Excellence Response

Overview

This final lesson in the unit helps students consolidate research and analytical skills to prepare a high-quality AS90826-style response. Students practise turning ethical issue research into an evidence-supported, “with perception” analysis and conclusion.

Learning intentions

• Students will apply their research to break down a contemporary ethical issue and religious responses.
• Students will identify key Anglican Christian ethical principles that influence views on assisted dying.
• Students will analyse how Māori spiritual traditions and tikanga shape moral reasoning about assisted dying in Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Students will plan and draft a short excellence-level analytical response with clear conclusions supported by evidence.

Success criteria

• I can analyse, in a structured way, how Anglican Christian beliefs and Māori spiritual traditions influence responses to assisted dying.
• I can explain ethical principles and link them to specific parts of my evidence.
• I can compare how different religious/spiritual foundations lead to different moral conclusions.
• I can write a concluding paragraph that addresses wider implications for people and society in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Curriculum links

• Number AS90826 — Analyse the response of a religious tradition to a contemporary ethical issue.
• Analyse in depth and with perception through ethical principles, evidence from authoritative sources, and critical evaluation of the response.
• Use religious studies skills: breaking issues into components, drawing conclusions supported by evidence, and communicating analysis clearly.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Do Now. Teacher prompts: “Think about what you feel is the most compelling argument for or against assisted dying.” Students write 3–4 lines and underline their strongest reason.

2. 5–8 min · Whakataukī/Bible Verse/Proverb. Teacher presents a relevant Whakataukī, Bible verse, or proverb related to ethical decision-making. Students reflect briefly on its meaning and relevance to the topic.

3. 8–10 min · SKILLS NEEDED. Teacher outlines key skills required for this lesson: critical thinking, ethical analysis, evidence evaluation, and comparative reasoning. Students consider which skills they already have and which they need to develop.

4. 10–15 min · Whakataukī sense-making. Teacher shows the Whakataukī and asks how “change” might look in ethical debate and decision-making. Students pair-share: one personal value they think should guide debate, and one risk if values are ignored.

5. 15–25 min · Exemplar review (Merit/Excellence features). Teacher provides a short exemplar paragraph (teacher-selected) showing strong structure, ethical principles, and evidence links. Students highlight: thesis, ethical principles, evidence statements, and the type of conclusion (basic vs critical/perceptive).

6. 25–33 min · Deconstruct the prompt into components. Teacher models a quick planning framework for AS90826: (a) ethical issue features, (b) Anglican Christian response (principles → implications), (c) Māori spiritual response (tikanga/wairua/whakapapa or related moral reasoning → implications), (d) comparison and critical evaluation, (e) conclusion with wider implications. Students complete a mini “breakdown” in their templates for today’s exit task.

7. 33–47 min · Practice writing: analytical evidence paragraph. Teacher sets a time-box and demonstrates paragraph anatomy: claim → principle → evidence → explanation → mini-evaluation. Students write one full paragraph for each tradition (Anglican first, Māori second) using sentence starters provided by teacher.

8. 47–55 min · Research-to-writing referencing check. Teacher does a rapid “evidence quality” check: Does the evidence clearly show an ethical principle? Is it sourced from authoritative religious/spiritual materials or recognised within the tradition? Students do a self-audit using a referencing guide: underline evidence, add a short credibility note, and fix any vague claims.

9. 55–60 min · Exit task (short analytical response). Teacher gives the exit task: “How do Anglican Christian beliefs and Māori spiritual traditions influence responses to assisted dying in Aotearoa New Zealand?” Students write an uninterrupted short response (about 200–260 words) including a comparative conclusion addressing wider implications.

Resources

• AS90826 exemplar excerpt (teacher-selected) and student-friendly annotation sheet
• Research planning templates for component breakdown and paragraph anatomy
• Evidence bank from previous lessons (printed notes or a shared classroom pack)
• Referencing guide (school-approved format, no hyperlinks)
• Sentence starters for claim/principle/evidence/evaluation and comparative language
• Timer visible to students
• Exit task prompt sheet

Assessment

• Formative during Do Now: teacher listens for the clarity of students’ reasoning (not correctness).
• Formative during exemplar review: students identify structural and quality features (teacher checks understanding).
• In-lesson writing check: teacher reviews paragraph anatomy and evidence-to-principle links.
• Exit task: teacher collects the short response and checks for evidence-supported analysis and a conclusion with wider implications.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters, an annotated model paragraph, and a smaller evidence requirement (e.g., one strong evidence point per tradition).
• Support for EAL/SEN: allow oral rehearsal before writing; offer a paragraph frame with blanks for “ethical principle” and “implication.”
• Extension: ask students to include a brief critical evaluation phrase (e.g., “This could lead to… yet may also…”) and explicitly address how one tradition might respond to a counterargument from the other.
• Grouping (4 students): teacher supports one student with conferencing while others practise writing; rotate quickly so everyone receives feedback by the end.

TEACHING STRATEGIES

• Use questioning to prompt deeper thinking about ethical principles.
• Encourage group discussions to explore different perspectives.
• Provide examples from both Anglican Christian and Māori spiritual traditions to illustrate concepts.
• Use graphic organizers to help students structure their analytical responses.
• Develop critical thinking and analytical skills through structured debates and evidence evaluation.
• Foster reflective thinking by encouraging students to consider their own beliefs and assumptions.
• Enhance ability to interpret religious texts by guided reading and discussion.
• Build communication skills through presentations and group discussions.
• Cultivate empathy by exploring diverse cultural and spiritual perspectives.

Exit Task Reminder

Write your short analytical response: How do Anglican Christian beliefs and Māori spiritual traditions influence responses to assisted dying in Aotearoa New Zealand? Include: ethical principles, evidence links, comparison, and a conclusion addressing wider implications.