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