What I believe,

think, and feel.

Year 7 R.E. Homework Booklet

Name:______________ This booklet is due in on:________________

1. Alright?

When you walk around school do people greet you with, “Alright?” When people do this do you say “Alright?” back? Both you and the other person have asked each other how you are but neither of you have answered the question!

In R.E. we try and learn about religion and to learn from religion. This sometimes means that we need to reflect on how we feel.

Reflecting on how we feel is important to many, many religions around the world.

Match the pictures to the person’s emotion.

A B C D E

Calm Angry FrustratedOverjoyed Reflective

A time I remember I felt calm was when…

A time I remember I felt overjoyed was when…

A time I remember I felt angry was when…

A time I remember I felt reflective was when…

A time I remember I felt frustrated was when…

Complete the table below.

EXTENSION: Use a dictionary to find out the meanings of these other words to describe emotions. Write your own version and staple the sheet into this booklet: distressed, intrigued, tickled, revolted, curious, content, alienated.,

2. Are you sure?

I think…

I believe…

I hope…

I know…

I suspect…

Perhaps…

You cannot prove that…

I doubt that…

I am committed to…

I think there is good evidence for…

When we study RE we often think and talk about our own and other people’s opinions. However, some of our opinions are not as firm as others. Some times we know something and at other times we are more open to other ideas. Complete these sentences about how certain we are about things.

3. Are mice really bigger than elephants? (Part 1)Some people say some daft stuff – things that aren’t true. Sometimes it is funny. Sometimes it can make you angry and you want to tell them that they are wrong. Sometimes you want to correct them to help them understand how the world really is.

How can we do this politely and without causing offence?

You’re wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! WRONG!

You’re a big ugly stupid and you smell

of cabbage!

Hmmm… I think that what they are doing is having a row. What they should be doing is having an argument. An argument is when people have different points of view and try and persuade each other that they are correct. Your argument is your point of view.

Imagine someone walks up to you and starts to tell you that mice are bigger than elephants.

Which of the arguments on the next page is the best for persuading them that they are wrong?

Look at this pair of people. They obviously disagree about something. However, I don’t think that they are ever going to agree.

Give at least 2 reasons why they are not going to agree.

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4. Are mice really bigger than elephants? (Part 2)

A. Well, you’re wrong there.

Elephants are bigger than mice. Are you stupid or

blind?

C. What you say is interesting but I disagree. I think that elephants are bigger than mice. I’ve done some research and found that when

elephants are born they usually weigh close to 120 kilos. That’s much bigger than any species of mouse humans have ever found.

B. It can’t be true! I’ve

never seen an elephant

bigger than a mouse!

?

Which of these is the best argument? Write the letters below.

Best: ____ Second best:___ Worst:___What made it the best argument?

When you are trying to persuade someone of something (i.e. arguing with them) which of the following would be most effective?

Highlight the words and phrases that are REALLY BAD advice for people who want to argue well.

Stay calm.Be polite.

Use evidence to back up

what you are saying.

Use rude words.

Be sarcastic

Repeat things using exactly

the same words.

Try and make your

opponent cry.

Listen to what other people are saying.

Ask questions when people

say things you don’t

understand.

Don’t listen to what other people are

saying.

EXTENSION: Write your own argument against the man who says that mice are bigger than elephants and staple it into your booklet.

Get angry.

Shout.

5. How can I describe my beliefs? (Part 1)

…monoplanes have 1 set of wings…

Lots of people argue about issues to do with beliefs ideas. Sometimes they argue well and help spread understanding. Sometimes they argue badly and cause offence.

In order to help us understand each other it is good to learn words that describe our beliefs?

Muslims, Christians and Jews (amongst others) would describe themselves as monotheists.

Given that…

EXTENSION: Can you name any polytheistic religions? (HINT: Thinking about your primary school history lessons might help.)

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…a monocle helps 1 eye focus…

…a monochrome picture has only 1 colour (in this case black)…

…Monopoly ends when 1 player controls the whole board.

How many Gods do you think a monotheist believes in? Write you answer here: ______

Bonjour!

Ola!

Gutentag!

Hello!

Other people would describe themselves as polytheists.Given that…

…a polyglot speaks more than one languages…

…a polygon is a shape with more than one sides…

…music where there is more than one sound at a time is called polyphony…

…a polymath is someone who is good at more than one subject.

How many Gods do you think a polytheist believes in? Write you answer here: _______

6. How can I describe my beliefs? (Part 2)

…asymmetric shapes are not the same on both sides (they are without symmetry)…

Other people would describe themselves as atheists.

Given that…

EXTENSION: Can you name a famous theist, atheist or polytheist and tell me which religion they follow?

Person: _____________________________________________ Religion: ____________________________________________

…an amoral person is without any idea of what is right or wrong (they are without morals)…

…aphasics are people who cannot speak (they are without speech)…

…asphyxiation means being not being able to breathe (you are without breath).

How many gods does an atheist believe in? Write you answer here: ________

Other people are not sure whether there is a god or not.

If a ‘gnostic’ is someone who is sure. What might be a good word to describe someone who is not sure? (HINT: Look above )

“An __gnostic is someone who is not sure if there is a god or not.”

I don’t know whether there is a

god or not.

I know that there is one God and

Jesus was his son.

I know that there is no god at all.

I believe that Zeus is the king

of all of the gods.

____________” ____________” ____________” ____________”

Write the word that describes these people’s beliefs.

“She is an… “He is a…

“He is an…

“She is a…

7. What makes ‘me’, me? (Part 1)

Draw a picture of yourself in the box below.

Write these things around the edges of your picture:

• 2 of your physical features that are special to you, something that makes you different from your friends. (Maybe your hair, your eyes, your teeth…)

8. What makes ‘me’, me? (Part 2)

But is that all? Or, is there something else?

In a different coloured pen, add into your labels in section 7:

• 1 thing that you are proud of. (“I am proud of…”)

• 1 thing that you are scared of. (“I am scared of…”)

• 1 thing that you enjoy. (“I enjoy…”)

• 1 thing that you dislike. (“I dislike…”)

• 1 thing you want to get better at. (“I want to get better at…”)

• 1 thing you love. (“I love…”)

Which of these two views do you most agree with?

Hello, I am Karl Marx. Although I look like a crazy old-fashioned man I am one of the most important

thinkers in history. I don’t think that you are made up of anything but chemicals and electricity. There is nothing but the natural world. There is no soul or

spirit that lives in your body. This is not sad, it is just true and we should be happy with that.

Hello, my name is Justin Welby. Although I might look like an old-fashioned man I am still alive! And I am very important because I am the Archbishop of Canterbury (just like Thomas Becket was). This means that I am one of the most important Christians in England. I believe that there is more to you

than just chemicals and electricity. I believe you have a spirit or soul. This is what makes you special and unique. I also believe that your soul will live on after your physical body dies.

But are you just made of electricity and chemicals? Do you have hopes and dreams, pride and fear just because of the atoms that make up your body? Listen to what these two men say.

EXTENSION: Can you find out which religion Justin Welby follows?

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9. Natural and Supernatural

As you saw on the previous page, some people believe that there are things that are different from things that appear in the world around us. They believe that there are things that are made of different stuff. We call these things supernatural. (In R.E. when we describe something as natural it doesn’t necessarily mean that it grows in the countryside. It just means that it is made out of stuff that we can see, hear, touch and smell. Therefore, someone studying R.E. might describe a car as ‘natural’ even though it has obviously been made by people.)

Whether you believe in them or not, tick the right boxes below….

Natural Supernatural

Trees

Ghosts

Souls

God

Tables

Lungs

Brains

Pixies

Cars

Trombones

Spirits

Computers

Fairies

Footballs

10. Using what we have learned.

Find someone who you know. Ask them politely about their religious beliefs. (Be careful, religious beliefs are very personal and not everybody will want to talk to you about their beliefs. If someone says, “No,” thank them for their honesty and ask someone else.)

Using the words and ideas from this booklet, describe what someone else thinks about God and religion.

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