Unit: What Do Christians Believe About God?

Unit: What do Christians believe about God?

About this unit: This unit may well be the first taught encounter that children will have with Christianity, it is intended to introduce them to some key beliefs of Christianity but it is not intended to cover every aspect.

• The Children had some prior knowledge of Christianity
• Had some experience at looking at works of art
• Had some experience of listening to AOT’s

• Use some religious words to recognise and name some features of Christianity
• Recall religious stories
• Recognise some symbols connected with Christianity
• Talk about their own experiences and feelings and what they find interesting and puzzling.

• Use religious words to identify some features of Christianity
• Retell Christian stories
• Suggest meanings to Christian symbols
• Ask and respond sensitively to questions about their own and others experiences and feelings
• Recognise that some questions are difficult to answer and can cause people to wonder.

• The Christian Creation story
• That Christians believe that God created the world
• Reflect on the beauty of the world
• Consider what is special about the world in which they live

• Talk about the beauty of the world, what do they like doing outside. Go for a nature walk and collect leaves and twigs etc for a collage ‘What a wonderful world’
• Explain that Christians believe that God gave us this world to enjoy and to look after. Read a version of the Creation story ‘Wonderful Earth’ By Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen is a very suitable version.
• Divide a piece of paper into eight and ask pupils to draw a picture to show each of the 7 days of creation, on the eighth space draw what they think is the most special thing that God has made.
• Talk and think about what we should do to keep the world as beautiful as God made it. Draw up some class rules for the world.

• Recall/retell aspects of the Christian creation story
• Talk about what they find interesting or puzzling
• Talk about/recognise what is of value to them and other people
• Recognise that some questions are difficult to answer.

• The story of Noah
• Some of the qualities that Christians see in God.
• The Lords Prayer and its importance to Christians

• Tell the story of Noah (Use an appropriate version such as The lion storyteller Bible). Explain that Noah was a man that God spoke to and who followed God.
• Think about how God was sad when people didn’t look after his world, how he knew that Noah was a good man, how cared for and looked after Noah and his family, how he kept his promises. Think about the Rainbow as a sign that God would keep his promise to never flood the earth again.
• Do a simple Fortune line of the story of Noah At each point think about what God is like. Act out the feelings of Noah and his family. Write a prayer that Noah might have said to God at each key point the story.
• Look at the Lords Prayer. Explain that this is the prayer that Jesus (Gods son) taught his followers. Discuss what each line means. Make a prayer board by drawing pictures around the words of the prayer to show what they think each line says about the relationship between God and Christians. (NB be careful about drawings if they show God, this may offend Muslims and some Christians.)

• Recall/retell aspects of the story of Noah
• Talk about what they find interesting or puzzling
• Talk about/recognise what is of value to them and other people
• Recognise that some questions are difficult to answer.

• The main symbols associated with Christianity
• Develop skills questioning/listening to AOT’s (Adults other than teachers)
• Explore some of the ways Christianity has been used in and helped inspire art

• Look at a range of Christian symbols i.e. The Cross, The crucifix, Candles, the Dove, the fish. For each one draw up a list of questions they would like to ask about each of these symbols.
• Invite a member of the Christian community (Perhaps the Vicar) to come in and talk about the symbols, what they mean, why they are special.
• If practical go on a ‘Treasure Hunt’ around the local church to find these symbols and where they are used. Alternatively look a range of Christian Art work through the ages and spot the symbols.
• Use a simple Clipart programme to produce their own Christian work of art.

• Recognise/Identify Christian symbols
• Talk about what they find interesting or puzzling
• Talk about/recognise what is of value to them and other people
• Recognise/Identify visual forms of Christian religious expression

Suggested Assessment Task:

Look at a range of Christian festival cards from around the world (SPCK or similar Christian bookshop, larger WH Smiths etc), or better still examples of Christian art packs ‘Born among us’ /Across the world/The Christ we share.

Identify/recognise the symbols in the pictures.

More able in conversation with teacher/Support assistant suggest what the artist is trying to say by using those symbols.