Religious Laws Exploration

Lesson Overview

Duration: 40 minutes
Class Size: 30 students
Age Group: KS2 (age 7-11) – aligned with UK Religious Education Curriculum and the Locally Agreed Syllabus for RE (e.g., Birmingham SACRE, or similar)
Subject: Religious Education
Topic: How some religious laws are created in the Muslim worldview
Learning Objective:

• To explore how some religious laws are created in the Muslim worldview.

Success Criteria:

• I can identify some examples of religious laws and how they might relate to scripture.
• I can think about how some communities create and live by religious laws.

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Curriculum Links

• UK National Curriculum for RE, KS2:

  • Understand how Muslim teachings (Qur’an and Hadith) influence Muslim life and beliefs.
  • Explore examples of ‘living by religious laws’ and how religion shapes behaviour.
  • Develop respect and understanding of religious diversity and how communities live out their faith.

• British Values: Respect for the rule of law, understanding moral responsibilities in a community.

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Resources Needed

• Whiteboard & markers
• Projector/screen (optional)
• Student exercise books
• Printed short extracts from Hadith and Qur’an (child-friendly versions)
• Example role model profiles (e.g., Prophet Muhammad’s teachings, community leaders)
• Role-play cards (optional)

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (5 minutes)

Purpose: Activate prior knowledge and set context.

• Ask questions:
  • What do you know about laws in society? Why do communities create laws?
  • Can you think of any religious rules people might follow? (Prompt gently toward Muslim context—e.g., prayer, fasting).
• Note down responses on board to refer to later.

2. Teaching Input (10 minutes)

Purpose: Introduce key concepts and examples.

• Explain briefly who Prophet Muhammad is and his importance as a role model in Islam.
• Introduce the idea of Hadith (sayings and actions of the Prophet) as an important source of guidance for Muslims alongside the Qur’an.
• Read out and display 2-3 simple extracts from the Hadith that illustrate religious laws or ethical behaviour (e.g., kindness, prayer times, honesty).
• Discuss how these teachings help Muslims decide how to live, showing how laws or rules come from scripture and the Prophet’s example.
• Highlight the connection between scripture, role models, and creating religious laws.

3. Main Activity – Reflective Writing Task (20 minutes)

Purpose: Students explore and apply their understanding through writing.

• Activity name: "My Role Model’s Rule"

• Instructions to students:

  1. Choose one example of a religious law or rule introduced in the lesson (or one you learned outside this lesson).
  2. Write in your book:
     • What is the rule?
     • Which scripture or role model does it come from?
     • How does this rule help a Muslim live their life?
     • Imagine you are part of a Muslim community—how would this rule help your community live happily together?
  • Encourage thoughtful answers using sentence starters if needed, e.g., “This rule is...”, “It comes from the Hadith/Qur’an...”, “It helps by...”

• Circulate and support students as they write, prompting them to think deeper about community impact.

4. Plenary (5 minutes)

Purpose: Consolidate learning and self-assess.

• Invite 3-4 students to share their reflections briefly.

• Recap key points about how religious laws come from scripture and role models and influence community life.

• Link back to the success criteria:

  • Ask: Can you identify examples of religious laws?
  • Do you understand how these laws connect to scripture and role models?
  • Can you see how communities live by these laws?

• Students tick or highlight their success criteria in books as a self-assessment.

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Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence starters and example vocabulary sheets.
• Challenge: Ask higher-ability students to explain how religious laws might change or stay the same in different Muslim communities.

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Cross-Curricular Links

• English: Writing structured reflections, using evidence from texts.
• PSHE: Understanding rules and living harmoniously in a community.
• History: Understanding the role of historical figures like the Prophet Muhammad.

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Extension Ideas (Homework or Next Lesson)

• Research a Muslim community’s local religious law or tradition and present how it relates to scripture.
• Create a role model profile poster showing one Hadith teaching and how it influences behaviour.

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Teacher Tips (To Impress)

• Prior to the lesson, invite students to bring in examples of rules they follow at home or school to discuss similarities/differences with religious laws.
• Use vibrant storytelling when explaining Prophet Muhammad’s role to engage KS2 learners.
• Consider a quick, drama-inspired role play where students enact a community deciding on new religious rules based on Hadith teachings, reinforcing ‘creating and living’ religious laws.

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This plan offers a well-rounded, interactive approach to exploring Muslim religious laws with KS2 students, meeting UK education standards while promoting critical thinking and personal reflection.