An ethics lesson about the historical foundations of religions
Different beliefs, shared values — one community built on respect
Germany
Creative and cross-curricular learning

Goals
An Social Science lesson for Year 7 students, in which they learn about the historical foundations of religions and the things they have in common, thereby developing an understanding of the origins of religions.

Target group and educational context
Remembering & Understanding
Teacher introduces the three religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism). Students learn key facts, symbols, holy books, and places of worship through short texts, pictures, and vocabulary activities.
Applying & Analyzing
Students compare the three religions in groups. They identify similarities and differences and discuss how religion influences daily life and society.
Evaluating & Creating
Students reflect on tolerance and respect between religions. They create posters or short presentations about peaceful coexistence and shared values.

Why is this practice inspiring?
Overall Learning Objectives for the students can …
• describe basic characteristics of different religions,
• explain why religion is important for many people,
• discuss questions of belief respectfully,
• compare similarities and differences between religions,
• reflect on values, tolerance, and coexistence in society.

Implementation
Overall Learning Objectives
Students can …
• describe basic characteristics of different religions,
• explain why religion is important for many people,
• discuss questions of belief respectfully,
• compare similarities and differences between religions,
• reflect on values, tolerance, and coexistence in society.
Introduction and preparation for the lesson by reading the text at home.
Start by watching the video, then review the mind map; a basic knowledge of geography is required here.

Socio-scientific issues

Available resources
Lesson Plan / Activity Instructions / Teacher Guide; Worksheet / Student Handout; Instructional Video / Recorded Presentation / Webinar.

Practice Overview
Contributing organisation
Hermann-Ehlers-Gymnasium
Location
Berlin, Germany
Type of practice
Classroom Practice
Target age group
10-12
Duration
5-8 hours
Number of sessions / activities
4-6
Delivery mode
In-Person
Main focus areas
Critical Thinking, Ambiguity Tolerance & Resilience, Civic & Citizenship Competences
Related subjects
First Language, English as a Foreign Language, History, Civics & Global Citizenship Education, Integrated Social Studies, Religious Education, Ethics, Integrated Humanities
Available resource languages
English, German
