Researching Belief Systems

Lesson 13 of 18 / Unit: Exploring Christian Beliefs

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Curriculum Information

• Learning Area: Social Sciences — Religious Studies
• Curriculum Level: Level 6 (Year 11 – NCEA Level 1)
• Strand Focus: Understanding religious and spiritual traditions and how they influence individuals, communities, and society.
• Related Big Ideas:
  • Spirituality and religion influence how people live and view the world.
  • Religious beliefs and practices are diverse, dynamic, and culturally situated.
• Connections With NZ Curriculum:
  • Te Tiriti o Waitangi: Encouraging critical thinking about beliefs in the context of cultural diversity.
  • Key Competencies Developed: Thinking, Relating to Others, Using Language, Symbols, and Texts, Managing Self

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Lesson Title

Researching Christian Beliefs

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Lesson Description

In this lesson, students will conduct structured research into a range of core Christian beliefs and practices across denominations (e.g., Catholic, Anglican, Pentecostal). They will use their findings to inform a persuasive or informative speech they will deliver in Lesson 17. The focus will be on analysis of similarities and differences, critical thinking about sources, and synthesis of ideas into clear viewpoints.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson students will be able to:

• Identify and explain key Christian beliefs and practices
• Compare beliefs across at least two Christian denominations
• Evaluate the impact of these beliefs on individuals and wider communities
• Gather relevant information from credible and diverse sources for their presentation

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Success Criteria

Students will:
✅ Select appropriate topics within Christian belief (e.g., salvation, sacraments, afterlife)
✅ Accurately summarise key beliefs with reference to scripture or theological sources
✅ Draw distinctions and connections between denominational interpretations
✅ Organise their research into short notes or slides in preparation for a speech

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Resources Needed

• Printed resource pack (short texts on Christian denominations and beliefs)
• Access to school library books and devices for online research
• A3 Research Planning Template
• Colour-coded sticky notes
• Whiteboard/TV screen for group sharing
• Timer

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Pre-Lesson Preparation

• Set up resource stations (print material and devices in separate zones)
• Print out and distribute the A3 Research Planning Templates
• Have sticky notes ready at tables: colour-coded (e.g., pink = belief, blue = source, green = comparison point)

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Lesson Structure (60 Minutes)

🟢 1. Whakawhanaungatanga / Warm-Up Discussion (5 mins)

• Prompt: "What is one belief or practice you’ve heard about in Christianity?”
• Students pair up and share. Teacher writes keywords on the whiteboard.
• Quick reflection: "How do beliefs impact daily life?"

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📚 2. Guided Exploration / Think-Pair-Group (10 mins)

• Teacher models an example using a printed article on Baptism
  • Differentiates practice in Catholic vs. Pentecostal churches
  • Shows how to extract and document key information using the template
• Students work in pairs to begin filling out one row from the A3 notes template using another sample article

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🔍 3. Independent/Paired Research (25 mins)

• Students select a topic of personal interest related to Christian belief (options provided: salvation, prayer, Eucharist, afterlife, role of Bible, heaven & hell etc.)
• They rotate between resource tables (physical + digital zones)
• Use sticky notes to build up points:
  • Pink = describe belief
  • Green = compare across denominations
  • Blue = note source

💡 Teacher Tip: Use roaming questioning with students to provoke deeper thinking or clarify ideas, e.g., "Why do you think this belief differs between groups?"
📌 Extension: Students can look for counterviews or secular interpretations.

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💬 4. Group Collaboration – Mini Shareback (10 mins)

• In groups of 5, students present ONE key belief they investigated and how it differs between denominations.
• Record ONE peer insight on the back of their research sheet.

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🧠 5. Conclusion & Reflection (5 mins)

• Whole class debrief:
  • “What challenged your thinking today about Christian belief?”
  • “How can we represent these beliefs accurately and respectfully in our speeches?”
• Students fill out a brief reflection:
  • What I found / What surprised me / What I still want to research
• Collect Planning Templates for teacher feedback

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Assessment for Learning (AfL)

• Informal: Observation of research skills, discussions, and how students navigate source reliability and diversity.
• Formative: Review each student’s Planning Template for completeness, analysis, and synthesising ideas.
• Preparation for summative: This research directly feeds into the speech assessment in Lesson 17.

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Cross-Curriculum Links

• English: Oral presentation skills (connection to speeches)
• History: Understanding social and cultural development of religious movements over time
• Te Reo Māori: Emphasis on recognising mana ōrite mō te mātauranga Māori and acknowledging wairua in belief systems

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Culturally Responsive Practice

• Provide Māori and Pasifika students opportunity to explore Christian beliefs through family or community perspectives
• Emphasise the sacredness (tapu) of exploring belief systems—highlighting empathy and respect
• Include the concept of wairua and spirituality from a te ao Māori lens to guide students' understanding of belief beyond doctrine

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Teacher Reflection Prompts

• Did students engage critically with diverse sources?
• Were they able to identify both shared and differing beliefs between Christian groups?
• How confident are students feeling about preparing their speeches?

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Homework / Extension

• Students can interview a family or community member about their understanding of a Christian belief
• Bring one interview quote or insight to next lesson to include in their speech draft

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Next Lesson

Lesson 14: Structuring a Persuasive Speech – Turning Research into Impact
Students will begin turning their research into a structured speech, with peer planning and modelling.

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Prepared in alignment with the NCEA Religious Studies Level 1 guidance and the New Zealand Curriculum focus on rich, localised, diverse learning.