1. Descriptions of God
Key Stage 2

2. PowerPoint Introduction
This PowerPoint sample lesson is intended as a resource for schools to be used ‘how and when’ they choose. This Year 3 lesson is planned to be set in the context of developing the theme of ‘Descriptions of God’. It can be used selectively as part of ongoing work in Religious Education based on the theme of ‘Descriptions of God’ or as part of another area in the curriculum, eg History: Tudors. There are notes on each slide for teachers’ reference. Schools may prefer to edit the slides and use photographs of their own. The following slide gives the context of the lesson in the bigger picture. Schools may like to explore other questions in different year groups within the theme of ‘Descriptions of God.’ A PowerPoint Key Stage 1 Year 1 sample lesson also based on the theme of ‘Descriptions of God’ can be found on the Chester Diocesan website. Teachers may also find it helpful to refer to the Chester Diocesan document: 'How do I teach Christianity In my church school?’ (pages ). This can also be found on the Chester Diocesan website.

3. Context Overview
Area of Content from Chester Diocesan Guidelines to be studied: ‘God’
Underpinning Christian Concept: ‘Descriptions of God’
Definition: The supreme being, the creator and sustainer of the universe
Key Questions
FS/Key Stage 1: Theme: Descriptions of God
Reception: What do Christians say God is like?
Year 1: Level 1: Which words do Christians use to ‘describe /talk about God’?
Why is God important for Christians?
Year 2: Level 2: What do some stories in the New Testament teach about God?
What else does the New Testament teach about God?
Key Stage 2: Theme: Descriptions of God
Year 3: Level 3: How do Christians use symbols to explain what God is like?
How do Christians use words, prayers, songs and hymns to describe God as ‘three in one’?
Year 4: Level 3/4: How does believing in God make a difference to a Christian’s life?
How does Jesus’ teaching show Christians what God is like?
Year 5: Level 4/5: How does God speak to people through the life of Jesus?
Why is it important for Christians to describe God as ‘three in one’.
Year 6: Level 5 How do different religions describe God and why?
Why do some people believe in God and others don’t?
Teachers Notes: The context of a bigger picture

4. Teachers Notes
Key Stage 2 Lesson : Year 3 Theme: Descriptions of God Concept underpinning work : God Key Question : How do Christians use symbols to explain what God is like? Lesson Objective: To recognise symbols Christians use to describe God.
Lesson Outcomes:
(All pupils)
I can talk about God and say a few things
about how Christians describe God.
(Most pupils)
I can describe how Christians view God
using symbols and compare my own ideas
with others.
(Some pupils)
I can explain why and how God is
important to Christians and some of
what it means to them to say they believe in
God.
Teachers Notes
NB Teachers notes explaining how to use each slide within the context of the lesson can be found on the bottom of each slide in the notes section. These should be read before using the PowerPoint. Preview all Internet links before using.
Resources Needed
Slide 10-13: A4 copies of photographs for each table
Slides 15: Internet link.
Slides 18-24: A4 copies for each table
Diocesan Document to refer to: 'How do I teach Christianity in my church school?’
(pages 21-24)

5. Teachers Notes: What do you think this man is thinking about?

6. God Let’s find out……… Who is God? What do you think God is like?
Teachers Notes: Explain: ‘We are going to think about God today. What do you think Christians think God is like? Who is God? Do Christians think of God as a person like us, or completely different? What ideas do you think come into a Christian’s mind when they think about God? Close your eyes and think about how Christians might describe God. Share ideas in pairs. Add ideas to class learning wall, I think Christians think of God as …….. ’ . We are going to think today about how Christians use special symbolic ideas to explain what God is like?

7. What do Christians say God is like?
Think Pair Share
Teachers Notes: Think, Pair, Share then class feedback. Vote on what you think is the most important thing we have said as a class about what Christians think God is like. I wonder if a Christian would agree with us. Let’s find out.
What do Christians say God is like?

8. What stories from the Bible tell Christians what God is like?
Teachers Notes: Get pupils in groups to make a list of the ways they think Christians describe God.
Ask: What Bible stories can you think of that describe God in any way, eg Lost Son, Lost Sheep, Creation Story, Moses. List Bible stories they suggest & any characteristics of God they think the stories show.
NB: Revisit any Bible stories if necessary to recap on children’s existing knowledge.

9. Looking carefully Here is some art work that shows us what
Christians might think about God.
Look carefully at each picture
What is each artist saying God is like?
What symbols are used to describe God?
Can we learn anything about how Christians understand God from each picture?
Teachers Notes: Explain:’I am going to show you several pictures that artists have drawn. Each one shows how sometimes Christians think about God. Sometimes the artists use symbols to help them represent God. Symbols are things that represent or stand for something else, often a ‘material’ object representing something we can’t see (abstract).’
Ask: Sit quietly and think about these questions as I show you a few slides. You will get chance to talk about them later.

10. Teachers Notes: Show the class each picture that follows on the slides 9-13
Ask: What is the artist trying to show us about God? What could each symbol/object mean? What is the man doing in this picture? Why? What else is in the picture? Why is it there?

11. Teachers Notes: Ask: What is happening in this picture
Teachers Notes: Ask: What is happening in this picture? Who might this be? What can be learnt about God from this picture?
(Note: The Prodigal Son : The running father in the parable welcomes him home Luke 15:11-22)

12. Teachers Notes: Michelangelo – God creates - What is happening in this picture? What might the artist be saying God is like?

13. Teachers Notes: What is happening in this picture
Teachers Notes: What is happening in this picture? What might the artist be saying God is like?

14. Digging Deeper in groups
What is each artist trying to say God is like?
What symbols are used to describe God?
What can we learn about God from each picture?
Record your ideas on the post its
Teachers Notes: Instruction: Give each table an A4 copy of slides Ask them to answer the questions above.
Using post – it notes ask each group to write their ideas and place them around each picture:
What is each artist trying to say God is like? What symbols are used to describe God?
What can we learn about God from each picture?

15. Teachers Notes: Instruction: Gather the children together
Teachers Notes: Instruction: Gather the children together. Feedback ideas and record on learning wall.
Explain: Sometimes Christians use a circle like this one to describe God. We are now going to watch a short film of how to experiment with a circle like this one. It is called a Mobius strip.
Afterwards: Why might Christians sometimes use a circle to describe God? Can we learn anything about God from this film? (Teachers Note: Some things Christians might say: God is never ending; infinite; able to hold the whole but also hold lots of parts; one but also three).

16. Using symbols Match the Bible quotations to the pictures.
‘Sometimes it can be hard for Christians to find the right words to describe God so they use pictures of creation, objects or ideas to think about what God is like’.
Match the Bible quotations to the pictures.
Why have you chosen that picture?
Teachers Notes: Explain: Reminder: Sometimes it can be hard to find the right words to describe God so people use pictures of creation, objects or ideas to think about what God is like. Instruction: Give each group a copy of slides Check they understand what each bible quotation on slide 22 means. Ask them to match the quotations to the photographs and say why they think they go together. NB There maybe be more than one answer. Can they justify their choices? Class feedback: matching each photo and quotation in turn.

17. ‘Our father in heaven’ ‘God is Judge’ ‘The Lord is my Rock’ Psalm 18:2
Matthew 6:9
‘The Lord is my Rock’
Psalm 18:2
‘God is Judge’
Psalm 50:6
‘God made earth and heaven’ Genesis 2:4
Teachers Notes: Do any of the quotations match more than one picture? Why? Why not?
‘The Lord is my Shepherd’. Psalm 23:1
‘The Lord is King’ Psalm 93:1

18. Teachers Notes: Ask: Which bible quotation would go with this picture
Teachers Notes: Ask: Which bible quotation would go with this picture? Why? Do you all agree?

19. Teachers Notes: Ask: Which bible quotation would go with this picture
Teachers Notes: Ask: Which bible quotation would go with this picture? Why?

20. Teachers Notes: Ask: Which bible quotation would go with this picture
Teachers Notes: Ask: Which bible quotation would go with this picture? Why?

21. Teachers Notes: Ask: Which bible quotation would go with this picture
Teachers Notes: Ask: Which bible quotation would go with this picture? Why?

22. Teachers Notes: Ask: Which bible quotation would go with this picture
Teachers Notes: Ask: Which bible quotation would go with this picture? Why?

23. Teachers Notes: Ask: Which bible quotation would go with this picture
Teachers Notes: Ask: Which bible quotation would go with this picture? Why?

24. ‘Our father in heaven’ ‘God is Judge’ ‘The Lord is my Rock’ Psalm 18:2
Matthew 6:9
‘The Lord is my Rock’
Psalm 18:2
‘God is Judge’
Psalm 50:6
‘God made earth and heaven’ Genesis 2:4
Teachers Notes: Do any of the quotations match more than one picture? Why? Why not?
‘The Lord is my Shepherd’. Psalm 23:1
‘The Lord is King’ Psalm 93:1

25. What do Christians say God is like? What do you say God is like?
Tell the person next to you 3 things you have learnt about how Christians describe God.
Think about a design for a symbol for God. What ideas do you have about God?
How would you explain your symbol?
Teachers Notes: Instruction: Ask the class to close their eyes and think about an object, a place or a thing that would help explain what Christians think God is like. Ask: What idea would you draw to show what God is like? How would you explain your picture? Explain: Next lesson we will draw these symbols and explain our pictures. As you leave the class this next slide shows what one 8 year old thought about God.

26. GOD The large circle, in which everything else is contained, and the purple swirl represent God's love going round and round. The smaller overlapping circles represent people: all different shapes and sizes but all the same joined together. The triangles represent the Trinity, three parts of God. The hearts show that God is love. The grey mist represents the Holy Spirit. The musical notes represent praises sung to God Megan Chester Aged 8
Teachers Notes: show this slide as the lesson ends.
Next lesson: Short recap then create the pictures with a written explanation.
NB Be sensitive to anyone who isn't encouraged to draw symbols for God. eg Muslims Jews etc

27. Notes for using images
Internet Images: Schools must credit the images as per the information below if they are
reproduced.
1. These images are used with permission under the following licence
See
Slide 4: ‘SKY Help me God’ by Poi Photography March 2007
Slide 9: ‘God the father 22’ Waiting for the word March 2011
Slide 11: ‘God the father 7’ Waiting for the word March 2011
Slide 12: ‘God the Father 4’ Waiting for the word March 2011
Slide 17: ‘God rays above’ 2007 by Poi Photography March 2007
2. These images are used with permission from Open clipart.com.
See
Openclipart may be used for any purpose, including unlimited commercial productions, as royalty-free clipart, for schools, churches, commercial and non-commercial reasons. The Open clipart community believes that clipart should be removed of as many restrictions as humanly possible so that the clipart may spread as far and wide as un-imaginable. If in doubt, use our clipart.
Slide 10: Prodigal Before its news.com
Slide 11: Prodigal son rembrantFile:Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn - The Return of the Prodigal Son -Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn - The Return of the Prodigal Son - Detail Father Son Prodigal son
3. All other images are copyright free and found in the Microsoft office collection.
See