle of life and that Christians believe that they should thank God for the birth of a new child which they perceive as a miracle.
Can a life be created through the use of magic or not?
Activity:
What is the difference between magic and miracles?
Using today’s examples from the lesson and referring to Jesus’ miracles, particularly turning water into wine and walking on water, but also any others miracles of Jesus that the pupils may know, write a piece of prose to answer this question. The Bible can be referred to. Pupils need to make sure that they explain their answer.
Plenary:
Watch the following video clip and reflect on the difference between magic and miracles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwGvfdtI2c0 / Pupils will compare and contrast magic and miracles by exploring several magic tricks and stories of Jesus’ miracles and then discuss the similarities and differences.
Resources:
The Bible.
Water and jugs (+ Cordial or fruit colouring for adult only;)
Video clips:
Dynamo the magician: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeJveOOAgzA
The miracle of Jesus walking on water https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2t3-S6eSUU
The difference between magic and miracles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwGvfdtI2c0
Sensitivities:
Please be sensitive towards pupils with families, friends and pets who are seriously ill and / or who have died,
please also be aware of pupils who may have experienced bereavement;
Reference to alcohol;
Remember to use the term: “Christians believe. . . “
Magic.
Learning Objectives / AT1 / AT2 / Suggested Teaching Activities / Points To Note /
Lesson 3
Pupils should:
make links between the beliefs teachings and sources of different religions and show how they are connected to believers’ lives.
(AT1)
consider how miracles such as the Calming of the Storm can impact upon the meaning and purpose of life, suggesting a range of answers from themselves as well as members of different faiths.
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Introduction:
Recap previous learning so far in this unit.
Tell children that today we are going to discuss whether or not anyone can perform a miracle.
Suggested Activity:
From The Bible, share the story of the miracle of Jesus calming the storm. It can be taught through a variety of media or the teacher / teaching assistant can be a storyteller telling the story.
Then in talk partners / groups, discuss: -
V What do the pupils think about this miracle?
V How do they think this miracle happened?
V What is the lesson from this miracle?
V What was Jesus showing and teaching by performing this miracle?
V What does this miracle teach about God?
Christians believe it reminds us about the ‘storms’ in life and how we can trust God to be the guide through our ‘storms’ and to bring calmness to our life.
Next ask and discuss the questions:
Can anyone perform a miracle? (Talk partners / groups.)
Why could Jesus perform miracles, where others failed?
What do you think Christians believe about Jesus’ ability to perform miracles?
What about miracles that Christians believe happen today? e.g. the miracle of having a baby, doctors helping someone to get better, etc.
How do Christians believe these miracles happen?
God at the centre of them, working through people, the miracle is God at work.