Exploring Beliefs and Festivals

Overview

This 60-minute session invites Year 5 pupils to deepen their understanding of diverse world religions and the significance of key religious festivals. Emphasising respect and tolerance, this lesson aligns with the National Curriculum for England's Religious Education programme of study for key stage 2.

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National Curriculum Links

• Religious Education Key Stage 2 (from the Locally Agreed Syllabus guidance):
  • Understanding beliefs and teachings: Pupils should understand the beliefs, teachings and sources of wisdom from a range of religions.
  • Practices and ways of life: Explain how these beliefs influence the practice of religions.
  • Expressing ideas and reflecting: Express insights about religious and spiritual questions, reflecting on their own, and others’ beliefs and lived experiences of faith.
  • Respecting diversity: Recognise diversity within and between religious traditions and the importance of tolerance and mutual respect.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will:

1. Describe key features of different religions studied at KS2, focusing on three major festivals (e.g., Eid, Diwali, and Easter).
2. Explain why respect for religious diversity is important in modern Britain.
3. Participate in discussions and storytelling to convey understanding of religious beliefs and traditions.
4. Reflect on their learning and express personal responses to the customs and meanings behind religious festivals.

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Resources Needed

• Story cards/pictures illustrating Eid, Diwali, and Easter
• Whiteboard and markers
• Reflection journals or paper for writing/drawing
• 'Respect and Diversity' prompt cards
• Audio clips or short storytelling videos about the three festivals (optional)

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Detailed Lesson Structure

1. Introduction & Starter Activity (10 minutes)

Objective: Activate prior knowledge and set respectful classroom tone

• Greet pupils and introduce today’s theme: Celebrating beliefs and festivals from different religions.
• Quick quiz or brainstorm: "What festivals do you know that are celebrated by different religions?"
• Note responses on the board, highlighting any mention of Eid, Diwali or Easter.
• Establish ground rules for respectful listening and sharing opinions, emphasising the value of diversity.

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2. Storytelling and Discussion (20 minutes)

Objective: Understand the significance of key religious festivals

• Divide class into 3 groups of ~8 pupils. Assign each group one festival: Eid (Islam), Diwali (Hinduism), Easter (Christianity).
• Each group receives story cards and pictures telling the story/background of their assigned festival. Use engaging storytelling techniques such as role play or reading aloud.
• After stories, groups discuss:
  • What is the festival about?
  • Which religious beliefs does it represent?
  • How do people usually celebrate it?
• Teacher circulates to facilitate, prompt deeper thinking using questions like: "Why is this festival important to people who follow this faith?" and "What does this teach us about their beliefs?"

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3. Group Sharing and Reflection (15 minutes)

Objective: Foster respect and deeper understanding of diversity

• Regroup as a whole class. Each group presents their festival story and key points learned (3-4 minutes per group).
• Teacher writes key respect messages on the board, e.g. "Different religions have special celebrations," "Respect helps us live together peacefully."
• Hand out 'Respect and Diversity' prompt cards. In pairs, pupils discuss why respecting different religious festivals matters in Britain today (use prompts guiding them to think about community, friendship, and equality).
• Invite some pairs to share their reflections with the whole class.

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4. Personal Reflection Activity (10 minutes)

Objective: Encourage personal connection and expression

• Pupils use journals or paper to write or draw their reflections:
  • Which festival did you find most interesting? Why?
  • What have you learned about respecting different beliefs?
  • How can you show respect towards others’ traditions in your daily life?
• Encourage creativity: drawings, poems, or simple paragraphs.

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5. Plenary and Assessment (5 minutes)

Objective: Assess understanding and consolidate learning

• Teacher leads a quick round of “popcorn” style sharing of one new thing each pupil learned or one way they will show respect.
• Recap main objectives and praise respectful participation.
• Collect journals/papers or let pupils keep them for ongoing RE reflection.

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Differentiation and Inclusion

• Provide sentence starters or word banks for pupils needing literacy support.
• Allow verbal or artistic responses for pupils who find writing challenging.
• Use visual and auditory materials to cater for different learning styles.
• Encourage all pupils to contribute in group and whole-class discussions at their own comfort level.

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Extension Ideas

• Create a class “Festival Calendar” wall display featuring major religious festivals from around the world with summaries and drawings created by pupils.
• Invite a local faith representative to share stories or artefacts relating to their festivals.
• Encourage pupils to interview family members about any religious festivals they celebrate and share in a future lesson.

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Key Vocabulary

• Religion
• Festival
• Celebration
• Diversity
• Respect
• Tradition
• Community
• Belief

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This lesson plan nurtures curiosity about world religions and promotes respect for diversity—key themes emphasised within the National Curriculum’s aims for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development. Combining active learning, collaboration, and personal reflection, it ensures engagement and deeper understanding for Year 5 learners.