Christianity. What does it mean to belong? (Year 1 Autumn 1)

Session 1 - How am I special?  Why do Christians believe that people are special?

KEY WORDS - Unique Special God

Show the children a collection of different characters. Explain why each one of them is special.

Discuss what the word special means.

Read ‘Elmer’ . Time for Storytime: David McKee reads Elmer - Bing video

QUESTION - What makes Elmer special?

Sit the children in a circle. Children should share what they like about other children in the class.

DISCUSSION - Discuss the children’s ideas. In pairs, children should find out what makes their partner special. Feed back to the rest of the class.

TASK - to draw a picture of themselves in the middle of the piece of paper and complete the speech bubble ‘I am special because...’ Give the children word mats for ideas. Model on board.

 

Read the story of the good shepherd to the children. The Sheep and the Shepherd | Bible Story | LifeKids - Bing video

Recap who Jesus is and explain that he sometimes told stories that had a secret message – parables. What does the story mean?

discuss the idea that everyone is important/special to God. Look at how some of the persona dolls would consider that they are important to God.

Why are each of us special?

DISCUSSION - the idea that there is no one else like you in the world. You are the only one. How does that make you feel?

 

“What does it mean to belong?” What clues have we found so far to help us to answer it?

Session 2 - What does it mean to belong?

KEY WORDS - Belonging Groups Symbols

Display a class photograph of the children on the board. Look at the photograph carefully to find things which are similar and different between the children in the picture e.g., all children are wearing school uniform, some children have dark hair.

Draw table on the board of similarities and differences and fill in using the children’s suggestions.

DISCUSSION - Explain to the children that they all belong to/in KS1 and Huntington CP School.

What other groups do the children belong to?

TASK - sort out the photographs into two groups: ‘Places I belong’ and ‘Places I don’t belong.’

Do we all belong to the same places? Show the children a picture of the school logo. What is this? What does it mean?

Discuss the idea that many of the groups that we belong to often have a symbol.

Does anybody recognise any of the symbols? How else might we show that we belong to something?

Children to draw a picture of the badge/object of the group they belong to. Or to create one, if the group does not have one already.

Explain to the children that in the next lesson we will still be thinking about ‘belonging.’ But that we will be thinking about what it means to belong to a religion. Do any of the children belong to a religious worldview? What worldviews do the children and their families belong to?

QUESTION - Can the children think of a symbol for their/a religion? Could they bring an example in next lesson?

Big question, “What does it mean to belong?” What clues have we found so far to help us to answer it?

Session 3 - What different worldviews are there? Which of the symbols are associated with Christianity?

KEY WORDS - Sunday Religion Faith Christian Symbols

Children to show any symbols which they have brought in from home.

Children to sort them into symbols which are religious and symbols which are not to do with a religious worldview.

Which symbol represents something which you would like to find out more about?

Remember to handle the artefacts with care and respect.

Recall, the idea of a religious family and how members do things and wear things to show that they belong. Do a class audit of the children's faiths.

If relevant, ask them to explain to the rest of the class what they and their families do and wear to show that they belong to a religious family.

FOCUS - Christianity: Investigate using books, videos or pictures what people do in one religion to show that they belong, e.g. wear a cross or fish badge to show they belong to a church.

Ask the children to complete some sentences on what they have discovered about the different things Christians wear and do.

Ask them to draw one thing that is worn by Christians and write a sentence describing what the object is.

What is your special day of the week and why? Why is Sunday important to Christians? What do some Christians do on a Sunday?

 

Refer back to the big question, “What does it mean to belong?” What clues have we found so far to help us to answer it?

Session 4 - What symbols can you see in a baby’s baptism?

KEY WORDS Candle Cross Baptism Christian Family

DISCUSSION - talk to the class about Baptism or show them a photograph of a font.

 

After exploring what a font is, show them what happens at a baptism. Talk about the symbolism of the cross that is made on a baby's head in the context of welcoming a child into the family of God in the church.

Ask them what the cross symbolises. Invite children who have personal experience of going to baptisms to talk about them.

Explore the importance of naming and the term 'Christian' name.

Show children a baptismal candle and talk about what it might symbolise.

Tell children that baptism is the way that some Christians welcome babies into Jesus' family.

St John the Baptist Church - Penymynydd - Baptisms (google.com)

Invite the children to talk about how their own families’ welcome babies.

 

 

Refer back to the big question, “What does it mean to belong?” What clues have we found so far to help us to answer it?

Session 5 - How was Jesus baptised?

KEY WORDS Jesus John the Baptist Holy Spirit Dove

QUESTION - why do they think some people want to have their babies baptised?

Have some jigsaws of art of the Baptism of Jesus.

TASK - Children describe their piece to their group then put the jigsaw together to see the full picture.

What do they think it is all about? Swop jigsaws with another group until they have experienced at least 3 scenes.

Activity:  Baptism Jigsaws

Describe your piece to your group.  Now put the jigsaw together to see the full picture. What do you think it is all about? 

What clues have you found from the jigsaws you have completed? What was similar about the pictures? 

Picture 1  

Picture 2

Picture 3

Tell the story of John the Baptist inviting people into the River Jordan for baptism to show that they were turning away from their old lives and beginning a new life; emphasise the symbolism of water.

Complete the story with the baptism of Jesus, exploring John's feelings about being asked to baptise Jesus.

TASK - Invite children to talk about how it would feel to be asked to do something really important. Talk about why this story is important to Christians and link it to the earlier work on infant baptism. Write thought bubbles for those stood watching Jesus being baptised on some religious art.

Some ‘I wonder’ questions to explore together. Can the children think of their own questions first?

I wonder why Jesus wanted to be baptised by John?

I wonder what Jesus and John thought when they heard the voice?

I wonder where I would have been stood and what I would have felt?

Refer back to the big question, “What does it mean to belong?” What clues have we found so far to help us to answer it?

Session 6 - Why do some adults choose to be baptised? What is special about belonging?

KEY WORDS Total Immersion Baptism New Start Belonging to a faith

Show children a short video of baptism by total immersion and invite them to talk about what they can see.

Encourage comments on the water and the 'bath', helping them to make links to earlier work, prompting them to use correct vocab.

Invite children to talk about how it feels to have their faces wet and ask them why they think anyone would want to go right into the water, until their face was covered, it must be something the person feels is really important.

Explain very simply what happens during Baptism and explore through questions and discussion how the water symbolises a new start.

Emphasise that this is the way that some people show they want to belong to Jesus.

Explore the links with Jesus' Baptism in the river.

Ask children in groups to sequence cards with sentences and pictures that describe how a child and an adult belong to a religion.

Ask the children to think about and discuss what is special about belonging to their family, club or school.

Write up the answers they give so that everyone can see the collective response. Then link to what is special about belonging to a religion for a believer. Use the sequencing cards as an aid.

Ask children to complete the sentence, 'belonging to a religion is special to that person because... '

Ask the children to paint or draw a picture to illustrate their response.

 

Refer back to the big question, “What does it mean to belong?”

Can you tell a partner how to answer that question using some of the clues we have used over the last few weeks.

Year 1 and 2 will be looking at Christianity and the big question....what it means to belong?

How am I special?  Together we will discuss what the word special means but first listen to the following story

Time for Storytime: David McKee reads Elmer - Bing video

What makes Elmer special?    What makes you special? 

Why do Christians believe that people are special?

The activity today is   I am special (Y1)I am special (Y2)Rainbow sheet  (found in files below)

Read the story of the good shepherd to the children. (Recap who is Jesus?  Explain that he sometimes told stories that had a secret message called parables).

The Sheep and the Shepherd | Bible Story | LifeKids - Bing video

What does the story mean? Discuss the idea that everyone is important/special to God.

The Good Shepherd: An Ancient Sheepfold Near Bethlehem - Bing video

Why are each of us special? Discuss the idea that there is no one else like you in the world. You are the only one. How does that make you feel? 

A small clip to show sheep responding to their shepherd calling

Belonging 

Today we will be thinking about what it means to belong to a religion. Do any of you belong to a religion?  What religions do the children belong to?  Can you think of a symbol for your/a religion? Can you draw an example on a white board? 

Please could you discuss with your child what groups they belong to? For example swimming club, Beavers, Rainbows, dance group etc

What does it mean to belong? Listen to Dotty and Buzz to find out more

How many religions do you think there are in the World? ??How many religions in the World??

Remember the big question, “What does it mean to belong?” What clues have we found so far to help us to answer it?

Some key words for this lesson are:      Sunday    Religion     Faith     Christian Symbols 

What different religions are there in the world?   Can 'we' name any of the religions?

Which of the symbols are associated with Christianity?    Can 'we' name any of the symbols?   Power point - see files below

Can you sort them into symbols which are religious and symbols which are not to do with religion. Which symbol represents something which you would like to find out more about? 

Let us now think about different religious families (Yasmin - Muslim) and how members do things and wear things to show that they belong.

Would anyone like to explain to the rest of the class what they and their families do and wear to show that they belong to a religious family.  

In pairs (small talk) discuss what you have discovered about the different things Christians wear and do.

On the white board, can you draw one thing that is worn by Christians, and write a sentence describing what the object is.

What is your special day of the week and why? Why is Sunday important to Christians? What do some Christians do on a Sunday?

Refer back to the unit question, “What does it mean to belong?” What clues have we found so far to help us to answer it?

If time  - investigate using books, videos or pictures what people do in one religion to show that they belong, e.g. wear a cross or fish badge to show they belong to a church. Use a website to find out how different church members may use different symbols. 

What symbols can I see in a baby’s baptism?

What do you think is the main Christian symbol?   Do you know any more Christian symbols?

What day is the Christian Holy day?

Let's watchDotty and Buzz at a Baptism.   Focus - What symbols do you see?

John The Baptist baptises Jesus in the River Jordan 

BBC Bitesize Baptism part 1 Part 2 Part 3

 Baptism  powerpoint  -  see files below

Explore the importance of naming and the term 'Christian' name. Artefact handling - a baptismal candle and discuss about what it might symbolise.

Baptism is the way that some Christians welcome babies into Jesus' family.

How was Jesus baptised? 

Why do you think some people want to have their babies baptised? Can you remember anything from the last session? 

Activity:  Baptism Jigsaws

Describe your piece to your group.  Now put the jigsaw together to see the full picture. What do you think it is all about? 

What clues have you found from the jigsaws you have completed? What was similar about the pictures? 

Picture 1  

Picture 2

Picture 3

Remember the story of John the Baptist from last week, inviting people into the River Jordan for baptism to show that they were turning away from their old lives and beginning a new life; remember the symbolism of water.

We are going to rewatch the story of John The Baptist baptises Jesus in the River Jordan, the story with the baptism of Jesus, together we will explore John's feelings about being asked to baptise Jesus.

Question:  How would it feel to be asked to do something really important?    Why do you think this story is important to Christians?

Activity:   Task write thought bubbles for those stood watching Jesus being baptised on white boards.

Though firstly lets make some ‘I wonder’ questions to explore together. Can you think of your own questions first? 

Together let's answer these 'I wonder' questions...

I wonder why Jesus wanted to be baptised by John?

I wonder what Jesus and John thought when they heard the voice?

I wonder where I would have been stood and what I would have felt?

Why do some adults choose to be baptised?

Watch a short video of baptism by total immersion and talk about what you can see. Encourage comments on the water and the 'bath', helping them to make links to earlier work, remember to try and use correct wording. 

Talk about how it feels to have their faces wet and ask them why they think anyone would want to go right into the water, until their face was covered. 

This must be something the person feels is really important. Explain very simply what happens during baptism and explore through questions and discussion how the water symbolises a new start. Discuss that this is the way that some people show they want to belong to Jesus. Make links with Jesus' baptism in the river.

What is special about belonging?

Ask the children to think about and discuss what is special about belonging to their family, club or school.

What is special about belonging to a religion for a believer?

Ask children to complete the sentence, 'belonging to a religion is special to that person because...