Primary RE Conference The Law of Karma

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Primary RE ConferenceThe Law of Karma Teach
Well, Learn Well(Buddhism in Year 6)
Wednesday 7th October 2009

• Alexis Fowler

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Session Outcomes

• To gain knowledge and understanding of the
  changes
• made to the Hertfordshire Scheme of Work for Year
  6.

• To participate in an Interactive Overview,
  understanding their place throughout KS2.

• To participate in an activity which uses an
  example of a weblink.

To re-familiarise with the balancing AT1 and AT2.
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Hertfordshire Scheme of Work for RE - Year 6
Non-statutory
Meets the statutory requirements of the Agreed
Syllabus
In response to teachers request due to the
curriculum overload in the year of SATs, the
study of Hinduism has been moved to Year 4,
reducing the content in Year 6 to Christianity
and Buddhism
- Teaching activities can be amended, substituted
or deleted, providing there is coverage of the
Programmes of Study across KS2 (Agreed
Syllabus). Use tick sheets on pages 11 and 12.

• RE can be taught in weekly, in blocks, around
  revision and testing,
• or any other way, providing 156 hours are taught
  in KS2.

-Visits and visitors contribute to this time
allocation.
Optional unit to introduce aspects of Holocaust
education
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Interactive Overview Getting the
Wheels in Motion
Year 6 Autumn A (p158-9) HOW DO CHRISTIANS AND
BUDDHISTS LIVE THEIR LIVES? (21, 25, 222,
223, 224) Provide on display a picture of an
eight spoke wheel. Write in each section a right
way of living according to the Buddhist Noble
Eightfold Path. Conceal these eight rules for
living under flaps. (This is The Buddhas first
teaching.)
Reveal one at a time and discuss.
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Interactive Overview Getting the
Wheels in Motion
Right Awareness
Right Effort
Right Concentration
Right Living
Right Understanding
Right Action
Year 6 Autumn A (p159) How does the way people
speak to each other have an effect on
others? What is the right way to speak.
Right Speech
Right Thought
Can you provide any good examples that would be
worthy of displaying?
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Interactive Overview
There is an Interactive Overview like this at the
start of each academic year in Key Stage 2.
Provide an opportunity to ascertain pupil prior
knowledge. The Scheme allows for flexibility to
change activities. Link prior knowledge to these
teachings on the display.
Present to the children what they will be
learning about during the year. Practices and
ways of life that are connected with these
teachings.
Provide an opportunity for a growing interactive
display throughout the year which can be used
interactively with both pupils and teachers
contributing to it. The displays can be used as
learning aids, a place for pupils to contribute
their thoughts and a celebration of their
learning.
2.2 is an on-going Pos To use specialist
vocabulary in communicating their knowledge and
understanding. Recommended vocabulary is listed
in an adjacent column. Vocabulary can be
displayed and children encouraged to use it.
Provides opportunity for both learning about
Buddhism and learning from Buddhism.
Provides opportunity for personal reflection.
Pupils may have questions they gather over time
and should be encouraged to note these to ask a
Buddhist visitor later in the year. Pupils should
be encouraged to understand that this is a living
religion.
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The Buddha

• The Buddha is not a God. He does not hand out
  rewards or punishments.

The relationship between The Buddha and Buddhists
is that of teacher and students.
Buddhism does not call for unquestionable faith,
but places heavy emphasis on self discipline and
individual striving.
Anyone can become a Buddha (enlightened) if one
practices diligently and attains purity of mind.
The purpose of shrines are not to worship the
Buddha, but to look to him for inspiration to
develop his good qualities.
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Discuss in groups What do these images show
about the character and qualities of the Buddha?
Year 6 Autumn A (p160)
Hand(s) raised, palm out
Flame-like headdress Bump between eyes Legs
crossed, hands in lap palms up
Bump on top of head Half-closed eyes/ withdrawn
expression Elongated ear lobes
Light of supreme knowledge Wisdom eye Calm /
meditating
No weapons or fighting Friendship Fearlessness Two
hands raised - strength
Teaching / preaching / instructing Reason / logic
/ intellect
Wisdom bump Calm/meditating Wise / spiritual
understanding
Palm out, circle made with index finger and thumb
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The Buddha

• Friendly Teacher
• Gentle Preacher
• Strength of mind Instructor
• Fearless Logical
• Wise Intelligent
• Supreme knowledge Spiritual
  understanding
• Calm Meditates
• Peaceful Empathetic
• Self Control Commitment

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Right Understanding
Buddhists use images like these when meditating
to help them to focus on The Buddhas teachings
and qualities and move towards a complete or
perfect vision / RIGHT UNDERSTANDING.
Ask your pupils - What qualities would you
accredit to the most enlightened human being?
The images are from two websites Buddhanet and
the Clear Vision Trust. Other images are from
Buddhaimages.com. Buddhanet also provides
detailed explanation of the symbolism. The Year 6
Scheme of Work has links to all of these.
The laughing Buddha is a Chinese symbol for good
luck, not a Buddha rupa used for meditation.
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Values Game
Year 6 Autumn A (p161)
The Values Game is not sufficient as an RE lesson
on its own alone this would be a PSHE lesson.
The Values Game provides an AT2 element to The
Buddha activity which is necessary for balanced
religious education. The game encourages pupils
to rank personal qualities.
The game may also provoke personal reflection.
There a link to the Year 6 Literacy genre
argument.
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Values Game
In a moment move if necessary, so you can play in
groups of four.
Groups need a board and set of cards.
The first player takes the top card (pack face
down) and decides where to put it, on the grid or
in the dustbin, explaining why it should be
placed there.
Next player can either move that card up or down
one brick or take the next card from the pile.
Explanation and negotiation over moves is key to
the game.
Play until all the cards have been turned over.
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Values Game
What qualities were at the top?
The Buddhanet website states that RIGHT AWARENESS
means awareness/mindfulness of things, oneself,
feelings, thought, people, reality. If you hold
yourself dear, watch yourself well.
The Commitments Game demonstrated in this
mornings Overview Session is available in Lat
Blaylocks book and costs 6. The Values Game
will come free with the purchase of this book.
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The Life of Prince Siddhartha
Year 6 Autumn A (p161)
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Conscience Tunnel
We will draw out the contrast of Siddharthas
life as a rich prince living a sheltered life
inside the walls of the palace and his life
searching for the truth and helping people to
find peace.
Form a tunnel with two lines of people.
One side of the tunnel encourage Prince
Siddhartha to leave the palace to search for the
truth (become enlightened) and help others. The
other side of the tunnel speak against the idea
of him leaving. Delegates say what Prince
Siddhartha is thinking or what others think about
him.
One person in character as Prince Siddhartha,
walk through the tunnel deciding whether or not
to leave the palace.
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Conscience Tunnel
Provides a lively, interactive and interesting
way to learn the story of how Buddhism began.
Pupils learn about Buddhism (AT1) while balancing
it with learning from Buddhism (AT2) by
reflecting on ideas of right and wrong and
responses to it (2.23).
Cross-curricular link - Could provide a starting
point to Year 6 Literacy, journalistic writing,
where pupils write a newspaper report. Or a
script for television/radio of an interview with
Prince Siddhartha after seeing the four sights or
after becoming enlightened.
Right effort Prince Siddhartha consciously
directed his lifes energy on a path to foster
wholeness.
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RIGHT THOUGHT acting from love and compassion.
Year 6 Autumn B (p162)

• The Dalai Lama said If you want others to
• be happy, practise compassion. If you want
• to be happy, practise compassion. Discuss.

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Concentrating the mind
RIGHT CONCENTRATION According to Tibetan
meditation master and teacher of Buddhism Geshe
Kelsang, Meditation for Buddhists is to calm
the mind and be free from worries and mental
discomfort in order to experience true happiness.
If we train our mind to become peaceful we shall
be happy all the time, even in the most adverse
conditions
but if our mind is not peaceful, then even if we
have the most pleasant external conditions we
shall not be happy.
Therefore, it is important to train our mind
through meditation.
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Concentrating the mind
Year 6 Spring A (p166)
Dont Just Sit There, Do Something by Mary Stone
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RIGHT ACTION ethical principle of
non-exploitation of oneself and others (five
precepts)
Year 6 Summer (p171)

• List examples of things people do because of a
  belief they
• hold.
• Relate this to themselves I strongly believe so
  I
• do/do not
• e.g, I strongly believe animals should be
• respected, so I do not buy products tested on
  animals.

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RIGHT LIVING livelihood based on the ethical
principal of non-exploitation
Year 6 Summer (p173)
Page 173 Which of these jobs would a Buddhist
find acceptable/unacceptable? Cook, shopowner,
tobacconist, builder, butcher, teacher, soldier,
nuclear power worker, fisherman, doctor,
librarian. Pupils should give their own examples
of Right Living
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The Values Game (resource)
Conscience Tunnel
Right Awareness
Right Effort
Stilling Activity (resource)
Jobs discussion
Right Concentration
Right Living
Right Understanding
Right Action
The Buddha Activity (weblink)
I believe
Right Speech
Right Thought
Interactive Overview (vocabulary)
Dalai Lama discussion
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Session Outcomes

• To gain knowledge and understanding of the
  changes made to the Hertfordshire Scheme of Work
  for Year 6.

• To participate in an Interactive Overview,
  understanding their place throughout KS2.

• To participate in an activity which uses an
  example of a weblink.

To re-familiarise with the balancing AT1 and AT2.
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Any Questions?
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Time for Tea!