Encounter Christianity
To Change the World (Big Book)
Lesson one - pages 2-3 'Changing rooms'
Text from the book
Which room do you like best?
How would you like to change your room?
A fun way to start thinking about change with a bird's-eye view of two very different rooms.
Learning Objective
To help pupils recognize each person has the power to bring about change with regard to themselves and to their environment.
Bible reference
Luke 19.1-10
Background
Change is an integral part of the Christian faith; Christians believe that through Jesus' life, death and resurrection he changed and transformed the relationship between God and human beings. People are transformed when they become Christians because they 'begin again'; they 'renew' their lives. In effect, they 'cleanse and renew' their way of life and move on; but it does require action on their part.
Ways of using the pictures
Key Words
· Chaos
· Mess
· Order
· Security
· Comfortable
· Preference
· Conformity
Activity
Discuss with the pupils how they might change a classroom/area of the school. Choose a place in the school that would benefit from change. It could be that part of the school grounds becomes a wild life garden; or the creation of a ‘graffiti’ board.
Consider the needs and reactions of other people who would come into the re-designed area. Think with the pupils about creating atmosphere and space.
Learning Outcomes
· stated a preference for the ‘bedroom’ picture;
· developed an awareness of place;
· been aware of the affects of change on other people.
Extension Work
Encourage the pupils to look at issues of ‘conformity’ and ‘preference’.
Use a Venn diagram to look at the class with regard to order and chaos; and who makes the mess and who tidies it up afterwards.
There could be a time of reflection on what the pupils consider is an important place.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/changingrooms/
Many children will have watched their parents attempting a DIY task or two. The huge popularity of TV programmes, such as Changing Rooms, show how many people are keen to change their living environments. This web site provides web resources with fact sheets and design tips.
http://calvarychapel.com/children/site/pdf/New/Curr216.pdf
The teachers’ notes for the Encounter Christianity big book provides a bible reference based around the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus. This PDF file provides wordsearches, quizzes and colouring pages on this popular bible story.
Text from the book
What can these hands make?
What can these hands do?
How can these hands change the world?
The work of many hands brings about change, through action, as symbols and in helping us to say what we feel.
Learning Objectives
· To enable pupils to understand how the use of hands can express different emotions.
· To recognize that hands can be used to express positive values.
Psalm 16.1-11
Background
Hands, and their dexterity which separates the human from the rest of the animal world, are frequently used in Christian art and symbolism. The hand of God is raised in judgement, the hands of Jesus heal and are impaled on the cross. Hands are creative and used for good or ill. We all use them to express our feelings and they have the power to affect change.
Ways of using the pictures
· How do the pupils use their hands to change things?
· Look at the pictures. There are old hands, young hands and hands that say so much. How could they have changed the world?
· Discuss how we often use our hands to try to express what is in our minds.
· Look at the ways in which hands are used, in Christian images, to make changes.
Key Words
· Creation
· Interference
· Manipulation
· Gesture
· Manual Dexterity
· Compassion.
Activity
Pupils trace around their hands and write positive things their hands can do either in the outline or around the line of the fingers and thumb. Read out the results and make a display of their work.
Learning Outcomes
Pupils will have:
· reflected on the power of hands in expressing feelings;
· identified hands as being as, if not more, expressive than speech.
Extension Work
Pupils write a poem with the title: ‘With my hands I can…’
Web sites
http://www.ifyoulovetoread.com/book/chten_cats.htm
One fun activity the children can do with their hands is making a ‘cat’s cradle’. At this web page you can find detailed instructions on how two people can create this (or tie each other in unbelievable knots!).
http://www.moytura.com/reflections/prayinghands.htm
One of the best known images of hands is Albrecht Durer's famous 'praying hands'. This site has an image of the hands and a moving account of how Albrecht's brother, Albert, worked in the mines for four years to pay for Albrecht to become an artist. As a result Albert’s own hands, the ones featured in this image, were destroyed by the manual labour and he could no longer pursue his own dream of becoming an artist.
A larger version of the image can be found at http://www.ftmagic.com/prayinghands.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/articles/skeleton/s_hand.shtml
A brief description of our hands, including the facts that each hand contains 22 bones and the palm consists of five metacarpal bones.
Text from the book
How many new things have you learned this week?
How do you change when you learn something new?
Once you learn to ride a bike, you can never unlearn! How can learning change us, our lives and the lives of others? Christians believe that education is a life-long process of change and transformation for the individual and the community.
Learning Objectives
Pupils would recognize that:
· Learning changes all of us;
· All teachers and pupils are also pupils and teachers.
Acts 11.1-12a
Background
A fundamental Christian belief is that God is deeply involved with the changing world: creation is a continuing process. Every human is changing all the time; sometimes the change is obvious (learning new skills, for example), making a big difference to our (and others’) lives. Some skills, once learned, are never lost; others need constant refreshment! Whatever we learn, we use; it transforms us, and we grow and develop.
Ways of using the pictures
· Discuss the new skills pupils have learned in the last year and what difference they have made to their lives.
· Ask the pupils if they think God learns new skills. Does God learn new things as the world grows older? If we learn, does God?
· Talk with pupils about whether they like learning new skills. Is it easy? What is the most difficult skill they have learned?
Key Words
· Skills
· Instruction
· Activity
· Creativity
· Anxiety
· Direction
· Participation
· Liberation
· Guidance
· Learning
Activity
Brainstorm: What have we learned from each other; what have we taught one another.
Use a time line to show: Can Do, Can’t Do, Want to Do. Can these skills be sequenced in relation to age, size, experience, opportunity, etc?
What skills can the pupils teach others. How did they learn those skills and who taught them?
Learning Outcomes
Pupils will have:
· developed increasing self-esteem and self confidence;
· reflected on how they learned, how they teach and what they want to learn.
Extension Work
Pupils write about what we learned/taught, how it has changed us and how it changed the learner/teacher.
http://www.kids-online.net/learn/c_n_l.html
The illustration on the Encounter Christianity double page spread shows different ways that people can learn throughout life. This particular site gives a simple introduction to learning to use computers.
There are literally thousands of sites that provide instruction on learning a new skill. Try out these other sites aimed at helping children to learn about:
Musical instruments http://datadragon.com/education/instruments/
How to become an inventor http://mustang.coled.umn.edu/inventing/inventing.html
Science and space travel http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/
Energy and renewable resources http://www.energy.ca.gov/education/
Making a pinhole camera http://www.exploratorium.edu/light_walk/camera_todo.html
Making a weather station http://www.miamisci.org/hurricane/weatherstation.html
http://www.looklearnanddo.com/documents/home.html
This is a fun site that helps children to learn how to make model cars, boats, kites, windmills, bird baths and feeders.
Text from the book
Can this place ever be the same again?
How has this place been changed?
Natural or human disasters cause devastating changes in the lives of people and their homes and surrounding. In time, new communities emerge, where once there was only death and destruction.
Learning Objectives
To help pupils recognise that:
· change is part of life;
· changes will happen in their lives;
· we have no control over some processes of change.
Isaiah 2.2-4
Background
Our landscape changes – even in the countryside, trees grow and fall and hedges are pulled up. In towns and cities, buildings are pulled down and new roads and buildings are put in their place. Occasionally, disasters happen, with floods, earthquakes, storms and volcanoes destroying what has been built. People do re-build, but the place is never quite the same again. Does change always mean leaving the past behind and moving on to the future? Why don’t we rebuild exactly as it was before?
Ways of using the pictures
· Talk about changes in (a) school, (b) home, (c) local street and shops, (d) what is seen on TV news programmes.
· Discuss how pupils think people feel when something they have made is later destroyed.
· Why do people re-build or re-make? Is it because it has been destoryed?
· Are changes always for the better?
Key Words
· Renovating
· Regeneration
· Devastation
· Natural
· Despondency
· Disaster
· Home
· Rebuilding
Activity
Interview pupils and parent/carers about things that have changed in their lifetime.
Can they think of changes that have occurred in their local environment, or in the school, which have radically changed their lives?
In pairs, look at the list of key words. Find the definition of the words and see if they can be applied to the pictures in the book.
Learning Outcome
Pupils will have:
· developed the ability to identify changes that will happen in children’s lives;
· shared expectations and outcomes.
Extension Work
Write an acrostic poem using some of the key words listed above, including the words Hope and Expectation.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/weatherwise/living/severe/index.shtml
The BBC’s weather site provides some solid information about the results of environmental disasters in Britain and how best to prepare for them.
The devastation created by floods was profoundly moving in the images that came from Mozambique in 2000. The BBCs reporting can be found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_655000/655510.stm
http://www.crustal.ucsb.edu/ics/understanding/
There are many web sites on environmental disasters of every possible variety. This site provides an informative approach, with sections on how earthquakes occur, famous earthquake accounts by Darwin and Mark Twain and an earthquake quiz to test your knowledge of earthquakes. A group of students put together a web site comparing the problems facing people in an earthquake or when a volcano ignites. Their site can be located at http://www.kyrene.org/schools/brisas/sunda/ev/ev_home.htm
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/
The National Geographic’s web site provides some stunning images of the volcano on Mount Etna. Their online magazine also includes creature features, brainteaser quizzes and creative activities for children.
Text from the book
If you want to make some changes
You must weigh things up to start;
Just like when you make a loaf,
Not weighing is not smart.
The flour is important,
The salt and water too -
But mix them all at random
And you'll just end up with goo!
If you measure up with care
You'll soon find that instead
You're heading for a crusty loaf
Of very special bread!
To make your crusty loaf
You'll need to add some yeast.
That yeast will change your dough
Into a veritable feast!
You'll need to knead and pummel -
Don't let those muscles shirk!
Pull and push and stretch and squeeze -
Making changes is hard work!
You'll also need some patience
For changes to take place;
Keep it warm and keep it covered,
Just give that dough some space!
And when at last it's risen,
You knock it down once more,
Then knead and squeeze and pummel,
Just like you did before!
Keep it warm and keep it covered,
Just give that dough some space;
It's hard to have that patience,
Making changes is no race!
At last it's time to shape and bake
And wait for it to cook.
Not long to go, stay patient
And please don't try to look!
A miracle!
Water, salt and flour and yeast
Have now turned into bread;
The smell's so sweet it's hard to wait,
So fetch the butter, slice and spread!
Copyright Judith Nicholls
Rap your way through bread making! Everyday ingredients are transformed into delicious bread.
Learning objectives
· To recognize that there are many contributing factors to any final item.
· To identify the importance of sequencing and proportion.
1 Kings 17.8-24
Background
Food is a potent religious symbol. Cooking brings together a variety of ingredients, blending and changing them into something new. Each ingredient is separate, yet when mixed, it helps to create something different. You can never be sure what the outcome will be, and hand mixing and kneading are fun! In much the same way, individual Christians blend together to form one Church and, while there may be different denominations, they all focus on the person of Jesus. There are many different events in the Christian story but they blend and combine, changing to meet different historical and cultural settings. Bread is a potent symbol running throughout the Bible and Christianity. It is the stuff of everyday life for everyone but, for Christians, it is the stuff of spiritual life. The Israelites received manna from heaven to feed them in the wilderness; Jesus fed 5,000 people with loaves and fishes; John’s Gospel refers to Jesus as ‘the bread of life’, and Christians share bread together when they celebrate the Eucharist.
Ways of using the pictures
· Discuss what elements make up (a) bread, (b) cake, (c) a human being.
· What do pupils like best about cooking? Is it always the end product?
· Read the poem carefully with the pupils several times, asking them which verse they like best and why. Look at the way the poet has described ways of changing.
· Practise reading the poem as a ‘rap’ in order to capture the rhythm and enthusiasm of the poet and the cooks. The pupils could write their own poem or rap.
Key Words
· Dough
· Kneading
· Collaboration
· Miracle
· Cooking
· Combining
· Process
· Patience
· Proving
· Reaction
· Sequencing
· Pummel
Activity
The rap, to be effective, has to be spoken aloud on a ‘back beat’. It will need practice, for some. Pupils can clap to keep the correct rhythm. Cut and paste the rap then sequence it in the correct order with the pictures.
Write another rap to do with making pots-using water, clay, heat, etc. Alternatively try writing a rap about making a simnel cake or a pizza.
Learning Outcomes
Pupils will have:
· been able to recognize the importance of proper sequencing using correct proportions;
· written a rap.
Extension Work
Using a digital camera pupils can create their own poetry and image collage to document the creation of a collaborative piece of work.
http://www.breadworldcanada.com/justkids/
This is an excellent site with very clear and easy-to-use instructions on baking bread. It includes a number of handy hints on baking with children. For a different approach, try http://www.breaking-bread.com/htmlsite2.htm where the ubiquitous Father Dominic shares his love of breaking bread with the world.
http://www.elbalero.gob.mx/kids/about/html/did/bread.html#
If you have ever wondered what underwear, bald ladies and policemen have to do with bread, then try out this extraordinary site. It actually originates from the Encyclopedia of Mexico and explains the different types of Mexican sweet breads.
http://www.ontheline.org.uk/explore/journey/uk/food.htm
Oxfam have a web site that compares different eating habits of different cultures. The UK’s love of fish and chips, meat and two veg and junk food is listed, alongside the Cornish pasty, Yorkshire pudding and other regional dishes. One of the useful recipes from this section is how to make ‘lost bread’ using Fair Trade ingredients.
Text from the book
What do the clowns' faces show us?
Does your face always show how you feel?
How can one face tell so many stories? What lies behind the changing mask of the clown?
Learning Objectives
· To enable pupils to recognize they present a range of different public images
· To help pupils recognize that only they know their true self and that Christians would add that God knows them also.
Genesis 3.8-10
Background
Clowns wear make-up and masks, but so do we. We all have ‘masks’ to hide our feelings from time to time. Sometimes we don’t want others to know how we are feeling. Christian teaching says that God always knows what is in our hearts and minds and we can hide nothing from God, however hard we try and whatever ‘masks’ we wear. We can use make-up or set our face in a fixed smile but, underneath, only we know how we feel – and Christians would say, so does God.
Ways of using the pictures
· Discuss when and how pupils try to hide their feelings. How do we recognize how others are feeling?
· Is a clown always happy? Could a clown be a sad person?
· Why do we hide our feelings from others? What sort of feelings do we hide?
Key Words
· Pert
· Antonym
· Pretence
· Hiding
· Revealing
· Superficial
· Disclosing
· Disguise
Activity
Make masks with the children, highlighting eyes and mouth. There are several examples on the web sites listed below. Try to make masks to match different emotions and expressions (happy and sad, fierce and frightened).
Design a clock that shows the different expressions the children use at different times throughout the day. What does your face say early in the morning, before and after lunch, etc?
Learning Outcomes
Pupils will have:
· understood that people often put on ‘faces’ to hide their feelings;
· understood that eyes and mouths are very expressive;
· understood that Christians believe that God knows what is truly in peoples’ hearts.
Extension Work
Pupils can write a poem on why, or if, wearing a mask transforms them. Do they think or behave differently when they are wearing a mask?
Here you can view famous images of clowns and see The Circus Directory – a series of links to other web sites on clowns.
Individual clowns have also shared their vision of their work at sites such as http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/kechew/kpage2.html
and at http://www.mrdoo.co.uk/
If you want to create masks with your pupils, then this is definitely the best place to begin. The site is a little difficult to navigate around. If you want to view children’s own work, have a look in the ‘galleries’ section. However, there are also useful ideas on making paper mache masks in the articles section.
There are also a number of sites that enable pupils to explore different cultures. At http://pbskids.org/africa/ children can make a rabbit, bird, antelope or hunter mask.
You can discover more about all kinds of cultures through their use of masks.
The masks of the Yup-ik Eskimo people are explored at http://www.si.umich.edu/CHICO/yupik/
A Javanese mask collection can be viewed at
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/exhibits/exhibit_sites/javamask/javamask.htm
whilst a site of African masks can be seen at
http://community.middlebury.edu/~atherton/masking.html
Text from the book
How does water transform the desert?
How important is water to you?
A river is shown dramatically here, making the desert bloom. Use this literal example of the transforming power of water to explore its symbolic use within Christianity.
Learning Objectives
· To recognize that water brings life and destroys life.
· To know how water is used in Baptism services and why it is such a potent symbol.
Psalm 104. 10-16
Background
Water means life, especially where there are urgent shortages. In the wet West, we can easily forget how important water is to a country and its people. The Nile floods regularly, bringing the green shoots of life and abundance in the midst of the hot arid desert. There, water is a rich source of life, transforming a barren land, just as it can also bring change and death, through flooding and destruction. Water cleanses, washes away the dirt of the day; so Christians believe that baptism washes away and destroys the old life, bringing new. It transforms their life. Water can be destructive as well as life-giving. The rains destroy but they also bring fertility to the land.
Ways of using the pictures
· Discuss what differences water makes to the pupils’ lives. How many ways do we use water in a day?
· Can we give plants too little or too much water?
· Explore with the pupils why water is often used as a symbol for life-giving and fertility.
Key Words
· Meander
· Fertile
· Regeneration
· Refresh
· Flood
· Course
· Drought
· Parched
· Arid
· Unrelenting
· Cycle
· Dependence
· Cleanse
· Purity
· Liberation
· Freedom
· Slavery
Activity
Read Psalm 23 with the pupils. Why are green pastures and fields so important?
Read Psalm 46. 1-7. What does this say about the power of water?
The following is part of a prayer from the Anglican 'Common Worship' initiation service that makes clear the importance of water in the Christian religion:
'We thank you, Almighty God, for the gift of water
to sustain, refresh and cleanse all life.
Over the water the Holy Spirit moved in the beginning of creation.
Through water you led the children of Israel
From slavery in Egypt to freedom in the promised land,
In water your Son Jesus received the baptism of John
And was anointed by the Holy Spirit as the Messiah, the Christ to lead us from the death of sin to newness of life.'
Why was Jesus baptised? Water washes away dirt and tiredness. What was John 'washing away' when Jesus was baptized?
Encourage the pupils to write a prayer or a poem showing how important water is in their lives. They could write an account or diary of their feelings if they had been to a baptism.
Learning Outcome
Pupils will have:
Extension Work
Pupils could work on a cross-curricular project looking at the ways water has made land fertile and destroyed towns and villages.
They could write a 'water' poem or a prayer showing what they have learned about water in the Bible and in Christian baptism.
There is great advice at this web site for caring for our environment and particularly for avoiding the pollution of our water. The site is from South Australia, but their list of ‘Everyday things we can all do’ is relevant for all.
http://www.ontheline.org.uk/explore/nature/deserts/deserts.htm
Oxfam’s ‘On the line’ project has a mini-section on deserts. There are separate web pages on the climate, landscape, geography, plant life and animal life of a desert. There is also a page of facts and figures and a quiz that pupils can take to test their knowledge.
Two sites that explore both the arid and beautiful aspects of deserts are:
http://www.desertmuseum.org/desertinfo/exh_bloom.html and
http://members.aol.com/Melasoma/
http://www.brainpop.com/science/weather/
Here is a site of relevance for a number of pages in the Encounter Christianity Big Book. There are sections not only on water, but also on the effect of severe weather changes, such as tornadoes, thunderstorms and hurricanes. There is also a section on the changing seasons of the year.
Text from the book
For every tree there is a season …
Which season do you look forward to?
A tree is used to illustrate seasonal change and to start a discussion about the pattern of change in life.
Learning Objectives
Pupils will:
· deepen their understanding of life as a changing, transforming continuum;
· reflect on their own patterns of change as they grow and the years pass
Ecclesiastes 3.1-8
Background
Trees change, depending on the season, but they are also changed each year as they age. Human beings change too as the years go by, yet something in them remains the same. We change physically, learn new skills, change opinions, but something in us is the same. Perhaps, like trees, we grow and bend from time to time, imperceptibly changing as the years pass by.
Ways of using the pictures
· Discuss what the pupils notice most about the changing trees.
· Explore how plants and animals change as they grow older with the passing years.
· How have the pupils changed in the last year as the seasons move through the year?
· Discuss changes within the family as times change.
Key Words
· Seasons
· Cyclical
· Growth
· Decay
· Eternal
· Relentless
· Symmetrical
· Image
· Perception
· Many-faceted
Activity
The school may have access to the cross-section of a tree trunk and could mark historical events, local and national, on it its width etc. 50,100,150 years ago.
The pupils can brainstorm those events that are celebrated yearly, (such as birthdays, Christmas, etc). They are the same yet different. How and why?
The class could look at how the Victorians would celebrate Christmas or another festival. Is it very different from now?
Try the same activity with a school time line. Certain events happen every year but there will be some changes. List the changes that occur in the school events each year.
Learning outcomes
Pupils will be able to:
· identify that religions both change and stay the same;
· understand that though things do change and are transformed there is still the core that remains constant.
Extension
Pupils could reflect on their own growth and how they change. Is there something that stays the same? They could represent this in an art form, in poetry, or in a dramatic scene.
http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/News/2001/News-AutumnalEquinox.asp
Here is a site which gives an informative look at why our seasons change. It includes a brief ‘NASAtoon’ animation explaining the seasons. More detailed information on this subject can be found at:
http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/time/seasons.html
http://windows.arc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/tour_def/the_universe/uts/seasons1.html
http://www.nyu.edu/projects/julian/
A fascinating eco project which looks in depth at ancient trees. Featured on the site are artists’ interpretation of trees and school children’s own artistic images. Why not use this as a starting point for an art lesson and post your own pupils’ drawings on this web site?
http://photoscience.la.asu.edu/photosyn/education/colorchange.html
Why do leaves change colour in the autumn? Find out at this informative web site, aimed at adults and older children. A number of sites answer this question. This site is aimed at children. Further information can be found at: http://www.esf.edu/pubprog/brochure/leaves/leaves.htm
http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/FieldOps/Cgs/leaves.htm
Text from the book
Judith Nicholls' poem explores the vocabulary of change, pictured in a very familiar life-cycle.
Learning objectives
Pupils will:
· reflect on how attitudes can change depending on the image of the person, ignoring what lies beneath;
· recognize that life is change and encounter.
Luke 24.13-35
Background
As we grow, we change. We are transformed from childhood through many stages until adulthood. Changes continue to happen as we age, change opinions, live in different homes and make new friends. The changes may seem less dramatic than the change in the frog, but Christians too grow and change throughout their lives. Change is what life is all about. How we deal with it is another matter! That is why there are so many words for ‘change’. The Emmaus story (in the bible reference) reveals how Christians ‘see’ and experience Christ in the breaking of the bread. Some Christians have a very personal experience of the risen Christ; others do not, experiencing him in the Eucharist, in the breaking of bread at the shared meal. The companions of Jesus on the road were moved on through their conversation with him. They understood more clearly what the meaning of Jesus’ life was, perhaps only fully understanding when they shared together in the breaking of bread, fulfilling the request made by Jesus that they remember him in this way. So Christians remember Jesus in different ways, and, like these two travellers on the road to Emmaus, they know that life will never be the same again.
Ways of using the pictures
· Discuss with the pupils what changes they are aware of in their lives.
· Ask them to discuss when they notice changes. Do they suddenly realize they have a new skill?
· Do the pupils think the frog spawn, the tadpole and the frog are the same animal? Has it really been transformed? What, if anything, stays the same? Do people change, or do we think we are the same this year as last year and as next year?
Key Words
· Evolving
· Elongate
· Re-shape
· Metamorphosis
· Encounter
Activity
The main activity is to work with the words in the picture to draw attention to the different ways we see each other and treat them differently depending on what we see. How does this relate to the way we view people? What about the way we view people with a disability. Is it different to how we view others?
The story of Jesus on the road to Emmaus ( Luke 24.13-32) is a story where God is recognised in the stranger. A good story where we suddenly see something that has been in front of us all the time. The person is changed, transformed, as is our understanding.
Learning Outcome
Pupils will:
· recognize there is more beneath the surface;
· be familiar with a Bible story where lives were changed, metamorphosed;
· be aware that life-changing experiences will happen throughout life.
Extension Work
Pupils could use music and colour to illustrate and demonstrate the moment of the impact of change - for the tadpole, the egg and the men on the road to Emmaus.
http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/living/living.html
The Franklin Institute has provided a helpful introduction to the ‘circle of life’, explaining how each family of living things has its own life cycle.
http://allaboutfrogs.org/gallery/photos/index.html
Six amazing pages of frog photos, including colour-poison frogs and red-eyed tree frogs. The horned frog looks particularly fierce.
http://www.hhmi.org/coolscience/butterfly/index.html
One of the most dramatic life cycles and the most popularly used one is that of the butterfly. Here, a simple craft activity is used to explain the transformation from pupa to butterfly.
Another useful butterfly site can be found at http://www.mesc.usgs.gov/butterfly/Butterfly.html
Here children can find colouring pages, learn about the life cycle of the Monarch and look at images of different butterflies.
Other life cycles can be explored on the web, such as:
Life cycle of a salmon: http://www.riverdale.k12.or.us/salmon/report.html
Ant colony life cycle: http://research.amnh.org/entomology/social_insects/ants/ant_colony_cycle.html
Mosquito life cycle: http://www.mosquito.org/mosquito.html
Scorpions life cycle: http://www.desertusa.com/oct96/du_scorpion.html
Text from the book
Mother Teresa changed lives.
How can we change the lives of others?
Mother Teresa is one of the best-known Christians who transformed the lives of many through her actions. What was her motivation?
Learning Objectives
Pupils will:
· become familiar with some events in the life of Mother Teresa;
· develop skills of research through ICT.
Matthew 5.38-45
Background
During her lifetime, Mother Teresa was referred to as a ‘living saint’. Already the Roman Catholic Church is moving to make her a saint. Why? Like many saints, Mother Teresa was single-minded and, no doubt, difficult to live with, but she wanted to ‘do something beautiful for God’. She created an order of nuns who worked with and for people in the depths of poverty. Mother Teresa did not claim to be perfect but she tried to put everything she had into loving God and her fellow human beings, particularly the poor.
Ways of using the pictures
· Much is written about Mother Teresa. The class could make a collage of her sayings, together with photographs and a time-line.
· Make a collection of people, known to the pupils, who are trying to make a difference.
· Do the pupils agree that it is better to make mistakes in kindness rather than work miracles in unkindness?
Key Words
· Sacrifice
· Motivation
· Humility
· Dedication
· Determined
· Commitment
· Intervention
· Support
· Dignity
Activity
Search the web for information on Mother Teresa. What sort of person was she? Create a profile of her selecting pieces from some bibliographies.
In class reflect on ways in which we can give dignity to people, change their lives.
The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians 5.22-23 says there are fruits that form part of the Christian life. These are; love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. Look up the meanings of the words. Which apply most closely to Mother Teresa?
Learning Outcome
Pupils will:
· be familiar with the life and qualities of Mother Teresa;
· be aware of the importance of giving dignity to people;
· have developed some critical faculties as applied to evaluating Christian values.
Extension Work
Look up the definition of a saint in the dictionary. Write a letter to the Pope saying why you think Mother Teresa should/should not be made a saint.
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9709/mother.teresa/profile/index.html
‘The other day I dreamed that I was at the gates of heaven....And St. Peter said, 'Go back to Earth, there are no slums up here.' These are the words of Mother Teresa, one person whose life had a profound impact upon the world. Another site dedicated to her is: http://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/whm/bio/motherteresa.htm
The lives of other influential Christians can be explored at the following sites:
Desmond Tutu: http://www.nobel.se/peace/laureates/1984/tutu-bio.html
Saint Francis of Assisi: http://www.travel.it/relig/saints/francis.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/earth/virtual/
What would you do if you ruled the world? Would you ban bloodsports, animal testing or cars? Each week the BBC’s web site is updated with new information on environmental issues and opinions of the famous. Pupils can fill in a survey or contribute their own opinions to the message board.
A web site aimed mainly at teenagers, but with some inspiring stories to share with older primary aged pupils can be found at http://www.whatkidscando.org/intro.html
Text from the book
This death changed the world.
Christians believe that Jesus gave new life to the world when he rose from the dead. They remember the death and new life of Jesus when they share bread and wine together.
These two very different paintings will focus a discussion around Christian ideas about transformation and change.
Learning Objective
Pupils will recognize Jesus as a prime mover in the process of change.
Mark 14.32-40 and Luke 22.14-20
Background
The word ‘Gethsemane’ means ‘wine press’. Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and one of these pictures substitutes the cross with a wine press. Christians believe that, through the agony of his death, Jesus identifies with human pain and suffering. His willingness to obey God’s will, by dying in this way, is seen by Christians to be the ultimate sacrifice. Christians share in, and are reminded of, Jesus’ sacrifice when they drink wine (Jesus’ blood) and eat bread (Jesus’ body) as they celebrate Holy Communion. This powerful Ethiopian image of Jesus, crucified on a winepress, captures the agony and anguish of the crucifixion. Jesus’ blood is squeezed out, given, Christians believe, for the salvation of others and represented in the wind shared at the Eucharist. Sophie Hacker, in her painting, uses light and colour to show the remembrance of Jesus’ death in the sharing of bread and wine. This is, for Christians, a joyous moment celebrating Jesus’ resurrection and his triumph over death. These juxtaposed images indicate the belief of Christians that in death there is life and in despair there is hope.
Ways of using the pictures
· Read the story of Jesus at the Last Supper and in Gethsemane.
· Why do the pupils think Jesus asked his followers to remember him when they shared bread and wine?
· Look for the Christian symbols used by the artist in the abstract picture. What do the pupils think she is trying to say?
Key Words
· Resurrection
· Light
· Sacrifice
· Completion
· Ebullient
· Explosion
· Representation
· Eucharist
· Generosity
Activity
Read the dramatic account of the events of Holy Week (the week before Easter). It is a long story but the following two events are short and throw up lots of opportunity for discussion:
There is the story of Jesus coming into Jerusalem (Matthew 21.1-11) and then Jesus throwing the traders out of the Temple (Matthew 21,12-13).
How do the pupils think Jesus would have felt on these occasions? What emotions must he have experienced? How did the people react? What would they have felt as they watched these two events?
Now read the story of the Last Supper in Matthew 26.20-35. This was the last meal Jesus was to share with the disciples. He asks them to remember him when they break bread and drink wine together. He also says someone will betray him and Peter, his chief disciple, will deny knowing him.
Discuss how hard it must have been for Jesus to say these things. Do pupils ever have to say difficult things to each other, especially to their friends?
What thoughts might have gone through Peter’s mind after he was told he would deny Jesus? He must have felt very bewildered and confused. What do the pupils think was in his mind?
Why would Judas betray Jesus to the authorities in order that Jesus could be killed? What motives can the pupils suggest? After all he had been Jesus’ companion for years, why throw it all away now?
Christians share a meal together because Jesus said ‘Do this in remembrance of me’. What was the special importance of sharing a meal together? Watch the part of the ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ video where Jesus shares the meal with his disciples.
Pupils can share a meal together as a class with the teacher. What feelings and emotions are experienced? Do you learn anything new about the people sitting near you?
Learning Outcomes
Pupils will:
· have experienced a shared meal together;
· be more familiar with the events of the last week of Jesus’ life;
· have begun to recognize that the life of Jesus changed the world, certainly for Christians but also for those who aren’t.
Extension Work
Write a poem either in the shape of a chalice or with words spilling out of the chalice capturing the experiences of either Jesus’ disciples or Jesus himself during his last week of life.
http://www.gospelcom.net/rbc/dod/bvt/jer/garden.html
View an image from the garden of Gethsemane, as well as other photos from the Holy Land. Further photos can be found at http://www.christusrex.org/www1/jvc/TVCgeths1.html
http://www.ewtn.com/gallery/tnt/nt9s.htm
Gustav Dore provides a stark representation of the agony in the garden. Other artists have painted this scene such as:
Andrea Mantegna http://www.kfki.hu/~arthp/html/m/mantegna/1/agony.html
Giovanni Bellini http://www.kfki.hu/~arthp/html/b/bellini/giovanni/1459/018agon.html
El Greco http://www.kfki.hu/~arthp/art/g/greco_el/1606-10/04agonz.jpg
http://www.culham.info/sg/symposium/hack01.html
Sophie Hacker, the artist of the painting featured on this Encounter Christianity double page spread, writes about religious art, creativity and her intention as an artist.
Text from the book
Christians believe that the spirit of God is still changing the world. Look for the different symbols used in this tapestry. How does the artist show the world being transformed?
The wealth of Christian symbols shown here will stimulate the imagination. Wonder together about the different ways Christians believe God is still transforming the world today.
Learning Objectives
Pupils will:
· develop an understanding of Christian symbolism
· explore the use of metaphor and simile in Christian art and scripture.
Revelation 4.1-11
Background
This picture is a tapestry which hangs in Chichester Cathedral. The artist is John Piper. He uses many Christian symbols to represent the Christian belief that God is still working in creation, still changing and engaging with the world. The symbol of the cross, the fire of the Holy Spirit and the four gospel writers are there (Matthew, the human face; Mark the lion; Luke, the ox; John the eagle: for Jesus was born as a man, sacrificed like an ox, rose triumphant like a lion and ascended like an eagle). The impact is one of energy and life, furiously bursting out into the eye of the beholder. For Christians it is a very powerful representation of how God is continuing to transform the world. This text from the Revelation of John is an excellent example of the vibrant, imaginative ways in which Christians use metaphor and symbol to express the power and force of their faith. The words have immense energy and vigour to engage the readers’ imagination and interest. Using words and images in a non-literal way is a positive encouragement for pupils to use their imagination and to explore Christian beliefs creatively and not to be constrained by literalism.
Ways of using the pictures
· Discuss with pupils what they feel about the colours and symbols.
· The Gospel writers are depicted by special symbols. What characteristics do the pupils associate with the symbols?
· What symbols would the pupils choose to represent some of the changes they see in the world around them?
Key Words
· Symbol
· Mystery
· Reflection
· Creativity
· Intensity
· More than meets the eye
Activity
Pupils recreate an image of something very special to them, not just a literal painting or description but exploring the meaning of why it is so special.
They should be silent while they reflect on the image, listen to the voice inside before they begin to work. Music could be playing to set a reflective mood. This is a process very familiar to Christians as they prepare for worship.
Look carefully at the picture. Could any part be taken away without reducing its effect? What part is the most important, if any? What words come to mind when you look at the picture?
Learning Outcomes
Pupils will have:
· used their imagination and applied the experience when looking at a work of art;
· reflected on why signs, symbols, metaphors and similes may be more evocative than factual description or representation.
Extension Work
Read The Revelation of John 4.1-6.
Paint an image of what is in your mind when you have read it two or three times. Choose some music to play when you explain your painting to the class.
http://www.fransnet.clara.net/chicath/
Chichester Cathedral’s own web site includes information about the John Piper tapestries. Further information about the artist can be found at http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/piper,.htm
http://www.museophile.sbu.ac.uk/rrm/news/2000-01-06.html
http://www.culham.info/Pentecost/symbols.html
Culham College have provided a comprehensive look at Christian symbols with links through to an exhaustive list of symbols on a US site at http://www.culham.info/Pentecost/Links/symaa_fs.html
Copyright Alan Brown and Alison Seaman, 2002.
