Planning RE using the Mind Friendly Framework for Learning

Connect to previous learning: What do I already know? What do I want to know?

Tell a partner some of the ways that you celebrate Christmas.

Learning intentions: to know, to be able to do, to understand

How Christians celebrate Christmas

The Big Picture: What will I be finding out or learning about?

How Christians celebrate Christmas

Achievable steps: What are we going to do? How are we going to do it?

We will think about some of the different traditions that we have at Christmas. We will then produce a piece of music to tell some of these things.

Teacher input: engaging the learner and encouraging thinking through visual, auditory and kinaesthetic cues

The children sit in a circle. In the centre is a collection of items and pictures associated with Christmas, with some from other celebrations e.g. tinsel, cards, Santa, stocking, pumpkin face, Easter bunny etc.
The children are chosen to select an item from the collection in the middle. When all have an object, tell the partner next to them if it is a Christmas item or not, and why they think that. Go round and share as a class.
Discuss how some are traditions, whereas some are more religious. Finish by drawing particular attention to the picture of carol singers and the music playing in the background.

Main activity: children explore the learning and establish meaning through activities which take account of multiple intelligences.

Children can choose to work alone, in pairs or in groups to produce a piece of music. This can be a chant, words spoken chorally with instruments, a rap, new words to an existing tune or a completely new song with their own tune. The words must convey how Christmas is celebrated.

Show you know: practise, rehearse and memorise key points. What have I learned?

Each group to perform their work.

Reflection: How did I learn? What do I need to know next?

How did we learn this?