Lesson Plan Template

Board of Education

Serving children, schools and young people

Lesson 1

UNIVERSAL UNIT year 4 term 3

PRAYER

Stimulus: pictures of people praying, which are not obvious of their religion or race.

unit enquiry question: WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT PRAYER?

Assessment statements:

Board of Education

Serving children and young people

JULY 2016

Key Questions

Success Criteria

Teaching activities and accessibility

Possible Resources

What is so important about prayer?

What is prayer?

Who do people pray to?

Who prays?

What do people pray for?

What do people pray for?

Why is the Lord’s prayer so important to Christians?

I know what prayer is.

I know what the Lord’s prayer is and why it is so important to Christians.

Begin enquiry unit: What do you think prayer is? Use the pictures and enquiry question to generate more questions (e.g. Who prays? Why do they pray? What do they pray for? When do they pray? How do they pray?)

How could we find out more about it? Discuss and share ideas.

Use the images below to discuss what some Christians think that prayer is like. Which one do you think is more accurate? How do you know? Talk to each other about it and then share ideas.

I wonder what you think prayer is like? Record thoughts on working wall.

Watch video clip - http://request.org.uk/life/beliefs/christianity-basically-prayer/

What have you learnt about Christian prayer? Record thoughts on working wall.

The disciples struggled to know what to pray so Jesus taught them a prayer. The Lord’s Prayer. Watch the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlUXh4mx4gI (Extension: talk about why this was removed from being shown in cinemas – why? How do you feel about this – was it the right decision)

What do you notice about the people saying it and where they are? What does this tell you about how Christians feel about the Lord’s prayer.

Give the children a copy of the Lord’s prayer – what else does this tell Christians how to pray? What does Jesus want us to pray for? (Discuss what the prayer means)

Look at the order of the lines – I wonder why they are in this order? Do you agree with the order? Are there any lines you would/could take out? Why?

Which line do you think is the most important to Christians? Why?

Possible activity: Give the Children space to write their own response using the model of the Lord ’s prayer as a writing frame. It could be a picture, poem or prayer using the Lord’s prayer as inspiration.

Q: Is prayer important to Christians? How do you know? Why is it important? Record answers / thoughts to the working wall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qtXUr2C6aI (15:25 – 18.09)

http://request.org.uk/life/beliefs/christianity-basically-prayer/

http://request.org.uk/jesus/teaching/jesus-teaching-prayer/ (text about the Lord’s prayer)

How do Christians pray?

I know what the Bible teaches about how to pray.

I can discuss reasons why Christians pray and what they should pray for.

Christian prayer

Open with a question: Christians only pray to ask for something.

Get the children to discuss what they think the answer is to this. Do they agree / disagree? Ensure they can explain their thoughts maybe using examples from their life or links to collective worship.

I wonder what the Bible says about how to pray?

Give the children some passages from the Bible about prayer. Get them to discuss them and think about how God wants his people to pray. Split the children into groups and get them to discuss a selection of the verses below, making notes about what they have found out. Bring the children back to together to discuss what they have found out.

BIBLE VERSES ABOUT PRAYER

James 5:13-16

1 John 5: 14-15

Ephesians 6:18

Jeremiah 29:12

Mark 11:24

Matthew 6:7

Romans 12:12

Luke 18: 1-8

Get the children to record what they have found out about what the Bible says about prayer. Is it what they thought? Does it change their opinion of Christian prayer?

Activity: Children to choose a line from one of the Bible passages they think would be the most important to give or tell a new Christian about how to pray.

They can write this out and illustrate it with images that represent the verse chosen. Then explain why this verse/line was chosen.

Share responses.

http://request.org.uk/?s=prayer (Jesus’ teaching on prayer)

Do all Christians pray in the same way?

I wonder why it is different / similar?

Do Christians only pray in a church?

I can use what I have learnt from reading Bible texts to inform my thinking.

I know that the basic aspects of prayer are the same for Christians but the act of prayer may be different.

Exploration of different Christian denominations

Use the images of items that help Christians pray – Discuss the images together, see below for questions. Why do you think Christians use different things/places to help them pray.

Q: Do you think all Christians pray in the same way?

This lesson uses the Picturing Christianity Cards 10 and 11. (Both the cards look at global Christianity, so is a good opportunity to challenge the children about their perceptions of where Christians live and what they look like)

This activity is to encourage the children to really look at and into the picture: Give each group a copy of each picture on a piece of flipchart paper. Get them in silence to look really carefully at the picture for 2 minutes. They then must tell their neighbour 5 things that have noticed or spotted. How many things did they both spot?

Discuss in pairs – if you were in this picture, what would you hear/see/feel/smell/touch? Encourage the children to use clues from the picture to help them answer this.

They then need to look closely at the picture again in silence for 1 minute. When the minute is up they must write 2 questions on the flipchart paper that they would like to discuss. E.g. Where are the people? What are they praying about? Are they Christians? What is similar / different to praying you might see in school or a local church?

Then repeat with the other picture.

Class discussion: What do you notice about these pictures – what are they doing that is the same/ different? Discuss and talk through the questions the children wrote on their flipchart paper.

Q: What do you notice about the body language and expressions of these people in prayer? How does this link back to what we found out last week about how the Bible tells us to pray?

Activity: Give the children the line drawings of one of the pictures (on the CD rom). Get them to draw speech or thought bubbles for each person they can see. What do the children think they are thinking and praying for? How might their prayers be different to Christians in England? Encourage the children to use the clues, observations and discussions from the rest of the lesson to inform their prayers.

Reflect: Do all Christians pray the same way? What is the most important part of Christian prayer? (does it matter where you are or what you do?) Do you have to be in a Church to pray? Do you have to use special things to pray?

Watch the request video clip – do you agree with what they are saying using what you have learnt over the past two week?

Get the children to think through these statements. If necessary, carry this discussion on with further investigation into different denominations around the world.

Picturing Christianity photo pack.

REquest How do you pray? Video clip

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/zkvcd2p

(video explains about the Catholic church)

Do only Christians pray?

How important is prayer to Jewish people?

Do Jewish people only pray in a Synagogue?

I can describe how and explain why Jewish people pray.

Explore Jewish prayer.

Q: Is it only Christians who pray? Discuss. Link to previous learning on Judaism and Hinduism.

Watch this video clip without the sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEZZ32KhaWs. What is happening in this video, who are they? (use clues from previous learning) What do you think they are they doing?

Watch it again with the sound – what are they saying / doing? How does the having the sound on change your understanding? Discuss what they can see.

In groups: Children to rotate round the different activities to find out more about Jewish prayer.

1. Give the children the passage and some questions: How and where does this person pray? What do they use? Why do they pray?

I pray daily. I wrap a prayer shawl, known as a tallit, over my head; gather its four fringed corners; and bring them to my lips. It lasts only a moment, but under the tallit I feel a sense of security and warmth. It is the closest I get to heaven all day. The tallit I wear is one that I inherited from my father. I know it makes an impression on me. I feel fortified by prayer. I am in a relationship with God. I praise, I acknowledge, thank, request, express my love, and sometimes even get angry. My connection with the rest of the world–with my children, my wife, my students, my colleagues–flows out of my daily encounter with God.

2. Use the picture images below – what do they notice in these pictures? Do all Jewish pray in the same way? Do they all use the same things?

3. Give the children a range of Jewish prayers – what are they praying for?

4. Use the poem written by Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai. Get the children to draw, annotate around it with their thoughts. How does Meir feel about praying to God from what he has written?

How important is praying to Jewish people? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrgedcxN8Wk (My life, My religion series)

Give the children an image of the children from the video with speech and thought bubbles (below) Get them to use what they have learnt to say what they think each child as a Jewish person thinks about prayer and a prayer they might pray.

http://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/physical-movement-in-jewish-prayer/

(Information on physical movements in prayer)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrgedcxN8Wk

My life, my religion series – Judaism

from 2:40 – 3:40

6:28 – 7.55 – images of people praying at the Western Wall

How does Jewish prayer compare to the prayer life of Christians?

I can describe similarities and differences between Christian and Jewish prayer.

Compare Jewish prayer to Christian prayer.

Give the children a copy of the images (images to compare Christian and Jewish prayer) they need to sort them into Christian and Jewish prayer. Once they have sorted them – the children need to explain why they have sorted them that way. (Assessment opportunity – listen out for the language used and the children’s understanding of what Christian and Jewish prayer looks like)

Lay the pictures out in front of the children again, what do they notice? What is same? What is different? Why? Discuss as a group then a class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQZgOLSiVjY (Taizé singing prayers) how is this similar / different to Jewish prayers?

Draw on what else they have learnt about Jewish and Christian prayer – does it have the same purpose? Draw this understanding out from the children - Do they pray similar things – they just ‘do it’ in different ways.

Activity: Children to choose two pictures of Jewish and Christian worship. Underneath write what is similar and different between how the two religions pray.

Q: I wonder is prayer as important to both Jewish people and Christians? Discuss

What is so important about prayer?

What impact does prayer have on believers?

I can express how prayer is important to me.

I can make suggestions about why prayer is important.

If prayer is the answer what could be the question?

Get the children to come up with some questions that would give the answer prayer. Check for their understanding and knowledge learnt so far.

Show the children the images from http://www.fadumont.co.uk/acatalog/Art_of_Hope.html

The artist has created beautiful pieces of artwork around the psalms (Many of these were written as prayers; prayers of thanksgiving, adoration, repentance and worship) How do the images reflect the psalm?

Which Psalm do they think would help them to pray? Why?

Give the children opportunity to reflect on what they have learnt about prayer. They could create a painting/ model/ poem etc to show why and how prayer is important to them or Christians. They could include a psalm or another Bible verse. (there are other examples of artwork which depicts prayer below)

Conclusion – What have they learnt and is prayer important? Return to the original questions from the beginning of the unit. Have we answered them? IS there anything we haven’t answered? Why?

http://www.prayerspacesinschools.com/resources/53

(video clip where young people talk about the impact prayer has on them)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS5BFgQWRU4

(my life my religion series)

ASSESSMENT STATEMENTS:

BY THE END OF THE UNIT THE CHILDREN SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

· To explain what prayer is.

· To explain what the Lord’s prayer is and why it is so important to Christians.

· To know what the Bible teaches about how to pray.

· I can discuss reasons why Christians pray and what they should pray for.

· I can use what I have learnt from reading Bible texts to inform my thinking.

· I know that the basic aspects of prayer are the same for Christians but the act of prayer may be different.

· I can describe how and explain why Jewish people pray.

· I can describe similarities and differences between Christian and Jewish prayer.

· I can express how prayer is important to me.

· I can make suggestions about why prayer is important to Christians and Jewish people.

Images of Christian prayer for general discussion.

James 5:13-16

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

1 John 5: 14-15

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

Ephesians 6:18

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Jeremiah 29:12

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

Mark 11:24

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Matthew 6:7

When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.

Romans 12:12

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

Luke 18: 1-8

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?

Which of these items might Christians use to pray?

Which one is the odd one out? Explain why.

Which ones do you recognise? Who might use them?

Which ones have you seen being used?

Which one do you think is the most important?

Who might use these?

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Images of Jewish prayer.

What can you see? What do you notice?

How are they praying?

‘The Voice of Prayer’ by Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai

Images to compare Jewish and Christian prayer

Examples of artwork depicting prayer.

Lesson 1: Which picture / words best reflect what prayer is like?

Which ones don’t reflect what prayer is?

Do you understand them all? What do they mean?

How would you describe prayer?