Asking About God

Overview

This 30-minute lesson is lesson 2 of 8 in the Year 1 unit Growing Closer to God. It invites students to engage with their curiosity about God by asking questions, fostering a safe and supportive environment for spiritual inquiry. This aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum refresh emphasis on values, key competencies, and cultural responsiveness, embedding inquiry and communication skills.

Learning Intentions

WALT:
We Are Learning To ask questions about how we can grow closer to God.

Success Criteria:

I can ask at least one question about God.
I can share my question in a small group discussion.

Curriculum Links

New Zealand Curriculum Refresh (Relevant):

Christian Religious Education / Spirituality Learning Area Focus (implied within school context):
Encourages students to explore and express their understanding of spirituality including their relationship with God and others.
Key Competencies:
- Thinking: Curiosity to ask questions helps develop inquiry skills.
- Using Language, Symbols, and Texts: Expressing questions and ideas about God through spoken and written language.
- Relating to Others: Sharing questions in small groups builds communication and respect for diverse ideas.
- Managing Self: Encouraging personal reflection on spiritual questions.
- Participating and Contributing: Engaging collaboratively in group discussions.
Values: Encouraging respect, curiosity, and empathy in discussing spiritual beliefs.
Principles: Inclusion and cultural responsiveness by supporting all learners including Māori perspectives and diverse questioning styles.

Materials

Large chart paper / whiteboard
Markers
Question prompt sentence starters printed on cards (e.g., "I wonder...", "Why does God...", "How can I...") for dyslexia-friendly support
Paper and pencils for extension activity
Comfortable seating for small group discussions

Lesson Structure and Timings

Time	Activity	Details
0 - 5 mins	Warm-up: Welcome and Setting the Scene	Brief prayer or moment of quiet. Introduce the idea that it’s okay to ask questions about God.
5 - 10 mins	Model Asking Questions about God	Teacher models asking simple questions about God using sentence starters, e.g. “I wonder how God shows love?”
10 - 20 mins	Small Group Discussions	Divide class into groups of 4-5. Students use sentence starters to think and then share at least one question about God. Teacher circulates, scaffolds support.
20 - 25 mins	Whole Class Sharing	Groups share some of their questions to the whole class. Teacher records key questions on chart.
25 - 30 mins	Extension and Reflection	For students ready to extend: Write down three questions about their relationship with God on paper. Provide differentiated sentence starters.
	Closure	Recap WALT & success criteria. Affirm all questions as valuable. Close with brief class prayer or moment of reflection.

Differentiation

Support: Small groups with teacher support to verbalise questions; use of sentence starters for scaffolding; encourage drawings or oral telling if writing is challenging.
Challenge: Extension activity writing three questions; opportunities to ask deeper or philosophical questions.
Dyslexia-Friendly: Provide large, clear sentence starters with visual icons; allow oral responses; use colour-coded cards; allow students to dictate questions to the teacher or peers.

Assessment (Formative)

Observe participation in small group discussions, noting ability to ask relevant questions.
Evaluate if students can use sentence starters to form questions.
Collect extension writing samples to assess understanding of spiritual inquiry and ability to express ideas in writing.

Reflection and Teacher Notes

Encourage a culture where all questions about God are welcomed and respected.
Use student questions in later lessons to guide inquiry and build personalised connections to the unit.
Consider incorporating Māori spiritual perspectives and emphasize manaakitanga (respect and care) during discussions.
Ensure language is inclusive and student-centred, focusing on curiosity and wonder.

Alignment Summary:

Component	Specifics
WALT	Asking questions about how to grow closer to God
Success Criteria	Asking at least one question; sharing in discussions
Key Competencies	Thinking; Using Language; Relating to Others; Managing Self
Values & Principles	Respect, inclusion; culturally responsive pedagogy
Differentiation	Small group support, sentence starters, writing extension
Dyslexia-Friendly Strategies	Sentence starters, oral options, visual cues
Formative Assessment	Observation & student writing samples

This lesson carefully scaffolds spiritual inquiry while building essential communication and thinking skills in alignment with the updated New Zealand Curriculum framework.

Teaching Instructions