‘UNDERSTANDING CHRISTIANITY’ AND ‘AWARENESS MYSTERY VALUE’
Many Church of England Schools and other schools may be seeking to use the resource “Understanding Christianity” which the Church of England Education Office hopes will set the bar for the quality of teaching and learning about Christianity in Church Schools.
This document will help schools plan their teaching so they can match the Understanding Christianity Units of work with the locally agreed syllabus (AMV).
Key Stage 2
| AMV Units | Understanding Christianity |
| 1. What is Important to me? (A&D)
Who am I? What do stories songs and poems teach about what it means to be a human being? What are humans worth? What do different people believe about the value of human beings? How might belonging to xxxx community help a child feel that they belong? Does belonging to an organisation or religious group help us understand what it means to be human ? How does belonging to XXXXX group help a person understand how to be a human? |
2a1 People of God What is it like to follow God? |
| 2. What can we learn from the life and teaching of Jesus? (B&E)
What might Christians believe about God’s love from the parables Jesus taught and the life Jesus lived? What might Christians believe the “Lost parables” (Sheep, Coin, Son) can teach about God’s love and the idea of salvation? Why is the story of Jesus death and resurrection important for Christians? Why might keeping Lent and celebrating Easter be important in the life of a Christian? How might Christians keep Lent and celebrate Easter? Why might it be important for their faith to keep Lent and celebrate Easter? How might it change they way that Christians live? |
2a5 Salvation Why do Christians call the day that Jesus died ‘Good Friday’? |
| 3. Why do religious books and teachings matter? (C&F)
Why is the XXXXXX an important book for XXXXXs? How might people of xxxxx faith explain that the xxxxxx book came into being ? How and why do people show they value special texts? Why might XXXXXXs say the XXXXXX book helps them to live a good and kind life? What are the moral messages that can be found in religious stories? How can I express my beliefs and ideas about how to be kind others? |
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| AMV Units | Understanding Christianity |
| 4. What does it mean to belong to a religion? Christianity (B&D)
How do Christians show their commitment to their faith? What rituals or ceremonies might a Christian be asked to celebrate in order to be a member of their faith? How might Christian be expected to serve their community and other people? Why are their different groups of Christians? What are the similarities and differences between two / three different groups of Christians? How do Christians in different parts of the world practice their faith differently – and what do they have in common? What difference might it make to a Christian to belong to one community rather than another? How do some Christian groups seek to work together? |
2b3 People of God How can following God bring freedom and justice? |
| 5. Why are some journeys and places special (C&E)
What might a person do when they go on a pilgrimage? Why do people believe that some places are special? What rituals and actions do people do when they are on pilgrimage? Why do they do those things? How might a person’s sense of purpose in life be strengthened by going on a Pilgrimage? How have people expressed their experiences when they have made a life changing journey How might going on a pilgrimage change a person’s life? Is it a good idea to go on a pilgrimage? |
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| 6. How do we make moral choices (A&F)
How do we know right from wrong? What are the consequences of making some moral choices? (Lying, Stealing Cheating, Gossiping, Being jealous?) Is it ever right to do “bad” things? What do 2 religions/ other belief systems teach about right and wrong? Does believing in God and or believing in Life after Death make it easier to be Good? Who can help people decide how to make good moral choices? Does believing in God and / or Life After Death make it more likely that someone will make good moral choices? |
2b5 Gospel What would Jesus do?
2b7 (yr6) Salvation What difference does the resurrection make to Christians? |
| AMV Units | Understanding Christianity |
| 7. How do people express their beliefs and identity? (C&D)
How do people express their understanding of God? What symbols, art, poetry, dance, drama etc do people of faith use to express their beliefs? How do some Christians draw, paint or sculpt Jesus or God? Why do they represent God in that way? Why do most Muslims (and Jewish people) chose not to draw or paint Allah (G-d)? Why do some religions share common ways of expressing their beliefs and identity? How are universal symbols like colour, water, light, darkness, wind, sound, water, fire and silence used in religions and beliefs? Why are these ways of expressing beliefs important for some? How might I express my beliefs using art, dance poetry etc? |
2a3 Incarnation/God “What is the Trinity?” |
| 8. What do people believe about life (A&E)
Why should we look after the world? What feelings do people have in relation to the natural world? What answers might be given to questions about : i) the origin and meaning of life? ii) humans relationship to and responsibility for the natural world ? What is the purpose of life and what happens after Death? What feelings do people have about the purpose of life, death and life after death? What answers are given to questions about : i) The purpose of Life? ii) Life after death. |
2a.1 Creation/Fall What do Christians learn from the Creation story?
2b.2 Creation / Fall Creation and science: conflicting or complementary? |
| 9. How might we live and who can inspire us? (B&F)
How could we live? What positive examples have people given that show us how to live? What examples of how to live have been given by leaders or key figures in religions? How could we change our lives in the light of these examples? How have the actions or example of (a) local person(s) or community(ies) of faith changed our world? What have local people of faith done to change the world or make it better for others? How might we change our lives in the light of these examples? |
| AMV Units | Understanding Christianity |
| 10. What does it mean to belong to a religion?
Hindu, Islam, Judaism or Sikhism? (BD&E) (3 out of 4 choices) How might Jewish people, (Muslims, Sikhs or Hindus) best show their commitment to their faith? What rituals or ceremonies might a XXXXX person be asked to celebrate in order to be a member of their faith? How might a XXXXX person be expected to serve their community and other people? Why are their different groups of Jewish people,(Muslims, Sikhs or Hindus?) What are the similarities and differences between two different groups of XXXX faith? How do XXXXX people in different parts of the world practice differently – and what do they have in common? What difference might it make to a XXXXX person to belong to one community rather than another? How do some XXXXXX groups seek to work together? |
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| Understanding Christianity Units that do not match well with AMV at KS2 | |
| 2a4 Gospel What kind of world did Jesus want? | |
| 2a6 Kingdom of God When Jesus left, what was the impact of Pentecost? | |
| 2b1 God What does it mean if God is holy and loving? | |
| 2b4 Incarnation Was Jesus the Messiah? | |
| 2b6 (yr5) Salvation What did Jesus do to save human beings? | |
| 2b8 Kingdom of God What kind of king is Jesus ? |