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Year 4 Unit – How do Hindu beliefs affect the way they live their lives?

This unit is designed to be taught in Lower Key Stage 2, but could be adapted to be taught in Year 5. It must precede the unit on Hindu beliefs about .

Prior Knowledge

Pupils may have studied a unit of Hinduism in Key Stage 1, or explored a Hindu festival as part of a unit on belonging or in the local area. However, this unit largely introduces the Hindu tradition to pupils for the first time. The approach taken is one developed through work with the organisation Hinduism Education Services who provide support to schools.

Learning Outcomes

These outcomes are based on -related expectations being trialled by the Diocese of Norwich school and DNEAT academies.

Where beliefs come from:

Identify the as a source of authority for , and how these link with their beliefs about the .

How beliefs are related to each other:

Make clear links between the in and the resultant beliefs of samsara, , and the value of .

How beliefs shape the way believers see the world and each other:

Identify ways in which beliefs (samsara, moksha, ahimsa, and karma) might make a Hindu think about how they live their life, how they see the world in which they live and how they others.

Issues of right and wrong, good and bad:

Describe a range of answers to ethical and moral questions such as, ‘If a person’s current incarnation is a consequence of their previous karma, should Hindus help those who suffer?’ showing awareness of the diversity of opinion and why there are differences.

The ways in which beliefs shape individual identity and impact on communities and society, and vice versa

Describe ways in which Hindu beliefs can impact on and shape individual lives, communities and society, e.g. , non-violence, dharma, treatment of women and minorities, environmentalism, ascetism.

Year 4 Hinduism Unit – How do Hindu beliefs affect the way they live their lives?

Session Objectives Activity suggestions Outcomes number 1 - How does what you believe What do the children believe in The ways in which beliefs Engage impact your everyday life? that influences what they do shape individual identity and (maybe without even realising it)? impact on communities and – very practical things like the chair society, and vice versa they are on is theirs to sit on, and Describe ways in which beliefs that it will hold their weight; their can impact on and shape family is important so they treat individual lives them kindly; their football team is the best so they cheer them/wear their colours etc. Bring discussion round to religious beliefs – how does our school community shows the beliefs we have? (e.g. Christian values; crosses// verses on display); how these Christian values affect/influence our behaviour. Remind of other studied in the past e.g. how Jewish beliefs affect what they do.

Collection of objects – what can we tell about this person’s beliefs by the objects/clothes/books they have?

Writing / drawing activity – two outlines of people in the book. One picture is them – write or draw what they have/wear/eat/do that shows what they believe. The other is someone else – how would their objects differ to show their different beliefs?

2 – What do Hindus mean by ‘Point to yourself’ activity – Where beliefs come from: Enquire ‘’? resource sheet 1 Identify the Upanishads as a and source of authority for Hindus, explore – Atman Text activity – start with the text and how these link with their what are from the Upanishad (on resource beliefs about the soul. the Hindu sheet 2) – enlarge into the centre beliefs? of a piece of A3 paper. Children work collaboratively (in pairs?) write/draw around the text in the first circle literal interpretations of the text.

Evaluate / respond: Does this ever feel true for you? Which sections stand out for you? Year 4 Hinduism Unit – How do Hindu beliefs affect the way they live their lives?

3 Atman Teach – I bow to you in How beliefs shape the way - Enquire respect; show children how to do it believers see the world and and and then encourage them to bow each other: explore – to one another. Identify ways in which belief in what are atman might make a Hindu the Hindu Break children into small groups. think about how they view beliefs? Give out the cards on resource others. sheet 3 – one to each group of children. They are to read the text together and discuss what they think it means. Then feedback to the rest of the class.

Drama activity – resource sheet 4 – ‘the driver is not the car.’

Children to make links between the drama and the concept of atman and the greeting of namaste. 4 Karma and Dharma ‘Your deeds follow your soul like a How beliefs are related to Enquire shadow.’ – what do they each other: and understand by this? – (post it note Make clear links between the explore – on poster) belief in atman and resulting what do beliefs in karma. Hindus Activities 1 – 3 from ‘Opening up do? Hinduism’ pages 20-22 How beliefs shape the way believers see the world and Draw activities together with a each other: discussion about how this fits in Identify ways in which beliefs with the central belief in atman as about karma and dharma understood from the previous two might make a Hindu think lessons. about how they live their life.

‘Your deeds follow your soul like a shadow.’ – what do they understand by this now? – (different coloured post it notes on poster)

5 Samsara and Moksha Activities 4 (diamond 9, choose 3 How beliefs are related to Enquire top ones, freeze frame outcomes if each other: and followed or ignored) and 5 (snakes Make clear links between the explore – and ladders game) from ‘Opening belief in atman and resulting what do up Hinduism’ pages 20-22 (RE beliefs in samsara, moksha, Hindus Today Publication) karma and the value of ahimsa do? Draw activities together with a How beliefs shape the way discussion about how this fits in believers see the world and with the central belief in atman as each other: understood from the previous two Identify ways in which beliefs lessons. (samsara, moksha, ahimsa and karma) might make a Hindu think about how they live their Year 4 Hinduism Unit – How do Hindu beliefs affect the way they live their lives?

life, how they see the world in which they live and how they view others. 6 Ahimsa Clip or photos to show how The ways in which beliefs Enquire amazing the world is, and then shape individual identity and and contrasting with the destruction of impact on communities and explore – the environment (e.g. oil slick, society what do plastic inside fish, polluted rivers Describe ways in which Hindu Hindus etc.) beliefs can impact on and do? How does this make you feel? shape individual lives, communities and society, e.g. Children to return to the cards vegetarianism, from the previous week – can they environmentalism. find one which explains a Hindu perspective on this?

Draw out the belief that atman is present in all life, not just humans. What consequences does this have for the way a Hindu would treat the environment?

Can discuss sacred cows and vegetarianism.

Possible written activities - Pictures of trees with why Hindus should respect the environment written on the branches Write a poem about the Earth as mother from a Hindu perspective 7 ‘It serves you right!’ – when do you Issues of right and wrong, Evaluate hear this? when have you said it? good and bad: how does it feel to be on the Describe a range of answers to receiving end of this? ethical and moral questions Drama and discussion / make such as, ‘If a person’s current pictures to show scenarios. incarnation is a consequence of their previous karma, If you do something wrong, bad should Hindus help those who things happen. suffer?’ showing awareness of Can they remember what Hindus the diversity of opinion and call this? why there are differences. What is the flip side of this?

Where is the place for ? If Hindus are trying to follow the way of God, should they show compassion? Hindus believe they have a social responsibility, which comes from a place of non- – but to compassionately remind others of their own responsibility - a bit like Year 4 Hinduism Unit – How do Hindu beliefs affect the way they live their lives?

a parent correcting their child’s behaviour.

Evidence with post-its / collaborative spider diagram. 8 What have we learned? Go back to the outlines from the Review all learning outcomes. Express Drawing together ideas from first week. Now can they draw one throughout the unit. for a Hindu? What would they need to include? Where are the similarities and differences?

Keep outlines to pass on for the beginning of the next Hinduism unit.

Year 4 Hinduism Unit – How do Hindu beliefs affect the way they live their lives?

Resource Sheet 1 – Point to yourself activity

Point to your head, point to your left hand, point to your ear, point to your knees, point to your elbow, point to your chest, now point to yourself. What did you do for your last command? Can you point to yourself?

Year 4 Hinduism Unit – How do Hindu beliefs affect the way they live their lives?

Resource Sheet 2 (session 2)

The self is…

Like an animal [awaiting slaughter], bound with ropes made of good and bad deeds;

Like a prisoner, without freedom;

Like someone standing before , the judge of the dead, in a state of great fear;

Like a drunk, it is intoxicated by the wine of illusion;

Like one seized by , it is made to tremble;

Like someone bitten by a great snake, it is bitten by the world;

Like one in great darkness, it is blind with passion;

Like a conjuring trick, it is an illusion;

Like a dream, it is false;

Like a banana tree, it appears hard but is actually soft;

Like an actor, it changes costume in an instant;

Like a painted wall, it is fair in appearance…

Maitiri Upanishad, Chapter 4

Taken from ‘Questions: Hindus’ ed Stephen Pett, RE Today Services Year 4 Hinduism Unit – How do Hindu beliefs affect the way they live their lives?

Resource Sheet 3 – session 3 - atman Am I a body with a soul, or a soul inhabiting a body?

Hindus believe that the physical body is simply the vehicle for the soul – like a car, or a costume

Each soul is a tiny part of God, who is great. We are the soul within. The Upanishads say, ‘You are That’

The body is just like a bag. It’s a bag full of blood and bones and organs. It is not as important as the soul.

A wife her husband, not for his own sake… but because the atman lives in him… children are loved, not for their own sake, but because the atman lives in them.

Hindus bow and join their hands in respect when meeting someone. They bow to the atman within.

Resource sheet 4 – session 3 – ‘The driver is not the car’

Year 4 Hinduism Unit – How do Hindu beliefs affect the way they live their lives?

Based on, ‘The Heart of Hinduism’ by Rasamandala Das page 8.

Year 4 Hinduism Unit – How do Hindu beliefs affect the way they live their lives?

Resource sheet 5 – session 4 – karma and dharma

‘Your deeds follow your soul like a shadow’

Year 4 Hinduism Unit – How do Hindu beliefs affect the way they live their lives?

Resource sheet 6 – session 6 – ahimsa

‘Whoever sees the one in all, and all in the one spirit, from then on cannot look with contempt on any creature.’ 1863-1902