Thamesview School Religious Studies Religious Festivals Part 2 Home Learning Booklet Instructions Work through each section of the workbook and complete the tasks in written in blue. Make sure you read all of the information carefully. Title: Religious Festivals Part 1 Revision Task 1 Circle the correct answer to the questions. Question Answers 1. What is the Hebrew name for the 1) Hanukkah Jewish festival of Passover? 2) Pesach 3) Menorah 4) Israelite 2. Which of the following was NOT 1) Darkness one of the ten plagues of Egypt? 2) Hail and Fire 3) Locusts 4) Skin Rash 3. What is name of the meal eaten 1) Seder during Passover? 2) Magid 3) Matzot 4) Afikomen 4. How many glasses of wine are 1) 1 drunk during the Passover meal to 2) 2 symbolise the promises made by 3) 3 God to the Israelites? 4) 4 5. What is Hanukkah also known as? 1) Festival of Candles 2) Festival of Lights 3) Festival of Maccabees 4) Festival of Freedom 6. During which season does 1) Spring Hanukkah take place? 2) Summer 3) Autumn 4) Winter 7. What does the Christian festival of 1) Birth of Jesus Christmas celebrate? 2) Death of Jesus 3) Resurrection of Jesus 4) Ascension of Jesus 8. Which of the following is NOT a key 1) Hope message from the Christmas story? 2) Love 3) Hate 4) Kindness 9. What is another name for the 1) Advent Christmas story? 2) Nativity 3) Epiphany 4) Easter 10. What is the name of the Children’s 1) Midnight Mass Christmas church service? 2) Carol Service 3) Advent 4) Christingle Task 2 Label the items on the Seder Plate and then write a brief description of what each item symbolises. Task 3 Complete the table to explain the ways that Christians celebrate Christmas. What happens? What does it symbolise? Advent Christingle Carols Nativity Midnight Mass Task 4 ‘A festival is just an excuse to have a party.’ Do you agree? Write at least two paragraphs. The first paragraph should have your opinion and the second paragraph should explain why some might disagree with your point of view. You must refer to both a Christian and a Jewish religious festival in your answer. Title: How do Christians celebrate Easter? LO: To investigate how and why Christians celebrate the festival of Easter. Easter is the most important part of the Christian calendar because it remembers Jesus’ death and resurrection. Christians believe that Jesus had to be sacrificed so that the sins of all people could be forgiven. His death was an atonement for those sins. This is the sad element to Easter. However, it is also joyful, as Jesus rose from the dead and this opened heaven for humans. Like most people in Britain, Christians give chocolate eggs as gifts at Easter. The egg represents life and the stone which covered Jesus’ tomb. Both Christians and non-Christians, paint eggs and roll eggs at Easter. Task 1 Complete the table, using the information on the next page. What does it remember? How is it celebrated? Palm Sunday Maundy Thursday Good Friday Easter Saturday Easter Sunday How do Christians celebrate Easter? Palm Sunday The service on this Sunday often include processions, as churches try to recreate Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. Palm crosses are given to everyone present, reminding them that the people of Jerusalem laid down palm branches as a carpet for Jesus. They were greeting him as a king. Maundy Thursday In some churches there is a special evening service on Maundy Thursday, which is the day before Good Friday. This service remembers Jesus’ last night of freedom with his disciples, when he was very sad about what was to come. During the service, the altar will be stripped of almost everything, with a black cloth laid over it. Good Friday The service on Good Friday is sad and thoughtful. All the hymns, readings and the sermon are about what happened to Jesus, and how his death made God’s forgiveness of human sin possible. Christians think a lot about the events which allowed the forgiveness of their sins, how they could be better people and the sacrifices they could make for their faith. In some churches, there is a procession with someone carrying a cross – which is what Jesus was made to do. Easter Saturday The Easter Vigil is a service held very late on Easter Saturday. It is about waiting for the day that Jesus rose from the dead. In many churches, the service finishes before midnight, everyone leaves the church and the lights are turned off. A procession around the church or singing hymns outside the church takes place, with everyone holding candles that have all been lit from the Paschal candle. This represents Jesus as the ‘light of the world’. At midnight, the church is opened again in a blaze of light. The black altar cloth is changed to a white altar cloth and flowers decorate the church. The service became very joyful because ‘Christ is risen’. Easter Sunday Happy services take place in churches, where the topic of the sermon, hymns readings and prayers is that Jesus is risen and heaven is open to all. God’s mercy and forgiveness is spoken of. After the service, many churches have a congregational meal, so that everyone can eat together like one big family. Task 2 Do you think that Easter is a more important time of the year in the UK than Christmas? Write one paragraph explaining your viewpoint. In my opinion, I think that Easter is/is not a more important time in the UK than Christmas. This is because … However, it could also be argued that … This is because … Title: Festivals in Buddhism LO: To examine the main festivals celebrated by Buddhists. Buddhism is the fourth largest religion in the world and has about 500 million followers. The Buddha was a man who lived about 2500 years ago and taught about life. He taught about the reasons why things happen, why some of the things we do make us unhappy, what happiness really is and how to achieve it. He said that anyone can overcome their sufferings and be perfectly happy. This is called enlightenment. There are very few festivals that are celebrated by all Buddhists throughout the world. Wesak is the most widely observed festival. It marks the Buddha’s enlightenment, as well as his birth and death. Bhikkhus (Buddhist monks) receive new robes at the end of the tropical rainy season in the autumn. This festival is called Kathina. Task 1 Read through the information on the next page and then answer the questions around the edge of the text. Task 2 Why is it important for Buddhists to celebrate festivals? Write a PEE paragraph answering the question above. One reason it is important for Buddhists to celebrate festivals is … For example, … This shows that it is important for Buddhists to celebrate festivals because … Title: The Eid Festivals LO: To investigate how and why Muslims celebrate Eid festivals. Islam is the second biggest religion in the world with approximately 1.8 billion followers. People who follow the religion of Islam are called Muslims. The two main festivals in Islam are Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha. Eid ul-Fitr is a celebration of completing the month of fasting in Ramadan. Eid ul-Adha is a festival of sacrifice to remember that the Prophet Ibrahim was willing to sacrifice his own son to God. It takes place at the end of the Hajj pilgrimage, which happens every year. Task 1 Complete the columns of the table using the information on the next sheet. Things Muslims do during the Story behind the festival festival Eid ul-Fitr Eid ul-Adha The Eid Festivals The Eid festivals remember when Muhammad arrived in Madinah after he escaped from Makkah, he saw people celebrating for two days and asked them why they did this. They replied that it was two days of merriment and he told them that Allah had told them they these days should now be Eid ul-Adha and Eid ul-Fitr. Eid ul-Adha The festival is celebrated at the end of Hajj by all Muslims. It remembers the story of Ibrahim and his son Ismael. Ibrahim was tested by Allah by being told to kill his son as a sacrifice to see how far he would go to follow Allah’s commands. Ibrahim proved he was prepared to do it. Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son when Allah stopped him and provided him with a ram to sacrifice instead. For Muslims, this day is focussed on worship. Muslims dress in new clothes and complete a pre-sunrise prayer. Community Eid prayers are said at the mosque, with men encouraged to attend. A sermon is said, which is focussed on Ibrahim, with a commitment to try to be a better Muslim and not forgetting the Muslim responsibility to help the poor. Families cook lamb and share it with friends and family and give some to the poor. Some Muslims give money to charity. Cards are sent say ‘Eid Mubarak’ (Happy Eid) and children are given gifts. It is a time for Muslims to reflect on their loyalty to Allah. Eid ul-Fitr This festival is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the month after Ramadan and marks the end of fasting. Muslims look forward to it, as it comes after a month of fasting. It should be a religious day with Muslims reflecting on Ramadan and thinking about how they can keep Allah as more of a focus in the coming year.