SACRE 18.09.13 item 3 - Ealing SACRE Briefing

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 2 Activity 3: Return to the timeline you used in the first activity and indicate to the pupils where their individual timelines fit into the schem

Ealing SACRE briefing 18 September 2013 1

Ealing SACRE briefing:

September 2013

Inspiration, Lauren, aged 180F1Spirited Arts, www.natre.org.uk

0BAgreed syllabus: new units

Please find attached schemes of work for the following new units in the revised agreed syllabus

1) Seeds of unity, 1 and 2: Most of the material in these schemes comes from work

commissioned by BGCI (Botanic Gardens Conservation International), whose specific remit was to create resources for ks2 RE teachers on the subject of how the human dependence on plant life is reflected in belief/ ritual and what various traditions have to say on the subject

of stewardship and conservation [Please note that it was part of the BGCI’s grant proposal

for this project that the resources focus on Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Humanism.]

2) History of belief in the UK, 1 (History of belief in the UK, 2 will be presented at the January

We will revisit the Reflection guidance in the January meeting However following the discussion

at the June meeting, I propose the following change to the sample consultation letter for parents

Ealing SACRE recommends an approach

where there is no actual worship; instead,

following a presentation based on a

religious or ethical theme, pupils are

requested to spend a quiet moment

praying silently, meditating or reflecting

on what they have just heard

Ealing SACRE recommends an approach

where there is no formal worship; instead,

following a presentation based on a religious or ethical theme, pupils are requested to spend a quiet moment praying silently, meditating or reflecting

on what they have just heard

1 Lauren was the secondary winner in the 2005 Spirited Arts Competition She says “My mural represents

architecture of my home town of Kendal and the beauty and inspiring landscape of the Lake District I wanted to bring together the manmade stone buildings and the ‘God made’ curvaceous surrounding hills …”

Ealing SACRE briefing 18 September 2013 2

Potential school visitors

On several of the RE monitoring returns we’ve been asked about suitable school visitors; I have also received this request via email I am hoping to put together a list for schools, but I need your help/suggestions (You will already have received a letter about this, but in case you missed it, I’m repeating the request here.)

It is important when making suggestions to keep in mind that the visitors that you recommend

must be able to relate to the relevant age group They must also follow the attached guidelines

Ealing SACRE briefing 18 September 2013 3

Guidelines for visitors

The following guidelines are to be used in conjunction with the policy regarding visitors already existing in schools; they also assume that a teacher is present when a visitor is presenting an assembly or leading an act of reflection

It is helpful if visitors:

 are familiar with the school, e.g through a prior visit

 are clear about their brief and the time available to them

 are encouraged to bring resources and artefacts to illustrate their contribution

 are sensitive to the response of the group to what is being said

 do not use the opportunity to influence pupils unfairly, or to attempt to win them over to their stance

 do not have to compete with school notices

It is helpful if the person responsible for the school’s programme:

 has met the visitor so that they are aware of the visitor’s language and communication skills, and their particular expertise

 has provided the visitor with a clear written brief, and with an idea of the number, age, gender-balance, religious/non-religious and cultural background and ability of pupils in the group they are visiting

 has given the visitor directions to the school, the school’s telephone number, details

of resources and equipment available to them, and offered hospitality

 has ensured that equipment is available and working

 has encouraged visitors to speak from their personal perspective, and not necessarily on behalf of the religious/philosophical community to which they belong

 has prepared visitors for awkward questions from pupils

 is aware of the demands on the visitor (e.g whether they have taken time off work

in order to make the visit)

 has an alternative prepared in case of an emergency

 offers feedback

Ealing SACRE briefing 18 September 2013 4

Please return to: Nora Leonard, SACRE consultant, Perceval House P2: NE,

14-16 Uxbridge Road, London W5 2HL

(For classroom talk or assembly) SACRE Member

Name of person/group with

full contact details Tradition (e.g Sikh)

Target Group

(e.g infants, primary, secondary)

Specific offering

(e.g Bhangra dancing/music; classroom/asssembly)

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 1

3BEaling Agreed Syllabus: guidance for teachers

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK (1) Overall aim: To look at the various ways we learn about the beliefs of past generations; to understand that the ideas and beliefs in Britain today have been

influenced across time by a variety of traditions

Timelines 7BPupils will 8BLearn some of the key words and concepts related to creating an historical timeline; understand that, even if

it appears that way from schematic timelines, there are no clear demarcations between ages, i.e they overlap

9BAim: to introduce pupils to the idea

of layers of history in Britain

10BSEN

11BGifted

Note: This unit could be part of a cross-curricular lesson with history, although it is probably best suited to years 5 or 6

Starter: Ask children to raise their hands if they were born in the UK Then ask them to keep them up if at least one of their parents

was born in the UK Ditto with grandparents Project a large world map on the IWB (preferably one that has the UK in the centre)

Draw lines from the different countries showing where the members of the class or their relatives/ancestors have come from Ask

class to list things that they or their relatives might have brought to Britain that aren’t readily available here Ask: what—if any—

religious practices did their relatives/ancestors bring with them to Britain Do they still observe these?

Activity 1: On the IWB, take pupils through an interactive timeline, such as the “Ages of Treasure” timeline on the BBC website

Using the images on the website build up a vocabulary of words such as: monument, inscription, statue, burial site and artefact

Look at the way archaeologists use the term ‘age’: e.g Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze, Iron Age, Age of Reason etc

Create your own timeline in a form that can be re-used during the course of this unit (This is something that the class will come

back to in later lessons.) Be sure to emphasise that ‘ages’ overlap Give as an example something like the use of computers, e.g how

some people in the same family could have entered ‘the age of computers,’ while others have not

Materials for creating a timeline

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/timelines/treasure/index_embed.shtml

Timeline worksheets

Activity 2: Hand out worksheets that have a time line that extends a few years before the birth-year of the oldest child in the class

and a few years in the future Ask pupils to plot significant events (with dates, as detailed as possible) in their lives, including when

they met significant figures or were introduced to ideas that really made them think

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 2

Activity 3: Return to the timeline you used in the first activity and indicate to the pupils where their individual timelines fit into the

schema Tell them to imagine leaving behind some artefact of their life, e.g a house, a treasured object, some clothes What object

could they leave that would explain their beliefs or interests to someone in the future? Then, get them to imagine the layers of

artefacts that humans have left behind Show them a diagram of an archaeological dig, which reveals ‘strata’ of history (see

background information)

http://pages.vassar.edu/realarchaeology/author/ngtran/

Activity 4: Brainstorm words that refer to ages in an individual’s timeline: e.g infancy, childhood, school age, adulthood, pension

age, old age etc Also talk about how we outgrow clothes Have any of the children worn hand-me-downs? How about fashion in

clothes? Now, shift the discussion to ideas Do we outgrow ideas? Are there hand-me-down ideas? What about the introduction of

new ideas? How hard or easy is it to change the way we think? (This should be an open discussion.)

Plenary: Tell class to imagine that your school was built on land where there used to be a school in Victorian times And that when

builders were working on an extension, they discovered an old metal box You open that box and find: an abacus, hand slate, chalk,

copy book, dip pen and inkwell, or pictures of these What would these objects tell you?

Now, ask class if they know what a time capsule is Say that people sometimes deliberately bury things/or put things away (e.g in a

loft or cupboard) so that they can look back on their past Create a time capsule that would give students in the future an idea of

what your school life is like What would you put in it (e.g a school badge)? Get students to write a letter to their future older self,

describing their current interests, something that they could read out at a future class reunion How much do they think would

have changed by then? (You can tell them some of the things that have changed since you went to school.)

http://www.victorianschool.co.uk/schoolday.html

SEN

Gifted

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 3

12BEvidence from the past 13BPupils will 14BLearn that we can speculate about past ages based on archaeological finds; they also learn that bias has to be

considered when looking at historical accounts of other cultures

15BAim: To get pupils to start to

formulate intelligent questions about

historical and archaeological

evidence

16BSEN

17BGifted

Starter: Remind pupils of the time capsule from the previous lesson On the IWB, go through the relevant pages and stories from

the “Dig up the past” game about finds in a peat bog, specifically the skull, sword, cauldron, bog body and spindle whorl As the

‘fact file’ on the website suggests, we can only look at the clues and make ‘educated guesses’ about what these finds suggest about

the people who put these things in the bog All of these could be viewed as sacrifices to a god or gods, but they could also have

mundane significance How do we tell? Or can we know for sure in the absence of more conclusive evidence? (This website makes

the following excellent point: “Children need to understand that the history of this era—i.e the Iron Age—was created using

supposition, imagination and reconstruction.”)

Iron Age Celts “dig up the past game”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/celts/index.shtml?1

Activity 1: Share with the class your personal artefact or memento This can be anything, as long as it has ‘clues’ about what it is

and what it says about you or the person to whom it belongs For instance a hiking boot or gardening glove that is well worn could

indicate that you/the owner really love(s) to hike/garden; an old family photo in an antique frame could indicate that you treasure

your past and/or your family Plus, the location/subject of the picture could say something about your origins, or the origin of your

family, or a treasured holiday spot

A personal ‘artefact’ that says things about you or about someone close to you

Activity 2: Class to break into groups and discuss what your object says about you or the person to whom it belongs They write

down questions to ask you about the object—they aren’t allowed to ask a direct question like “What does this object say about

you?” They should rate these questions in importance (i.e the one that they think will provide the biggest clue should be at the top)

and then come back together

Activity 3: A representative from each group gets to ask you their top question Answer these questions and then ask class to make

‘educated guesses’ about what the object says about you If none of their questions hit the mark, suggest further questions they

might have asked Emphasize that without your input it would be impossible to know for sure what the object says about you

Plenary: Chose a few sentences to read from the Roman historical records about the practices and beliefs of the Celts (see

background information) What do these accounts tell us about the Celts? How do we decide whether a report is factual or

propaganda? (Give contemporary examples of both.) Ask class: why do we think that the objects found in the bog were sacrifices

to their gods? (E.g Roman accounts plus speculation over whether people would just throw something as valuable as a gold

cauldron on a rubbish heap.)

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 4

Provenance 19BPupils will 20BLearn to formulate and refine questions about beliefs based on the study of artefacts

21BAim: to learn the importance of

context

22BSEN

23BGifted

Starter: Show class a picture of a statue of Isis (i.e without a typically Egyptian headdress) and Horus as a child (see background

information) Ask the class to imagine that they work in a museum and that they were sent this object Split into pairs or groups of

three to come up with questions they would use as starting points for an investigation Write these questions on the IWB, noting the

most common and also the most original What question does the class think would give them the most useful information about

the object?

Activity 1: (NB: Be sure and point out that this activity is a thinking exercise, and that if anyone finds an abandoned pack IRL they

should report it to their parent/guardian or to the police.) Remind pupils about the time capsule exercise Ask pupils to imagine

that they had found a backpack near their school What items would they expect to find in the backpack if it belonged to one of

their classmates? What items might they expect to find if it belonged to an adult, e.g someone who was in a rush, then set the

backpack down and forgot about it? What does where the pack is found tell them, e.g whether it is found at the bus stop, near the

school, on the playground, in a nearby shop? Open the pack, look through the items and discuss how you might decide who lost

the pack What do the items say about the individual to whom the pack belongs? Do any of the items give clues to the person’s

ideas, values or beliefs? (For example, the library card could indicate that they value reading, but they could also use it to rent

DVDs A cross on a chain could indicate that the person was Christian, but it could also be an item that they had found and were

hoping to return to the owner.)

Backpack containing a variety

of items, e.g pencil case, books, money purse, bus pass, cinema tickets, library card and something of religious significance

Activity 2: Discuss the importance of provenance (i.e exact location of a find) Explain that, to an archaeologist, unearthing a find in

an actual dig site gives much better evidence than buying one in the market (which could have come from anywhere, in spite of

what the seller might say) For instance, the layer that the object is found in can tell you something about its age, whereas the

location (e.g in a temple precinct, or a shrine corner in a home) can tell you something about what the object was used for But also

point out that evidence from layers is not always straightforward Get them to imagine that the top floor of a house collapses, and

things like the bathtub, beds etc end up all the way down in the basement, and that this particular house gets buried under layers of

further construction Someone looking at the layers in a future dig might think that people at that time had their bathrooms in the

basement Remind them again about the archaeological study of ‘layers’, i.e stratigraphy

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 5

Activity 3: Show the tomb painting of Horus and Isis Does it remind the class of anything (e.g statues or pictures of Mary and the

baby Jesus)? As an open question ask: why might images of Mary and Jesus resemble images of Isis and Horus? Could the ideas

and images of the earlier Egyptian civilisation influence the later ideas/imagery of Christianity? Show image of the Mother and

Child statue from Serbia dating from the Stone Age Could figures like this have influenced the later Egyptian iconography of Isis

and Horus and the Christian iconography of Mary and Jesus? Could this be an example of an idea/image that spans across several

ages? Ask how many pupils have pictures of themselves as a baby being held by their mother Could this just be a common human

image, rather than one that is specifically religious?

Plenary: If you have already taught unit KS2.12 (Seeds of unity, 1) remind class of the lesson “Food for thought”, which looks at

how the same food consumed on different occasions and in different contexts can change both the meaning and the experience (If

you haven’t done this unit, give the example of bread used in a sandwich compared to bread consumed during the rite of

communion, or sweets eaten after a meal compared to prasad received in a Hindu temple.) Now, ask class to suggest what an

archaeologist might conclude about the following:

 A clay lamp found in the ruins of a house or on a village dump, as compared to the same lamp found in a temple precinct

 A gold platter found in the ruins of a wealthy British-Roman villa and one found near a structure that might be an altar

Without further definitive evidence (e.g inscriptions on the items) would they be able to say for sure how these objects were used?

Ask class to give examples from modern traditions of practices that might use candles/lamps (e.g the everlasting light on altars, the

lighting of lamps on Divali, the lighting of candles during Hannukah, secular monuments such as eternal flames as memorials) as

well as special platters (e.g puja trays or special platters for roasts used on special family meals) in both religious and non-religious

contexts

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 6

24BLayers of belief 25BPupils will 26BLearn that archaeology can show how different groups of people bring new ideas to a country; also that old

ideas can persist alongside new ones

27BAim: to begin to understand how

beliefs from the past can affect ideas

of the present

28BSEN

29BGifted

Starter: Ask if any of the class has seen the Lord of the Rings trilogy Do they remember the bit where Frodo, Bilbo and Gandalf

travel to Grey Havens to leave on the ship with the Elves? Show the YT clip of this scene (Departure to Grey Havens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrNFjgCVeBo) Tell class that Tolkien, the man who wrote LOTR, was a professor of Anglo

Saxon at Oxford, so he would have taught the Old English classic Beowulf That the departure of the ship from Grey Havens is

reminiscent of the final lines of the ship burial in Beowulf, when the men depart the ship in sorrow, leaving their king to make the

final journey “to who knows where.”

Alternatively play a video of

“Into the West”, e.g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shdiTRxTJb4

Activity 1: Show YT video that describes the discovery of the Sutton Hoo ship burial Pause the video when it comes to the

timeline and remind the class where this fits into the timeline you created for the first lesson Explain that you are going to look at

some of the evidence that archaeologists have used to: 1) identify the person in the grave in Mound 1 and 2) make statements about

that person’s beliefs and the changing beliefs of the time

Sutton Hoo ship burial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjxXQif6VMI

Activity 2: Explain that you’re going to look at three types of evidence: 1) literary evidence 2) artefacts from the burial and

3) historical account (evidence from Bede’s An ecclesiastical history of the English people, completed c731 CE)

Read the translation from Beowulf that describes the funeral at sea (see background information) Ask: can anyone spot the

difference between this funeral and the Sutton Hoo burial? (In Beowulf, the ship is put out to sea, whereas at Sutton Hoo it is

buried in the ground.) Perhaps the ship burial is a way of symbolising one final sea journey? What does a burial in a boat suggest

(that the Anglo-Saxons were originally sea-faring people… Show map of the movements of the Angles, Saxons and Jutes into

Britain in the 5th century CE: perhaps burial at sea or in a ship is meant to be symbolic of journey back to the ancestral lands?)

Map of Anglo-Saxon migration to Britain:

http://www.thecobleinart.com/anglo-saxon_map.jpg Power point presentation of finds:

http://www.britishmuseum.org/Docs/AS_Sutton_Hoo_slideshow_KS2.ppt

Teachers’ notes http://www.britishmuseum.org/PDF/AS_SHoo_presnotes_KS2.pdf

Activity 3: Briefly look at the British Museum power-point of the artefacts from the Sutton Hoo ship burial Focus on the following:

1 Slide 3: Shoulder clasps with entwined boars, symbol of the god Ing’s protection

2 Slide 6: coins and gold ingots The coins would be payment to the crew who rowed the ship to the otherworld, and the gold

ingots would be paid to the steersmen, so these are evidence of non-Christian beliefs about the afterlife

3 Slide 12: silver spoons engraved with the Greek names “Saulos” and “Paulos”, which would have been baptismal gifts

(representing the conversion of Saul to Paul)

Discuss how these artefacts are representative of two different belief traditions, the older pagan beliefs that the Anglo-Saxons

brought with them and the Christianity that was spreading through Britain at the time

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 7

Activity 4: Google a picture of Bede that you can show on the IWB and write the following quote on the IWB: “It has always been

my delight to learn or to teach or to write.” Explain that Bede wrote a history of Christianity in England, in which he talks of the

conversion of many of the kings, and that he based his history on several earlier works

Explain that many scholars believe that the body that was buried in the ship at Sutton Hoo was that of Raedwald, who, according

to Bede,

 was the son of Tytila;

 won a great battle against Aethelferth of Northumbria in 617 CE;

 was baptised in Kent and then changed his mind and honoured both sets of gods (this is also suggested by the gravegoods

and the fact that he wasn’t buried in the grounds of a church);

 was overlord of all the English south of the river Humber between Aethelbert of Kent (who died in 616 CE) and Eadwine of

Northumbria (Book II Ch.5, 12, 15)

 Bede doesn't tell us when or how Raedwald died, but he was presumably dead by 627 when his son Eorpwald was king

(Book II Ch.15)

Plenary: Group review asking:

1 What are the sources of evidence regarding the burial at Sutton Hoo?

2 What can the evidence tell us about the beliefs current in Britain at that time?

3 Can pupils think of any current customs that reflect old beliefs (e.g Halloween, the Christian celebration of Christmas at

the time of the winter solstice)?

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 8

30BLayers of belief (i) 31BPupils will 32BDraw on what they have learned in previous lessons to examine the evidence relating to their particular

‘find’; be able to relate any ideas about the beliefs of the people concerned to the evidence available

33BAim: to get pupils to examine

collections of ‘evidence’ and to

propose ideas about the beliefs of the

time based on the evidence

34BSEN

35BGifted

Starter: Divide pupils into five groups Explain that you will spend the last two lessons on a single project Each group will receive

a ‘box of evidence’, and will have to examine the evidence, write a short headline story about the discovery, propose theories about

what the finds suggest about the beliefs of the people of the time, and create a poster about their find They should also say what is

familiar about their find and what is strange about it (If possible, it would be useful if these lessons could be extended lessons, in

which pupils would have access to computers/the internet in order to do some searching to supplement the evidence in their box.)

In addition, each group should create a “timeline” image—i.e a symbolic icon—that they will be expected to place on the timeline

from lesson 1 (they can do this at the beginning of their presentation in the next lesson) These could be small photographs of one of

the finds; alternatively a child in the group who likes to draw might make something suitable Be sure and point out that in the

earliest finds there is no written evidence to support ideas

For each evidence box create four groups of material:

1 Details of the find: this should be in an envelope marked “open first”, and placed on top, and should include pictures

2 Scientific/archaeological evidence

3 Theories, including ideas of what the find suggests about the relevant beliefs (if there are any)

4 A list of guiding questions (both open and closed)

Instruct each group that they should open the envelope with the details of the find, before looking at any of the other material Get

them to compose a short local newspaper article about the find, including speculation about what the purpose of the item or site

might be

After they have done that, they can examine the rest of the evidence, and plan how to present the material in an educational poster.,

getting some help from the list of guiding questions, but coming up with their own thoughts and questions

Boxes of evidence; poster-making materials

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 9

Box 1: Neolithic Age (Note: be sure and point out that although this find is in Ireland, it gives us evidence of what Neolithic

people in Britain might believe about death.)

The following links might provide suitable materials for the evidence box

Newgrange (Wikipedia): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newgrange

Newgrange: a passage to the afterworld: http://www.knowth.com/new-grange.htm

Twenty intriguing facts about Newgrange: http://www.authenticireland.com/newgrange/

Guiding questions (both open and closed):

When do archaeologists believe that this monument was built? What ‘age’?

What do archaeologists mean by a passage tomb?

Why might the builders have constructed the tomb in such a way that allows light into the burial chamber at the winter solstice?

What do some people think the spirals and other designs on the stones symbolise? Can they know what these mean? What do you

think they mean?

Newgrange: google for images

Box 2: late Neolithic, Early Bronze Age

Folkton Barrow ‘drums’: http://www.stone-circles.org.uk/stone/folkton.htm

Analysis of the material: http://antiquity.ac.uk/ProjGall/middleton/index.html

Guiding questions (both open and closed):

Describe the way these items were found

What is the mystery of the Folkton ‘drums’? Why have they been described as drums? Can you think of another purpose for them?

What are ‘grave goods’? Why do you think people buried things in burials?

What do some people think the spirals and other designs on the drums symbolise? Can they know what these mean? What do you

think they mean?

What do you think if the purpose of the eyebrow/eye motif? Has it been found on other objects?

Do people still bury things with the dead today?

Folkton Drums

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 10

Box 3: Iron Age

British Museum site: http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pe_prb/l/lindow_man.aspx

Sacrifice in Iron Age Britain: http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/articles/s/sacrifice_in_iron_age_britain.aspx

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindow_Man

Guiding questions (both open and closed):

In religious terms, what is a ‘sacrifice’?

What other objects have been found in bodies of water or bogs? Have there been other bodies discovered in bogs? Where?

What do we know about these finds? What ideas are just speculations?

It is clear that the death of Lindow Man was not an accident (he was hit over the head, was strangled and had his throat slit), but

could there be another reason for his death aside from ritual sacrifice?

BBC pages on Roman religion: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/romans/religion/

Museum of London: digging up the Romans: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/learning/features_facts/digging/

Guiding questions (both open and closed):

Who was Mithras?

Who built the temple to Mithras in London?

Why do developers have to employ archaeologists?

Can you think of a reason why the temple did not last beyond the Roman occupation of Britain?

Temple of Mithras, London

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 11

Box 5: Anglo Saxon period

Note: For the newspaper article part of the exercise, this group should imagine that there is to be a special travelling exhibition of

the Gospels and they should write a short history of the book, who it was made for originally and how it changed hands, before

ending up in the British Library in 1973

http://www.lindisfarne.org.uk/gospels/gospels2.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/0/21588667

http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/sacredtexts/lindisfarne.html

http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/features/lindisfarne/tour.html (virtual tour)

History of the gospels: http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/features/gospels/gospels_tense_past.shtml

Guiding questions (both open and closed):

Who created the Lindisfarne Gospel and why is it important?

What were the materials and tools used to make this book?

Why would one person spend so much time working on such an object?

What is an ‘illumination’?

How do different religions that exist today treat their sacred books?

Lindisfarne Gospel

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 12

36BLayers of belief (ii) 37BPupils will 38BLearn how to listen to—and present—evidence-based arguments and to ask/answer questions relating to

these arguments

39BAim: to have an understanding that

Britain is made up of layers, both

physical ones, left by different

cultures, and layers of ideas and

belief

40BSEN

41BGifted

Starter: Remind pupils of the overall aim of the unit, i.e to look at the various ways we learn about the beliefs of past generations

and to understand that the ideas and beliefs in Britain today have been influenced across time by a variety of traditions

Activity: Each group to give a short presentation of their find; class should be allowed to give feedback and ask questions

Plenary: Go back to the original timeline, onto which each group should have put an icon or marker Can we visualise some

“layers of belief?” Do any of these overlap? Explain to pupils that in ks3 they will look at further ‘layers of belief’ in Britain

4BKey words Timeline, archaeology, artefact, evidence, monument, ‘age’, strata, time capsule, provenance

42BSample assessment activity

On-going assessment of pupils during the research, group work and presentation of their findings Pupils are working at the following levels if they are able to:

1 They are able to talk about aspects of the find they are studying, e.g what in particular they found interesting

2 They use some words relevant to the age of their find, and can locate it on the timeline

3 They are able to use the resources provided to gain information about an aspect of the relevant find

4 They are able to use the resources provided to make a statement about their group’s find or they attempt to explain what the find might say about the beliefs of the relevant person or people

5 They can begin to relate their find to the historical context, i.e what was happening in Britain at that time, or they give thoughtful answers to the questions posed to them about their find, or they begin to understand the difficulties involved in making statements about past beliefs in the absence of concrete, unbiased evidence

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 13

5BBackground information

Archaeological assessment of stratification is known as stratigraphy B recording and analysing the artefact’s location in relation to other artefacts and strata,

archaeologists can determine its function and age

This stratification example provides a wealth of information Due to the law of superposition, the natural subsoil was deposited first We can assume that the Iron Age ditch and post-hole were from the same occupation because they are in the same strata The Iron Age soil was deposited next and then the Roman dump soil The Roman wall was then built because it was placed deep into the soil, and next the Roman floor was built After that are the remains of the Roman building The medieval pit must have been built before the wall since the wall’s edge is slightly in the pit These lines of analysis continue for the entire stratification All this

information allows archaeologist to determine the relative age of the artefacts and understand specific time periods

The example also demonstrates the complexity of stratigraphy Behavioural and transformative processes can disrupt strata In a class exercise, students found between 10 to 15 strata and 9 to 16 features in the picture These results were anything but conclusive However, through careful examination and a well thought out research question, an archaeologist can distinguish the important aspects of the stratification By attempting to understand the intricacies of this archaeological technique, individuals can come to understand the field as a whole

(From Real Archaeology: http://pages.vassar.edu/realarchaeology/author/ngtran/)

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 14

Marble bust of Julius Caesar

Houston Museum of Natural

Science

wikipedia

Evidence about the beliefs and practices of the Celts can be found in the Celtic, Gaelic, and Gaul stories, songs, and poems that have been passed down through oral and written tradition One modern example that pupils might know is the Merlin series

on television Historical accounts come mostly from Roman sources, during a time when the Romans were at war with the

Celtic nations, which might mean that these accounts are biased

The earliest known reference to the Druids—the alleged priests of Celtic society—dates to 200 BCE, although the oldest actual

description comes from the Roman military general Julius Caesar in his The Gallic War (50s BCE) Later Greco-Roman writers

who also described the druids include Cicero, Tacitus and Pliny the Elder Following the Roman invasion of Gaul, druidism was suppressed by the Roman government under the 1st century CE emperors Tiberius and Claudius, and it had disappeared from the written record by the 2nd century Again, as the Romans were keen to suppress the Celts’ religious leaders, we have

to consider that their accounts might be biased or sensationalised

From The Gallic War by Julius Caesar

“13 Throughout Gaul there are two classes of persons of definite account and dignity… one consists of Druids, the other of

knights The former are concerned with divine worship, the due performance of sacrifices, public and private, and the interpretation of ritual questions… These Druids, at a certain time of the year, meet within the borders of the Crnutes, whose territory is reckoned as the centre of all Gaul, and sit in conclave in a consecrated spot Thither assemble from every side all that have disputes, and they obey the decisions and judgments of the Druids It is believed that their rule of life was discovered in Britain and transferred hence to Gaul; and to-day those who would study the subject more accurately journey,

as a rule, to Britain to learn it "14 The Druids usually hold aloof from war, and do not pay war-taxes with the rest; they are

excused from military service and exempt from all liabilities Tempted by these great rewards, many young men assemble of their own motion to receive their training; many are sent by parents and relatives Report says that in the schools of the Druids they learn by heart a great number of verses, and therefore some persons remain twenty years in training And they do not think it proper to commit these utterances to writing, although in almost all other matters, and in their private and public accounts, they make use of Greek letters I believe that they have adopted the practice for two reasons - that they do not wish the rule to become common property, nor those who learn the rule to rely on writing and so neglect the cultivation of the memory; and, in fact, it does usually happen that the assistance of writing tends to relax the diligence of the student and the action of the memory The cardinal doctrine which they seek to teach is that souls do not die, but after death pass from one to another; and this belief, as the fear of death is thereby cast aside, they hold to be the greatest incentive to valour Besides this, they have many discussions as touching the stars and their movement, the size of the universe and of the earth, the order of nature, the strength and the powers of the immortal gods, and hand down their lore to the young men.”

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 15

Diodorus Siculus was a Greek historian, who wrote works of history between 60 and 30 BCE He is known for the monumental universal history Bibliotheca historica

Regarding the Celts, Diodorus notes that:

“Their aspect is terrifying They are very tall in stature, with rippling muscles under clear white skin Their hair is blond, but not naturally so: they bleach it, to this day, artificially, washing it in lime and combing it back from their foreheads They look like wood-demons, their hair thick and shaggy like a horse’s mane Some of them are clean shaven, but others, especially those of high rank, shave their cheeks but leave a moustache that covers the whole mouth and, when they eat and

drink, acts like a sieve, trapping particles of food The way they dress is astonishing: they wear brightly coloured and embroidered shirts, with trousers called bracae

and cloaks fastened at the shoulder with a brooch, heavy in winter, light in summer These cloaks are striped or checkered in design, with the separate checks close together and in various colours

[The Celts] wear bronze helmets with figures picked out on them, even horns, which made them look even taller than they already are while others cover

themselves with breast-armour made out of chains But most content themselves with the weapons nature gave them: they go naked into battle Weird, discordant horns were sounded, [they shouted in chorus with their] deep and harsh voices, they beat their swords rhythmically against their shields.”

Diodorus also describes how the Celts cut off their enemies’ heads and nailed them over the doors of their huts: “In exactly the same way as hunters do with their skulls of the animals they have slain they preserved the heads of their most high-ranking victims in cedar oil, keeping them carefully in wooden boxes.”

The Roman Senator and writer Tacitus is the only primary source that gives accounts of druids in Britain However he maintains a hostile point of view, seeing

them as ignorant savages Writing of the Roman attack on Anglesey he says:

“On the beach stood the adverse array, a serried mass of arms and men, with women flitting between the ranks In the style of Furies, in robes of deathly black and with dishevelled hair, they brandished their torches; while a circle of Druids, lifting their hands to heaven and showering imprecations, struck the [Roman] troops with such an awe at the extraordinary spectacle that, as though their limbs were paralysed, they exposed their bodies to wounds without an attempt at movement Then, reassured by their general, and inciting each other never to flinch before a band of females and fanatics, they charged behind the standards, cut down all who met them, and enveloped the enemy in his own flames

“The next step was to install a garrison among the conquered population, and to demolish the groves consecrated to their savage cults: for they considered it a pious

duty to slake the altars with captive blood and to consult their deities by means of human entrails…” (From Annals XIV by Tacitus)

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 16

Mother and Child images

Neolithic Mother and Child

Vinca Culture, Serbia, 5th millennium BCE

www.lessing-photo.com

Statue of Isis and Horus

26th Dynasty Egypt

All Posters

Tomb painting of Isis and Horus

First millennium BCE

msu.edu

Madonna and Child

6th or early 7th century CE Mount Sinai, Egypt:

Monastery of Saint Catherine

txwes.edu

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 17

The Sutton Hoo ship burial

The style of the grave goods indicates that they belong to the late sixth or early seventh century, and radiocarbon dating (Carver 1998) of two objects from the grave, lamp wax and a piece of timber, gave dates of 523 CE (+/-45) and 656 CE (+/-45) More precise dating depends on the coins In 1960 a French coin expert identified the latest date of the coin group as 625 CE, and on the basis of the gold content (which progressively declined over time as Frankish mints recycled the metal) the coins could all have been made by 613 CE (Carver 1998) This provides the earliest possible date for the burial, as the coins cannot possibly have been buried before they were made, but could have been buried at any time after

There is no fixed latest possible date for the burial However, once Christianity had taken firm root in East Anglia, one would expect the kings to be buried in

churches, rather than in ships under mounds So the ship burial would be consistent with a king who was either pagan or a recent convert

The Sutton Hoo ship burial is at present unparalleled in its magnificence, so it clearly belonged to someone extremely important The war gear suggests it was probably a man The leader of the recent excavation, Martin Carver, argues that the value of grave goods might represent the 'wergild' (man-price) of the occupant Wergild was the amount that had to be paid in compensation for an unlawful killing Carver argues that the wergild for a nobleman was 480 oxen, roughly

equivalent to 200 g of gold The amount of gold in the ship burial is far, far higher than this—the great gold buckle alone weighs almost one pound—and therefore the occupant presumably ranked far higher than an ordinary nobleman On this basis it seems logical to infer that he was right at the top of society, i.e a king

(Carver 1998) (The usual caveats apply, in that we do not know exactly what was meant by ‘king’ in early English society, or how many such leaders existed in a kingdom at any one time)

Sutton Hoo is in the territory of the kingdom of the East Angles, which in the seventh century roughly comprised the modern counties of Norfolk and Suffolk So, the Sutton Hoo Man is most likely to be found among the kings of the East Angles, sometime after 613 or 625 when the coins were manufactured Information about

some of the members of the East Anglian royal dynasty can be found in Bede’s Ecclesiastical History and the genealogies recorded in the ‘Anglian collection’

manuscript in the British Museum From this, the best fir for the person buried in Mound 1 at Sutton Hoo would be Raedwald, who, according to Bede, was the son

of Tytila He won a great battle against Aethelferth of Northumbria in 617 CE, was baptised in Kent and then changed his mind and honoured both sets of gods He was overlord of all the English south of the river Humber between the time of Aethelbert of Kent (who died in 616 CE) and Eadwine of Northumbria (Book II Ch.5,

12, 15) Bede doesn’t tell us when or how Raedwald died, but he was presumably dead by 627 when his son Eorpwald was king (Bede Book II Ch.15)

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 18

Beowulf MS

0BScyld Scefing’s Funeral (Beowulf Prologue)

A tall ship stands in the harbour, a boat with a ringed neck, rocking on the icy waves, eager to sail Along the shore people stand They look at the ship with sad faces, their hearts heavy because of their King His days are over He must cross into the keeping of the Lord

Many years ago he came to them, the Danish people They found him on the beach in a boat no bigger than a shield, a child without clothing, surrounded by presents No one knew who had sent him across the sea, but he lived and grew and gained respect until they made him their King, and all the tribes living nearby had to obey him No enemy dared to attack, and he gave gifts gladly to his followers His name was Scyld Scefing He was a good King

Now the hour has come The men who have been his sword-companions carry him to the water's edge—as he told them to do while he could still speak In the ship’s middle, by the mast, they lay down their lord and master, and round him they make a mound of treasure, shining shields, weapons and warrior’s armour

The men leave the ship full of sorrow, leaving the old king to his far journey They let the seas take him as the ship sails However wise they may be, no-one can say for sure who received that ship’s load in the end

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/english/beowulf/beowulfa.htm

KS2.13: History of belief in the UK, 1 19

This map shows the movements of people into Britain (called the

“Adventus Saxonum” by 6th century cleric Gildas) in the 5th century CE,

after the departure of Roman troops in 410 CE

http://www.thecobleinart.com/anglo-saxon_map.jpg

1BBede was born in 673 CE on the lands of a monastery in Northumbria and at the age of 7 was entrusted to the care of Benedict Biscop, the founder of the monastery He spent the rest of his life in the monastery, having been ordained deacon at the age of 19 and priest at 30 He died there in the year 735

2BBede worked as scholar and teacher and wrote extensively about the Bible His biblical commentaries were widely circulated: Bishop Boniface wrote of Bede that he “shone forth as a lantern in the church by his scriptural commentary.”

He is best known as the author of The Ecclesiastical History of the English People (731 CE) This

work is our primary source for understanding the beginnings of the English people and the coming of Christianity and was the first work of history in which the AD dating system was used (‘AD’ stands for Anno Domini, “in the year of the Lord” The BCE/CE notation system was introduced into the school curriculum in England and Wales in 2002, where CE stands for

“common” or “current” era.)

4BAim: Pupils know that seeds are objects

in the natural world that can represent

spiritual and creative potential

5BSEN

6BGifted

Starter: Remind class that people often use symbols to convey important beliefs And that during the course of this lesson

they will be considering why people would use seeds as symbols of their faith, their deeds and their creativity or other

talent or potential Ask pupils what are some uses of seeds that they know from their daily experience What is the smallest

seed they know? What is the largest? (Coco de mer) Have they ever seen a seed sprout, or planted a seed and watched it

grow?

A resource sheet with pictures of a range of seeds can be found here on the BGCI website

A list of links to pictures can be found

in the background information

Activity 1: Show class a handful of mustard seeds, letting them take a few so that they can see how small they are In your

own words tell the parable of the mustard seed (Mark 4: 30-32 “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what

parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth Yet when planted, it

grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”) Explain

that Jesus was talking about how faith can grow into something as large as a tree

Ask: why do you think a tiny seed can be a symbol of the power of faith or belief in something?

Pack of mustard seeds

Activity 2: Read the following quote from the Bhagavad Gita (child friendly version): “There is a tree…an everlasting

Banyan tree Its roots are above in heaven and its branches are here below Its leaves are the sacred songs, and the one who

knows them knows the sacred Hindu texts.” Show class some pictures of banyan trees Ask the following: Do you know

how big this tree grows? Google for a picture with a person in it for size comparison Show them a dried fig and ask if

anyone knows what it is? Have they ever eaten a fig? Have they ever eaten a sweet made with figs? If appropriate, invite

pupils to taste a small piece of fig Ask them to guess how big the seed of a banyan tree is Then tell them to make a small

dot on a piece of white paper using a sharp pencil Compare the hugeness of the tree to the smallness of the seed

Dried figs

KS2.12: Seeds of unity (1) 2

Activity 3: Lead class in the exercise which illustrates one way that Hindus describe the nature of the creation of the universe, i.e by comparing it to an

upside-down tree Ask one of the pupils to stand near the corner of the room Explain that this person symbolises the seed/root of this upside upside-down tree Then ask the pupil

to extend their hands Two other pupils each take one of the first pupil’s hands and so on, until the whole class has formed the shape of a tree that is topsy-turvy,

branching from a single root, which Hindus believe is God You can show them an image of a kalasam on the top of a mandir, which is symbolic of this idea (see

background information)

Activity 4: Point out that the Muslim holy book, the Qur’an, also uses the mustard seed as a symbol of the belief that God is aware of the tiniest things people do,

whether good or bad Ask: Look again at your mustard seeds Do you think the Qur’an is suggesting that even acts we consider small and unimportant can be significant? How does your feeling towards someone change when they do something small like unexpectedly giving you a compliment or sharing something with you? Read quotes from the Qur’an (see background information) and tell class a bit about what the Prophet Muhammad had to say about the power of kindness and generosity of spirit

Perhaps invite the class to act out a situation in which a person enters into a situation where there are other people already present Try acting out different

scenarios, e.g in which the new person is not warmly greeted and nobody smiles How does it make that person feel? Then act out the situation again, this time getting the others to greet the new person warmly How does this influence what happens next?

Activity 5: Summarise that seeds have been symbols of our tiniest deeds and our faith Ask children to consider that ideas

can also be pictured as seeds, for instance ideas for a drawing, or a dance They can also be used to picture our talents, for

instance musical potential that might someday grow and blossom into the ability to sing or play an instrument

Return to the mustard seed and point out how carefully we have to look after something so small In this final activity

pupils draw or make a collage representing a container or bank for seeds that represent their own potential They can, if

they like, label the seeds in varying stages of germination or development Encourage them to use their imagination to

picture both seeds and container, reminding them that in this lesson we are looking at seeds as symbols

At the end of the activity ask the pupils if any want to present their drawings/collages to the class You can tell them about

international seed banks (see background info) That just as they (i.e the pupils) are symbolically protecting their

individual potential in their drawings, international seed banks strive to preserve something precious for all humankind

Materials for drawing and/or making

a collage

Plenary: Summarise the lesson with discussion questions such as: What are some uses of seeds that you know from your

daily experience? What is similar about a seed that you can hold in your hand and the seed of an idea? Why do you think a

tiny seed can be a symbol of the power of faith or belief in something? Give some examples of how something small – e.g

seed, idea, movement, musical note – becomes something much larger

KS2.12: Seeds of unity (1) 3

7BFood for thought 8BPupils will understand that for believers there can be a difference between the same food eaten in a ritual or a day-to-day context; they will be able to discuss how sharing food or drink with friends or family can make

them feel like they belong to a group

Aim: to study the difference between

food consumed in an ordinary way

and the same food shared and

consumed during a ritual or in a

special context

9BSEN

10BGifted

Starter: Remind the class about any previous lessons they have done on special days and/or special food Show a

picture of a vegetable or fruit dish that has special meaning for you, and that you can share with the class (e.g “This is

a blackberry tart, which my mother taught me to make Now, when I make it, it reminds me of time I spent with her in

the kitchen.”) Get the class to talk about foods that, when they taste them, remind them of something For instance, a

dish one of their relatives makes that is so special it always reminds them of that person when they eat it or even when

they see it

Personal images of food dishes or special family meals

Activity 1: Show the class some pictures of ordinary cakes and then some birthday cakes and wedding cakes, perhaps

including personal photographs of a family birthday or celebration, or, if you are married, pictures of you and your

spouse cutting your wedding cake Ask the class to discuss what the difference is between these types of cake? What

are the occasions on which the special cakes are eaten?

Pictures of an ordinary cake, a birthday cake and a wedding cake

Activity 2: If there are any Hindu children in the class—or if the class has paid a visit to a Hindu temple (mandir) and received prasad—ask if anyone knows what

prasad is (see background information)? Explain how Hindus bring offerings of food and flowers to the mandir to have them blessed In return, as they leave, they receive a gift of prasad as a blessing

In a similar way, Christians believe they experience a blessing from Christ when they partake in the ritual of communion Ask if any of the children in the class are Christian What have they seen in church when the priest is praying over the bread and the wine? How do believers behave when they are receiving communion? How is it different from eating a sandwich? Reiterate the difference between eating something in a day-to-day context and eating it in a special or religious context

KS2.12: Seeds of unity (1) 4

Activity 3: Ask: do the pupils ever meet with their friends in a special place to talk and share ideas? Have they ever built a den or tree-house and stocked it with

snacks? Tell the class what is known about the origins of coffee, that it came from either Arabia or Ethiopia and that the first coffee houses were in the Middle East (see background information) Explain that the British Royal Society had its origin in a coffee club, and how members of the French Enlightenment used to meet and discuss their ideas in a Paris coffee house Discuss how sharing food or drink and ideas in this way can create a sense of community/ belonging and stimulate new ideas Do members of the class belong to any clubs or on-line groups of people who share a similar hobby or interest? Do they learn new things by exchanging ideas

in such a group? Break into groups and have a discussion point Then, give each group something like a satsuma or other fruit to share, and another discussion

point Is there a difference in the discussion if you offer your neighbour a piece of fruit?

Activity 4: Break class into four groups Give each group a set of cards and ask them to link the quotes to the relevant

belief/plant, the food produced by the plant as used in a ritual or special context and the food in a day-to-day context

Ask pupils to choose a plant related to a specific ritual and to answer the following questions:

 How could the ritual be redesigned if that particular plant became extinct?

 What food/plant could be used as a substitute?

 How do you think religious people would feel if this happened?

A pdf with images that can be printed out

on card can be found on the BGCI website: http://www.bgci.org/files/Worldwide/Education/Seeds_of_Unity/ACTIVITIES_PDFS/foodthoughtgame5.pdf

Plenary: Summarise what has been learned so far Questions you can ask include:

 What is the difference for a Christian between sharing a bread roll at dinner and eating bread during communion?

 What is the difference for a Muslim between casually eating a date and eating one to break the fast during Ramadan?

 What is the difference for a Hindu between eating a chickpea snack such as papri chaat and a laddu (chickpea sweet) that has been blessed (prasad)?

 What is the difference for a person drinking their morning coffee at breakfast, and for a person drinking coffee with others at a conference or meeting held to share new ideas or brainstorm a project?

KS2.12: Seeds of unity (1) 5

11BThe green ark 12BPupils will reflect on values of giving and the importance of understanding the needs of the other creatures that share our planet; they will think about positive and negative human impacts on the environment Aim: to consider the value of giving

and the importance of balancing

human needs and the needs of other

animals and plants

13BSEN

14BGifted

Note: Prior to this lesson, show the class some images of green arks (examples can be found on the Seeds of Unity Resources website) Ask the children to look on their way home for green arks in their local area, i.e places where plants and animals are living This could be a park, garden, tree, area of wasteland, rooftop

garden, hedge, window box or verge They need to make a record of where each green ark is and what they think is living there

Starter: As a class watch or read the story Alejandro’s Gift by Richard E Albert This is a story about a man who lives on

the edge of a desert He wants to do something good for the wildlife community around him, but the results of his

‘good deed’ are not what he expected How does he put it right?

Ask: what does this story mean? Explain that from a humanist perspective Alejandro has made an ethical decision

based on reason, empathy and a concern for other living things Explain that humanists are people who do not have a

religion but who nonetheless treasure the value of giving, which is also important for most religions

Some discussion questions:

 What was important in the way that Alejandro gave his gift to the animals? Making a gift is not about giving what

we think others (including plants and animals) want, but is about understanding their needs

 What do animals need to survive in the desert?

Conclude by saying that although the desert is a harsh environment, the plants and animals that live there are

perfectly adapted to the conditions: for them the desert is their ‘green ark’

Albert, R.E (1994), Alejandro’s Gift,

Chronicle Books, San Francisco, U.S ISBN 0-8118-1342-8 (available from Amazon.co.uk)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o7Xwq5_cfU

The above link takes you to an episode of the Reading Rainbow TV series for children The story starts at 02:39 and it finishes at 07:55

Activity 1: Make a Green Ark map of your community by adding all the ‘green arks’ discovered by the pupils to a

large scale map of the area around the school Look at the results Ask the children whether they think that the

community needs more green arks, fewer green arks or is it just right?

Materials required: A large scale map of

the area, labels and pens or pencils

KS2.12: Seeds of unity (1) 6

Activity 2: Read the following quote from the Prophet Muhammad “The Earth is green and beautiful and God has made you His stewards over it He sees how you acquit

yourselves.” What do you think he is asking his fellow Muslims to do? Could he be suggesting that we need to behave responsibly towards the planet and to look

after all the plants and animals within it?

Ask the children to think about their school by answering the following questions:

 Is the school one of the green arks on the map?

 If not what can be done to make it one (think back to what makes an area a good place for plants and animals to survive)

 If the school already is a green ark, can it be improved?

 What animals visit the school’s green ark?

Ask the children to imagine they were one of these creatures living in their school grounds or local green ark Working in pairs ask them to interview each other to find out what their creature would need to entice it to make a home at the school or how the school green ark is a great place to live

Activity 3: Consider the various forms that green arks can take For instance sometimes plants and animals are looked after in their natural environments, e.g

within national parks which are large areas created to protect wildlife and plants Some plants and animals are taken from their natural environment and looked after elsewhere, e.g botanic gardens will grow and protect plants from all over the world and seed banks store thousands of different types of plants in the form of seeds

The protected grounds of religious buildings can also be green arks Traditionally the gardens surrounding Hindu temples are filled with beautiful plants Fruits and flowers that are used in the daily offerings are also grown within these green arks, some of which will also have medicinal uses

Within the Living Churchyards project more than 6,000 British churchyards are being managed as sanctuaries for wild flowers, birds, bats, reptiles and insects These

green arks are looked after by their local Christian communities To encourage wildlife they don’t use any pesticides and some even grow fruit and vegetables for the community (Living churchyards project: http://www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk/index.php/national-info/churchyard-projects-from-around-the-country)

An unusual example of a green ark is found at Kingston Mosque in London To help support dwindling bee populations the mosque has beehives on its roof Local beekeeper Munir Ravalia says “during the time of the prophet, the mosque was like a community centre – it provided everything I want mosques to become centres

of learning for Muslims about all types of issues affecting our lives including the environment and supporting the bee population.” (Beehive project at Kingston Mosque http://www.greenprophet.com/2012/05/london-mosques-beekeeping/)

Ask the children why they think bee numbers are dwindling and what they can do to help support them in their school’s green ark Alternatively ask the class to find out where the nearest National Park, botanic garden, seed bank or ‘Living Churchyard’ is Can you arrange a family or a class visit? Are there opportunities to become stewards for these green arks, e.g through volunteering or by taking part in a community event?

KS2.12: Seeds of unity (1) 7

Activity 4: Popular green arks such as the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire can suffer from too much attention from visitors (see background information),

the pressure of such large numbers visiting creating problems for the landscape (e.g erosion of paths)

Ask the children to look back at the green ark map and imagine if every weekend everyone in their town or city visited it Working in teams, see if they can think of

up to six things that could happen Write each idea on a separate card, and ask the children to put them in the order of biggest to smallest impact on the green space Ask the children to move around the room and have a look at what the other groups have listed to see if there are similarities or differences in their choices Can the class suggest ways of reducing the impact of visitors to their school green ark during school extra-curricular activities such as school fairs?

Plenary: Ask the pupils to develop the programme for a day event in their community (run by their school) that will showcase the local Green Arks Ask them to

include in the programme a short introduction on the importance of Green Arks and then create a list of the proposed activities including title, short description of

the activity and aim of the activity

This plenary is a whole class activity during which the teacher is the facilitator, collecting and putting together pupils’ ideas on the community event to be run by the school

Note: In preparation for this lesson, ask pupils to find or take a picture of a view that they value, love or like (this can be from magazines, cards, newspapers, their

own digital image or from the internet)

Starter: Show a selection of images of ‘views from a window’ (green, industrial, urban, countryside, park, and coast) Ask the class how these views make them feel

Which is their favourite view and why

Activity 1: Children are asked to share their chosen picture with their partner/group/class and say why they value this

view Ask the children to come up and randomly stick their picture somewhere onto a large blank wall display

Explain that they are going to cultivate a ‘Window of Wonders’ The views on the wall will be varied and their task is

to link each individual view to the next

They do this by drawing the view beyond their picture so that it blends with the next picture to make a complete

‘Window of Wonders’ To do this successfully they will need to cooperate and work with the child/children whose

view is nearest to theirs, so that they share the drawing activity to make sure their connected images come together as

one This may result in children working together who may not choose to normally, or are outside of their friendship

group

Once the ‘Window of Wonders’ drawings are completed ask the pairs/groups to think about what was easy and what

was difficult about this process In Christianity a dove with an olive branch in its beak is often used to symbolise

peace If you ‘extend an olive branch’ to someone it means to try to find a solution to conflict Did they need to extend

an olive branch during this activity? Was this a good activity for bringing people together to work cooperatively and

share their differing views and ideas?

Large blank piece of paper, pencils, coloured pencils or crayons

Activity 2: The ‘Window of Wonders’ is a type of paradise of all the things the class would love to see and which would make them happy and bring them together

with others Ask the children what the idea of ‘paradise’ means to them Look at some images of paradise within Christianity What are the similarities between them (e.g gardens, water, plants, animals, people)? Does the class ‘Window of Wonders’ include any of these elements?

KS2.12: Seeds of unity (1) 9

Activity 3: Having created the ‘Window of Wonders’ the children may wish to invite people to see it and share it To

welcome their visitors, create a rangoli Ask if anyone in the class knows what a rangoli is? If not, explain that these are

decorative designs made on the floors of living rooms and courtyards during Hindu festivals These sacred welcoming

areas are made using natural material such as coloured rice and flour, flower petals, leaves, charcoal, soil and sawdust

The designs can be simple geometric shapes or natural shapes such as flowers, plants and trees

On the IWB show some examples of rangolis and then ask the class to work in groups to come up with their own

design The class should then work in groups to create a rangoli using the materials available These could be on boards

or fabric on the tables in the classroom, or on the floor outside in the playground Invite other groups of students or

staff to come and see the class rangoli and ‘Window of Wonders’

Natural material such as coloured rice and flour, flower petals, leaves, charcoal, soil and sawdust

Images of rangoli and the named flowers

can be found on the BGCI resource sheet: http://www.bgci.org/files/Worldwide/Education/Seeds_of_Unity/cultipeaceless2resource.pdf

Activity 4: Ask the children to think of the plants they have used in their rangoli Do they know the names of these

plants? Do they know if these plants have any other names (e.g scientific names)?

Show the children photographs of a bluebell, hare bell and the peace lily, looking at the common and scientific names

of each Ask the children if they think the common name may cause a problem when communicating with people from

different places Common names can be very different, but the scientific name for each plant is the same the world

over This allows people who may speak different languages to communicate clearly and understand which plant they

are talking about

Can the class think of how the peace lily got its name? (The white part is a modified leaf called a spathe and looks like

the white flag calling for truce in battles)

Plenary: Remind the children of the activities they have done and ask them to think of words or phrases to describe what they have learned e.g make new friends,

cooperate, peace, paradise, and/or examples of scientific language Use these words or phrases to create a border around their ‘Window of Wonders’ To finish ask

the class what flower they would choose as their flower of peace and why

KS2.12: Seeds of unity (1) 10

19BHealing body and soul 20BPupils will explore how beautiful surroundings and plants can evoke a feeling of well-being; find out about the symbolism of flowers and the tradition of herbal remedies

Aim: to understand how

preservation of green spaces and

plant life is crucial for health

21BSEN

22BGifted

Starter: Read together the poem ‘Leisure’ by W H Davies (see background information) Ask the children what makes them happy when they are outdoors.

Activity 1: Explore a variety of National Trust properties and gardens on the IWB Tell class about Octavia Hill, a Victorian social reformer who believed that urban

workers who lived in cities should have access to beautiful countryside and gardens to promote good health and wellbeing Octavia was one of the founders of the National Trust, an organisation which since 1885 has acquired many houses, gardens and land for the nation to enjoy

Share ideas of what kind of things the children might enjoy doing in these spaces e.g flying a kite, playing hide and seek or enjoying a peaceful view Group their responses into the categories of physical (doing something) and emotional (feeling something) Ask the children to think of their own favourite place to visit during weekends or holidays What do they like doing while they are there? Add these activities to the physical or emotional categories list Are the class nominations places which evoke a more physical, or a more emotional response or do they evoke a mix?

Activity 2: Ask the children if any of them have read a book by Michael Morpurgo or seen the film War Horse (if

appropriate, show the trailer or an extract from the film on YouTube) Michael and his wife set up the charity called

Farms for City Children Ask the children why they think city children might need farms (e.g because they may not

have access to green spaces at home) Point out that children staying on the farms can experience the connection

between what they eat and where it comes from

Gardens are also great places for healing body and soul Hospitals, hospices and nursing homes often have gardens

where the patients can enjoy green and tranquil surroundings There is evidence that patients in hospital recover more

quickly if they can see a window with trees or green space outside Some gardens can also provide therapeutic space

for people to learn new skills, gain confidence and feel better physically and emotionally who may not have access to

green spaces in their daily lives Humanists believe we can give meaning and happiness to our lives by helping others

and thinking responsibly about the environment and the people around us

Google for photographs of healing gardens and ask whether children think that this kind of environment would make

them feel better

http://michaelmorpurgo.com/books

Farms for City Children was founded in 1976

by Michael Morpurgo and his wife with the aim of giving children from towns and cities the chance to learn first-hand where their food comes from, how to care for and look after animals and land, and how to work co-operatively as a team

http://www.farmsforcitychildren.co.uk/index.ht

m

KS2.12: Seeds of unity (1) 11

Activity 3: Remind the class of the meaning of symbol and metaphor Show children pictures of holly, red roses and

tulsi/holy basil What (if anything) comes to mind when they see these? These plants have special meanings for

customs and religions:

 Holly may represent Christmas for Christians and many non-religious people as well;

 Red roses may represent love especially on Valentine’s day;

 In Islam the rose is the Prophet Muhammed’s favourite flower;

 Tulsi or holy basil is a sacred plant for Hindus as it symbolises harmony, happiness and good health and is

often grown in pots in front of or near the home

Explain that the class is going to create a posy of flowers to give to someone who is recovering from an illness Ask

them to have a look at the symbolic meaning of different flowers and choose some to put into their posy Which have

they chosen and why (e.g they look or smell beautiful or they have symbolic meaning)?

Class could draw their flowers, find pictures to cut out to make a collage or perhaps make a 3D posy with pipe

cleaners and tissue paper The flowers could then be labelled with their meaning

Cardboard, paper, tissue paper, pipe cleaners, pencils, coloured pencils, paint,

paint brushes, glue Printable resource with pictures and the

symbolic meaning of flowers:

http://www.bgci.org/files/Worldwide/Educatio

n/Seeds_of_Unity/healbodyres2flowers.pdf

Activity 4: Explain to class that in the past knowledge of plant remedies were either passed down from one generation

to another, or people visited a healer or pharmacist often associated with their religion to make them better In

medieval times Christian monks and nuns ran hospitals from their monasteries and grew many of the healing plants in

the gardens Being an as-saydanani (pharmacist) was recognised as a profession in Islamic countries as far back as the

eighth century Today plant based remedies are popular in herbal medicines and many modern day medicines have

synthetic chemicals in them which have been copied from those found in plants, e.g the decongestant and asthma

treatment pseudoephedrine is a version of ephedrine which came from plants Point out that in the related ks3 unit,

students will look at modern medicines that have been derived from plants

Hand out copies of the BGCI resource (see link at right) Ask children to choose one and to make a container by either

re-using a jar, bottle or tin, or folding card to make a box or packet Create a label for the container displaying

information about the plant and its supposed healing properties Include a drawing or find an image of the plant to

pop into the container Make a class pharmacopeia

http://www.bgci.org/files/Worldwide/Education/Seeds_of_Unity/healbodyres2medicinalplants.pdf

Containers (jar, bottle or tin) card, paper, coloured pencils or crayons, glue, sellotape

Plenary Bring in a mint plant, some lemons and sugar Pick some mint leaves and let them steep in hot water to make a pot of fresh mint tea, or alternatively

squeeze some lemon into a pot of hot water and add sugar to taste Sitting down to drink tea is a good way to share stories, laughter, worries and problems in a relaxed setting Share the tea among the class and discuss with them what they have learned doing these activities and, in particular, how they think plants can change the way we feel

Starter: Highlight the definition of the word ‘ritual’, i.e “a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value.”

Point out that these actions may be defined by a religion or by the traditions of a community; that it may be performed

on specific occasions or in everyday life, by a group of people or by individuals Clarify that rituals do not need to be

religious and that we all have our own rituals, e.g having a cup of coffee or tea in the morning while reading the

newspaper, listening to the weather report Ask class to share personal or family rituals that bring a certain amount of

comfort and a sense of stability If suitable, ask pupils to say what their ritual means to them

Printable resources for this lesson can be found on the BGCI Seeds of Unity website: http://www.bgci.org/files/Worldwide/Education/Seeds_of_Unity/ACTIVITIES_PDFS/rootsritlp_resource.pdf

Activity 1: Explain that flowers—and plants in general—play an important role in worship and celebration for many

Christians, and that they also appear extensively in Christian art, where they are often used symbolically Show the

pupils images from different Christian rituals Ask them how flowers are used in each ritual and what they think the

flowers may symbolise Then give the pupils the descriptions of each ritual and ask them to match them with the

images

Explain to the pupils that although plants are extensively used in some Christian rituals they are absent in others For

example, during Christmas churches are often festooned with plants, whereas during the period of Lent, which is

traditionally a time of abstinence and restraint, churches do not display flowers

Images and description of Christian rituals can be found at the above link

You can read the descriptions or print them on cards and ask pupils to match them with the images in small groups

Note: The following activity can be combined with a visit to a parish church; pupils will need notepads, pencils, colour pens and cameras to record their observations

and their interviews from the visit to the church

Activity 2: When visiting a local church, encourage the pupils to observe and take notes/drawings of how flowers are used around the church (e.g to simply

decorate or to highlight particularly important places within the building, such as the altar or statue of Mary) Do not forget to take the children outside into the graveyard (if there is one there) to look at the floral tributes left on graves or where ashes have been buried Some trees and plants may also have been marked with commemorative plaques to recall loved ones who have died

KS2.12: Seeds of unity (1) 13

Activity 2 (cont.): If possible arrange an interview between the pupils and the priest or minister, or perhaps a couple of members of the congregation or even

someone who represents the flower arranging team Set up the interview questions with the pupils before the visit to the church The interviews may include

questions about the symbolism of the plants used in paintings and sculptures and the use of plants in some key events during the year, such as palms on Palm Sunday, wheat at harvest time, poppies on Remembrance Day, evergreens at Christmas or rosemary for remembrance at funerals The pupils’ interviews of the church staff may also focus on the types of plants used in and outside the church, with reference to where they are grown locally or overseas, their cost and whether

or not they are Fairtrade

A follow up activity in school may include the pupils presenting their findings from the visit in a display in the school hall or other communal space in the building The display could include drawings, collages, paintings, photographs, textiles and screen prints

Activity 3: Explain to the pupils that they will now play a ‘Mystery activity’ Put the pupils in groups of four or five

and give each group a set of cards Give the pupils the following instructions:

1 Look carefully at the question you have been given: “Jane was a Christian How should she be remembered with

flowers and plants?”

2 In your small group, look at the information you have been given on the different cards

3 Sort out the cards in whatever way you like and use them to construct an answer to the question

4 Be ready to present your answer to the rest of the class and to explain the reasons why you think it is a good

answer

After the groups have finished their discussions bring them together to present and justify their answer to the original

question and their justification At the end, point out that choosing the plants and rituals to commemorate someone

who has passed away is a combination of personal preference and religious belief

The cards for this activity can be found on the BGCI website (Resource 2):

http://www.bgci.org/files/Worldwide/Education/Seeds_of_Unity/ACTIVITIES_PDFS/rootsritlp_resource.pdf

Activity 4 Introduce pupils to the way in which flowers are used in various works of art to convey religious beliefs and ideas in symbolic form, for example, images

of the Annunciation depicting the moment when many Christians believe the Angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary to declare that she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus Ask the children to see if they can notice any plants in the pictures and invite them to describe the flowers and say their name if they recognise them If possible, bring some examples of lilies into the classroom or take the children to a place where they are growing Explain to the pupils that because these

lilies (Lilium candidum) have been associated with the Annunciation two of their common names are Madonna lily and Annunciation lily Ask pupils ‘Why have the

artists chosen lilies for this particular scene and what might lilies symbolise about this moment in Mary’s life and about Mary herself?’

After pupils express their thoughts, point out that lilies symbolise Mary’s beauty, grace, purity and simplicity and that lilies also symbolise the sacred nature of the scene Ask pupils to describe the shape of the flower Ask them to say if the shape reminds them of anything After pupils express their thoughts explain that the funnel shaped flowers also remind viewers of the importance of the message which the Angel is proclaiming, as if from a trumpet

KS2.12: Seeds of unity (1) 14

Activity 5: Explain that flowers and plants in general play an important role in other religious and non-religious rituals If possible, invite a Hindu parent or visitor

to demonstrate to the children the ritual of puja and its meaning Point out that puja is a Hindu ritual which involves an offering to various deities, distinguished persons, or special guests Puja is based on the idea of giving a gift or offering to a deity or important person and receiving their blessing, and can be performed in many occasions and different places such as in the home, during temple ceremonies and large festivals or to begin a new venture Ask pupils if they have ever seen

an actor, singer or dancer given a bouquet of flowers after a performance

Show the pupils images of puja (see background information) and ask them to describe the plants that they think are used in the ritual Explain that Hindus believe that a flower should first be offered to God before humans can enjoy its beauty and fragrance Flowers can be used to symbolise a person’s behaviour and actions, providing fragrance and beauty to all living beings without discrimination, hence the suggestion that people should live their lives like flowers

Plenary: Ask the pupils: What do you think living your life like a flower means? Remind pupils of the first lesson on the symbolism of seeds, i.e how seeds can

represent our potential Ask: how do you think we can help others to ‘blossom’? What do you think you need to encourage your own potential to blossom? Give pupils pieces of paper in the shape of petals and use them to write or draw the ways in which they (or someone else) could bring beauty and fragrance to the world through their deeds and actions Form the petal pieces into a large display (shaped in the form of a lotus flower, one of the most important flowers in Hinduism,

symbolising eternity, purity and good fortune) explaining the meaning of puja

KS2.12: Seeds of unity (1) 15

Key words Seed potential, symbolism, prasad, puja, stewardship, ritual, rangoli

27BSample assessment activities

Ask pupils to identify a plant that is used in a ritual or on an occasion that is important to them and/or their family, and answer the following:

 What does this plant signify or symbolise?

 If it is a food plant, does tasting this food remind you of the occasion?

 Describe the emotions and sensations you experience tasting this food or seeing this particular plant

Pupils may be able to:

1 Talk about a plant that is important to them and/or their family or religion

2 Describe the occasion that features this plant/food and how it differs from other times when they eat this food/see this plant

3 Talk about how this ritual makes them feel part of a group, e.g family, friends, religious community

4 Make links between this plant and their beliefs or the beliefs of their family

5 Compare the way they use this plant on a special occasion with other rituals involving plants

KS2.12: Seeds of unity (1) 16

Note: Many thanks to Lesley Prior and Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) for permission to adapt the “Seeds of Unity” materials for

the Ealing syllabus

Background information

Coco de Mer seed

Links to pictures of various seeds

Coco de Mer (Lodoicea maldivica)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Coco_de_mer_-_BOT.2007.26.21.jpg

Sunflower seeds (Helianthus annuus) http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardthomas78/144085146 Cocoa seeds (Theobroma cacao) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cocoa_beans_P1410151.JPG Coffee beans (Coffea arabica/Coffea robusta)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coffee_Beans_Photographed_in_Macro.jpg

Coffee beans hanging on the tree (Coffea arabica) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coffee_beans_on_tree.jpg Edamame Beans (Glycine max) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Edamame_by_Zesmerelda_in_Chicago.jpg Kidney Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris var mexicanus) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kidney_beans.jpg Broad Beans (Vicia faba) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tuinboon_zaden_in_peul.jpg

Baked beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BakedBeansAndEggOnToast.jpg Black Mustard Seed (Brassica nigra)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotoosvanrobin/5896917743/sizes/m/in/photostream/

Banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Big_Banyan_Tree_at_Bangalore.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/caribbeanphotoarchive/3590079033/

Seeds in the fruit of the Banyan tree http://www.flickr.com/photos/plant-trees/4476655086/

“The kalasam [symbolic spire on top of a mandir] can be thought of as the roots of an inverted tree, whose trunk runs along the cosmic axis of the temple and whose branches reach down toward Earth The representation of the Hindu temple as an upside-down tree encourages devotees to invert themselves and find their true roots, thus becoming a temple themselves By transforming himself or herself into a temple, the devotee invites God to take up residence within “(http://www.indiadivine.org/showthread.php/476589-Temple-and-Human-Body)

KS2.12: Seeds of unity (1) 17

Persian Prayer Rug

www.art.net.au

O my son, know that even something as tiny as a mustard seed, deep inside a rock, be it in the heavens or the earth, GOD will bring

it to light GOD is sublime, all-knowing Qur’an 31: 16 Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky? Qur’an 14: 24

Muslims believe that in the above verse Allah is comparing a good word to a good tree because both bear fruit that are beneficial to people The branches bare the fruits of a tree and the good deeds of a believer If a tree has strong roots, it will be strong and extend its branches out further into the sky; similarly having a strong faith will lead a person to have good manners, noble character and high moral standards which will benefit everyone that the person comes into contact with

A smile for your brother is charity Hadith of the prophet Muhammad, Fiqh-us-Sunnah, 3: 98

Here the Prophet is stating that to smile at another person—i.e to come into contact with them and greet them in a positive way—is a beautiful characteristic The Prophet always greeted people warmly, generating a welcoming and loving environment, and didn’t lose his temper even when others treated him badly It is said that he greeted his companions (the Sahaba) so warmly that each thought that he was the most beloved

The Kew Millennium Seed Bank

Wakehurst, A.McRobb ©RBG Kew

The Kew Millennium Seed Bank project is a global partnership of botanic gardens, tree seed centres, government gene banks, universities, and NGOs whose common aim is to collect and conserve seeds, particularly of plants and habitats that are under threat Partner organisations share information, skills and expertise The seeds that are collected are kept

in seed banks in the country of origin; at the same time duplicate samples are sent to Kew's Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst Place for testing and long term storage

You can find more information and pictures on MSB on:

http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/save-seed-prosper/millennium-seed-bank/index.htm