GCSE Teaching Christianity at Key Stage 4

Jane Brooke

scrolls2@btinternet.com

AQA Spec A

• No controlled assessment

• 2 of 14 units for full course (Short Course 1 unit)

For today:

Unit: Christianity

Unit: Christianity and ethics

(Spec B Religion Philosophy and Ethics in Society)

AQA Spec A

1. Beliefs and Sources of Authority• Within this topic, candidates should come to an understanding of the central beliefs of Christianity

and the sources used to support these beliefs. They should appreciate the different views held by Christian groups on the nature and understanding of the Bible and the role of central figures within the community. They should also become aware of the role of hierarchical figures and of the inspirational role the individual has within differing denominations.

• The Bible -– contrasting beliefs about the authority, inspiration and interpretation of the Bible including a study of the

fundamentalist and liberal approaches;– the effect of these interpretations on believers and their lifestyles.– The meaning of the following beliefs and the impact they have upon Christian lifestyle -– the oneness of God and the Trinity;– the incarnation and Jesus as the Son of God;– the meaning of the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus;– the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the use of the gifts of the Spirit;– the Church as the Body of Christ;– sin and the means of salvation;– judgement and the world to come.

• Religious leaders- bishops, priests, ministers, pastors, elders, members of the community;• the role, impact and importance of different kinds of leadership.

AQA Spec A

2. Commitment and Membership • Within this topic, candidates should show an understanding of the

different ways a person might become a Christian and what these different ways show about the role an individual plays within the Christian community.

• Ceremonies of commitment – the structure, symbolism, purpose and significance of the following:

– infant baptism;– dedication;– confirmation;– believers' baptism;– reception into membership;– how these ceremonies might affect the way of life of the believer.

AQA Spec A

Places of Worship • Within this topic, candidates should show understanding of how the

places of worship reflect and affect the style of worship that takes place within them. They should also consider the role of pilgrimage in the Christian tradition.

• different places of worship: Orthodox, Anglican, Baptist;• non-traditional venues, including worship in house groups,

community halls and outdoor worship;• how their interior features reflect and affect beliefs and practices,

especially the type of worship used by the particular denomination;• pilgrimage:

– the reasons for pilgrimage;– the study of at least one place of Christian pilgrimage;– how pilgrimage can change the individual's life.

AQA Spec A

Worship • Within this topic, candidates should consider the different styles of

worship that are available and the appeal each type of worship has to believers. They should consider how worship helps the believer to relate to God as an individual and as a part of the Church community.

• public worship – the impact worship has on the life of the believer and of the community;

• different forms of worship: liturgical, non-liturgical, including the structured, the charismatic and the spontaneous – the impact each form of worship has on the believers;

• the Lord's Prayer and its impact upon the individual and upon the community;

• the use of the Bible in public and private worship;• private worship – prayer and meditation. The use of rosary, icon, and the

Jesus Prayer. The impact these may have upon the individual believer's lifestyle.

AQA Spec A

5. Holy Communion• Within this topic, candidates should consider the different styles of

eucharistic celebration that do and do not take place within Christian denominations and how these celebrations reflect the beliefs of that denomination.

• Holy Communion – alternative names: Eucharist, Mass, the Lord's Supper, the Breaking of Bread;

• the ways in which it is celebrated today in Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant traditions and how these reflect differences of belief;

• the ways in which each different understanding of Holy Communion affects the overall structure of worship within that community;

• why Holy Communion is not celebrated in some traditions

Festivals

• Within this topic, candidates should understand the ways in which Christians celebrate the major events in the life of Jesus and of their faith. They should consider the different practices which are undertaken to help individual Christians become more fully engaged in their religion.

• Sunday – its significance. How the practices of Christians on a Sunday might reflect their attitude towards the special nature of Sunday and its observance, Sunday as celebration of the resurrection;

• the significance and practice of the following special days and festivals for Christians: – their relationship to events in the life of Jesus and the early Church;– specific Christian observances, customs and symbols connected with them;– their meaning to Christians today.

• Study of the following festivals:• Advent the use of the Advent candles to prepare for both the coming of Jesus at Christmas and the

Second Coming in Judgement• Christmas and Epiphany ways in which they are celebrated both in Church (including crib, carols,

midnight mass, christingle) and at home (the religious dimensions of presents, family meal and decorations) and how the celebrations affect the whole community in which the believer lives

• Lent how the practices of fasting, prayer and works of charity follow the example of Jesus and help believers to prepare to celebrate Holy Week and Easter

• Holy Week the importance of the celebrations of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday• Easter the impact of belief in the resurrection on the believer and how this belief is stressed in the

church services at this time, including the Easter vigil• Pentecost the importance of the coming of the Holy Spirit for believers.

Resources

Christianity

• RE:Quest Virtual tours of places of national religious significance including Westminster Abbey, St David's Cathedral, LoughwoodMeeting House – an early Baptist chapel, the Greek Orthodox Church of Holy Trinity and St Luke, Birmingham, Friends' Quaker Meeting House etc.

AQA resources

• Christianity• Liverpool Cathedral Education Centre , Liverpool

Cathedral, St James Mount, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 7AZ

• Manchester Cathedral , Victoria Street, Manchester, M3 1SX

• St Paul's Cathedral , Education Administrator, The Chapter House, St Paul's Churchyard, London, EC4M 8AD

• York Minster , Church House, Ogleforth, York, YO1 7JN

Generic Christianity examples

1. Apostles and Nicene Creeds

2. Prayer

3. Lord’s prayer

4. Sacrament - Holy Communion

1. The Apostles and Nicene Creed

• Task: On paper the size of a stamp write what Christians believe (Note: credo - I believe)

• Agree on 4 key words/concepts that should be included in a Christian creed.

The Nicene creed

Handout 1 The Nicene creed

Are your 4 key words included?

Task: Sketch a picture to explain each line

The Nicene Creed

• Task: Spot the difference

Look at the Apostles creed (Handout 2) and spot the difference

Which do you think explains Christian belief best? Why?

Nicene creed

Task: there is one phrase in the Nicene creed that split the West and East church.

What do you think it is?

Do you agree that the phrase is important to Christians?

Concepts and creeds

• Which Christian concepts can you find in the creeds?

• How do you think believing in the creeds would affect a persons life?

TASK

Pairs: Looking at the creeds, would you change your 4 key words now? How?

Further information on the creeds on Handout 3

2. Prayer

• Choose a prayer. Pairs: agree if it is a prayer.

Prayer

What is prayer?

Introductory clip:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/zxc6sbk

(4 minutes)

Students: Where do these people pray?

What do they pray about

Elements of Prayer

ACTS

• Adoration

• Confession

• Thanksgiving

• Supplication

ACTS

Task: Take one of ACTS and design a shape or pattern which represents that element of prayer.

Handout 4

Clip

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/zp62fg8

(4 minutes)

Has you understanding of prayer changed at all? How? Why?

3. Lord’s Prayer

Task: In pairs agree. The disciples asked Jesus what they should say when they pray.

What would you have said?

Look at Handout 5: Are there any words that are difficult?

Handout 5

In groups take one part and agree how a Christian could show that statement on their life eg Hallowed be thy name – how would they show it – gave an example then do a group freeze frame

Bible

Handout 6

How are the two versions similar? Different?

Which do you prefer? Why?

ACTS

• Can you find any ACTS in the Lords prayer?

Concepts and the Lord’s Prayer

• Which general concepts can you find?

• Which Christian concepts?

• How do you think the Lords prayer shows an understanding of God for Christians?

Lord’s Prayer

How would a person’s actions show that they agreed with the Lord’s prayer ?

Task in pairs: How important do you think the Lord’s prayer is to Christians? Why?

Rosary, Icon, Jesus prayer

• Rosary (Information on Handout 7)

• What are the most important prayers you think should be said regularly? Why?

Make your own rosary -

Icons

• Windows of prayer/no shadows/ painted as a prayer in itself

• Look at some and consider the colour representation etc

Handout 8 information on Rublev’s icon

Create an icon

Take a scene you have studied eg lost son and create a picture in the tradition of an icon to represent one line of the creed:

• No shadows

• Colours must be symbolic

• Use gold

Question

(d) Explain why prayer is important to some Christians. 6 Marks

a.‘ The best way for Christians to reach an understanding of God is by practising prayer’ Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should;- Refer to Christian teaching- Give developed arguments to support this statement- Give developed answers to support a different point of view- Reach a justified conclusion 9 Marks

Question for teacher: Have I given enough that every student could reach 6 marks plus or 9 marks plus?

Consolidating Learning

• Cards

Say the answers and the partner guesses the question

Cards

• Cards for use on Handout 9

4. Sacraments

St Augustine (354-430 CE): ‘the visible form of an invisible grace’

Compare with external events but internal important eg marriage…

Focus on:

Holy communion

4. Last supper

• The story… retell …role play… look at artistic representations

Sacraments

Memory and eating

‘Do this to remember me’

What would you do to remember Jesus if you had been a friend? How?

Work out exactly how you would suggest the disciples remembered that event…

Taste a wafer..

Lead into the variations of practice

4. Maps From memory

Variation..

4. Practices

Idea of community:

Eat a biscuit or sweet or piece of fruit..

What happens?

Why together?

Why do Christians choose to gather in one place for Holy Communion? How is it different from being on their own at home and eating the bread and drinking the wine?

Do you think Christians need to go to church to worship God? Why? Why do Christians worship in a community?

Practices

• Explore through video clips/research/poster display

• Orthodox/Roman Catholic/Anglican/Non conformist churches

• Create graphic novel style/illustrations/guide for a newcomer for each community showing

Wine and body

This is my body

This is my blood

• What do you think those statements mean? (as many ideas as possible)

• Interview a Christian – what do they do and what does it mean?

• How does it make any difference to their lives?

Check the syllabus question

• Give two contrasting ways in which eucharist(Holy Communion) is celebrated in Christianity 4 Marks (AQA)

• Looking for comparison between Orthodox /Roman Catholic/Non-conformist

Consolidating learning

Task: In pairs think of three questions about Holy Communion plus the answers.

Generic Christianity examples1. Apostles and Nicene Creeds2. Prayer3. Lord’s prayer4. Sacrament - Holy Communion

Made use of: quick visual sketches/icon making/design shape for aspect of prayer/ freeze frame/tasting/analytical thinking/quick revision through card activity/memory with maps for memory/create illustrative eg graphic novel style of different practicesMissing? Music? Debate?