Overview

This 50-minute lesson is designed for a low ability Year 11 Religious Education class following the AQA Religious Studies specification (Paper 2, Christianity: Beliefs and Practices). The focus is on developing an understanding of the importance of the worldwide Christian Church, with key concepts of community, charity, and global connections explored through a visual mind map.

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National Curriculum Links

• Religious Education Programmes of Study (KS4 England)
• Develops knowledge and understanding of Christianity as a global religion
• Explores the role of the Church in the local, national and global community
• Encourages skills in communication and interpretation through visual and textual media

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

• WALT understand the role and importance of the worldwide Christian Church.
• WALT identify key aspects of the Church’s community and charitable work globally.
• WALT create a clear, visually engaging mind map to represent how the Church connects people worldwide.
• WALT use simple keywords and images to explain complex religious ideas.

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Resources

• Large A3 paper sheets or printed mind map templates
• Colouring pencils, markers, and scissors
• Printed images/icons representing community, charity, and global outreach (bilingual symbols, world map outline, people holding hands, charity logos, church buildings, etc.)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Projector (if available) to display example mind maps
• Worksheet with simple prompts for the mind map creation

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (5 minutes)

• Activity: Engage students in a brief discussion.
  • Question: What does the word “Church” mean to you?
  • Follow up: Can the Church be found everywhere in the world?
• Write key ideas on the board, eliciting simple answers such as “people”, “help”, “God”, “prayer”.

2. Introduction to Worldwide Church (10 minutes)

• Brief interactive teacher input explaining:
  • The worldwide Christian Church as a global community with diverse members.
  • Charity work the Church undertakes globally (e.g., supporting the poor, disaster relief, education).
  • How the Church connects different countries through belief and action.
• Show images on the projector illustrating these ideas. Use simple language and repetition.

3. Visual Mind Map Modelling (5 minutes)

• Display a completed example mind map on the board/projector, with three main branches:
  • Community: belonging, support groups, worship
  • Charity: food banks, international aid, helping the poor
  • Global Connections: missionaries, international churches, online worship
• Point out use of images and simple keywords.

4. Main Activity - Create Your Mind Map (25 minutes)

• Hand out blank mind map worksheets or A3 sheets with three main branches labelled (Community, Charity, Global Connections).
• Provide printed images for cutting and sticking, plus colouring tools for drawing symbols.
• Students work individually or in pairs to:
  • Add keywords and images to each branch that show how the Church impacts people worldwide.
  • Write 1-2 simple sentences for each branch if possible (sentence starters provided).
• Circulate and support with ideas, vocabulary, and spelling.

5. Plenary - Share and Reflect (5 minutes)

• Invite 3-4 volunteers to present their mind maps briefly.
• Ask class: How does this help you understand the importance of the worldwide Church?
• Reiterate the WALT and praise effort on using images and keywords.

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Assessment & Differentiation

• Formative Assessment:

  • Observation of participation and contributions during discussions and mind-map.
  • Check mind maps for understanding of key ideas; look for relevance of chosen images and keywords.

• Differentiation:

  • Provide word banks and sentence starters to aid writing.
  • Use peer support and pair work for lower ability learners.
  • Challenge more able learners to add simple examples of Christian charities or global Church connections.

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Extension/Homework (Optional)

• Research and bring in an example of a Christian charity or church project around the world to share in the next lesson.

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Year 12 Death & Afterlife Worksheet (OCR)

WALT: Explore beliefs about death and afterlife in different religions (OCR Religious Studies).

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Worksheet Tasks

1. Key Words: Match definitions to terms: Afterlife, Resurrection, Reincarnation, Judgment, Heaven, Hell.

2. Fill in the Blanks:

   • “Many Christians believe in ________, where the body and soul are reunited.”
   • “Reincarnation means ________.”

3. Write a Short Answer:

   • Explain why belief in an afterlife might impact how people live their lives today.

4. True or False:

   • “All religions believe in Heaven and Hell.” (False)
   • “Judgement is the process where God decides a person’s final destination.”

5. Drawing Task:

   • Draw symbols or images representing at least two different religious beliefs about death and afterlife.

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This worksheet will support your Year 12 OCR teaching, aiding recall and understanding with scaffolded tasks and visual engagement.