Unit: What do Christians believe happens when you die?

About this unit: This unit is designed with year 9 students in mind but could be adapted for other year groups. It would be suitable as a unit leading up to, during or after Easter. The nature of the topic will require sensitive handling. There are opportunities to explore Humanist beliefs within this unit and to compare and contrast with another religion or faith community as appropriate for the school. The nature of this topic is such that student responses and questions may range widely over several Ultimate questions, this should be encouraged.

Prior learning / Technical Vocabulary / Resources
It would be helpful if
Students had some knowledge of the Easter Story
Students had some knowledge of the key beliefs of another faith tradition / In this unit children will have an opportunity to use words and phrases related to:-
Resurrection
Mary Magdalene
Heaven
Hell
Purgatory
Eternal Life
Hospice Movement
Dame Cicely Saunders
Funeral
Committal
Requiem Mass
Mourning
Burial
Cremation
Humanist / Questions of Truth: Developing Skills in Critical Thinking in Secondary Religious Education.: Susanna Hookway RMEP (Isbn 1-85175-326-5)
This is RE 3 Cath Large and Alan Brown: John Murray (Isbn 0-7195-7523-0)
‘Life Death and Beyond’
Developing Secondary RE 2003 Rosemary Rivett RE Today Services (Isbn 1-904024-38-6)
Waterbugs and Butterflies
www.liverpoolfc.tv
www.humanism.org.uk
for more information on Humanism in Dorset see
‘Humanism A resource pack for RE teachers’ By David Warden Humanist association of Dorset.
Expectations
At the end of this unit
Most children will:
(Level 5) / ·  Use an increasingly wide religious vocabulary to explain the impact of Christian and other beliefs on individuals and communities in relation to issue of death and life after death
·  Understand the similarities and differences within and between religious communities on issues of death and life after death
·  Explain how religious sources are used to provide answers to ultimate questions.
·  Ask and suggest answers to, questions of meaning and purpose.
some children will not have made so much progress and will:
(Level 3) / ·  Use a developing religious vocabulary to describe some key features of religions , recognising similarities and differences
·  Make links between beliefs and stories
·  Identify the impact of religion on believer’s lives
·  Ask important questions about religions and beliefs
·  Make links between values and their own attitudes.
Some children will have progressed further and will:
(Level 6) / ·  Use religious and philosophical vocabulary to give informed accounts of religious and non religious beliefs and practices associated with death and life after death.
·  Explain why the impact of religious beliefs may vary.
·  Interpret different forms of religious and spiritual expression.
·  Express insights into their own and others views on ultimate questions.
Learning Objectives / Possible Teaching Activities / Learning outcomes / Contribution to other Curriculum Areas
To reflect on and explore some of the ways in which people cope with sudden death / Suggested stimulus to introduce this unit.
As a starter to this unit show this video for the song ‘I will follow you into the dark’ by a group called Death Cab for the cutie.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wNIS0cuDOMw
this could be followed using P4C approaches
reflection
comments
question formation
etc
How do people react to sudden death?
Show some pictures of people responding to sudden death or to the death of some one important. ‘Questions of Truth by Susana Hookway’ has some suitable pictures but a few minutes on google images should do as well.
Ask questions.
‘What is happening in the picture?’
‘Why are the people doing these things? ‘
‘What questions would you want to ask those in the picture?
Explore a particular event , for example :-
The Hillsborough disaster and memorial at Anfield. Clips can be downloaded from the Liverpool FC site. (www.liverpool.tv. Click on enter site>history>Hillsborough) play ‘’You’ll never walk alone’
Answer this question. ‘The Hillsborough disaster happened 1989, these people should move on and they should remove this from the website’ Do you agree? Give your reasons. / Ask important questions/ask and suggest answers to questions/express insights in response to issues connected with death and life after death. / PSHE
Spiritual Development
Thinking skills
Learn about Christian teachings on the resurrection and life after death including concepts such as Heaven, Hell, Purgatory and eternal life
Learn about the Christian basis of the Hospice movement / How do Christians respond to death?
Read the account of the Resurrection in Matthew 28 1-10 or Luke 24 1-12. John 20
Consider how Mary was feeling as she went to the tomb and how she was feeling after she meet with Jesus.
Ask Why was she filled with Joy?
Read Romans 6 verses 4-10
What do these passages suggest Christians believe happens when you die?
Explain/summarise Christian beliefs about life after death. Include terms Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, Resurrection, Eternal life,
Read the story ‘Waterbugs and butterflies’ Write a review of this story written to help young children in the Christian faith community to cope with the death of someone they knew. Outline the point the story is making, and say if you think it is effective in helping people cope with death.
Christians would often say ‘Death is a comma, not a full stop.’ Explain what this means.
Find out about the Hospice movement (Most GCSE Textbooks will contain some information) This was founded by a Christian. Why would Christians support this approach to coping with illness? / Describe/explain the Christian teaching on the importance of the resurrection for Christian belief about life after death. Identify the impact/Explain the impact and variation of that belief.
Describe/Explain how form s of religious expression are linked to beliefs and sources.
Learn about a Christian funeral services and reasons for variation in practice including terms such as Committal, Requiem Mass, Mourning
Learn about funeral practice in a.n.other faith tradition.
Reflect on and explore their own and others values and commitments in relation to death and life after death.
Learn about Humanist beliefs and practice in relation to death, life after death and funeral practice. / How would Christians and others mark the death of someone they cared about?
Look at a picture of the memorial service for Anthony Walker who was murdered in a racist attack. ( Most Newspapers websites should have this http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4182246.stm or google search Anthony walker funeral ) Anthony was a Christian and his family asked that those that attended wear Football Shirts. Do you think this was the right thing to do?
Look at the outline of Christian Funeral service and that of another faith tradition (Most textbooks will cover this). Include terms Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, Resurrection, Eternal life, Committal, Requiem Mass, Mourning.
Draw up a chart with the following headings
Aspect of the service/ How this reflects Christian beliefs/comparison with another faith/good idea or bad idea?
Watch the funeral clip from ‘4 Weddings and a Funeral’ The people in this film were clearly not from any Christian or other faith tradition background. So why did they feel the need to hold a funeral service when one of their friends died?
Look at a Humanist funeral ceremony www.humanism.org >ceremonies>funerals contains information on the support and guidance the BHA give to those wanting a non-religious funeral service. Using this information produce ‘A Sun readers guide to a Humanist funeral’ / Describe/explain some key features of religious expression, recognising/understanding reasons for variation in practice within and between religions.
Ask important questions/ask and suggest answers to questions/express insights in response to issues connected with death and life after death.
Describe/explain some key features of non religious expression and belief in connection with issues of death.
Suggested Assessment Task: Life Gem assessment
Considerable sensitivity will need to be used in setting an assessment task as part of this unit. The following is an idea that may or may not be suitable for you students. It is based on a task in ‘This is RE Book 3’
I am greatful to Blandford school for developing this assessment task.
The Times Newspaper on 23rd August 2002 reported that a company in Chicago (LifeGem Memorials) has developed a process for turning cremated human remains into a diamond that can be worn as jewellery.