One of the highlights of this term in RE has been getting to know the Year 7s better through the ‘show & tell’ of their sacred objects. Every student had to bring in an object and spend 30 seconds explaining why this was special to them. It was great to learn all about their hobbies, religions, cultures, families and memories.
Students could connect their personal experiences to relate to the sacred artefacts belonging to traditional religions. They enjoyed handling a real life kirpan and understood why a Sikh would feel lost without it. A speaker from ‘Good News Bible’ then delivered a presentation on the Bible – a sacred item to many Christians. All students were given the opportunity to take away their very own little red Bible.
Sophie W: My item is a sparkly baby grow on a stick. This was put in my food by my dad step mum to tell me that I have a baby brother. If I lost this, it would make me feel really sad because this is what I have to remember that special day.
Ayesha S: This book is very dear to me for many reasons. The book has stories about how the holy prophets struggled and triumphed in spreading the truth of Islam. It also helps me live my life as a good Muslim.
Lilah C: My sacred item was my christening bracelet. It is sterling silver and has little intricate flowers and my name engraved. It is sadly too small for me now, but it makes it more magical as I can see how I’ve grown since being a tiny baby as I was baptised when I was 3 months old. I will cherish this forever because it’s a special event in my life. The bracelet is a remembrance of when I was welcomed into God’s family and became a Catholic. In my faith, baptism is the first sacrament and one of the ways that we strengthen our relationship with God.
This then connected the first unit of ‘What Does it mean to Belong to a Religion?’ to the second unit ‘Do we belong to God?’ Both of these units make up part of our year 7 enquiry into ‘Where do we Belong?’
To engage their Biblical studies of this unit, students enjoyed viewing different types of Bibles to those they had been previously been exposed to. Students are excited to continue their Biblical studies after Christmas with a new-found interest and respect for the Bible as a sacred object and as a guide to understanding God.
Miss Brooks
RE Department