Manor Primary SchoolRE. Year 3 Spring term.

How do Jewish people express their beliefs in practice?Overview of the LearningIn this unit of learning pupils will reflect on the key beliefs and practices in Judaism, emphasising current practice while giving children the opportunity to learn about the historical foundation of the religion. Children have opportunities to express their own feelings about these beliefs and practices.

Core Aims describe the key aspects of religions, especially

the people, stories and traditions that influence the beliefs and values of others

identify and begin to describe the similarities and differences within and between religions

consider the meaning of a range of forms of religious expression, understand why they are important in religion and note links between them

describe and begin to understand religious and other responses to ultimate and ethical questions

use specialist vocabulary in communicating their knowledge and understanding

use and interpret information about religions from a range of sources

Pupils should be taught reflect on what it means to belong to a faith

community, communicating their own and others' responses

respond to the challenges of commitment both in their own lives and within religious traditions, recognising how commitment to a religion is shown in a variety of ways

discuss their own and others' views of religious truth and belief, expressing their own ideas

reflect on sources of inspiration in their own and others' lives.

ExpectationsPupils use a developing religious vocabulary to describe some key features of religions, recognising

similarities and differences. They make links between beliefs and sources, including religious stories and sacred texts. They begin to identify the impact religion has on believers' lives. They describe some forms of religious expression.Pupils identify what influences them, making links between aspects of their own and others' experiences. They ask important questions about religion and beliefs, making links between their own and others' responses. They make links between values and commitments, and their own attitudes and behaviour.Learning Objectives Suggested Learning Opportunities

to know that religious artefacts often symbolise key beliefsto describe which artefacts are significant to the religion being studiedto understand how artefacts are used

What does it mean to be Jewish?

Introduce the children to Judaism. Using Jewish artefacts and photographs discuss how Jews have adopted symbols and customs that have helped them to keep their faith e.g. Kippah, Magen David, Menorah, Chai, Mezuzah, Tallit.

Give one artefact/photograph to each group and ask children to comment on what the artefact might be used for in the Jewish faith.

Introduce the children to the Kippah using the artefacts box and espresso. Discuss its significance and compare this practice with other religions.Look at the Magen David, the six pointed star. Discuss its history and its significance in the Holocaust.

Introduce children to the Tallit (prayer shawl) and Mezuzah which is often on the doorposts of the home. Look at and read the Shema which is inside the Mezuzah. (Espresso Facts) Explain why some words are substituted with dashes, Children write their own

special prayer, about what is important to them

To know about the qualities of leadership and obedience in the life of Abraham

to reflect on their own feelings and experiencesto know about feelings and emotions in the stories of the key leaders

Who are the key figures in Judaism?

Who do you respect? Encourage a class discussion on people who care for them, people who have special responsibility for them, and people who make decisions on their behalf.

Following discussions explore some of the key figures in Judaism;Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are called the fathers of Judaism but there is no one founder of Judaism. The Jewish faith does however traces its roots back to the prophet Abraham.Abraham; Genesis 12 God told Abraham to move all his family, livestock and possessions to Canaan. After a long and eventful journey Abraham and his family arrived in Canaan where God made a promise to Abraham that the land would be his that Abraham would have many descendents and that God would be with him and his descendents. Discuss notion of promises and trust. How hard is it to trust what might Abraham and Sarah have thought about God’s commands and his promises?

On a simple map of the Holy Land draw in the route, annotate and illustrate.

Isaac Genesis 22 God tests Abraham. He tells him that he must sacrifice his son, Isaac. Abraham is ready to obey but at the last moment is stopped by an angel. A Ram is sacrificed in Isaac’s place. God reconfirms his covenant with the Jews.

Freeze frame parts of the story and use thought bubbles. Discuss reasons, causes for the views of the main characters. What was the most important thing Abraham learned from this incident? What promise did God make to Abraham?

Jacob and Esau: Genesis 27 Reflect on things that cause family arguments, particularly between siblings. Make a comic strip version of the story. Make a family tree to see how Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are related.

to now that the Torah is the Jewish holy book

to recognise that the Torah is written in the form of a scroll

to identify that the Torah is important to believers as it teaches Jews how to live their lives.

What is the Torah?Show children a Torah scroll. Show a video extract which shows the Torah being handled and read in the synagogue. Emphasize the use of the yad as a pointer and how it is used to read the Torah scrolls.

Discuss the term ‘Torah’ and when translated it means ‘teaching’. Explain that the first 5 books of the bible can be found in the Torah. Discuss how the bible is treated in Christian tradition. What are the differences between how it is treated?Following discussions children could;Find some accessible examples, such as 'the Ten Commandments' (Exodus 20: 3-17) or Leviticus 19: 32 'show respect for old people and honour them' or Leviticus 19: 18 - 'love your neighbour as you love yourself'. Discuss what these might mean in practice. Can the children think of other rules for living? For home? For school?

Allow children to make their own Torah scrolls. Children could write inside their own rules for living or write on the scroll some rules about how the torah should be treated. They could make and design a yad so that when it is read someone must use the pointer.

Use the Hebrew alphabet to choose their initial or a letter that is special to them to copy onto scroll (note they have no vowels: try writing whole name and reading it!)

to know the story of Jonah and that it is an important story for Jews

to identify that the Torah is important to believers as it teaches Jews how to live their lives.

to know the story of Ruth and that it is an important story for Jews

What is in the Jewish Holy Book?Recap how the Torah scrolls correspond to the first 5 books of the old Testament. People of the Jewish faith believe these to reveal the word of God and The Torah scrolls are sacred texts for the Jewish people.Following discussions children could explore some of the books in the ‘Tanakh’. Christians call these books the Old Testament.Jonah and the Whale: The story of Jonah is always read on Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement. Discuss the link between the Bible and the Torah Using copies of the Bible find the book of Jonah. Explore the feelings/emotions of Jonah at different times in the story.Hot seat Jonah or another character from the story to explore why Jonah was reluctant to bring the message of God’s forgiveness to the people of Ninevah. Retell the story through cartoon strip form.

Ruth: Tells story of Ruth, Naomi and Boaz. This is a story of love

and faithfulness. It links with themes of Harvest and is another favourite story within the Jewish faith. It is read at Sukkot. Draw and write about the feelings of each character at key points in the story or create a feelings graph for Ruth and Naomi at key points in the story.

Talk to the children about what it is like to be homesick. What sort of person does Ruth seem to be to you? Summarise the main points of the story. Think bubbles could be used to show what various characters in the story were feeling.

to know that the synagogue is the special place where Jews keep the Torah.

to understand how Jews show that the Torah is special

What happens at the Synagogue?Take children on a tour of a synagogue or arrange a visit to the local synagogue. Explain that the synagogue is ‘house of assembly’. Where Jewish people gather to pray. The children could prepare some questions to ask during the visit. Discuss what they might expect to see and how they think they should behave. Investigate clues outside the building which indicate that it is a synagogue.

Look at the layout of the synagogue: Discuss why The Torah is kept in an ark at the front of the synagogue. Children draw a plan of the synagogue and label key features. Investigate the enormous value Jewish people place on education. Jewish priests are called rabbis (teachers). During the Shabbat service, the rabbi delivers a sermon on the Torah. From the age of five, many Jewish children attend religious classes on Sunday morning. Adults might also attend classes in the evening. Compare with other religious

buildings. Are there any similarities or differences in what takes place?

Produce a brochure depicting the life of the synagogue. Use photographs from the synagogue or of artefacts that the children have taken.

Explore the role of the Rabbi and the ways that they are leaders of the community. Create a ‘Life of a Rabbi’ diary.

to know that the synagogue is the special place where Jews keep the Torah.

to understand how Jews show that the Torah is special

What happens at the Synagogue?

Take children on a tour of a synagogue or arrange a visit to the local synagogue. Explain that the synagogue is ‘house of assembly’. Where Jewish people gather to pray. The children could prepare some questions to ask during the visit. Discuss what they might expect to see and how they think they should behave. Investigate clues outside the building which indicate that it is a synagogue.

Look at the layout of the synagogue: Discuss why The Torah is kept in an ark at the front of the synagogue. Children draw a plan of the synagogue and label key features. Investigate the enormous value Jewish people place on education. Jewish priests are called rabbis (teachers). During the Shabbat service, the rabbi delivers a sermon on the Torah. From the age of five, many Jewish children attend religious classes on Sunday morning. Adults might

also attend classes in the evening. Compare with other religious buildings. Are there any similarities or differences in what takes place?

Produce a brochure depicting the life of the synagogue. Use photographs from the synagogue or of artefacts that the children have taken.

Explore the role of the Rabbi and the ways that they are leaders of the community. Create a ‘Life of a Rabbi’ diary.

to know about the value of Shabbat and its sense of peace.

to investigate the Jewish experience of Shabbat.

to understand that Jews have a distinctive pattern to the week, which is reflected in their lifestyle?

What is Shabbat?

Discuss special times that members of the class have shared with family and friends. Share feelings about being with people who matter to them and about belonging. Talk about feelings of anticipation leading to family occasions. Explain that Shabbat is a special day when Jewish people think about God. This is the Jewish day of rest that starts with a meal on Friday evening on the Saturday the Jewish family attends the synagogue. Look at Espresso video clips.

Explore the events of the start of Shabbat through the experience of a Jewish child. Discuss how Shabbat is special and separate from ordinary weekends, i.e. routine, special prayers, candles, special blessings, bread and wine, family time, rest from work. Pupils draw the Shabbat table set out with items labelled and write an individual 'blessing' for something special in their lives

Children write a ‘recipe for Shabbat’, Ingredients – what different objects do you need to celebrate Shabbat, draw and label objects in list form. Write a diary entry from point of view of a Jewish child celebrating Shabbat describing what special things they did.

Explore the Havdalah ceremony. Examine the artefacts and talk about the symbolism of the plaited candle and the spice box. Make and decorate spice boxes and fill with spices, e.g. cinnamon sticks, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. On the boxes or on spice box shaped paper, write down good wishes for the next week.

to understand the key features of the story of the festival of Hanukkah

to know that Jews believe that God has performed miracles in Jewish history

to understand that light is seen as representing the presence of God

How and why is Hanukah celebrated?

Introduce the ‘Story of Hanukkah’. Hanukkah celebrates Judah the Maccabee’s victory over the Greek-Syrians; the recapturing and re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem; and the miracle of the single day’s worth of oil which continued burning in the Temple Menorah for eight days and nights.Use a Hanukiah to introduce the story of Hanukkah. Tell the story in two halves, asking the children to predict the outcome. What difference does a candle flame make in a dark room? How do you feel in the dark? How do you feel in the light? What do you think the burning oil lamp in the temple represents? They could also create a dance, based on the theme of light, making flame shapes.

In groups ask children to re enact different parts of the story. A child from each group chooses a ‘freeze frame’ of their part of the story and photographs children in this position. Ask children to

write about the story of Hanukkah using photographs as prompts.Show children different styles of menorah and ask them to design a menorah of their own suggesting how it might be made. The eight candle holders are always aligned at the same level, and the Shamesh holder is usually at a slightly higher level.

During Hanukkah children play a traditional game with a spinning top called a Dreidel (Yiddish for ‘turn’) or a Sevivon (Hebrew for ‘top’). Have fun playing the Dreidel game.The festival is to do with oil, and so foods cooked in oil, such as doughnuts and latkes (potato pancakes) are eaten. Celebrate the festival by eating a doughnut or by making some latkes.

How and why is Passover celebrated?

to explain and draw together what they have learnt about Judaism.

to present their findings so that others can understand and appreciate what has been learnt.

What have we learnt about Judaism?Brainstorm everything that the children think they have learnt about Judaism.Children create a class book or information leaflet including photographs of role- play, profiles of key figures and key artefacts in the faith.

Organise the class into groups to prepare a presentation showing what they have learnt during this unit. Give each group a question, e.g. What happens on Shabbat? Allow time for the groups to present their findings to the rest of the class.

Discuss any questions or anything else they would like to find out

about the Jewish faith. Children research using the internet.