Brief Background for Teachers

RE SCHEME OF WORK KEY STAGE 2 Mid-term planning

Year 6: Unit 4 Term: Spring 2 Year: Is the resurrection important to Christians? Key Concepts: Resurrection; Reincarnation; Funeral; Learning Objective: to explore the resurrection of Heaven Jesus, the Easter narrative and concepts of life after death Brief background for teachers The resurrection of Jesus is probably one of the most contentious parts of the Christian narrative and even within Christians circles there are differences of interpretation and belief. Many Christians take the resurrection narrative as historically correct, citing the evidence of historians such a Josephus and the reaction of the Jewish and Roman leaders at the time. If they had had the body of Jesus they would have produced it in order to stop the spread of the heresy. Others questions whether the disciples would have been prepared to die for something that they knew to be false if they had stolen the body. Some read it more symbolically, understanding it to mean that it was a spiritual resurrection – that is that the influence of Jesus lived on. Biblical teaching however, supports the notion of a physical resurrection – although clearly the body of Jesus is different. Some of the disciples do not recognise him and he is able to appear and disappear easily. On the other hand, he can be touched, cook and eat fish. For most Christians the resurrection is the most important part of the story of Jesus as without it, all of Jesus teaching is called into question as he himself predicted his death and return to life (Matthew 27:63). St Paul’s encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus changed him and he wrote about the centrality of the resurrection to Christians belief in the first letter to the Corinthians in chapter 15:12ff. Jesus in his resurrected body meets disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13ff and explains “to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself” (v 27). For Christians the resurrection is proof that Jesus is the son of God, that he has power over death and that therefore there is hope for life after death, forgiveness of sins and the promise of a new heaven and a new earth. If followed through, these beliefs lead to a sense for Christians that death is not the end and therefore many Christian funerals are celebrations in the midst of the sadness that still accompanies death. For many this also means that Christians need to be concerned about how they live as there will be consequences. It is important to note the differences between resurrection and reincarnation. Reincarnation refers to the belief that beings return to life as something else, dependant on whether they have behaved well or badly. Christians believe that each person has one body, one soul and it is that that is resurrected. Another confusion is that in resurrection Jesus became an angel. That would have been demotion, as angels are viewed as below God and the Son of Man/God. Expected Learning Pupils will be able to make links between the narrative of the resurrection and Christian beliefs about life after death and the significance of the resurrection for understanding the nature of Jesus. They will know how Easter Sunday is celebrated and the reason for the joy of the event. They will be able to explain how a Christian understanding of the resurrection might influence the way that Christians respond to death. They will be able to explain why many Christians believe that Jesus resurrection is important. Developing Excelling Pupils will know the story of the death and resurrection of Pupils will be clear about the difference between Jesus and be able to identify some reasons why this is Resurrection and reincarnation and some of the other important to Christians. They will know that not everyone misconceptions. They will be able to evaluate the thinks the same and they will be able to explore what significance of believing in a bodily resurrection as opposed difference this may make to a spiritual resurrection. They will be able to compare Christian views about death with those of another faith or non-religious worldview

0eaaac83a37c39592d07035c50cd8dbf.do c November 2016 Page 1 of 2 RE SCHEME OF WORK KEY STAGE 2 Mid-term planning

Engage:  Ask the question: What happens when people die? Take suggestions. The children grade them from likely to unlikely. Discuss whether death is the same for everyone or everything. Think about seeds. The seed dies and rots in the ground, but look at what grows from it. Discuss whether that is really dying or whether it is something else. Watch or read the resurrection of Aslan in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Discuss the image, looking at the effect it has on the story, the characters. Enquire & Explore: (AT1)  Watch the resurrection of Christ in the Miracle Maker; what does this show about Christian beliefs about death? Why do Christians believe it? Do other religions have similar beliefs? Explore briefly Hindu and Sikh beliefs in reincarnation, establishing the differences between resurrection and reincarnation (resurrection – return to life as self; reincarnation – being reborn as something or someone else). Research the way different faiths conduct funerals, looking to see whether the funeral reflects the beliefs and in what way. Explore Christian/other faith views of “Heaven” especially in Revelation 22.  Interview a Vicar or a Funeral Director to see how they understand death and resurrection. Evaluate: (AT2 Impersonal)  Do Christian beliefs about the resurrection of Jesus make a difference to the way Christians do/should live? Read 1 Corinthians 15 and discuss what it might mean. Look at: www.request.org.uk for interviews with Tom Wright and Amy Orr-Ewing about life after death. Does resurrection stop Christians being sad when someone dies? Should it mean that they rejoice at the funeral of a Christian? Do Christian funeral practices reflect these beliefs? Does it matter if the resurrection is not a fact but a symbol? What difference might that make to what Christians believe and how they behave? Reflect & Communicate: (AT2 Personal)  What are the children’s own beliefs about life after death? How do they compare to the beliefs of Christianity and other faiths? Does it matter what the children believe? Design either a memorial, a funeral service, paint a picture of heaven or imagine being reincarnated or resurrected. How does what they believe influence what they think any of these items should be like? Do the children need to reconsider their ideas in the light of what they have found out? Evaluation:  What went well?  Even better if:

Some suggested resources:  www.request.org.uk  Bible – 1 Corinthians 15; Revelation 22, Easter narrative (end of all four gospels)  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (book or film) and or The Miracle Maker – animated film  RE Today Publications - Opening Up Easter; Exploring a Theme – the Journey of Life and Death  Churchyard with gravestones; war memorials  Funeral Director or Vicar

0eaaac83a37c39592d07035c50cd8dbf.do c November 2016 Page 2 of 2 RE SCHEME OF WORK CLASS RECORD SHEET Assessment opportunities & activities

Year 6: Unit 4 Term: Spring 2 Year: Is the resurrection important to Christians? Some pupils will have made more progress and will use a developing religious vocabulary to:  Make a Wordle or Taxedo to show the differences between resurrection and reincarnation  Explain what it means for a Christian to take the story of the resurrection seriously or read it as a symbolic text  Enquire into and explain Christian funeral practices with relation to Christian beliefs in the resurrection, comparing them to the practices of one other faith  Express their own views about life and death, using religious language and comparing with the beliefs of one or more faiths  Design a memorial that shows the Christian or Sikh view of death; design a memorial for themselves and compare the two Most pupils will be able to use an increasing religious vocabulary to:  Describe a Christian funeral making links to Christian beliefs about resurrection  Hot seat as a Christian to show understanding of what it means to believe in the resurrection  Compare and contrast the resurrection of Jesus to the Sikh/Hindu understanding of reincarnation  Devise four good questions to ask about why people choose to believe in the resurrection/heaven/life after death and suggest the answers a Christian or a Hindu might give  Create a statement of personal belief in response to the question about the resurrection, referring to Christian belief Some pupils will have made less progress but will be able to use religious words and phrases to:  Describe the main Christian beliefs about Easter and the resurrection and say what difference it makes to believers  Compare Jesus to an avatar of Vishnu, using the correct religious language  Ask questions and investigate answers about why people choose to believe in life after death  Suggest the reasons for their own beliefs  Prepare a reflection on why the resurrection matters to Christians at Easter and what matters to them

0eaaac83a37c39592d070 35c50cd8dbf.doc November 2016 Page 1 of 1