Unit 4 TEACHING /SCRIPTURE RELATED LESSON
Key Unit competence: Demonstrate each step in a
Scripture related lesson withpractical examples.
Introductory activity 4
Using various resources (internet, religious textbooks, religious
pamphlets) research on steps of teaching a Religious Studies lessonwhich is Scripture based and explain the role of each step.
A Scripture based lesson is a lesson that is entirely based on the Sacred
Scriptures texts.Its aim is learning about a given sacred scripture theme for
change of behaviour or increase of faith. It presents the religious doctrines
in view of developing spiritual attitudes and moral behaviours in learners.
The Religious Studies in lower and upper primary syllabus proposes some
biblical related topics including: Iremwa no gucumura kwa Muntu (P1,
Unit1), God’s commandments (P4 Unit 3), God’s revelation in History (P5
Unit 1), Islamic faith (P4 Unit 1), Grave sins and the Qur’an ( P5 Unit
2). The scripture related lessons are thaught in particular way following
given steps. There are three steps in teaching the scripture related lessons:Preamble, Conversation and application activity.
4.1 Preamble
Learning activity
Suppose you are given to teach on “ The call of Abraham” in P4; how
would you start your lesson for learners to be in good mood of studying?
This is the first step in teaching Bible/scripture related lesson. It is a
preparatory step in teaching the Bible related lesson. It helps the teacher
to be creative to introduce the learners into the scripture related lesson and
create a conducive environment for listening to the Word of God. This may
start by the teacher inviting the student to offer a short prayer or by a song
or by telling a story or asking questions leading to the Scripture related
lesson.
Example:Introducing the teaching Unit 1 in P4 about “Respect of God’s
creatures”, you can sing Psalms 8:
“O Lord, our Lord. How awesome is your name through all the earth! I
will sing of your majesty above the heavens with the mouths of babes and
infants. You have established a bulwark against your foes, to silence enemy
and avenger. When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon
and stars that you set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him,
and son of man that you care for him?...”
This part is also used for Islam Religious Studies; it is just meant to involve
and put learners in the mood of studying Religious Studies.
Application activity 4.1
State the importance of Preamble as a step in teaching scripture related
lesson and with an example, explain how you will use it while teachingthe scripture related lesson.
4.2 Conversation
Learning activity
After first step in teaching Religious Studies, What do you think would be
the second step what elements would it address in teaching and learning
process.
This is the second step of teaching scripture related lesson. In this step,
the teacher engages dialogue with learners, using question and answer
method, which is related to the Word of God that is going to be read. It hasfive components:
4.2.1 Preparation
Here, the teacher engages a dialogue in line with the Scripture related
lesson. The questions must have relationship with the Scriptural text
that is to be studied. This aims at introducing the Holy scripture text that
constitutes the lesson. This text comes from the Bible for Christians andfrom Qur’an for Islamic religion.
Example of the lesson from Unit 1 in P4: Respect of God’s creatures” (Gn
1:1-8.20-25). You can start this by asking the following questions: Have
you ever gotten a chance to observe nature, flowers, fruits, natural places?
What impression does it give to you? Do you admire artistic products? Ask
learners to identify some other questions that deserve admiration. And tell
learners: “We notice that, around us, we meet with many things that arouse
joy in us or help us to live happily. Because of that we should not destroy/misuse them and know that they are not by themselves”.
4.2.2 Presentation
The teacher indicates/presents the scripture text in the Bible or in Qur’an
or written on a flash card and ask learners to read. He or she involveslearners in reading the Word of God.
the darkness” The Word of God. Thanks be to God.
4.2.3 Elaboration
This is where the teacher explains the Word of God and helps the learners
to internalize, actualize and apply the Word of God in real life situation.
The elaboration part has the following parts:
● Explanation
It helps to bring out the message intended by God.
“Before all, God existed. He is alpha and omega. He is eternal”. The heaven
and earth constitute an ordered universe which is the result of creation. The
biblical text affirms that the earth/world has a beginning. The creation of
the earth marks the beginning of history. The story of creation is a revealed
teaching of permanent value about God who is unique, transcendent and
creator and he was before the world.
The earth without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss, a mighty
wind sweeping over the waters are images which, by their abstract character,
show that God created everything out of nothing. That is, it is like if God
was going to blow over the earth to transform it and then appear the living
organisms through his breath.
All that exists is God’s work. The light is mentioned the first because the
succession of the day and night is going to be the point where the work
of creation will take place. The light and darkness symbolize the day and
night. All that God created was good and He blessed it, God’s blessing is
taken as his powerful act that gives life. The essential richness of blessingis that of life and fecundity: be fertile and multiply.”
● Interiorization
The learner, through the Word of God, enters into himself/herself and looks
for the meaning and develops the attitude of welcoming and commitment.
That is, the learner incorporates the message from the Word of God into
hihe or sher innerlife and becomes part of hihe or sher life. For example,
after the above explanation the learner retains: believing in the action in
the creation story, believing in visible creation is a good way of believing in
the invisible God. God, by his Word, creates and conserves everything, and
shows to the created world his everlasting witness wanting to open the way
of eternal salvation. Jesus Christ is the Word of God that came on earth toteach us the love of God who created everything.
● Actualization
The learner finds the relationship between the scriptural message with
his life. God continues to give life to the living organisms. A might wind
sweeping over the waters to give life at the beginning continues to give
life to all that God has created. Human beings live due to the breath of
God that is in them. To know in our daily life, the beauty of God helps us
to know better God’s love that he has given and continues to give us all
wonderful things. Nowadays, God continues his work of creation: in new
born, in discovery through research, in nature that keeps on showing its
wonders, in the intelligent student and in every humankind that breathes.All these deserve respect because they are God made creatures”.
● Application
The learner is moved to change hihe or sher negative behaviour and attitude
to positive ones and to commit himself/herself to avoid sin and live a holy
life. He/she will display concrete christian actions in daily life situation
such as “In my daily life, I want to have mervellous attitude and gratitude
towards God, the creator of all things. It is a call to admire the beauty ofGod’s nature”.
4.2.4 Synthesis
The learners, guided by the teacher, bring out the essential of the messagefrom God’s Word.
“In summary: God created the world. It is he who created the heavens and
the earth. Everything that exists is God’s work. God was not created, He
was before all things and he is without end. He created everything out of
nothing. It is through his Word that everything was created. Everything he
created was good and was blessed by him. The visible creation makes us
understand the existence of God the creator. We need to respect all he hascreated”.
4.2.5 Prayer
At the end of conversation, the learner formulates a prayer in response to
the Word of God and he/she allows himself/herself to be changed by it. Heor she may play as follow:
“O Lord, my God, how wonderful is your name to your creatures. I thank
you for you have created me and you have given me everything to live.
May your name be glorified and your creatures be respected throughout theearth”.
Application activity 4.2
“Jesus healing the sick”.
Suppose that “Jesus healing the sick” is your today’s lesson. Discusssteps you would use while in the second step of Bible related lesson.
4.3 Application
Learning activity 4.3
What do you think you would end your lesson with on “Tencommdandments”?
By the end of the lesson the teacher gives assessment tasks to verify if the
objectives of the lesson have been achieved. The tasks should be related to
what they have learnt whilethe practical activities should engage Learners
to practice values and attitudes learnt. The learner assimilates the message
and expresses faith which is interior and spiritual and which calls to takeinitiative. Example of assessment tasks: “What are the creation elements
that arouse admiration in me? How is God revealed through creation? How does God continue his work ofcreation nowaday
Application activity 4.3
State the importance of application as the last step in teaching a Bible
related lesson and with an example, explain how you would use it when
teaching that lesson.
4.4 Developpig generic competences and adressing CCI in a Scripture related lesson planSchool name …….……………………… Teacher’s name …...…
Application activity
Using the above lesson plan as an example, choose a biblical lesson in the
syllabus of Religious Studies in primary and prepare a detailed lesson
plan?
End Unit assessment 4Explicate the three major steps in teaching a Bible related lesson.