Course overview - Study Period 1 and 2
During the first study period: Learners will explore the concept of religion: the common features of religions, the purpose behind religion and the benefits to believers. Learners will be introduced to the Six Major World Religions, and compare their features. Learners will learn key facts about each of these religions, and study how widespread they are in the world. Learners will begin to analyse how religions work, and evaluate reasons for their similarities and differences.
During the second study period: Learners will study the concept of deities in more detail. They will define common features of deities, and consider what makes deities worthy of worship. They will explore the nature monotheistic deities, including the deities of the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam); and they will compare and contrast this with the natures of polytheistic deities such as those found in Hinduism.
Key Concept:
What is Religion? What is a Deity?
Assessment Points:
Regular assessments of subject matter and knowledge retention using Google Forms; formative assessment of analytical writing; summative end-of-module assessments for each study period - a combination of short-answer knowledge-based questions and analytical questions requiring longer, more detailed explanations.
Guidance:
1:1 interaction
Feedback on analytical and evaluative answers - “What Went Well” and “Even Better If…”
Google Form assessments will be marked, and learners will be guided to focus on answers they missed.
Key Vocabulary:
Hinduism/Hindu
Judaism/Jewish/Jew
Buddhism/Buddhist
Christianity/Christian
Islam/Islamic/Muslim
Sikhism/Sikh
Deity
Prophet
Scripture
Monotheism
Polytheism