Called to beA People of Hope

God Matters

Year 4 Revelation

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Suggested Outcomes

Working towards Age Related outcomes

Pupils will be able to retell the story of the Presentation and the Transfiguration and give a simple explanation of the meaning of these stories AT1

Pupils will be describe how Anna and Simeon lived their lives before and after the presentation

Pupils will be able to use the religious words used in the prayer Nunc Dimittis AT1ii Pupils will be able to describe how the transfiguration affected the lives of the

apostles AT1 Pupils will ask questions about how Anna, Simeon, Mary and Joseph, felt about the

events in the Presentation story and/or the Transfiguration and how the apostles might have felt. They will be able to discuss how these feelings affected their behaviour AT2

Working at Age Related outcomes

Pupils will be able to explain the meaning of Presentation and the Transfiguration and make links between them and beliefs. At1 (Note if this is extended further to show a developing understanding and make links with other Old Testament stories this might be working at greater depth)

Pupils will be able to give reasons for the symbolism used to describe the presentation and the Transfiguration both in the Gospels and in art work and make links with beliefs AT1

Pupils will be able to give reasons why Simeon used the words he did in the Nunc Dimittis and the meaning those words hold AT1

Pupils will be able to make links between the feelings of Anna, Simeon, Mary and Joseph, how these feelings affected their behaviour AT2

Pupils will be able to make links to show how an understanding of the stories of the Presentation and the Transfiguration has consequences for the lives of Christians today. AT2

Working at greater depth

Pupils will be able to explain the meaning of Presentation and the Transfiguration drawing on other scripture sources to fully explain their meaning AT1

Pupils will be able to make links to show how the experience of the Transfiguration affected the lives of the Apostles, by drawing on both scripture sources and poetry AT2

Pupils will be able to draw on different sources to respond to the question is the Transfiguration important to Christians today? AT3

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Possible additional tasks to support these Outcomes.

(These are ideas please feel free to adapt.)

(Note the presentation of the child Jesus in the Temple is celebrated on Candlemas there is an assembly based on this in the primary newsletter which may be useful here note as well that as they are separate stories each begins with engage but the worksheets really move into explore)

Engage

1. Pupils need to be able to look a copy of the story of the presentation. You can find this in the Gospel of Luke Ch 2 22-40 or look up http://www.sonlightoforange.org/kids/stories2/nt/presentation.htm which has a child friendly version then use the accompanying powerpoint to ask questions. (L2 AT1i) Note the question what is Joseph carrying is important. He is carrying two doves. In Leviticus 12:8 when it describes this practice it says you should bring a lamb to be sacrificed. You only bring the Doves if you are poor. So from the beginning Jesus is clearly identified with the poor.

Engage and express

2. Use the worksheet on Anna and Simeon .Note as far as the question why did Simeon recognise Jesus goes a possible answer might be that throughout the whole of his life Simeon had been trying to do God’s will. He paid attention to God so he learnt how to recognise God. If we never pay attention if we never try to do what God wants then we will fail to recognise God in the people around us.

3. Use the Powerpoint One Small Voice and play the music. Give out a copy of the words. Ask the pupils to talk about the song and the images and discuss what they think it means. What is the singer trying to say about the way we should live and how does this link to the story of the presentation? AT2

Explore

4. The Transfiguration. There are slightly different accounts of this in the Gospels. This is actually a complex story but you can focus on the following: Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus.

Moses represents the law (he received the 10 commandments) and Elijah the prophets. The event says that Jesus is greater than the law and great than the prophets of the past. In the past you had to look to the law and look to the

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prophets to find out what God wanted you to do but from now on you look at Jesus. Jesus in his life, words and actions reveals God to us.

They go up a mountain. Firstly Jesus often goes to lonely places to escape crowds and feel closer to God. Secondly this isn’t a public revelation. He didn’t want people to believe in him because they thought he was some kind of magician. He wanted people to believe in him because the understood the truth of his words. The Disciples did not fully understand this at the time but they would reflect on this and make sense of it later. Finally in the Old Testament mountains are often places where you encounter God. I lift up my eyes to the mountains where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 21

The Disciples are clearly confused. They do not understand. Afterwards they go down from the mountain. A kind of image of life. Sometimes

there are high points where we feel very close to God but most of the time we just have the memory to keep us going.

5. Worksheet is to help pupils reflect on the story. 6. The Power point which should follow the worksheet reinforces the story and also

looks at symbolism. Note in the pictures Moses is nearly always seen carrying the ten commandments to show he represents the law. The Artists use different ways to show the voice of God. The people look up, bright light, hands, angels, etc. St Clare and St Francis are in one painting because the artist wanted to show that they too in their lives understood the meaning of the event. That Jesus reveals God, is the Messiah.

Express

Use the worksheet called the meaning behind the story and have pupils work with a partner to complete tasks AT2

Extension/Gifted and Talented

Use the worksheet on the poem called Transfiguration by Malcolm Guite 1.

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Simeon and Anna

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the messiah and the Holy Spirit was on him.

1. When we read that someone is righteous in the Bible it means that they tried really hard to live in the way God wanted. How do you think Simeon lived?

2. What did God promise him? (Use your Bible and look up Luke ch2 v26)

3. Why do think Simeon recognised Jesus as someone special when most of the other people around didn’t?

4. The words Simeon used are now used as a prayer in church. It is called the Nunc Dimittis which is Latin for ‘Now you dismiss’. This is sometimes called the Canticle of Simeon. Write out the words of this prayer which begin at Luke ch2 v29-32. (You should know that the word Gentile means anyone who isn’t Jewish). Explain what you think they mean

5. What did Simeon say Jesus would be for the Gentiles? What do you think this might mean?

6. Do you know what a calligram is? A calligram is a type of shape poem that uses the form of letters to add to the meaning. For example:

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Rainbow has all the colours in and is shaped like a bow

Draw a calligram to say Jesus Light of the World

The Bible describes Anna in this way: “And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.” (A prophetess by the way is not someone who foretells the future but someone who tries to live as God asks and encourages others to do the same)

7. How is Anna’s life like Simeon’s?

When we talk about Christmas we use the word incarnation. This literally means ‘to take on flesh’ but it is a word used to describe the fact that God came amongst us and is part of every human being.

8. Is it easy to recognise God in other people? Do we behave as though God is a part of others? (BE HONEST!)

“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen”

9. The quote above is from a letter written by St John. What do you think it means? How does this help us understand how Simeon and Anna came to recognise Jesus?

10.This is a special kind of painting called an Icon. In an Icon different parts of the painting have a meaning. This is the story of Simeon and Anna. a) Which person is Anna? How do you know? b) Why are their lines coming down from above over the baby? c)Why do you think the baby is so much bigger than it should be? (It isn’t because the artist couldn’t draw!) the symbol at the top of the painting is called a chi rho sign. Can you find out what it means? Why is it in the icon?

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One small voice

One small voice in this great big world.Out of the darkness, I need to be heard.

Can’t you hear me calling?I need your love.

Here I am, one young soul.Won’t you let me take my place in your world?

Here we are, can you see us at all?All alone and afraid – can’t you hear us call?

Give me room to beGive me space to see

Light up my face, lend me a name,a voice to sing my dreams.

Don’t take away my chance to be free.I am one young dream – share the world with me!

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The Transfiguration

Do you know what the word means?

Here’s a hint. Who are these two objects and what’s the connection?

So what do you think the word Transfiguration means?

This event in Jesus’ life takes place just after Jesus had asked the question “How do people say I am?” Peter had told Jesus that some people thought he was one of the prophets so Jesus asked Peter “who do you say I am?” and Peter replied “I think you are the Messiah” Jesus realised that Peter was beginning to understand who he really was so he tried to talk to him. He tried to tell him that if he Jesus carried on doing and saying the things he was then he would probably be killed by the authorities. Peter got really upset and said that wouldn’t happen. Jesus told him off for not fully understanding. This is what happened next:

Jesus asked Peter, James and John to follow him up onto a mountain to pray. Even though the disciples were very sleepy they followed him just as he asked. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white.

Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Peter,

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James and John could hardly believe their eyes. They did not know how this could be possible. Moses and Elijah had died a long, long time ago. Now the two men were standing here with Jesus. And they were having a conversation with Jesus.

1. What do you know about Moses? What did Moses receive that became really important to the Jewish People?

2. Elijah was a really important prophet in the Old testament. He kept on worshipping God even when his life was at risk. What do you know about Prophets?

Soon Moses and Elijah started to leave but Peter tried to stop them. “Please wait, I would like to build tents so that you can stay with us,”

3. Do you think this was a sensible thing to say? What does it say about Peter?

While Peter was speaking to them a bright cloud came down and covered them all. Then everyone heard a voice.

4. Look up Matthew’s Gospel Ch 17 V5 What does the Voice say? Who do think the voice might be? Do you think it would change the way the disciples thought about Jesus?

The disciples were so afraid at hearing the voice of God that they fell down on the ground. They fell flat on their faces. Jesus told them to get up. He told them not to be afraid. When the disciples finally looked up they saw that everything was back to normal and Jesus was standing there alone.

5. Why do you think the disciples were afraid? How would you have reacted?

All stories about Jesus tell us something about him, help us learn about God and what he want he wants of us. The story is saying that in the past the people had the law given by Moses and the prophets (like Elijah) to guide them but now they have Jesus. From now on if we want to understand God we need to look at what Jesus says and does.

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The Meaning behind the stories

Transfiguration

In the Gospel story Peter, John and James follow Jesus up the mountain. They didn’t have to, we know they were tired but they felt they had to follow Jesus. When they got there they had an amazing experience. They see Jesus transformed, filled with the light of God talking with Moses and Elijah.  They don’t want to leave that place or that moment.  They want to stay right there, they even offer to build houses to live so they never have to leave.  They even hear the voice of God claim Jesus as God’s Son!  But they can’t stay there; they have to go back to their lives, but they never forget that moment.

Presentation in the Temple

Simeon and Anna waited their whole lives for the coming of the messiah. When the time came because they had always tried to follow God they recognised the baby brought to the temple as the Messiah. Shortly after Mary and Joseph left the temple but Simeon and Anna never forgot their experience, that moment when they recognised Jesus.

1. What do the two stories have in common?2. How do think people’s lives were changed?3. Make a collage or design a poster called Emmanuel- God is with us. In

your poster or collage try to answer some of the following questions. Where is God in our world today? How do we hear God’s voice? If we listen to God how should our lives change?

Here is an example someone else has done. Talk to your partner and say if you like this poster. Do you think this is a good poster? Does it answer all the questions?

The Transfiguration

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This poem describes the Transfiguration. Read it really carefully, it is by Malcolm Guite. The poem is written from the point of view of the disciples.

For that one moment, ‘in and out of time’,On that one mountain where all moments meet,The daily veil that covers the sublimeIn darkling glass fell dazzled at his feet.There were no angels full of eyes and wingsJust living glory full of truth and grace.The Love that dances at the heart of thingsShone out upon us from a human faceAnd to that light the light in us leaped up,We felt it quicken somewhere deep within,A sudden blaze of long-extinguished hopeTrembled and tingled through the tender skin.Nor can this this blackened sky, this darkened scarEclipse that glimpse of how things really are.

1. Why does the poet say “in and out of time” and again “where all moments meet?” Think carefully; who is on the mountain, when did they live?

2. When he talks about the love that dances at the heart of things what do you think he means? Hint: look up the first letter of St John Ch4 v7-9

3. Whose face does that love shine out from?4. What line shows the feelings the disciples have when they see this love?5. Think carefully about the last two lines. After the Transfiguration the

disciples and Jesus went down from the mountain to their ordinary world to face all their problems but they remembered what had happened. How does this help us understand these lines?

6. What message do you think the poet wants us to take away?7. Can you write your own poem about the transfiguration and what it

might mean?

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