Unit: How Do Christians in Verwood Worship?

Unit: How do Christians in Verwood worship?

I am very grateful to Deidre Bellamy at VerwoodEmmanuelMiddle School for sharing this example of a School Based Unit. It is localised to Verwood and so will need adapting to suit your location. I have added a few notes in blue.

About this unit: This unit is design to explore the church buildings of Verwood and how Christians in the town practise his/her faith. The main focus will be St Michael’s and All Angels as it is the Church most closely linked with EmmanuelMiddle School.

This unit is designed to challenge the pupils to see religion as something that informs all areas of life. Teachers are encouraged to use his/her particular interests and expertise to develop this unit as the first school based unit the pupils will encounter at EMS.

There are considerable cross-curricular links that can be made through this unit. This could be a suitable vehicle to encourage Excellence and Enjoyment!

• ‘This is RE!’ Book 2 by Cath Large, Julia Ingham, Andrea Parker (John Murray) although a secondary textbook this provides a useful source of ideas for this unit.( 1 copy in RM 6)

• Teaching Christianity at Key Stage 2 Lilian Weatherley and Trevor Reader ISBN 0 7515 49431 useful for Eucharist (LIBRARY!)

• churches/churches/htm
• resources/photos/photo index
• ‘Picturing Jesus’ by Lat Blaylock. RE Today Services.
• Jesus in Art A3 size pictures
• Lion Books of Parables(Year 5 Area)
• RE Quest DVD. Introduction to Church buildings(5 mins )
• Virtual Visits to churches

• Develop a religious vocabulary to describe and show understanding of practices, beliefs, ideas, feelings and experiences
• Make links and describe similarities and differences both within and between religions
• Describe the impact of religion on religious people’s lives
• Apply their ideas to their own and other’s people’s lives
• Describe what inspires and influences themselves and others

• Develop religious vocabulary to describe some key features of religion buildings recognising similarity and difference
• Identify the impact of religion on believer’s lives
• Describe some forms of religious expression
• Identify what influences them
• Make links between their own and others’ experiences

• Use an increasingly wide religious vocabulary to explain the impact of belief on individuals and communities
• Understand and suggest possible reasons for similarity and difference within and between religions
• Recognise diversity in forms of religious and spiritual expression within and between religions
• Explain what inspires and influences them
• Express their own and others’ views on the challenges of belonging to a religion

• Learn that places can be special to people.

• Learn that Verwood has a number of places of worship.

• Learn that the Christian Church has a number of denominations.

• Learn how music, colour and materials are used to create an atmosphere of worship
• Listen to a range of musical styles and are aware of the ways in which religious communities express their beliefs

• Appreciate a range of different musical styles

• Think about the following words: quiet, joyful, lively, inspiring, and holy. For each of these words suggest a piece of music, a colour, a material and a place that would reflect these words
• Play pieces of religious music that reflect each of these words. Use compilation worship cds e.g. ‘The best Worship Songs Ever’ or’, ‘Ubi Caritas’ – Taize chants, ‘Do you know’ – Michelle Williams (Gospel music), Salisbury Cathedral Choir, etc See AM on St Michael’s music
• Pupils to reflect on how the music makes them feel
• Write a review of music listened to in terms of how effective the music is in creating atmosphere
• Visit St Michaels and explore how material and colour has been used to create a sense of atmosphere e.g. altar cloths, stained glass windows, statues, wooden pews etc
• Take digital pictures to create a mood board

• Explain / show understanding of what makes a place “special”.

• Identify the different denominations present in Verwood/ Worldwide

• Identify/apply/explain their own ideas to their own and other people’s lives

• Identify/Make links and describe similarities and differences both within and between religions
• Identify/Describe/explain the impact of religion on religious people’s lives
• Apply their ideas to their own and other’s people’s lives
• Describe/explain what inspires and influences themselves and others

• Learn about a range of Christian denominations
• Learn about the way in which Communion/Eucharist is celebrated in different Christian traditions
• Learn to use the internet for research
• Develop skills of questioning AOTs (Adults Other than Teachers)

• Recap on the story of the Last Supper and the symbolism of the bread and wine
• Using research how different denominations celebrate Eucharist
• Present findings to the rest of the class
• Invite representatives of Christian denominations reflected in the school to speak to class.
• Baptism/ Confirmation. What do these mean to members of the community?

• Describe/show understanding/explain a range of forms of religious expression in connection with Communion/Eucharist
• Use the internet in order to research information and to present their findings using religious vocabulary
• Ask important questions/raise and suggest answers in relation to belonging, identity and value
• Suggest meanings to a diversity of forms of religious expression
• Is Baptism shared by all Christians?

• Learn to appreciate a range of religious art understanding some of the associated symbolism and meaning
• Appreciate a range of different artistic styles

• Using a selection of contemporary religious art e.g. ‘Picturing Jesus’ by Lat Blaylock analyse the pictures exploring the biblical background to the picture, what they think the artist is trying to say and their own personal response to the image.
• Think about how art is used in St Michaels. Look at Stain glass windows, Icons, banners etc. Review these different examples of Christian art.
• Design a Banner to represent St Michaels and All Angels
• This could be expanded to look at the use of Art in other religions e.g. Islam e.g. use of calligraphy ‘Arabic Calligraphy Posters’ by Salah Al-Moussawy

• Describe/show understanding/explain a range of forms of artistic religious expression

• Identify/apply/explain their own ideas to their own and other people’s lives
• Suggest meanings to a range of forms of religious expression

Suggested Assessment Task:

Design a new booklet for St Michaels and All Angels.

This booklet should explain;

what is found uniquely in the church

what each artefact is used for

why is it important to the church and its community

and explain what goes on in the church and why

The local vicar etc could then be invited to judge the best booklet and perhaps they could be displayed in the local church.