1. Write the name of the character
Write one thing that makes them different from the other characters?

2. What gives us an identity?
Nationality
Sports team you support
Family you are from
Town you live in
Name/surname
Food preference (vegetarian/meat eater)
Belief
Habits (smoking/drinking)
Age
Colour of your skin
Behaviour (sensible/bully/active/lazy)
Place in the family (Sister/Father/Cousin)
Hair colour
School you go to/class you are in
Gender
Are any of these more important?
Do any of these affect peoples opinions and beliefs?

3. Can your identity change?
A daughter
A colleague
A Guns ‘N’ Roses
Ms Choudhury
A guitarist
A little sister
A friend
A role model to
young people
A teacher

4. Make a diagram for yourself
Hobbies
Family
Friends
Sports
Music
Your Name
Extension: Create symbols that go with each line of your diagram

5. Trimurti

6. Draw a picture showing your identity
Things to think about
How big are you?
What would you be wearing?
What would you be holding?
What is around you?
Each part of your picture needs to represent a part of your character
Extension:
Write down how the different features of your identity shape who you are.
How you behave
What you believe
Your opinions

7. What gives us an identity?
Can you identify what gives you identity? (Tell me three factors that give you identity)
Can you explain how the groups and communities you are part of affect your opinions? (How does the family, school, religion you are part of shape your opinion?)
Can you explain why people show different parts of their identities at different times? (Why might you behave differently at home than when you are out playing with your friends)
What gives us an identity?

8. Starter: List the clues in these pictures
that suggest these people are religious

9. How can you tell if someone is religious?
This is not as easy as it sounds – you can often tell if a person belongs to a religious community, but this does not necessarily mean they are religious – religion is about a person’s beliefs and you cannot see these; you can only see how their beliefs affect their life.
For example, David Beckham is not Jewish. However, he is of Jewish heritage – his grandfather was Jewish and this will probably have affected some of the family’s beliefs and values even though they are no longer part of a Jewish community.
Some families take their children to church because it helps them to get into a particular school, it does not necessarily mean they are religious.
Sometimes a person’s religion is not obvious – but it affects their behaviour and choices. These 3 men may look like they’re just enjoying a hobby, but they’re actually taking part in a sponsored bike ride for Christian Aid.

10. In pairs write down in your books what faith means to you
What is faith?
In pairs write down in your books what faith means to you
Faith is to have a firm belief in something for which there may be no proof; complete trust in something or devotion.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Question at this point whether all faith has to be religious?
AT1: What does it mean to be a member of a faith?

11. What do you think he means when he say “I am everyone”
Some people find that time spent alone helps them to reflect on their faith and what they strongly believe in. Watch this clip.
Mark Beaumont clearly enjoys being on his own, but he still recognises the importance of belonging to communities.
What do you think he means when he say “I am everyone”
AT2: What makes us all different?

12. Belonging to a faith community
People belong to all different sorts of faith communities. Some of these like to focus on time spent alone to develop self- awareness, others like to spend time with others to develop a sense of friendship and belonging.
Some people like to get together and worship with others – usually in a special building such as a Church or a Mosque.
Consider other situations where we have respect for other people’s faith in small groups and feed back to the class

13. So what makes someone religious?
You cannot assume what religion a person is just by what they look like. People have very complex reasons for choosing whether or not to belong to a religion or a faith– and which one to choose.
In your team, have a look at the quotes on the sheet and try to organise them into 3 categories:
Family influences
Personal reasons
Other
AT2: What makes us all different?

14. I was born and brought up in my religion and will never change.
I changed my religion when I went to university because I met some people whose beliefs I respected and valued
I think it is important to keep family traditions alive; and religion is part of this
I’ve never even thought about it. Religion has never been part of my life.
I belong to two religions because my parents have different faiths.
I used to be religious, but I’m not any more
I changed my religion in order to get married.
I follow my religion because it helps me decide the best way to live
I don’t think you need a religion to be a good person. We should respect all belief and faith.
I think all religions are wrong, so I do not belong to any
I do not think it matters which religion you belong to as long as you have one
I know my religion is true. I do not need any other proof
Slide to be printed off and given out one per team for task on previous slide
I enjoy getting together with others in my religion to celebrate special events
When I am sad my religion provides me with comfort. I know that I am cared for
My parents say I can decide my own religion when I am older
I became religious after some people came round to my house one day

15. Do people need to have faith in something?
You probably wouldn’t even have made it to school this morning without having the faith that certain things are true. For example – Did you check that your bus driver had passed their driving test, or did you choose to believe that they had? Did you check that your mum hadn’t poisoned your breakfast, or did you believe and trust that she loves you? Even now – you have to have faith or believe that what we teach you at school is correct. How would you learn if we lied to you or if we just made up our lessons!
AT2: What makes us all different?

16. Now time to think about your own sense of identity and belonging
Now time to think about your own sense of identity and belonging. Choice one
Write your own ‘I am…’ poem.
Remember, it is not about what you are like or your likes and dislikes – it is about who and what has influenced the person you have become and what has shaped you to believe in the things that you believe in today and for the future
What is faith?
Write a song about your faith
Imagine you are organising a dinner party for people from many different faiths.
Decide what food will be on your menu (THINK ABOUT WHAT FOODS ARE ALLOWED)
Script a conversation between 4 characters from different faiths. It will be helpful if you first think about the type of topics they might be interested in.