Our next topic in RE is Special Places which looks at some of Jesus' special places and thinks about why people still visit them today. We normally spend four weeks on each RE topic so the work below can be spread out until the end of term.

We would usually spend the first week on EXPLORE, talking about places that are special to us and how they make us feel.

After that, we will spend a couple of weeks on REVEAL, looking at special places from the Bible, places where significant events took place. We also look at places of worship from around the world - how they can be special and different from one another.

Our final week of the topic is spent on RESPOND, a time when we can think about how we can take care of these special places.

LESSON 1:
Everyone has a place which is special to them. Take a look at the PowerPoint of Yulissa's Story and think about these questions:

• What is a special place?
• What places are special for Yulissa?
• Where is your special place?
• What makes it special for you?
• Is it a place you go when you feel happy/sad, fed up/angry, just because or another reason?
• How do you show you appreciate your special place?
• In what ways have any of your special places changed as you have grown up?
• Why does everyone need a special place?

Draw a picture of one of your special places. If you have too many to choose from, maybe you could draw/write them on strips of paper and join them together to make a paper chain.

REVEAL: Special Places for Jesus and the Christian Community

LESSON 2: On the map below are some places that were special to Jesus. It is possible today to visit many of these places in what Christians call the Holy Land. They can go there on a pilgrimage to find out more about what happened there and to experience that special place.

Watch the PowerPoint above to discover what happened to Jesus at each of these places. Here are the Bible references that you can look up to find stories about Jesus’ special places:
Luke 2: 11 (Bethlehem)
Matthew 2: 23 (Nazareth)
Luke 2: 41, 46 (Jerusalem)
Mark 1: 9 (Baptism in the Jordan)
Matthew 5: 1−2 (Sermon on the mount)

Choose an activity:

• Print out and cut up the cards in the document below. Match the special events in Jesus' life to the special places where they took place.
• Answer these questions - 
  • Where were the special places for Jesus?
  • Why were they special?
  • Why do you think some of these places are still special and holy today?
  • Why are these places so special for Christians today?
• Write about which event happened at what place on the map and say why that place is so special to Jesus. You could then relate that to special places for you (e.g. the River Jordan is special to Jesus as he was baptised there. St. Cuthbert's Church is special to me because this is where I was baptised).

• Our Lady’s shrine at Walsingham in Norfolk. This shrine honours the Annunciation and was one of the greatest shrines for Christians in medieval times – when travel to the Holy Land was very difficult.
• Our Lady of the Taper is the national Catholic shrine of Wales. It is in Cardigan. A legend describes how a statue of Mary was found about one thousand years ago by the side of the River Teifi. The statue was of Mary with Jesus on her lap and a candle (taper) burning in her hand.
• St Winefride’s Well in Holywell, North Wales, centres round a holy woman called Winefride who lived in the 7th century. She became a saint and her well at Holywell has been a place of pilgrimage and healing since that time.

Maybe you know someone who has been on a pilgrimage. You could ask them why they went and what they did while they were there.
Part of a pilgrimage to a special place is that it reminds people how important it is to pray and take time to think about what is important in their lives.

In the past, pilgrims often returned from their pilgrimage with a badge to show where they had been.
Pilgrims to the shrine of St James at Compostela in Spain wore a shell badge.
Perhaps you could design a badge for one of the special places of pilgrimage? Describe and give reasons for their choice of design.

LESSON 4: The World as a Special Place. Our world has been given to us by God, to share, to take care of and to enjoy.

Watch the video below to remind you about God's incredible creation.

Think about these questions:

• Why is God’s world so special?
• How can you help to keep it special?
• Why is it important for Christians to keep the world a special place?
• How are some people stopping certain places from being special?
• What can you do to change this?
• What ideas do you have for making your school, classroom, home and God’s world a place that is enjoyed, shared and cared for?

Watch Jack Johnson's video below.

Write an acrostic poem using the letters RESPECT. Think about ways we can and should care for our world. We should see it as a Special Place and take of it. If you'd like to share your poem on the Purple Mash Y3 Blog, we'd love to see it, and any other work you have been doing.

RESPOND: Remembering celebrating and responding to: everyone has a special place and special places for Jesus and for the Christian community.

LESSON 5: Think of as many ways as you can that enable us all to care for God’s world and to protect it as a special place. You could make a promise to care for the world and write it on a heart shape. 

At the end of all the work on SPECIAL PLACES, say this prayer together:

Lord, thank you for giving us so many special places
In our homes, In our school, in our churches, in our world, in our hearts.
Help us to take time to be still.
God, thank you for having a special place in our hearts.
Help us to know that you are always there in good times and difficult times.
Fill our hearts with your Holy Spirit.
Amen

Our next topic in RE is Choices which links in to Reconciliation. We normally spend four weeks on each RE topic so the work below can be spread out from 1st-26th June.

We would usually spend the first week on EXPLORE, talking about what we know about choices we make and their consequences. Read the story below and think about the choices the characters made.

After that, we will spend a couple of weeks on REVEAL, looking at stories from the Bible that tell us about choices made by Biblical characters relating to reconciliation. I will add a video version below to make it easy for you to find out more. We've included more practical activities you can try such as retelling through drama, creating a comic/storyboard or filming using a mobile phone or iPad.

Our final week of the topic is spent on RESPOND, a time when we can think about how these events from 2000 years ago affect us today. 

LESSON 1:
Read the story about Paul and Jane, and think about these questions:

1. What do the words choice and consequence mean?
2. What choices can you find in the story?
3. What two choices did Mum give Paul?
4. What do you think Paul said to his Mum?
5. How do you think Jane felt when she heard what Tom said, and what Andrew said?
6. How do you think Paul felt?
7. What were the consequences of Paul’s choice?
8. What choices have you had to make recently, how did you choose and what were the consequences? (Perhaps give some examples of class choices.)

Choose an activity:

• Download the Wheel of Choice - look at the different choices that you can make when you get upset at home. Talk about them with a family member. Maybe you could colour-in the wheel and keep it somewhere to remind you of your choices when things get tough?
• Download the Choices Activity Cards - either sort these into good and bad choices, or download the Choices Cube and use this alongside the cards to consider choices we all have to make at home. Play this as a game by yourself or with other family members. This would be a nice one to share with younger brothers and sisters as you can help them to make good choices.

REVEAL: The importance of conscience in making choices

LESSON 2: When he was teaching the people, and trying to help them, Jesus told this story about two sons who made choices. Choices always have consequences. Listen to the story from Matthew 21: 28-31

Choose an activity:

• Write/draw/act your own up-to-date story of The Two Sons to illustrate choosing the good and the consequences. Make a PowerPoint of your story.
• Make a storyboard of the choices made by each son using the frame below.

LESSON 3: Have you seen the Disney version of Pinocchio? Listen carefully to the words from this song sung by Jiminy Cricket. He tells Pinocchio to "Always let your conscience be your guide."

What is a conscience?

Choosing wisely is important. Christians try to live as Jesus lived. There are some things that will help in making a good choice; to pray and ask for help, to get advice from someone you trust and know makes good choices and think about the possible consequences of the choices. Will it have a good effect on yourself and on others?

LESSON 4: God is always loving and forgiving. God is full of mercy and compassion. God always loves you, but does not like sin.

Read the story of the Prodigal son from Luke 15: 11-32, as far as “…..He ran to the boy and hugged and kissed him.” or watch the video above. You will know this story from assemblies in school.

Look at the various pictures of the Prodigal Son in the document below. This Bible Story has featured in many paintings, sketches, sculptures and even tattoos! Talk about what is happening and what the characters might be thinking. Who does the father represent and who does the son represent?

LESSON 5: One of the more formal ways of saying sorry to God is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (it is sometimes called Confession or Penance). 

Try writing a prayer that says sorry for the times when we make bad choices. You can use the Teaspoon Prayer format if you like - it's nice and simple.

Remember, when we say sorry it means we'll try not to do the same thing again. We'll try to make a better choice next time. 

RESPOND: Remembering, celebrating and responding to choices have consequences and the importance of conscience in making choices.

LESSON 6: Think about this sentence opening -

"Next time I have difficult choices I will..." Copy it down and complete the sentence. You might have one idea, you might have a whole list. 

Our next topic in RE is Energy: Wind & Fire which links in to the Holy Spirit descending on Pentecost. We normally spend four weeks on each RE topic so the work below can be spread out from 20th April to 15th May.

We would usually spend the first week on EXPLORE, talking about what we know about the energy of wind and fire. Have a watch of the videos below and maybe try out the craft activity - making a windmill. If you are enjoying a barbeque with all this gorgeous weather then you really can see the power of fire up close (but not TOO close, make sure you have an adult with you.) Maybe you could try toasting marshmallows over a firepit? We don't normally get to do this in school!

After that, we will spend a couple of weeks on REVEAL, looking at stories from the Bible that tell us about Jesus' Ascension to heaven and the wonder and power of the Holy Spirit. I will add a video version below to make it easy for you to find out more. We've included more practical activities you can try such as designing a poster or decorating pebbles. 

Our final week of the topic is spent on RESPOND, a time when we can think about how these events from 2000 years ago affect us today. 

EXPLORE: The energy of fire and wind

Read together and share the non-fiction text, Wind, by Eric Edison.

Click on the image to follow a link to YouTube. Either listen to the reader or mute your device and read this yourself!

Choose activities:

• Talk together about fire and wind.
• Fire - Explore the danger of fire and the safety measures we must take. Think of all the things that you can use fire for: starting a car, cooking, light, warmth, making things, metal work, glass, firing pottery, for purifying etc.  Talk about the qualities of fire – it warms, melts, cooks, burns, change liquids and solid substances.  Fire gives us light.
• Wind – if you have balloons use them to show wind power. Blow up the balloon and put the balloons down on the floor.  What happens?  How could you make them stay on the spot?  Can you always control the balloon?  Why not?  Will it go where you want it to?  What makes it move?
• Watch these videos to see the power of wind and fire...

• Now for the fun part! Letting the air out of the balloon.   Slowly at first and then quickly.  Did you see anything happen?  Did you hear anything?  What made the noise?  What made the movement?
• Think about wind and how we can use it in everyday life: drying things, windmills, wind farms and its use in nature: blowing away old leaves, distributing seeds etc.
• Show some BBC learning zone clips on wind power and fire e.g. making pottery.  Notice how both wind and fire engage the senses: seeing, touching, hearing and smelling.  Talk about how they do this.
• Make streamers, a kite, large pinwheel to blow in the wind.
• Make a flame collage, picture, building a model of a fire.

Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit when he went back to his Father in heaven. The Holy Spirit showered gifts upon the friends of Jesus, gifts which were different kinds of energy, gifts which gave them strength.  They needed strength to go out and tell everyone about Jesus and share the Good News he gave us. The Holy Spirit has given special gifts to us all.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit help us in everyday life.  There are seven gifts, which help people to lead good lives and make use of the gifts they have.  These gifts should be used to help others.

Wisdom – be sensible and thoughtful.

Understanding – be loving to one another and take time to see what is happening.

Counsel – using wisdom and understanding to come to a good choice about something.

Fortitude – be brave and stand up for what you believe to be right and holy.

Knowledge – making right choices and good understanding. It takes practice to have true knowledge.

Piety – be respectful to God, for one another and for yourself.

Fear of the Lord - the awe and wonder of God. Be amazed by the love and goodness of God.

Some of the words are difficult to understand. Just think about one at a time. They all link together.

Choose Activities

• Talk together about which of the gifts of the Holy Spirit do you think is the most important to you? Why?
• How do the gifts of the Holy Spirit help us to help others?
• Where have you seen people using the gifts of the Holy Spirit?  - at home, school and in the local community? There will be so many examples of these gifts as we are seeing lots of people helping those who are poorly, lonely, need shopping etc.
• Make a poster, collage, drawing or painting of the amazing ways the gifts of the Holy Spirit are being used around in our country and around the world.
• Decorate pebbles from your garden or cut out paper gift boxes to write the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
• Write a letter or email to say thank you to someone who is using their gifts of the Holy Spirit to help others.

Journey into Easter with Children

Inspired by paintings from the Ethiopian artist Nebiyu Assefa, this pack offers children and their families new and creative ways to engage with the story of Holy Week and Easter at home.

Look at the web gallery, and choose some favourite art.

Here is a good place to start looking: https://www.natre.org.uk/aboutnatre/projects/spirited-arts/spirited-arts-gallery/2019/?ThemeID=66

If you prefer to start with poetry, here are some poems to look at – and listen to. https://www.natre.org.uk/about-natre/projects/spiritedarts/spirited-poetry-2019/spirited-poetry-collection/2019/?ThemeID=83

Imagine you are a judge for this competition. Look at ten or more examples from your age group, and select your three favourites for ‘gold, silver and bronze’ medals.

Make a 3-minute pencil sketch of the three you like best, and say why you gave them prizes.

Here is an example of work.

Entering your work for the competition

The 2020 competition has a closing date on 31st July.

Judging will take place over the summer and prizes of £25 vouchers will be awarded to the winners.

Entries need to be posted to:

NATRE / Spirited Arts,

5–6 Imperial Court,

12 Sovereign Road,

Birmingham

B30 3FH

Make sure your work is marked with your name, age, and school (if your work is selected for the website galleries, we will not identify you of course).

Bulky or 3D work can be photographed and submitted online.

See the website for further details

https://www.natre.org.uk/aboutnatre/projects/spirited-arts/spirited-arts-2020/