Learning Objectives/Intended
Learning outcomes
1.Pupils can describe/explain what people think creation is
2. They can describe/explain how creation is expressed within religions
3. They can evaluate, by describing/explaining, the importance and relevance of creation to Christians
4. They can describe/explain a personal response to the concept of creation
5. They can describe/explain how the concept can be applied in their own and others’ lives.
L3/4
Assessment opportunities:
Evaluate: Pupils can describe or explain the importance and relevance of the creation story for Christians / Key concept: Creation Stewardship / Key Concepts
- Relating to human experience
- Symbolic
- Used in investigating religions
- Specific to particular religions
- reflection
- empathy
- comprehension
- investigation
- interpretation & analysis
- evaluation
- curiosity
- open-mindedness
- self understanding
- respect
- awe and wonder
Programme of Study
Enquiry & skills.
Pupils should be taught how to:
Enquire into concepts that are significant in religious & non-religious experiences.
Contextualise the concept within religious practice and explore the diversity of practice and belief.
Evaluate the concept within one or more religions.
Communicate their own understanding of the concept.
Apply their own understanding of the concept to situations in their own and others’ lives.
Sequence of activities over several lessons:
Step 1Enquire: what does creation mean?
Give each child a piece of clay and ask them to create something in 5 minutes – anything! Look at results, how they are all different and let some of the pupils explain what they made and why. If possible go outside and ask pupils to each find, without harming anything, something natural like a leaf or a stone. How did these things get here? What or who created them? Ideas. What does ‘creation’ mean? Does it happen slowly or all at once?
Step 2Contextualise: how do different cultures and religions express their ideas about creation?
What do different people believe? Explore the Judaeo-Christian creation story. (Gen Ch.1 v1-Ch.2 v4; Gen Ch.2 v.4-25). Ask children to tell the story then check back at the story to see if they have recalled it accurately. In groups, children make a pictorial record/frieze of the 7 days. Now explore a variety of creation stories. (See Moodle for pack of 5 short stories with questions and common themes, or choose from resources suggested below). Give each small group of children a different story. Allow each group a set time to prepare a dramatization of their story which they then perform to rest of class. Plenary: Ask the children if they can spot any common themes.
Step 3Evaluate: what is the value of the concept of creation to believers? Return to Christian creation story (or focus on another – eg Hindu or Muslim but you will need to change the statements). What might it tell us about what Christians believe about God? Do not promote the idea that all Christians take the story literally: some do but most do not. Explore idea that in the story, humans were given power over everything else: this could either mean that people can do what they want or that they have a huge responsibility. Photocopy the creation statements and place in an envelope for each group of children (threes?) Children sort through the statements into ‘What Christians would say’ and ‘What Christians would not say’. Work with each group in turn then come together as a class. Arrive at the conclusion that Christians have many differing beliefs so most would go into 1st group with only a few being entirely inapplicable to any Christians. Or you could split the 1st category into ‘What all Christians would say’ and ‘What some Christians would say’. Children decide on the statement that they think Christians would consider the most significant interpretation of the Genesis story. Ask a Christian visitor what they think. Ask pupils to pick up the statement they most agree with, least agree with, and give reasons why.
Step 4Communicate: what does creation mean to me?Now it’s the turn of the children to express what they think about creation. How did the world get here? Is there a meaning to its existence? Have humans got a special role?Imagine you are creating a new world. What would it be like? Draw, paint, model.
Step 5Apply:how is creation significant?
Discuss: Do we all have the same ideas about creation? Why/not? Does it matter? Does what a person believes about creation affect the way s/he behaves? Are people more likely to take care of the world if they believe God made it? Respond to these ideas with a haiku (see examples on Moodle for inspiration).
RESOURCES: A World of Difference (Creation Stories) M. Palmer (with Teacher`s Book); When Time Began (Creation Stories) B. Wade, A. Wade, M. Moore; In the Beginning (Creation Stories) V. Hamilton; The Story of Creation by Jane Ray; Islamic Story, Folklore & Pattern; ‘Blue Whale – the Biggest thing there is?’ by Robert Wells could be a good starting point.
C4 Quest - Creation Stories(15 min programmes, 1996): Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Humanist. Go to for delightful little animation of story.