Jewish Festivals Reflection

Lesson Overview

Duration: 45 minutes
Class: Mixed Lower KS2 (Year 3 and Year 4)
Class Size: 25 students
Unit: Jewish Festivals and Traditions (Lesson 6 of 6)
National Curriculum Focus:

RE Understanding Christianity and other religions (Judaism)
Key Stage 2 Religious Education:
Pupils should develop knowledge and understanding of religions and beliefs, recognising their impact on communities and individuals.

Learning Objectives (WALT)

WALT connect key Jewish festivals to the core beliefs in God, family, and reflection.
WALT review and compare Jewish festivals with personal or other cultural celebrations.
WALT express our understanding through group discussion and creative reflection.

Success Criteria

I can name at least three Jewish festivals we have learned about.
I can explain one way each festival connects to beliefs about God, family, or reflection.
I can compare a Jewish festival to a celebration I know.
I participate in group discussion by sharing ideas clearly.

National Curriculum Links

Religious Education KS2:
- Pupils should explore key aspects of religions, including rituals and festivals, and their meanings.
- Pupils should recognise how beliefs influence the ways festivals are celebrated.
- Pupils should understand the importance of reflection in religious life.
Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE):
- Sharing and respecting diverse cultural practices within the class community.

Resources

Visual aids: Festival images (e.g., Shabbat candles, Passover Seder plate, Hanukkah menorah) with simple bullet points.
Whiteboard and markers.
Large paper and coloured pencils for drawing or scrapbooking.
Pre-prepared festival fact cards (simple text + images).
A sheet with 3 columns: Festival Name / Core Belief (God, Family, Reflection) / Similar Personal Celebration.
Dyslexia-friendly fonts on all printed materials.
Example scrapbook page for inspiration.

Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (10 minutes)

Activity: Quick Quiz & Visual Recall
- Show festival images one by one on the board (Shabbat, Passover, Hanukkah, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur).
- Ask: “Can you name this festival?” and “What did we learn about it?”
- Use a simple checklist to tick off festivals as named by students.

Differentiation:

Provide sentence starters (e.g. “This is…, it is about…”) to help lower-attaining students speak up.
Use paired talk for confidence building.

2. Main Activity (20 minutes)

Group Discussion: Linking Festivals to Core Beliefs
- Split class into 5 mixed-ability groups (5 students each).
- Give each group 1-2 festival fact cards including pictures and bullet points outlining connections to God, family, and reflection.
- Each group discusses how their festival shows these beliefs using guiding questions:
  - How does this festival show belief in God?
  - How does the family celebrate together?
  - What do people reflect on during this festival?
- Groups prepare a short sentence or key point to share after.

Differentiation:

Assign roles within groups (reader, scribe, speaker) to support all learners.
Provide sentence prompts such as: “We think this festival is about ___ because…”
Use visuals and simplified text for dyslexic learners.

Extension:

More able learners create an extra comparison: “How is this festival similar or different to a festival you know?”

3. Whole-Class Sharing (10 minutes)

Each group presents their key points to the class using visual aids or bullet point notes.
Encourage listening and respectful questions from peers.
Display the completed 3-column sheet on the board, filling it in together as groups share ideas.

4. Plenary and Reflection (5 minutes)

Ask the class to think quietly: “What is one new thing you learned about Jewish festivals today?”
Invite 2 or 3 students to share.
Remind students that understanding festivals helps us understand how people show care for God, family, and themselves.

Additional Differentiation Strategies

Use of sentence starters and writing frames for less confident writers.
Visual schedules displayed to help structure the lesson clearly.
Allow verbal responses instead of written work if needed.
Use coloured overlays for dyslexic learners during reading.

Extension Activities

Create a festival scrapbook page at home or in extended lesson time with drawings, writing, and photos or drawings of family celebrations.
Research another Jewish festival not covered in class and present with drawings and a short oral report.

Assessment for Learning

Observe group discussions for understanding of key concepts.
Use plenary questioning to check recall and compare personal connections.
Assess presentations for ability to articulate connections with core beliefs.

Reflection for Teacher

Did all children engage in group discussions?
Who needed extra support and was it effective?
Did the visual and bullet-point approach aid dyslexic learners?
How effectively did students make links between festivals and their own experiences?
Could the scrapbook extension support motivation for next unit?

This lesson wraps up the Jewish Festivals unit, reinforcing understanding with reflection, comparison, and group collaboration, all designed to meet the National Curriculum’s aim for inclusive, meaningful Religious Education at Lower KS2 level.