RE lesson for Key Stage 3

Transcription

1 RE lesson for Key Stage 3 Sport and faith: Can they go together? Objective: To explore how religious faith and experience affect the lives of an individual. Time needed: One hour To argue and justify their own position with regard to questions about religion. People needed: One leader is needed. It would be beneficial, although not a necessity to get adults to work alongside the students as they work. Equipment: Information: Quotes from sports people on board or around room, sports themed music, other rugby related objects, video stories and the means to play them on (available to download), discussion questions, envelopes with Continuum statements in (enough envelopes for one between two), story of Eric Liddell, optional story board, closing activity hand-out The timings are estimates. As you plan the session, you can edit the session to fit the time that you have with the student. For example, you could show both video clips and have a shorter, more general discussion about them. 1. Prior to the lesson: As the students enter the room play some sport related music (Chariots of Fire would be a good choice!) If appropriate, also gather some quotes from and photos of famous sports people (examples in Appendix 1). Put these on the wall or on the board as the students come into the classroom. You could have a rugby ball, some international flags, a trophy or other sports related objects scattered around the room as well if you want (the students do not need to see or touch all of these. It hopefully just sets the scene that this is a lesson with a difference!! 2. Introduction: 2 minutes Welcome the students and explain the aims for the session. Explain that Christians wants their faith in God to affect their everyday lives, this is something the Bible teaches. This is the same whether they work in a bank, in a shop, whether they are at home or on a sports field. Mention that in this session we will be looking at the stories of some famous Christian sports people and exploring if and how faith affected how they play and act. In particular as we approach the Rugby World Cup happening this autumn we will be hearing from some rugby players.

2 3. Ice breaker: 7 minutes Ask for two volunteers to join you at the front. Play a word association game. Give a sport related word (pitch, rugby, ball, competition, world cup etc.). The first person must give a word that is associated with your word. The second player must give another word associated with Player 1 s word. The game continues until one player hesitates or repeats a word. Ask the winner to stay at the front and choose a new challenger. Repeat. 4. Story 1: 10 minutes Show Rugby video 1 (these can be found on the Engage Game of Life DVD or on the Engage website at There are a number for you to look at and choose, and it is suggested that you have prepared a short biography on the player you choose. Watch an interview of Euan Murray, Scotland and Glasgow Warriors player. Find many interviews online at and choose one that suits your context. a) Any initial feedback from comments made in the interview? (or do this for video 2) Was there anything that surprised you about how they lived out their faith as a professional rugby player? b) After the video give students post it notes and each and ask them to jot down 3-5 words on different post it notes that spring to their mind as they hear the story, especially in regards to their faith and sport. c) Stick the post it notes centrally in the class room. Pick some of the (most interesting and helpful) words to discuss and give some of the students a chance to explain why they wrote them. 5. Continuum: 15 minutes Ask the students to work with a partner. Give out an envelope for each pair containing 10 statements. Some of these are faith based and some are not. These are written in Appendix 2. Winning is the most important thing in a match. Christians should pray to win the games they are involved in. It is ok for a Christian to fake an injury if it means they could get a penalty. It s ok for a Christian to wind up players on the other team, it s just part of the game. Heckling from the crowd is part of the game, its ok for Christians to shout at the referee if they got it really wrong and cost your team the game. If the referee didn t see an offence, then it doesn t matter. Being verbally abusive is just part of the game and gives you and edge over the opposition. Christians should join in if it helps their team. Some things are more important than your job (including being a professional sportsperson) and they should come first.

3 The Christian faith has an impact on how Christians see other people and sport and therefore should have an impact on how they relate to people and sport. God can help Christians including Christian sportspeople when they pray, even if it isn t always how they expected God to help them. Each pair to arrange statements in a line with Completely agree at one end and Completely Disagree at the other. Discuss and decide in each group Reinforce with the students what a Christian is. Make mention that Christians try and behave differently BECAUSE of what Jesus has done, not so that Jesus will like them! 6. Michael Jones Story: 10 minutes Remind the students of the objective for the lesson. Comment that they have already heard from some Christians who are involved in sport. Explain that they are now going to hear a famous true story of another Christian sportsman. Share the story of Michael Jones (there is an example in appendix 3) and show a few photos of his life on the screen. At different points of the story, pause and ask the students questions like: Do you agree? Has he done the right thing? Would you do the same? What do you think the other competitors thought? Why do you think he acted in this way? Why was his faith so important? 7. Close: 10 minutes Give an overview of the session and remind the students that for many people, faith affects the way they live. This is the same for people in sport. Some think that faith and sport should be kept separate. Others think it is in separable. Give out the hand-out (appendix 5) for the students to complete. Ask them to quietly answer the question and give a reason for their answer. Comment that there is no right or wrong answer but they must try and justify their position.

4 8. Additional activity: Story 2: 10 minutes a) Show Rugby video 2 (these can be found on the Engage Game of Life DVD or on the Engage website at There are a number for you to look at and choose, and it is suggested that you have prepared a short biography on the player you choose. Watch an interview of Louis Ludik, Ulster and South Africa player. Find many interviews online at and choose one that suits your context. b) (If you didn t do it for video 1.) Any initial feedback from comments made in the interview? Was there anything that surprised you about how they lived out their faith as a professional rugby player? c) Discussion questions o Do you think being a Christian makes a difference to the way they play rugby? Should it? o Does being a Christian change the way they look at making mistakes and failure? o Does being a Christian make a difference to the way that they relate to their team mates and opposition teams on and off the field? Either: Start as a small group discussion (table group if appropriate) which may need the questions printed onto cards or written on the board, then feedback to whole class. Or (if an open vocal class) Discuss as a whole class from the start.

5 Appendix One: Optional quotes as students enter the room. Age is no barrier. It s a limitation you put on your mind. Jackie Joyner-Kersee Most people give up just when they re about to achieve success. They quit on the one yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game one foot from a winning touchdown. Ross Perot There may be people that have more talent than you, but there s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do. Derek Jeter Persistence can change failure into extraordinary achievement. Marv Levy Champions keep playing until they get it right. Billie Jean King Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up. Dean Karnazes If you are afraid of failure you don t deserve to be successful! Charles Barkley Today I will do what others won t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can t. Jerry Rice You are never a loser until you quit trying. Mike Ditka I ve failed over & over & over again in my life & that is why I succeed. Michael Jordan I m a firm believer in To whom much is given, much is expected. It s a blessing, a gift, to have the opportunity to play a sport and make a living at it. -Kellen Clemens It s easy for me not to go to Mass on the road. But I ve made a fundamental decision. I m going to be dedicated. I m going to make the time. I m going to get up, if that means getting up at seven on a Sunday morning before a day game and do it, I m going to do it. -Mike Piazza It s funny, because it s always been a dream of mine to play in the NFL, but I was concerned about the games being played on Sundays. I love to play football but wanted to be able to attend Mass as well. Now, I do that by going to a vigil Mass or an early Sunday morning one. Once I ve received the Eucharist, then I m prepared to go out and play. Philip Rivers

6 Appendix Two: Continuum Cut these up and place in an envelope for each pair. Winning is the most important thing in a match. Christians should pray to win the games they are involved in. It is ok for a Christian to fake an injury if it means they could get a penalty. It s ok for a Christian to wind up players on the other team, it s just part of the game. Heckling from the crowd is part of the game, its ok for Christians to shout at the referee if they got it really wrong and cost your team the game. If the referee didn t see an offence, then it doesn t matter. Being verbally abusive is just part of the game and gives you and edge over the opposition. Christians should join in if it helps their team. Some things are more important than your job (including being a professional sportsperson) and they should come first. The Christian faith has an impact on how Christians see other people and sport and therefore should have an impact on how they relate to people and sport. God can help Christians including Christian sportspeople when they pray, even if it isn t always how they expected God to help them.

7 Appendix Three: Michael Jones story Story taken from Michael Jones, the New Zealand rugby player, was for several years in most people's opinion the best wing forward in the world. In the 1987 World Cup, Michael was good enough to play in the quarter-final, opt out of the Sunday semi-final and still be chosen for the final. The schedule for the 1991 World Cup in Europe was less accommodating. The way the tournament unfolded - call it the luck of the draw or the hand of God - New Zealand was left playing more Sunday games than any other team. In fact three out of their six matches, including the quarter-final and semi-final, were on Sundays. In the end Michael Jones played in only one match which really mattered in the World Cup - their opening game when New Zealand defeated England, effectively sealing their place in the quarterfinal. Jones scored the decisive try. Beyond that, he played only in a one-sided match against the USA, and the match to decide third place, after New Zealand had been knocked out of the main competition. Opinions differed on Michael's decision to make himself unavailable for the Sunday games. Some saw it as the supreme example of a Christian sportsman putting his principles first and saying that his faith in God - and his view of Sunday - were more important than a game of rugby, even a World Cup semi-final. Others saw it as a waste of his talent, arguably denying his team the chance of winning the World Cup. He came under pressure to play on Sundays. Some people even suggested to him that Sunday in England is Monday in New Zealand - because of the time difference. Michael answered that suggestion in a Radio Wales interview: 'You can't trick God. You can't muck around with him. It is where you are at the time and Sunday wherever you are, which is the day that has been put aside for church and fellowship.' Michael also spoke about his aim in taking his stand: 'When you stop playing rugby people easily forget you; one thing for which I would like to be remembered is as a person who put God first, before rugby. If it's been worthwhile doing that then it is worthwhile, and I feel it's important that people who never would have heard about God have done so through my stand. If I've been able to show people that there is obviously a God who must exist or else someone wouldn't be prepared to do that, then I feel it's been worth it. If I can do that I'm happy.'

8 Appendix Five: Close. Objectives: To explore how religious faith and experiences affect the lives of individuals. To argue and justify their own position with regard to questions about religion Question: In your opinion, should the faith of a Christian affect the way they play the game? Yes No Undecided (circle as appropriate) Justify your answer in a few sentences (it may be helpful to think of some of the examples we have talked about today)