EYFS Special times: lessons using persona dolls Notes about using persona dolls Persona dolls are an extremely valuable tool in supporting learning about and from different religions. By encouraging children to enter imaginatively into the life of the doll, they can be introduced to situations, ideas and issues that are significant and relevant to them and also experiences that are sometimes very different from their own. Persona dolls should be recognised as special and generally only used in planned teaching and learning sessions. Practitioners are encouraged to use open-ended questions that will stimulate discussion, invite participation, help the children relate to the doll and encourage them to ask their own questions. As the material is contextualised in the life of the doll children find it easier to engage with the mystery and wonder of the religion in focus Elizabeth s Story (Christian focus) Special Times Harvest Inside Elizabeth s backpack Pieces of fruit Text: Oliver s Fruit Salad by Vivian French (ISBN 0 3407 0453 5) Special words celebration, church, Harvest festival, sharing In many settings a Harvest Festival celebration is a regular part of life in the autumn. If this is the case, take the children to see a display of harvest fruit and vegetables. Explain to the children that this display will help us to say thank you to God for all the wonderful food that we can enjoy. Part 1: Place the backpack in the centre of the circle. Explain to the children that Elizabeth has hidden in her backpack some of her favourite fruits and one by one each is going to be described. She would like the children to raise their hand when they guess which type of fruit is being described. When all the names of the fruits have been guessed, talk with the children about the amazing variety of colour, shape and texture.? Can you tell Elizabeth what your favourite fruit is? Why do you like it? Explain that every year Elizabeth goes to a special celebration in her church to thank God for all his good gifts to us. It is called a Harvest Festival.? Has anyone been to a Harvest Festival service in church? What can you remember about it? 1 Using Persona Dolls in Religious Education Christian
The Christians who go to Elizabeth s church bring gifts of food, which are then taken out and shared with other people who live nearby. Elizabeth has a favourite praise song that she would like us all to sing together. It reminds her of Harvest Festival. (A suitable song is Thank you Lord for this new day, no. 32, Complete Come & Praise, publ. BBC.) Part 2: Prior to this session invite each child to bring one piece of fruit to school. Place the backpack in the centre of the circle and take out the text Oliver s Fruit Salad. Explain that Elizabeth has brought this book to share because she loves the pictures that show all the different colours of fruit. In the story Oliver says that he doesn t like fruit but when his Gran and Grandpa make a scrummy fruit salad Oliver changes his mind. He has three helpings! Read the story to the children. Give the children a choice. They can either eat their own piece of fruit or all the fruit can be used to make a beautiful fruit salad for the whole class to share. Explain to the children that this week will be sharing week. Each child can bring to school their favourite storybook (or toy) to share with a friend in the group. 2 Using Persona Dolls in Religious Education Christian
Christmas Inside Elizabeth s backpack 5 th Birthday Card birthday cake candles, invitations, balloons or party blower, Wrapped gift box containing crib figures Christmas cards showing scenes from the Christmas story Special words birthday, Christmas, Christian, Advent, nativity, crib, gift, Mary, Joseph, Jesus, shepherds, kings, angel Part 1: Sit Elizabeth in the circle with children in your group. Place the backpack in the centre of the circle. Tell the children that Elizabeth is very excited because next week she is celebrating a special occasion. Elizabeth s Mum has been buying some things for the big day. Take out of the backpack a party blower or balloon, birthday cake candles, a birthday card and a party invitation.? What do you think Elizabeth and her Mum are preparing for?? Has anyone here celebrated a birthday recently? What do you like about birthdays?? How will the things in Elizabeth s bag help to make her birthday special? Talk to the children about birthday parties and how these celebrations made them feel special. Elizabeth has asked if our group will help to celebrate her birthday next week. She would like to have a party here with a special cake. Talk with the children about what they will need to do to plan a good party. What will they eat? Which games will they play? Make a list of things that will be needed. As you get ready for the big day, focus on the importance of careful preparation and the sense of anticipation. (This will lay the foundation for future learning about Advent and Lent.) 3 Using Persona Dolls in Religious Education Christian
Part 2: Place the backpack in the centre of the circle. Ask the children to guess Elizabeth s favourite time of year. Explain that Christmas is an important time for Christians. In the same way that we prepared for Elizabeth s birthday last time, Christians spend a long time preparing for Christmas. Either make a simple Advent wreath to show how a different candle is lit each of the four weeks before Christmas, or show Elizabeth s Nativity Advent calendar. Explain that advent means coming and the Advent calendar and wreath are ways to help Elizabeth and her family remember that Christmas is drawing closer. Elizabeth has brought something to school today to show everyone. Take the gift box from the backpack and as you open it ask the children what they remember about the Christmas story. Explain that Christians believe that Jesus is God s son and was a gift to the world to show people how much God loves them. That is why Elizabeth and her family give gifts at Christmas. Use the crib figures to tell the Christmas story using an appropriate children s Bible. Make the crib figures available for the children to re-enact the story in their own way. Take from the backpack some Christmas cards that Elizabeth has already received from her friends, which have scenes from the Christmas story.? Can the children recognise which part of the story is illustrated on the card? Children could design their own Christmas card showing a scene of their choice from the Christmas story. 4 Using Persona Dolls in Religious Education Christian
Easter Inside Elizabeth s backpack Hollow Easter egg (chocolate, board or tin egg). Special words Easter, Christian, tomb, risen Elizabeth has been to visit her cousin, Winston, who lives on a city farm in London. She has seen eggs hatching and tiny chicks inside. This is a sign that Easter is coming. Talk with the children about other signs that Spring has arrived. Bring some chicks in for the children to see. Go on a walk in the countryside or park and look for signs of new life. Make the point that trees and plants that have looked very dead through the winter are now coming alive. Make a display showing Before and After springtime. Easter is the most important time of year for Christians and Easter eggs help them to remember that Jesus was killed by some angry people. (Take out the hollow Easter egg. Separate the two halves.) His body was laid in a tomb. (Close the two halves of the egg.) On Easter day the tomb was empty. Jesus had risen from the dead! (Open the two halves again.) Breaking open the egg can remind Christians of how, at Easter, Jesus began a new life. Christians believe that Jesus will never die again and He will always be with them. When Christians celebrate Easter they fill their churches with flowers and colour. Often small Easter eggs are given out at the end of the service on Easter Sunday. Either share out the large chocolate egg or distribute little eggs that Elizabeth has brought in her rucksack. Alternatively, make nest cakes : Recipe for Nest Cakes INGREDIENTS 100g Shredded Wheat 100g cooking chocolate 2 tbsp golden syrup 25g margarine or butter chocolate mini eggs paper cake cases METHOD Crumble Shredded Wheat Mix together chocolate, syrup and margarine over a low heat, until all melted but not bubbling. Mix Shredded Wheat into melted mixture. Take spoonfuls of mixture and press into nest shapes in the paper cake cases. Decorate nests with chocolate mini eggs. 5 Using Persona Dolls in Religious Education Christian
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Elizabeth s Little Book Name: Elizabeth Age: 5 Gender: female Hair: black and curly Eyes: brown Nationality: British Family origin: Jamaica Favourite food: pizza, pineapples, ice-cream Favourite activities: swimming, playing on local adventure playground, visiting cousins on their city farm Family structure: lives with Mum Mother s occupation: Computer Programmer First language: English Family history: Elizabeth s great grandparents came to Britain from Jamaica in 1952 Religion: Christian (Anglican) Special times: Christmas, Easter, Harvest, Pentecost Suggested artefacts for Elizabeth s backpack Unit: Special Times Christmas: 5 th birthday card, candles, invitations, balloons, wrapped gift box containing crib figures, Christmas cards Easter: Hollow chocolate or decorated board or tin Easter egg Harvest: Pieces of fruit Oliver s Fruit Salad by Vivian French 7 Using Persona Dolls in Religious Education Christian