Topic:
xx
LT focus:
- Explore the common inks in any of a range of religious codes of conduct
- Attempt to locate the common values across the traditions
- Explore at class level how these values can benefit society
Introduction
Ask the children if they have ever heard of the word ‘karma’.
Can the explain the term? Do they know where the phrase originated?
What is Karma?
Karma is the law that every cause has an effect, i.e., our actions have results. This simple law explains a number of things: inequality in the world, why some are born handicapped and some gifted, why some live only a short life. Buddhists believe that our past actions have an effect on who or what we are in our next life.
Karma is a belief held by Buddhists. Buddhism began in northeastern India and is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. The religion is 2,500 years old and is followed by 350 million Buddhists worldwide.
Buddhism is the main religion in many Asian countries. It is a religion about suffering and the need to get rid of it. A key concept of Buddhism is Nirvana, the most enlightened, and blissful state that one can achieve. A state without suffering.
Development
Ask the children to access http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/religion/buddhism.htm by linking it to their Google Classroom assignment page.
The children should work in 2s or 3s and discuss their findings.
As a group or individually they should create a Google Pages document to compare and contrast this religion to another religion that they have studied in the recent past.
Under the headings:
Place of Origin
Founder
Sacred Texts
Sacred Building
Major Festivals
Main Branches
Major Beliefs
Then they can share this document to the rest of their group to complete at home if unfinished.
Plenary
The children could share their findings to the class or present these at an assembly.
As below, the children could create of complete a Mandala
The children could also, engage in meditations throughout the week.
Other teacher resources for teaching this topic:
With a link to art the children could listen to buddhist chants and music whilst colouring a Mandala and/or create their own Mandala using the Sketch app.
Link to Geography, the children could locate the origin of Buddhism on the world globe.