RE Year 8
Unit 8B Buxton 4000 B.C		Last modified 24/08/02 by P Clark
About the unit In this unit pupils explore the origins of religion and are led to discover the function that Religion serves. Pupils will have an opportunity to study the traditions of the Aztecs, Roman and Ancient Greeks. They will examine and reflect upon the role of story (myth), deity, people and ritual. They will have the opportunity to create their own myths and religious elements and compare stone age religion with religion today. Pupils will recognise that Religion answers ultimate questions and that these questions are the questions that Science cannot answer. They will evaluate for themselves the differences between early religion and religion today. Where the unit fits in This unit is taught in year 8. It follows on from the Year 7 unit about creation. It prepares students for further units in year 9 about belief in God and at GCSE about Science and Religion.	Expectations At the end of this unit all pupils will: show understanding of four key elements of religion, myth, people, ritual and god(s); be able to explain why ancient religion is different from religion today and understand the effect it had on people’s lives; identify ultimate questions and recognise that religion offers an answer to ultimate questions; considers their own response to ultimate questions most pupils will: be able to use examples from ancient religion to describe the affect it had on believers; be able to identify with a society that did not have scientific knowledge and recognise the validity of their religious beliefs in this world view; be able to give examples from religion today regarding myth, people, god and ritual and compare these examples with stone age religious belief. some pupils will have progressed further and will: be able to describe the development of religion in detail; be able to express the way that religion today helps believers to answer ultimate questions; be able to give examples of answers to ultimate questions
Language for learning Through the activities in this unit pupils will be able to understand, use and spell correctly words relating to the study of: · Religion, myth, ultimate questions, creation, primal, stone age, ritual, symbol Speaking and Listening—through the activities pupils could: · Answer questions using relevant evidence or reasons · Present information in small groups Writing—through the activities pupils could: · Plan and develop ideas and lines of thinking in continuous text · Create and explain stories and myths ·	Prior Learning It is helpful is pupils have: · Learnt about creation myths · An idea about the progress of science through history and the state of the world 6000 years ago

Buxton 4000 B.C (A History of Religious Belief)
Learning Objectives Pupils should learn:	Possible teaching activities	Learning outcomes Pupils:	Points to note	Resources
1. A day in the life of a stone age tribe
· That without science people had a different world view. · How life was different 6000 years ago	· In small groups list things that were different 6000 years ago (competitive) · Discuss differences and highlight errors which occur · Brainstorm an average day · Produce piece of work written in the 1st person. ‘A day in the life of our stone age tribe’. · Plenary Q&A quiz	· Can identify the differences between now and 6000 years ago · Can appreciate the contribution of science towards understanding of the world · Begin to consider how the gaps in knowledge are filled in.	· Story completed and illustrated for homework	·
2. Our Universe
· About early concepts of the universe and how Religion helped to describe the state of creation. · That where there are gaps in knowledge religion provides answers · About myths	· Refer to Year 7 lesson Science and Creation · Brainstorm ‘How was the universe created?’ · In small groups try to explain how the universe was created without using Science · As a group draw a plan of how the world may have looked to stone age people · Create and label maps,, plans of the universe as it may have looked for stone age tribes.	· Can explain why myths are used to fill in the gaps left by science · Can creatively describe the kind of universe a stone age tribe may believe in	· This unit carries on from Creation Stories in year 7 and links in to Religion and Science unit in year 10	· Big paper · Felt tip pens
3. Gods and Goddesses
· About the things that affect the lives of people in the stone age · How they may attempt to explain and control these things	· Discuss things that most affect our tribe (food, disease, seasons etc) · Highlight that the reasons for these things are out of their control and explanation (no science) · Introduce the ideas of Gods and Goddesses as a way of explaining the unknown · Draw and label some Gods and Goddesses for our tribe.	· Can explain how early ideas about deity arose	· This unit leads into God unit in year 9 · Muslim Children may not wish to draw Gods and Goddesses. Worded properly a description of the type of Gods people used to worship will still meet the objectives.
4. Rituals
· About the role of ritual in religion · About the importance of symbol in ritual	· Refer back to previous lesson, ‘What things affect the tribe?’ · Brainstorm, ’How do we keep our Gods happy?’ · Introduce and explain the concept of Rituals, actions with meaning, discuss common rituals, (Knighting, saluting etc.) · Use ‘rituals’ sheet to discuss religious rituals today. · Task: Develop rituals for our tribe designed to keep the gods happy.	· Can recognise the significance of rituals in everyday life · Can explain the use of ritual in early religion · Can describe religious rituals today	· This lesson links in to Rites of Passage unit in year 9	· Rituals sheet
5 & 6. The Aztecs
· About the use of rituals amongst Aztecs. · That the Aztecs lack of scientific understanding lead to their beliefs.	· Discuss previous knowledge about the Aztecs · Read through and explain Aztecs sheet · Complete tasks on the sheet · Research further about the Aztecs · Produce display work on PC about the Aztecs	· Can recognise the needs of the Aztecs and explain how this affected their religious beliefs · Can compare these beliefs to the beliefs of Religion today in an attempt to answer ultimate question.	· “ lessons here using IT in the 2nd lesson	· Aztecs sheet
7. The Shaman
· About the role of special religious leaders · Compare the Shaman with religious leaders today	· Watch video ‘Shaman’ · Discuss the role of the Shaman · Complete worksheet · Plenary ‘Religious Leaders’ cards highlighting the role of Priest, Imam, Monk etc	· Can explain the need for special religious leaders · Can describe the role of the Shaman · Can compare the Shaman with today's religious leaders	·	·
8. Myths
· About various Myths from ancient cultures · That Myths help us to understand the universe · That the ‘truth’ of a Myth does not lie in it’s literal interpretation.	· Expert groups · In groups work on a myth each (Persiphone, Ganesha etc.) · Answer key questions · In new groups cascade information · Produce display work on myths.	· Can describe a myth to their small groups · Can recognise the importance of myth · Can explain the meaning of a myth	· This lesson is linked with Creation Myths in year 7	· Information sheets about Myths
9. Stone Age vs Religion Now
· To compare the things we have learnt in this unit with Religion Today	· Brainstorm key elements of our primal religion (story, gods, people and ritual) · In each case raise and example amongst world religion which shows the complexity of belief · Read through worksheet use focusing questions · Complete work on sheet.	· Understand how the unit fits in to further their understanding of Religion today · Can explain examples of stories, gods, people and rituals in Religion Today	·	· Stone Age vs Religion Now worksheet

BUXTON COMMUNITY SCHOOL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION