Context

• Class: Year 3
• Subject: Religious Education
• Duration: 45 minutes
• Number of students: 28
• Curriculum: Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), Scotland

---

WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Understand the meaning of the parable of the Rich Fool.
• Reflect on what it teaches about values beyond wealth.
• Express ideas related to kindness, sharing, and gratitude.

---

CfE Links

Experiences and Outcomes (Es & Os):

• Religious and Moral Education (RME) 2-09a:
  I can listen or watch to identify the deeper meaning to stories of the Christian tradition and suggest meanings for characters’ actions and reactions.

• RME 2-07a:
  I can talk about the importance of religious stories and teachings and what they mean to believers.

• Literacy and English – Listening and Talking LIT 2-09a:
  I can show my understanding of what I listen to or watch by responding appropriately.

---

Success Criteria

• I can retell the parable of the Rich Fool in my own words.
• I can explain what the parable teaches about being kind and not just focusing on money.
• I can share ideas about what is important in life.
• I can work well with others during group discussions.

---

Resources

• Dyslexia-friendly printed story of the parable (font: OpenDyslexic; spacing: 1.5; simplified text).
• Whiteboard with key vocabulary and images.
• Paper, coloured pencils.
• “Value cards” (e.g., kindness, sharing, friends, money, gratitude).
• Short video animation of the parable (visual and auditory support).

---

Lesson Activities

1. Starter (5 minutes)

• Activity: Activate prior knowledge by asking:
  "What do you think is more important – having lots of money or being kind to people?"
• Record some answers on the board.
• Introduce WALT and success criteria.

---

2. Explore the Parable (10 minutes)

• Read the parable of the Rich Fool aloud, using the dyslexia-friendly text.
• Show the short video animation to support listening and visual learners.
• Ask a few guided questions:
  • Who was the Rich Fool?
  • What did he do with his wealth?
  • Was he happy? Why or why not?

---

3. Group Discussion and Reflection (15 minutes)

• Split class into groups of 4-5.
• Give each group “Value cards” and ask them to discuss which values the Rich Fool had or missed out on.
• Each group shares their ideas.
• Teacher writes up key ideas on board, highlighting kindness, sharing, gratitude vs selfishness, greed.

---

4. Creative Expression (10 minutes)

• Pupils draw a picture or write a sentence about what they think is more important than money and why.
• Encourage use of key vocabulary words from today’s lesson.
• Provide sentence starters for support, e.g., “I think ______ is more important than money because ______.”

---

5. Plenary (5 minutes)

• Come back together for a quick circle time.
• Ask volunteers to share their drawings/sentences.
• Recap the WALT and success criteria.
• Reflect: "How can we be less like the Rich Fool and more kind and grateful?"

---

Differentiation Strategies

• Support for diverse learners:

  • Dyslexia-friendly printed materials.
  • Visual aids and video to support comprehension.
  • Sentence starters and oral response options for pupils with writing difficulties.
  • Group work to encourage peer support and verbal sharing.

• Extension activities:

  • Challenge advanced learners to write a short story or a diary entry imagining they are the Rich Fool, explaining their feelings before and after learning the lesson.
  • Explore connections with other parables or stories about kindness and sharing from different religious or cultural traditions.

---

Assessment

• Informal assessment during group discussions and plenary sharing – listening for understanding of key ideas.
• Review drawings/writings for comprehension of parable message and ability to express opinions on values.

---

Notes for Teacher

• The parable of the Rich Fool addresses universal values appropriate for Year 3 pupils, providing rich opportunities for moral reasoning according to CfE.
• Use a calm and encouraging tone to create a safe space for sharing personal views.
• Incorporate positive reinforcement for active listening and respectful discussion.
• Consider follow-up lessons connecting this parable to community and social justice themes in RME.