Faith and Light Thematic Unit - nicurriculum.org.uk · Through stories of faith and festivals that celebrate light, children become aware of its importance in various religions. They

A CCEA Publication © 2010

Years 6 & 7

Faith and LightThematic Unit

Contents

Activity One Light Up 5 Activity Two Chasing Shadows 6 Extension Activity: Sunrise, Sunset 8 Activity Three Electricity and Light 9

Activity Four Light and Hope 13 Activity Five Nativity Star – Light and Faith 15 Activity Six Sermon on the Mount 17 Activity Seven Pentecost – Light and Fire 19 Extension Activity: Pentecost Rap 20

Activity Eight Light and Shadow 23 Activity Nine Christmas and Hanukkah 24 Activity Ten Christmas, Hanukkah and Hope 26 Activity Eleven Christmas and Diwali 27 Activity Twelve The Moon and the Ramadan Calendar 28 Activity Thirteen Eid-Ul-Fitr 29 Activity Fourteen Faith Symbols 31

Section 01How Does Light Work?

Section 02Why is Light Important to Christians?

Section 03What Festivals of Light Are Celebrated?

About this Thematic Unit 1

Resources 33

Acknowledgements

CCEA wishes to acknowledge Yvonne Naylor and Anne McErlane, who developed this Thematic Unit. Thanks go to the staff and pupils at Forge Integrated Primary School for permission to use photographs of their pupils. Grateful thanks also go to the Religious Education Advisory Group for their assistance in the development of this unit.

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This Thematic Unit is linked to the Years 6/7 ICL Wonderful World. In this unit, children learn about how light may be significant for people who have a faith. Through stories of faith and festivals that celebrate light, children become aware of its importance in various religions. They also learn about some of the scientific ideas concerning light.

About this Thematic Unit

This thematic unit presents pupils with opportunities to develop some of the skills that meet the statutory requirements of the Northern Ireland Curriculum at Key Stage 2. The focus within this unit is outlined below:

Northern IrelandCurriculum Objective

To develop the young person as an individual.

Key Element Spiritual Awareness.

Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities (TSPC)

This thematic unit focuses on Thinking, Problem-Solving and Decision-Making.

Children will have opportunities to:

• identify patterns through comparing and contrasting;• understand more than one point of view; and• explain and justify opinions and conclusions.

Cross-Curricular Skills Where appropriate, learning intentions that relate to the cross-curricular skills are signposted. These cross-curricular skills are:

• Communication (Comm)• Using Mathematics (UMaths)• Using ICT (UICT).

Connecting the Learning This thematic unit provides teachers with opportunities to connect learning across the following Areas of Learning:

• Religious Education;• Personal Development and Mutual Understanding; and• The World Around Us.

Aim The aim of this thematic unit is to encourage children to:

• develop an awareness of some of the science of light;• consider how light is significant in some faiths; and• develop an awareness of some faith festivals that celebrate light.

01

SECTION

How Does Light Work?

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Section 01 How Does Light Work?

Next, pass the sheets around the groups. Allow them time to discuss the questions and to record their group’s thoughts on the sheets. (Note: Giving each group a different coloured pen will allow you to identify which made the most relevant contributions. You can then split these groups with good prior knowledge and distribute their members among the rest of the groups as you study the theme.)

When every group has recorded their thoughts on every sheet, collect the sheets and discuss the contributions as a class. Ensure at this stage that all of the children know that light is a form of energy. Allow each child to record some of the relevant information from the group contributions. Sift the children’s ideas to identify key learning areas for your lesson plan.

Group ResearchNext, arrange the class into four groups and assign each group one of the following activities:

• Create a poster that gives information about light, for example the ways we use or depend on light.

• Create a gallery of pictures where light is an important feature and has transformed the subject, for example of sunrise and sunset.

• Take photographs in class with and without the camera’s flash and compare the results.

• Create a collage of sources of light that guide people, for example lighthouses, street lights, stars, torches and car lights.

When finished, have each group present their work and findings to the class. The class should reflect on how light is used and assists them.

* See CCEA’s Active Learning and Teaching Methods for Key Stages 1&2.

Children will:• know about a variety of sources of light;• be able to make relevant contributions to a

discussion (Comm); and• plan and set goals (TSPC).

What Do We Know?Create groups and explain to the children that they are going to investigate light. To introduce the concept and the related language, brainstorm what the children already know using a Carousel* activity. For this, provide four large sheets of paper and put one of the following titles on each:

• What is light?• How do we get light? • How do we use light?• What do we want to learn and how will we learn

more about light?

Activity OneLight Up

Suggested Learning Intentions

Suggested Learning andTeaching Activities

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Faith and Light

Children will:• understand how shadows are formed and can be

changed;• know the direction the sun appears to rise and set;• be able to discuss and design a scientific

investigation (TSPC); • process self-produced assets such as text and

data to create, communicate and present their work (Comm, UICT).

A Light Warm UpUse discussion to remind the children of the questions they have asked and the predictions they have made and recorded in previous activities. Next, tell the children that they will be investigating how shadows are formed and will be recording them to see if they can change in shape and size. Explain how scientists need to be organised and approach their work systematically and that the class will need to do this during their investigations, too.

Allow the children to suggest questions to form their investigations, for example How will we prove that light travels through some materials and not others?

Explain to the children the word hypothesis. Also emphasise that in science, it’s ok if a hypothesis turns out to be wrong. This is how scientists learn, change their hypotheses and try again.

Help them to form a hypothesis such as: If I place an object closer to the light, then its shadow will

Activity TwoChasing Shadows



become smaller. Discuss with the children how a hypothesis may be correct or incorrect. Allow the children to predict whether their hypothesis is correct.

Next, use a strong light source, such as a projector or spotlight, to create a shadow. Move an object (such as a child’s hand) close to and further away from the light source. Discuss the findings. Develop ICT skills by allowing the children to take photos of the shadows and using these to create a presentation that shows what occurred and explains the findings. They could add a voiceover to describe what occurred.

Playground ShadowsPlace the children in pairs or small groups. Note that this activity requires a sunny day, will take all day and should be started early in the morning. You will need:

• chalk;• measuring sticks; • data collection sheets (see Resource A); and• a clock.

In this activity, the children trace around their partner’s shadow at various times of the day. The objective is to observe if and how the direction, shape and size of the shadow changes.

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Explain the activity to the children, and discuss with them the scientific process they are going to undertake. Help them to formulate questions to ask or a hypothesis that the class can test. Ask them to think about how they might design an experiment to investigate their hypothesis. Discuss the possible methods they could use.

Once they have decided upon the hypothesis they will test, discuss how to record and measure their findings. Introduce the notion of data collection and handling. In groups, the children should design a collection sheet to record the time, length and width of their shadows. See Resource A for an example. They should also take photographs to create a visual record of the change in direction, shape and size of the shadows.

On the day of the experiments, start early in the morning and have all groups:

• nominate one group member to be the shadow maker, one to be the tracer and one to be the photographer;

• mark the point on the ground where their group’s shadow maker will stand for each test;

• mark the point on the ground where their group’s photographer will stand to take each picture (this must be the same each time, and a tripod could be used);

• visit their spots a number of times throughout the day to make, trace and photograph their shadow (leave at least one hour between visits to give the sun time to noticeably change position); and

• record the time of day and length and width of their shadow on their record sheet.

When they have completed the experiment and gathered all of their data, allow them time to examine their findings. Discuss together whether their hypothesis was correct. Discuss the sun as the light source that created the shadows. Talk about how the how sun’s movement during the day the changed their shadows. Discuss at what time of day their shadow was shortest/longest.

Next, discuss the different ways they could show their findings, for example in tables or bar graphs that plot the shadow against time. Allow them to select the best method and then create this. They could also sequence the photographs they took in a presentation with text and audio to explain their results.

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Faith and Light

Children will:• work with others to research a topic (Comm); and• suggest and design ways of recording and

presenting observations (TSPC).

Explore with the children the movement of the Earth and the sun during the year. Using a compass, have them try work out the direction the sun appears to rise from and the direction it appears during the afternoon. (It ‘appears’ to rise and set because, in fact, the sun is still and it’s the Earth that moves.) The children could research sunrise and sunset times using the internet and could notice the change in times each day. (This information may also be available in some newspapers and television weather reports.) They should also think of ways that they could present this information. Explain to the children that sunrise and sunset is important in the celebrations of some faiths that they will study.

Extension ActivitySunrise, Sunset



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Children will:• know that a complete circuit is needed for a device

to work; and• demonstrate skills of working in groups by

adopting roles (TSPC).

Powered Up Explore with the children how light is made using electricity. The children should look closely at the filament in an unlit bulb. (You may want to provide magnifying glasses for this.) The filament is the part that lights up.

Place the children in pairs to create circuits to light bulbs. Explore how extra batteries may affect the strength of the light. They could also investigate what happens when they add more bulbs in a circuit. Encourage them to include switches in the circuits. This will help them discover how light is switched on and off. Show the children an unused light switch or door bell push. The children could use these in their circuits. Encourage them to try to build a pressure pad switch. For this they will need:

• wires;• tinfoil;• sticky tape;• a bulb and bulb holder;• card; • scissors; • batteries; and• crocodile clips (optional).

To make the switch, have the children follow these steps:

1. Cut out a small piece of card, for example A6 size.Fold the card in half.

2. Take one length of wire and strip one of its ends so the bare wires are showing. Call this Wire A. Do the same with a second length of wire. Call this Wire B. On the inside of the folded card, attach Wire A to one side and Wire B to the other so that the exposed, stripped ends are inside the card and will touch when the card is closed.

3. Cut out tinfoil to cover one half of the inside of the card. Attach it with sticky tape so that it covers Wire A.

4. Attach Wire B to a battery.5. Connect the battery to a bulb.6. Connect the bulb to Wire A from the pressure pad.

See Resource B for visual instructions.

When the pressure pad is pressed on, the circuit should be complete. When pressure is lifted, the card should open slightly, breaking the circuit. Ask the children to explain why they think the light turns off when the card is slightly open.

Finally, using ICT, allow the children to create a video that explains how switches work and how to make a complete circuit.

Activity ThreeElectricity and Light



SECTION

02Why is Light Importantto Christians?

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Section 02 Why is Light Important to Christians?

Children will:• learn how light is often associated with hope; and• learn how light is made and used.

Lighting the DarkUse the Revolving Circle* method to talk with the children about how they feel in the dark. For this, divide the pupils into two groups: one forming an inner circle and the other an outer circle. Ask them to face the child opposite them and talk about how the dark makes them feel, maybe sharing a story, etc. Each child gets one minute to speak. The inner circle then rotates clockwise and the outer circle anti-clockwise. Ask the new pair to talk about examples of lights they have used in the dark. Rotate again to discuss how light was useful in the dark. Rotate one final time to discuss how they feel having a source of light in the darkness.

Remind the children of the answers they provided in the Carousel* activity in Activity One. Then remind the class of their examples of lights we make use of in darkness, which they came up with during the Revolving Circle. Allow them to think of others as well, for example stars, the moon, electric lights, torches, lighthouses, candles, campfires, headlights, streetlights, fireworks, etc. Using the Graffiti Board* method, give each child five pieces of paper or Post-its© to write down:

• a light they have used in the dark; • where they used it; • when they used it;

• why they used it; and • how it made them feel.

Keep a separate section of the graffiti board for each of the different light forms, for example electric lights, torches, and candles, and ask the children to put their ‘where, when, why and how’ comments in the appropriate section. When everyone has had an opportunity to contribute to the graffiti board, discuss:

• the types and varieties of lights used;• some of the different places where that particular

light form was most appropriately used, for example inside the home, their room, outside in the street, when driving, underground, in a cave, in a dark wood, or at sea in a boat;

• some of the different times when they were chosen, needed or welcome, for example at night or in fog;

• some of the different reasons why the light was used, for example because they were frightened in the dark, they couldn’t see where they were going or they couldn’t find something; and

• how the lights made people feel, for example safe, secure, enabled or less afraid.

The Glimmer of HopeUse Think, Pair and Share* to introduce and discuss the word hope. Ask the class what they think it means to hope and how hope might make us feel. Talk about ‘light in darkness’ as a symbol of hope. Ask if anyone can think of a story where a light in a dark place gave a message of hope. Ask if anyone can name any of the lights associated with Christmas. (If the stories of Hanukkah or Diwali come from the class, explain that they will be learning more about these in the next section.)

Next, arrange the class into groups of four. Ask the children to identify the different kinds of light sources they have seen in different settings. Ask each group to research different ways light is created:



Activity FourLight and Hope

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Faith and Light

• oil lamps• candles• gas lamps• battery powered torches.

The groups should investigate how these light sources are made and how they are used, for example as guidance, as attraction, as a focal point and a source of warmth and light.

Use circle time to finish the activity. Go around the circle and have each pupil complete the phrase: “I like the light of a…because it makes me feel…”


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Activity FiveNativity Star – Light and Faith

Children will:• develop an understanding of what faith means;• learn how faith may lead some people; and• process self-produced assets (such as sound) to

communicate their work, showing an awareness of audience and purpose (UICT).

A Journey of FaithUse the Fist-To-Five* activity to find out how much the children remember and understand about the idea of light in darkness as a sign of hope. Ask them to show:

• a full hand up with all fingers and thumb if they can explain how light in a dark place can give us hope;

• three fingers if they know a little; and • a fist if they are not sure yet.

Next, introduce the word faith and explain its meaning. Ask the children to Think, Pair and Share* about the word faith. Give some everyday examples of faith, such as the following:

• I have faith that I will defeat the next level of my video game.

• I have faith that the boat will get us safely across the sea without sinking.

Ask what the pupils think it means to have faith in religious terms. Ask if people know where their faith is leading them. Discuss that faith may involve trusting in things that cannot be seen. Explain that for Christians, it may include a security in knowing what Jesus did.

Next, use the story and pictures in Resource C to introduce the biblical story of the Magi or wise men (Matthew 2: 1–23). Present it as an example of light and hope for Christians. Discuss the story with the children. Explain that in this story, the ‘light in the darkness’ may have been a star; it gave the wise men hope of finding a new king. Also discuss the wise men’s long journey, explaining that they had faith that following the star would lead them to a new king of the Jews. A journey taken in faith, like the one the wise men took, is never totally smooth. There are ups and downs and many surprises.

Next, look at the Consequence Wheel in Resource D. As a class, discuss the following questions:

• What were the good consequences of the Magi’s response to seeing the star?

• Were there not so good consequences? If so, what were they?

• What surprises did the wise men encounter? • What does this story teach us about faith? • What does this story teach us about light as a

symbol of hope?


(Matthew 2: 1–23)

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Faith and Light

Use circle time to finish the activity. Ask the children to think about as many different people as possible who saw the nativity star, for example the wise men, King Herod or any of the other characters who may have noticed the star in the sky. Ask the children to decide which character they would like to be and go around the circle asking them to complete the phrase: “I am…, and when I saw that star I felt…”

Performance PodcastPlace the children in pairs, ask them to remember their work on the Consequence Wheel and explain that they will be creating a podcast. Each podcast should be in the form of a drama that:

• details the events of the nativity; and• explains the consequences of seeing the star.

When the podcasts are complete, allow each pair to share theirs with the class. The children should evaluate how successfully each podcast explored the consequences of seeing the star. Finish the activity by uploading the podcasts to the school intranet or internet for others to listen to.


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Children will:• be aware that metaphors are used in the Bible;• make observations and use the senses to describe

objects and events using relevant scientific terminology, for example transparent and opaque (TSPC); and

• participate in group discussion and use evidence to justify opinions (Comm).



Activity SixSermon on the Mount

The Light of JesusRead Psalm 119: 105 with the class. The Psalms were songs sung by Jewish people during Temple worship. Ask the class what the writer meant when he said that God’s words were a lamp or light. What words did he mean (the laws given to the Jewish people), and what might they be helpful for (showing people how they might live)?

Next, arrange the class into small groups. Give each group a sheet divided into two columns, and then read John 8: 12 with the class. Ask each group to think of three things Jesus might have meant by describing himself as the light of the world and enter their answers into the first column. For example, the words might have meant that:

• Jesus gives hope to many people; • his words may teach people how to live; or• his life was an example.

Next, read Matthew 5: 14 with the class. Ask each group to think of three things Jesus might have

meant by asking his followers to be the light of theworld. Have them enter their answers in the second column. Answers might include helping to show people how to live or how to set a good example.

Consider with the class what might happen if we put a bowl over a lamp. Gather a torch or build a small electrical circuit using batteries with bulbs. Also gather three bowls: transparent, translucent and opaque. Switch the light source on and cover the source with the bowl made from a transparent material like clear glass; the light will come straight through. Next, cover the light with the bowl made of a translucent material (like frosted glass, plastic or thin white fabric/paper); the light will still pass through but be less bright/intense. Finally, cover the source with the opaque bowl (made of solid thick pottery, for example); the light will disappear unless there are cracks or gaps in it. If possible, record the investigations using a digital or video camera. Then create pairs or small groups and have them use ICT to create a movie or presentation that shows and explains what occurred.

(Matthew 5: 14–16)

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Faith and Light

From Under the BushelAsk the children if they have any small lamps in their homes. Discuss where these lamps are usually set. Do they tend to be found in similar places? Discuss why this might be. If possible, use a torch (as if it were a lamp) and find positions around the classroom where everyone would benefit from its light. Then in pairs, ask the children to think of things that would be impossible to do if there was no light.

Discuss with the class what they have learned about light. Read aloud the passage from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5: 14–16). Then ask the children what they think it means to ‘let your light shine … so that all may see your good deeds’. Discuss how they might show their light to others, and what do they think might be possible consequences of letting their light shine.

The Seeing Options activity on page 13 of Living.Learning.Together. Year 6 Unit 7: Decisions! Decisions! suggests sample situations and a decision-making process involving traffic lights. Complete the activity, but adapt it so that the children can decide which of their decisions would allow them to let their light shine. Living.Learning.Together. Year 7 Unit 2: Thinking and Feeling, Resource G: Choices has another activity that might allow the children to consider the choice that might put them ‘in the light.’ More scenarios are available in Unit 4: Moving On, Resource E: What would you do? Some people wear armbands with the letters WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?). Ask the children to consider the decision they might take to let their light shine.

Use circle time to finish the activity. Go around the circle asking the children to complete the phrase: “When I want my light to shine I am…” or “When I want my light to shine I say/do…”

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Children will:• appreciate the relevance of fire in scripture; and• make relevant contributions to discussion (Comm).



Activity SevenPentecost - Light and Fire

Holy FiresDiscuss with the class what they have learned about light, hope and faith.

Use the Fist-To-Five* activity to find out how much the children remember and understand about the different types of light that exist, such as star and lamp. Ask them to show all fingers and a thumb if they can explain about the types of light people use (see Activity Four), three fingers if they know a little and a fist if they are unsure.

Next, talk about fire and its characteristics as a form of light. Use the Post-It© Collection* method to gather a list of the different types of fire/flame they know about (for example a match, candle, taper, campfire, gas cooker, turf fire firework and bonfire). Ask the children if anyone knows of a story or place in the Bible (or from other religious traditions) where fire was used to give light. Remind the class of the Year 5 thematic unit: Saint Patrick and People of Faith, where they might have studied:

• Moses and the burning bush (Exodus 3: 2); and• Moses and the pillar of fire (Exodus 13: 21).

Christians also often associate fire with the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist told the people he baptised with water and that God will ‘baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire’ (Matthew 3: 11). If children know examples of stories from other religious traditions, encourage them to share them.

Next, read Acts 2: 1–4. Ask the class to describe the sort of flame the tongues of fire might have been. Consider how the tongues of fire affected the disciples. Read all of Acts 2, and then carry out PMI* activity to examine the story. On a sheet with three columns, the children should record:• in the plus (P) column how they think this baptism

of fire benefitted the disciples;• in the minus (M) column what the down sides were

(if any); and• in the interesting (I) column an interesting

outcome that came from the experience for the disciples.


(Acts 2: 1–13)

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Faith and Light

Children will:• be able to work creatively in small groups; and• use appropriate structure and language in their

writing (Comm).

Ask the children if they know what a rap is. Give each of them a copy of the Pentecost Rap in Resource E. Try reading and beating out the rap. The bold letters indicate good places to emphasise various syllables in order to get the rhythm/beat.

Next, ask the children to compile their own rap based on the Pentecost story. Explain that their rap will be accompanied with moving shadow puppet characters that will be projected onto a wall using an overhead projector. Check with the class what they remember about shadows. Make shadow puppets of their rap characters out of black card and wire. For instructions on making shadow puppets see Resource K. Use orange and/or red cellophane for the flames. Talk about the different materials, for example:

• the cellophane is translucent and lets the light reflected from the projector through to the screen; and

• the black card prevents the light getting through and forms the outline of the characters.

When complete, allocate some members of the class to perform the rap and others to control the shadow puppets. Enjoy the show as a class. You could also present the performance at a school assembly.


Extension ActivityPentecost Rap


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SECTION

03What Festivals of Light Are Celebrated?

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Section 03 What Festivals of Light Are Celebrated?

Children will:• recognise how inequality may affect people’s lives;

and• participate in discussion.



Activity EightLight and Shadow

SilhouettesUse the Fist-To-Five* activity to check how much the children remember and understand about the idea of light in darkness as a sign of hope. They should put a full hand up with all fingers and a thumb if they can tell the Christmas story of the visit of the Magi, three fingers if they can tell a little and a fist if they don’t know it well enough yet. Repeat the activity to see if they can explain how light in a dark place gives hope. They should raise all fingers and a thumb if they feel they can explain it well, three fingers if they know a little and a fist if they are unsure. Ask the children what they think it means to hope and how that hope makes them feel.

Remind the class of the story of Christmas and the Magi (you could show them the picture set again), the Magi’s source of light in darkness, the hope this brought them, and the dangerous and difficult journey they made ‘in faith’. Ask the class if they can remember:

• any good consequences of the Magi’s response to seeing the star;

• any not so good consequences; and• the surprises the wise men experienced.

Next, use a data projector to display the silhouettes in Resource F, and read aloud the accompanying text. Use the Post-It© Collection* method to gather information on what the children know about those in the world who are ‘living in the shadows’. Discuss as a class the people who live in the shadows and what the children feel they could do to bring light and hope to these people.

Finally, close with a circle time. Go around the circle asking the children to complete the phrase: “When I want to shine a light for people living in the shadows, I can…”


Visit www.nicurriculum.org.uk to obtain the electronic copy of this unit and its silhouette files.

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Faith and Light

Children will:• learn more about the connections between

Christmas and Hanukkah, two festivals of light;• investigate similarities and differences between

two festivals of light (TSPC); and• use appropriate structure and language to write a

fact file (Comm).

The Jewish FaithCreate space in the classroom for the pupils to move. Use People Bingo* as a warm-up activity and provide each child with the bingo sheet in Resource G. Set a time limit. When the time is up, ask the children to share anything interesting that they have learned.Ask if:

• anyone managed to fill in all of the spaces; • any spaces were still blank for everyone at the

end; or • there were any activities that they didn’t know

about, for example fasting.

Next, create five groups. Explain that they will be working together to research aspects of the Jewish religion. Assign each group one of the following topics:

• the Temple in Jerusalem and its importance to the Jews living at that time;

• Antiochus IV Epiphanes: who he was, when he lived and where he ruled;

• the Torah; and• the menorah.

Provide each group with a card listing their topic and the key words they should research. Allow the groups time to carry out their research using appropriate websites and books. The children should use ICT to create a fact file about their assigned topic and then share with the class the information they discover.

A Celebration ComparisonRead aloud the Hanukkah story in Resource H and show the children the accompanying picture set. Talk together about the characters in the story.

Next, Think, Pair and Share* to work out three similarities and three differences between Christmas and Hanukkah: two festivals of light. For example, similarities include the following:

• Both stories feature refugees – Jesus’ family and the Macabbees.

• Both stories feature occupation by another civilisation (the Greeks or the Romans).

• Both are about hope.• Both celebrate light and the presence of God.• Both are celebrated about the same time – late

December/early January.• Both the Jewish and Christian faiths are global

faiths.• Jesus and his family were Jewish.



Activity NineChristmas and Hanukkah

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Differences include:

• They happened at different times in history.• They featured different people.• The lights were different.

To close, show the pictures of the light holders (Resource I). Talk about the importance of the theme of light in darkness in both celebrations, and show the children where a candle might be placed on a Hanukkiah or on an Advent wreath. * See CCEA’s Active Learning and Teaching Methods for

Key Stages 1&2.

Think about visiting the Synagogue and Wolfson Centre in Somerton Road, Belfast, or invite a member of the Belfast Jewish community to your classroom to talk about Hanukkah. See Section 2 in the Year 5 thematic unit Saint Patrick and People of Faith for useful activities for visiting buildings of other faiths.

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Faith and Light

Children will:• recognise some similarities and differences in

celebrations; and• be able to make relevant contributions to a

discussion (Comm).

Wartime HopePlay the Gate Game as a class. Sit on a chair with the children facing you in a line. Think of a way to sort the children into two uneven groups, for example by gender, hair colour or clothes worn (for example laced vs. buckled shoes, or socks vs. tights). Next, walk down the line of children and send each child into one of the two groups without telling the children what the groups are. Once sorted, the children should try to work out the two categories they are in. Repeat the game using a different category. This activity helps the children experience what it is like to be in a minority or majority group. Ask them how they feel sometimes being in a large group (majority) or a small group (minority). Some responses may help the children consider discrimination1.

Next, ask the class for ways that they think they are similar to and different from each other. Write these ideas on a board or flipchart.

Read to the class the information at the website www.firstworldwar.com/features/christmastruce.htm and watch or read War Game. This is an account of the events in the trenches in World War One written by Michael Foreman.

Then, read an extract from I Have Lived a Thousand Years by Livia Bitton-Jackson or Chasing Shadows (chapter 14) by Hugo Gryn for accounts of how some Jews celebrated Hanukkah in World War Two. Consider having the children reflect on how the Jews felt as a minority during World War Two.

Afterwards, together compare the wartime Christmas celebrations with the wartime Hanukkah celebrations. Use Think, Pair and Share* to discuss three similarities and three differences in these stories from the two different periods of history. For example:

• both are stories of hope;• both involved lighting lights in a dark place;• the enemies were the same; and• they are both stories about living in a community;

but• they happened at different times;• they were different wars; and• one story was from the army and the other was

from civilians.

Close the lesson with a Wool Web activity. Sit the class in a circle and give one child a ball of wool. They keep hold of the end of the ball (the loose string), say a classmate’s name and throw the ball to that classmate. The child who catches the wool should talk about one of the similarities or differences in how the events are celebrated or what they have learned about the Christmas and Hanukkah festivals of light. Continue to pass the ball of wool around the group until everyone has received it and passed it on once. The web pattern eventually connects everyone in the class together. Finish by talking about the connections with one another.


1. For more information, please see Think of Me, Think of You by Save the Children and Fair Play: Talking with Children about Prejudice & Discrimination by Barnardo’s.



Activity TenChristmas, Hanukkah and Hope

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Children will:• identify the similarities and differences between

festivals (TSPC);• learn about some of the causes of movement of

people in the past; and• learn that people move for economic or social

reasons.

The DisplacedShare the story of Diwali with the class using Resource J with the accompanying picture set. Make and use some shadow puppets to retell the story (Resource K) with the overhead projector.

Next, focus on Diwali and Christmas as festivals of light. Use Think, Pair and Share* to gather from the children what they know about Diwali. Research how it is celebrated throughout the world, and particularly in Northern Ireland, using appropriate sites on the internet and books.

Discuss what they have learned about:

• how Christmas celebrations relate to the Christmas story, for example gifts and carols;

• India in general, for example getting dressed up for Diwali, visiting family members, sharing food, going to the Temple and lighting Divas;

• how the Diwali celebrations relate to the Diwali story;

• how Hanukkah celebrations relate to the Hanukkah story; and

• how the stories differ from each other.

Ask if there are other things they would like to know about Diwali. In groups, have the children use the internet or books to research these topics. Let them present their findings to the class.

Discuss the idea of movement and refugees with the children. Ask the children to think about the similarities and differences between the Christmas and Hanukkah stories and the Diwali story. Issues that might be discussed could include:

• why Rama and Sita had to go away into exile from Ayodhya – family jealousy/rivalry;

• the different reasons people leave one place for another, for example Mary and Joseph leaving Nazareth for Bethlehem, Bethlehem for Egypt and Egypt for Nazareth again;

• the reasons why people move;• how Rama and Sita’s story compares with Mary

and Joseph’s or with the Jews fleeing Jerusalem and how the term refugee may be applied in all the stories; and

• Rama and Sita’s return (how the people lit Divas as a light, the topics of hope in the darkness and of goodness overcoming evil, etc.). How does this compare with some of the other symbols of light and hope that they have been learning about, for example the star and the hanukkiah?

To close, show the pictures of all the light holders in Resource I. Talk about the importance of the theme of light in darkness in all three celebrations.




Activity ElevenChristmas and Diwali

Think about visiting the temple Hindu Temple in Clifton Street, Belfast, or invite a member of the Indian community to your classroom to talk about Diwali. See Section 2 in the Year 5 thematic unit Saint Patrick and People of Faith for useful activities for visiting buildings of other faiths.

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Children will:• learn how the moon is used to determine the

dates for Ramadan;• understand how and why Muslim children fast

during Ramadan; • contrast the lunar calendars with months in a

calendar (TSPC); and• be aware of the differences between a lunar and

monthly calendar (TSPC).

MoonlightBegin with the circle time game All Change by gathering a circle of chairs. Seat the children and stand in the middle. Instruct the children to change seats if they have experienced a custom, tradition or celebration. For example, you could say: “All change if you have attended a St. Patrick’s Day parade.” The children who have then cross to the other side of the circle to find a new seat. The last child to find a seat in the circle goes to the centre and states the next change prompt. Repeat this a number of times. The children could change if they have ever:

• sent cards to people for celebrations other than their own;

• visited a religious building;• celebrated a festival of light;• rolled eggs down a hill;• attended a Sabbath or Passover meal;• fasted for Lent or Ramadan;• celebrated Eid; and• lit a candle for a religious festival.

Next, discuss with the children what they know about the night sky. Ensure that they are aware of some of the different phases of the moon: full moon and new moon (where only a sliver of the moon can be seen).

Over a number of nights, encourage the children to observe the night sky and pay attention to the way the moon looks and changes. Try to carry out observations as near to the actual date of Ramadan as possible. (Ramadan is an Arabic name for the lunar month when Muslims fast. Check the internet for the dates, as the time of Ramadan is based on the lunar calendar and changes every year.)

Next, arrange the class into pairs and carry out an Art Spiral* activity. Use sheets of A4 paper, give the children crayons and ask them to draw a picture of any aspect of the night sky. With their drawing they should write about any activity, story or event they might associate with it. When finished, join the drawings together in the form of a spiral in the middle of the room. Leave plenty of space for the children to move easily around it. Allow them to look at the whole spiral and the others’ contributions. Invite members of each pair to share memories of looking at the moon, and encourage them to observe the sky and phases of the moon for the next few weeks. You could extend the lesson by having them develop or contribute to another pair’s drawing.

FarahWith the children, use Maps NI (Infomapper) on Learning NI to locate Algeria. Read the class Farah’s story of Ramadan in Resource L, and show the accompanying picture of Farah from the Resource Book. Close the session with a circle time. Go around the circle asking the children to complete the phrase: “Something I now know about Farah is …”




Activity TwelveThe Moon and the Ramadan Calendar

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Children will:• be aware that some people fast; and• know about how a festival may be celebrated.

Completing the FastDivide the class into eight small groups and give each of them one of the pictures from Resource M. Choose one person in each group to be the spokesperson. Allow the groups a short time to think of as many facts as they can about their picture. Use Just a Minute*, and let each speaker talk for one minute on the picture they have. If they run out of things to say before the minute is up, other members of their team can contribute. Alternatively, show each picture and ask the following:

• Which item would help Muslims know what direction to face to pray?

• Which picture shows the moon’s phase at the beginning of Ramadan?

• Which picture shows a hijab?• Which picture shows a mosque?• Which picture shows a picture copy of the Qur’an?• Which picture shows a prayer mat?• Which picture shows the moon’s phase in the

middle of Ramadan?

Remind the class of what they learned about fasting in Activity Twelve. Use the Carousel* method to talk about fasting by first dividing the class into six groups. Three groups should work in one half of the classroom and the remaining groups in the other half. Create two sets of identical prompts by writing each statement below on two sheets of A3 paper:



Activity ThirteenEid-Ul-Fitr

• I think fasting would help us to…• When Farah is fasting she probably feels…• When Ramadan is over Farah probably feels…

Place one set of sheets in one half of the room with plenty of markers and the second set in the other half of the room. Have the groups write their responses on one of the sheets in their set and, after a set amount of time, rotate to the next sheet to leave their comments. They read the responses of the previous group and decide whether they agree/disagree, write what they think and justify it with an explanation. Any thoughts or ideas that stem from someone else’s response can be connected with an arrow. The carousel continues until each group has had the opportunity to see and respond to the three prompts.

Next, read the comments aloud and share what the class has learned about the Muslim faith. If you have a Muslim child in class, let them talk about their own experiences of Ramadan and how it compares to Farah’s. Alternatively, invite a visitor from the Muslim community to talk to the class. Show the class the picture of Farah 2 in the Resource Book and tell her story about the end of Ramadan (called Eid) using Resource N. Explain to the class that Eid-Ul-Fitr is the celebration at the end of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting.

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Afterwards, allow the children to make some Eid greetings cards. Let the pupils Think, Pair and Share* to gather some ideas for their card from appropriate websites on the internet. Give them card and let them print out pictures from the resources section in this unit or draw their own pictures of prayer mats, mosques, flowers, night skies, stars or the moon in different phases. Alternatively, they could use pictures of the moon from their art spiral in Activity Twelve to make their cards.

When they have finished, close the session with a circle time. Go around the circle and let each child show and talk about their card(s). See if the class can decide who they might send or give them to.


Think about visiting the Belfast Islamic Centre or the Northern Ireland Muslim Family Association’s prayer rooms. Alternatively, invite a member of the Muslim community to your classroom to talk about Ramadan. See Section 2 in the Year 5 thematic unit Saint Patrick and People of Faith for useful activities for visiting buildings of other faiths.

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Children will:• demonstrate skills of working in groups (TSPC);

and• be able to discuss similarities and differences

between faith groups (TSPC).

Faith and ValuesDivide the class into groups of seven or eight pupils. Copy and cut out the set of faith symbols and faith names in Resource O and provide one shuffled set to each group. See if they can match the symbol to the faith and share any information they might have about them.



Activity FourteenFaith Symbols

Gather information from the groups and add any additional information – from Resource P or from appropriate sites on the internet. Discuss with the class:

• the symbols that are often associated with each faith group;

• any similarities and differences between the symbols;

• similarities and differences within and between the faith groups;

• any important beliefs or values that the faith groups may hold; and

• the challenges of belonging to a faith group.

Close the session with a circle time, allowing the children to take turns sharing what they have learned about a faith group other than their own.

The activity may be used in conjunction with Year 7 Living.Learning.Together. Unit 5, Learning Activity 2: Influences and Groups.

Resources

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Resources

Resource AShadows Data Collection

Length of shadow (cm)

Shad

ow M

aker

9.00am 10.00am 11.00am 12.00 noon 1.00pm 2.00pm 3.00pm

Length of shadow (cm)

Nam

es o

f pup

ils

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

Group 5

9.00am 10.00am 11.00am 12.00 noon 1.00pm 2.00pm 3.00pm

Group Data Sheet

Collated Class Data

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Resource BSimple Electrical Circuit

1

2

3

4

5

6

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Resources

Resource CThe Story of Christmas

(Matthew chapter 2 verses 1–23)From Yvonne Naylor, Stepping Out, Irish School of Ecumenics, 2006

1. When Jesus was born, a special star appeared in the sky. Some wise men who lived in the East saw the star and knew it was a sign that a new king had been born. Following the star, they arrived in Jerusalem and went to see King Herod.

2. “We know a baby king has been born,” they said. “Can you tell us where he is?” Now this worried King Herod, because he did not want anyone else to be called a king. He gathered together all his wise priests and scribes to find out where this king would be born. They told him that the prophet Micah had said that Bethlehem was to be the place. “Go to Bethlehem and find him,” he said to the wise men, “and then tell me where he is so I can go too.”

3. The wise men followed the star right to the place where Jesus was. They were very happy when they found him and offered gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the child.

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Faith and Light

4. God knew that king Herod did not want anyone else to be king, so he warned the wise men in a dream not to return to Herod but to go back home a different way. King Herod was in a rage. He wanted to find the baby king and kill him.

5. God knew what Herod was thinking and sent an angel to warn Joseph to escape into Egypt. So Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus went to Egypt. When Herod died and it was safe to go home again, Joseph, Mary and Jesus returned to Nazareth.

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Resources

Resource DConsequence Wheel for the Wise Men’s Journey

The Wise men follow thestar to a place in Jerusalem.

Jesus and hisfamily are forcedto �ee to Egypt.

King Herod feelsthreatened and

plans to kill the baby.

They �ndthe king

in a stable.

They �nda baby.

Their image ofa ‘king’ in a palace

is challenged.

The Wise menlook for a king

in a palace.

The Wise mensee it as a sign of

a new king.

Star appearsin the sky.

They �nda king.

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Faith and Light

Resource EPentecost RapWhen the day of Pentecost came roundAll of them in one room were foundSuddenly there came a mighty rush A wind from Heaven which filled the houseThen resting on each one to inspireSomething appeared like tongues of fire.Filled with the Spirit they began to speakIn native languages, Parthian and Greek.

Each of them heard the disciples preachThe marvels of God in their own speech!Some of them laughed and were inclinedTo say, “They’ve been drinking too much wine!”Peter stood up, made no delay“Listen carefully to what I say.These men aren’t drunk as you supposeIt’s what was spoken by the prophet Joel’

In the third chapter you will find,I will pour out my Spirit on all mankind.”What you see and hear us speaking Is the Spirit of the Lord outpouring.So house of Israel be assuredThis Jesus who was crucified,God has made both Lord and Christ.Yes God has made both Lord and Christ.”

Adapted from a rap written by Yvonne Naylor in spring 1995.

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Resources

Resource FOut of the ShadowsBased on Isaiah 9:2–7 and Luke 1:46–55

Use silhouette 1. In Isaiah’s prophecy, we read that God will shine light into the darkness and a child will bring peace and justice. Christians believe that this refers to the coming of Christ. The Christmas story describes the birth of Jesus in a stable with only a manger, or an animal food trough, for a bed. Like any child born in poverty back then, he is wrapped in rags and lies in the shadows.

Use silhouette 2.The first people to be told about the special birth were not kings or prime ministers, but shepherds. At the time of Jesus’ birth, shepherds were considered riff-raff, and yet God chose these people to be the first to hear the good news2. In this sermon, the world as we know it is turned upside-down when those who mourn are comforted, the meek inherit the earth, the hungry are filled and the persecuted are blessed. In the Gospels, we read that Jesus brought light into shadowy places, not by force but by joining with vulnerable people

Use silhouette 3. There are many people still living in the shadows. Many people turn their backs on the unpleasant side of life. Today, if we have a bed to sleep in, food in the cupboard, clothes in the wardrobe and a roof over our head, we are better off than 75% of the world’s population. The dalits of India live at the very bottom of society and have a song that they sing: ’We are the shadows of the world.’ They are certainly like many of the other poor and down-trodden people for whom Jesus came to bring hope. Here in the UK, a report called Out of the Shadows3 recommended increased partnership and fairer treatment for ethnic minority groups in our community so that they may step out of the shadows.

1. This theme is continued in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Section 2.

2. An action research report into families, racism and exclusion in Northern Ireland, 1997.

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Resource GPeople Bingo

Has ever celebrated Christmas Was not born in Northern Ireland

Has ever sent someone a card for a special event

Has celebrated a festival or faith event recently

Has ever visited a synagogue, mosque or a Hindu temple

Has ever fasted

Has ever visited a church Has ever celebrated Hanukkah

Find someone who

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Resources

Resource HThe Story of Hanukkah

From Yvonne Naylor, Stepping Out, Irish School of Ecumenics, 2006

1. Until King Antiochus’ rule, the Syrian rulers of Israel had allowed the Jews to follow their own religion. But Antiochus forbade them to keep the laws of the Torah, such as observing the Sabbath. He put Greek idols in the Temple, destroyed all of the Temple’s jars of lamp oil and put out the menorah – the special light that burned in the Temple to symbolise the presence of God.

2. Anyone who refused to obey was killed, but a man called Mattathias and his sons rebelled against the Syrians and fled to the hills. They were joined by other Jews who wished to keep their faith.

3. When Mattathias died, his son, Judah the Maccabee, and his four brothers formed an army. Although the Jews were greatly outnumbered, after three years of fighting they won the battle and were successful in driving the Syrians out of Israel and reclaiming the Temple in Jerusalem.

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4. The Temple had to be rededicated and, according to legend, only one jar of sacramental oil was found – which was only enough for one day.

5. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, thus the eight days of Hanukkah. Hanukkah, which means dedication and is also referred to as The Festival of Lights, is a Jewish festival. It begins on the Hebrew date of the 25th of Kislev and lasts eight days, through the 2nd of Tevet.

During Hanukkah, Jews light a special eight-branched menorah called a hanukkiah*. A new light is lit every day of the festival until all eight have been lit.

* A hanukkiah also has a ninth light which is used as a pilot light.

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Resources

Resource ILight Holders

Have the children draw pictures of candles approximately 1cm in width. Cut out the pictures and place them on the light holders in the accompanying resource book.

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Resource JThe Story of Rama and Sita(The Ramayana)

1. Retiring King Dasaratha of Ayodhya chose his son Rama as his heir. His wife Kaikeyi wanted him to appoint another son, Bharata, instead. Kaikeyi felt that misfortune would come upon her if he didn’t crown Bharata king and banish Rama to the forest for 14 years. The king reluctantly agreed, so Rama went into exile for 14 years with his beautiful wife, Sita, and his brother Laksmana, leaving their riches for a simple life in the forest.

2. After hearing reports of Sita’s beauty, Ravana, the demon king with ten heads and ruler of the island kingdom of Lanka decided that he must have her for himself. He disguised himself as a wandering holy man and found her in the forest. After distracting Rama and Laksmana, Ravana carried Sita off to Lanka.

3. Sita mourned for Rama in Ravana’s garden in Lanka. Meanwhile, Rama and Laksmana enlisted the services of Hanuman, the monkey king, to help them find her. Hanuman then started his search for Sita by taking a giant step to the Island of Lanka. He found Sita and identified himself as Rama’s messenger by showing her Rama’s ring. Sita was delighted; Hanuman escaped and told Rama where she was.

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Resources

4. Rama, Laksmana, Hanuman and his monkey army made a bridge to Lanka to rescue Sita. After a long battle with spears, bows and arrows, Rama killed the ten-headed demon king Ravana.

5. As the 14 years had now passed, Rama and Sita returned to Ayodhya where they were crowned king and queen. All the people were so pleased to hear of their return that they put little lights outside of their houses so that Rama and Sita would find the way home to Ayodhya. The little lights were called divas, and that is why the festival is called Diwali.

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Faith and Light

Resource KDiwali Shadow Puppets

Cut an outline of the character from black card.

Cut holes for the eyes, the mouth.

Attach separate body parts using paper fasteners.

Attach rods (pieces of fine wire) to the body parts to make them move.

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Resources

Resource LFarah Keeps RamadanAdapted from Yvonne Naylor, Stepping Out, Irish School of Ecumenics, 2006

Farah’s FamilyFarah’s family belongs to the Northern Ireland Muslim Family Association (NIMFA) in Belfast, one of the two larger places of worship for Muslims in Belfast. The other is the Belfast Islamic centre. They are both mosques. A mosque is a place of prayer, but it is also a centre for educational, social and cultural activities.

Farah was born in Belfast like her mother Linda, who met her husband Farowuk there. Farouk’s first language is Arabic. He also speaks English very well and teaches Physics at Queen’s University. Farah’s big brother Ali goes to an integrated college. She and her brother both speak some Arabic and are learning more in the school at the Muslim Family Centre so that they can read their holy book, the Qur’an, and talk with members of their father’s family when they visit Algeria.

ClothesIn the picture, Farah is wearing her school uniform. She is also wearing a hijab (headscarf), which covers her hair. She usually only wears this when she is at prayer.

Muslim PrayerFarah prays three times a day:• at 7.30 in the morning, before breakfast; • at 3.30 in the afternoon when she comes in

from school; and • again at 7.30 in the evening or before she

goes to bed.

When she is older she will pray five times a day like her big brother. Ali and his Muslim friends pray during the school lunch hour at 12.30.

They have the use of the RE room and keep their prayer mats in a cupboard for this. Ali has a compass to help him to locate east, and they pray facing Mecca, the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad.

In the mornings and evenings, they pray in their homes or at the Muslim Family Centre where there is a prayer room with white lines on the carpet which help them know their position. These help them know where to stand or kneel during the prayers.

RamadanRamadan is the month of fasting. It is also the month when the Qur’an was revealed to the prophet Muhammad. The months in the Islamic calendar are lunar months, which mean that they start and end with a new moon. Farah tries

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to fast – go without food or water – throughout the day for some of the time. Each year she tries to fast for longer. Her brother Ali fasts during the hours of daylight for the whole month.

When Farah was younger she didn’t fast at all, and now that her grandfather in Algeria is old and sick, he doesn’t fast on all of the days anymore. He misses fasting, though, and tries to share what food he has with people who have very little to eat.

Fasting begins at dawn and ends at sunset. This time varies according to the time of year that Ramadan falls on. On the days that she fasts, Farah doesn’t eat or drink anything else between sunrise and sunset. She breaks her fast with dates and milk and then she and the family enjoy a good meal. Curry and rice is her favourite. When the family have meat, it is always bought from the Halal butcher in town. When the family are fasting, they like to remember others throughout the world who are hungry or needy. They give what they save on groceries to charity (Zakah) and feel greater appreciation for what they have. Muslims always remember that Muhammad was an orphan, so caring for orphans, widows and the poor is an important teaching in Islam.

Farah feels closer to God during Ramadan and also to her family and friends when they gather together at the Muslim Family Centre for study and prayer. She likes it when some of her friends at school who aren’t Muslim also fast with her. Farah thinks that fasting gives her body a rest.

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Resources

Resource MMuslim Symbols

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Faith and Light

Resource NFarah Celebrates Eid

EidEid-Ul-Fitr is the festival holiday that follows the month of Ramadan. It begins with the sighting of the new moon. Farah’s family have a holiday from work and school. They like to start the day by rising early for a light, sweet snack. Farah and her family dress up in their best clothes. Farah is very excited about wearing a new dress she has never worn before. The family attend the Muslim Family Centre for Eid prayers. Everyone is there – all her friends in their best clothes. Greetings of “Eid-Mubarak” or “a blessed Eid” are exchanged. There is food to share after the prayers, and the children are normally given gifts.

The Muslim Family CentreFarah and her friends hope to eventually have a purpose-built mosque like the one in the picture. The main features of the mosque are:

• the tower (minaret) so that people can see the mosque from a distance;

• a prayer hall (and a separate prayer hall for women);

• an alcove (mihrab) to show the direction of Mecca to anyone walking into the mosque;

• the pulpit (minbar) for the Imam to stand up in during the Friday sermon and whilst leading the prayer;

• a washroom/area, where worshippers can wash before prayers (called wudu);

• sometimes a charity (Zakat) box; and • a clean carpet (and maybe a prayer mat), as

Muslims sit and pray (without shoes) on the floor. There may also be a shoe rack by the door.

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Resources

Resource OFaith Symbols

Buddhism

Christianity

Judaism

Hinduism

Islam

Sikhism

Baha’i

All images © iStockphoto.com

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Faith and Light

TelevisionPrimary Focus: Science‘Light and Sound’ BBC Northern IrelandTL 1113

War GameForeman, Michael. Chrysalis Children’s Books [1995]ISBN: 978-1857937138 Downloadable Teacher Notes available from www.channel4learning.comThe programme is available in ‘First World War DVD’

RadioToday & Yesterday in Northern IrelandFestivals RM 0279 Festivals through the year RM 0280 Diwali RM 0281 Ramadan Teacher notes are available at www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools

Stories For Collective WorshipFestivals 1 RQ 243 Hanukkah: A great miracle happened here Ramadan: New moon, new start

Together StoriesLight RH 0276 Light RH 0277 Hanukkah RH 0278 Diwali

TogetherTalking FestivalsRM 0296 Diwali RM 0297 Hanukkah RM 0298 Christmas

BooksI Have Lived a Thousand Years Bitton-Jackson, Livia. Simon & Schuster Children’s [2000]ISBN: 978-0743408752

Fair Play: Talking with Children about Prejudice & DiscriminationBarnardo’s www.barnardos.org.ukMay be useful for Activity Ten

The Best Christmas Present in the WorldMorpurgo, Michael. London: Egmont Books [2004]ISBN: 978-1405215183

Local People, Global Faiths: Sikhs, Jews and Hindus in Northern IrelandNelson, James and Richardson, Norman. Colourpoint Educational [2005]ISBN: 978-1904242321

Stepping Out Irish School of Ecumenicswww.creni.org/contents/resources/stepping_out

Faraway Home Taylor, Marilyn Taylor. O’Brien Press [1999]ISBN: 978-0-86278-643-4A particularly useful story for background information about the Jewish community in Belfast.

The Magi www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A45561170

Think of Me, Think of YouSave the ChildrenMay be useful for Activity Tenwww.savethechildren.org.uk

Suggested Additional Resources

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A CCEA Publication © 2010

Years 6 & 7

Faith and LightThematic Unit

Documents

Faith and Light Thematic Unit - nicurriculum.org.uk · Through stories of faith and festivals that celebrate light, children become aware of its importance in various religions. They