Encounter Christianity: In Journeys about Jesus lesson plan 4

Lesson four - Crossing the road (pages 8-9)

Text from the book

When we make a journey … who protects us from danger?

Learning objectives

Pupils will:

recognise that though there is an element of danger in all journeys, there are people and things that help to protect us;
reflect on ways in which the pupils can minimise danger to themselves

Background

The journey is one of the great themes in literature. In epic stories, there is always excitement, adventure and, most of all, danger. In the journeys children and adults make, there is danger too; it could be danger from traffic, losing one’s way, even missing the last train or bus. Today, dragons and evil whirlpools are not common dangers as they are in stories. Society builds in ways of protecting us from the dangers of our journeys. We all look for guidance and protection on our journeys. The pupils will make lone journeys – to school, to the shops, to friends and relations. All of us can feel insecure about our journeys.

Ways of using the picture

Discuss with the pupils who protects them on a journey. Why do they need someone to help them cross the road?
Who or what do they need to be protected from on a journey?
How do pupils and their parents strike a balance between allowing freedom and providing enough protection?

Bible reference

Psalm 23

Key words

Danger
Safety
Protection
Awareness
Journey
Guidance
Concern
Adventure

Activities

You will need

Large sheets of paper
Felt tips

Pupils could draw a map or plan of their journey from home to school, marking on it places or things they consider dangerous.

Compare the results. Do some journeys appear more dangerous than others do? What do the pupils consider to be a ‘danger’? What makes the journey dangerous? Who or what is there to provide protection at the points of danger? How might things be made safer?

Discuss in groups whether there is any action the pupils could take to make things safer for others who might have to make the same journeys they make. Share these ideas as a class.

Pupils could decide how danger can be expressed through colour, music, etc.

Learning outcomes

Pupils will:

have developed an awareness of places of danger;
have reflected on how we can be protected from danger;
recognise that actions can be taken to increase safety.

Assessment opportunities

Pupils will be able to talk about what danger is.

Pupils will be aware of what they can do to minimise danger.

Extension work

If the earlier discussion has highlighted a place of danger that needs to be addressed, consider together what might be a plan towards getting things changed. Agree with the pupils what action might need to be taken. Write any letters that might be necessary.

The teacher might read Psalm 23 aloud to the class. What might be the ‘right paths’ and the places of ‘deepest darkness’ that the psalmist refers to? Pupils can reflect on the places that are ‘deepest darkness’ for themselves and who protects them in those places and express their ideas through poems/prayers or composing appropriate music.

Web site links

Pupils at the Sciennes Primary School discuss road safety at http://www.spokes.org.uk

A story for younger children (a bedtime Billy Gnome story) at http://www.bgammon.freeserve.co.uk/chapter5.htm follows this theme of road safety.

http://www.literature.org/authors/carroll-lewis/alices-adventures-in-wonderland/
Take an adventure with Alice through her Wonderland. Here the whole book can be downloaded.

http://www.stargazers.freeserve.co.uk/
Adventure through space on this web site that provides fun activities to introduce 3-10 year olds to astronomy.

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