What I believe, think, and feel. Year 7 R.E. Homework Booklet

1. This booklet is due in on:________________ Name:______________ What I believe, think, and feel. Year 7 R.E. Homework Booklet

2. 1. Alright? When you walk around school do people greet you with, “Alright?” When people do this do you say “Alright?” back? Both you and the other person have asked each other how you are but neither of you have answered the question! In R.E. we try and learn about religion and to learn from religion. This sometimes means that we need to reflect on how we feel. Reflecting on how we feel is important to many, many religions around the world. Match the pictures to the person’s emotion. A B C D E Calm Overjoyed Angry Reflective Frustrated Complete the table below. EXTENSION: Use a dictionary to find out the meanings of these other words to describe emotions. Write your own version and staple the sheet into this booklet: distressed, intrigued, tickled, revolted, curious, content, alienated.,

3. 2. Are you sure? When we study RE we often think and talk about our own and other people’s opinions. However, some of our opinions are not as firm as others. Some times we know something and at other times we are more open to other ideas. Complete these sentences about how certain we are about things.

4. 3. Are mice really bigger than elephants? (Part 1) You’re a big ugly stupid and you smell of cabbage! Some people say some daft stuff – things that aren’t true. Sometimes it is funny. Sometimes it can make you angry and you want to tell them that they are wrong. Sometimes you want to correct them to help them understand how the world really is. How can we do this politely and without causing offence? You’re wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! WRONG! Look at this pair of people. They obviously disagree about something. However, I don’t think that they are ever going to agree. Give at least 2 reasons why they are not going to agree. ________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Hmmm… I think that what they are doing is having a row. What they should be doing is having an argument. An argument is when people have different points of view and try and persuade each other that they are correct. Your argument is your point of view. Imagine someone walks up to you and starts to tell you that mice are bigger than elephants. Which of the arguments on the next page is the best for persuading them that they are wrong?

5. 4. Are mice really bigger than elephants? (Part 2) A. Well, you’re wrong there. Elephants are bigger than mice. Are you stupid or blind? B. It can’t be true! I’ve never seen an elephant bigger than a mouse! ? C. What you say is interesting but I disagree. I think that elephants are bigger than mice. I’ve done some research and found that when elephants are born they usually weigh close to 120 kilos. That’s much bigger than any species of mouse humans have ever found. Which of these is the best argument? Write the letters below. Best: ____ Second best:___ Worst:___ What made it the best argument? When you are trying to persuade someone of something (i.e. arguing with them) which of the following would be most effective? Highlight the words and phrases that are REALLY BAD advice for people who want to argue well. Stay calm. Be sarcastic Be polite. Listen to what other people are saying. Use evidence to back up what you are saying. Get angry. Repeat things using exactly the same words. Try and make your opponent cry. Ask questions when people say things you don’t understand. Don’t listen to what other people are saying. Use rude words. Shout. EXTENSION: Write your own argument against the man who says that mice are bigger than elephants and staple it into your booklet.

6. 5. How can I describe my beliefs? (Part 1) Lots of people argue about issues to do with beliefs ideas. Sometimes they argue well and help spread understanding. Sometimes they argue badly and cause offence. In order to help us understand each other it is good to learn words that describe our beliefs? Muslims, Christians and Jews (amongst others) would describe themselves as monotheists. Given that… …Monopoly ends when 1 player controls the whole board. …monoplanes have 1 set of wings… …a monocle helps 1 eye focus… …a monochrome picture has only 1 colour (in this case black)… How many Gods do you think a monotheist believes in? Write you answer here: ______ Other people would describe themselves as polytheists.Given that… Gutentag! Bonjour! Hello! Ola! …a polymath is someone who is good at more than one subject. …music where there is more than one sound at a time is called polyphony… …a polyglot speaks more than one languages… …a polygon is a shape with more than one sides… How many Gods do you think a polytheist believes in? Write you answer here: _______ EXTENSION: Can you name any polytheistic religions? (HINT: Thinking about your primary school history lessons might help.) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. 6. How can I describe my beliefs? (Part 2) Other people would describe themselves as atheists. Given that… …asphyxiation means being not being able to breathe (you are without breath). …asymmetric shapes are not the same on both sides (they are without symmetry)… …an amoral person is without any idea of what is right or wrong (they are without morals)… …aphasics are people who cannot speak (they are without speech)… How many gods does an atheist believe in? Write you answer here: ________ Other people are not sure whether there is a god or not. If a ‘gnostic’ is someone who is sure. What might be a good word to describe someone who is not sure? (HINT: Look above ) “An __gnostic is someone who is not sure if there is a god or not.” Write the word that describes these people’s beliefs. I don’t know whether there is a god or not. I know that there is one God and Jesus was his son. I believe that Zeus is the king of all of the gods. I know that there is no god at all. “She is a… “He is a… “She is an… “He is an… ____________” ____________” ____________” ____________” EXTENSION: Can you name a famous theist, atheist or polytheist and tell me which religion they follow? Person: _____________________________________________ Religion: ____________________________________________

8. 7. What makes ‘me’, me? (Part 1) Draw a picture of yourself in the box below. Write these things around the edges of your picture: • 2 of your physical features that are special to you, something that makes you different from your friends. (Maybe your hair, your eyes, your teeth…)

9. 8. What makes ‘me’, me? (Part 2) But is that all? Or, is there something else? In a different coloured pen, add into your labels in section 7: • 1 thing that you are proud of. (“I am proud of…”) • 1 thing that you are scared of. (“I am scared of…”) • 1 thing that you enjoy. (“I enjoy…”) • 1 thing that you dislike. (“I dislike…”) • 1 thing you want to get better at. (“I want to get better at…”) • 1 thing you love. (“I love…”) But are you just made of electricity and chemicals? Do you have hopes and dreams, pride and fear just because of the atoms that make up your body? Listen to what these two men say. Hello, I am Karl Marx. Although I look like a crazy old-fashioned man I am one of the most important thinkers in history. I don’t think that you are made up of anything but chemicals and electricity. There is nothing but the natural world. There is no soul or spirit that lives in your body. This is not sad, it is just true and we should be happy with that. Hello, my name is Justin Welby. Although I might look like an old-fashioned man I am still alive! And I am very important because I am the Archbishop of Canterbury (just like Thomas Becket was). This means that I am one of the most important Christians in England. I believe that there is more to you than just chemicals and electricity. I believe you have a spirit or soul. This is what makes you special and unique. I also believe that your soul will live on after your physical body dies. Which of these two views do you most agree with? EXTENSION: Can you find out which religion Justin Welby follows? ____________________________________________

10. 9. Natural and Supernatural As you saw on the previous page, some people believe that there are things that are different from things that appear in the world around us. They believe that there are things that are made of different stuff. We call these things supernatural. (In R.E. when we describe something as natural it doesn’t necessarily mean that it grows in the countryside. It just means that it is made out of stuff that we can see, hear, touch and smell. Therefore, someone studying R.E. might describe a car as ‘natural’ even though it has obviously been made by people.) Whether you believe in them or not, tick the right boxes below….

11. 10. Using what we have learned. Find someone who you know. Ask them politely about their religious beliefs. (Be careful, religious beliefs are very personal and not everybody will want to talk to you about their beliefs. If someone says, “No,” thank them for their honesty and ask someone else.) Using the words and ideas from this booklet, describe what someone else thinks about God and religion. _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________