Rough RE plan for weekly RE lessons
Week
Learning Objective
/ Title of lesson
Rachael Reynolds
Rachael Hickman
All this work in the RE books?
All this work in the portfolio?
Autumn 1
Domestic Church - Family - Loving
Week 1
Week 2
LO: To understand that
God loves and cares for
his people even in
difficult times.
LO: To understand that
we don’t have to do
anything to make God
love us.
Week 3
LO: To understand the
term ‘Unconditional
love.’
Week 4
LO: To understand that
Suggested activity: Write your own prayer in the
style of Psalm 136 praising and thanking God for his
love and care. Start with ‘God is…’ Conclude with
‘Give thanks to God. God is so good!’
Suggested activity: Write a letter to Paul thanking
him for his letter and saying how and why its
message has encouraged and shaped the lives of
people in Crete.
Suggested activity: Using these passages from
scripture, in groups, create a picture or dance that
shows you understand aspects of God’s
unconditional love.
Suggested activity: Discussion - Look up acts 8: 1-3
(note that Paul was called Saul before his
conversion), to find out how Paul behaved before he
was converted to Jesus Christ. Use that information
and discuss what Paul says in his letter to Titus to
explain how Paul’s belief changed him.
Suggested activity: Read The Parable of the Prodigal Suggested activity: Key Questions:
Son.
How do you feel when you hear this story? How do
you think the father felt? The younger son? The
A descriptive piece on a character within this story.
older son? Have you ever felt like one of them?
When? Why? What does this story tell you about
God’s unconditional love?
Suggested activity: Write your own modern day
Suggested activity: Invite the children to paint their
Week 5
forgiveness is an
essential part of
unconditional love.
LO: To know that we
are loved and that we
can grow in love.
story to illustrate the points made. Describe how
the behaviour of the father is influenced by his
belief of hope, love and forgiveness.
Respond Page & use this for assessment.
own picture or stained glass window of the
reconciliation aspect of the story. Use colour to
indicate mood and atmosphere.
Suggested activity: In groups, explore and describe
how these values are lived out at home, school
and/or the parish/ local/ global communities and
what difference they make to people’s lives.
Respond
Baptism/ Confirmation – Belonging –
Vocation and Commitment
Week 6
‘Being called’
Suggested activity: Imagine you are John the
Baptist recalling this event. Describe your
experience: how you felt, what it meant to your
belief in God’s promise and make a link to Scripture.
Suggested activity: Using Scripture, prepare some
questions to ask the Apostle Simon in a hot-seat
activity, which will explore the difference the call of
Jesus made to his life.
Week 7
LO: To understand the
vocation of the priest.
Suggested activity: Ask father Michael to come in?
Children to write questions for him…
Suggested activity: Research more about Saint John
Mary Vianney. How did his faith shape his life?
If possible, interview a priest, having prepared
questions about his reasons for being a priest, his
commitment of service and his day to day life in the
parish.
Week 8
LO: To understand the
Sacrament of
Ordination.
Suggested activity: Give the children a set of
poctures of the different stages of the ordination.
(These could be from Church’s story 3 pages 80-83
or the powerpoint.) Ask them to put them in order,
saying what is happening in each picture, what is
happening and how they think the ordinand is
feeling.
Suggested activity: Give children a copy of the last
two or three paragraphs of the prayer of
consecration from the ordination. Ask them to use
this prayer to answer the following questions:
What is the priest ‘called to be’?
How should the priest be a ‘model of right conduct’?
How can he help God’s family become holy?
Autumn 2
Week 1
LO: To discuss the call
to religious life.
Week 2
LO: To look at peoples
Vows and services.
Week 3
LO: To understand that
we all have a vocation.
Respond
Suggested activity: Arrange a visitor to come in and
speak to the class.
Find out if there are any religious communities in
your local parish. Invite a member of the
community to tell you about their life and work in
the parish or local community. Make an action plan
to show how and why member of your school can
support the work in this community.
Suggested activity: Make up your own version of
vows that a member of a religious order might
make. Give reasons for your choice of words.
Suggested activity: What is your mission at this
time in your life? Write a personal mission
statement as to how you will serve others in the
way God has called you. What will you try to do and
how will you go about doing it? Explain what has
inspired you and influenced you to undertake this
mission.
Use respond for assessment on this topic.
Suggested activity: Find the hymn/ canticle of St
Francis. Explain how it honours God’s creation, say
how it makes you feel and link it to your own
experiences.
Suggested activity: Read Matthew 6:19-21, God’s
story 3 page 85 about Real treasure. Describe how
you might live a poor and simple life, like Jesus;
make reference to the reading. Identify what things
you would have to change in your life and what
impact this would have on you and on others. Make
links between your feelings, beliefs, ideas and
experiences.
Suggested activity: Research the lives of people who
are living out their baptism promise and answering
God’s call in special ways. Identify similarities and
differences between these people and how they are
living their lives through their chosen vocations: e.g.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Helen Prejean, Esther
John. Use recent friends of Jesus.
Advent/ Christmas – Loving Expectations
Week 4
LO: To look at the time
of expectation.
Week 5
LO: To look at the
prophets’ expectation
of the Messiah.
LO: To discuss Mary’s
expectation.
Week 6
‘The word of God
becomes the human
person: Jesus’
LO: To look at John the
Baptist’s expectation of
Jesus.
Week 7
Suggested activity: Invite the children to explore
the meaning of the words ‘Be alert, stand firm in
the faith, be courageous, be strong. Let love be in
all.’ Create mind maps for each aspect, exploring
the meanings of the scripture, giving, examples
within our daily lives.
Mary’s expectation
Suggested activity: Using the meanings from
Scripture and the hymn prepare ‘Advent
expectations’ of themselves during their journey
through Advent. Record these as part of a class
collage in for form of an Advent wreath.
Suggested activity: Imagine that you are Mary.
Write a diary entry which outlines your expectations
of bearing the Messiah and the range of emotions
you are feeling on being the mother of Christ.
Include how such expectations, emotions and faith
help shape your life.
John the Baptist’s expectation of Jesus
Suggested activity: Hold a class debate which
encourages the children to explore both the burdens
and the rewards of the prophet’s expectations of the
Messiah for us.
Suggested activity: ‘Get the road ready for the Lord;
make a straight path for him to travel!’ Discuss the
meaning of his words.
Suggested activity: Prepare a two minute ‘slot’ for a
radio programme entitled; ‘The word became a
human being’ – outlining what this means and the
expectations upon Christians to live out this belief,
particularly at this time of the year.
‘Christ will come again’
Use respond for assessment on this topic.
Respond
The prophets’ expectation of the Messiah
The word of God becomes the human person: Jesus
Suggested activity: In small groups, discuss some of
the ways in which we ‘watch and wait expectantly’
during Advent. Using a range of religious sources
develop a set of guidelines/signposts which can be
used at this time to help others realise and
understand the expectation we have and place on
the Christ’s coming.
Spring 1
Local church – Community - Sources
Week 1
LO: To spend time with
the Holy Bible.
LO: To look at the Kind
of books in the bible.
Week 2
LO: To look at the old
testament, Hebrew
scriptures.
About the bible
Kinds of books in the bible
Suggested activity: Look at as many different
versions of the Bible as you can. Note down
similarities and any differences that you find.
Decide on a ‘code of respect’ for how to treat your
Bible. Think about and note down where and how it
should be kept and treated.
Suggested activity: In pairs, design a matching game.
Decide on 8 passages from any of the books in the
Bible. Make reference cards/ words/ picture match
cards. Then swap them around the class and play
each other’s games.
Suggested activity: Research the Dead Sea scrolls.
Find out about the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem.
Prepare a presentation for the class.
Suggested activity: Look through the books of the
Old testament in your Bible. Find books which fit into
these categories:
 A book of history
 A book about women
 A book about new beginnings
Week 3
LO: To look at the New
Testament Books,
Gospels.
Suggested activity: Find your favourite story or
saying in the Gospel. Describe how it might affect
what you believe and how it could shape your life.
Week 4
Lo: To look within the
Suggested activity: Write a letter, in the style of
(More detail in book, page 119)
Suggested activity: Split the class into 4 groups. Each
group take a different Gospel. Look at the re-telling
of the story of Jesus feelings the crowd with loaves
and fishes. Mathew 14:13-21, Mark 6: 30-44, Luke
9:10-17, John 6: 10-17. Compare similarities and
differences and discuss why they think each Gospel
varies in detail.
Suggested activity: Look up 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. If
Week 5
New Testament Books: St.Paul, to the children in year 2, advising them on
Acts/Letters/Revelation. how to behave as they grow up as members of your
school community. Give them as much guidance as
you can to encourage them to behave in a Christian
manner towards each other. Use your own
experience.
this passage was taken seriously by world leaders, or
people in your town, or in your class, describe how
you think life might be changed, giving examples and
explain how you think people might feel.
LO: To look at the Bible
within daily life.
Suggested activity: Using the Rejoice template on
the website, prepare a Collective Worship using
some of the Scripture that you have studied from
the Bible or from God’s story 3, showing how this
will help you in your daily life.
Use respond for assessment on this topic.
Respond
Eucharist – Relating – Unity
Week 6
LO: To look at Jesus’
prayer for unity.
LO: To understand
communion with Jesus.
Jesus’ prayer for unity
In communion with Jesus
Suggested activity: As a disciple, send a text or
email to a friend, explaining what Jesus had taught
about being one in heart and mind and the
difference it has made to your life.
Suggested activity: Choose some suitable music or
song/ hymn with which to develop a dance showing
how Jesus brings together many different people
with different gifts.
Spring 2
Week 1
LO: To look at the
Prayer for peace and
unity and the sign of
peace.
Prayer for peace and unity and sign of peace.
Holy Communion
Suggested activity: Compose a prayer for peace and
unity in your family, class or beyond, expressing
Suggested activity: In a small group, imagine you are
writing part of a Holy Communion programme for
belief and understanding.
LO: To understand the
meaning of Holy
Communion
Use respond after this activity for assessment.
year 3. Make an attractive package explaining and
describing about Holy Communion, what happens
and what it means.
Respond
Lent/ Easter – Giving – Death and New
Life
Week 2
‘Lent, a time to
remember the suffering
and death of Jesus.’
Suggested activity: To make Lenten prayers.
Week 3
LO: To discuss what we
think life is really like.
Suggested activity: To Learn a new hymn which
relates to the ‘bread of life’.
Week 4
‘Unless a grain of wheat
dies
LO: To compose a poem about The raising of
Lazarus.
‘The raising of Lazarus’
Suggested activity: In the character of Lazarus
compose a short poem which helps to explain his
feelings and emotions as he experiences death and
his return to new life.
‘Good Friday of the
Passion of the Lord’
Suggested activity: ‘Good Friday of the Passion of
the Lord,’ explain this for someone who has never
been before, explain what happens, the meanings
and the purpose of this Liturgy.
Week 5
Suggested activity: In pairs or small groups, invite
the children to read and discuss the words of the
prayer for the distribution of ashes. Write their own
version of the prayer for a younger child which helps
them to understand the meaning of Lent and its
significance to Christians.
Suggested activity: Design a leaflet for a non –
Christian which helps to clarify and further their
understanding of the significance and meaning of
the ‘bread of life’.
‘Unless a grain of wheat dies’
Suggested activity: Invite the pupils to draw a
picture of a wheat sheaf. Around it draw/ write as
many ways in which their life is ‘fruitful’ for
themselves and others and the reasons why.
Suggested activity: Use a hymn book to find suitable
hymns that could be used for the Adoration of the
Holy cross and explain the reasons for your choice.
Week 6
‘The Easter Vigil;
celebrating the new life
of Easter’
Use respond for assessment.
Respond
Suggested activity: Using Missals, research what is
written on the Paschal candle. Make it into a poster
with labels explaining the inscriptions and their
meaning or decorate and make an Easter candle
with a guide to explaining the meaning.
Summer 1
Pentecost – Serving - Witnesses
Week 1
LO: To look at how
Jesus appears to his
disciples
LO: To understand the
ascension of Jesus
Week 2
‘Stephen chosen to
spread the word’
‘Witnesses to the Easter
message:Lydia.’
Week 3
LO: To look at Modern
Witnesses to the power
of the Holy Spirit.
LO: To look at Ourselves
as witnesses.
‘The ascension of Jesus’
‘Jesus appears to his disciples’
Suggested activity: Research what, how and why
the Jewish people celebrate the festival of
Pentecost or Shavuot today. Explain how it
influences their lives.
Suggested activity: Imagine you were present in
Galilee and heard Jesus’ message about going out to
‘peoples everywhere’. In the light of what you heard,
what would you do next? How would your actions
begin to shape other people’s lives? Discuss.
Stephen chosen to spread the word
Witnesses to the Easter message: Lydia.
Suggested activity: Imagine you are Lydia. Tell the
story of how you met Paul and Timothy, the
impression they made on you, the questions about
the meaning and purpose of life you asked them
their response, demonstrating how religious beliefs
and teaching provide greater understanding.
‘Ourselves as witnesses’
Suggested activity: Hot-seat Stephen. Question him
about his beliefs and values, his feelings and
experiences, and what gave him such courage.
Record it using a video camera or digital photos with
captions.
Suggested activity: Write a profile of a local charity.
Who founded it and why? What was their
inspiration, how do they help people and why do
volunteers give their time to help others? Explain
Suggested activity: Do you know any modern
witnesses e.g. family member, parishioner,
celebrity? Discuss their work and what makes them a
modern witness. How are their actions shaping lives?
‘Modern Witnesses to the power of the Holy Spirit’
what a difference it makes?
Respond
Reconciliation – Inter-relating – Healing
Week 4
Week 5
LO: To look at stories
which show Jesus caring
for the sick
‘Caring for these in
need; a Christian
responsibility.’
Suggested activity: Recount of the story.
Suggested activity: Compose a Litany prayer for all
those on the neighbourhood who are in need.
Suggested activity: Hot-seat the blind man, asking
him about his life, his experience of his encounter
with Jesus and his faith and how it shaped his life.
Suggested activity: Make a storyboard of this
parable, including the reasons why the Samaritan
acted as he did and what effect it had on the man
who was mugged.
SATs Week
Week 6
‘Anointing the sick’
Visit to the elderly people home this week?
Practise hymns which would be sang to the
residents?
Visit to the elderly people home this week?
Practise hymns which would be sang to the
residents?
Summer 2
Week 1
LO: To understand the
sacrament of the
Anointing of the sick
during Mass.
Week 2
LO: To understand the
sacrament of Anointing
of the sick for those
who are very ill.
LO: To look at why
Lourdes is seen as a
place of healing.
Week 3
Suggested activity: Compose your own final
prayer for those who are sick, perhaps as a
powerpoint presentation with pictures to give
meaning to words.
Fundraising for a hospice?
Suggested activity: Compose your own final
prayer for those who are sick, perhaps as a
powerpoint presentation with pictures to give
meaning to words.
Fundraising for a hospice?
Suggested activity: Research some information
about Lourdes and design a poster for a school
or parish trip to Lourdes and explain why it
Suggested activity: Research some information
about Lourdes and design a poster for a school
or parish trip to Lourdes and explain why it
Week 4
Week 5
Respond
would be good to go, what the experience
would be like and how it might shape your life.
Respond for Assessment
would be good to go, what the experience
would be like and how it might shape your life.