Curriculum Overview

 

Key Stage 3 Key Stage 4 Sixth Form

Term 1: Religion and Conflict

This term students will be looking at moral standards (what we think is right and wrong) and how these affect what we do.Students will look at how different people make ethical decisions, and come some conclusions of their own about the 'good' and 'bad' religion and religious people do in the world.

Students will be assessed on all topics covered this term. There will be a mixture of short answer knowledge questions and longer answer analysis and evaluation questions. Students should revise all topics covered this term, paying particular attention to key words.

Zakah
A Muslim has to donate 2 and a half % of their wages each year to those in need. Muslims are encouraged to give more to charity.

Situation Ethics
This is based on the Christian idea of ‘agape’ (selfless love) All decisions are based on what is the most loving thing to do in a particular situation.

Tzedakah
Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for the acts that we call charity in English.

Sadaqah
Any act of giving done out of compassion, love or generosity is called Sadaqah.

Forgiveness
Is the intentional and voluntary process by which a victim undergoes a change in feelings and attitude regarding an offense, lets go of negative emotions such as vengefulness, with an increased ability to wish the offender well.

Conflict
A serious disagreement or argument, typically a protracted one.

Religion
A particular system of faith and worship.

Danger
The possibility of suffering harm or injury.

Ethics
Moral principles that govern a person's behaviour or the conducting of an activity.

Ethical decision-making
Refers to the process of evaluating and choosing among alternatives in a manner consistent with ethical principles. In making ethical decisions, it is necessary to perceive and eliminate unethical options and select the best ethical alternative.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
The individual will be challenged to think about how they would deal with the ethical dilemmas presented. Would these be the same or different to a Christian's?

Create a supportive community:
Pupils will be given the opportunity to share, analyse and discuss and learn about each others beliefs.

Term 2: Religion and Matters of Death

In this topic students will learn about maintaining life and the end of life. Religion binds these two distinct halves, giving students an idea of the attitudes that religions have to life, and from that students can work out the rights and responsibility humans have regarding life.

Holistic assessment of pupils contribution in class and their classwork in their exercise books.

Hospice
A hospice is a place where the dying are cared for. It gives pain relief and makes the terminally ill comfortable.

Euthanasia
Means ‘a gentle death’. It’s also sometimes called ‘mercy killing’

Active Euthanasia
Withholding treatment to deliberately end life, or giving a drug to end life.

Passive Euthanasia
Where treatment is withheld or withdrawn because it’s just delaying the natural process of dying. Or increasing the dose of morphine to control pain, knowing that it will also shorten life. Some people say this isn’t euthanasia at all.

The Golden Rule
The Golden Rule is where Jesus said ‘do to others as you would do to yourself’.

Situation Ethics
Suggests you should look at each situation individually before deciding what is the right action.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
The individual will be challenged to think about how they would deal with the ethical dilemmas presented. Would these be the same or different to a Christian's?

Create a supportive community:
Pupils will be given the opportunity to share, analyse and discuss and learn about each others beliefs.

Term 3: Religion and Animal Ethics

Students will learn about the different ways humans use animals; the rights and wrongs of that usage; the status and rights animals (should) have; and what religions think about the use of animals.

Students will be assessed on their knowledge of the topic covered, as well as Christian attitudes towards the use and abuse of animals.

Justify
Give reasons for decision.

Dangerous
Puts things or people at risk of harm.

Evidence
Information collected to back up a claim.

Cause
The reason for something.

Benefit
A positive thing.

Detriment
An action that hurts or damages.

Dominion
Control, or the exercise of control

Stewardship
One who manages another's property, finances, or other affairs.

Vegan
A person who does not eat any animal product, including eggs and cheese.

Vegetarian
A person who does not eat meat.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
The individual will be challenged to think about how they would deal with the ethical dilemmas presented. Would these be the same or different to a Christian's?

Create a supportive community:
Pupils will be given the opportunity to share, analyse and discuss and learn about each others beliefs.

Term 4: Religion and Environmental Ethics

This topic is about the environment and, from the religion's point of view, humanity's duty to look after the environment. It considers the situation the modern world is in, and how governments are tackling the issue.

Pupils will be assessed in short answer questions on; The Environment, and Hindu and Jewish attitudes towards the environment.

Community
A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.

Dominion
Dominance or power over something; having charge of something or ruling over it

Wonder
Marvelling at the complexity and beauty of the universe

Responsibility
A duty to care for, or having control over, something or someone

Stewardship
The idea that believers have a duty to look after the environment on behalf of God

Awe
A feeling of devout respect, mixed with fear or wonder

Global Warming
Is the increase of Earth's average surface temperature due to effect of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels or from deforestation, which trap heat that would otherwise escape from Earth.

Pollution
The presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
The individual will be challenged to think about how they would deal with the ethical dilemmas presented. Would these be the same or different to a Christian's?

Create a supportive community:
Pupils will be given the opportunity to share, analyse and discuss and learn about each others beliefs.

Term 5: Religion and Medical Ethics

In this topic students will learn about life. It focuses on the beginning of life, and on maintaining life. The religion binds it all together because it gives students an idea of the attitudes that religions have to life, and from that students can work out the rights and responsibility humans have regarding life. There are also cross curricular links with science in this topic.

Holistic assessment of pupils contribution in class and their classwork in their exercise books.

Conscience
A person's moral sense of right and wrong, viewed as acting as a guide to one's behaviour.

Advocate
A person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy.

Blood Transfusions
Someone’s blood replacement with donor blood of the same type, usually during an operation.

Transplant Surgery
Replacing an organ with a donor organ. Transplants can include; heart, liver, kidney etc.

Xenotransplantation
Modified organs from animals used in humans (new technology).

Cloning
Asexual replica of one person using their cells.

Stem Cell Therapy
Using stem cells from embryos to grow organs.

Embryology
Scientific research into genetic diseases using spare or donated embryos younger than 14 days.

Therapeutic cloning
Therapeutic cloning is legal, but strictly controlled. This means scientists can use stem cells etc. to create brain cells or skin, for example. It is considered medicine.

Saviour Siblings
Saviour Siblings are babies genetically altered to provide bone marrow or other tissues/organs for a sick sibling. Some say this is good as it saves lives, others are concerned the sibling will feel used. It is legal in the UK, but there are limits.

Designer babies
Designer babies are babies where a baby’s genes can be altered to give them certain characteristics, such as blue eyes or higher IQs. The technology exists and involves changing certain genes before an embryo is conceived or develops.

Organ donation
Giving organs to be used in transplant surgery

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
The individual will be challenged to think about how they would deal with the ethical dilemmas presented. Would these be the same or different to a Christian's?

Create a supportive community:
Pupils will be given the opportunity to share, analyse and discuss and learn about each others beliefs.

Term 6: Role Models

In this unit students will explore the lives of some religious figures who are considered to be role models. Students will consider what is meant by a role model and explain their own idea of a role model. They will also evaluate the difficulties of being a role model.

Students will be assessed on all topics, including this one in their end of year assessment. There will be a mixture of short answer knowledge questions and longer answer analysis and evaluation questions. Students should revise all topics covered this year, paying particular attention to key words.

Ghandi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the preeminent leader of the Indian independence movement in British-ruled India.

Confrontation
A hostile or argumentative situation or meeting between opposing parties.

Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician, and philanthropist, who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.

Segregation
The action or state of setting someone or something apart from others.

Civil
Relating to ordinary citizens and their concerns, as distinct from military or ecclesiastical matters.

Influence
The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself.

Boycott
Withdraw from commercial or social relations with (a country, organization, or person) as a punishment or protest.

Prominent
Important; famous.

Seclusion
The state of being private and away from other people.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
The individual will be challenged to think about how their beliefs are similar or different to the role models presented.

Create a supportive community:
Pupils will be given the opportunity to share, analyse and discuss and learn about each others beliefs.