What do Christians believe about God? What do I believe?
Year 1 or Year1/2 on a two year rolling programme
Background Story/ Information
Christians believe that God created the world and all living things, and that we should care for this world. Christians believe that God made humans unique and in his image, and that he is a loving father to them.
Cross Curricular Links
Literacy ,Art, ICT, SMSC
(you could look at other creation stories) / Key Vocabulary
Creator
Creation
Unique
God
Jesus
Skills
Interpretation
Analysis and evaluation
Communication / Attitudes
Self awareness
Appreciation and wonder
Respect for all
Key Questions
Who made the world?
What do I value in the world?
How am I special and unique?
Assessment opportunities are indicated by a throughout the document
Learning Objectives
- To know the Creation story.
The Creation Story
Introduction:- Read the creation story from the Bible.
- Read the beginning of ‘Wonderful Earth’ (up to the page where you are created “HOORAY!”)
- Create a frieze of the creation story.
- Make a book of the 7 stages of creation.
- Scene change – investigate the different poses you could take for each stage of creation (e.g. be a lion when God created the animals). Teacher signals change with a shake of a tambourine.
- Take photos outside/find pictures/find objects of the stages of creation. Create a class collage.
- Look at a nature poem, which explores the wonder of the world – make a class poem.
- Talk about the Christian belief that God created the world a good and beautiful place for us to enjoy. What do you particularly enjoy looking at, hearing, touching, and smelling in the world?
- Recall some aspects of the creation story
The Lion Storyteller Bible by Bob Hartman has a nice version of the Creation story.
ISBN 0 7459 2921 4
‘Wonderful Earth’ by Butterworth and Inkpen (ISBN 1-85608-005-6)
- To understand that the Creation Story is important to Christians because it shows God as Creator.
- To express their ideas and feelings about their own amazing world.
Our Wonderful World
Introduction:- Discuss how the Creation story comes from the Bible, the special book for Christians.
- Remind the children about how Christians believe that God is creator of all things, and how the Creation story explains how God made the world.
- Look at ‘In Creation’ – use as a basis for provoking thoughts or create a treasure chest of natural objects that appeal to all the senses which children can add to over time
- Take photos/paint/make a collage/create a dance/movement about an amazing aspect of the world e.g. the sea, the planets, a forest, animals
- Look at a photo/picture/power point presentation of the amazing world around us (e.g. a sunset, forest scene). How does it make you feel?
- Read the story ‘God of Small Things’ and invite the children’s comments about this book
- Sit quietly outside and have a moment of reflection.
- I can recognise the importance of the Creation Story to Christians (AT1)
- I can express what I find amazing about the world around me (AT2)
‘Encounter Christianity – In Creation’ byAlan Brown & Alison Seaman (ISBN 0-7151-4949-0)
(Big book)
Google images has a wide selection of photographs (
‘God of Small Things’
- Learn about the Christian belief that God gave the world to us as a gift and that he trusts us to help look after the world.
- Learn about ways in which the world can be cared for.
Introduction:
- Christians believe that God not only made the world but goes on taking care of it. Suppose you had made something very special how would you take care of it?
- Give the children a range of materials to create a sculpture. Discuss with the children how they feel about their sculpture and how they could they take care of it? Christians believe that God gave the world to us as a gift and that he trusts us to help look after the world. Christians believe God is sad when we spoil the world.
- Create as a class together some instructions for how they might look after their bit of the world
- Talk about the Christian understanding that we should look after the world. (AT1)
- Talk about how I can take care of the world (AT2)
- To recognize qualities and characteristics in each other that makes them unique and special.
Unique Me!
Introduction ideas:- Go back to ‘Wonderful Earth’ – read back through and stop the page before the mirror. Can we remember the last wonderful thing God created? (you!)
- Pass round a box/bag with a mirror inside. Do not tell the children what is inside – they must all have a guess at the “most wonderful creation of all”. When all the children have guessed, reveal the mirror – it’s you!
- The children could paint a self-portrait, or paint/take a photo of their friend. Add a caption about why they are so wonderful.
- In a circle, say something nice about the “wonderful unique person” in the middle.
- Put a paper hand on the back of everyone. The children can then circulate and write/draw something positive about each person on their back. Place hands around a photo of the class.
- Think about what is the same and what is different about you and your friend (idea that we are all unique)
- Using an OHP draw a profile onto black paper. Look at the whole class – who’s who? How do we know?
- Play ‘Guess Who’ – Teacher to give criteria (e.g. if you have brown hair, if you like football).
- ‘Who am I?’ – sit in a circle, with a child blindfolded in the middle. Choose a child to say ‘Who am I?’ The child in the middle then guesses that person.
- Pass round the mirror – each child to say “I am special because…”
- I can talk about what is unique and special about me (AT2)
Bag/box with a mirror inside
OHP
Mirror
- Learn that Christians believe that God loves everyone
- Learn about the story of Jesus and the children and why this is important to Christians
God as Loving Father
Introduction:- Recap how we have found out that we are all unique and special.
- Introduce idea that Christians believe that God loves us all.
- Sing ‘There are hundreds and thousands and millions of sparrows’ – use it to discuss how Christians believe that “God loves everyone and God loves me”. Create a class picture with the word God at the top. Put pictures underneath of all the things Christians believe God cares for (using the song), with another layer underneath for all of us!
- Read the story of Jesus and the children in the Lion Storyteller Bible. This would be an important story for ‘Sarah’ and other Christians because it shows how Jesus was concerned and cared about children.
- Ask children why Christians call God loving father. What do they think God is like?
- I can talk about the Christian belief that God loves everyone by discussing the song ‘There are hundreds and thousands and millions of sparrows…’
- I can recall elements of the story of Jesus and the children
ISBN 0563345810
Reference
The Lion Storyteller Bible by Bob Hartman ISBN 0 7459 2921 4
Assessment Opportunities
Recall some aspects of the creation story from the frieze
Show some understanding of the Christian belief of God as creator and as loving father
Recognise the Christian belief in the uniqueness of each person and say why they are unique and special
PROGRAMMES OF STUDY
Key Stage 1 Christianity – Asking difficult questions – What do Christians believe about God? What do I believe?
In this unit children learn about Christian beliefs about God by listening to Bible stories that suggest what God might be like, e.g. God as creator, loving Father. They reflect upon the wonder and beauty of the world and the Christian belief that the world was created a beautiful and good place. They have the opportunity to ask questions about aspects of creation that they find interesting, puzzling or amazing.
Attainment Target 1 Attainment Target 2
Learning about Religion /Programme of Study What might God be like?
/ Learning from Religion / Programme of StudyWhat might God be like?
Level1
/ Level 1 / Level 1 / Level 1I can recognize, name and recall elements of stories,
songs, poems, prayers, pictures. / Children can recognize that God is important to Christians and recall elements of stories which talk about God. / I can talk about an idea and give an example.
I can talk about experiences and feelings / Children can respond to questions and ideas that they find amazing, puzzling or interesting – in relation to God and the natural world.
Level 2 / Level 2 / Level 2 / Level 2
I show simple knowledge and understanding by identifying some religious beliefs.
I can retell stories and suggest meanings. / Children know some of the special names and attributes of God e.g. Father, Creator.
Children understand why the Creation story is important to Christians.
Children know how the creation story helps Christians understand what God is like. / I can ask questions.
I can give views (– I think because …)
I respond sensitively to the ideas of others by expressing feelings and ideas. / Children can talk about their views/ideas about God.
Children can recognize qualities and characteristics that are important to themselves and others (e.g. by talking about attributes of God) and how these can be mirrored by human beings (e.g. human beings can also be creative, caring, loving and gentle).
Level 3 / Level 3 / Level 3 / Level 3
I can make links between religious stories and beliefs. / Children can describe religious stories that help Christians understand what God is like. / I can ask important questions about beliefs and make links between my own and others’ response. / Children can raise their own questions about the nature of God. They can respond to the ideas of others.
1