Influence & Pop Culture

Lesson Details

• Subject: Religious Education
• Year Group: 7
• Lesson Duration: 58 minutes
• Class Size: 30 students
• Curriculum Area: UK Religious Education – Exploring Ethics, Morality, and Influence
• Focus Topics:
  • The Role of Influencers & Celebrities
  • Positive & Negative Messages in Pop Culture

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Learning Outcomes

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

1. Examine the role of influencers and celebrities in shaping opinions, behaviours, and values.
2. Analyse the positive and negative messages in pop culture, including ethical implications.

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity – 'Who Influences You?' (10 minutes)

• Task: Students will write down the name of one influencer or celebrity they follow and why they admire them.
• Discussion: Teacher asks: What makes someone influential? How do they gain our trust?
• Purpose: This introduces the concept of influence and encourages self-reflection.

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2. The Role of Influencers & Celebrities (15 minutes)

• Mini-Presentation (Teacher-Led)
  • Explain that throughout history, religious and moral figures have influenced society (e.g., Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr.).
  • Modern influencers now have similar impact, shaping values, trends, and beliefs.
  • Discuss how people look to influencers for guidance, just as religious followers look to key figures for moral guidance.
• Paired Discussion
  • In pairs, students discuss: What qualities make an influencer a good or bad role model?
  • Each pair shares one insight with the class.

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3. Ethical Messages in Pop Culture (15 minutes)

• Group Task – Sorting Statements

  • Groups of 5 receive statements from pop culture (e.g., song lyrics, influencer quotes, film scenes, social media posts).
  • Challenge: Sort these into two categories: Positive Messages and Negative Messages.
  • Teacher facilitates a discussion: Why do people listen to negative influences as much as positive ones?

• Case Study – Ethical Dilemmas

  • Read a short real-life example of an influencer facing backlash for unethical behaviour.
  • Students discuss: Should influencers have a moral responsibility?

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4. Reflection & Personal Response (15 minutes)

• Independent Task – Letter to an Influencer
  • Students imagine writing a letter to an influencer they follow.
  • They should include:
    • Praise for a positive influence they have had.
    • A suggestion for how they could be a better role model.
    • Reference to ethical or moral values.
• Plenary Discussion: How can we be more critical of the influencers we follow?

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Assessment Opportunities

• Teacher assesses through verbal responses (paired and group discussions).
• The letter task is collected and briefly reviewed for understanding of ethical issues.

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Resources Needed

• Printed celebrity/influencer quotes and lyrics for sorting activity.
• Short case study (teacher-prepared or adapted from news).
• Paper for letter-writing task.

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Teacher's Reflection after Lesson

• Were students engaged in discussions?
• Did they critically reflect on influence in their own lives?
• Were students able to identify both positive and negative messages in pop culture?

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Extension Task (For Early Finishers)

• Students research a historical figure who influenced society positively and compare them to a modern influencer.

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This lesson combines discussion, ethical reflection, and pop culture to make Religious Education engaging and relevant to Year 7 students! 🎤📱