Year

Subject

No. of Hours

Term/Year

Planned by

5/6

R.E.

Buddhism

9

Spring 2006

ChristopherDorey

EXPECTATIONS atthe end of this unit:

Mostchildren will:

Recall some keyevents in the life of Buddha, understand the meaning of thefestival of Wesak, begin to understand some of the Buddhistsymbols, identify some main features of Buddhist belief andpractice and connect some key ideas with their ownexperience.

Somechildren will not have made so much progress and will:

Know some keyevents about the life of Buddha, understand the meaning of thefestival of Wesak, recognise some religious artifacts and link themto Buddhism and identify some aspects of their ownexperience.

Somechildren will have progressed further and will:

Explain theimportance of Buddha, understand the meaning of the festival ofWesak, explain the significance of some Buddhist beliefs andpractices, make inks between their own values and experience andthose of others. They will also have a deeper understanding ofsome of the more complex areas of Buddhism, such as the NobleEightfold Path.

NCRef

LearningIntentions

SuccessCriteria

Activity

Differentiation

ICTLinks

1a

1b

1g

2a

3b

3i

LessonOne

BPE1 be awarethat there are people in Britain practising Buddhism.

To know aboutBuddhas birth, death and enlightenment.

To be able to explainthat there are Buddhists living in Britain.

Concept map on the boardthe childrens current knowledge about Buddhism. Children to thinkif they have any questions that want to be answered during thecourse of the topic.

Use video excerpts toteach children about the miles stones in the Buddhas life (usevideo Chris made at Uni)

Lead on to activitiesand discussion in response to the information given in the video.Talk about Buddhas birth, death, and enlightenment. (Play videoagain if necessary and pause and discuss issues as theyarise)

Children to make imagesof the fours sights (old age, sickness, death, holy man) which madeSiddhartha Gautama begin his search for enlightenment.

(Give children Buddhismglossary to use during topic)

Support

Provide children with agrid already drawn and the four sights already written.

Challenge

Children to think aboutan area of Buddhism they want to find out about (independentresearch).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/index.shtml

http://www.buddhanet.net/(teacher information)

Video of Buddhas birth,death and enlightenment.

1g

1h

3r

LessonTwo

To recognise andcompare different images of the Buddha.

To create an image forthe Buddha and be able to explain the reasoning for the chosenimage.

Using posters, books andstatues of the Buddha discuss the different images of theBuddha.

Discuss with thechildren the symbolism of mudras (the position of the Buddhashands)

Using clay, get thechildren to create their own Buddha statue using one of the mudrasshown.

Link to Art Medium TermPlan.

Children making clayBuddhas. If they finish they can write about the symbolism of theirBuddhas mudra.

1a

1b

1g

1h

2d

3j

3k

3m

LessonThree

BSC1 Know thatBuddhists try to follow the example of the Buddhas life, inparticular by developing awareness and compassion.

To design a poster whichwould help them to lead a happier life.

Talk to children aboutthe Noble Eightfold Path. Buddhists believe that if you follow aspecial code of behaviour you will find real happiness. This codeis called the Noble Eightfold Path because it has eight parts whichhelp you think and act clearly.

Discuss with thechildren the eight points which Buddhists believe you shouldfollow. In groups get the children to order the eight points,starting with the one they think is the most important. Children tothink about why they have ordered them in the way they have.

Get the children todesign a poster listing eight different ways of thinking, doingthings, feeling and behaving which would help them and others leada happier life.

Support

Mind map someideas.

Challenge

Children to usethe internet to find out some more information about the NobleEightfold Path and share with class.

1c

1g

3i

3r

LessonFour

To know somecommon symbols and signs of Buddhism.

To name some of thesymbols and signs of Buddhism and say why they are symbolic.

Talk to children aboutsome signs and symbols that they know about. Can children remembersome of the signs of Judaism from last term?

Talk to children aboutthe following signs and symbols: Mudras, a white elephant, a bodhitree, a lotus flower, the Buddhist dharma wheel, a stupa.

Children to match thecorrect image image to the correct definition and then make a lotusflower using the templates provided (children to keep these lotusflowers for later in the topic when they visit a temple)

Support

Cut out the partsof the flower ready for the children.

Challenge

Children to writeabout the symbolism of the lotus flower.

1a1g

2a

2b

2c

3g

3h

3i

3j

3r

LessonFive

BFF1 Know thatBuddhists celebrate key events in the Buddhas life such as hisbirth, death and enlightenment in festivals such as Wesak.

To have designed andcreated a Wesak card.

To know why the festivalof Wesak is important for Buddhists.

Discuss with childrenwhat they have already learnt about Buddhism so far. What havethey found interesting? What have they found challenging?

Talk to the childrenabout the Buddhist festival of Wesak, explain that it is a festivalthe celebrates the birth, death and enlightenment of Buddha on oneday.

Children to complete aworksheet on Wesak and then make a Wesak card for someone in theclass.

Support

Children to label thepicture.

Challenge

Children to completeboth parts of the /

background.

(on worksheet)

1a1h1g

2a

2b

3g

3k

3p

3q

3r

LessonSix

To know somecommon symbols and signs of Buddhism.

BFF1 Know thatBuddhists celebrate key events in the Buddhas life such as hisbirth, death and enlightenment in festivals such as Wesak.

BW02 To know thatBuddhists practice meditation.

To have made a mandalawhere there is something in the middle which they value / findspecial to them.

To know that mandalasare used as an offering to Buddha.

Introduce children tothe word mandala, explain that it means the word circle and it isthe name given to a special circular design used by TibetanBuddhists to help concentrate their minds as they meditate. Tellthe children the monks learn to trace extremely complicatedmandalas out of coloured sand. Also tell the children that theyrepresent the whole universe and they are offering to the Buddha.Mandalas are destroyed after the festival of Wesak as it is feltthey have served their purpose. Tell the children that certaincolours also have special symbolism on the mandalas.

Get the children todesign their own mandalas using the template provided. Explainthat in the middle of the mandala the children should drawsomething which they value and which is very special tothem.

Children to walk aroundtheir mandalas just like Buddhist monks would. Children to discusshow they felt in groups and then with the rest of the class.

Support

Children to explain theimage in the centre of their mandala.

Challenge

To explain in detaileverything on the mandala.

1a

1b

1g

2e

3f

3g

3j

3r

LessonSeven

To explore storiestold by Buddha to explain his revelations during hisenlightenment.

To be able to retell oneof the Buddhist stories.

Read some of thetraditional Buddhist stories to the children and discuss the moralsbehind the stories. Explain to the children that some of theanimals in the stories are the Buddha in his past lives.

Show children a clipfrom the video Chris made at Uni, The Hare, the Lion and theEarhquake. Discuss the moral behind the story.

In groups get childrento read and act out their Buddhist stories. Get the children toshare them with the rest of the class.

Childrenare in mixed ability groups.

Video of The Hare, theLion and the Earthquake.

1a1b1g

2a2b3f3g3i

3j

3k

3l

3n

3r

LessonEight

BPL1 To know thataspects of Buddhist practice take place in the home and thatBuddhists also visit their local temple, monastery or retreatcentre.

To experience worship ina temple.

To have an understandingof how Buddhists worship.

To write an accountabout how they felt after worshipping in the temple

Talk to children aboutall the signs and symbols about Buddhism they have found out aboutso far. What do they already know about Buddha? What specialplaces of worship to they know? Tell the children that Buddhistsworship in a temple. Explain to the children that they are goingto re-enact a visit to the Buddhist temple and make offerings tothe Buddha (offering of a lotus flower and mandala).

Show the video clipChris made at Uni of an example visit to a Buddhist temple.

NOTE: One child willhave to wrap themselves in a sheet and act as Buddha.

When in the temple askquestions such as What is the highest thing you can see? How doyou feel? get one group to re-tell their Buddhist Traditionalstory and practice sitting quietly reflecting.

Children to write ashort account about how they felt.

Support

Children to write bulletpoints about their account.

Challenge

Children to thinkreally carefully about how they felt, and why they felt the waythey did.

Video of trip totemple.

1a

1b

1d

1g

3i

LessonNine

To know somecommon symbols and signs of Buddhism.

To design a symbol forJudaism using some of the knowledge they have gained during thetopic.

Remind children aboutsome of the common symbols and signs of Buddhism.

Assessment (1):Givechildren the Symbols of Buddhism sheet and ask children to designa symbol which could be used in Buddhism and how it could beused.

Assessment (2): Have aquiz with the children about the work they have done over thetopic.

Children to all have thesame assessment sheet / quiz.