RELIGIOUS AND MORAL

EDUCATION

GRADES 1-4

TEACHER’S GUIDE

By Robin and Penny Minney

Republic of Namibia

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© Ministry of Basic Education, Sport and Culture (MBESC) and the Ecumenical Institute for Namibia (EIN), 2005
Any part of this publication may be freely reproduced for use in schools with the appropriate acknowledgement.

Layout: Bryony Simmonds and Angi van Wyk

Cover Design: Angi van Wyk
Cover Photograph: Peter Reiner
Illustrations: Kleopas Nghikefelwa and Deon Louw

First published 2005

Published by the National Institute for Educational Development

Private Bag 2034
Okahandja
Namibia

ISBN: 99916-69-62-0

Printed by John Meinert Printing, Windhoek, Namibia

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 Contents
Introduction vii
How to use this Teacher’s Guide ix
Grade 1
Theme 1 - Belonging: Self and the community
Unit 1.1: The ‘Me’ that God made 2
Unit 1.2: My place in my family, school, village 3
Unit 1.3: The birth of Moses 4
Unit 1.4: The Good Shepherd 5
Theme 2 - Phases of Life: Being accepted into a community
Unit 2.1: Welcoming a new baby in the family 7
Unit 2.2: Christian Baptism 8
Unit 2.3: Responsibilities of parents and godparents 9
Theme 3 - The Sacred: Sacred places and objects
Unit 3.1: A special place 11
Unit 3.2: Two special places, home and school 12
Unit 3.3: Sacred buildings 13
Theme 4 - Festivals: Joyful celebrations
Unit 4.1: Christmas and celebrating a festival 16
Unit 4.2: Celebrating the feast 18
Unit 4.3: Advent 18
Theme 5 - Social Values: Living together
Unit 5.1: Introducing the theme 21
Unit 5.2: The languages we share 21
Unit 5.3: Giving and receiving 22
Unit 5.4: Greeting people 23
Unit 5.5: How we care for each other 24
Unit 5.6: Social Values 25
Unit 5.7: Collecting money for a good cause 25
Theme 6 - Religion and the Environment: The world around us
Unit 6.1: What there is around us 27
Unit 6.2: The sky 28
Unit 6.3: The sky is God’s creation 29
Unit 6.4: Prayer 30
Theme 7 - Personal Values: Change, loss and growth
Unit 7.1: Being at peace with oneself 32
Unit 7.2: Turning points in life 32
Unit 7.3: Death and rebirth 34
Unit 7.4: Coping with change 35
Theme 8 - Children’s Rights: My basic rights and responsiblities
Unit 8.1: The right to a name 38
Unit 8.2: Family, town, nation 39
Unit 8.3: The school 39

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Grade 2
Theme 1 - Belonging: Families in harmony and in conflict
Unit 1.1: Our big family 41
Unit 1.2: Family in conflict 41
Unit 1.3: Settling the conflict 42
Unit 1.4: Naomi and her daughters-in-law’s decisions 43
Theme 2 - Phases of Life: Elders and ancestors
Unit 2.1: Grandparents and grandchildren 45
Unit 2.2: The elders of our nation 46
Unit 2.3: Asking an older person for help 46
Unit 2.4: Our ancestors 47
Theme 3 - The Sacred: Sacred time
Unit 3.1: Special times in our lives 50
Unit 3.2: Times of day and times of year 51
Unit 3.3: Sacred times 51
Unit 3.4: How we spend our time 52
Theme 4 - Festivals: Passover and Easter
Unit 4.1: Celebrating success 54
Unit 4.2: Easter 54
Unit 4.3: The Paschal moon 56
Unit 4.4: Passover 56
Theme 5 - Social Values: Forgiveness and reconciliation
Unit 5.1: The new football 59
Unit 5.2: Forgiveness and reconciliation 60
Unit 5.3: Forgiving each other 61
Unit 5.4: The Lord’s Prayer 62
Theme 6 - Religion and the Environment: Where our food comes from and the beauty
of nature
Unit 6.1: Where our food comes from 64
Unit 6.2: From field to table 65
Unit 6.3: Observing a beautiful thing 65
Theme 7 - Personal Values: Being at peace together
Unit 7.1: Training for athletics 68
Unit 7.2: The kingdom of peace 68
Unit 7.3: Being at peace together before we pray 70
Theme 8 - Children’s Rights and Responsibilities: Rights and Responsibilities in the
home and at school
Unit 8.1: How adults help children 72
Unit 8.2: How children can help adults 72
Unit 8.3: The Right to Life 73

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Grade 3
Theme 1 - Belonging: The community
Unit 1.1: The first community – Adam and Eve 75
Unit 1.2: A Namibian community making and bartering iron tools 75
Unit 1.3: The community around us as a resource for help 76
Unit 1.4: ‘Living stones’ 77
Theme 2 - Phases of Life: Growing up
Unit 2.1: New responsibilities 79
Unit 2.2: The boyhood of Jesus 79
Unit 2.3: Rituals connected with growing up 81
Unit 2.4: Christian Confirmation 82
Unit 2.5: Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah 82
Theme 3 - The Sacred: Texts, music and art
Unit 3.1: Sacred texts 85
Unit 3.2: Attitudes to the sacred texts 85
Unit 3.3: Sacred music 86
Unit 3.4: Sacred art 87
Theme 4 - Festivals: African traditions and religion; Palm Sunday and Holy Week
Unit 4.1: African traditions and religion – remembering past historical events 89
Unit 4.2: Biblical events leading to Easter; Palm Sunday and Holy Week 89
Theme 5 - Social Values: Democracy
Unit 5.1: Making our own rules by majority decision 92
Unit 5.2: Decision-making in the Early Church 93
Unit 5.3: African traditional ways of resolving conflict 94
Unit 5.4: Conflict between different groups 94
Theme 6 - Religion and the Environment: Trees in religious traditions
Unit 6.1: Trees are special 97
Unit 6.2: Trees in the Bible 97
Unit 6.3: Stories from other faiths 98
Unit 6.4: Trees and prayer – practical Christian action in Southern Africa 101
Unit 6.5: Observing trees 101
Theme 7 - Personal Values: Friendship in everyday life
Unit 7.1: A traditional story 105
Unit 7.2: Stories from the New Testament 106
Unit 7.3: Good and bad friendships 107
Theme 8 - Children’s Rights and Responsibilities: The right to say No
Unit 8.1: When to say No – saying ‘No’ to strangers 109
Unit 8.2: Training in Assertiveness Part 1 110
Unit 8.3: Training in Assertiveness Part 2 111
Unit 8.4: Our responsibility to say ‘No’ to physical and psychological abuse 111

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Grade 4
Theme 1 - Belonging: Leadership in different faith communities
Unit 1.1: Leadership in the church or faith community 114
Unit 1.2: National and international church leadership 115
Unit 1.3: Leadership in African traditions and religion 117
Unit 1.4: Christian religious communities 120
Unit 1.5: The Sangha, a Buddhist religious community 121
Theme 2 - Phases of Life: Traditions of marriage and what it means to be a family
Unit 2.1: African traditions of marriage and what it means to be a family 125
Unit 2.2: Civil marriage 126
Unit 2.3: New Testament teaching on marriage 126
Theme 3 - The Sacred: Symbols and rituals
Unit 3.1: Water as a meeting point with God 129
Unit 3.2: The symbolism of fire in African tradition 130
Unit 3.3: The symbolism of fire in the Bible 131
Unit 3.4: The symbolism of the cross 131
Theme 4 - Festivals: The temptations of Jesus in the desert; Lent; Ramadan
Unit 4.1: The temptations of Jesus in the desert 134
Unit 4.2: Pilate’s temptation: the voice of fear 134
Unit 4.3: Keeping Ramadan 135
Unit 4.4: Keeping Lent 137
Unit 4.5: The feast at the end of the fast 138
Theme 5 - Social Values: Defining honesty; African and Biblical traditions about dishonesty
Unit 5.1: Towards defining honesty 140
Unit 5.2: African traditions about honesty and dishonesty 140
Unit 5.3: A Bible story about dishonesty 141
Unit 5.4: A New Testament story about lying to God 141
Theme 6 - Religion and the Environment: Religious basis for protecting the environment
Unit 6.1: Christian approaches, good and not so good 144
Unit 6.2: Islamic and African traditions about the environment 145
Unit 6.3: Prayers 146
Unit 6.4: Practical action 147
Theme 7 - Personal Values: Helping others
Unit 7.1: Jesus helps people and is helped 150
Unit 7.2: Helping others, helping the land, in India 151
Unit 7.3: Prayer and action 152
Theme 8 - Children’s Rights and Responsibilities: Violence, children’s rights and
responding to violence
Unit 8.1: Domestic violence 155
Unit 8.2: Responding to violence 156
Unit 8.3: Vulnerable groups 156
Unit 8.4: The rights of the child, and corresponding responsibilities 158
Illustration: Constellations 160
The Lord’s Prayer 162
Our Community Questionnaire 163
Visual Symbols 164
Worksheet: Marriage 165
Answers to More Structured Questions 167
Bibliography 173

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 Introduction
In 2000, the Director of the National Institute for Educational Development (NIED) and the Director of the
Ecumenical Institute for Namibia (EIN) invited Dr and Mrs Minney to work on this project. The present Teacher’s
Guide, however, really began in December 2001, when a group of Lower Primary (LP) teachers in Windhoek
worked for six months with Dr Robin Minney and Penny Minney to produce suitable materials.
The first Religious Education Syllabus after Independence had been written by Marita Kotze and Prof. Christo
Lombard between 1991 and 1996. This syllabus broke new ground. The present work has built on it by using the
same theme structure and some of the material. We are grateful for the continuing help of Marita Kotze and
Christo Lombard. However, the principle on which we worked was very different.
Instead of starting with a Syllabus and then writing the Guide, the group began with what takes place in the
classroom and what is both practical and useful to teachers. The first drafts were circulated to LP teachers and
tried out in schools. Teachers’ evaluations and answers to particular questions were then fed into the work as it
progressed. The theme structure provided the outline.
Because this work started with the classroom, the Guide was written before the Syllabus, although both have
been revised and tidied up several times. The Syllabus for Grades 1-4 was approved at NIED in 2002, but in
2003 some alterations were made and the name of the subject changed from Religious Education to Religious
and Moral Education with a revised syllabus being approved in the same year. As a result some changes were
made to the Guide, but it remains the work of the following teachers:
Hildegardt Gamxamus Khomasdal
Darling Goses Auas
Sorte C. Haipinge Martii Ahtisaari
Kathe Adelheid Januarie Martii Ahtisaari
Sylvia Kandanga Martii Ahtisaari
Kavee Kandjou Olaf Palme
Thomas Mlunga Olaf Palme
Loraine van Wyk Khomasdal

The Guide owes its existence to them and we are also grateful to Kleopas Nghikefelwa, who did the illustrations
at the head of each theme.
Grateful thanks are due to the Church Mission Society and EIN, who supported the work financially; and to
NIED, who provided office space; and Mr Tom Minney who provided a car. To print this Guide, grants were
made by the following sponsors: United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, Feed the Minds, Franciscan
Aid and The Christian Education Trust. We owe our gratitude to all of them.

vii
viii
 How to use this Teacher’s Guide
The book is structured in order of grades. Grade 1 is on pages 1 to 39, Grade 2 is on pages 40 to 73, Grade 3 is
on pages 74 to 112 and Grade 4 is on pages 113 to 159. The eight themes are: Belonging, Phases of Life, The
Sacred, Festivals, Social Values, Religion and the Environment, Personal Values and Children’s Rights and
Responsiblities. The ninth theme allows for topics of own choice. The themes are covered as follows:

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4

Theme 1 Self and the Families in harmony The community Leadership in different
Belonging community and in conflict faith communities
Theme 2 Being accepted into Elders and Growing up Traditions of marriage
Phases of Life a community ancestors and what it means to
be a family
Theme 3 Sacred places and Sacred time Texts, music and art Symbols and rituals
The Sacred objects
Theme 4 Joyful celebrations Passover and African traditions and The temptations of
Festivals Easter religion; Palm Sunday Jesus in the desert;
and Holy Week Lent ; Ramadan
Theme 5 Living together Forgiveness and Democracy Defining honesty;
Social Values reconciliation African and Biblical
traditions about
dishonesty
Theme 6 The world around us Where our food Trees in religious Religious basis for
Religion and the comes from and traditions protecting the
Environment the beauty of nature environment
Theme 7 Change, loss and Being at peace Friendship in everyday Helping others
Personal Values growth together life
Theme 8 My basic rights and Rights and respon- The right to say No Violence, children’s
Children’s Rights and responsibilities sibilities in the home rights and responding
responsibilities and at school to violence
Theme 9 As relevant for As relevant for As relevant for As relevant for
Topics of own choice the class the class the class the class

At the beginning of each theme, there is a short guide giving the Lesson Objectives and Assessment Criteria.
Where applicable, additional teacher’s notes have also been included.
Each theme is broken up into units, most of which can be covered in one lesson, but there are some sections that
require a week or more, or can be across the curriculum. The Suggested Time offers a guide as to how long
it is likely to take to cover each unit, but teachers will need to use their own discretion and estimate the time
required when they plan their lessons. They will need to consider the size of their class, at which learning level
the children are at the time of covering the material, and the likely length of activities given in the Lesson
Suggestions. In addition, if teachers only use some of the Lesson Suggestions (or wish to add more activities),
this will impact on the time required. Therefore the Suggested Time is merely a guideline.
Each unit contains useful Lesson Suggestions and teachers should feel free to adapt them as required, depending
on the class situation. If teachers use activities that the learners are able to do and they allow for fun, creativity
and imagination, they can certainly bring every lesson to life. The Lesson Suggestions provided are by no
means exhaustive and teachers will probably have many more ideas of their own. The Lesson Suggestions
provided in this Teacher’s Guide include:
• Music, songs, rhymes;
• Stories (by the teacher, the learners and in story-chain format);
• Scripture passages, stories and book excerpts and other information;
• Prayers;
• Scope for learners to use their imagination in description, discussion and depiction;
• Drama, role-play and miming;

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• Arts and crafts (including drawing, painting, page decorating, combined artwork projects [e.g. collages, pano-
ramas], models, masks, wall displays, class books, posters, etc.);
• General discussion;
• Making lists;
• Research and interviews and reporting;
• Sorting and categorising;
• Group work;
• Questions - Grades 3 and 4 (note: the More Structured Questions are suitable for written assessment);
• Sharing time – experiences, feelings, beliefs, traditions, culture, bringing special items for a special corner in
the class, information obtained from home and those in the family;
• Quiet time – exploration of own inner feelings;
• Visits by outsiders to the class;
• Visits by the class to outside places;
• Season-specific tasks (e.g. Advent, Christmas, Easter);
• Environmental observations, recording and reporting and larger projects including animals and plants, for instance;
• Card-matching (pictures, words, sentences);
• Food preparation and cooking projects;
• Brainstorming sessions (note: brainstorming is a technical word used in student-centred learning. It describes
a way of encouraging creative thinking and participation by every learner. Brainstorming should lead to lively
discussion with as many learners as possible making a contribution. It is essential that everyone understands
that all suggestions should be accepted without comment from other members of the group during the first
stage. You should also not worry about spelling for this activity, because the important thing here is for learners
to work together freely and with confidence. The list is refined until a ‘master list’ is accepted by everyone);
• Timetable scheduling;
• True or False questions, questionnaires, worksheets;
• Fund-raising;
etc.
Additional texts, either inside or outside text boxes, are contained within the Lesson Suggestions and include:
songs; Scripture passages; stories; prayers; newspaper or magazine articles; drama activities; information to
read to or share with the class; and tables of information. In the case of additional text in text boxes, the box and
text style are as follows:

Song Newspaper or Magazine article

Scripture Drama Activity (more detailed)

Story Information to read to or share with

the class

Prayer Tables of information

The grey column alongside the units contains Notes on Preparation, New Words, Materials Needed and
Questions. Notes on Preparation make for a handy reference to assist teachers with lesson preparation.
New Words provide a quick reference to words which might be unfamiliar to the learners. Teachers should
assess their class’s vocabulary level and add words they feel are new to learners.
Materials Needed for a given activity should be obtained before the lesson to save time and provide for more
orderly work. Questions may be answered orally and will give teachers a less structured assessment opportunity.
They are also useful for helping learners to think further about a given topic or activity and to stimulate group
work and discussion. In Grades 3 and 4, More Structured Questions are repeated at the end of each theme
and these are suitable for written assessments (the answers to these can be found at the back of the book).

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 Grade 1
Theme 1
Belonging: Self and the community
Teacher’s Note: Children make a new beginning when they start school in Grade 1. Some are
excited and full of hope, but some are frightened and uncertain. Try to give them confidence,
and plan activities that the learners will enjoy. In this way they will look forward to school
each day. This is the basis of learner-centred education.

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should appreciate being cared for as the basis for becoming oneself.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• Learners should be able to move parts of their bodies and co-ordinate them in time with other learners.
(Psychomotor)
• They should be able to name parts of their bodies in their own languages. (Cognitive)
• Children should know the story or stories used in class. (Cognitive)
• They should be able to recite from memory, or nearly so, the readings from the Psalms they have learnt.
(Cognitive)
For less structured assessment:
• Can children interact positively with other members of the class or small group by listening carefully to
each other and recalling what they have heard? (Interpersonal)
• When observing the children themselves, their attitudes towards you, the lessons and to others in their
small group, how confident do they seem? (Affective)

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Grade 1 - Theme 1

Unit 1.1: The ‘Me’ that God made

Notes on Preparation
(SUGGESTED TIME: SPREAD OVER ONE WEEK)
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Find activities incorporating songs and movement. You will probably know many • Read through and think
others that can be used (especially those in local languages). Start the lesson by about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
posing the question: “What can I do with my body?” Once the children have had
most useful and adding
the opportunity to share their ideas, let them learn to sing together and move each your own ideas if you
part of the body mentioned in the song If you’re happy and you know it … (see feel they complement
Song Box below). the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands clap clap
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands clap clap
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands clap clap
If you’re happy and you know it, stamp your feet stamp stamp
If you’re happy and you know it, stamp your feet stamp stamp
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you’re happy and you know it, stamp your feet stamp stamp
If you’re happy and you know it, nod your head nod nod
If you’re happy and you know it, nod your head nod nod
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you’re happy and you know it, nod your head nod nod
[This song can continue with different parts of the body, or it can
become cumulative, e.g. If you’re happy and you know it, do all
three, clap, clap, stamp, stamp, nod, nod ...]

• Give the children the opportunity to suggest songs they know.

• If you decide to focus attention on ‘hands’, ask learners to look at their own hands
and at the hands of the child sitting next to them, then sing He’s got the whole
world in his hands ... [This song can continue but by replacing “the whole world”
with the names of people or groups, e.g. He’s got Mummy and Daddy in his
hands, etc.]
• If the learners go to a place of worship, ‘feet’ could be another topic.
• Try to find a good time to read some lines from one of the Psalms (see Scripture
Box on page 3). Read the lines out to the class slowly and with a feeling of meditation,
then encourage the learners to think deeply about the words and try to learn some
of the text by heart, for instance: Your eyes saw my limbs, yet unfinished in my
mother’s womb, all of them were written in your book: I will thank you because
I am marvellously made: your works are wonderful and I know it well or He
that planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not
see?
• Ask the learners to draw an imaginary self-portrait.

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 Belonging: Self and the community

I will thank you because I am marvellously made:

Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
My body was not hidden from you:
while I was being made in secret and woven in the depths of the
earth.
Your eyes saw my limbs, yet unfinished in my mother’s womb, all
of them were written in your book:
they were put together day by day, when as yet there was none of
them.
How deep are your thoughts, O God:
how many of them there are!
If I counted them, they would be more than the grains of sand:
when I awake, I am present with you. (Psalm 139:13-18)

Take heed, you senseless ones among the people:

when will you fools understand?
He that planted the ear, does he not hear?
He who formed the eye, does he not see?
He who disciplines nations, will he not punish?
He who teaches all the world, has he no knowledge?
The Lord knows our human thoughts
how like a puff of wind they are! (Psalm 94)

Unit 1.2: My place in my family, school,

village
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Encourage the children to talk about their place in the family e.g. first-born, etc., • Read through and think
and let them talk about their brothers, sisters, parents and others who live with about the Lesson Sug-
them. gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
• Hand out plain sheets of paper and pencil or wax crayons. Ask the children to your own ideas if you
draw their own family and name the members; or to draw their own house and feel they complement
name the rooms and other parts of it. the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
• Organise the learners into pairs or groups of three and ask them to show each Suggestions.
other their pictures, and talk about them in turn.
• Collect the pictures and display them on the wall of the classroom or let the children Materials needed: paper
take their pictures home to show their families. for each child and pencils
or wax crayons.
• Ask learners to form pairs and assign one of the following activities to each pair:
o Find out from your partner where he or she lives, what brothers or sisters he or
she has etc., then retell this to the rest of the class.

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Grade 1 - Theme 1

o Draw your partner.

o Teach the learners suitable songs about family and about home. This man built
his house upon the rock … is a useful song about two houses, and can be ac-
companied by suitable hand movements.
o Invite the children to imagine their dream house, and describe it to their classmates.

• Ask learners about their first day at school, starting with questions such as:
o Do you remember your first day at school?

o What did you think about it?

Encourage those who want to tell about their worries, fear of teachers and corporal
punishment, and allow those who do not want to talk simply to listen to the others.

Unit 1.3: The birth of Moses

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• In your own words, retell the story of the birth of Moses. Emphasise that the • Read Exodus 1, then
baby’s sister who walked along the riverbank to see where the basket went was Exodus 2:1-10 in the
probably no older than Grade 1 learners. She really cared for her little brother. Old Testament of the
Bible.
• In discussion with learners, ask them how they would feel if they were the sister,
• Read through and think
the mother, the daughter of Pharaoh, or one of the maids of Pharaoh’s daughter. about the Lesson Sug-
• Organise the learners into groups of four or five, then ask them to make up a gestions, selecting the
simple mime based on this story. Encourage them to bring out the feelings of the most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
people in the story. feel they complement
• Divide the class into groups of five or six and have each group make a combined the theme, the unit and
picture to illustrate the story in the following way: the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
1. Draw the background, river, reeds, etc.
2. Draw the people.
3. Make labels.
4. Glue or pin the pictures and labels to the background.
• Ask the learners to recall the outline of the birth of Moses and how he was saved
from the river. Taking turns, each learner can add a part to the story so that it is a
class effort and told in the learners’ own words.

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 Belonging: Self and the community

Unit 1.4: The Good Shepherd

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Introduce the topic by asking who in the class looks after animals at home. • Read John 10:11in the
New Testament of the
• Once some of the learners have spoken about their animals, talk about the Good
Bible.
Shepherd (John 10:11). Bring out the idea of caring for the sheep and of protecting
them from danger. • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
• Help learners understand the idea that the sheep and shepherd are a metaphor for gestions, selecting the
children in a family or village. most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
• Emphasise that Jesus is the Good Shepherd who looks after his sheep. feel they complement
• Organise the learners into groups and ask each group to draw or paint a picture of the themme, the unit
the story together (i.e. one learner could draw a shepherd, another could draw a and the proposed
Lesson Suggestions.
sheep, yet another the grass or the mountains and so on).
• You can further link the piece to the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7 in the
New Testament of the Bible).
• Ask the children to learn a few verses from Psalm 23 by heart. If the whole of
Psalm 23 seems too long, arrange for small groups to learn one verse each, then
these can be repeated in the right order as part of a School Assembly.

5
Grade 1 - Theme 2

Theme 2
Phases of Life: Being accepted into a community

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should know how different communities welcome a new baby.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• Learners should know, in outline, the ceremony of Christian baptism, and the formula of words used for
this ceremony. (Cognitive)
• Learners should know at least one other tradition and ritual for welcoming a new baby – as these have
been talked about or described in the classroom. (Cognitive)
• Learners should be able to describe how names are chosen for babies in some families. (Cognitive and
Affective)
For less structured assessment:
• Do learners value the symbolism of water and can they describe some aspects of this? (Affective)
• Do they have a positive attitude to new members joining the family, village, or class? (Affective and
Interpersonal)

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 Phases of Life: Being accepted into a community

Unit 2.1: Welcoming a new baby in the

family
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Explain that in this unit, everyone will be talking about welcoming a new baby in the • Read through and think
family. about the Lesson Sug-
• To explore the different ways in which babies are welcomed to a family in the gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
different customs, ask who can tell their classmates about a new baby in the family, your own ideas if you
or in the family of neighbours or friends. Encourage discussion with questions such feel they complement
as: the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
o Did the family look forward to having a baby?
Suggestions.
o Could the baby choose his or her family? Did the parents choose the baby?

o Were preparations made for the new baby? If so, who did this and what did they Materials needed: extra
do? If not, was there any reason for this? paper and pencil or wax
crayons.
o Was the baby born at home or in hospital? If the baby was born in hospital, when
did they bring the baby home and who was there to welcome the baby? Or, when New words
could relatives and neighbours see the mother and baby for the first time? ceremony – a series of
o Was there a party or a special ceremony to welcome the baby to his or her home formal actions to mark an
and family? occasion

o Who chose the name or names for the new baby, and was there a ceremony for baptism – dipping or
pouring water to mark a
giving this name?
beginning
• Explain that some children have a ‘home’ name as well as a ‘baptism’ name, and
encourage – to help
maybe others. Say: “Let’s talk about names”, then ask learners where their names people to feel happy and
come from, i.e. how they got them. Write all the learners’ names on the chalkboard, ready to act
asking which are ‘home’ names and which are ‘Christian’ names. imaginative – using
• Mention that different families and communities have different customs for the fantasy or new thought
birth of a new member. Encourage learners to describe some of these that they
have personally seen or taken part in.
• Describe some of the customs that are traditional in Namibia. For instance, among
Herero people all important family events, including the naming of a child, should
take place at the okuruwo, the sacred shrine where the holy fire burns. Some
cultural differences should be noted, for instance, who names the child, where the
name comes from, etc.
• If appropriate, you can briefly describe Jewish and Moslem customs for receiving
a new baby. Christian ceremonies of welcoming and baptism should be the topic of
a separate lesson.
• To complete this unit, ask learners to form pairs or groups of three and draw a
picture of one of the ceremonies they have talked about. This can be either a
simple illustration, or a more imaginative picture, showing the ancestor whose name
has been given to the new baby, looking on from a cloud, or a tree, or somewhere
at the side.

7
Grade 1 - Theme 2

Unit 2.2: Christian Baptism

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON – OR 2 LESSONS IF ROLE PLAY IS USED) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Ask the learners for their ideas about water. Questions you might find useful include: • Read through and think
o How do we use water in daily life? about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
o What is water good for? most useful and adding
o What do we feel about water, rivers, rain, the sea? your own ideas if you
feel they complement
o Is water sometimes dangerous? If so, when and for whom? the theme, the unit and
• Explain that some churches do not baptise babies, only adults, and this is called the proposed Lesson
‘Believers Baptism.’ Most groups, however, baptise babies and the promises are Suggestions.
made by their parents and godparents.
Materials needed: a
• Ask learners if they know what is needed for baptism. Suggestions should include service book (or relevant
‘water’. Explain that the water used for baptism is first blessed by the priest or text written out) for correct
pastor. This may be in a special bowl in church. Ask who knows what it is called wording, a doll, bowl of
water, candles or some-
before telling the learners that it is called a font. Mention that a river or a lake thing similar to show how
outside the church may also be used for baptism. Some churches have a special special the event is, special
pool with steps down for adult baptism. This is called a baptistery. These are not clothes or cloths/sheets for
common in Namibia. the children to wear.

• Explain to learners that baptism is both a ceremony for giving a new baby a name,
New words
and for receiving someone as a new member of the community into the fellowship
infant – baby
of the Church of Christ.
font – a big bowl with
• Invite a pastor to the class to tell and demonstrate how a baptism is done. Ask him water for baptism
or her to bring along anything special that is needed (e.g. a shell or a candle).
rehearsal – a practice for
• Follow up a pastor’s visit (or use a book that gives details and the exact words) by drama or role play
asking for volunteers to do a role play of the baptism.
robe – a formal dress
o A boy and a girl can play the parents (using a doll as the baby), another child (boy
or girl) can be the pastor or priest. Other children can be the godparents or Special vocabulary
grandparents. Very shy children might prefer to be the congregation of relatives, baptise, baptism, christen-
friends and neighbours ing, font, godparents, pro-
mises. Pastor’s words in-
o You will need to provide the font (bowl of water) and anything else needed.
clude special terms for the
Some families have a special white christening robe for the baby, and may be actual baptism: “Name this
willing to lend this provided it is treated carefully and given back clean. child.” When the parents
have given the name or
o Some rehearsals will be needed in order to play-perform this ceremony in class
names, the pastor says, “...
with reverence and seriousness. Those taking part in the ceremony should use (name), I baptise you in the
the same special words as the pastor or book consulted. Tips as to terminology Name of the Father, and of
are provided in the grey column. the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit.”
• Immediately after the role play, ask learners to say what happened. Without telling
them directly, they should be able to distinguish two things:
o The baby is given a name; and

o The baby is accepted into the Christian Church.

8
 Phases of Life: Being accepted into a community

Unit 2.3: Responsibilities of parents and

godparents
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Explain that most Christian churches have a ritual for baptising infants, usually after • Read through and think
the parents have been on a short course of teaching about the meaning of baptism about the Lesson Sug-
and about their responsibilities as Christian parents. gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
• Explain that some Christian communities, for instance Baptists, only allow the baptism your own ideas if you
of adults or older children. A few, like the Salvation Army, do not practise baptism at feel they complement
all. For these communities there is a dedication ceremony in church when the new the theme, the unit and
baby is presented to God and the congregation, and some prayers are said. Ask the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
who has taken part in one of these ceremonies, and give those learners the opportunity
to tell the rest of the class about it.
New words
• Learners may be interested to know that in some Christian communities, for instance responsibility – duty
in villages in Greece, a new baby is never referred to or called by his or her Christian
dedication – offering as a
name until after baptism. Instead the parents refer to their baby as ‘Monster.’ Ask gift or a promise
learners why they think this custom arose (possible answers include: The baby
cannot have a Christian name before being made a Christian. Or perhaps: A baby
who has not been baptised is in danger from evil spirits, so the devil is deceived into
thinking it is not a real baby by calling it Monster, and so leaves it alone. Learners
may come up with other suggestions, as nobody really knows how this custom
started).
• Help learners to invent a way – perhaps a rhyme or a song – to welcome a new
child to their school or to their class.
• Ask learners to suggest some of the responsibilities Christian parents have with
regard to their child being baptised. Write the suggestions on the chalkboard. Then,
with your guidance, the class can decide together which suggestions are important
and which are not, and why. They should also decide if the same suggestion has
come up twice, even if worded differently.
• Once a list of these responsibilities has been decided, ask learners to say who can
help the parents in these responsibilities – they will suggest relatives, godparents
and others. It will be necessary to explain who godparents are and how they are
chosen. As the ideas develop, it may be necessary to explain that godparents are
not just there to give presents to their godchildren, but they have definite duties.
What are these duties? After learners have suggested some, guide them if they did
not include praying for their godchildren, and helping them in times of difficulty.

9
Grade 1 - Theme 3

Theme 3
The Sacred: Sacred places and objects

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should understand that a place, or sometimes an object, can have meaning for an individual or
a group.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• Learners should know certain facts about places where people pray or worship. You should determine
the facts they are to learn in advance. (Cognitive)
• Learners should be able to identify and describe one such special place, a place that has special meaning
either for a group of people or for an individual. (Cognitive and Affective)
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners draw special buildings or landmarks? (Motor skills)
• Have learners developed an attitude of respect for sacred places, even for those that may not have
meaning for them personally? (Affective)

10
 The Sacred: Sacred places and objects

Unit 3.1: A special place

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)
Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• One way to start this topic is by reading a short passage about a child who has a • Read the extract from
special place to go to when he or she is sad. Read the following story piece to the Meekulu’s Children by
class. Kaleni Hiyalwa (New
Namibia Books 2000,
p. 21). Note: since
… A year later, I sat down under one of the big omikwiyu (wild much of this book is
fig) trees in Meekulu’s field, just near the homestead. My sister, unsuitable for children,
only this excerpt is
brother and I used to play under that tree and it reminded me of recommended – you
them. I thought of the good, happy old days with them under the may even prefer to
shade of that tree. I thought of my parents too. I felt very lonely read a short piece from
and began to cry ... another book.
• Read Matthew 14:23
and Mark 6:46 in the
New Testament of the
• Explain that Ketja has lost her parents as well as her younger brother and sister, Bible.
and lives with Meekulu, her grandmother. The piece in the Story Box refers to a • Read Exodus 3:1-6 in
special place. the Old Testament of
• Ask the class if anyone has a dog or a cat at home that likes to lie in a special place, the Bible.
in a basket or on a ledge or under a bush, because it seems to feel safe and relaxed • Read through and
there. Develop this further by asking if anyone has a little brother or sister who has think about the Lesson
Suggestions, selecting
a favourite toy, little blanket or woolly animal which she or he likes to have in bed
the most useful and
before going to sleep. adding your own ideas
• Learners may be willing to talk about their own special places. Start a discussion if you feel they com-
by asking learners questions such as: “Where is your favourite place?” and “Where plement the theme, the
unit and the proposed
do you go if you are frightened or sad or just want to be alone?” (Note: such places Lesson Suggestions.
may be very private, so you should not force any child to speak. Learners deserve
respect too!)
• Being quiet and just thinking, like Ketja in the writing above (if this has been used),
is close to a form of prayer. Develop the theme by introducing the idea that some
people want to go to a special place to pray. Some like to pray alone, others want
to pray in a group. Ask the learners if they know of any such groups or any such
people.
• If desired, examples can be taken from the New Testament of the Bible, e.g. Jesus
going up a mountain to pray (Matthew 14:23 and Mark 6:46) or Jesus taking his
disciples to a quiet place, but after some time crowds of people come and find them
there (Mark 6:31-34).
• Another special place for prayer in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments,
is the desert. You could ask questions such as “Has any one spent time in the
desert?”, “What happened?” and “What was it like?”. Note: Ideally, the replies
should lead to the fact that in the desert there is almost nothing to eat or drink, and
no shelter, so people who go there feel that they are dependent on God and can
pray to God more easily.
• Learners who attend Sunday School will know how Moses was surprised in the
desert, when God spoke to him from the Burning Bush (Exodus 3:1-6). If this
passage is used, ask learners to say what Moses had to do.
• You could end the lesson by setting aside a special place in the classroom for
special pictures or other things (if there is room). This could be called the Special
or Quiet Corner. Ask learners to bring anything they would be willing to share with
the class.

11
Grade 1 - Theme 3

Unit 3.2: Two special places, home and

school
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Explain to the learners that this lesson is about the importance of special places, in • Read through and think
this case home and school. Home is special for each one of us, and school is special about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
for all of us together. most useful and adding
• If desired, the lesson can start with a song: your own ideas if you
feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
I know my Lord. This is the way. the proposed Lesson
I know the Lord will make a way for me. (twice) Suggestions.
If I live a holy life Materials needed: extra
Shun the wrong, do the right, paper and pencil or wax
I know my Lord will make a way for me. crayons.

• Starting from what the learners know, ask a few of the children to stand up and
describe where they live and how they get to school. Questions you might find
useful include:
o “Who has the longest journey?” Ask a few volunteers to say if they think they
have a long journey to school, and describe it.
o The same can be done for “Who has the shortest journey?”

o Ask some of these learners, or better still, learners who have not spoken yet, to
tell the class about some of the things they pass on their way to school, e.g. shops,
trees, river, church maybe – any prominent landmarks.
• Ask the learners to think about their journey to school while you hand out a sheet of
plain paper and pencil or wax crayons to each learner. Ask the learners to draw the
places, trees or buildings they pass on their way. Stress the importance of family
and neighbourhood, including any special places, e.g. a big tree where it is nice to sit
in the shade, or a river where it is fun to swim. In this way learners get to know
more about their environment (village or town and district) and start developing the
ability to show how to travel from one part to another, e.g. from home to school and
back again.
• When done, collect the drawings to have a look at what each child has drawn. The
next day either put them up on the wall of the classroom or give them back to the
children to take home and show to their families.

12
 The Sacred: Sacred places and objects

Unit 3.3: Sacred buildings

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON OR 2 IF THERE IS A VISIT AND FOLLOW-UP LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Explain to the learners that the church, temple, mosque or synagogue (as appropriate) • If a visit to a church or
is a special place. Provided there is a church nearby and some of the learners’ other religious shrine is
families attend services there, ask the learners what happens in church. Let them appealing, speak to
your principal to gain
answer freely. Note: Instead of saying “The church is God’s house”, which gives approval (parental
the impression that God lives there, rather use discussion, questions and answers to permission might also
work towards the message of “A church is where God’s people meet to pray and be needed) and contact
to praise Him, and to share God with each other.” Learners who do not go to the pastor or the person
in charge to arrange the
church can learn from those who do. As far as possible, allow learners to tell each
trip. It will be a great
other, and only intervene if there are serious errors, because what the children say help if he or she can be
about church reflects the way they experience it in their own lives. present to meet the
• If you have arranged a visit to a sacred building (see Notes on Preparation), tell the children and show them
around.
learners the day before the visit where they are going, and say some words about
how they should behave there, e.g. boys take off caps (except for a Jewish place • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
of worship where boys need to wear caps), no running or shouting, keeping together gestions, selecting the
in their groups, etc. most useful and adding
• Before leaving on the trip, organise the class into three groups and give each group your own ideas if you
feel they complement
a particular task e.g.:
the theme, the unit and
o Group 1: Find out the name of the focal point (altar, mihrab, prayer stand, etc.) the proposed Lesson
o Group 2: Ask what the pastor (or other officiant) does during the services; and
Suggestions.

o Group 3: Find out what books or songs are used. Materials needed: extra
(If you know this special place, you will probably be able to suggest other things for paper and pencil or wax
the children to find out.) crayons.

• When the learners return to the class, ask each group to report on what they have
found out. By working together in a team, the learners themselves build up their
knowledge about this special place.
• If there is time, ask the learners to draw the place they visited. Learners who can
write may label special things they saw there. These pictures could then be given
to the pastor or other minister as a thank you from the class.
• Close off this lesson by explaining about how people behave in a sacred or special
place. Below are some examples which you might like to use:
o Christian boys and men take their hats off as they go into a church. Some Christian
women, on the other hand, want to cover their heads. In Russia, Orthodox
Christians make the sign of the cross before entering a church, and some of
them cross themselves three times and also touch the floor of the church as they
go in.
o Many Jewish houses have a little niche or hole high up in the wall just outside the
main door. There is a small container here with a little piece of a scroll on which
are written some words of sacred scripture in Hebrew. This is called a mezuza.
Believing Jews touch this mezuza with their fingers as they go into the special
place, their own home. (Some homes have a mezuza at every door.)
o Muslims wash their hands and feet and parts of the face carefully before they go
to pray. They do this before prayers at home, or when travelling, or at the mosque.
If there is no water, they can perform this little ritual with clean sand.
o Many Hindu homes have a special worship table, called the puja table, in one of
the rooms on which there are pictures or litt le statues of their favourite gods,
flowers and burning incense. The family prays here either together or one by
one. If the home is very small, the puja table may be just a shelf on the wall.

13
Grade 1 - Theme 3

o Many Russian Christians have a special corner in one room with a shelf for
icons, and these are pictures of holy people (saints) or scenes from the life of
Jesus Christ. This is called “The Beautiful Corner.” Usually Russians say their
prayers standing in front of the icons, and they may also put a little light on or in
front of the shelf.

14
 Theme 4
Festivals: Joyful celebrations

Teacher’s Note: You might like to reserve this theme until near the end of the year, just before
the Christmas season. It is also important to be aware of the needs of non-Christian learners
and encourage them to talk about one of their festivals, as well as learning about Christmas.

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should understand why Christmas and other religious festivals have a special meaning.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• Learners should be able to talk about a festival in their own life and experience.
• They should be able to sing an appropriate carol or song.
• They should know the outline of the Christian nativity story.
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners share ideas and work together in groups on a project linked to a festive occasion? This
may be a drama or a painting or the construction of a Christmas crib, or an Advent calendar, greeting
cards or invitations.
• Do they enjoy and appreciate working on this project?

15
Grade 1 - Theme 4

Unit 4.1: Christmas and celebrating a

festival
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 OR 2 LESSONS) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Introduce the theme by talking about a festival which will be familiar to the learners, • Read Luke 1:26-33 and
e.g. a birthday or a celebration at school. 2:1-20 and Matthew
1:18-2.23 in the New
• Ask the class to form groups of between four and six learners and ask them to tell Testament of the Bible.
each other about celebrations in their own lives. These could be birthdays, the It would be good if you
homecoming of a parent who works far from home, the birth of a little brother or could select certain
sister, a wedding or any family gathering. It would be good if you could go to each short incidents that will
provide plenty of
group and encourage the learners to tell each other about some of the things that opportunity for the
happened, and especially whether there was any special food to mark the occasion. learners to ask ques-
• Call the class together and select learners to tell the whole class about a celebration tions or make com-
parisons. Make a list of
or festive occasion. At this point, tell the learners that the word ‘festival’ is linked to
the things to be inclu-
‘feast’, so a special meal is often part of the celebration. Another point to be drawn ded and the points to
out is the giving of presents for a wedding or birthday, or something brought to the be made.
family by a father or other relative who has come back from working far away. • When planning for
• Ask the children to get ready to listen to a story. The first point of reference with Christmas it is useful to
make a web diagram of
which the children will identify is the fact that Christmas tells of the birth of a very
all aspects, e.g.:
special baby. Ask learners what any of them can tell about their own birth. The
o Compare today’s
learners could bring photographs of themselves as tiny infants. There will be some big family cele-
fun as learners try to guess who is who. If they cannot bring photographs, they brations with the
could draw a picture of themselves as babies (the guessing game would then, fact that Mary and
naturally, be impractical). Joseph had to travel
alone to a distant
• Ask the learners to find out from their parents any little incidents about themselves town;
as babies which they can retell in school. Others may tell something about the birth o Consider the jour-
and infancy of a little brother or sister. ney, on foot or by
• In your own words, tell the story of Christmas as detailed in the scriptures. Use donkey, espec-ially
since Mary was
simple and familiar words so they may start to understand the main messages of expecting a baby;
Christmas. Avoid telling everything at once. Emphasise dramatic moments and o Compare how
interchange emotions in your tone of voice. If you are a gifted storyteller, the today we are able to
learners will remain fascinated and will, in all likelihood, hang on your every word. find room for
friends and rela-
o The story can start with Gabriel’s message to Mary in Nazareth. If this is told,
tives, and how
include the fact that a relative of hers is also expecting a baby, who is to be born different it was for
a few months earlier. Mary and Joseph –
o If the story starts with the journey to Bethlehem, bring out the reason for their there was no room
and their baby had
having to go against their will. You can decide whether to mention the situation in to be born in a place
Namibia before independence, when a military power ordered sections of the where the animals
population around. The census for which Joseph had to go to Bethlehem, the were kept.
home “village” of his ancestors, was to register men for tax and probably also • Other aspects refer to
(as in other colonial situations) for military service or other forms of labour. In the preparations, for
example:
itself a census is for counting the population and is harmless, and comparison can
o Gabriel’s mess-age
be made with Namibia’s census conducted in the year 2001. Children can ask
to Mary in Nazareth
their parents about this. Add that Bethlehem is a rather special place, because it nine months before
was the home village of King David, and Joseph was also descended from him. the birth, and at the
Grade 1 learners may not be familiar with maps, but you could explain that, in time of the birth;
those days, everyone went on foot or on a donkey at walking pace, so what o the angel calling
seems like a short journey in a car would have taken several days for Mary and shepherds;
Joseph.

16
 Festivals: Joyful celebrations

o Ask the learners if they know anything about Bethlehem today – it is often in the
news. If there is trouble in and around Bethlehem today, this matches the troubles o the star and the
the baby Jesus was to meet when he grew up, and his death through crucifixion. wise men;
o the wise men and
o Mention that they asked for a room at the inn – in fact this was probably a farm
the reaction of King
with a spare room or two where they took in guests. This is a scene for drama. Herod (this raises
Mary and Joseph were turned away, but given shelter in a place where animals another important
were usually kept. Here the baby Jesus was born. as-pect).
You should also include
• Music and singing is ideal for this unit. The children should learn and sing together
a variety of activities
some Christmas songs, e.g. Away in a manger, A long time ago in Bethlehem, for the learners on this
and Go, tell it on the mountain. web.
o The story goes on to the angel calling shepherds who were on the hills at night. • Read through and think
Tell the learners that shepherds were among the poorest and least educated about the Lesson Sug-
people at the time, but many were dedicated workers. gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
o The wise men (traditionally three, but the gospel does not give any number) were your own ideas if you
among the most educated people of the time, and rich enough to travel a long feel they complement
way, led by the star. They also brought expensive gifts (give more detail on the the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
gifts and what they symbolise, if you feel it would be useful).
Suggestions.
o The talk with Herod, and what he did after they failed to come back to him, is
also an important part of the story. The point here is that learners should begin to New words
understand that people have good and bad motives for their actions, and that nativity – birth, usually
these motives can show, quite apart from any warning by an angel. Many young the birth of Jesus Christ
children are quite capable of understanding this, once they have begun to think crib – manger, but usually
about it. a model of the scene for
the birth of Jesus Christ
• If available, Händel’s Messiah can be played from a tape (the chorus, Glory to
God). incident – something that
happens
• Ask the children to form groups and discuss why Herod felt jealous, and why the
wise men became suspicious of Herod’s motives in asking for information. suspicious – suspecting
something is wrong, but
• Then the sudden flight (on foot again, not in an aeroplane!) to Egypt is very important. not being sure what it is
Jesus Christ came to Africa, as an exile and refugee. Ask learners if they know
what this means, as there are still many refugees in Africa. A small project can be
done on some of them, if time permits.
• A final point to be drawn out is the name of Jesus. Ask learners why names are
important and for whom they are important. Jesus (the Hebrew form is Joshua)
means Saviour and is the same name as the great leader who brought the Hebrews
into the promised land after the death of Moses.
Note: Some work on naming will be found in the material for Theme 2: Phases of
Life, and further ideas may be taken from there.

17
Grade 1 - Theme 4

Unit 4.2: Celebrating the feast

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 OR MORE LESSONS, ACCORDING TO THE ACTIVITIES CHOSEN) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Invite the learners to talk about Christmas or any other favourite festival at home • Read through and think
where there is a party, and the preparations for the party. Scope should be given about the Lesson Sug-
for listing special kinds of food, getting best clothes, buying or making presents and gestions, selecting the
wrapping them. Decorating the room (or other place) is important too. Ask: “Is most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
there a tree? If so, what is it like? Is it a living tree in the village or town that has a feel they complement
lot of leaves at this time of year? If so, what is it called?” the theme, the unit and
• Note that in some villages or towns a special tree grows and, at Christmas, people the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
cut branches and bring them to church. Encourage learners to talk about this.
• Mention that many people attend a church service. It is very special, and even
more so if the service is held at midnight.
• Divide the class into four groups and assign a task to each group, e.g.:
o Group 1: Make festive decorations (e.g. paper chains etc.) to decorate the
classroom;
o Group 2: Make lists of special kinds of food;

o Group 3: Find out recipes for the special foods and perhaps help make some of
these foods under supervision;
o Group 4: Make Christmas cards for their families.

(If time is sufficient – possibly use a separate lesson – you could rotate the groups
so that each group gets to do each activity.)

Unit 4.3: Advent

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 OR MORE LESSONS, ACCORDING TO THE ACTIVITIES CHOSEN)
Note: the Advent season consists of the four Sundays before Christmas. It is a time Notes on Preparation
of preparation. In a class where the learners already know quite a lot about Christmas,
• Familiarise yourself
you may decide to start this theme with Advent. Because Advent is a time of preparing with all the text in this
and looking forward to Christmas, the learners could be busy with some of the activities unit before the lesson.
given in the Lesson Suggestions. • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
Lesson Suggestions gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
• Make an Advent wreath: your own ideas if you
o Form the wreath from leafy twigs on a frame (wood or wire) and make four feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
places for the candles to stand.
the proposed Lesson
o Lay the wreath flat on a table. At the first Sunday in Advent, or the Monday Suggestions.
after, place a candle in the first holder and light it for a few minutes while the
learners gather round and listen to a Bible reading. New words
o For the second week, add a second candle to the holder next to the first and light advent – coming or arrival
both candles, while the children sing a Christmas carol. wreath – a ring made of
flowers or leaves
o For the third week, add a third candle to the holder next to the second and light all
three candles, while the children pray.
o In the fourth week, add a fourth candle and light all four candles, while the
children listen to another Bible reading.

18
 Festivals: Joyful celebrations

• Young children usually enjoy an Advent calendar and can work together with you
to make one for the class. This requires two large sheets of card, two sides of a
cardboard box or two sheets of thick paper of the same size. Materials needed (de-
pending on the activity
o Use one sheet for the backing. On the other sheet, cut out doors for the children chosen): wire or wood,
to open, one by one, to reveal a picture behind. candles, card/cardboard/
thick paper and ordinary
o Let the learners colour the sheet in bright colours (ensure that there is enough for
A4 paper. Plenty of pencil
the whole class to work on and that everyone is involved). or wax crayons, scissors,
o Paste the cover sheet with the doors onto the backing. Ensure that the doors glue, food preparation
supplies and equipment
numbered for opening at the rate of one each day, are in the right order – in fact
and a collection of Christ-
the order does not really matter, but the learners will like to know how it should be mas carols.
and will look forward to each day. The number of doors strictly depends on the
number of days in the Advent season, with bigger doors and pictures for the four
Sundays. But the class may decide not to have doors for Saturdays and Sundays
when they are not in school. In any case, the doors should be numbered on the
outside, either in sequence or with the dates when they should be opened. Tell the
learners that no peeking ahead is allowed!
Note: The Advent Calendar can be made more simply and quickly if you make the
backing and doors beforehand, then the learners only need to make the pictures
and glue them in and number the doors. If desired, the pictures can be drawn or
printed in advance and learners then only have to colour them. What should the
learners draw and colour? A great variety of subjects can be chosen: the last one is
usually the scene of the birth of Christ. Other pictures can include anything to do
with the Christmas season, including candles, presents, cakes and puddings, as well
as angels, a cock crowing, which was an early Christian sign for the need to wake
up, a fish or bread or bottle of wine (as used in church).
• Learners can work together to make a Christmas crib scene to put on a display
table. This may be quite a lengthy project, but different groups can work at the
same time on different characters to be combined to make the finished crib.
• A nativity play: Drama is difficult at Grade 1 level and will need several rehearsals.
It might help if you involve the parents to help the children learn their parts (which
may have been suggested by learners) and, where possible, help with making
costumes and making (or temporarily donating) props. Let the learners make
invitations to give to their family members so they may come and see the play.
• Invitations: Let the learners make invitations to give to their family members so that
they may visit the school at a special time to see the work they have done.
• Classroom decorations: Group the children and have them make decorations to put
up in the classroom.
• Festival food: Learners can make some food, at its simplest fruit salad, or other
dishes, if there is scope in school.
Note: any or all of these activities can include breaks for singing some of the
special Christmas carols or songs.
As far as possible, when any activity is finished, display the learners’ work and give
the class time to look quietly at everything they have achieved.

19
Grade 1 - Theme 5

Theme 5
Social Values: Living together

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should appreciate that positive values and actions bind us together.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• Learners should be able to give a simple greeting in three languages.
• They should be able to talk about the proper way to receive a gift.
• They should be able to relate the story of either how the angel Gabriel greeted Mary; or how the angel
Jivreel spoke to Muhammad; or how Abraham received the three strangers.
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners share ideas on the different languages they use at home?
• Can they distinguish the different ways they relate to their parents, teachers, brothers and sisters, and
other children at school?
• Can they discuss, with feeling, how they can look after certain animals, and how some animals can help
people?
• Are they able to recognise and use suitable phrases which show social values?

20
 Social Values: Living together

Unit 5.1: Introducing the theme

(SUGGESTED TIME: ½ A LESSON OR MORE) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
Note: Introduction of this theme is mainly discussion, questions and answers, led by with all the text in this
the teacher. There are some links with Theme 7, Unit 7.3. unit before the lesson.
• Read through and think
Lesson Suggestions about the Lesson Sug-
• Invite learners to compare the birth of a human baby with that of an insect or frog. gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
• Make a contrast with the hatching of young birds, e.g. chickens, how the mother your own ideas if you
should sit on the eggs, how she begins to look after the little ones once they hatch, feel they complement
how she feeds them, and gradually teaches them a few things. Some learners will the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
be able to describe these things from their own experience – encourage them to Suggestions.
share what they know with the class.
• Stress that insects and frogs are hatched without either of the parents being present, Materials needed: a
and the young ones grow up by themselves. Ask if the human baby could look after spider’s cocoon in a jar to
see young spiders emerg-
him- or herself from birth (like the spider or the tadpole), and how much he or she
ing or frogspawn to see
depends on the mother and other people around. This introduction should bring tadpoles hatch (alterna-
learners to see that human society is essential to being a human being. tively, pictures can be
used).

Unit 5.2: The languages we share

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON OR LESS) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
Note: The main activities in this lesson are discussion and making lists. with all the text in this
unit before the lesson.
Lesson Suggestions • Read through and think
• Explain to the children that a family or household is a little society and has its own about the Lesson Sug-
values. Ask: “How do we communicate with each other at home?” If the learners gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
need help, you could suggest one or more of the following: touching, smiling, hand your own ideas if you
and arm movements, and talking. Ask: “How many languages can you speak?” feel they complement
Ask the learners to greet each other in different languages, first in their own home the theme, the unit and
language and then in any other language of Namibia. You can note on the chalkboard the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
how many learners can greet someone in three languages or four or more. Let
them learn from each other greetings in languages they did not know before. New words
• If the learners come from different language groups, ask them to say what language communicate – get or
they speak at home. If all the learners have the same language at home, ask them keep in touch
how their home language is different from the language of radio and television. tradition – a custom or
• Divide the learners into groups of five or six. Now ask the learners to list some of ritual passed down from
the basic social values in their experience. If they can write, paper can be given out one generation to another
for a list to be made by each group. Alternatively, you could list the learners’
suggestions on the chalkboard. The list should begin with the things that hold the
family group together – relatives they have in common, shared language, shared
habits, shared jokes, shared stories, etc. Other suggestions may come forward.
Once the list is complete, explain that these are their basic family values and, therefore,
also social values. Learners might need considerable help from you for this task.
• Shared stories are often traditional stories and stories about the past. You may
decide to develop this idea if such stories are forthcoming from learners in the
class.
• Some of the stories may be linked with special pieces of land. Allow time for
discussion. On the chalkboard, make a list of the fundamental social (family) values:

21
Grade 1 - Theme 5

e.g. relationships, language, traditions, land (or other possessions), and perhaps
others, as suggested by the learners.
• Develop this language theme further by asking questions such as the ones set out
below:
o How do children speak to their parents? Do they use different forms of speech
when talking to other children, or to toys or animals?
o How do children talk to their teachers or other respected elders?

o How do people talk on the radio or on television?

Unit 5.3: Giving and receiving

(SUGGESTED TIME: ½ A LESSON)

Lesson Suggestions Notes on Preparation

• Familiarise yourself
• Ask the learners if they have ever given a gift to someone else. How did that with all the text in this
person react? Have they ever received a present? What is the proper way to unit before the lesson.
respond to this? It is important for all to know that different families and different • Read through and think
societies have different ways of giving and receiving, and different ideas about the about the Lesson Sug-
right way to respond. If learners come up with different ideas, list them on the gestions, selecting the
board. most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
• Explain that, in some societies, young children are taught that if anyone gives them feel they complement
a present, they should do two things: (1) receive the present with both hands, and the theme, the unit and
(2) share whatever it is with others. When you give a present to someone else, the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
some societies expect a boy or a man to bow, and a girl or a woman to curtsey,
when they have handed over the gift. New words
• Ask the learners how gifts are given and received in their families. It is important to bow (sounds like ‘wow’)
stress that different families have different ways and that these are ‘social values’. – to bend forward or lower
the head as a mark of
• Mention that not all families bring their children up to say “thank you”, but this is
respect
now becoming more important and children should learn this.
curtsey – a girl or lady
• Read the following story to the class: shows respect by bending
her knees quickly

A STORY FROM RUSSIA

Uncle brought presents for two children, who were brother and
sister.
“Oh thank you, Uncle,” said the girl.
“It’s nothing,” said Uncle with a smile.
Silence, then the girl turned to her little brother, “Aren’t you
going to say thank you to Uncle?”
“No,” the boy replied. “Uncle said it was nothing!”

22
 Social Values: Living together

Unit 5.4: Greeting people

Notes on Preparation
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Start the lesson with a discussion on how we greet people. Ask learners about • Select and read one of
greeting different types of people. Try to draw every learner into the discussion. the three story options
as indicated in the
The following questions might be useful: Lesson Suggestions.
o How do you greet your parents when you get home from school?
• Read through and think
o How do you greet your friends when you meet? about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
o How do you greet older relatives?
most useful and adding
o How do you greet the school Principal? What about a policeman? your own ideas if you
feel they complement
o How do we greet people we do not know?
the theme, the unit and
• Explain that in religious traditions greetings can be very important. Retell your selected the proposed Lesson
story in suitable words and pose the corresponding questions to the learners. Suggestions.

o Option 1: The Christian story of the angel Gabriel visiting Mary (Luke 1:26-33).
New words
The story begins with the angel Gabriel coming to Mary in the little town of
recite – say aloud, usually
Nazareth. Questions: from memory
§ How does the angel greet Mary?
§ Is this the usual way people greet each other?
§ How does Mary react?
Note: The Christian Church remembers this greeting at the festival called Annun-
ciation (announcement) on 25 March.
o Option 2: The Moslem story of the angel Jivreel visiting Muhammad (Qu’ran in
Sura 96, verses 1-6, or see Scripture Box below). It is up to you as to how far this
story is to be taken, for instance whether Muhammad could read or not, how he
learnt the suras and remembered them so they could be written down later, etc.
The story begins with the angel Jivreel coming to Muhammad while he is praying
on a mountain and telling him to read or recite certain words. Questions:
§ What kind of greeting did the angel give to Muhammad?
§ How did he react?
§ What did he feel?

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful,

Recite! In the name of your Lord who created,
Created man from a clot of blood.
Recite! And your Lord is the most Bounteous,
Who taught with the pen,
Taught man what he did not know. (Qu’ran in Sura 96, verses 1-6)

o Option 3: The Bible story of the three strangers who visited Abraham and Sarah
(Genesis 18:1-16). Abraham and his wife Sarah had three unexpected visitors
who brought them a message. Questions:
§ What did the strangers say in greeting (at the beginning of the meeting)?
§ How did Abraham and Sarah react?
§ What did they do?
§ When and how did Abraham know they were angels and not ordinary people?

23
Grade 1 - Theme 5

Unit 5.5: How we care for each other

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Find out about the animals learners have at home. Below are some questions you • Prepare separate cards
could ask: with the names of
animals, and on another
o Who has animals at home? card, the names of their
o What kind of animals are they? (e.g. pets such as cats, dogs or a bird in a cage young. Include pictures
or farm animals such as chickens, goats, cattle, etc.) if possible (either draw
them or use magazine/
o Who looks after them? newspaper cutouts).
o If adults or older brothers and sisters look after the animals, can you describe • Read through and think
what they do? about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
o Which learners have a special responsibility for feeding animals? Encourage
most useful and adding
them to talk about what this responsibility entails (e.g. feeding them, grooming your own ideas if you
them and perhaps looking after them in other ways). feel they complement
o Further questions you could ask include: the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
§ How do you look after your animals? Suggestions.
§ Can you describe what you do?
§ How often do you do this (e.g. once a day, once a week, etc.)?
§ At what times do you do this? Do the animals expect to be fed at certain times?
§ Is there a timetable or routine for caring for them?
• Ask the children to give the names of home (pet) and farm animals, and what their
young are called – e.g. a baby goat is called a kid, a baby cat a kitten and so on.
Make a list on the chalkboard.
• Ask the children to do the same as above with wild animals (this might be a bit
advanced for some learners at this level, but you might like to broaden their
knowledge by giving them the answers in any event).
• Children can recite or sing, Mary had a little lamb, Hare, why is your tail so
short?, Old Macdonald had a farm or other songs.
• Divide the class into three groups. Using the animal cards you prepared before the
lesson, assign activities as follows:
o Group 1: Match the young to the grown animals;

o Group 2: Make the sounds each kind of animal makes; and

o Group 3: Think about and then imitate the typical movement, style of walking,
feeding, etc., for each animal.
Classmates will enjoy watching and guessing which animal is being represented.
• Share some or, if time permits, all of the following facts, then choose one on which
to base a class project about the topic of caring and, in this case, how animals help
people in special circumstances:
o In the town a pet dog can be trained to go to the shop and bring a newspaper
back to his master.
o Some dogs can be specially trained to lead blind people, stop at traffic lights,
make sure they cross the road safely and so on. These are called Guide Dogs for
the Blind, and their training is long and expensive.
o Geese make a noise when strangers come. There is a story of how the ancient
city of Rome was saved because the geese made a loud noise one night and
warned the Romans that their enemies were coming.
o Frogs once saved a man in Zimbabwe. He was walking alone through the wild
bush, and as he came to a stream he noticed that the frogs became silent as he

24
 Social Values: Living together

stepped through the water. When he had passed, he heard them croaking again.
But after a minute or two the frogs went silent again, so the man knew at once
that he was being followed! He quickly climbed a tree, just before a big lion
came nearer. The lion looked at the man and then sat under the tree waiting for
him to come down. Can learners guess how this story ends?
o There are many stories of children who are ill, wanting to get well because of
their favourite dog or cat. It can be said that their pet gave them hope.

Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
unit before the lesson.
Unit 5.6: Social values • Compile a list of good
and bad social values,
(SUGGESTED TIME: ½ A LESSON) e.g. love, telling lies,
stealing, respect, help-
Note: The examples in the last part of Unit 5.5 refer to caring for others, both animals ing in the home or on
and people, and are therefore social values. the farm, being rude to
strangers, working toge-
ther, saying thank you,
Lesson Suggestions
throwing stones at
• On the chalkboard, write out the list of social values you compiled before the people or animals,
lesson. Read them to the class, pausing to give learners time to assimilate each helping a sibling, greet-
ing older relatives, not
social value. saying thank you,
• Divide the learners into groups and ask them to discuss the social values and identify shouting in school, lis-
the good and bad social values. They should give reasons for saying so. tening to the stories old
people tell about the
• In the same groups, have learners think about the values of noticing others, respect, family.
working together, caring, greetings, thanking, valuing other people’s company, their
• Read through and think
jokes, their skills, their music and so on – the list is endless. about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
Unit 5.7: Collecting money for a good cause Suggestions.

(SUGGESTED TIME: ½ A LESSON)

Note: In some schools there is a time when money is collected for some kind of Notes on Preparation
Benevolent Fund to help children with cancer, or for the blind, or some other cause. • Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
If this happens in your school, children who are asked to give some money need to unit before the lesson.
know what it is for and exactly how their money is going to be spent. This is very • Draw up a plan on how
important. Therefore a class project on the good cause or charity for which money is the money will be
being collected could be undertaken. You may have additional ideas, but below is one collected and prepare a
you might find useful. list together with a bar
or pie chart to demon-
strate how the money
Lesson Suggestion will be used.
• There can be a link with Maths here. If money is collected in school, learners can • Read through and think
add up the total collected in their class, and the total of all the classes in the school. about the Lesson Sug-
Then they should also be shown how the Charity Fund will use their money. This is gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
usually represented in the form of a diagram, showing how each N$100 is spent: so
your own ideas if you
much for equipment, so much for living costs, so much for transport, for administration feel they complement
and so on. This information is usually in the form of a pie chart or bar chart, and it the theme, the unit and
is useful for Grade 1 learners to see these and understand what they mean. the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.

25
Grade 1 - Theme 6

Theme 6
Religion and the Environment:
The world around us

Teacher’s Note: This theme is based on what learners can see and understand of the world
around them, and therefore they will be required to go to an open space and observe their
environment both by day and by night.

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should appreciate the natural and the man-made world.
Learners should appreciate aware that shared beliefs bind people together.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• Learners should be able to describe the main landmarks around them.
• They should be able to identify one or two constellations of stars.
• They should be able to participate in making a panorama of the world they can see around them.
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners work together on a panorama for display?
• Do they feel and appreciate the vastness of the sky?

26
 Religion and the Environment: The world around us

Unit 6.1: What there is around us

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 OR 2 LESSONS) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Ask the learners to look round the classroom and out the windows and briefly • Read through and think
describe what they can see. about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
• Explain that the class will be going to an open space near the school: most useful and adding
o Before they go out, divide the children into eight groups, and give one learner in your own ideas if you
each group paper and a pencil to make notes for the group (either in writing or by feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
making rough sketches of the things they see). the proposed Lesson
o Take the class to the open space you have chosen. The learners should all look Suggestions.
carefully in one direction, before turning around very slowly and describing what • For a visit to a nearby
they see, until all of them have gone round in a complete circle. It is likely that at open space:
least one learner has noted the main landmarks and some smaller ones, clearly o Speak to the School
Principal about
enough for all to hear. If there is a building close by with a high wall, this is also
taking the learners
part of the world around us. Ask the learners whether they noticed or saw this. to an open space
o Now ask each of the eight groups to face in a different direction. Ask all the near the school (the
learners to look carefully to observe the world in front of them, and get them to permission of the
parents may be
tell the one with the paper and pencil what to write or draw. It is important that required).
each group knows clearly in which direction they should be looking. o Find a nearby open
Important note: Grade 1 learners do not see things in the same way as adults, and, space from where it
apart from less developed motor skills, their sketches may not look much like the is possible for the
learners to get a
things they represent. You need to accept this fact and rely on your own judgement. reasonable view of
• When the learners return to the classroom, ask each group to prepare outline what is around
drawings of the things, trees, hills, buildings, etc., that those in the group have seen. them. The sur-
roundings should
• Explain to the class that the word “panorama” means ‘a view of everything’ and include some hills or
usually denotes a very wide view. In this case it will be a view that covers a mountains, a few
complete circle (360°). buildings, perhaps
roads, trees and so
• Now the learners, first in their groups, then later all together, construct a panorama on. It is not
of what can be seen from the place where they looked all round. necessary to be able
o This can be made into a very long picture, in sections as necessary, and displayed to see a great
distance.
on the classroom walls so that each section faces in the same direction as the
landmarks depicted. This will make a fine display if visitors come to the classroom.
Materials needed: paper
o If desired, you could make labels for some of the landmarks and have the learners and pencils for eight
place the names on or above the panorama displayed. This will be necessary if groups of learners, plus
the drawings do not really look like the objects seen! larger sheets of paper and
paints for making the pan-
o Ask learners from which direction the sun rises in the morning. Mark ‘East’ on orama.
the panorama. Ask them in which place the sun sets in the evening. Mark ‘West’
on the panorama.
• Divide the learners into smaller groups and ask them to list the landmarks in three
categories:
o Natural objects, such as hills, trees;

o Things that are natural but have been modified, helped or changed by people,
such as gardens, trees or fields specially planted and looked after; and
o Man-made things, such as buildings, roads, radio masts, etc.

(If the second category seems too difficult, it can either be left out, or different
groups can be put together to decide into which category to put things they are not
quite sure about.)

27
Grade 1 - Theme 6

Unit 6.2: The sky

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON PER PROJECT) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
Note: There are two projects to do with the sky, one by day and the other by night. with all the text in this
Only the daytime one can be done while learners are at school. Suggestions are unit before the lesson.
made further on for a way to approach observing the sky at night. • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
Lesson Suggestions gestion and add your
own ideas if you feel
• The exercise of observing the sky by day is one in feelings and emotions, and it is they complement the
the reaction of the learners which is particularly important. Feelings of awe, the theme, the unit and the
proposed Lesson Sug-
greatness of the sky, fear and wonder can be religious emotions. To observe the
gestions.
sky by day, learners need to go outside.
o Select a day when there is some sun and some clouds. Organise the learners into Materials needed for
groups of two or three and take them outside. Each group will need either a the sky by day task: a few
mirror or a large bowl of water. Alternatively, a natural source of water such as large mirrors or bowls of
a stream or pool can be used. By looking down at the water, they should be able water for each group,
paper and a variety of
to see a reflection of the blue sky and some of the clouds. Learners should be told pencil or wax crayons.
never to look directly at the sun because this can damage their eyes!
For the sky by night
o Ask the learners to imagine that the blue sky is a great ocean of water, and the task: photocopies of the
clouds are islands, some of them floating islands. constellations on page 160
at the relevant time of year
o While they are looking at the sky’s reflection, ask them to imagine that they are
for each group, sheets of
falling into space. Let them hold onto each other if they want to. Ask them how dark blue or black paper,
deep it is? Where does it lead to? Is there any end to the depth? gold and silver star stickers
or scrap paper and glue.
o After some time, say one or two minutes, in silence, ask learners to say what
they feel about the experience of gazing into the depths. Answers may include
fear, strangeness, feeling how little they are and how big the sky is, and similar
emotions. Encourage learners to say what they feel.
o Once they have returned to the classroom, ask the learners to choose a colour to
express their feelings, and then use that colour to draw what they feel.
o If a tape recorder is available, you may like to play The heavens are telling the
greatness of God from Haydn’s famous oratorio Creation. Instead, the learners
may want to sing a song they know about the world, such as He’s got the whole
world in His hands. Alternatively, this music may be used as part of Unit 6.3.
• Observing the sky by night (note: this can be a good project because most children
have seen the sky at night away from bright street lights and are excited to find out
that the stars make up shapes that have traditional names). Since this project cannot
be done during the school day, you need to make special arrangements. Divide the
class into groups of between three and six learners who live near each other. Ask
a responsible adult – possibly a relative of one of the learners in the group – to help
by taking the group out at night.
o Give each group a copy of the the main constellations visible at night (at the
specific time of year) and in which direction they are likely to be seen (see the
example on page 160).
o The adults who have agreed to assist should take the learners out on a clear night
so that they can see the sky and the stars easily.
o Each group, with the help of the designated adult, tries to find the stars which
make up one or more of the constellations.
• When the learners return to school the next day:
o Ask each group that has done this observation project to draw the constellation
or constellations they have seen. They will probably need your help. This can be
done with a sheet of dark blue paper on which the learners stick gold or silver
stars in the right shape. Alternatively, they can simply draw the stars and glue

28
 Religion and the Environment: The world around us

them on. Learners should then give the constellations their names. They can
display their work on a classroom wall.
o Help keen learners to identify the major planets and explain why these are not
stars.
o As an additional project for the sky at night, learners could find out more about
the moon. You can suggest this project for those learners who have a parent or
other relative willing to help them with it. Learners who take on this project will
need to observe the moon for some minutes every few nights over the space of a
month or more. They will need to take notes and draw the shape of the moon at
intervals of, say, three to four days. These drawings can be redone in school to
make an attractive and informative display of the phases of the moon. It should
include the question: “How many days are there between one full moon and the
next?”

Unit 6.3: The sky is God’s creation

(SUGGESTED TIME: ½ A LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Ask the learners to sit quietly and then remind them of the the work they have done • Read Psalm 19:1-4 and
on the world around them, by day and by night. Job 9:8-10 in the New
Testament of the Bible
• Read out the selected passage (see Scripture Box below) slowly and with feeling. and select one or part
• Divide the class into groups of three learners, then distribute the texts you prepared of one for use in the
before the lesson. Hand out pencil or wax crayons, if available, and ask the learners class.
to draw freely and colour in the margins around the text, while thinking about the • Write out the text con-
tained in the scripture
things they did and felt in the previous exercise. box and make suffi-
• Either display these decorated texts in the classroom or let the learners take them cient photocopies for
home to show their parents. distribution to groups
of learners during the
lesson. It is important
The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the sky shows His
that the paper or card
handiwork. has wide margins so
One day tells its tale to another, and one night gives knowledge to that there is space for
them to make a border
another. around the text.
Although they have no words or language, and their voices are not • Read through and think
heard, about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
Their sound has gone out to all lands, and their message to the ends
most useful and adding
of the world. (Psalm 19:1-4) your own ideas if you

God alone stretched out the heavens

and trampled on the dragon of the sea.
He made the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the chambers of the south.
He does great things we cannot understand,
and marvellous things without number. (Job 9:8-10)

Note: The Bear and the North Pole Star are not visible from Namibia.

29
Grade 1 - Theme 6

Unit 6.4: Prayer

(SUGGESTED TIME: 10 OR 15 MINUTES AT THE END OF ANOTHER LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Remind the learners of work done in Unit 6.2. • Read through and think
• Ask the learners to look at the illustrated texts (Unit 6.3) and remind them of the about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
project they did on the sky in Unit 6.2. Ask them to concentrate on picturing or most useful and adding
trying to place their family, friends or other people in the care of God, the Creator your own ideas if you
of all. This can be done in silence or you could play soft music. feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
• Then, with heads bowed and eyes either open or closed (whatever is the usual way the proposed Lesson
for prayer at School Assembly), learners can, in their imagination, try to place their Suggestions.
family or other special people in God’s care in the context of God’s greatness in
creation. Materials needed: soft
• If they would like to, learners could also pray aloud. music, if available.

30
 Religion and the Environment: The world around us

Theme 7
Personal Values: Change, loss and growth

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should begin to value inner peace.
Learners should appreciate that life is a process of change.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• Learners should know, in outline, the story of changes in someone’s life, for example, the young man
Gotama who became the Buddha.
• They should know, in outline, the life cycle of a plant or an insect.
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners draw the stages of growth in a plant seed or insect?
• Do they understand the feelings associated with loss and change?
• Are they able to discuss death and mourning?

31
Grade 1 - Theme 7

Unit 7.1: Being at peace with oneself

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
Note: This is an exercise to give the learners a feeling of depth and harmony in the with all the text before
soul. If music is available, the teacher could play a tape of very peaceful music the lesson.
before and during this activity. If it is not possible to play music, ask the children to • Read through and think
softly hum something they all know while they do the tasks. The idea is based on about the Lesson Sug-
drawings and etchings made by prehistoric Bushmen in southern Africa. gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
Lesson Suggestions feel they complement
• Ask each learner to draw a circle or, if preferred, the figure 8 on its side (‘lazy the theme, the unit and
eight’), using either an instrument or freehand, in their workbooks. It is important the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
that they use only one colour at this stage as the emphasis is on shape.
• Let the learners look at their circles, then ask: “Where does it begin and where New word
does it end?” Explain that the circle is a symbol of eternity because it has no Eternity – existence for
beginning and no end. ever and ever, outside time
• To develop this idea further, learners will need to draw a second circle – leaving
enough space for additions. Once they have drawn the second circle, let them add Materials needed: paper
and a coloured pencil for
something to it, e.g. by drawing an ‘S’ shape inside the circle or lines running
each learner.
outwards like rays of the sun. You might need to help learners to do this. It is
important that they use only one colour, because the exercise is about shape and
symbol.

Unit 7.2: Turning points in life

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 OR 2 LESSONS) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
Note: In many cases children do not know whether or not anyone chose to make with all the text before
changes. From the child’s point of view, they just happened. You will need to help the lesson.
learners understand that some things, like moving house, are the result of decision • Read the story pro-
(not necessarily the decision of those who have to move), while other things, like loss vided or find another
and death, are not deliberately chosen. Use the examples the learners themselves story to demonstrate
changes that made
bring forward. Choice and non-choice can be an important distinction for the moral someone think.
development of young learners and they need help to understand these concepts. • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
Lesson Suggestions gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
• Ask the learners about any big changes in their lives, for instance their starting your own ideas if you
school or moving to a new house. You will need to be prepared for some changes feel they complement
that are sad, such as loss of a parent or other relative, and others that are happy, the theme, the unit and
such as the birth of a new baby, or getting a puppy or kitten. the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
• Ask the learners how these changes came about. Ask: “Did someone decide them,
or did they just happen?” New words
• Develop the discussion to help learners differentiate between changes that people luxurious – very comfor-
chose and those that ‘just happened’. table or rich

32
 Personal Values: Change, loss and growth

• After learners have given a few examples of changes in their lives, prepare them to
meditation – very deep
listen to the story of a man who did not want any changes, and what happened to thought about something
him. The story continues on page 34. serious

Materials needed: paper

This is the story of Siddhartha Gotama (also spelt Gautama), the
and pencil or wax crayons.
young prince of Northern India who later became the Buddha.
He lived about 2 500 years ago. His father was a wealthy prince
who wanted his son to grow up without any cares. He therefore
tried to shelter his son, always surrounding him with plenty and
pleasures, and forbidding anyone to tell the young prince anything
about poverty, suffering or death, because these are signs of
change that can spoil one’s happiness.
The young prince married and a little son was born to the happy
couple. But one day the young prince went out of the palace into
the streets of the town, streets that had not been cleared of the
sad sights his father did not want him ever to see. So it happened
that on this one outing he saw four things.
First he saw a very old man standing beside the road, wrinkled
and grey, his teeth missing, his back bent, and leaning on a stick,
and Gotama had to ask his servant what this might mean. Next
he saw a poor person begging for food. Third, a little later, he
saw a dead man being carried to his funeral pyre [explain that in
India the dead bodies are carried to a big pile of wood and burned
to ashes: a ‘pyre’ is the name for this pile of wood for burning the
dead]. With the dead man there were relatives and friends
weeping with grief at their loss of a relative they loved.
Before he got home to his luxurious palace, he saw a Hindu holy
man sitting cross-legged in prayer and meditation. This was the
fourth thing Gotama saw that day. The Hindu holy man was thin
from lack of food, and the servant had to explain that the holy
man ate almost nothing from his own choice in order to discipline
his appetites and his body. But the man was content because he
had given up worries and cares about material things, food,
pleasures and such things which only interfered with his holy
prayer and meditation.
Gotama returned home puzzled and worried, but said nothing to
his father about what he had seen - three signs of change and
sorrow, and a man who had given up the enjoyment of pleasures,
all on one day! Gotama thought a lot about the holy man because
his way of life also showed that pleasures were not the only things
to make life good.
[This is a good place to pause in the story. Reinforce the main points of
the story either by question and answer with the class or, if necessary,
by repeating parts of it to ensure that all the learners have understood
the story.]

• Organise the learners into groups of four to work on pictures of the story they have
heard. Give them paper and pencil or wax crayons, if available, and ask them to
draw one of the four ‘signs of change’ that Gotama saw. This will show that they
have understood the story.

33
Grade 1 - Theme 7

• Once the learners have completed their pictures and talked about them, ask them
to think of the next step, i.e. what do they think Gotama would do after he had seen
these four worrying sights?
• List the suggestions on the chalkboard, then discuss the suggestions made by the
learners to see if they can agree.
• Complete the story as in the Story Box below:

Gotama decided to go and find the Hindu holy man. So he got up

one night, and whispered goodbye to his wife and child while
they were sleeping, and went out of the city into the forest – that
is the wild uninhabited country round about, beyond the land that
people cultivated for growing food.
Gotama eventually became a holy man himself, but of a different
kind, and his followers are called Buddhists, the disciples of the
Buddha, the enlightened one.
[Note: The development and importance of the Buddhist religion will be
studied later, in the Upper Primary phase.]

Unit 7.3: Death and rebirth

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON, BUT THE SEEDS OR THE CATERPILLAR ARE OBSERVED Notes on Preparation
FOR SOME WEEKS) • Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Option 1: A plant seed that dies and bears fruit unit before the lesson.
• Read through the two
Lesson Suggestions project options, then
select one project to do
• Discuss the project with the learners. with the class.
• Let them gather round while you explain the procedures, making sure that you • Read through and think
involve the learners at the various intervals and let them talk about the process. about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
o Step 1: Fill the jar with water (not quite to the top).
most useful and adding
o Step 2: Attach the seed to the absorbent paper with the pin. your own ideas if you
feel they complement
o Step 3: Place the absorbent paper in it with the seed just above the water level,
the theme, the unit and
so the seed can get water through the paper even as the water level starts to the proposed Lesson
drop. Suggestions.
o Step 4: Once the seed has split, learners can see the root making its way
downwards, and the shoot going up. New words
cocoon – a hard case that a
o Step 5: If you can find a suitable place, the little plant can be transferred to it and
caterpillar makes round
kept watered until the full plant grows, and provides seeds for the whole process itself before it comes out
to begin again. as a moth or butterfly
• This project offers scope for focused observation and for the learners to draw the
stages of growth. Materials needed for:
Option 1: a clear glass jar,
• Organise learners into small groups and ask them to draw the different plant stages absorbent paper, water, a
at intervals of a few days. At a later stage these drawings can be copied and seed (bean, fruit or mealie)
separated for groups to arrange them in the right sequence. and a pin.

• Read the text in the Scripture Box on page 35 to the class, then ask learners to Option 2: a glass jar with
holes in the lid for air, one
comment on the words and say what it means for them.
or more caterpillars and the
leaves they like to eat.

34
 Personal Values: Change, loss and growth

Truly I tell you, unless a grain of corn falls into the earth and dies,
it remains just a single grain. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.
(John 12:24)

Option 2: A caterpillar becomes a butterfly

At certain times of the year, children find caterpillars. Some of these are harmless;
others can hurt people who touch them. This projects shows how the caterpillar goes
into a cocoon, and is eventually reborn or hatched as a beautiful butterfly or moth.

Lesson Suggestions
• Discuss the project with the learners.
• Place one or two caterpillars in the jar, feed them the kind of fresh leaves they like
and close the jar with a lid in which holes have been made.
• Let learners look every day to see that they are still alive, until they form cocoons
around themselves. Then they must be left until the cocoon opens and gradually a
little insect comes out. It slowly shakes out its wings and can be seen to be a
butterfly or moth.
• Learners who see these changes can draw them, and there is also scope for
imaginative drawing of butterflies in various colours. These can be displayed in the
classroom.
• Divide the learners into small groups and ask them to describe what has happened.
Once a group has decided what to say, let them tell the rest of the class. The
caterpillar seemed to die, to go into a place of burial, then come out as a new kind
of creature. Ask the learners whether the caterpillar decided on this change, or
whether it just happened.
• If there is time after this, they can compare the life cycle of a plant with the life
cycle of a butterfly, and both with the life cycle of humanity. Ask learners to say
how they are different.
• This offers a lot of scope for drawing and arranging pictures in sequence – tasks
that can be divided between groups of learners.
• If you feel the time is right, you may want to read the same biblical text as suggested
for the first project (see John 12:24) – see Scripture Box at the top of this page.

Unit 7.4: Coping with change

(SUGGESTED TIME: ½ A LESSON OR MORE, DEPENDING ON HOW THE TOPIC DEVELOPS) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
Note: This unit covers loss and coping with change, especially the death of a relative, with all the text in this
friend or neighbour. The work done on plants or insects relates to this. This unit unit before the lesson.
should only be done once you know the learners well, and they all know and trust • Read through and think
each other. Good ideas can be gained from a course on bereavement counselling. about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
Lesson Suggestions your own ideas if you
• Remind the class of each of the topics they have covered, beginning with the circles. feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
• When someone passes away, those who are left have strong feelings and emotions. the proposed Lesson
You will probably know whether anyone in the class has lost a relative or friend, Suggestions.
and will need to decide carefully about how to discuss this topic. You will need to

35
Grade 1 - Theme 7

help learners see that the death of a person is very different from the death of a
plant seed, or a caterpillar going into a cocoon. Or is it? Ask learners about this, and
encourage them to express freely what they think.
• Mention that when someone is near death, or has very recently passed away, it is
helpful to ask how he or she has helped us in our lives. Often relatives feel sad that
they did not do more for that person, and feelings of guilt are mixed with sadness at
their loss.
• Two ancient proverbs apply: “Do not speak ill of anyone who has passed away”
and “About the dead, speak only kind words”. Talk about the positive aspects of
the people the learners have lost. Discuss their strengths, the ways in which they
helped others, their faith in God, and the good things that will be remembered about
them.
• Develop this topic into a discussion about ways of helping and comforting people
who are mourning the loss of a relative, neighbour or friend. Write the suggestions
on the chalkboard.
• Some words of Job from the Bible may be used, if you feel it is appropriate:

For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout
again, and that its shoots will not cease. Though it grows old in the
earth, and its stump dies in the ground, yet at the scent of water it
will bud and put out branches like a young plant. But mortals die,
and are laid low; humans expire, and where are they? As waters
fail from a lake, and a river wastes away and dries up, so mortals
lie down and do not rise again. (Job 14.7-12)

• Some of the elements (e.g. a tree, the earth, water, a lake, a river) can stimulate
artwork, either for individuals or groups.
• Christians teach that believers pass from this life to another kind of life with Jesus
Christ. Some religions teach that the person survives after death, but in another
form. Far Eastern religions also teach that after dying, the soul is reborn in another
body or form. Discuss some of these beliefs and ask learners to give examples.
Guide them if they struggle with this.

36
 Personal Values: Change, loss and growth

Theme 8
Children’s Rights: My basic rights and
responsibilities

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should understand basic children’s rights.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• Learners should be able to repeat, from memory, their own names, address and telephone number.
For less structured assessment:
• Are learners always willing to respond? (responsibility is a form of response)
• Can they take part in listing birthdays and celebrating those of other people?
• Do they take pride in their school and their nation?

37
Grade 1 - Theme 8

Unit 8.1: The right to a name

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 OR 2 LESSONS) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
Lesson Suggestions with all the text in this
unit before the lesson.
• Introduce the topic with the material from the Zimbabwean syllabus in Religious
• Read through and think
Education for Grade 1 (pp. 74-75) which has been adapted, as below: about the Lesson Sug-
o “I am special.” gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
§ Ask the learners to write their names all over the board in their best handwriting. your own ideas if you
Let them see that each one has his or her very own name. feel they complement
§ If there are two children with the same name, show that in such cases surnames the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
differ. Suggestions.
§ Let the children discuss what else they have that belongs only to them – their
birthdays, their parents, the houses they live in, their faces, etc. Materials needed: card
or paper, pencil or wax
§ Help them understand that there is nobody in the world who is exactly the crayons and other decora-
same as another person. tive items to make a
§ Emphasise the fact that each of us is a special person. calendar.

o Read the following story to the learners (names may be changed).

Mr and Mrs Katunga had four children. Vimbai was the eldest,
then there was Susan, followed by Kuda, and the youngest was
Tariro.
One day the four children were playing outside. Suddenly Vimbai
said, “I am the most important of us all, because I am the oldest.
I think Mummy loves me best.”
Tariro immediately shouted, “She loves me best because I am
the youngest!” The other two children were quiet. They were
not the oldest or the youngest. Were they not also important?
Did Mother not love them too? Kuda, the third child, began to
cry softly, but Susan just continued to keep quiet.
The other two, Vimbai and Tariro, were still shouting at each
other when Mrs Kalunga came out of the house. She had heard
the noise and wanted to see what it was all about. Now she saw
Kuda crying softly.
“What’s the matter?” she asked. Susan who had kept quiet all
the time, now told her mother what it was all about. Mrs Kalunga
was very sorry when she saw how upset all the children were.
She sat down and called all four children to her.
“Listen,” she said, “every one of you is very special to me. There
is only one child who was born first and that is Vimbai. So there
is also only one child who was born second and that is Susan. In
this each of you has his or her own place in our family. Father
and I love each of you in a very special way. There is only one
Kuda in our family, only one Susan, only one Vimbai and only one
Tariro. No-one is more important than the other. You are each
one very special to me. Now, let’s all go and have tea.”
Soon Kuda’s tears were forgotten and Vimbai and Tariro had
stopped shouting. They all played happily together till their father
came home from work. Then they all ran to greet him, knowing
that he also loved each one in a very special way.

38
 Children’s Rights: My basic rights and responsibilities

• You, or one of the children, could write a letter on the board (or hold up a letter-
card) e.g. ‘J’. Ask that the children whose name starts with that letter stand up,
e.g. John, Jabulani, Jane, etc. Write (or hold up) another letter, and repeat the
exercise, until everyone has had a chance to stand up.
• Make a year calendar and write the names of the children whose birthdays are in
each month against the days of their birthdays. When there is a birthday, let all the
children make a circle round the one whose birthday it is and sing a happy song, like
Happy Birthday to You.
• Let learners memorise and say the prayer below:

Thank you, God, that you love each of us in a very special way. Thank
you that you love me. Amen.

Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
unit before the lesson.
Unit 8.2: Family, town, nation Note: work on the fam-
ily can use some of the
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) activities from Theme
1. All learners should
know their family name
Lesson Suggestions or surname.
• Ask the learners to find out their address and telephone number (if any) and see • Read through and think
that they are able to repeat it from memory. As a learning exercise, let learners about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
work in pairs and each tell the other his or her name and address, then the partner most useful and adding
should repeat correctly what the other has said. your own ideas if you
• Show the national flag and sing the national anthem. Give plenty of opportunity to feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
rehearse. In follow-up, test whether they recognise the national flag and national the proposed Lesson
anthem by mixing them with those of other countries and seeing if the children can Suggestions.
select the Namibian ones.
Materials needed: the
Namibian flag or a picture
of it, a copy of the Namib-
ian National Anthem and
flags and anthems of other
countries.

Unit 8.3: The school

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)
Notes on Preparation
Lesson Suggestions • Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
• Ask the learners to describe the layout of the school buildings. They should also be unit before the lesson.
able to direct a visitor to the Principal’s office. Note: any topic con-
• For further development, talk about children who are kept out of school and so are nected with the school
can be drawn out to
deprived of the right to education. Ask learners to think of reasons why this might stress the child’s right
come about. Some children may suggest that having to work may be one of these to education. You will
reasons. Emphasise that rights do not come automatically! find ideas for activities
under Theme 1.

39
Grade 2 - Theme 1

Grade 2
Theme 1
Belonging: Families in harmony and in conflict

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should appreciate the interdependence of family members.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• Learners should know and understand the conflict in the story or stories used in the class. (Cognitive)
• They should be able to express the feelings and motives of family members who help each other.
(Cognitive and Affective)
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners interact positively with other members of the class or a small group by working creatively
together on a common task? (Interpersonal)
• Can they see both sides of a conflict situation, and begin to take steps to resolve it? (Affective and
Interpersonal)
• Can they recognise older members of the family or community who might be called upon to help when
there is a conflict, e.g. a teacher, pastor or grandparent? (Affective and Interpersonal)

40
 Belonging: Families in harmony and in conflict

Unit 1.1: Our big family

Notes on Preparation
(SUGGESTED TIME: ½ A LESSON)
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Read the following extract from The Price of Freedom to the class: • Read the extract taken
from The Price of Free-
dom by Ellen Ndeshi
Namhila (New Nami-
At the age of five, I was sent to live with my uncle, my mother’s bia Books 2001, pp.
elder brother who had just got married and still lived at my 15-16). Note: since
maternal grandfather’s homestead. Giving away one’s children most of the book from
to members of the extended family is a living tradition within the which the excerpt has
been taken is not
Ovambo culture in Namibia ... It is common practice that a newly suitable for children, it
married couple are lent a child with whom they can start their is recommended that
new life until they have children of their own. That was how I was you only read the
given to my mother’s newly wedded brother to live with him and excerpt given.
his new wife at Grandfather’s homestead. Grandfather had a very • Read through and think
big family ... Although my grandfather had all these children and about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
grandchildren, he knew each one of us by either our footsteps or
most useful and adding
our voices. I cannot remember how many of us there were at your own ideas if you
Grandfather’s homestead. There were many sons, daughters, feel they complement
daughters-in-law and grandchildren. the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.

• In this story, a child relates to brothers, sisters and the wider family. Ask the learners
to write or tell something about the various things members of the family do, e.g.
cooking, looking after the garden or cattle, and where father or uncles work, and
what they do.

Notes on Preparation
Unit 1.2: Family in conflict • Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) unit before the lesson.
• Read Genesis Chapter
Lesson Suggestions 37 in the Old Testa-
ment of the Bible.
• Either tell a traditional story of conflict or retell, in suitable words, the story of
• Make sentence cards:
Joseph and his brothers, pausing at key points to draw reactions from the learners. write out the story of
o The story starts with Joseph as his father’s favourite, what he does, how his Joseph and his bro-
brothers feel, and what they do to him. It is important to bring out the element of thers in single sen-
tences on cards. Make
conflict. similar cards by draw-
Note: The end of the story about the reconciliation of Joseph with his brothers and ing the story in a series
reunion with his father in Egypt is covered in Unit 1.3 of pictures.

• Divide the learners into four groups. Separate the sentence cards and the picture • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
cards you prepared in advance, and mix each group of cards. gestions, selecting the
o Group 1: Arrange the sentence cards in the correct sequence; most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
o Group 2: Do the same with the picture cards;
feel they complement
o Group 3: Draw or paint a scene or object from the story told. For instance, Jo- the theme, the unit and
seph’s coat will give a lot of room for imagination and artistic expression; and the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
o Group 4: Decide what they would have done if they had been the characters in
the story and share their decisions with the class.

41
Grade 2 - Theme 1

• Additional material, if required: retell, in suitable words, the story of Jacob and
Esau (refer to the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament of the Bible and read
Materials needed: sen-
Chapters 27-28 and 32-33), again, pausing at key points to draw reactions from the tence cards, picture cards,
learners. pencil or wax crayons or
o Jacob and Esau are sons of Isaac. With his mother’s help Jacob deceives his
paints, if available, plenty
of paper.
father to get the blessing of the first-born. Later on, Jacob, still a bit scared at
meeting his brother, is the child of promise who should carry out God’s will for
the people who are his wider family.
• By question and answer, draw out the feelings and reactions of all the characters
in the abovementioned stories, not in a moral sense, but in such a way as to stimulate
understanding for both sides of the problem. At all stages, learning is reinforced by
question and answer. You could pose closed, factual questions about the story to
test knowledge and understanding as well as more open questions in which learners
are asked to express an opinion. Encourage learners to ask their own questions,
even if some of these are quite unexpected. Learners can sometimes show the
depth of their understanding in surprising ways!

Unit 1.3: Settling the conflict

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 OR 2 LESSONS – PERHAPS SUITABLE FOR PRESENTING AT SCHOOL Notes on Preparation
ASSEMBLY) • Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
unit before the lesson.
Lesson Suggestions • Read Genesis chapters
• Unit 1.3 develops from the story told and was discussed in Unit 1.2. The end of the 37 and 41-44 in the Old
story can be told here. You may need to remind learners of what happened, before Testament of the Bible
or find a traditional
asking them to identify the turning points in the story. Develop this by discussion, story of conflict.
question and answer. Below are some questions to assist:
• Read through and think
o Who was really to blame? about the Lesson Sug-
o Was any one person to blame? gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
o Why did the brothers forgive each other? your own ideas if you
o What made it possible to settle the conflict? feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
• Help the learners prepare a short drama to present at School Assembly. the proposed Lesson
• If available, play tapes of the musical Joseph and his Technicolor Dream Coat. Suggestions.
Children can also learn to sing some of the songs.
Materials needed: cloth-
• If desired, you can lead a discussion on who might be the favourite in a family, or ing and props for a short
in a class, what this might mean and what can be done about it. Note: This might drama.
not be suitable for all schools.

42
 Belonging: Families in harmony and in conflict

Unit 1.4: Naomi and her daughters-in-law’s

decisions
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Retell the story about Ruth and Naomi, in suitable words, to the class. • Read Chapter 1 of Ruth
• Discuss the story and encourage the learners to think about the reasons each in the Old Testament
of the Bible (after
person had for his or her decisions and actions. Explain that some reasons really Judges and before
start as feelings, but you would like the learners to try to put them into words. Samuel).
• Questions to ask may include: • Read through and think
o Why did Elimelech leave Bethlehem and go to the land of Moab? about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
o What happened to Elimelech and his two sons? most useful and adding
o Who was left? your own ideas if you
feel they complement
o When and why did Naomi decide to go back home to Bethlehem? the theme, the unit and
o Explore and describe the different feelings of Naomi, Orpah and Ruth. the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
(The story has a happy ending when Boaz appears, but there is not likely to be time
for this!)

43
Grade 2 - Theme 2

Theme 2
Phases of Life: Elders and ancestors

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should understand how older people and younger people can help each other.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• Learners should have found out more about important events in the past and about the heroes of the
nation. (Cognitive)
• They should have learnt about different ways of honouring ancestors. (Cognitive)
For less structured assessment:
• Do learners now better value their grandparents and older relatives and understand how they can help
each other? (Cognitive and Affective)
• Can they see how an older person can help in a difficult situation? (Interpersonal)
• Have they appreciated a story written by a Namibian writer? (Affective)

44
 Phases of Life: Elders and ancestors

Unit 2.1: Grandparents and grandchildren

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions
unit before the lesson.
• To encourage learners to talk about their grandparents and other older relatives, • Read the extract from
read the following extract from Meekulu’s Children to the class: Meekulu’s Children by
Kaleni Hiyalwa (New
Namibia Books 2000,
“Meekulu,” I called. p. 34).
“Eeeh?” she replied. • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
“We have formed a singing group and we are going to sing next gestions, selecting the
Sunday in church,” I told her. most useful and adding
“That is a good idea, child. I will listen to you then,” Meekulu your own ideas if you
feel they complement
said. the theme, the unit and
She was elated to hear that her grandchild was taking a lead in the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
one of the important activities of the church. She smiled gene-
rously. Her smile revealed her mystic beauty. For the first time
New words
since the death of my parents, I saw the beauty that illuminated
elated – pleased and
her face and began to notice the charm that was hidden in the excited
tiny gap between her middle top teeth.
fruitful – helpful, useful,
Meekulu had a beautiful mixture of black and grey hair. Her productive
hair strands stood out thick and maintained a healthy full body. I
would ask Meekulu how come I had coarse and short hair, as if
I was not of her blood. She would tell me that the texture of my
hair was from my father’s lineage.

• Explain that Ketja has lost both her parents and now lives with her grandmother,
Meekulu. They look after each other.
• Ask the class: “Can anyone suggest how Ketja helps her grandmother and what Meekulu
does every day for her granddaughter?” and “Why does Ketja think her grandmother
is beautiful? Which words in the story tell us this?” Answers may include things like;
the child collects wood and fetches water every morning, and grandmother does the
cooking and teaches her granddaughter about cooking, new kinds of food and ways to
cook it. Many other ideas should come forward. For instance, Ketja goes to school, and
has many things to tell Meekulu when she comes home.
• Develop the lesson into group work about planting and other tasks. Mention that at
some times of the year there is special work to be done. In the village, there will be
land to cultivate. In a city or town, some houses have a garden where something
can be grown (e.g. tomatoes), or perhaps in the school yard.
o Ask learners to talk about what kinds of work need to be done. When some
fruitful ideas have come forward, the class can work in groups, as follows:
§ Group 1: Talk about what work should be done before the rain, and what work
once the rain has started? Work out in what order the various tasks could be done;
§ Group 2: Mime a work activity that older people do;
§ Group 3: Draw or paint a village scene, not forgetting the girl and her
grandmother, and maybe some neighbours; and
§ Group 4: Make up (or try to recall) a song or a poem about digging, plant-
hoeing and harvesting.
o Towards the end of the lesson, have the different groups show or talk about their
work to the whole class, so everyone can enjoy the efforts of all.

45
Grade 2 - Theme 2

Unit 2.2: The elders of our nation

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
Note: To introduce this unit, you could ask, “Whose picture is on our Namibian with all the text in this
banknotes?”. You could then show the class a Namibian bank note and ask: “Have unit before the lesson.
you seen this? Who is it? Why is his portrait on the money we use? What did he do?” • Read through and think
There is no need to go through the whole story of Kaptein Hendrik Witbooi, but any about the Lesson Sug-
learner who knows should be allowed to tell the rest of the class some of the story. gestions, selecting the
The emphasis here is on a respected elder. NB: You are responsible for dealing with most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
conflicting views on historical events and people. feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
Lesson Suggestions the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
• Ask: “How do we know about the people who lived before we were born, our
grandparents and their parents?” Suggestions could include history books, news- Materials needed: a
papers, museums and even street names can give clues about the history of a Namibian banknote to
place. However, the answer to be developed is based on the stories that the old show the picture of
people tell. Guide the children to this answer if they miss it. Hendrik Witbooi.

• Ask learners to collect stories from their grandparents or older relatives or neighbours
about things that happened to them when they were little. Let them relate these
stories in school. Some of the stories can form the basis for class work.
• If there is an older person who has been part of some very interesting or unusual
event, you could invite them to come to school and talk to the class, and then some
project work can be developed from this visit. After the visit, one or more of the
learners should write a letter of thanks to the visitor, and another learner could
draw a picture or write a poem to be sent with the letter.
• As an alternative to inviting an older person to come to the school, which might
cause language difficulties if not all the learners understand the elder’s mother-
tongue, the class (or a selected group of learners) could visit an old people’s home.
This has the advantage that groups of learners can go to an old person who speaks
their language, but the visit will need careful planning and the School Principal’s
approval. NB: This can link with Basic Information Science.

Unit 2.3: Asking an older person for help

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Read the following story: • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
A ROUGH GAME gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
Some children are playing a noisy football game. During the game your own ideas if you
the ball, or a stone, breaks the window of the house next door - feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
or spoils something in the garden. The neighbour is very angry
the proposed Lesson
and complains, and this makes the parents angry too. The children Suggestions.
do not know what to do.
Materials needed: paper
and pencil or wax crayons.

46
 Phases of Life: Elders and ancestors

• Ask the learners questions such as:

o Is there anyone who can help them?

o Perhaps a favourite uncle or aunt or grandparent could help them?

o What could this person do for them?

• Allow the learners some time to think about this. Possible answers may include the
offer to talk to the parents, or with the neighbours, and advice to the children, telling
them to go and apologise and if they can, offer to pay for the damage by saving
their own money or doing some work to earn a little money. Guide the children if
they seem unsure of what to answer.
• Your aim in telling this story is to bring out the idea that older relatives can help with
advice from their own experience, and can also act as intermediaries (i.e. considering
both sides in a dispute and trying to get each side to see the other side’s difficulties
and point of view). Try to bring out the fact that grandparents are particularly good
at this, because they already have a relationship with the children’s parents (their
own children) and at the same time can understand how accidents like the one
described can happen.
• Sum up by saying that two things happen:
o First the children go to the grandparent (or other older person) to ask for advice
and help, and of course they apologise etc. if they can.
o Second, the children are grateful for this help and should say thank you to their
grandparents. If the advice is good, and the problem is solved, everyone will be
grateful too.
• Ask learners to relate any similar incident in their own experience, even if a
satisfactory ending was not found. It may be better to do this in groups of five or six
rather than the whole class together.
• If the discussion has gone well, divide the class into three groups.
o Group 1: Ask the learners to invent a short dialogue to say what each person
said at each stage in the story, and to whom. This could be spoken or written.
Collect dialogues and read them aloud;
o Group 2: Ask the learners to act out the story in dramatic form; and

o Group 3: Ask the learners to draw pictures of the people in the story. Help them
write out what they say in single sentences on cards. Separate the cards and ask
the learners to match words spoken with the person who speaks them.

Unit 2.4: Our ancestors

Notes on Preparation
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) • Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Note: This lesson is mostly discussion, to which learners contribute from their own varied unit before the lesson.
experiences. If some do not want to talk about private family things, be supportive and • Read through and think
allow them to be [Link] questions provided should open up useful and interesting about the Lesson Sug-
discussions which will involve traditional African customs, as well as Christian attitudes gestions, selecting the
to ancestors (and those of other religions if they are represented in the class). most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
feel they complement
Lesson Suggestions the theme, the unit and
• To introduce the topic, you could explain that we value and cherish our grandparents the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
and other older relatives, and if they do not live nearby, we like to go and visit them,
or enjoy it when they come to see us. We are worried and sad if they become ill,
and the whole family will get together and mourn when they die.

47
Grade 2 - Theme 2

• If suitable, it might be possible to describe a family funeral.

• To bring in the concept of ‘ancestors’, ask questions such as: Materials needed: paper
o Who has great-grandparents (these are the parents of their grandparents) still
and pencil or wax crayons.
living?
o Whose great-grandparents have passed away i.e. are no longer living?

o How do we think of our older relatives after they have passed on?

o Do we remember them?

o Are we still able to turn to them for help in any way?

o What do we call these old and honoured fathers and mothers, some of them
fathers and mothers of our grandparents and those who lived before them?
o Can any learners share special memories with the class?

• Ask the learners about the parents of great-grandparents, and what they know
about them. Learners will be encouraged to tell about old family photographs,
maybe at home or in the home of their grandmothers. There may be other treasures
that belonged to some of the ancestors – a book, especially a Bible, a weapon
(bow, gun, hunting knife), some article of clothing, perhaps a ring or other jewellery.
Encourage learners to speak to their grandmothers (or those of friends and neigh-
bours if theirs is no longer living). Grandmothers are likely to remember some of
the things their parents used to say, perhaps a proverb or other piece of advice, a
recipe which is still useful and so on. Have the learners report their findings when
they return to class.
• Ask whether there is a grave somewhere which members of the family, the descen-
dants of this ancestor, can visit? Is there a special day or special occasion when
they might make a visit? What do they do? Put fresh flowers on the grave? Say a
prayer? Sing something?
• Find out whether any of the learners has a name from a grandparent or other an-
cestor. Ask them to say whose name he or she has, and if he or she knows from
which ancestor it comes.
• Ask: “Can anyone tell us what their family does to call on an ancestor for help?”
• Encourage learners to ask about their ancestors, and if possible, to bring something
that belonged to an ancestor. Ensure that the class takes great care of it and that it
is returned to the family.
• Explain that some Christian communities like to give their babies the name of a
holy person or saint, then they can celebrate with the child the special day or
‘name day’ of that saint. Many saints may have the same name, and in the Eastern
Church, for instance, parents who name their son Thomas, should say which of the
various Saint Thomases their son is to be named after. The boy can then celebrate
his ‘name day’ as well as, or instead of, his birthday. Some Christians believe that
faithful people who have died have simply passed into another life, and can still be
asked for their prayers, advice and help, just as was the case when they were alive
and nearby.
o If there has been a discussion of the way some traditional groups in Africa honour
their ancestors, ask the learners if they think this is the same as or different from
Christians.
o If there are differences, ask the learners to say in what ways. Some learners
may be able to tell a lot about the way their own family think of the ancestors and
whether they believe that the ancestors who have passed on are still interested in
the welfare of their children, their descendants. If there is enough information,
this could be developed into a class project.
o You might want to develop this theme by including traditional ways in which
ancestors are remembered, and their influence on their living descendants, which
could lead to research and discussion.
48
 Phases of Life: Elders and ancestors

Theme 3
The Sacred: Sacred time

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should understand that sacred time has religious meaning.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• Learners should be able to sing or recite a song (hymn) or a prayer for morning or evening, or
for a particular season, e.g. harvest, Easter, or Christmas. (Cognitive)
• They should be able to discuss specifically religious ways of marking time by prayer, song, celebration,
etc.
• They should know a gospel story or a parable they learnt in class, and be able to relate it or illustrate it
pictorially. (Cognitive and Motor Skills)
For less structured assessment:
• Do learners understand the difference between ordinary time, the flow of days and weeks, and special
occasions that mark the passage of time? (Cognitive)
• Do they have some understanding of sacred time and of explicitly religious ways of marking time by
prayer, song, celebration etc.? Can they distinguish good and bad ways to spend time? Note: You need
to accept that many ways in which children and adults spend time are neutral, that is neither good nor
bad. (Affective and Cognitive)

49
Grade 2 - Theme 3

Unit 3.1: Special times in our lives

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Ask learners to suggest special times in their lives. Suggestions may include: time • Read through and think
to get up in the morning, when father comes home, birthdays, etc. about the Lesson Sug-
• Spend some time asking learners how they feel (excitement, worry, hope, looking gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
forward to a party, etc.) your own ideas if you
• Ask: How does a child feel when everyone has forgotten his or her birthday? feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
• Start a brainstorming session, using the following technique: the proposed Lesson
o Note: Brainstorming is a technical word used in student-centred learning. It Suggestions.
describes a way of encouraging creative thinking and participation by every learner.
Brainstorming should lead to lively discussion with learners suggesting things and New words
thinking how they feel. It is essential that everyone understands that all suggestions emotion – strong feeling
should be accepted without comment from other members of the group during significance – meaning
the first stage. You should also not worry about spelling for this activity, because
the important thing here is for learners to work together freely and with confidence. Materials needed: extra
The list is refined until a ‘master list’ is accepted by everyone. paper and pencil or wax
crayons.
o Write on the chalkboard: SPECIAL DAYS.

o Divide the class into groups and give each group one sheet of paper.

o Ask each group of learners to make a list of special days. In each group, one
member writes down all suggestions and contributions from any member of the
group.
o After some minutes, when you feel that most learners have contributed enough,
ask the groups to stop brainstorming and to look carefully at what has been
written down.
o Now give each group either three sheets of paper (or a second sheet divided into
three columns). Ask the learners to write out the suggestions from the first sheet,
separating them into three categories:
§ Personal days.
§ Days which are important for the family (or for the school).
§ Days which are important for the whole community (or nation).
o At this stage the group may agree to cross out duplicate suggestions on the first
sheet, and can also add new suggestions as they work on the three lists.
o Now take any one of the three lists and discuss how we may prepare for this
special time. It is important to bring out the emotions we feel, e.g. looking forward,
hope, and how we enjoy (or do not enjoy) the special time.
o A further development of this activity is to decide together – either in the groups
or the whole class together – which special days are of religious significance and
relate to a faith practised locally, e.g. Christianity, African traditional religion or
any other which is known in the district. These times can then be called ‘sacred’.
o Carefully write a list of special days, with dates, and display on the wall. Invite
the learners to illustrate the margins of the list.

50
 The Sacred: Sacred time

Unit 3.2: Times of day and times of year

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Ask learners how we regulate times of day and times of year (all suggestions are Note: The moon (ra-
ther roughly) gives us
acceptable). Lead the learners gradually to think about the sun and moon and the months and also weeks
seasons of the year. The skilful teacher will get children to mention sunrise and (which were originally
sunset which regulate day and night, winter, summer, rainy seasons and so on. You quarters of the month,
may want to write all suggestions on the chalkboard. corresponding to pha-
ses of the moon – but
• Times of day, prayer and song: Many religious people, Christians, Muslims and these have all been
others, have special prayers for when they get up in the morning and when the day adjusted artificially to
ends in the evening. Suggestions for songs: New every morning is the love our fit in with the solar
wakening and uprising prove, and Morning has broken. For evening, Now the year governed by the
sun).
day is over could be used.
• Consult a hymn book
• Times of year and New Year: Develop the theme by sharing the concept of New or talk to a local pastor
Year in various contexts (school year, calendar year etc.) and the idea of making a to source some well-
fresh start. Some people make ‘New Year’s resolutions’, but may have difficulty in known hymns for
morning and evening.
keeping them. Linked to this topic are vows or promises people make to God and
try to keep, for instance times of prayer, fasting, giving of time and money to help • Read through and think
members of the family or people in need. Ask the learners about the resolutions about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
they have made, or might make (for instance for the new year which starts with most useful and adding
their birthday). This exercise could be either oral or take the form of a written your own ideas if you
exercise. feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
• Special times and ordinary times: Point out that the flow of time, ‘ordinary the proposed Lesson
time,’ is measured by events in ‘special time.’ As examples, people talk about Suggestions.
things that were done ‘before Easter’ and ‘after Easter,’ or ‘when I was in Grade
One’ which means before the New Year when I moved up to Grade Two. Teachers New words
may know that the Greek language, which is the language in which the New regulate – measure and
Testament was originally written, has two words for time: khronos means ordinary control
time, the course of time, and kairos means a special time or an opportunity for resolution – a firm
something special. So this idea is quite an important one in religion, as well as in decision
human experience.
• For a short exercise, ask learners to list words for time as either ordinary time or
special time: day, year, Christmas, my birthday, month, (and other similar).

Unit 3.3: Sacred times

(SUGGESTED TIME: ½ A LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text in this
Lesson Suggestions unit before the lesson.
• Explain that sacred times are religious festivals, or times for prayer, or religious • Read through and think
services. about the Lesson Sug-
• Ask the learners: What is done to tell people that there will soon be prayers, or that gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
a religious service is going to begin? Learners answer this in any way they can. your own ideas if you
Answers might include church bells, the call at the mosque by the muezzin who feel they complement
climbs up a tower called a minaret to call the faithful to prayer (using special words the theme, the unit and
and chant), and ringing a gong in a Japanese temple. Other things may be suggested, the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
for instance where there are no bells, drums may be used to summon people, or
pieces of wood may be hit with a wooden hammer.
51
Grade 2 - Theme 3

• Ask the learners to consider what individuals do when they prepare to worship.
Many Christians make the sign of the cross when preparing themselves to pray.
Many Russian Christians make the sign of the cross three times and then touch the
floor as they go into church. Some learners may know about the Muslim washing
rules before prayer (i.e. washing hands, feet, and parts of the face). A mosque has
a fountain in the courtyard specially for this purpose. Other things that may be
mentioned include the following: Lutheran churches in Germany often ring the bell
when the Lord’s Prayer is being said, and many Catholic churches ring bells at the
time of consecration of the elements for holy communion. In some countries the
bell is rung in a special way for funerals. In a Hindu temple, worshippers clap their
hands loudly as they go in. Find out if there are other customs which perhaps
belong to African traditional religion that are practised locally and share the
information with the learners.

Unit 3.4: How we spend our time

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• In your own words, retell the story of how the two sisters, Mary and Martha, • Read Luke 10:38-41 in
wanted to spend their time when Jesus came to their house. Although the gospel the New Testament of
the Bible.
seems to suggest that Mary’s way was in some way ‘better’ than Martha’s, this is
by no means obvious, and a good discussion with the class could lead to some work • Read the parable of the
Sheep and Goats at the
on different ways of spending time, both by religious believers and other people. Last Judgement in
Ask the learners to respond by saying how each of the sisters wanted to spend her Matthew 25:31-45 in
time. The learners’ replies can be very revealing when it comes to making an the New Testament of
assessment of their progress in understanding, so you may want to make notes the Bible. It might be
useful to do additional
during the discussion.
research for this piece.
• If possible, and if you feel it is appropriate, invite a pastor (or other religious figure) • Read through and think
to tell the learners how he or she spends the time, and invite questions and comments about the Lesson Sug-
from the class. gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
• The end of time: Christians, Muslims and Jews expect the Last Judgement at the your own ideas if you
end of the world. This is a difficult but important topic and will need careful research feel they complement
and preparation by teachers. There are other parables about the return of Christ on the theme, the unit and
the last day. The Last Judgement has often been a subject for sermons in churches, the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
synagogues and mosques, and in the European Middle Ages this was often the
subject of large wall paintings in churches. Ask: “Why was a big picture of the Last
Materials needed: bits of
Judgement painted inside the church?” coloured paper or fabric
• Divide the class into groups and assign tasks such as: and glue for a collage.
o List the good things that people ought to be doing, as in the parable, and try to
think of some others to add to the list.
o List the bad things.

o Make a picture or a collage of the Last Judgement.

52
 The Sacred: Sacred time

Theme 4
Festivals: Passover and Easter

Teacher’s Note: Easter represents the victory of good over evil, sin and death, and we can see
something of this victory in our own little successes in our lives. Easter celebrates new life and
the saving of humanity from sin and death for Christians. It draws some of its meaning from
the Jewish Passover, which in turn depends on the Exodus, when the children of Israel were
brought out from slavery in Egypt.
Similarities are found in many religions:
• Christian - liberation from sin and death; • Jewish - freedom from slavery and captivity;
• Buddhist - freedom from human desires; • Hindu - freedom from the cycle of rebirth;
• Muslim - the believer who is saved at the Last Judgement.

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should understand the Easter message of sacrifice for others leading to triumph or the overcoming
of obstacles.
They should understand the Judeo-Christianity.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• Learners should know the outline of the events in the life of Jesus leading up to the resurrection and
some of the events that followed. (Cognitive)
• They should know some Easter customs from two or three different Christian communities, or parts of
the world. (Cognitive)

53
Grade 2 - Theme 4

For less structured assessment:

• Can learners act out a drama based on the Easter story, or construct together an
Easter garden? (Affective, Motor Skills and Interpersonal)
• Can they describe any kind of celebration that is important to a special group of
people, and say why it is meaningful? (Affective)
• Can they distinguish between good and bad ways to celebrate? (Affective)

Unit 4.1: Celebrating success

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Show the class a champagne bottle, or a medal or other sports trophy, and ask • Read through and think
learners what this suggests. While learners will probably need your help, they will about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
eventually link the sports trophy to a win at sports, either in athletics, or a football
most useful and adding
match, and the champagne to a wedding. If there has been a recent election (local your own ideas if you
or national) the winning party will also have celebrated. feel they complement
• Ask the learners to suggest occasions for a celebration. While you should accept the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
all the ideas the learners bring forward, it is important to place less emphasis on Suggestions.
birthdays, and so on, which occur regularly, and more emphasis on celebrating
something that happens only once in a while. Write the learners’ suggestions on Materials needed: a
the chalkboard. sports trophy, medals or
• Ask learners to say, in each case, who will celebrate, and how they will celebrate. champagne bottle; paper
and pencil or wax crayons.
• While it is preferable that learners themselves make suggestions, if they are slow
to come up with ideas, you might find it useful to give an example (e.g. the football
club, or maybe the whole town, will celebrate their team winning the cup; two
families, their neighbours and friends will celebrate a wedding).
• Next, discuss how they celebrate. This will need a separate column on the board.
Let the learners draw on their own experience and say what they have seen and
heard. Young children notice a lot of things when adults think they do not, and can
be surprisingly intelligent and sensible in their responses. Don’t be too critical of
‘bad’ ideas (e.g. drinking too much alcohol). The aim is to open up a discussion on
good and bad ways to celebrate.
• To complete this work, give the groups paper and pencil or wax crayons and ask
them to draw pictures of people celebrating in a good way (that is, in a way that is
socially approved), or in a bad way. This should produce some amusing results
which the whole class can enjoy.

Unit 4.2: Easter

Notes on Preparation:
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 OR MORE LESSONS DEPENDING ON THE CLASS PROJECTS CHOSEN)
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text, before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson. The main
activities for this topic
• Ask learners what they know about Easter. Answers may vary greatly, but they are described in the
should all be accepted. Once an atmosphere of healthy discussion has been set up, Lesson Suggestions.
even children as young as those in Grade 2 are well able to correct each other, Some teaching on the
without you having to say that something someone said is wrong. Answers will resurrection of Jesus
should be given, but
vary from holiday or long week-end to chocolate eggs and other things to eat, and this is best done in the

54
 Festivals: Passover and Easter

some will know something of the Easter story and perhaps part of an Easter hymn. context of one of the
Give learners freedom to exchange information with each other. activities. Learners
who attend church or
• Ensure that all learners know the basic outline story of the arrest and crucifixion of Sunday School will be
Jesus Christ, and his resurrection from the grave on Sunday, the first Easter morning. able to tell others, and
Some of the learners should be able to contribute parts of the story and groups can assist with details.
be asked to arrange these parts of the story in the right sequence. You may need to • Read through and think
supply some information if learners leave out anything important. Note: The topics about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
of Lent, Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Good Friday are studied later on in Grades
most useful and adding
3 and 4. your own ideas if you
• There are many Easter hymns and other songs, and children can learn and sing feel they complement
some of these. Once they have learnt a song, encourage them to sing it quietly the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
while working on one of the projects outlined further on. Suggestions. Note: You
• Painting eggs is popular especially in Eastern Europe. If hen’s eggs are used they will need to estimate
should first be hard-boiled, and children should be told to eat them at home during the time each activity
is likely to require as
the Easter season, as they will not keep for ever. Wooden eggs are better and can some will take longer
be kept. A woodcarver or wood turner can make wooden eggs and these should be than others. It is impor-
quite cheap if machine-made. Clay eggs can be made. For painting, encourage tant that the end result/
learners to make the best designs and patterns they can. Any paint can be used. product of all projects
There are also traditional ways of colouring hen’s eggs, including boiling the eggs be shared with the
whole class.
wrapped in certain plant leaves, onion skins or beetroot to form patterns (grand-
mothers may know about this). Depending on the activ-
• An Easter Garden is fun to make but may take several days. ities chosen, materials
needed:
o Find space – either in the classroom or in the schoolyard (if the garden will be
Songs: assortment of
safe there). Easter hymns and other
o Divide the learners into groups to work on the following tasks: songs.
§ Collect stones and small rocks, and arrange them in a heap to allow a cave in Painting Eggs: hard-
the middle. This represents the empty tomb of Jesus. They should also put a boiled, wooden or clay
eggs; paints, plant leaves,
round stone alongside to represent the rock that was rolled away on the first
onion skin or beetroot.
Easter morning.
Easter Garden: stones
§ Make three crosses out of sticks tied with grass or string, one larger than the and rocks, round stones/
other two. Ask three learners to place the crosses on the top of all the stones, larger pebbles; three small
and a little to the side. This represents the crucifixion of Friday. wooden crosses (or sticks
and twine to make them);
§ If small flowering plants are available, place them between the stones. small flowering plants.
§ Have each learner write his or her name on a small label, glue it to a toothpick Dramatic Scenes: cloth-
or small, thin twig and stake their ‘namestick’ in the garden. ing and props.
• Dramatic scenes can be prepared and acted out by groups of learners. Typical Easter cakes and other
Easter ideas for drama include: foods: ingredients, cook-
o Mary Magdalene at the tomb, meeting Jesus and not knowing him (John 20:1 and
ing facilities.
11-18); Video cassettes.
o Peter and John run to the tomb (John 20:1-10);

o Two disciples going to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35); and

o Thomas (John 20:24-29).

• Bake Easter cakes or cook other festival foods. You will need cooking facilities at
the school. Alternatively, volunteers can prepare them at home with the help of
older family members and bring the cakes or other foods to school to share with the
whole class. You could obtain the recipes from a book or by asking some of the
parents.
• Video cassettes of the Passion Play or other suitable videos or sound tapes with
Easter music, may be available (try Döbra). Look and listen carefully and make
selections before using them.

55
Grade 2 - Theme 4

Unit 4.3: The paschal (pronounced

‘paskhal’) moon
(SUGGESTED TIME: ½ A LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson. Note: The
• Explain that the festivals of Easter and Passover are linked to the full moon. Four Jewish feast of Pass-
over is in the middle of
phases are acknowledged: the Jewish month
o First New Moon: The moon appears as a very thin curve, hardly visible at all; Nisan, which is based
on the phases of the
o Half moon: The second phase, approximately a week later;
moon, so the 14th day
o Full moon: The moon appears as a round disc; and should be full moon).
The Christian feast of
o The last phase/quarter: Again a curve. Then the new moon comes again.
Easter is a little later
• Ask learners to look at the night sky at intervals over one month, and back in the because it celebrates
class, report on the phases of the moon. Christ’s resurrection
(rising from the dead)
• Ask learners to draw these four phases, to display around the classroom. and is thus always on a
Sunday. In the first
centuries after Christ,
some Christians in the
east thought Easter
should be celebrated on
the 14 th day of the
Unit 4.4: Passover month, like the Jews,
but the Church as a
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 OR 2 LESSONS IF BOTH PROJECTS ARE DONE) whole decided that
Easter should always
be celebrated on a Sun-
Lesson Suggestions day.
• The Exodus: The story of the Exodus from Egypt is essential in order to understand • Read through and think
what Passover is about. Note: The ancestors of the Jews are called Hebrews or about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
sometimes Israelites at this time. The name ‘Jew’ came much later. In Bible times, most useful and adding
from King Josiah (622 BC) till the Temple was destroyed (AD 70) the feast of your own ideas if you
Passover was celebrated in the Temple at Jerusalem and everyone was expected feel they complement
to go there. Thus it was called a ‘pilgrim feast’. After the Temple was destroyed the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
and the Jewish people were forbidden to live in Jerusalem, Passover became a Suggestions.
festival celebrated at home, as it is today.
o You will probably find it better to retell the story than to read it out from the Bible New word
text. Remember to give dramatic pauses, and time for comments or questions. paschal – to do with
The Passover has a long history. Although the whole story will not be taught to Easter or Passover
Grade 2 learners, you still need to prepare thoroughly. Learners hear about Moses
and Pharaoh, and the dividing of the waters for the Israelites to go through, and Notes on Preparation
the drowning of the army of the Egyptians. If the Ten Plagues are to be included, • Familiarise yourself
they come before the crossing of the Red Sea, and this part of the story gives the with all the text before
origin of the term ‘passover.’ the lesson. Note: The
Jewish feast of Pass-
o After they have heard the story, organise learners into groups to paint pictures or
over is called Pesakh/
make three-dimensional models, if the material is available. Paskha (also spelt
o Display all the pictures and models made by the various groups so the learners Pascha and Pesach). In
can all see each other’s work. fact Paskha is the name
for Christian Easter in
• The Passover festival: Jewish families today celebrate the Passover at home with several languages.
a special ceremonial meal which is called the seder. The word seder means ‘order,’ • Read Exodus Chapters
that is the order of events at the Passover meal. 12-15 in the Old Testa-
ment of the Bible.
• Arrange a small project by dividing learners into groups and asking them to draw or
• Read through and think
paint a picture of a Jewish family sitting round their table. The following points about the Lesson Sug-
should be noted and included in the picture: gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding

56
 Festivals: Passover and Easter

o The family includes grandparents and the wider family.

your own ideas if you
o The men and boys should all wear caps or hats. feel they complement
o The table is laid with a white cloth, wine glasses and candles, and some other the theme, the unit and
special things. The main ones are: the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
§ A bone (not always lamb) to represent the lamb sacrificed at Passover;
§ Greens in salt water, to represent their tears during their hard forced work for New words
the Egyptians; plague – a serious disease
§ A special kind of sauce in a bowl to represent the mortar of cement they had Exodus – going out
to use in building for the Egyptians;
§ A big cup of wine (this is usually a cup on a stem, like a wine glass) to show Materials needed: sev-
that they are celebrating; and eral paints, clay/salt dough
and other useful and
§ Some thin, wafer like pieces of biscuit or bread, made without yeast (yeast is decorative items that can
also called leaven), because on the night when they left Egypt there was no be found for making
time to make bread, which has to rise with the yeast, so they made unleavened models.
bread (which is quicker). One can buy this in shops: it is called Matzah or
Matzoth.
Important note: This last item is important because the festival is also called
The Feast of Unleavened Bread – but it is difficult to draw!
o The youngest child should be drawn standing up to ask the four questions, each
of which begins with the words, “Why is this night different from other nights ...?”
In answer to each question, the father, or the grandfather, retells the story in
stages.
o There is a story in the Mishnah that when the Israelites had passed through the
Red Sea, and the Egyptians were drowned, all the angels of God shouted for joy.
But God was angry with them and said that they should not rejoice if any of
God’s creatures suffers (the Egyptians too are creatures made by God).

57
Grade 2 - Theme 5

Theme 5
Social Values: Forgiveness and reconciliation

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should appreciate the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• Learners should be able to retell the parable of either the Prodigal Son or the Two Debtors.
• They should be able to give examples of tolerant and intolerant behaviour.
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners share ideas on borrowing and lending?
• Are they able to respect the social values of other people?
• Can they illustrate the margins of the written Lord’s Prayer?

58
 Social Values: Forgiveness and reconciliation

Unit 5.1: The new football

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Ask the learners to sit quietly, then read the story in the box to the class. • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
A boy was given a new football. He took it to school to play with most useful and adding
his friends during the breaks. your own ideas if you
feel they complement
They found a space and began to play with the new ball.
the theme, the unit and
But soon a much bigger boy came and took the ball from them. the proposed Lesson
He did not want to play with them but just wanted to show them Suggestions.
how well he could kick. He gave a terrific kick and the ball went
New word
right out of the school playground, away from the school alto-
reconciliation – making
gether. When they went out to look for it, the ball was lost. No-
peace between people so
one could find it. that each understands why
The little boy who had brought his new ball was very sad. His the other was upset
friends were angry and tried to get the big boy who had taken it
to buy another. But he refused.
[Stop at this point]

• Ask the learners to think about this situation. Ask them what the children in the
story should or could do. Write the learners’ suggestions on the chalkboard.
• Continue the story.

One of the boys decided that they should buy a ball to give to the
one whose new football had been lost. He told them his idea.
The big boy refused to pay, but the class said that they would
each give a little money to buy a new ball. They agreed, because
they were all upset at the way the big boy had lost the football.
Enough money was collected and they bought a new ball to give
to the boy.

• At the end of the story, ask the learners about what happened, and what different
people were feeling. You could pose questions such as:
o How did the younger boy feel when his classmates had bought him a new football?

o How would the big boy feel when he heard what had been done?

o What could the other children do to change the big boy’s attitude?

Note: It is important to explore the boys’ feelings. Learners should be able to

understand both sides of the story. Notice that no teacher was involved in the
original story.
• Talk with the learners about what the people in the story were thinking. They may
come up with suggestions straight away, or they may need to think about it.
Suggestions should include the feelings probably felt by the big boy, such as shame,
aggression, don’t care, self-defence, as well as the values of sharing and cooperation
among the others, and the feeling of being thankful. These are all social values.
Ask for ideas on how these feelings might be expressed.
• Ask the learners to suggest the social values that come out in this story, then ask
them to say how these social values might be expressed by the children in the story.

59
Grade 2 - Theme 5

Unit 5.2: Forgiveness and reconciliation

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 OR 2 LESSONS DEPENDING ON THE ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Ask the learners if any of them has had a row with a parent, and how in the end this • Read the parable of the
was settled (be prepared for the possibility that a row has not in fact been settled to Prodigal Son (also
date). How it was settled is important, because people living in the same household called Forgiving Father
or the Two Brothers)
should be able to get along together. This involves understanding each other, and from Luke 15:11-32 in
each other’s point of view, give and take, often also forgiveness and agreeing to the New Testament of
accept each other. the Bible.
• Start a discussion on troubles in the family. • Make sentence cards:
put the story into sep-
• Ask the learners to sit quietly to listen to a story. Retell the story of the Prodigal Son arate sentences.
in language suitable for Grade 2 learners, only as far as verse 24. This story is one • Make picture cards:
of the parables of Jesus from the gospel. Ask the learners to look out for things in put the story into
the story that seem to be very extreme or even exaggerated. Jesus liked to tell separate pictures.
stories that had very strong reactions and examples of extreme behaviour: this was • Read through and think
to make people think. A parable is not meant to be true to normal life. Still, this story about the Lesson Sug-
is a good example of how parables are to be understood in the gospels. gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
o Part One, the father and his younger son (Luke 15:11-24): The following your own ideas if you
points can be noted as the story unfolds: feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
§ No actual farmer would have cash to the value of half his property to
the proposed Lesson
give to his son just like that. So this is the first example of an extremely Suggestions.
generous father. This should be emphasised, and not whether it is true to life or
not. New word
§ The young man goes far away, where his family can get no news of him. extreme – at or near
When he becomes hungry, he has to feed a rich man’s pigs. Notice that pigs the limit
were unclean animals for the Jews, so working with pigs would be the lowest exaggerated – overdone
kind of work imaginable and would be very shameful. or overstated, beyond
normal
§ The father sees his son coming from far away. This is also an important
point, because no ordinary father would be gazing out of an upstairs window
Materials needed: extra
day after day. He would be too busy.
paper and a wide variety
§ Again, the father runs to meet his son: no wealthy businessman ever runs of pencil or wax crayons.
anywhere, so this is another surprise in the story!
§ We may wonder if the young man in his sorry state would even be
recognisable, and the ring and the best clothes and the big party also are an
exaggeration to make us take the story seriously.
o Divide the learners into three groups (a suitable size for a group is probably 6-9
learners, and so it may be good if two groups working in parallel, but not together,
do each of the suggested activities):
§ Group 1: Decide together which are the most important steps in the story and
then draw a series of pictures to illustrate them.
§ Group 2: Discuss the feelings of the main characters, father and son, by
considering these questions:
Ø Why did the father forgive his son who had behaved so badly?

Ø How did the young man feel when he decided to go home?

Ø How did he feel when his father was so loving and kind to him? (Some of the
emotions and feelings from the story of the football may come in here)
§ Group 3: Think up a similar story taken from the modern world and the kind of
society the learners live in.

60
 Social Values: Forgiveness and reconciliation

o When the groups have finished, they should share their work with their classmates.
o Part Two, the father and his older son (Luke 15:25-32). Finish telling the
parable. The learners should now discuss the following questions:
§ Why did the older brother react the way he did?
§ Would you have felt the same?
§ Was he justified in refusing to go to welcome his brother?
§ Why did the father come out to him?
§ What would you have said and done now, if you were (a) the father,
(b) the younger brother, (c) the older brother?
§ Who is right? Can we talk of the ‘rights’ of the older brother? Has he
any responsibilities? If so, what are they?
§ Can learners think of words to describe the attitude of the older brother?
§ Can anyone think of different circumstances which could produce the
same reactions in each of the brothers?
§ Is jealousy a habit?
• Let learners, either singly or in pairs, draw a picture of one of the three characters
in the parable, wearing a long coat or cloak. Choose a colour for this cloak which
they think will represent or express his feelings. If there is time, learners could
draw all three, the father and the two sons, but let them draw just one of them first,
using the colour to show the feelings, in a semi-abstract way.
• Separate and mix up the sentence and picture cards you prepared before the lesson.
Ask learners to put them in the right order.
• Some learners can invent a modern story to represent the feelings of the two brothers
towards each other.
• There is plenty of scope for art work and drama.
• Ask: “Can anyone suggest a ‘happy ending’ for this story, or is it better to leave it as
it is, to think about?”

Unit 5.3: Forgiving each other

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)
Notes on Preparation
Lesson Suggestions • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
• When people go together to worship, either in a church or mosque or synagogue, or the lesson.
at a traditional shrine (holy place or ancestral grave), they should be at peace with • Read Matthew 5:23-24
each other. All religions urge the faithful to be reconciled, that is, in peace and and 18:23-35 in the
harmony with each other, before they come together to worship God. When learners New Testament of the
Bible.
understand this, ask them for examples of how people who were annoyed with
each other managed to make peace. Let them give examples that they know about. • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
There may not be many of these, but they are likely to be very interesting.
gestions, selecting the
• Quote the lines in Matthew 5:23-24. most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
• Ask learners who go to a Christian church or Sunday School to tell the others some
feel they complement
of the prayers that emphasise forgiving each other that they have learnt at church. the theme, the unit and
To illustrate this principle, retell the parable of the Two Debtors, also called the the proposed Lesson
parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:23-35). Remember to use simple, Suggestions.
straightforward words so the learners will understand. (Notice that the story is

61
Grade 2 - Theme 5

meant to make the hearers think, and therefore includes remarkable exaggerations.
There is no one ‘moral’ to be drawn, no questions of ‘true’ or ‘untrue’; these are
parables told to produce an effect in the hearers.) As the story is told, help the
learners to see that ‘ten thousand talents’ is an enormous sum, much more than a
worker in any job could earn in a lifetime! This should be a clue that the parable is
not really about money. Help them to feel the relief of the servant who is forgiven
this debt. The second servant owes ‘a hundred pence’. This is a very small amount
which anyone could earn in a short time. Ask the learners: If the parable is not
really about money, what is it about? Why is it important for us today?
• Mention that no modern employer could possibly treat the people who work for him
as the king treated the unforgiving servant, and tell the learners that this is another
clue that the parable is not about employers, their employees or money.
• Although this is a much shorter parable than the one in the previous section, many
of the same activities can be done by groups or by individuals, and an attractive
wall display can be put up in the classroom. This theme should include a discussion
of rights, responsibilities, and situations when it is more important to consider the
community members we live with. All the stories used suggest that social values
are no the same as rights

Unit 5.4: The Lord’s Prayer Notes on Preparation

• Familiarise yourself
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) with all the text before
the lesson.
Lesson Suggestions • Read Luke 11:1-4 in
the New Testament of
• Read Luke11:1-4 to the class. Learners should understand the following points the Bible.
about the passage in the gospel: • Write out the Lord’s
o Jesus is praying;
Prayer on a large sheet
of paper, leaving wide
o The disciples ask him to teach them how to pray: and margins round the sides
o When one is praying, others also want to pray.
of it or photocopy
from page 162. Ensure
• Hand out copies of the Lord’s Prayer. Read it out to the class while they follow the you have sufficient co-
text on their copies, then ask the learners to draw suitable pictures or designs in the pies for all learners.
margins round the prayer. (Note: It is better to use
the shorter prayer from
• Organise the learners into groups of four or five and ask them to choose together a St. Luke than the longer
word or phrase and either draw or make a drama to illustrate it. one in St. Matthew’s
gospel for this lesson.)
• You could perhaps discuss why different groups chose different phrases or sections.
• Read through and think
• Looking back over all the work covered in Units 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3, help the learners
about the Lesson Sug-
consider the section on Forgiveness in the Lord’s Prayer (see the Prayer on page gestions, selecting the
162). most useful and adding
• Ask the learners: your own ideas if you
feel they complement
o How should you pray for forgiveness? the theme, the unit and
o Are there conditions implied in this prayer? the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.

Materials needed: suffi-

cient copies of the Lord’s
Prayer written or typed on
a large sheet of paper (with
wide margins round the
sides)

62
 Social Values: Forgiveness and reconciliation

Theme 6
Religion and the Environment: Where our food
comes from and the beauty of nature

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should understand human dependence on the environment.
They should experience that nature is also to be appreciated.

Assessment Criteria (loosely related to the Basic Competencies):

For more structured assessment:
• Learners should know three types of food, and where they come from.
• They should be able to say how these are produced and prepared for eating.
• They should know a prayer to say at meal time.
For less structured assessment:
• Can they express feelings in relation to a small object in front of them?

63
Grade 2 - Theme 6

Unit 6.1: Where our food comes from

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Ask the learners what they like to eat. Then ask them what their main type of food • Read through and think
is at home. This may or may not be the same as what they like eating best. Draw about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
out the differences between what different learners like, if this seems a good idea.
most useful and adding
• Start a brainstorming session, using the technique described in the section entitled your own ideas if you
How to Use this Teacher’s Guide (page ix). feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
o Write on the chalkboard: FOODS THAT GROW OR CAN BE FOUND IN the proposed Lesson
NAMIBIA. Suggestions.
o Divide the class into groups of between four and six learners and give each group
one sheet of paper. Ask them to draw a line down the middle to divide the page Materials needed: extra
into two columns. paper, pens, pencil or wax
crayons and a few copies
o Ask each group of learners to make a list of vegetable foods (from plants) in one of a map of Namibia, if
column, and foods from animals in the other column. Borderline cases (e.g. honey) possible.
will require discussion. The groups themselves will need to decide in which list to
put such examples. Go round the groups to see that they all understand what to
do. Remind the class that learners from different backgrounds may have different
names for the same type of food. List these names and encourage the children to
learn what their food is called by other people.
o After some minutes, when the ideas seemed to have stopped and you feel that
most learners have contributed enough, ask the groups to stop brainstorming and
to look carefully at what has been written down.
o Ask them to correct mistakes, and say if anything has come up twice (including
those items with different names).
o At this stage the groups may agree to cross out duplicate suggestions and add
new suggestions.
o Collect the lists from all the groups and make one master list on the chalkboard.

o Ask the learners to copy the final list into their workbooks and decorate the
margins.
• Draw an outline map of Namibia on the chalkboard, or if available, distribute outline
maps to each group of learners. Help learners to mark on the map where some of
the types of food discussed above are produced.
• In an area where most food is bought from shops, learners can be asked to collect
labels and empty packets to bring to school, and a project can be organised round
the various countries of the world these products come from. If desired, a further
study can be made on how these products are brought from their country of origin.
• To close the lesson, you might like to say a prayer to thank God for good food; then
let learners join in with their own favourite foods.

64
 Religion and the Environment: Where our food comes from and the beauty of nature

Unit 6.2: From field to table

Notes on Preparation
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Ask the learners to talk about how we get our food. What is the first step? Let the • Prepare a few prayers
learners contribute their ideas with practical examples. Suggestions should include to say as table grace.
picking fruit, harvesting corn and other foods, slaughtering goats or chickens, hunting • If a grandmother, moth-
er or herbalist is to visit
and so on. the class, you will need
• The next step is the preparation of the food for the table. Some schools may have to arrange this in
facilities for cooking, and it may be possible for a mother to cook some simple dish advance.
at the school, while children watch and help as required. Boys should also take • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
part in this.
gestions, selecting the
• Ask learners to bring recipes from home, or invite a mother or grandmother of one most useful and adding
of the learners to tell the class how she prepares certain types of food. your own ideas if you
feel they complement
• A class project may be undertaken, showing how one kind of food is produced the theme, the unit and
from the field to the table. For instance, mahangu is made from millet which the proposed Lesson
should be picked, stripped, then pounded (stamped) with pestle and mortar, and Suggestions.
then cooked into porridge. Another example is bread made from corn which should
first be grown, then harvested and the corn threshed, and the grain ground to flour Materials needed: for the
in a mill. Then the preparation of the bread from flour, yeast and water (or milk) food preparation project,
you will need the actual
should be described as well as how it is shaped into buns (bread rolls) or loaves, food (millet, corn, etc.) and
and cooked in a bread [Link] will be quite a long project and will provide plenty cooking facilities; paper
of scope for writing and artwork. Some of the work can be done in the learners’ and pencil or wax crayons.
homes, with the cooperation of their families.
• In addition, or as an alternative, another topic that can be covered concerns herbs
and other plants used for health and curing illnesses. There is plenty of local
knowledge and mothers and grandmothers, or herbal specialists may be invited to
the school to explain, and if possible, to demonstrate.
• To finish this topic of food from field to table, ask learners if they have prayers at
table before or after eating a family meal. Collect examples of such prayers, also
called ‘graces’, and contribute some, if necessary. Learners should describe in
writing or draw what they learn. Help the learners if they are unsure of what to
say as ‘grace’. Learners can, individually, or in groups, write out one of these
‘table graces’ and illustrate it in the margins with pencil or wax crayons.

Unit 6.3: Observing a beautiful thing

Notes on Preparation
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) • Familiarise yourself
with all the text and
decide which exercise
Lesson Suggestions you would like to do
EITHER with the children. There
are two exercises to
• Exercise 1 help children to ‘go
o Ensure that all learners are sitting comfortably, then tell the class that they are inward’ i.e. to observe
going to do something special. Ask the children to close their eyes and put their an object intently and
become aware of their
hands over them. Note: You should find out whether some children will be feelings.
frightened to sit with eyes closed. If there are many, then this exercise should not
• Read through and think
be attempted, but if there are only one or two, these can be invited to sit at the
about the Lesson Sug-
front near you and observe what is happening with the rest of the class. gestions, selecting the

65
Grade 2 - Theme 6

o Speak kindly and reassuringly to the children, telling them that they are going to most useful and adding
have a little surprise and to think about their own thoughts and feelings. your own ideas if you
feel they complement
o Go about the room, placing a small, beautiful object in front of each learner (see
the theme, the unit and
the grey column for ideas). the proposed Lesson
o Now ask the learners to open their eyes and see what they have been given. Suggestions.
o Learners can pick it up, feel it, smell it if they want, and examine it from all sides.
Materials needed: for the
o Form the learners into pairs and let them describe their object to their partner. first exercise you will need
Allow sufficient time for this task. several small, beautiful
things, one for each learner.
o When everyone has finished, invite the learners to comment on the experience, These should be natural
how they felt and so on. Only a few are likely to want do this. If many want to objects such as little
speak, you may have to limit the number of speakers. flowers, pretty stones,
shells, nuts, and so on. If
the second exercise is to be
OR done, you will need
enough small, round seeds
or nuts, to give one to each
• Exercise 2 learner.
o Ensure that all learners are sitting comfortably, then tell the class that they are
going to do something special.
o Give each child a small, round seed or nut. Ask them to hold it in their hands and
keep their eyes on it while you read the following story, slowly and carefully:

MOTHER JULIAN’S HAZELNUT

Mother Julian is an English mystic who lived in Norwich, England,
about six hundred years ago. A mystic is someone who devotes
his or her life to prayer and sometimes (as here) relates mystical
experiences. What follows is one of her best known visions:
“The Lord showed me something small, no bigger than a hazelnut,
lying in the palm of my hand, and I saw that it was round like a
ball. I looked at it and thought: What can this be? And I was
given this answer: It is everything that is made. I was amazed
that it could last, for I thought that it is so small that it could
suddenly fall into nothing. And I was answered in my mind: It
lasts and always will because God loves it, and so everything has
being through the love of God.”

o Let the learners sit in silence looking at their seed for some seconds.
o Now draw out three points about the seed.
§ God made it.
§ God loves it.
§ God keeps it in being.
o If the atmosphere is peaceful and meditative, ask the learners to say what they
have been thinking about during this project.

66
 Religion and the Environment: Where our food comes from and the beauty of nature

Theme 7
Personal Values: Being at peace together

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should realise the value of peace-making.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• Learners should know, in outline, an athlete’s training programme.
• They should know a Bible passage about living in peace and harmony.
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners compare an athletic training programme with a good and healthy pattern of life?
• Are they able to demonstrate understanding of the importance of reconciliation before religious worship?

67
Grade 2 - Theme 7

Unit 7.1: Training for athletics

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Mention that serious athletes need to go into training when they are preparing for • Read through and think
an important race or match. Ask learners to name any famous sportsman or about the Lesson Sug-
sportswoman and then to suggest how he or she might go into training. The gestions, selecting the
experienced teacher should be able to draw most of these things from the learners, most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
and only suggest something if it has been left out. Mention should be made of the feel they complement
following: the theme, the unit and
o Diet – what food they eat and how much; the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
o How often they take exercise and in what ways;

o Sleeping, bed time and how many hours sleep a night; and New words
o Ways they might spend their leisure time. determination – a strong
sense of purpose
Note: It should not be necessary to talk about drinking alcohol such as beer, but if
stamina – the quality to
learners bring this up, then discuss how this might affect the training programme.
be able to go on for a long
• Organise the learners into groups of between five and eight learners. Ask them to time
choose a particular kind of sportsman, or you could give them one. They need to
work out a daily timetable, to include all the points mentioned above. If anyone Materials needed: extra
knows someone who has gone into training, then the group can work on a real life paper
example. Ask the group to suggest meals, times when food should be eaten, times
for training exercise, periods of rest, and so on, in the framework of a daily timetable,
writing the time of day in hours and half hours beside each item in the routine.
Allow sufficient time for the learners to look through these programmes for athletes
and think about what the athlete in training has given up – both foods and activities
– and why. In this way they are able to think about someone giving up some
pleasure or luxury for the sake of something else, in this case for the big race or
the big match. Mention that some people give up fatty or other foods for the sake
of their own health. Others also give up harmful or dirty habits for health reasons.
• It would be good to start a discussion about people who suffer from natural
handicaps or disadvantages, and how they overcome them. They often show
courage and in many cases other people help them too. Mention that some people
who are physically handicapped (e.g. deaf or blind, or with a damaged arm or leg),
show great courage in trying to overcome these handicaps. Encourage the learners
to discuss this, and in doing so, they will get to know and understand words such as
courage, determination, self-restraint, stamina, fitness and so on.
• Mention that sometimes one person makes a personal sacrifice for the sake of
somebody else. If possible, the learners should suggest examples. If this seems to
be a difficult concept for them, you might want to help with your own suggestions.

Unit 7.2: The kingdom of peace Notes on Preparation

• Familiarise yourself
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) with all the text, before
the lesson.
• Read Isaiah 11:6-9 in
Lesson Suggestions the Old Testament of
• Tell learners that the 5 April 2002 edition of The Namibian newspaper had a the Bible.
front-page photograph of a lioness with a young oryx (gemsbok). Read the story • Read through and think
from the Newspaper Article Box on page 69. about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the

68
 Personal Values: Being at peace together

Say, Mum ... a lioness guards its adopted oryx in the Samburu most useful and adding
Game Reserve, 330 km from the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, your own ideas if you
yesterday. Warden Simon Leirana said rangers found the feel they complement
lioness with a four or five-day-old antelope called Easter on the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
Saturday. It is the third time the lioness has defied nature by Suggestions.
adopting a baby oryx.
New words
• Ask learners if they have heard of anything like this before – a hunting, flesh- carnivore – an animal that
eating animal (carnivore) not only not harming, but actually protecting a baby antelope eats meat, flesh
from attack by other lions and leopards. Note the following: adopt – to take over and
o The baby oryx needs mother’s milk. Ask: “Can anyone suggest how it could be care for
fed?”
Materials needed: paper
o The peaceful atmosphere between the lion and the baby oryx seems like an ideal
and pencil or wax crayons.
state of peacefulness.
o Lead a discussion with the class, and welcome all suggestions.

o Learners may be able to suggest what might happen to a human baby left by its
parents in the wild. What kind of animal might be a ‘mother’ for him or her?
• Read the following Bible text:

In the Bible, the prophet Isaiah looks forward to a golden age

when, The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie
down with the kid. The calf and the lion cub together, with a little
child to lead them. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy
mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as
the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:6-9
abridged)

• Organise the learners into groups and have them make a wall display of this text:
o Some groups could work on the background (e.g. a mountain or a forest).

o Other groups could draw, colour and cut out different animals like the ones in the
prophecy and also others, and then position and glue them to the mountain or
forest or whatever background has been designed. Display the whole piece on
the class-room wall.
• With the aim of getting the learners to think themselves into the role of an animal,
they should say what they would do. Once they have stated what they would do,
let them reflect, bearing the following question in mind: Would my behaviour make
for a better world?
• Encourage learners to think about animals and to use metaphors and similes (both
are important when talking about religious things).
• Ask them to imagine they are a particular animal, and then make up a sentence
beginning, “If I were a ..., I would ...” They can choose any type of animal (including
birds) they like, big or small, tame or fierce, and say what they think they would do.
• Play a similar game using other objects, e.g. a car, in the form, “If I were a Mercedes,
I would ...” or a tree, or anything you would like to try with the learners. You will
probably come up with many more ideas of your own.

69
Grade 2 - Theme 7

Unit 7.3: Being at peace together before we

pray
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation:
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text, before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Read the following story to the class. • Read Matthew 5:23-24
in the New Testament
of the Bible.
A foreigner was visiting a country in Central Africa, and at the • Read through and think
week-end was staying in a village. The foreigner wanted to go to about the Lesson Sug-
church on Sunday morning and asked what time the service gestions, selecting the
began. most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
“The mass (holy communion) begins at 10 a.m.” was the reply. feel they complement
So the foreigner arrived at the church just before ten, and found the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
only two or three people chatting together. Gradually more and Suggestions.
more people came and everyone greeted each other. They
obviously knew each other, but several people also came up to New words
the stranger and greeted him in a friendly way, and asked him chatting – talking, making
how he was feeling. Of course he did not want to say that he was conversation
feeling impatient, so he said he was fine.
This went on for over two hours, and then at last the service
started. It was a lovely service, and when it was finished, the
foreigner was still puzzled about the time it had taken. So he
asked someone, “I was told that the mass was to begin at ten.
What happened?”
The answer was, “Yes, it did begin at ten. Didn’t you see people
coming and greeting each other? They were also saying they
were sorry if they had done anything wrong to each other, and
being reconciled. After all, the Bible tells us that we should be
reconciled to our neighbours before we go to the altar to worship
God.”

• Ask the learners if they agree with the answer the foreigner was given. Learners
who go to church may be asked if this happens at their church, and if not, whether
they think it would be a good idea. What might be the advantages and disadvantages
if this became the usual practice every Sunday morning?
• Retell the text from Matthew 5:23-24.

70
 Personal Values: Being at peace together

Theme 8
Children’s Rights and Responsibilities: Rights
and Responsibilities in the home and at school

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should understand that rights involve responsibilities, also at home.
They should understand that rights and responsibilities are important in the school environment.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• Learners should be able to give five examples of ways in which children can help in the household or
homestead. (Cognitive and Affective).
• They should be able to retell the Bible story used in the lesson. (Cognitive)
• They should understand the motives of the characters concerned, and if these are not known, be able
to make a guess at them. (Cognitive and Affective)
For less structured assessment:
• Can groups work together and co-operate? (Interpersonal)
• Are they able to invent ways of showing that rights are not automatic and that the strong have a
responsibility to stand up for the weak? (Affective and Interpersonal)

71
Grade 2 - Theme 8

Unit 8.1: How adults help children

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Start a brainstorming session, using the technique described in the section entitled • Read through and think
How to Use this Teacher’s Guide (page ix). about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
o Write on the chalkboard: HOW ADULTS HELP CHILDREN. most useful and adding
o Divide the class into four groups and give each group a sheet of paper. your own ideas if you
feel they complement
o Ask each group to select a spokesperson to list all their ideas and give the group’s the theme, the unit and
suggestions when you call out that group’s number. the proposed Lesson
o Write down the suggestions on the chalkboard.
Suggestions.

o Help the children refine the list (e.g. removing duplicates) on the chalkboard.
Materials needed: extra
o Have a learner (other than the spokesperson) from each group copy the list paper and pencils
from the chalkboard.
o Allow enough time for all the learners in each group to decorate the neatly
written out list.
o Collect the final lists for use in the next lesson.

• Do a similar brainstorming exercise based on the school, using the topic: WHAT
TEACHERS DO FOR LEARNERS. Alternatively, you could base this exercise
on the village or local community, picking out people who do things for others.
• Have each group choose one of the activities to mime. In turn, each group goes to
the front of the class and mimes the activity they have chosen while the other
groups of learners guess what it is.

Unit 8.2 How children can help adults

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions
the lesson.
• Start a brainstorming session, using the technique described in the section entitled • Read through and think
How to Use this Teacher’s Guide (page x). about the Lesson Sug-
gestions. Familiarise
o Write on the chalkboard: HOW CHILDREN CAN HELP IN THE HOUSE-
yourself with the Brain-
HOLD (ask learners to suggest things that they can do in the household to help storming Technique
other people who share the home with them). and decide which sub-
sidiary topics you
o Divide the class into four groups and give each group a sheet of paper.
would like to pursue.
o Ask each group to select a spokesperson to list all their ideas and give the group’s You could also add
suggestions when you call out that group’s number. your own ideas
o Write down the suggestions on the chalkboard.
Materials needed: extra
o Help the children refine the list (e.g. removing duplicates) on the chalkboard. paper and pencils
o Have a learner (other than the spokesperson) from each group copy the list
from the chalkboard.
o Allow enough time for all the learners in each group to decorate the neatly
written out list.
o The final lists could be displayed together with that of those previous lesson.

o Ask: “Can any of the jobs listed only be done by girls, or only by boys?”

72
 Children’s Rights and Responsibilities: Rights and Responsibilities in the home and at school

§ There should be a lot of discussion about this. Don’t fear disagreements – this
shows that different families have different traditions and expectations.
§ Make two columns on the board, entitled: JOBS DONE BY GIRLS and JOBS
DONE BY BOYS. Underneath, write JOBS DONE BY ANYONE, then ask
the learners to assign jobs to the categories.
§ If you believe that the learners are able to discuss ‘fair’ and ‘unfair’ in this
context, ask the learners what they think is fair or unfair. Allow for plenty of
discussion.
• Do a similar brainstorming exercise based on the school, using the topic: WHAT
LEARNERS CAN DO TO HELP TEACHERS. Alternatively, you could base
this exercise on the village or local community, again picking out people who do
things for others in the village or local community. Give learners the opportunity to
think of how children can help these people.
• In a class where there are village and town children, form two groups accordingly.
Give the village children the opportunity to ask town children what they can do.
Then give the town children time to ask village children what they can do.

Unit 8.3: The Right to Life

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 OR MORE LESSONS, ACCORDING TO THE ACTIVITIES CHOSEN) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
Note: You need to decide whether the following topic is a suitable subject for discussion with all the text before
in the class. It will very much depend on the situation of your learners. the lesson.
• Read Matthew 2, es-
Lesson Suggestions pecially 2:13-18 in the
New Testament of the
• In suitable words, retell the story of Herod killing a number of small children who Bible.
were born in and around Bethlehem about the same time as Jesus, as told in Matthew • Read John 6:1-14 in the
2:13-18. The subject for discussion is the right to life, which raises important issues. New Testament of the
Bible.
o Ask the learners why Herod did this and help them to understand his motives.
• Read through and think
o Let learners discuss this topic, either as a class or in groups. It is important to about the Lesson Sug-
draw out their answers to questions such as: gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
§ Does anything like this happen today?
your own ideas if you
§ If you had been there, what would you have done about it? feel they complement
o Note: This discussion needs careful handling. Go round the groups and help them
the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
where necessary. Suggestions.
o Skilful handling of the discussion should lead to the understanding that Human
Rights can mean that the strong need to protect the weak, because the weak, Materials needed: suit-
especially small children, cannot claim their own rights and protect themselves. able items such as coloured
cloth, backing paper, glue,
• In your own words, retell the story about the boy who had bread and fish and coloured paper etc.
helped Jesus feed five thousand people, as in John 6:1-14.
o After the learners have heard this story, ask questions such as the following:

§ Why did this boy have some food with him?

§ Where did the food come from?
§ What prompted the boy to offer the food?
§ How were these loaves and fishes used?
o To illustrate this story, ask learners to make a collage from pieces of coloured
cloth and cut and glue them onto paper.

73
Grade 3 - Theme 1

Grade 3
Theme 1
Belonging: The community

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should realise that the resources of a community depend on the people.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• In the grey column, there are questions to be answered orally. Those marked MS (More Structured) are
suitable for a quick written assessment, preferably unexpected, at the end of the theme. There is a full
list of the More Structured Questions at the end of each theme, the answers to which can be found at the
back of the book.
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners ask questions at home and record the information?
• Can they participate in the ‘Living Stones’ activity, and as a member of a community, contribute something
practical they could do?

74
 Belonging: The community

Unit 1.1: The first community – Adam and Notes on Preparation

Eve • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH ART) the lesson.
• Read Genesis 2:7-9,
Lesson Suggestions 2:15 and 2:18-23 so
that you are able to
• Retell the story of God creating Adam, and how God brought the animals to him to retell the story of Adam
see what he would call them. and the animals, and
that of Adam and Eve.
o Allow time for the learners to discuss this, if they so wish.
• Read through and think
o Organise the learners into groups, where one learner draws Adam naming the
about the Lesson Sug-
animals, while the other learners each choose an animal to draw, colour, and cut gestions, selecting the
out. The learners should glue the pictures of Adam and all the animals onto an A3 most useful and adding
sheet to display in the classroom. The names of the animals could also be written your own ideas if you
feel they complement
out and pasted on the display.
the theme, the unit and
• Retell the story of the creation of Eve, as none of the animals could be an equal the proposed Lesson
partner for Adam: Suggestions.
o Allow time for the learners to discuss this, if they so wish. Note: The equality of
Questions
Adam and Eve, men and women, is an important basis for understanding Human
Why did God place Adam
Rights. in the garden? (MS)
o Have the learners mime the story of Adam awakening and seeing Eve.
Why did God decide to
• Refer to the questions in the grey column. create a second person?
(MS)

Unit 1.2: A Namibian community making

and bartering iron tools
Notes on Preparation
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
the lesson.
Lesson Suggestions
• Read Oshimanya by
• Read the story Oshimanya to the class (see Story Box on pp. 75-76). This account Rauna Manasse (The
by a Namibian illustrates the economic interdependence of members of the Moon People, Namibia
community even in the days before Europeans came to Ovamboland. Oral Tradition Project,
New Namibia Books,
• Organise the learners into three groups. Have each group act out the exchange of 1996, p. 10).
tools for necessities such as salt or tobacco. Ask them to include a queue of people • Read through and think
coming to exchange goods to illustrate how useful to the community was the man about the Lesson Sug-
who made the journey to get tools. gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
• Let each learner draw a scene depicting what the groups acted out. your own ideas if you
feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
OSHIMANYA - by Rauna Manasse the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
In the north-eastern part of Namibia there was an important place,
called Oshimanya. What made the place so important was the
New words
fact that there used to be mines, called outale, used by the
interdependence –
Namibians, especially the Ovambos.
people needing each other
They used to make hardware and other utensils from the ores to buy or exchange what
extracted here. These included hoes, axes, assegais, knives, they need
spears, and swords. Things such as metal jewellery worn by the barter – exchange goods
women on their wrists and ankles, and beads that adorned their of the same value, instead
of buying or selling them
for money

75
Grade 3 - Theme 1

outale – Ovambo word for

skirts, were also produced here. These items were considered a mine
to be the wealth of the Ovambo. oshivinda – Ovambo
To get to the outale, people had to go to Oshimanya, and look word for a tribal leader and
religious specialist
for them from there. They had to have a leader once they got
there, a person who knew the place well – in other words, a mineral ore – heavy
lumps from which metal
witch doctor, or oshivinda. When they arrived at Oshimanya, the can be extracted
oshivinda had to mark the place where they could camp. It was
to smelt – to heat mineral
in the oshivinda’s powers, too, to prevent wild animals such as
ore until the metal in it
lions from worrying the Ovambo miners. melts and runs out to be
Oshimanya had its own laws and regulations laid down by the collected
oshivinda, and these had to be observed by all. Breaking one of
Oshimanya’s laws meant looking for trouble from the oshivinda. Questions
What sort of tools and
It is said that Oshimanya’s wells, besides yielding water, used to
weapons are made
be a source of mineral ore (also called outale). This was smelted from iron? List three.
and made into portable hardware on the spot, because the outale (MS)
was heavy and could not be taken back to the villages unworked. How did the traveller
Therefore, the people had to make their hoes, axes, and other find his way to the
utensils in Oshimanya and carry them back to their villages. These mine, when he arrived
products were then bartered for other necessities such as salt at Oshimanya? (MS)
and tobacco. They were exchanged for goats and cattle. What did the traveller do
Oshimanya used to be a place of our wealth. The Ovambos still with the tools he had made
once he returned to his
cry for that place, Oshimanya. village? (MS)

• Refer to the questions in the grey column.

Unit 1.3: The community around us as a

resource for help
Notes on Preparation
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH ENGLISH, FOR THE • Familiarise yourself
FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION) with all the text, before
the lesson. Since this
lesson is in two parts,
Lesson Suggestions with homework in
between, you will need
• Tell the class that it is important that we are aware of the world around us, and of
to plan accordingly.
each person’s dependence on other people.
• Read through and think
• Ask the learners to find out from older members of the family the name, address about the Lesson Sug-
and phone number (or how to find them) of people whom the family will call on gestions, selecting the
when they are in need of outside help. most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
• Hand a copy of the ‘Our Community Questionnaire’ to each learner and ask that feel they complement
they draw either their house or their family in the circle in the centre of the chart. the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
• Organise the learners into five groups and ask them to think about ‘help needed’, Suggestions.
e.g. “Where do you go to if the house catches fire?” Ask the groups to work
together so that each learner’s form is filled in. Let them use only pencil at first. Materials needed: suffi-
• As homework, have each learner take their questionnaire home. They should ask cient copies of the ‘Our
elders in their family to help them correct any incorrect information and fill in any Community Question-
naire’ (see page 163) to
information that the learner did not know. This can be written in permanent ink. hand out to each learner.
• When back in class, organise the learners into five new groups:
o Ask the learners in each group to compare their answers with each other, and
see if any have come back with the same answers.
76
 Belonging: The community

o After discussion among themselves, a spokesperson from each table should report
back.
Notes on Preparation
o Draw out from the learners what they know about where to go for a funeral and
• Familiarise yourself
a wedding. with all the text before
o Let each group mime one of the activities on the questionnaire, e.g. mending a the lesson. Note: This
broken window, and let the other learners try to guess what the activity is. topic helps learners be-
come aware of what
makes up a worship-
ping community, and
for simplicity, ques-
tions relevant to a
Unit 1.4: ‘Living Stones’ Christian community
worshipping in a
church are suggested.
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)
There could also be in-
teresting discussions if
Lesson Suggestions there are learners of
other faiths.
• Explain to the learners that the phrase “living stones” comes in the first letter of the
Apostle Peter, written at a time when Christians were being thrown out of the • Read 1 Peter 2:4-5 in
synagogues and had no buildings in which to worship. In Rome they would gather the New Testament of
underground in the burial caves, the ‘catacombs’ carved out of the local soft quarry- the Bible.
stone; in other places they would simply gather in somebody’s house. For Peter the
“church” was the worshipping community, not a building. • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
• Read the following bible text to the class: gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals, yet chosen your own ideas if you
and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer the proposed Lesson
spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Suggestions.
(1 Peter 2:4-5)
New words
• To help the learners start thinking of how they could contribute, use the questions synagogue – building
in the grey column on page 77. where Jews worship in
their local town.
• ‘Living Stones’ Activity: To make the learners aware of the living people who
make up the church, and of their own special gifts that they can contribute: catacombs – passages dug
out underground for
o Hand a quarter of an A4 sheet of scrap paper to each learner. burials
o Ask each learner to write his or her own name, one skill of their own, e.g. to quarry – to dig out
‘Petrus – planting flowers’ and, if they know anyone, the name of someone who stone
takes a lead in church, e.g. Choir Leader, Singer, Pastor (or priest), Treasurer,
Reader, Sunday School Teacher, Women’s Leader, Visitor of the sick. Materials needed:
quarter sheet of A4 scrap
o As each learner finishes writing, ask him or her to bring up the ‘living stone’ to be
paper for each learner,
set in place. Give the learners glue and have them paste their ‘stones’ side by glue/paste, large sheet of
side to form a wall. These are the ‘living stones’ that make up the church. paper with stones of a wall
drawn on it to which the
• Refer to the questions in the grey column (see page 77).
‘stones’ can be fixed.

Questions
What can you do? Who
List of More Structured Questions can sweep? Scrub? Plant
flowers? Make tea? Play
Why did God place Adam in the garden? a drum or a flute? Does
anyone here belong to a
Why did God decide to create a second person?
singing group? Has any-
What sort of tools and weapons are made out of iron? List three. one here sung in church?
What is done in church
How did the traveller find his way to the mine when he arrived at Oshimanye?
besides singing? What
What did the traveller do with the tools he had made when he returned to his village? other people are needed?

77
Grade 3 - Theme 2

Theme 2
Phases of Life: Growing up

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should appreciate that responsibilities grow as one gets older.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• In the grey column, there are questions to be answered orally. Those marked MS (More Structured)
are suitable for a quick written assessment, preferably unexpected, at the end of the theme. There is a
full list of the More Structured Questions at the end of each theme, the answers to which can be found
at the back of the book.
For less structured assessment:
• Do learners understand, and can they use, the word ‘responsibility’?
• Can they discuss or role play Mary, Joseph, and Jesus when they meet again, bringing out what each is
feeling?
• Can they describe a traditional ritual connected with growing up?

78
 Phases of Life: Growing up

Unit 2.1: New responsibilities

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Read the following extract from Never Follow the Wolf to the class. The author • Read the extract taken
writes about his responsibilities as a child, when he lived with his grandmother. His from Never Follow the
grandparents had separated by mutual consent, but did not live far from each other, Wolf by Helao Shityu-
wete (London: Clip-
so they shared in bringing him up. It was not until he was eleven years old that he town Books, 1990, pp
had the opportunity to go to school. This extract can be used as a way of starting 6-7).
discussions about the learners’ own responsibilities. • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
Our new household was not far from my grandfather’s and I spent gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
most of the afternoons with grandpa when granny did not need your own ideas if you
my services. However, I had a lot of work to do about the house. feel they complement
Because I was still very young I was unable to perform difficult the theme, the unit and
duties, and left all of them to my grandmother. She was a hard- the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
working woman and did all the men’s work around the house. I
was the only child living with my granny. Thus I grew up doing
Questions
both girls’ and boys’ work in the house. I was able to cook meals
Name three responsibilities
at the age of seven, pound corn when I was eight, and prepare Helao had by the time he
home brew when I was nine. I was therefore able to relate to was nine years old. (MS)
both male and female roles and was happy that I could do things What could the writer do at
that other girls and boys of my age could not. the age of 7? How many in
the class can do this?

• Follow up by posing the questions in the grey column. What could the writer do
when he was 8? How many
in the class can do this? Are
there any boys who can do
it? What else can people in
the class do?

Unit 2.2: The boyhood of Jesus What could the writer do

when he was 9? Was it
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH DRAMA AND ART) difficult because it was
heavy work? Can anyone
in the class do it?
Lesson Suggestions
• Mention that the Gospels tell us nothing about Jesus being ‘confirmed’, but St. Notes on Preparation
Luke’s gospel describes an incident from Jesus’ boyhood, which he considered • Familiarise yourself
significant. Retell the story in your own words. with all the text before
• To encourage discussion, ask learners the questions in the grey column on page 80. the lesson.
• Read Luke 2:41-51 in
• Let the learners do a role play or drama of the story of Jesus in the Temple, and of the New Testament of
how his parents had to search three days to find him. the Bible.
o Ask the learners what questions the boy Jesus might have asked the teachers in • Read through and think
the temple. Make a note of these, and who suggested each question. These about the Lesson Sug-
people then play the role of Jewish rabbis, teaching in the Temple, and each is gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
confronted with his or her own question.
your own ideas if you
o The smallest child in the class has the role of Jesus, and puts the questions to feel they complement
them. the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
o If this activity goes well, this scene could then be used as a play to do in School Suggestions.
Assembly (see the suggested on page 80). Note: It is important that those playing
Mary and Joseph work out for themselves or with the help of other learners what
to say.

79
Grade 3 - Theme 2

‘GROWING UP’ – a drama for School Assembly

New Word
A circle of chairs has been placed at the front of the hall in Passover – a festival to
advance. A learner steps forward with a sign saying “Jerusa- celebrate the miraculous
lem” and stays there quietly, throughout. A group of pilgrims, freeing of the Hebrews
from Egypt in the time of
among them Joseph, Mary, and Jesus (one of the smallest in the
Moses.
class) enters at the back of the hall and they make their way
forward to-wards the stage, talking as they go. Meanwhile other
Materials needed: one
learners, in long white robes, have quietly seated themselves on large sheet of white or
the chairs, looking grave and learned, and with rolled up paper, coloured paper for each
to represent scrolls of the Law. group, for a wall-display,
or several A4 sheets, to put
The boy Jesus points to the Temple and asks his father questions together a Class Book;
as they approach the front of the hall. The company of pilgrims coloured pencils or felt-tip
pick their way carefully around between the furniture and the pens, glue and a few pairs
Principal, while Jesus seats himself eagerly at the feet of the of scissors.
lear-ned men. After going about it twice or three times, all the
Questions
pilgrims except Jesus leave and start walking back through the
Why did Jesus’s parents
hall. go up to Jerusalem? (MS)
Now follows (for about five minutes) the question and answer On the return journey,
session that was the content of the lesson. While this is happen- when Jesus’s parents rea-
ing the company of pilgrims reaches the back of the hall. Mary lised he was not with their
and Joseph hurry about among them searching for their son, company, what did they
do? (MS)
and then come hurrying back towards the front of the hall. They
talk about how worried they are. Have you yet begun asking
questions about God from
For a few moments they wander about, and finally come upon other people besides your
the boy Jesus, sitting talking with the learned men. Does he hug own family?
them warmly? Or is he surprised to see them, a bit put off? They
tell him how angry and worried they are, and disappointed in
him. He is surprised that they did not guess where he was, and
says “Did you not know that I should be about my Father’s
business?”

• Ask the learners to think about the topic ‘Jesus’ parents find him in the Temple’
and use it in an Art lesson. The aim is for co-operation within the group, and for
excellence and originality of presentation.
o Divide the class into groups of between six and eight learners and ask them to
design and make a picture illustrating this scene.
o Hand each group a large sheet of white or coloured paper or several A4 sheets,
colour pencils or felt tip pens if available, glue and a pair of scissors.
o Each learner should draw a figure, cut it out and paste it on the larger sheet.

o Once completed, each group could put their wall display up on a classroom wall.

(Alternatively, hand each group several A4 sheets and have the group make a
class book from their figures.)

80
 Phases of Life: Growing up

Unit 2.3: Rituals connected with growing

Notes on Preparation
up • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON FOR BOTH TOPICS TOGETHER) the lesson.
• Re-read the extract
Lesson Suggestions taken from Never Fol-
low the Wolf by Helao
• Remind the learners of the main elements in the extract from Never Follow the Shityuwete (London:
Wolf covered in Unit 2.1. Now continue the narrative by reading the following to Cliptown Books, 1990
the class: pp 6-7) and familiarise
yourself with the rest
of the story.
However, I was opposed to some traditional rituals. As young- • Read through and think
sters, our society expected us to undergo certain traditional rites, about the Lesson Sug-
for example, the piercing of ears, the removal of two lower front gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
teeth, and chipping off bits from between the two upper front
your own ideas if you
teeth. All these were done for beautification pur-poses only and feel they complement
had nothing to do with sacrosanct traditional norms. the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
Having failed to see the logic of mutilating my body I refused to Suggestions.
be any part of it. I found myself isolated by my friends because I
did not conform. Looking back, I am pleased that I did not give New Words:
in to their ridicule, because many of them have had to spend rite or ritual – solemn ac-
much time worrying about the damage they have done to their tion done at a special time
bodies. I did participate in other traditional events like dancing sacrosanct – sacred and
and attending festivals. not to be changed
As kids we did not receive any kind of formal education. Home norms – customs
or parental education was the only thing known to us and no mutilate – cut, so as to
other educational institutions were open to us. I thus grew up cause permanent change to
illiterate, but my aunt, Beata Ishina from Endola, opened a new a person
chapter in my life. conform – do the same as
others
illiterate – unable to read
• Ask learners to find out about traditional rituals connected with growing up, from or write
people at home. They should share the information with the other learners when
they return to class. Perhaps learners could form into pairs and retell each others’ Questions
information to the rest of the class (this will also test how well he or she listened Why do you think Helao
and understood what was explained by their partner). refused the ‘beautifica-
tions’ he refers to?
• Ask the learners to help you list some traditional customs, such as the correct way
Why were (a) his close
to greet or to thank an elder, and the correct way to take your leave. Stress that it friends and (b) others per-
is important for the children to know this in order to be able to show respect. haps not so friendly to-
• Refer to the questions in the grey column. wards him and urged him
to conform?
What are examples of
traditional and modern
‘beautifications’ (e.g.
stretching curly hair or
perming straight hair, or
using creams to lighten the
skin).

81
Grade 3 - Theme 2

Unit 2.4: Christian Confirmation

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Explain to the learners that as infant baptism began to be practised more and more, • Read through and think
the service of Confirmation, in which the promises made at Baptism on behalf of about the Lesson
the baby by the parents and godparents are publicly made again, increased. The Suggestions, selecting
the most useful and
person ‘confirms’ the promises made on his or her behalf, and is also strengthened
adding your own ideas
(for which the old word is ‘confirmed’) by the Holy Spirit. if you feel they com-
• Outline the procedures of Confirmation as follows: plement the theme, the
unit and the proposed
o Preparing for confirmation: All churches require those who want to come for Lesson Suggestions.
Confirmation to attend learning sessions once or twice weekly, usually for several
months. They learn more about their church, about the sacraments, and discuss New Words
ways of applying what they learn to their own daily lives. They also learn what it Confirmation – a church
means to become a full member of the church, with adult responsibilities and ceremony in which those
opportunities. In the Lutheran and Dutch Reformed churches there is a written being confirmed make for
themselves the promieses
test, and those who fail are not allowed to be confirmed. made for them at Baptism
o What happens during the service: Near the beginning of the service, the when they were babies
candidates together make their promises. Then comes the central part of the baptism – a ceremony with
service, when the candidates all come forward, and the Bishop or a senior pastor water by which people are
lays his hand on their heads in turn, and prays for the Holy Spirit to strengthen made members of the
each one. In some of the western churches he then anoints them with oil on their Christian church
foreheads, making the sign of the cross; in the eastern churches this anointing godparents – adult Chris-
with oil was done immediately after Baptism instead. tians who promise to care
and pray for those being
• Refer to the questions in the grey column. baptised.

Questions
Give one action by the
candidates, and one by the
Unit 2.5: Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah Bishop, during the service
of Confirmation. (MS)
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) What does the Bishop or
leader pray for? (MS)

Lesson Suggestions
• Explain to the learners that:

“Five is the age for starting to study scripture, ten for Mishnah,
and thirteen is the age for observing the commandments” (Ethics
of the Fathers, 5:21) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
• Give some of the details of Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah: with all the text before
the lesson.
o Bar Mitzvah means ‘son of the commandment’ and Bat Mitzvah means ‘daughter
• Read through and think
of the commandment.’ about the Lesson
o Jews consider that the thirteenth birthday marks the child’s transition to the world Suggestions, selecting
the most useful and
of adults, and also the age at which the child should assume responsibility for adding your own ideas
obeying the commandments of the Jewish Law. if you feel they com-
o The boy’s (and more recently also the girl’s) thirteenth birthday is marked by a plement the theme, the
unit and the proposed
family gathering and a party.
Lesson Suggestions.
o On the following Sabbath the boy or girl may be called up in the synagogue to
read a portion of Scripture in Hebrew. Many friends and relatives will gather to
hear him.

82
 Phases of Life: Growing up

o After he or she has read the scripture, his or her father recites a brief prayer
thanking God for bringing his son or daughter to maturity, and stating that his Questions
son or daughter is now responsible for his or her own actions. What do Bar Mitzvah and
Note: In recent times the thirteenth birthday has become the occasion for a Bat Mitzvah mean? (MS)
lavish party in a public place, perhaps an expensive banquet, or even a dance Do you agree that a person
with a live band. This is totally contrary to Jewish teaching, which insists that of twelve or thirteen is
ready to be counted as an
Bar Mitzvah is first of all a religious occasion.
adult, and is responsible for
• Refer to the questions in the grey column. obeying the command-
ments himself or herself?
Do you think it is a good
thing to have rites and
ceremonies to mark the
transition to becoming a
teenager?

List of More Structured Questions

List three responsibilities Helao had by the time he was nine years old.
Why did Jesus’s parents go up to Jerusalem?
On the return journey, when Jesus’s parents realised he was not with their company, what did they
do?
Give one action by the candidates, and one by the Bishop, during the service of Confirmation.
What does the Bishop or leader pray for?
What do Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah mean?

83
Grade 3 - Theme 3

Theme 3
The Sacred: Texts, music, and art

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should understand that for believers, sacred texts are divinely inspired.
They should appreciate how religious music conveys its message.
They should appreciate art as a means of conveying religious messages.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• In the grey column, there are questions to be answered orally. Those marked MS (More Structured) are
suitable for a quick written assessment, preferably unexpected, at the end of the theme. There is a full
list of the More Structured Questions at the end of each theme, the answers to which can be found at
the back of the book.
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners recite a verse of the scriptures with understanding and feeling?
• Can they join in the singing to the best of their individual ability?
• Can they draw and colour a picture, where the colour shows the mood?

84
 The Sacred: Texts, music and art

Unit 3.1: Sacred texts Notes on Preparation

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON WITH INTRODUCTION) • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
the lesson.
Lesson Suggestions
• Read through and think
• To introduce the theme, ask the learners if they have a special photograph, or an about the Lesson Sug-
old letter, that has a history and is carefully treasured, at home. You could mention gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
the National Archives library in Windhoek, where texts are preserved for future your own ideas if you
generations. Religious Scriptures are also carefully treasured, especially when feel they complement
written by hand. the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
• Read the following text to the class:
Suggestions.

People of the Book Question

This is how the Muslims describe Jews, Christians, and Muslims, because Name the Sacred Texts of
they say their faiths are centred on a sacred text. In Judaism, the first the Jews, the Christians,
and the Muslims. (MS)
five books of the Bible are called the Torah. This means the Law, and
this part is thought to have been written by Moses. The Torah, together
with Prophets and Writings (Jewish scripture) is called Tanakh (= Old
Testament in the original Hebrew language). Jews also have other books
collected or written by rabbis over centuries. Muslims have the Qur’an
(also called the Koran) written in Arabic, and Christians have the Bible
translated into their own languages.

• Refer to the question in the grey column.

Unit 3.2: Attitudes to the sacred texts

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Share the following information with the learners: • Make four sets of
word cards: on ten
Faithful Muslims should wash their hands before and after touching the small, separate pieces
of card, write the
Qur’an, even at home. Muslims say that the Qur’an in the Arabic names of the first five
language is final and complete, and there can be no interpretation or books of the Old Tes-
adaptation of it to changed circumstances. The Jews, on the other hand, tament (Genesis, Exo-
believe in fierce discussion in order to understand their texts and the laws dus, Leviticus, Num-
bers and Deutero-
derived from them. Students in the Rabbinical schools (the rabbis in training)
nomy) and the first
are encouraged to argue each side of the case as thoroughly as possible. five of the New Testa-
Christians believe that with small children the emphasis needs to be on ment (Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John
story and symbolism, not on intellectual discussion, but older children and and the Acts of the
adults should study the Bible and how Christians have understood it, using Apostles).
their heads as well as their hearts. • Read through and
All three faiths give their sacred text an honoured place in worship. Jews think about the Lesson
Suggestions, selecting
keep their scriptures on hand-written scrolls in a special cupboard in the the most useful and
synagogue. adding your own ideas
Before the Torah is read in the service, the scroll is carried round the if you feel they com-
plement the theme, the
synagogue, so bells on the top of each scroll jingle with a joyful sound. unit and the proposed
The person reading the scroll of scripture has a special pointer shaped like Lesson Suggestions.
a tiny hand, so as to avoid touching the text with his finger.
85
Grade 3 - Theme 3

Many Christians decorate the cover of the Gospels with inlaid jewels
New words
set into gold or silver. Muslims honour the Qur’an by only allowing the
scriptures – sacred
original Arabic to be read in Mosques, throughout the Islamic world,
writings
and by writing by hand the text used in worship.
scroll – a long strip of
Jews share with Christians the Old Testament, calling the first 5 books parchment or fine leather,
the Torah (the Book of Law). They also have the Mishnah (a fuller with writing in columns,
commentary on Jewish Laws, based on the traditions of centuries), and then rolled up on a wooden
rod to make a book
Talmud (teachings, commentary on the Mishnah and Law, with exam-
ples written by rabbis over several centuries). Christians have the Old Torah – the first five books
and New Testaments, together making up the Bible. of the Bible, for Jews the
Law of Moses
Muslims have the Qur’an written down by the prophet Mohammed.
Tanakh – Jewish scrip-
They believe that the text may never be translated from Arabic. tures, called the ‘Old
Testament’ by Christians
• Refer to the questions in the grey column. synagogue – meeting
place for Jewish worship
• Use the word cards you made before the lesson:
o Separate and mix up the cards.
Questions
o Divide the class into four groups.

o Give each group the ten names and ask the learners to sort them into their right
order, using the Bible. Give one example of how
Jews honour the Torah.
(MS)
Give one example of how
Christains honour the
Unit 3.3: Sacred music Bible. (MS)
Give one example of how
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Muslims honour the
Qu’ran. (MS)
Lesson Suggestions
• Ask the children to suggest songs that convey a strong feeling of mood, sad ones
as well as happy ones. Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
• Let them suggest songs and hymns used in church that also convey a mood. Swing with all the text before
low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home, is an example of a sad one, the lesson.
and Soon and very soon an example of a happy one. • Read through and think
• Many songs convey both feelings in turn. Examples are Kumbayah and Lord of about the Lesson Sug-
the Dance. Ask learners to sing Kumbayah, thinking secretly to themselves of a gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
particular person as they sing each verse, and to pray for that person as they sing, your own ideas if you
whether it is ‘someone happy’ or ‘someone crying’ or ‘someone paining.’ feel they complement
• Ask the children if they know religious songs in their native languages, and could the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
sing them. Be willing to sing to the class, if you can sing a song in your native Suggestions.
language. The learner who sings should also talk briefly about what the song means,
and the mood of it. Materials needed: a
• If you can obtain drums, volunteers could be sought to set the mood on the drums selection of songs and
before each new verse, after discussion of the mood of the different verses. hymns and a set of drums
(if possible).
• If you managed to find them, you might prefer to choose well-known hymns, and
discuss with the learners what mood they convey e.g. Were you there when they
crucified my Lord? and Amazing grace. The song Lord of the Dance has
changing moods and learners can find a mood expressed in each verse.

86
 The Sacred: Texts, music and art

Unit 3.4: Sacred art

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Remind the learners about the piece entitled People of the Book. • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
• Explain that visual symbols are commonly used in each of the three faiths grouped gestions, selecting the
together as People of the Book. Mention the faith, write it on the board, draw the most useful and adding
symbol (see page 164) and give the details pertaining to the symbol as below: your own ideas if you
feel they complement
o Judaism
the theme, the unit and
§ Star of David: A modern symbol of Judaism, used as an emblem of the state the proposed Lesson
of Israel. Suggestions.
§ Seven branched candlestick (menorah): An ancient symbol of the presence
of God. It represents the oil lamp with seven wicks, which once burned in the Materials needed: paper,
pencil or wax crayons, or
temple in Jerusalem. To some it represents the Tree of Life, its roots firmly felt-tip pens, if available.
embedded in the ground. Others are reminded of the seven days of creation.
(from Judaism by Ina Taylor, Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes, 2000, p.6) Questions
o Islam What does the Star of
§ Crescent moon: Used to represent Islam because the rising of the new moon David represent to Jews?
(MS)
marks the end of the fast of Ramadan.
What does the Crescent
o Christianity
represent to Muslims?
§ Dove: Used to represent peace, because it was the dove that brought news to (MS)
Noah that it would be safe to leave the shelter of the Ark; used to represent the What does the Dove
Holy Spirit because in the Gospels the Holy Spirit descended ‘like a dove’ onto represent to Christians?
Jesus at his baptism. (MS)
§ Bread and Wine: Used to represent the presence of Christ, and also the
Eucharist.
§ Fish: Used to represent the Eucharist, because fishes were used at the feeding
of the five thousand; used as a secret sign for identifying Christians, perhaps
because the letters of the Greek word ichthus stood for the words used to call
upon Christ.
• Give each learner a quarter of an A4 sheet of paper and one coloured pencil or felt-
tip pen. Ask the learners to think about what colour best represents the mood they
are in at the present moment, and using a pen or pencil of that colour, write their
name on the scrap of paper. Learners should then find someone who has used the
same colour, or another shade of the same colour, and talk with that person on how
they are feeling.

List of More Structured Questions

Name the Sacred Text of the Jews, the Muslims, and the Christians.
Give one example of how Jews honour the Torah.
Give one example of how Muslims honour the Qur’an.
Give one example of how Christians honour the Bible.
What does the Star of David represent to Jews?
What does the Crescent represent to Muslims?
What does the Dove represent to Christians?

87
Grade 3 - Theme 4

Theme 4
Festivals: African traditions and religion;
Palm Sunday and Holy Week
Teacher’s Note: Easter is the central festival of the Christian year, and there are stories and
rituals leading up to the central act of Christ’s death on the cross and his resurrection. It is
worth changing the order of themes, so that this theme is studied during the weeks leading up
to Easter, with a view to presenting dramatisations at school assembly. While the learners have
learnt about Christmas in Grade 1 and Easter in Grade 2, it would be advisable to remind
them of what Easter is about before embarking on the present topic. The topic ‘Remembering
historical events’ has been included even though Namibian festivals also come in detail in the
Environment syllabus, because it is important to draw out the religious aspects of these
festivals. Namibian traditional ceremonies commemorating sad events have been selected for
this theme, in order to tie in with the content on Palm Sunday and Holy Week.
Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):
Learners should appreciate the African context for religion in Namibia.
They should understand through the example of Jesus, that religious reformers often provoke the existing
authorities.
Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• In the grey column, there are questions to be answered orally. Those marked MS (More Structured) are
suitable for a quick written assessment, preferably unexpected, at the end of the theme. There is a full
list of the More Structured Questions at the end of each theme, the answers to which can be found at
the back of the book.
For less structured assessment:
• Did learners join in the planning of, and take part in a drama?

88
 Festivals: African traditions and religion, Palm Sunday and Holy Week

Unit 4.1: African traditions and religion -

remembering historical events
(SUGGESTED TIME: 2 WEEKS’ WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH ART OR DRAMA) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
Note: You should mention at least three of the 11 ethnic groups in Namibia, and not with all the text before
only focus on the predominant ethnic group in the school. Appropriate festivals the lesson.
include Herero Day and Samkhubis. This festival commemorates the time when • Collect information
the Rehobothers were in grave danger, attacked by superior forces, but were mira- and newspaper cut-
culously delivered. The Day of the Covenant of the Afrikaners, Kasinga Day, and tings about traditional
festivals to use from
the festival commemorating the death of Chief Hosea Kutaku are also appropriate. year to year. Encourage
The syllabus suggests that teachers incorporate rain-making festivals and festivals learners to bring photo-
where offerings are made to ancestors. Study the Grade 3 Environmental Studies graphs and mementoes
Syllabus so you can draw out the religious significance of traditional events. from home.
• Read through and think
Lesson Suggestions about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, and add your
• Let the learners create a wall display entitled “Festivals that remember sad events”: own ideas if you feel
they complement the
o Organise the learners into groups of between five and eight.
theme, the unit and the
o Ask the groups to draw on information gathered when they were studying proposed Lesson Sug-
Namibian festivals as part of the Environment syllabus. gestions.

o Help the learners to prepare display material on three different festivals.

Materials needed: folder
o While they are working on the wall display, ask them to think about the events containing news-paper
remembered. cuttings and other items as
described above; materials
• Refer to the questions in the grey column (you will probably be able to think of
with which to make a wall
many more). display such as paper,
coloured pencils, felt-tip
pens, paints, newspaper
and calendar cuttings

Questions
Unit 4.2: Biblical events leading to Easter; What sad events are re-
Palm Sunday and Holy Week membered?
What ceremonies are
(SUGGESTED TIME: 2 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH ART OR DRAMA) enacted?

Lesson Suggestions
• In your own words, retell the story of Palm Sunday (Mark 11:1-10), which covers Notes on Preparation
Jesus entering Jerusalem for the last time. You could add modernising touches, • Familiarise yourself
e.g., “He made bookings for transport ...”, “He made bookings for accommodation”. with all the text before
the lesson.
EITHER • Select one of the
o Share with the learners some of the customs connected with the story, e.g. the events given and read
Sunday before Easter is traditionally the day on which Jesus entered Jerusalem. the appropriate refe-
rence in the Bible.
On the day before, Christians make small palm crosses by folding a palm frond
which has been split into two, and these are given out to every member of the • Read through and think
congregation, and are kept throughout the coming year. Palm Sunday is also about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
often the occasion for an outdoor procession, carrying the palm crosses held high most useful and adding
and singing hymns. your own ideas if you
o Let the learners develop a short play: feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
§ Discuss with the class how to dramatise the story. the proposed Lesson
§ Call for volunteers for parts, preferably involving all the learners. Suggestions.

§ Ask the learners to think about what the conversation would have been in the
crowd as they waited for Jesus to pass.
§ Encourage the learners to role play and improvise.

89
Grade 3 - Theme 4

§ Ask them to bring pieces of cloth from home.

§ If you would like to cut some palm branches for them, be careful to trim off Materials needed, de-
the sharp points – they are poisonous! pending on the event
(and therefore Lesson
OR
Suggestion):
• In your own words, retell two stories from The Last Supper (John 13:1-10 and Event 1: scrap paper for
13:21-31). The first story tells how Jesus washed his disciples’ feet (to make it dialogues, clothing and
more vivid, you could bring a bowl and towel to class and demonstrate as you tell props, palm cuttings.
the story). The second story tells how Judas Iscariot went out to betray his master. Event 2: bowls and
o Share with the learners some of the customs connected with the story, for example: towels.
§ Traditionally, Thursday is the night when Jesus was arrested, to be tried Event 3: paper, coloured
before dawn on Friday morning. pencils/felt-tip pens/
paints, scissors, glue/
§ In many churches the people hold a Watch-night Service and re-enact Jesus paste, seeds, matches/
washing the disciples’ feet. During the service anyone who wishes comes small twigs.
forward to a circle of chairs that have been made ready. Then the priest
rolls up his sleeves, wraps himself in a towel, and washes each person’s feet Questions
in turn. Name three traditional
festivals. (MS)
o Discuss with the learners and have them mime or act out the story of Jesus
washing the disciples’ feet at the Last Supper. Explain why the religious
leaders of the time wanted
o Create a ‘Conscience Corner’: Discuss with the learners what might have been
Jesus crucified. (MS)
Judas’s motives for betraying his master, stressing there is no one right answer.
Then get them to role play the arguments going on inside Judas’s head. One
learner could play Judas, another his conscience, telling him he should not betray
him, and others the bad voices, tempting him in different ways.
OR
• In your own words, retell the story of Jesus Christ before Pilate (Luke 22:39-53).
o Set the scene by reminding the learners that Jesus had made dangerous enemies
by throwing out the moneychangers from the Temple forecourt, and by the things
he had said publicly against the Scribes and Pharisees. Remind them also of
Judas getting up and leaving quietly while they were at supper together for the
Passover feast.
o Explain to learners that in many churches, a watch or vigil is kept from about
sunset until midnight, with lighted candles on the altar and sometimes a priest or
pastor leads with a short meditation every hour. For the rest of the time people
just pray silently, keeping watch as Jesus asked his disciples to do, but they could
not. People arrange to come in succession if they cannot be there the whole
time, so that the church is never empty. At midnight the candles are blown out
and the watch is over.
o Organise the learners into three groups and let each group illustrate the story,
with each member contributing one figure. The figures can be painted on paper,
or figures in outline can be made by gluing seeds onto card. Large matches or
small twigs can be glued in place to represent the swords and staves the people
brought when they came to arrest Jesus.
• Refer to the questions in the grey column.

List of More Structured Questions

Name three traditional festivals.
Explain why the religious leaders of the time wanted Jesus crucified.

90
 Festivals: African traditions and religion, Palm Sunday and Holy Week

Theme 5
Social Values: Democracy

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

They should understand that agreed rules are a social contract.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• In the grey column there are questions to be answered orally. Those marked MS (More Structured)
are suitable for a quick written assessment, preferably unexpected, at the end of the theme. There is
a full list of the More Structured Questions at the end of each theme, the answers to which can be
found at the back of the book.
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners explain why it is important for all involved to agree on rules?
• Can they talk about an occasion when the class made a decision and the minority agreed to respect it?
• Can they role play what happens when someone breaks a rule when playing a game, or a story of
decision-making in Namibia, or in the early church? e.g. Acts 6: 1-7
Note: It is important that learners can do at least one of the above.

91
Grade 3 - Theme 5

Unit 5.1: Making our own rules by majority

decision
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Explain that democracy does not mean the same thing to all people. A dictionary • Read through and think
says it means government by the people. Most people would say that democracy is about the Lesson Sug-
a form of government in which the people select those who make the laws of the gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
country. People will not elect people who make bad laws. But sometimes people do
your own ideas if you
elect people they know will make bad laws because they do not know anybody feel they complement
who will make good laws. In some cases people are even bullied to elect corrupt the theme, the unit and
leaders. the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
• Mention that some learners will have had good experience of good laws or rules,
and also bad experiences of bad rules. They can complain of a teacher forcing New Words
them to do something which they think is bad, or they may return home from majority – more than half
visiting a friend complaining either about bad rules, or about no rules at all in the the number
friend’s house. Ask learners to suggest similar situations in which they might have
democracy – a form of
found themselves. Allow plenty of time for discussion. government in which the
• Remind the learners that they have a democratic right to come to school, and to people select those who
learn the same syllabus in whatever school they are. However, this means they make the laws of the
country
have a responsibility to study hard and to do their homework, and rules are to
create an atmosphere in which these objectives are not hindered. In the activity privilege – the right to do
something special, e.g. go
described below, they make a set of rules for the class. on a school trip
• Start a brainstorming session, using the technique described in the section entitled
How to Use this Teacher’s Guide (page ix). Materials needed: extra
o Write on the chalkboard: 10 RULES FOR THE CLASSROOM paper, pens or pencils,
coloured pencils or felt-tip
o Ask the learners to give suggestions. pens.
§ Write them all down as quickly as they come.
§ Do not comment on or reject anything at this stage and disallow comments by
the learners. It is important that everyone should feel they have a right to be
heard, and should see their suggestion with the others.
o Ask the children to help you refine the list (e.g. removing duplicates) on the
chalkboard. Ensure that a good majority agrees to each rule. The rules should be
fair to all, and should be able to be enforced. The members of the class will then
be responsible for keeping the rules they have made.
§ If some important issues seem to have been forgotten, guide the learners with
your own suggestions – in question form.
§ Limit the number of rules to ten and discuss which are the 10 most important.
Where there is a difference of opinion, try to resolve it by discussion, but if this
is not successful, suggest either putting the issue to the vote or putting off the
decision until the following lesson, to allow time for reflection.
§ Some rules that might be suggested include:
Ø Be punctual (this includes the teacher!).

Ø Show respect for one another as well as for the teacher, e.g. by listening, not
interrupting, etc.
Ø Keep the classroom tidy.

Ø Do not leave rubbish about in the school premises.

Ø No fighting, not even on the way home.

• Now you need to ask the learners to consider this question: “How do we make sure
people keep these rules?” Note: The first suggestion will probably be that that is

92
 Social Values: Democracy

the responsibility of the teacher. But if the class already has a system of class
monitors, then it will be clear that it is the responsibility of the class itself. Questions
o Tell the class that the rules cannot be enforced unless they are clearly displayed. What democratic rights do
Ask the class to elect someone to write them out clearly and neatly for display, learners have? (MS)
and provide a plastic cover so that the Rules stay looking clean and fresh. What obligations do these
rights bring with them?
o Discuss with the class the best ways of dealing with learners who prevent others
(MS)
from learning. Some form of cutting them off from privileges, rather than
punishment, is best
• Once the final list of rules has been made and displayed in the classroom, ask the
learners to look back and think about what they have done. Encourage them to
think back over the process by which they decided on their ten rules. Remind them
of the times of potential tension and conflict, and ask them how they resolved the
problem. Hopefully they will come to realise that decisions that have been discussed Notes on Preparation
and thought about, and have not been rushed through, are better than hasty decisions. • Familiarise yourself
• Refer to the questions in the grey column. with all the text before
the lesson.
• Read about the conflict
and how it was re-
solved by the Apostles
in Acts 6:1-7 in the
Unit 5.2: Decision-making in the Early New Testament of the
Bible.
Church • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)
gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
Lesson Suggestions your own ideas if you
feel they complement
• In your own words retell the story about the conflict and how it was resolved by the the theme, the unit and
Apostles in Acts 6:1-7 in the New Testament in the Bible. It seems that, as a group, the proposed Lesson
the Hellenists were being treated as ‘second class’, as if there was some kind of Suggestions.
Apartheid being exercised against the poor from this group, while the poor of the
New Word
Aramaic-speaking group were privileged. Explain that in the Early Church they
Hellenists – a group who
had their money in common, and gave out food to widows and orphans.
spoke Greek rather than
• Refer to the questions in the grey box. Aramaic like the Hebrews.
They too were Jews.
• Guide the learners to dramatise the story.
o Explain that in the role play activity, the class will be unfairly divided i.e. there will
Materials needed: bag of
be discrimination against those who are short. small sweets or popcorn
o Ask for six volunteers to act as servers, and take them outside the door with you.
Tell them that when you call people to come for their share of food, they, the Questions
servers, should rudely tell all the short people to go to the back of the line, and In the story from Acts 6,
when it is their turn, tell them there is no food left. which group was being
unfairly treated? (MS)
o Call people to leave their seats and queue to receive their portion. Leave it to the
How did the Apostles
servers to exercise the Apartheid against the SHORT learners. The learners will handle the conflict? (MS)
be surprised, and arguments will boil up, and complaints. Don’t let it reach
How did it feel to send
fisticuffs! Then step in, say that you are speaking on behalf of the Twelve tasked
people to the back of the
with resolving the conflict. Get ALL the learners to choose seven Deacons, and queue?
these new people should make sure that the SHORT learners get their fair share.
How did it feel to be made
• After the role play, ask the questions in the grey column. to go to the back of the
queue and then to be told
there was nothing left?
How did the Twelve re-
solve the conflict?
Was it a wise solution?

93
Grade 3 - Theme 5

Unit 5.3: African traditional ways of

resolving conflict
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Explain that the African concept of ubuntu is fundamental to the way African • Read through and think
people relate to one another while respecting each other’s ethnic diversity, as is about the Lesson Sug-
argued in this passage from Religion and Society: a Namibian Perspective, by gestions, selecting the
Paul John Isaak (Out of Africa Books, 1997, pp 59-60): most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
feel they complement
It should be obvious that people who traditionally appreciate the values the theme, the unit and
of ubuntu are in fact already relating to each other in a democratic way. the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
For example to describe someone in such terms as “Thandi has ubuntu”
means that she is a caring person who is living as a responsible citizen, Question
cares for others and for animals and nature, and worships God. Values
Give three words which
such as justice, truth, respect, honesty, and the equality of all peoples are help to describe the
all highlighted; but these same values are essential ingredients of meaning of ubuntu.
democracy. Without them, a truly democratic society is not possible.

• You could probably give an example from your own experience of the resolution of
a conflict.
• Refer to the question in the grey column.

Unit 5.4: Conflict between different groups

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)
Notes on Preparation
Lesson Suggestions • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
• Explain that ‘Honesty among strangers’ means treating the strangers one meets, the lesson.
especially through work or trade, with the same respect one would treat one’s • Read through and think
kinsman. This means not exploiting them. Since the world is shrinking, and many of about the Lesson Sug-
today’s learners will find themselves working with strangers from other countries, gestions, selecting the
it is important to become aware both of the petty dishonest acts that often spoil most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
good relations between groups, and of the hidden dishonesty in many dealings feel they complement
between countries, or between multinational companies and local people. the theme, the unit and
• Read the following scenes (this continues on page 95) to the learners. At the end the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
of each, ask the learners: “Were people behaving honestly towards each other? If
not, who was trying to cheat?”

SCENE 1
In the old days, visitors to our village were rare. One day the
people of the village were working in the fields, when they saw
some strangers coming towards them. They hid in the forest to
watch what would happen. The strangers came to where they
had seen people working, and set out some bright-coloured
beads, and withdrew a little distance. Slowly, we local people
came out. The strangers pointed to what they had brought. We
local people brought something to exchange, adding a bit more

94
 Social Values: Democracy

and a bit more. When the traders were satisfied, they moved
further back, and each group in turn picked something up, to
take away.

SCENE 2
The traders came every year, but soon they began bringing not
beads but money bags, alcohol, and packets of cigarettes. One
year the traders set out their bottles and packets on display as
usual, together with the bags of money. We local people brought
cloth and fruit and vegetables, but the traders refused it, and
through an interpreter they made it clear that they wanted land.
They made it clear by shaking their heads that they would only
take farmland in payment. Finally they began measuring the land,
and we local people began quarrelling amongst ourselves about
what we should do to stop them.

SCENE 3
The next day the traders brought a lot of strong men to help
them. They roped off most of the land that was being cultivated.
One trader sat down at a desk with a stack of farm tools beside
him. A local person tried to walk under the barrier of rope but
the traders’ strong men beat him, and told him to go away. Then
the man at the desk held out his hand for money. The local person
pulled his pockets inside out to show that he had no money. The
man at the desk gave him a farm tool and showed him where to
start work, cutting down a tree. He started work very slowly, to
show that he was protesting.

SCENE 4
The years went by, and those in charge became old, and some of
us who worked for them had worked out how to steal things
from them, since some of the traders were now old and lame,
and could not see well. One local person stole a watch from an
aged trader; one group of local people hit an old trader on the
head, and stole all he had. Then others came and began digging
up the land, each for himself.

• Ask for volunteers to role play one of the four scenes. After the role play, draw out
the learning by asking the actors what it felt like to be a trader, what it felt like to be
a local person. Did those playing the local people feel that they had democratic
rights?

List of More Structured Questions

What democratic rights do learners have?
What obligations do these rights bring with them?
In the story from Acts 6, which group was being unfairly treated?
How did the Apostles handle the conflict?

95
Grade 3 - Theme 6

Theme 6
Religion and the Environment: Trees in religious
traditions

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should appreciate that trees can have special meaning.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• In the grey column, there are questions to be answered orally. Those marked MS (More Structured)
are suitable for a quick written assessment, preferably unexpected, at the end of the theme. There is
a full list of the More Structured Questions at the end of each theme, the answers to which can be
found at the back of the book.
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners tell a story in which a tree is important in their religion or traditions?
• Do they participate creatively either in writing prayers or in artwork?

96
 Religion and the Environment: Trees in religious traditions

Unit 6.1: Trees are special

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Share the following information with the class: • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
There is a serious danger that there are already too many people on earth gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
and that they will use up too much water and too many trees, and animals.
your own ideas if you
As a result, poorer people will die of hunger and thirst. This is why the feel they complement
Environment has become an important part of Religious Education. the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
Trees are very important for the environment. If people cut down too Suggestions.
many trees, the earth will become hotter and there will be less rain.
People use wood from trees for cooking and heating, making furniture,
building, and as a source of medicines (half of all our medicines are
derived from plants). Scientists keep telling people that if they go on
cutting down trees without replacing them, they will endanger everybody
else’s life on earth. But people do not want to believe scientists if they
tell them they are doing wrong.
In Europe, more than one third of the total forest area has been damaged
by acid rain, due to pollution in the atmosphere. In Africa, Asia and
Central and South America, 15-20 million hectares of tropical rainforest
are being destroyed every year. Forests are being cut for timber, or
cleared by burning to make pastures where beef can be grown to meet
the demands for meat in the cities.

• Mention that some Christian children, when they have climbed high into a tree,
imagine they are Jesus standing on the high place from which Satan showed him all
the kingdoms of the earth spread out. Such children often resist like Jesus, and tell
him they will take his word out to all the countries of the earth.
• Ask the learners to tell stories about the trees in their lives. A tree can be a place of
dreams for children where they can act out their hopes and plans for the future
under a shady tree. Other children might act out their sorrow and sense of loss.

Unit 6.2: Trees in the Bible

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH ART)
Notes on Preparation
Lesson Suggestions • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
• Tell the learners that the Bible both begins and ends with the Tree of Life. Read out the lesson.
the biblical passages referred to in the grey column. • Read Genesis 2:7-10
and Revelations 22:1-2.
• Ask the learners to draw or paint the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden as they
imagine it. Alternatively they could show how they imagine the Tree of Life on the • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
banks of the River of the Water of Life, in the Book of Revelation. Do they imagine gestions, selecting the
spirits of people swimming and rising out of the river, ready to be born? most useful and adding
• Organise the learners into groups of between five and eight, if time and materials your own ideas if you
feel they complement
are short. Each group could do one tree, cut it out and paste it onto a long wall- the theme, the unit and
display. Ask for a volunteer to draw the Tree of Life. The other learners could pass the proposed Lesson
a brown pencil or wax crayon to each other so they can all add branches. The Suggestions.
same can be done with green for leaves, purple for flowers and so forth.

97
Grade 3 - Theme 6

• Ask the learners to invent a set of Ten Commandments about care of the environ-
ment. Some suggestions are given below: Materials needed: sheet
Commandments about the Environment of paper for each learner,
assortment of paints or
You shall not destroy the soil crayons.
You shall not destroy the seas
Questions
You shall not lay waste the wild places Name the books of the
You shall not release poisons Bible in which we learn
about the Tree of Life.
You shall not cause great changes in the climate (MS)
• Below are additional biblical passages relating to trees, if needed: In the second of these two
books, where does the Tree
o Exodus 3:2; God appeared to Moses at the burning bush
of Life grow? (MS)
o 1 Kings 19:4-5; God comforted Elijah under a juniper tree
Name three trees about
o Jonah 4: 6-8; God made a tree for Jonah to sit in its shade which there is a story in
the Bible.
o Matthew 13:31-32; The parable of the Mustard Seed

o John 15:1-8; The True Vine

Tell a story about a tree in
the Old Testament.
• Refer to the questions in the grey column.
Tell the parable of the
Mustard Seed.

Unit 6.3: Stories from other faiths

Notes on Preparation
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH ENGLISH)
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Select and and read one
• Read your selected story in suitable words and pose the corresponding questions.
of the three stories as
o Option 1: A Hindu story from India: The Cobbler under the Banyan tree. indicated below:
o Option 1: Hindu
story from India:
Once there was a cobbler who was poor but honest, and whatever The cobbler un-der
little extra he had, he devoted to the worship of Vishnu, Lord of the Banyan tree
Creation. He lived under a banyan tree. Like all banyan trees, (from Spiri-tual
Values for the Earth
its central trunk was very large, and surrounded by smaller trunks
Commu-nity, by
which hung down from the branches to put out fresh roots, so David G. Hallam,
that it was like a forest. Geneva: WCC
2000, pp 39-40);
One day he was visited by Narada, the great teacher and mess-
o Option 2: A Jewish
enger of the god Vishnu, who said that the God Vishnu had sent
story: Tu Bi Shevat,
him to answer any questions that the cobbler might have. the Jewish New Year
The cobbler was taken by surprise, and could only think of a for Trees (from
Judaism and Eco-
simple question to ask: “What was the God Vishnu doing when logy, ed. Aubrey
you saw him?” Vishnu, who wanted to teach Narada a lesson, had Rose, London:
known that this would be the question and he told him to answer, Cassell, 1992, pp.
“Vishnu was threading an elephant through the eye of a needle.” 67-9, copyright
Worldwide Fund for
Though surprised by the answer, the cobbler replied, “Well, only Nature); or
Vishnu could do that!” Narada was bemused by the simple man’s o Option 3: A Muslim
faith: he had not expected him really to believe that Vishnu was story from the
threading an elephant through the eye of a needle, and chided Qur’an on care for
him gently on his innocence, but the cobbler replied, “Why can’t forests and what
lives in them.
Vishnu do that? Nothing is impossible for Vishnu … This world
is full of his miracles. He makes the sun rise every morning. He

98
 Religion and the Environment: Trees in religious traditions

• Read through and think

makes the wind blow. He makes the rivers run and the trees about the Lesson Sug-
and flowers grow.” gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
“Look at this”, the cobbler went on, picking up a seed from your own ideas if you
under the banyan tree. “Inside this seed is a banyan tree as big feel they complement
as the one above us. It’s just waiting to come out. If Vishnu can the theme, the unit and
squeeze a whole banyan tree into such a tiny seed, surely he can the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
squeeze an elephant through the eye of a needle!”

Questions:
§ What question did the cobbler ask?
§ Did Narada expect him to believe the answer that Vishnu told him to give to
the cobbler?
§ Why did the cobbler pick up a seed from under the tree and show it to Narada?
o Option 2: A Jewish story: Tu Bi Shevat, the Jewish New Year for Trees.

The festival is celebrated around March, on the fifteenth of the

month Shevat (Jewish months do not correspond exactly to the
western calendar, so it is not possible to give a precise date).
In ancient times it was the custom in Judaism to plant a cedar
sapling on the birth of a boy, and a cypress sapling on the birth of
a girl. When the children were old enough, it was their task to
care for the trees that had been planted in their honour.
Today the main ceremony on Tu Bi Shevat is the tree-planting
ceremony, when pupils from every school assemble and follow
their teachers into the countryside to plant young saplings. It
makes the children aware of the need for re-afforestation and
soil conservation.
In the Talmud there is a great deal on the care and love that
should be shown towards trees.
‘You shall not say, “We shall dwell, and not concern ourselves with
planting,” but as others planted for you, so shall you plant for your
children.’
‘The palm tree casts its shadow far from itself. The palm tree has
no blemish. It provides dates for food, branches for the Succoth
prayers, foliage for the Succoth, fibre for ropes, leaves for winnowing
purposes, and beams to support the ceilings and roof of the house.’
‘It is forbidden to dwell in a city that has no garden in it.’

Questions:
§ In what season is Tu Bi Shevat celebrated?
§ What was the custom in ancient times, when a child was born?
§ What is the main ceremony today on Tu Bi Shevat?

99
Grade 3 - Theme 6

o Option 3: A Muslim story from the Qur’an on care for forests and what lives in
them.

Islamic laws for preserving trees and plants were laid down some
fourteen centuries ago, and they cover not only forests but also
wildlife. According to these laws, certain areas called haram or
hima, were set aside and development or cultivation was forbid-
den. This code of laws was based on many sayings of the Prophet,
for example:
‘The world is green and beautiful and God has appointed you as
His stewards over it. He sees how you acquit yourselves.’
‘Whoever plants a tree, and looks after it till it becomes
productive, will be rewarded in the Hereafter.’
The Qur’an repeatedly states that plants and trees are ‘living
beings’ because they too have been created in pairs as male and
female. Like human beings and animals, they too are meant to
go on reproducing themselves and keep their species going.
‘My Lord is He who spread out for you the earth like a carpet;
and made paths therein for you, and sent down water from the
clouds. Then, we have produced many kinds of pairs of plants,
each distinct from the other.’
When the Prophet Muhammed became the ruler of Makkah and
Madina, he declared the trees in and around these cities protec-
ted by decrees such as the following (unfortunately such passages
are seldom studied now by lawyers and in universities):
‘I declare Madina to be sacrosanct throughout the area between
its two mountain paths, so that leaves may not be eaten off the
trees except for fodder.’
‘The game in Makkah is not to be molested, nor its fresh her-
bage cut.’

Questions:
§ Is it enough, just to plant a tree? What else should be done? (MS)
§ Who is it that decreed that there should be nature reserves around Makkah and
Madina? (MS)
§ What is forbidden in these nature reserves? (MS)
• Help the learners plant a suitable tree in a tin, care for it, and give it to someone as
a present.

100
 Religion and the Environment: Trees in religious traditions

Unit 6.4: Trees and prayer – practical

Christian action in Southern Africa
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, PLUS OPTIONAL PLANTING A TREE AND OUTDOOR Notes on Preparation
SERVICE) • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
the lesson.
Lesson Suggestions • Arrange a tree-planting
• Tell the class about planting trees in Zimbabwe. ceremony with donors
(obtain the School Prin-
cipal’s approval).
In Zimbabwe, the tree-planting initiatives of the African Independent • Read through and think
Churches have become known worldwide, since the foundation of about the Lesson Sug-
ZIRRCON (Zimbabwe Institute of Religious Research and Ecological gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
Conservation) in 1988. It has challenged its members to engage in tree- your own ideas if you
planting activities on the basis of their Christian faith. Tree-planting feel they complement
ceremonies are often linked to an outdoor service of worship and prayer. the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
• Ask the children to learn the following Prayer of Thanksgiving by heart:
Questions
Even if our mouths were as full of songs as the sea, Which group of churches
has started tree planting in
And our lips as full of praise as the breadths of heaven, Zimbabwe? (MS)
And our eyes as bright as the sun, How do they stress the
link with their faith? (MS)
And our hands as outstretched as the eagles of the sky,
And our feet as swift as gazelles,
We could not thank you enough.

• If the School Principal agrees, you may be able to find shops, organisations or
individuals willing to donate trees for planting. Then the learners together can plan
a tree planting ceremony. Perhaps learners could recite the Prayer of Thanksgiving
learnt during the previous activity, during this tree-planting ceremony.
• Refer to the questions in the grey column.

Unit 6.5: Observing trees

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH ENGLISH OR SCIENCE)
Notes on Preparation
Lesson Suggestions • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
• Talk about the tree(s) you have selected and ask learners to listen carefully as they the lesson.
will be required to observe the tree(s) over a given period and report on their • Select one of the fol-
findings. Refer to the Information Box on page 102 for details on a few traditional lowing trees for the
trees and their uses (taken from People’s Plants: a Guide to Useful Plants of learners to observe (or
organise groups to
Southern Africa, by Ben-Erik van Wyk and Nigel Gericke, Pretoria: Briza observe different trees):
publications, 2000, and from a series by Luise Hoffman published in The Namibian) o Quiver tree;
o Camel thorn tree;
o Baobab tree; or
o Mopane tree.

101
Grade 3 - Theme 6

Quiver tree: A kind of aloe, this tree thrives in dry conditions, and is • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
mainly found in the south, growing in clusters on rocky hillsides. The gestions, selecting the
average height is 3-5 metres, and from May to July attractive, bright most useful and adding
yellow flowers are produced, which draw many species of birds. Shoots your own ideas if you
of the quiver-tree used to be hollowed out to make quivers, the end being feel they complement
sealed with leather, preferably the knee of an antelope. the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
Camel Thorn tree: This tree is recognised by the large numbers of Suggestions.
thickened, half-moon shaped, velvety-grey pods (from April to October),
and by the golden yellow, ball-shaped flowers which appear in October,
before or at the same time as the intensely green new leaves. The leaflets
are quite large, compared with other acacias, and rather blue-green. It
grows up to 15 metres high. Cattle, small livestock, antelope, and even
elephants, eagerly eat up the pods. The wood is hard and not easily
attacked by insects, so a dead tree can stand for a very long time. The
trees can grow to be very old, and southeast of Rehoboth there is a
grove of camel thorn trees that have been radio-carbon dated as being
between 1 000 and 2 000 years old. They have a deep taproot – in
Namibia one camel thorn taproot was followed down to a depth of 46
metres. This enables them to survive severe droughts. They can be found
throughout Namibia, but grow mainly in the Central Area. The camel
thorn is a protected tree, and should not be cut down, neither should its
wood be collected as firewood.
Baobab tree: These trees live for hundreds of years, and their trunks
may be more than 20 metres in circumference. In early spring they produce
long, white, downward hanging flowers, which develop into egg-shaped
fruit, with seeds surrounded by edible white pulpy flesh.
Fruit: The dried fruit pulp may be mixed with water to form a refreshing
drink, high in Vitamin C. It is used to treat fevers and diarrhoea. The
leaves and fruit pulp have also been used in the treatment of malaria.
Bark: This is smooth and fibrous, and used for weaving mats, handbags,
and hats.
Seeds: Roasted and eaten as nuts. They are highly nutritious. It is found
mainly in the North.
Mopane tree: These trees are usually small, but in favourable conditions
they can grow to 18 metres high. They occur as woodland, in large dense
clumps in hot, low-lying areas.
Wood: Only mopane wood can be used for the Herero Holy Fire
ceremonies, and for the ceremonial removal of front teeth. It is by far
the most important source of poles for huts, because it is hard and durable,
and very resistant to infection by termites. As firewood, it burns even
when green, and gives off a sweet smell and intense heat.
Bark: The inner bark is sometimes used for cordage, to tie poles together.
Boiled up, it can be taken to cure diarrhoea.
Leaves: Highly nourishing for cattle. Boiled up, they can be used as a
cure for constipation, and chewed leaves are applied to fresh wounds to
stop bleeding.
Mopane worm: The tree is the host of this worm, which occurs in very
large numbers on mopane trees between December and May. The large
caterpillars are squeezed to remove their intestines and then they are
sun-dried for storage and transport, and sold in markets. They are rich in
proteins, and can be eaten directly as a snack or fried, roasted, or cooked
with vegetables as a stew. Mopane trees grow mainly in the North.

102
 Religion and the Environment: Trees in religious traditions

• Ask learners to observe carefully at least four creatures living in the selected tree.
Notes on Preparation
They should then compare what they have found with others in their group.
• Familiarise yourself
• Have learners discuss ways to present their observations and prayers, perhaps as with all the text before
a Book of the Trees. the lesson.
• Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.

List of More Structured Questions

Name the books of the Bible in which we learn about the Tree of Life.
In the second of these two books, where does the Tree of Life grow?
In the faith of Islam, is it enough, just to plant a tree? What else should be done?
Who is it that decreed that there should be nature reserves around Makkah and Madina?
What is forbidden in these nature reserves?
Which group of churches has started tree-planting in Zimbabwe?
How do they stress the link with their faith?

103
Grade 3 - Theme 7

Theme 7
Personal Values: Friendship in everyday life

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should understand that each partner must contribute to a friendship.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• In the grey column, there are questions to be answered orally. Those marked MS (More Structured)
are suitable for a quick written assessment, preferably unexpected, at the end of the theme. There is
a full list of the More Structured Questions at the end of each theme, the answers to which can be
found at the back of the book.
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners explain, in their own terms, how to be a good friend?

104
 Personal Values: Friendship in everyday life

Unit 7.1: A traditional story

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions
the lesson.
• As a lead-in, you could describe an incident from your own childhood, when your • Read Friendship makes
best friend stood by you, or even came to your rescue. Then invite learners to you strong by Frans
remember similar occasions. Ask learners to describe these situations with a Kaluvango Oshikango
(Oral Tradition Stories
sentence beginning, “When I had a serious problem, my best friend ...”
told in Namibia, Nami-
• Organise the learners into four groups and ask each group to think and talk about bia Oral Tradition
good and bad friendships: Project, 1999).

o Let each group select a spokesperson to list all the learners’ ideas and share with • Read through and think
the class when you call out that group’s number. Tell the class that some learners about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
might feel shy and that no-one should be forced into answering, but that each most useful and adding
group should try to have some information to share with the class. your own ideas if you
• Read the story Friendship Makes you Strong to the class: feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
FRIENDSHIP MAKES YOU STRONG - by Frans Kaluvango Suggestions.
Oshikango
Questions
Long ago, in a village in the north, there lived two great friends,
How was Edi helped by
Edi and Eni. Edi was a small but good-looking man while Eni was his friend Eni to win his
tall and shy. There was also a beautiful girl called Nefao. Any bride?
man who wanted to court Nefao was given certain tasks to do by How was Eni helped by
her father before he was allowed to visit her. his friend Edi to get his
Edi was very much in love with Nefao. But her father told him: inheritance from his
grandfather?
‘Look at your small hands! You will never be able to work hard
and she will suffer with a man who can’t work. But I will give you Can you think of a friend
who is very different from
a chance to prove me wrong.’
you, and how you help
So the father gave Edi a task. ‘Early tomorrow morning, when each other?
the sun rises, you must finish harvesting all the palm fruit from
the tree on the edge of my field. Now this palm tree grows tall
and no other man has succeeded in getting the fruit off the tree.’
Edi knew he was too short for this task. So he asked his tall
friend Eni to do the task for him. Eni did as he was asked, and
before dawn all the palm tree fruit were lying in a neat heap under
the tree. Nefao’s father was impressed, and Edi soon married
the woman he loved. Then one day, Eni’s grandfather died and
left all the cattle to be divided among his grandchildren. But Eni’s
brothers laughed at him when he wanted to claim his inheritance.
‘Go away you tall giraffe! You don’t even have a family or friends.
Why do you need cattle?’
So Eni asked Edi for help. Edi dug a hole near where the grand-
father was buried, near the kraal. He hid and waited till nightfall
when the cattle returned. The brothers arrived at the kraal to
divide the cattle. When it was dark enough he started shouting,
‘This is grandfather speaking. My grandson Eni must inherit the
cattle.’
All the brothers ran away and never returned to the village. This
is how Eni became a rich cattle owner and Edi a happily married
man. The two men who helped each other remained friends for
life.

• Refer to the questions in the grey column.

105
Grade 3 - Theme 7

Unit 7.2: Stories from the New Testament

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS CURRICULAR WITH ART OR DRAMA) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Retell one or some of the following stories in a lively and simple way, then pose the • Choose one of the
relevant questions (see the grey column): stories and read the
relevant passages from
o Paul in Damascus saved by his followers (Acts 9:19-25):
the New Testament in
After the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Christian church began to the Bible:
grow rapidly. This disturbed the Jewish authorities, and a fierce persecution of o Acts 9:1-22
Christians started. One of those who led the persecution was a young Pharisee o Acts 9:22-25
called Saul, from Tarsus, who had studied under Gamaliel in Jerusalem. He o Acts 9:26-30
dragged men and women from their homes and had them committed to prison. o Luke 10:38-42 and
Then he got letters from the High Priest to go and persecute the Christians in John 11, 17-29
Damascus. But as he was on the way to Damascus, he underwent a sudden o Luke 15:11-16 and
blinding conversion. After this conversion, he began almost immediately to preach 15:17-24
the Christian gospel, with the new name of Paul. The Jews in Damascus were • Read through and think
very angry with him for what seemed like betrayal. But the people who had about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
listened eagerly to him, his new disciples, helped him to escape during the night.
most useful and adding
o Paul in Jerusalem helped by Barnabas (Acts 9:26-30): your own ideas if you
feel they complement
When Paul came back to Jerusalem, the Christians there were still afraid of him
the theme, the unit and
and avoided him, because of what he had done to them in the past. If it had not the proposed Lesson
been for a friend who came with him, Barnabas, he would have been very isolated Suggestions.
– perhaps even in danger of his life.
o Martha and Mary – two ways of being a friend (Luke 10:38-42 and John 11, Questions
17-29): Why was it difficult for
Paul to leave Damascus in
Retell the story about Martha and Mary – two ways of being a friend. In Luke’s order to escape from the
account, Jesus has come to the house of Martha and Mary at Bethany, which Jews in the city who
was less than three kilometres from Jerusalem. Martha finds herself too busy wanted to kill him?
serving food, so that she has no time to listen to Jesus, and she complains to him What did his disciples do
that her sister, who is listening, should come and help her. Jesus gently reproves to help him escape?
her. John’s story describes a very different visit. Lazarus, brother of Martha and Do you think it was
Mary, has died, and been buried. By the time Jesus comes he has already been dangerous for them to help
dead four days. Yet as soon as Martha hears someone say they have seen Jesus him get away?
coming, Martha takes the initiative and goes out to meet Jesus, to tell him she How did the Christians in
believes that God will give him anything he asks for, so that even now he could Jerusalem react when they
heard that Saul, who had
restore their brother to them. Then she goes to fetch her sister Mary, who has
been throwing them into
stayed in the house, apparently numbed with grief. prison and even killing
o The Son who falls into Bad Company (Luke 15:11-16 and Luke 15:17-24): them, was back in
Jerusalem?
The Story of the Lost Son has already been told in Grade 2, under the Topic
‘Forgiveness’, in Theme 5. This time the emphasis is on what happened to the Who stood by him and
supported him? What did
son when he took his inheritance and went to live in a far-off country. He found he tell people?
himself friends who used up his money and did not help him once it was all gone
In what ways was
[Pause at this point and ask the questions in the grey box to ensure learners have Barnabas a true friend to
understood the story so far. You could ask if any of them remember, from Grade Saul?
2, what the son at last decided to do.] Continue with the story. Note that in this Think up some questions
Grade the complete story is not used, as the purpose is only to contrast the to draw out the contrast
relationship of the son with his friends and with his father. between the actions of
Martha and Mary.
You could now ask questions such as: “What is meant by ‘but when he came to
himself’?”, “Why does he feel that what he has done was a sin against heaven, What did the son ask his
father to give to him? (MS)
as well as against his father?” and “Do you think he has changed?”
Where did he decide to
live? (MS)

106
 Personal Values: Friendship in everyday life

• Ask for volunteers, one to play Barnabas, another to play the Apostle Peter, others Suggest what he might have
James and John. They role play what happens when Barnabas comes to see the squandered all his money
apostles and insists they should allow him to bring Saul to meet them. on.
• Organise the learners into groups of between five and eight, and ask them to role Did he have any friends to
play one or other of the scenes when Jesus was a guest in the house of Martha and help him, once he began to
Mary. starve? If not, can you
suggest why? (MS)
• Divide the class into groups and have them draw a series of pictures, showing the
son leaving home with all he possessed, squandering his money with so-called
friends, and then alone with the pigs.
• Refer to the questions in the grey column (starting on page 106).

Unit 7.3: Good and bad friendships

Notes on Preparation
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Explain that you want the learners to imagine that they themselves are parents, • Read through and think
and have a Grade 3 son or daughter. about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
o Draw a line down the centre of the board. Write Good Friendships on the left
most useful and adding
and Bad Friendships on the right. your own ideas if you
o Ask learners what sort of friends they would encourage their child to be around feel they complement
with and what sort of friends they would say no to. the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
o They can refer to characters in the stories they have heard in Unit 7.3, or other Suggestions.
characters known to them, as a way of expressing their ideas.
• Ask all the learners to write a prayer for their best friend, and also a prayer for
themselves, and bring them up, so that the lesson can end in a time of prayer
together. (Note: Muslims do not address God as Father, so be sensitive about this,
if there are Muslims in your class).

List of More Structured Questions

What did the son ask his father to give to him?
Where did he decide to live?
Did he have any friends to help him, once he began to starve? If not, can you suggest
why?

107
Grade 3 - Theme 8

Theme 8
Children’s Rights and Responsibilities:
The right to say No
Teacher’s Notes: Church Leaders are very concerned about the increasing violence against
women and children in this country. In the passages quoted here, they are calling on all Christians
to do their bit to combat violence. “It is time for Namibians to stop hiding behind what they say is
their culture, and recognise that women and children have the right to live without fear of bodily
harm from Namibian men … We are all affected by the culture of violence which is growing
stronger. We all lose a bit of our humanity.” (General Secretary of the Council of Churches in
Namibia, Reverend Nangula Kathindi, quoted in The Namibian of 5 July 2002). Zephaniah
Kameeta said the same in an interview, soon after he was made bishop: “Traditional cultures in
our country underline male power. Men feel they have more power, and even women themselves
– mothers and sisters – reinforce this attitude. They always tell boys, “Don’t behave like a girl, be
strong, don’t cry.” Despite awareness-raising discussion, and books on feminism and gender
education, these old forms of behaviour are still being encouraged. But traditions are created by
human beings and are changeable. Power should be used creatively, and not to destroy. There is
a need to look at our cultures, taking the good things from them and discarding the bad things.”
(Interview published in Sister Namibia, vol, 14:1, Jan-Feb 2002, p.5). Childline Namibia has an
excellent programme which four young actors take into schools, specifically designed for the
Grade 3 age-group. On three consecutive days they have a session with every Grade 3 learner in
the school, taking two classes together, and teach through role play followed by short discussion.
Ask your Principal to try to arrange for Childline to visit your school – the telephone number is
061-232 221, and in this case, let their visit replace this topic. Some children are tongue-tied and
unable to stand up for themselves when they should say no, but others are aggressively
argumentative about their rights. Assertiveness Training is about teaching children how to strike
the right balance. They need to be aware of the impression they make on others, and learn to treat
them with respect, while at the same time they should learn to take responsibility for their own
body, and say No to violence, and to sexual exploitation.

108
 Children’s Rights and Responsibilities: The right to say No

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should learn how to be assertive in threatening situations.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• The material in this theme is concerned with experiential learning, and is not suitable
for More Structured (MS) questions.
For less structured assessment:
• How are individual learners progressing in learning to find ways of refusing negative
touching?

Unit 8.1: When to say No – saying ‘No’ to

strangers
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Remind the class of the story written by Helao Shityuwete and how, at the age of • Reread the extract taken
five, the author was taken to live with his grandmother and grandfather, south of from Never Follow the
Evale. Helao’s father died when he was only six. His mother remarried, but he Wolf by Helao Shityu-
wete (London: Clip-
continued to live with his grandparents. town Books, 1990, pp
o Continue with the story by reading the following: 6-7) as well as the
additional text provided
(pp 3-4 of the same
My grandpa was a nice old man in his sixties and he spent much book).
of his time teaching me all that a boy of my age ought to know: • Read through and think
he treated me as his equal and made me feel very grown up. He about the Lesson Sug-
made me a bow and arrows and he also taught me how to make gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
them. I was happy and pleased to have such a wonderful grand-
your own ideas if you
father. feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
o Tell the learners that when Helao was seven, a stranger arrived one day. The
Suggestions.
stranger was apparently one of his uncles, though he had never heard of him. He
was very large, and Helao was scared of him. The uncle told Helao that he had
come to take him to live with him. Helao agreed because he did not want to
offend him. But during the night he lay awake worrying about whether he should
go with someone he had only just met. The next day his uncle sent for him, and
he made up his mind - he did not want to go with a stranger. And so when he was
asked to take the plates to the kitchen, he went out of the homestead into the
bushes and hid nearby. After an hour or so he decided he should hide near the
road they would be taking, so that he would know when they had given up and
gone. He hid there for three hours, and suddenly they came. He counted the
horses as they passed.

109
Grade 3 - Theme 8

Questions
Slowly I crept out of the bush, surveyed both directions, stepped
out into the road, then breathed a deep sigh of relief. I waved Why was Helao unwilling
to go with his uncle?
goodbye as their dust disappeared in the distance, and then went
home to face the accusations of cowardice. My grandmother, How did he avoid an argu-
ment with his uncle?
however, was pleased with me and that made me feel proud of
myself. How long did he have to
wait? Do you think he was
brave to wait for so long?
oAsk the learners to draw one of the two scenes related here. Why do you think his
• Refer to the questions in the grey column. grandmother was pleased
with him, and not angry?
Do you agree with with
Helao’s grandmother?

Unit 8.2: Training in Assertiveness – Part 1

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1–2 LESSONS) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
The aim of this unit is practical. In social relationships between behaviour that is with all the text before
overbearing and aggressive, and behaviour that is too submissive and meek, and so the lesson.
inviting bullying, there is a middle ground, and the word used to describe this is • Read through the text
‘assertive’. Behaviour that is appropriate for a child is different from what is expected in the Information Box
from a teenager, but the ‘middle way’ still exists. Helao Shityuwete (whose so that you may be
familiar with the aim of
autobiography the authors used to introduce the previous topic) grew up to believe it the work for the topic
was important to be assertive and work actively for human rights in his country. The of ‘Assertiveness’.
work done in this topic is designed to make children aware of the difference between
• Read through and think
being too meek and being too aggressive, and to train them to be better at standing up about the Lesson Sug-
for themselves and for others. It is likely to need at least two lessons. gestion, selecting the
most useful and adding
Lesson Suggestion your own ideas if you
feel they complement
• Start a brainstorming session, using the technique described in the section entitled the theme, the unit and
How to Use this Teacher’s Guide (page ix). the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
o Draw three vertical lines on the chalkboard.

o Above the columns write: BEHAVIOUR New Words

o In the first column, write AGGRESSIVE, in the second NON-ASSERTIVE and non-assertive – too meek
and humble
in the third ASSERTIVE.
o Divide the class into groups of three or four.
aggressive – displaying
rude and threatening
o Give examples of aggressive, non-assertive and assertive behaviour (e.g. swearing behaviour
at someone who makes your feel uncomfortable, standing back and saying nothing, assertive – the middle
and saying “No” firmly). way between these two
o Ask the learners to share the kinds of situations in which they themselves find it extremes
difficult to be assertive.
o Ask each group to role play an example of one of these, showing two endings,
one where the child is too submissive, the other demonstrating assertiveness, in
each case.

110
 Children’s Rights and Responsibilities: The right to say No

Unit 8.3: Training in Assertiveness – Part 2

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1–2 LESSONS) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Tell the children the true story below: • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
A small boy who was visiting a zoo in South Africa fell into a
most useful and adding
sunken area where there were gorillas. The gorillas apparently your own ideas if you
wanted to eat him, but one female gorilla picked him up, held feel they complement
him close to her chest and made threatening signs at the other the theme, the unit and
gorillas, while she carried him to the wire fence where there the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
were people who could reach up and take hold of him, and pull
him to safety. If even some animals seem to have a sense of the
Questions
importance of protecting the weak, surely we should also?
What makes the aggressive
animals aggressive?
• Organise the learners into five groups. Why did the meek animals
o Ask all the learners to close their eyes. act as they did?

o In each group, each learner should take a turn imagining that he or she is a very What did the rescuing,
assertive animals do?
meek animal (e.g. a dik-dik). While the other learners in the group keep their
eyes closed, he or she can describe the scene and say how it feels. Ensure that
each learner has a turn.
o Ask everyone to keep their eyes closed and now imagine that they meet another
animal that is very aggressive. Each learner has the opportunity to imagine and
describe (as in the previous activity) what happens when the two animals meet.
o Let learners switch roles and imagine they are the aggressive animal and meet
an animal that is much meeker and weaker.
o Finally, let them imagine themselves in the form of an animal they would like to
be. Each learner has the opportunity to describe him or herself and tell the others
in the group what it feels like to be that animal.
o Say to the learners: Imagine you meet someone you love, also in animal form.
What happens when these two animals meet?
o Let the learners open their eyes and role play the different scenes.

o Pose the questions in the grey column to draw out the learning.

o Once completed, let the learners move around the classroom, pretending to be
the animal they would like to be. They should make their own sounds and the
movements they think the animal of their choice would make. However, the
emphasis should be on clear, firm communication and movements rather than too
soft, too loud, too hard or too soft – just happy in being themselves.

Unit 8.4: Our responsibility to say ‘No’ to

physical and psychological abuse
(SUGGESTED TIME: AT LEAST 1 LESSON, AND MORE IF THE DISCUSSION IS Notes on Preparation
WORTHWHILE)
• Familiarise yourself
All the great religions of the world value children. A crime against a child seems to with all the text before
the lesson.
be such a source of shame that it cannot be mentioned. It seems to take place in all
• Read through the text
cultures, and victims seem powerless to deal with it. Teachers should know whom to in the Information Box
turn to if they suspect a child in their class is being abused.

111
Grade 3 - Theme 8

Both children and adults have a responsibility to say No when necessary. The support to familiarise yourself
of parents or grandparents is very important. Sometimes this is difficult for the adult better.
because the source of the trouble is a close neighbour or even a member of the
• Read through and think
family. about the Lesson Sug-
Childline has a role play in which they show a neighbour who annoys and embar- gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
rasses a small girl by excessive touching. The girl’s father listens to his daughter’s your own ideas if you
story. He hears her through to the end, and asks if she said No. She replies that she feel they complement
did, but the woman took no notice. The father declares that in that case the neighbour the theme, the unit and
is no longer welcome in his house, and that he will tell her so. Learners need to get the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
the idea that there are ways of touching that bring the child a ‘Yes feeling’ and ways
that bring a ‘No feeling’. These will be different with different children. The important
thing is that they should relate to their own feelings and respond assertively.
Childline also has a role play in which a stranger finds a girl reading alone on a bench
in the park, and sits down beside her and tries to put his arm round her shoulders. In
the first version of the scene, she says nothing, but is clearly very uncomfortable. But
in the second version, she looks him straight in the face and says “No!” very loudly
and clearly, whereupon he jumps up and makes off at a run.

Lesson Suggestions
• Divide the children into groups of three or four.
o Let them discuss examples of non-assertive, assertive, and aggressive or violent
behaviour, both in school and outside.
o Share an example with them from your own experience.

o Let each group choose a spokesperson and share the examples (or at least one)
with the class.

112
 Children’s Rights and Responsibilities: The right to say No

Grade 4
Theme 1
Belonging: Leadership in different faith
communities

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should appreciate that religious communities have similarities and differences.
Learners should find out about local, national, and international church leaders.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• In the grey column, there are questions to be answered orally. Those marked MS (More Structured)
are suitable for a quick written assessment, preferably unexpected, at the end of the theme. There is a
full list of the More Structured Questions at the end of each theme, the answers to which can be found
at the back of the book.
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners identify three religious leaders, at least one of them from outside Namibia?
• Can they explain their religious orientation?

113
Grade 4 - Theme 1

Unit 1.1: Leadership in the church or faith

community
(SUGGESTED TIME: ENOUGH TIME AT THE END OF ANOTHER LESSON AT THE BEGINNING Notes on Preparation
OF THE WEEK TO SET UP, PLUS 1 LESSON) • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
In schools where Religious Education is only allocated 30 or 35 minutes per week, the lesson.
the stories of St Anthony and the Desert Fathers, and of Gautama Buddha could be • Read through and think
used as material for the English lesson. about the Lesson Sug-
This theme is best handled after the Environmental Studies topic ‘Local and National gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
Leaders’, so that learners understand the idea of “a leader”. If this is not possible, your own ideas if you
start with what they know, for example, the leader selected by each group to represent feel they complement
them when they do group work. Talk of the Principal as a leader of the school, or of the theme, the unit and
the local pastor as a leader in the church. the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
The learners should know their local church leaders by name , from the project done
in Grade 3. They will probably have heard of the Pope, as head of the Roman Catholic Questions
Church, of the former Archbishop of Cape Town Desmond Tutu, and perhaps of Name at least one religious
Mother Teresa of Calcutta (see text further on). They will be aware that most of the leader outside Namibia
Christian churches in Namibia are led by bishops. They should have heard of Bishop (e.g. the Pope).
Zephaniah Kameeta. Name two other leaders,
either inside Namibia or
Lesson Suggestions beyond its borders (e.g.
Archbishop Desmond
• Ask whether the churches and faiths that the learners know about have any of the Tutu).
following: pastors, prophets, nuns (sisters), or monks (brothers), bishops.
• Group the learners according to which place of worship they attend (including non-
Christian).
o Ask each group to research their local religious communities and find one leader
(e.g. the church treasurer, or choir leader) who is willing to talk to them. Children
who do not attend worship anywhere could do the research with someone who
does.
o They should ask as many questions as they can think up and appoint one person
to take notes to help them remember what was said. In addition to any other in-
formation they can obtain, they should find out the answers to the following
questions:
§ Why did the person become a religious leader?
§ Who pays him or her?
§ Do some people work for no pay?
o In the following week, ask each group to appoint a spokesperson to report back
on what they have discovered and to describe to whom they went for information.
You could give a small prize to the group who did their research best (instead of
relying on what they already knew).
• Regroup the learners into new groups:
o Ask them to appoint a spokesperson for the feedback after discussion.

o Pose the following two questions to them:

§ If you were a believer would you serve God without pay?

§ Would you help a stranger in need?
o After about five minutes of discussion, ask each group’s spokesperson to stand
up. Taking turns, each spokesperson replies on their group’s findings (e.g. two of
the six of us said ‘Yes, we would work without pay, etc.)
• Refer to the questions in the grey column.

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 Belonging: Leadership in different faith communities

Unit 1.2: National and international

church leadership
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Share the following information about a national church leader with the class: • Read the article about
Bishop Zephaniah Ka-
meeta taken from Sister
Bishop Zephaniah Kameeta was born in 1945, at Otjimbingwe. He was Namibia, vol. 14:1, Jan-
ordained in 1971, the year in which South African rule in Namibia was Feb 2002, pp.4-5; and
declared illegal by the United Nations. He was a pastor in Lüderitz, and Lutheran World Infor-
from 1982 to 1989 Deputy Bishop and an elected commissioner of the mation, no 03/2002, pp
12-13). (See Magazine
World Council of Churches Programme on the combating of racism. “It Text Box).
was a time when the Bible had to be compared to the world around us,” • Read the information on
Kameeta says, “and theology and politics could not be separated.” Bishop Desmond Tutu
From 1977 he was an active member of SWAPO, “One thing I was sure of (see Information Box on
Page 116).
was that the apartheid regime was wrong. I strongly believed that injustice
could not remain for ever, that racism could not persist. History has proved • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
that our fight was right.” gestions, selecting the
For ten years he was Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. He was most useful and adding
a well-known figure in public life and on television. And then suddenly he your own ideas if you
feel they complement
disappeared from view. Only those who were close to him knew where the theme, the unit and
Dr. Zephaniah Kameeta could be found: he was working in the south of the proposed Lesson
Namibia, in the small, impoverished town of Maltahöhe as a volunteer pastor. Suggestions.
After ten years at the top level of government he had felt compelled to
Questions
return to the grassroots people. Prepared to work without a salary, he
Was Zephaniah Kameeta
chose one of the poorest congregations in his country. Day by day he already a bishop when he
visited families without income, sick people and orphans in their huts and was Deputy Speaker in the
on the streets, lending a compassionate ear to their tales of suffering, of National Assembly?
pain and illness, of poverty and hunger. He says that living with the people What work was he doing
of Maltahöhe opened his eyes to the experiences of the poor in the country when he was consecrated
and will definitely influence his future work as bishop. bishop? (MS)

Bishop Kameeta is affectionately known as ‘the people’s bishop’. He also Give three reasons why he
is called ‘the people’s
holds strong views about the issue of ‘violence against women and children
bishop’.
in our communities’. He says violence revolves around the question of
power. “Traditional cultures in our country underline male power. Men feel
they have more power, and even women themselves – mothers and sisters
– reinforce this attitude. They always tell boys, “Don’t behave like a girl,
be strong, don’t cry.” Despite awareness-raising discussion, books on
feminism and gender education, “these old forms of behaviour” are still
being encouraged. But traditions are created by human beings and are
changeable. Power, he says, should be used creatively, and not to destroy.
“There is a need to look at our cultures, taking the good things from them
and discarding the bad things.”
Two years later, on 20 January 2002, he was consecrated Bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Namibia.

• Show the class the picture of Bishop Kameeta (see the back of the book).
• Refer to the questions in the grey column.

115
Grade 4 - Theme 1

• Share the following information about an international church leader with the class:

Desmond Tutu was born in 1931 in Klerksdorp, a poor black township near
Johannesburg. He was clever and a hard worker at school. But at the age
of 14 he caught tuberculosis, and nearly died. For two years he lay in hospital.
However, a friend visited him every day, and this friend was Father Trevor
Huddleston, an outspoken campaigner against the evils of Apartheid. He
brought him books to read and inspired him with a love for God which has
never left him.
Tutu qualified as a teacher, and also got married. But in 1958 he gave up
teaching, because of the Bantu Education Act:
“The school must equip him [the African] to meet the demands which
the economic life of South Africa will impose upon him ... There is no
place for the native in European society above the levels of certain forms
of labour. Race relations cannot improve if the wrong sort of education
is given to the Africans; if the result of education is the creation of a
frustrated people; when it creates people who are trained for professions
not open to them.” (Dr Verwoerd, Minister of Education)
As Dean of Johannesburg, he wrote an open letter ‘as one Christian to
another’ to the new Prime Minister, pleading for dialogue, justice and
freedom, and stressing that violence would escalate without it. He
preached at the funeral of the 30 year old leader Steve Biko. He was a
passionate preacher.
“Apartheid comprehensively contradicts the Bible and Christian teaching.
That is why it is totally evil and immoral.” (Bishop Tutu)
“The bishop scares the government because it feels threatened by his
articulateness and self-confidence ... he is more than just the ultimate
‘cheeky kaffir’ – he represents a threat to their basic concepts about
race upon which they have built their whole life and ideology.” (Dr Beyers
Naude, an Afrikaner churchman and anti-apartheid activist)
“Why should they be afraid of me? I don’t even have a vote in my
country. Why should they be frightened of one little black man who goes
about saying a few things, if what he is saying is untrue?” (Tutu)
“What country detains 11-year olds, because they are a threat to state
security?” (Tutu)
“Tutu is a hero figure in the black townships, especially since he won the
Nobel prize, and demonstrated to a population haunted by its second-
class status that one of them could become a world figure.” (The
Observer, 4 August 1985)
“There is nothing the government can do to me that will stop me from
being involved in what I believe is what God wants me to do. I do not do
it because I like doing it ... I cannot help it when I see injustice. I cannot
keep quiet. I will not keep quiet, for, as Jeremiah says, when I try to keep
quiet, God’s word burns like a fire in my breast. But what is it that they
can ultimately do? The most awful thing that they can do is to kill me,
and death is not the worst thing that can happen to a Christian.” (Tutu)
In 1986 Tutu was enthroned as Archbishop of Cape Town, which made
him head of the Anglican church in South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique,
Namibia, Swaziland, St Helena, and Tristan da Cunha.
After the abolition of apartheid in 1992 he was active in setting up the Truth
Commission movement to try and bring reconciliation.

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 Belonging: Leadership in different faith communities

Summary of the milestones in Bishop Tutu’s life:

Discussion Question
Dates Desmond Tutu’s protest
march in 1988, against the
1931 Born outlawing of the only non-
1945 Has TB and is in hospital 24 months racial political organi-
sation, led to his arrest and
1958 Gives up teArchbishop of Cape Townaching, following the imprisonment. Would you
introduction of the Bantu Education Act; enters theological college have marched with him?
1962-7 Studies in Britain Why, or why not?

1975 Chosen as Dean of Johannesburg

1976 Becomes bishop of Lesotho; Soweto massacre
1977 The leader Steve Biko dies while in police custody
1978 Becomes General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches
1979 First supports sanctions against South Africa on Danish television
1984 Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
1985 Bishop of Johannesburg
1986 Archbishop of Cape Town

• Show the class the picture of Bishop Tutu (see the back of the book).
• Stimulate a discussion by posing the Discussion Question in the grey column.

Unit 1.3: Leadership in African traditions

and religion
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)

Lesson Suggestions
• To introduce the concept of a ‘traditional healer at work’, remind the learners
about sixteen-year-old Ketja’s grandmother, Meekulu. In the next part of the story,
Meekulu has been found almost dead in the bush, after a raid by soldiers. She has
been carried back to her hut, and the local medicine woman has been urgently
summoned. Meekulu is Ketja’s only relative, and Ketja becomes hysterical at the
thought of losing her. Now read the extract from Meekulu’s Children to the class
(see the Story Box on page 118). Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
the lesson.
• While most teachers
will be able to teach this
unit by drawing on
direct experience – and
you could probably
come up with your own
lesson ideas – it is
necessary to familiarise
yourself with the text
and Lesson Suggestions
provided.
• Read the extract taken
from Meekulu’s Child-
ren by Kaleni Hiyalwa
(New Namibia Books
2000, p. 82).

117
Grade 4 - Theme 1

• Read the writings of

I thought that Meekulu was dead. I fell over her and hugged her John S. Mbiti in Intro-
tight, and I heard her groaning in the agony of pain. I could feel duction to African
Religions, Heinemann,
the pain myself. All her body was in pain. She had been all but
1991, pp. 153-157) -
burnt alive by the bastards – the omakakunga. see Information Box.
When I realised that Meekulu was alive, I looked across the • Write out the ques-
hut, which was full of women who were more traditional than the tions regarding Medi-
ones I passed outside. I started laughing. It was so hysterical cine Men (see text) on
separate pieces of
and so loud, that two women stood up and hushed me.
paper.
A traditional healer who was sitting by Meekulu’s bed head pulled
her pot full of herbs towards her and pushed her efungu – horse- New Word
tail – into it, and rained the liquid on me as she hit me with it. hysterical – out of con-
trol, crying or laughing
“Evils! Leave her alone! The gods should remove the evils and under strong emotional
bad fortune from this young woman! Spare her! She is the only pressure
one left in her family!
Questions
“Save her from evils so that she becomes the mother of this
next family generation! If this family is cursed, let her live through How does Ketja behave
when she finds her grand-
and let her survive the troubled years ahead! mother lying in her hut,
“The gods of this land, let Ketja be one of the roots of generation almost burnt to death?
(MS)
in our land! Let her live in peace here today, and after,” the woman
prayed. How does the healer react
to Ketja? (MS)
I calmed down and listened quietly, as if the spirits of the gods
How does Ketja feel?
had invaded my brain and my life machine inside me. I felt at
peace with myself. Anger left me and a sense of reason came to Do you think the healer
my mind. handled the situation well?

I stood back by Meekulu’s bed and called her. She did not New Words
respond but I watched her irregular breath, and the fact that she embody – show some-
was still alive gave me more life. thing in real and solid form
disintegrate – fall apart
• Talk to the learners about traditional African religious leaders. Read the following diviners – people able to
information written by John S. Mbiti and retell it to the class: foretell the future or to
have knowledge of things
that are secret
Religion has deep roots in people’s lives. Therefore, to make it function
properly in society, there are often men and women who have religious seers – people with the
gift of second sight
knowledge, and who know how to lead others in religious activities, and
who serve as the link between their fellow human-beings on the one mediums – people able to
hand, and God, spirits, and invisible things, on the other. We find many converse with those who
have passed away and
such leaders in all African societies. Their knowledge of religious matters with spirits
varies considerably. Some of them are professionals, and therefore well
diagnose – identify a
trained and skilled. Others only take the lead when the need arises, disease from the symp-
otherwise living and working like ordinary people. Some are rulers and toms of the sufferer
national leaders, and it is their positions which embody religious beliefs
and emotions.’ … ‘In many ways, religious leaders are the embodiment Questions
of what is best in a given religion. They embody the presence of God Name three or more
among people, and the faith or beliefs of the people, as well as their different kinds of African
moral values. Without them, African Religion would disintegrate into traditional religious lea-
ders. (MS)
chaos and confusion. The religious leaders are the keepers of religious
traditions and religious knowledge. They are wise, intelligent, and talented How are medicine men
trained, and how long is
people, often with outstanding abilities and personalities. They include the training? (MS)
medicine men, diviners, mediums, seers, priests, ritual elders, rain-makers,
Are there bad medicine
and rulers. Not every society has all of these, and some of them combine
men and women?
two or more offices.

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 Belonging: Leadership in different faith communities

• Organise the learners into five groups and give each group one of the five question Has any learner had
strips you have prepared before the lesson. Let each group have a turn posing their experience of healing
question to the class (the answer is provided for you in the text below each question, successfully carried out by
if you need it): a local healer?

Q. Are medicine men always male?

A. No there are plenty of women healers also. And a healer is to be found in
almost all villages.
Q. How are healers chosen?
A. Some inherit the office from their parents, but others feel themselves called to
it, and a call may come at any time of their lives, often in the form of a dream or
a vision that is powerful or persistent.
Q. How are healers trained?
A. Those who inherit the calling from a parent are trained by him or her. Those
who feel called to the work attach themselves to a skilled healer for ten years
and more. They learn the names and nature of herbs, roots, trees, seeds, bones,
and bird droppings. They learn how to diagnose illnesses and mental troubles
and how to handle patients. In traditional society minor illnesses are treated
with herbs, but major illnesses are considered to be of religious concern, to be a
matter of spiritual as well as physical health, so that the whole person needs to
be treated. (Note how in the gospels, Jesus always asks the person who has
come to him, “Do you want to be healed?”)
Q. Do they sometimes also work as counsellors, giving advice to people?
A. Yes, frequently. Parents having trouble with a disobedient child will come for
advice, a person who is going on a long journey will come for advice on whether
it will be successful, and for protective medicines, and when cattle die the
owner will come for advice and help. Traditional healers also sometimes work
as priests, praying for the community, and representing its wholeness and health.
It is believed that their medicine can remove a curse, detect thieves, and so on.
Q. Are there bad medicine men?
A. ‘Like other public offices, it can be abused. But the majority are honest, kind,
friendly and helpful men and women. For that reason people will call on them at
any time of day or night, and will pay them any amount of money or property
for their help ... Today in and near big cities there are cheats who have no real
training or skill as medicine men. It may be necessary to establish government
control over such pretenders, who earn a lot of money from selling useless
articles and herbs which they call medicines.’
• After the formal question and answer session, allow free questioning, and ask
learners for examples from personal experience, but be honest if you do not know
the answer to a question!
• Refer to the questions in the grey column.

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Grade 4 - Theme 1

Unit 1.4: Christian religious communities

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Read and retell the following information about Mother Teresa to the class: • Make copies of the
Sayings of Mother
Mother Teresa Teresa (the text on page
141 can easily be
Agnes Bojaxhiu was born into a poor peasant family. She became a photocopied).
nun when she was 12 and took the name Teresa. In 1928 she was sent • Read Luke 9:58 in the
to India to teach in a convent school in Calcutta. New Testament of the
Bible.
One day she felt that God needed her amongst the poorest, forgotten
• Read through and think
people of the city. In 1948 she requested permission from the Roman about the Lesson Sug-
Catholic authorities to leave the convent, and after two years it was gestions, selecting the
granted. most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
By this time she had studied nursing, and with just a few rupees in her feel they complement
pocket she moved into the slums of Calcutta. There she gathered together the theme, the unit and
five destitute children and sheltered them in a friend’s flat. Numbers the proposed Lesson
grew. Girls and teachers from her old school came to help her, and the Suggestions.
Church allowed her to found the Congregation of the Missioners of
Charity. She opened a Home for the Dying in Calcutta, as well as a New words
leper colony. peasant – someone who
lives off a small piece of
Mother Teresa has opened over 60 more schools, orphanages, and homes land
for the dying in India, other parts of Asia, Africa, America, Europe, and nun – a woman who takes
Australia. All the homes and settlements depend on gifts of money and the vows of poverty,
other help. Her sisters are bound to a strict rule of poverty, in order to chastity (not to marry or
serve the poor: They rise at 4.30 am daily to begin the working day with have sexual relations), and
obedience, to live in
a long time of prayer.
community with others
When Mother Teresa died in 1999, her only possessions were a Bible, slums – area of informal
and two buckets, one for drinking water, and one for washing in, two settlement or very poor
saris, and a pair of sandals. housing
destitute – without any-
thing
• Read the following bible passage to the class:
leper colony – leprosy is
an infectious skin disease.
Jesus said, ‘Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, Here lepers are treated,
but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head. (Luke 9:58) provided with work, and
live together

• Hand out a half-sheet of ‘Sayings of Mother Teresa’ (see page 121), and read Materials needed:
them aloud, quietly and thoughtfully. Ask the children to choose one to copy neatly enough copies of the half
onto a sheet of card (A5), and suggest they either decorate the borders of it with sheet ‘Sayings of Mother
coloured drawings, or with patterns made by gluing seeds or dried flower petals Teresa’ for between one
onto the paper. and two learners. Half
sheets of card or paper for
• Refer to the questions in the grey column (continues on page 121). every learner, and coloured
pencils, wax crayons or
felt-tips, items for making
patterns (e.g. seeds or
dried flower petals) and
glue.

Questions
Into what sort of family
was Mother Teresa born?

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 Belonging: Leadership in different faith communities

Sayings of Mother Teresa For how long did she

teach in the convent high
Love to pray. Feel often during the day the need for prayer, and take the school in Calcutta? (MS)
trouble to pray. Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing
Which three groups of
God’s gift of himself. Ask and seek, and your heart will grow big enough suffering people did she
to receive him and keep him as your own. help especially? (MS)
Being happy with God means loving as He loves, helping as He helps, Why do you think it took
giving as He gives, serving as He serves, rescuing as He rescues. the Church authorities
two years to allow her to
Therefore, if you write a letter for a blind man, or just go and sit and
leave the convent?
listen, or take mail to him, or you go and visit someone or bring someone
a flower, ... it is never too small, for this is our love of Christ in action. Why do you think
teachers and ex-pupils
To show that we are grateful to God for bringing us into this world, we came to help her?
must accept and serve others with an open and joyous heart. As the Ibo What possessions did
of Nigeria say, “It is the heart that gives: the fingers just let go.” Mother Teresa have when
she died? (MS)
God is the friend of silence. We need to find God and He cannot be
found in noise and restlessness. See how nature, the trees, the flowers,
and the grasses, grow in perfect silence – see the stars, the moon and
the sun, how they move in silence. The more we receive in silent prayer,
the more we can give in our active life.

Unit 1.5: The Sangha, a Buddhist religious

community
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Share the following information with the class: • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
The religion that Buddhists follow began between the sixth and fifth most useful and adding
centuries BC. An Indian prince called Siddharta Gautama (or Gotama) your own ideas if you
tried to find a way of life that could make all beings peaceful and happy. feel they complement
When he succeeded in finding a pathway to peace and contentment, he the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
was called Buddha, meaning the Enlightened One (his story has already
Suggestions.
been studied in Grade 2). Today he has followers all over the world, and
there are communities of monks and nuns dedicated to following his
teachings.
The Community or Sangha
The Buddhist community is made up of monks and nuns, and of house-
holders and their families, the laypeople. The laypeople try to follow five
guidelines, called precepts.
Not to harm living things
Not to take anything which is not given
Not to lie and gossip
Not to have wrong sexual relationships
Not to take drugs or alcohol, which confuse the mind.

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Grade 4 - Theme 1

The monks and nuns follow many more rules, which give them a very
Questions
simple way of life. They own little except their robes and alms-bowl,
What people make up a
and spend their time in meditation and study. They also teach.
Sangha religious com-
Both parts of the community give a lot to each other. Householders give munity?
monks and nuns their food, clothing, and somewhere to live. The monks List at least three of the
and nuns give the householders and their families what is called ‘the five precepts.
greater gift’, the gift of their teachings. They may also give advice if In what ways is the
people ask for it. Families visit temples and monasteries to worship and Buddhist Sangha different
meditate, for festivals, and to speak with the monks and nuns. from the Community
founded by Mother Teresa
in Calcutta?
• Refer to the questions in the grey column.
Can a rich man buy
• Should you require additional topics, refer to the following two stories and the rele- poverty? How? This is
vant questions in the grey column: based on a Sufi story of
the rich young man who
gave up all his wealth to
ST ANTHONY AND THE DESERT FATHERS seek for God (learners may
need stimulating and
About AD 251, a boy was born to African Christian parents in a encouraging to think about
village south of Memphis in Upper Egypt. He was named Anth- the answer to this).
ony. Shortly before his twentieth birthday, both his parents died, Are there missionaries in
leaving him with a big estate with which to care for himself and the learners’ commu-
his younger sister. nities?

Some six months later, in a church service, he was moved by If there are missionaries,
what faith do they preach?
Jesus’ words to the rich young ruler, “Sell all that you have, and
Muslim? Christian? Bud-
distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then dhist?
come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22)
Believing these words to have been spoken directly to him,
Anthony went home, and gave away his best land to his neigh-
bours. He then sold the rest of his estate, with the agreement of
his sister, and gave the proceeds to the poor, keeping only just
enough for himself and his sister to live off. His sister asked to
go into a ‘house of maidens’ (the first known mention of a convent)
and he himself went into the desert, and lived a life of great sim-
plicity and solitude.
Gradually he became known to people for his wisdom and saint-
liness, and disciples came to live as near to him as he would
allow, to learn from him.
There is a story that one day a hunter hunting in the desert came
on St Anthony with a group of monks, playing a game together
and laughing a lot. The hunter complained to him that he was not
behaving as a famous holy man should. St Anthony said, “You
have a fine bow. If you did not unstring it and let it rest, not
keeping it bent when you are not hunting, what would happen?”
“It would soon become weak and flabby and be no more use,”
said the hunter. “It is the same with the soul,” said St Anthony,
“It too needs to rest sometimes.” St Anthony lived to the age of
105.
It is thought that St Anthony may have come across wandering
Buddhists, and been influenced by their teaching of asceticism
(self-discipline about avoiding all luxuries, for the love of God).

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 Belonging: Leadership in different faith communities

DERVISH ORDERS, ALSO CALLED SUFIS

The Sufis follow strict rules of poverty, undertaken voluntarily
for the love of God. A century after the death of Mohammed, the
Moslem empire had grown and Muslims were living in great
luxury. In revolt against this, a group arose who tried to get
back to the original simplicity of the Prophet, and dedicated
themselves to prayer and meditation, under the guidance of a
wise master. They are mostly found in North Africa, the Middle
East, and Central Asia, and there are thousands of wise masters,
or Shayks, who play a vital role in preserving the spiritual
essence of Islam. That is how Islam survived 70 years of
persecution in Soviet Russia. There are still many Muslims in
the south of Russia, in spite of the onslaught of communism and
materialism. They differ from Christian religious orders in being
allowed to marry.

List of More Structured Questions

What work was Zephaniah Kameeta doing when he was consecrated as bishop?
How does Ketja behave when she finds her grandmother lying in her hut, almost burnt to death?
How does the healer react to Ketja?
Name three or more different kinds of African traditional religious leaders.
How are medicine men trained, and how long is the training?
For how long did Mother Teresa teach in the Loreto convent school in Calcutta?
Which three groups of suffering people did she help especially?
What possessions did Mother Teresa have when she died?

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Grade 4 - Theme 2

Theme 2
Phases of Life: Traditions of marriage and what
is means to be a family

Teacher’s Note: This theme does not describe current ‘Christian Wedding’ customs, such as
cutting a cake, and the bride being dressed in white, with a veil. These costly customs are
imports from Europe, and some people think they are wrong, because they make a Christian
Wedding into a status symbol. In the Early Church, there was no special ceremony or rite for
a Christian marriage. The difference between a non-Christian and a Christian marriage lay in
the fact that the first was between two non-believers, and the second involved two Christians.

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should gain insight into different traditions of marriage in Namibia.
Learners should listen to and explore different views on marriage and separation.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• In the grey column, there are questions to be answered orally. Those marked MS (More Structured)
are suitable for a quick written assessment, preferably unexpected, at the end of the theme. There is
a full list of the More Structured Questions at the end of each theme, the answers to which can be
found at the back of the book.
For less structured assessment:
• How able are learners to explain different ways of getting married?
• Can they explain different views of marriage?

124
 Phases of Life: Traditions of marriage and what it means to be a family

Unit 2.1: African traditions of marriage Notes on Preparation

and of what it means to be a family • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
the lesson.
(SUGGESTED TIME: A FEW MINUTES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK TO SET UP THE • Read through and think
RESEARCH, PLUS1 LESSON) about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
Lesson Suggestions most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
• To introduce the topic, help learners understand that a marriage is not just between feel they complement
two individuals, it is also between two families, and each owes respect and love to the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
the members of the other family, especially the parents. This research is focussed
Suggestions.
on the role of the family.
• Refer to the worksheet
• Start a discussion with questions such as the following: on page 149. It con-
o How many of you look forward to getting married when you grow up?
tains three topics, each
with a set of three ques-
o How many of you hope to be able to finish your education before you get married? tions. Make enough
Note: It is important not to press children for answers and to refrain from passing copies for the class (e.g.
a class of 36 will form
judgement on the children’s answers. Allow them to answer according to their three groups of 12 lear-
feelings. ners each. A class this
• Question Strips: size therefore requires
12 sets of topic 1 ques-
o Hand out the strips of questions you prepared before the lesson. Ensure that tions, 12 sets of topic
each learner receives a strip containing one topic and its three questions. 2 questions and 12 sets
of topic 3 questions).
o Allow sufficient time for the learners to read the topic and questions.
Cut the copies into
o Each learner should ask their parents or grandparents to help them with the three strips (ensure
answers. (Alternatively, they could write down their own answer, then add their you have enough for
parents’ or grandparents’ answers.) each classmember to
receive a strip contain-
o Back in class, ask the learners with the same topic and related questions to form ing one of the topics
a group (three groups will now form i.e. Group 1 with topic 1 ‘The Two Families’, and its three ques-
Group 2 with topic 2 ‘Preparation for Marriage’ and Group 3 with topic 3 tions).
‘Engagement and Wedding Ceremonies’.
New Words
o Ask each group to appoint one learner to write down everyone’s answers and
lobola – a price paid to
one learner to be the group’s spokesperson. the bride’s family by the
o Let the learners compare their answers, while the appointed learner makes a list husband to be. It is meant
of what is mentioned. They may remove duplicates or, possibly, make a note of to compensate the family
for the loss of their daugh-
how many learners came up with the same or similar answer. Remind the learners, ter’s labour.
however, that there are no ‘wrong’ answers here. When comparing the learners’
answers, it might become apparent that in urban areas there will be a greater iiyugo – 2-3 month group
role playing of marriage, in
diversity of traditions, but possibly less knowledge. the Ovambo tradition.
o Ask the spokesperson of each group to report back on what was discussed and
listed. Materials needed: three
• Give each group a large sheet of paper, and some sheets of scrap paper. Ask them large sheets of paper, A5
sheets of paper (one for
to select one group member to draw the members of a family (he or she should each learner), scissors and
preferably be someone other than the learners who took the active lead in the glue or paste for each
previous activity). Each learner can then copy the answers in their neatest hand- group.
writing, cut them out and glue or paste onto the large sheet, for display in the class-
room. Alternatively the material can be gathered on A4 sheets, and bound up into a Questions
class book entitled ‘Grade 4: Namibian Traditions of Marriage and Family’. Why is it important for
the two families to meet
• Refer to the questions in the grey column. each other and to agree to
the marriage? (MS)
What does lobola mean
and why is it such a wide-
spread custom? (MS)

125
Grade 4 - Theme 2

Unit 2.2: Civil marriage

Notes on Preparation
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
the lesson.
Lesson Suggestions
• Read through and think
• Talk to the learners about a civil marriage. Below are some notes to assist you: about the Lesson Sug-
o Where and How: The government provides a Registry Office in main towns, gestions, selecting the
where couples can obtain a Civil Marriage. Couples must bring at least one most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
witness, and proof of their identity (who they really are). They must also pay a feel they complement
fee. In the presence of the Registrar they make simple promises, and sign the the theme, the unit and
register. The ceremony lasts about 20 minutes. Some ministers of religion are the proposed Lesson
licensed so that the marriages they perform are valid as civil marriages. Suggestions.

o Why have a Civil Marriage: Couples who get married in a Registry Office, or
Questions
who are married in a church where the minister has a licence to register marriages,
Where do you go for a civil
have written proof of their marriage which is legally binding. Often they get marriage? (MS)
married ‘in community of property’, which means that if the husband or the wife
What do you need to take
passes away, their property belongs to the remaining partner and to the children. with you? (MS)
• Let the learners do a role play: Give two advantages of
o Ask for volunteers to act a scene in which a girl is keen to have a civil marriage having a civil marriage.
in addition to either a Christian or a traditional wedding (or both), and the young
man is against it. What are their reasons?
o Be firm about giving both sides a fair hearing, and not allowing interruptions.

• Refer to the questions in the grey column.

Unit 2.3: New Testament teaching on

marriage
Notes on Preparation
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• In a lively way, and using understandable words, retell the Bible story of the Wedding • Read John 2:1-11 and
Matthew 19:1-9.
at Cana in Galilee (John 2:1-11).
• Read through and think
o Start a discussion. To help the learners, ask: “How many of the following about the Lesson Sug-
interpretations of the story do you agree with?” gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
§ Jesus enjoyed parties. your own ideas if you
§ Jesus wanted to make everybody drunk. feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
§ God keeps the best wine till the end, and the happiest years of a marriage may the proposed Lesson
be at the end of people’s lives. Suggestions.
§ Just as water was transformed into wine, so two people who are blessed by
God can become one flesh, as it was written in the Old Testament. New Words
• Share with the class Jesus’ teaching on the holiness of marriage and family (Matthew unchaste – having a sex-
ual relationship with
19:1-9). Bring out the positive aspects: that God who made us at the beginning
someone, outside the mar-
made us male and female, and his will was that a man and a woman who love each riage.
other should be joined together and become as one flesh. This phrase can be used
to open up a discussion of God’s gift of sexuality. Questions
• Refer to the questions in the grey column (continue on page 126). In Jesus’s teaching, why
does a man leave his father
and mother? (MS)

126
 Phases of Life: Traditions of marriage and what it means to be a family

If the man and wife become

‘one flesh’, can a man beat
his wife without also har-
ming himself? In what
ways does he harm him-
self?
Why do people still have
Christian marriages?
What makes them different
from civil marriages?
Give two advantages of
Christian marriage.

List of More Structured Questions

Why is it important for the two families to meet each other, and to have their agreement to the
marriage?
What does lobola mean and why is it such a widespread custom?
Where do you go for a civil marriage?
What do you need to take with you for a civil marriage?
In Jesus’ teaching, why does a man leave his father and mother?

127
Grade 4 - Theme 3

Theme 3
The Sacred: Symbols and rituals

Teacher’s Note: It is important to teach at Primary level the role of symbols in trying to
express religious truths. If learners do not understand this as they reach the age when
scientific subjects gain increasing importance, they may think that objective scientific truth
is the only kind of truth. One cannot make ‘scientific’ statements about God because He is
unique, and science is about things that can be numbered.

This theme provides the opportunity to stress the value and importance of cultural diversity,
and to create an atmosphere in which minority culture groups within the class feel free to
share their heritage. Hopefully this will encourage them also to find out more about their
own heritages. But even where there is little cultural diversity, it is important to encourage a
diversity of ideas in answers to questions.

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should find out about different customs connected with water and fire.
Learners should understand the meaning of the cross.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• In the grey column, there are questions to be answered orally. Those marked MS (More Structured)
are suitable for a quick written assessment, preferably unexpected, at the end of the theme. There is
a full list of the More Structured Questions at the end of each theme, the answers to which can be
found at the back of the book.
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners explain at least one religious meaning of water, fire, and the cross?

128
 The Sacred: Symbols and rituals

Unit 3.1: Water as a meeting point with

God
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH ART) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
Note that while there is more material here than can be studied in one Religious with all the text before
Education lesson per week, this theme is suitable for cross-curricular activity with the lesson.
Art. It is not necessary to cover all the material given in 3.1 and 3.3. Select whatever • Read about ‘Water as
is manageable with the learners so that you can reach the response part of the lesson Cleansing’ in the Bible:
in good time. o 2 Kings 5:1-19
o Mark 1:1-6
Lesson Suggestions o Acts 8: 26-40

• Bring a glass of clear, cold water into the class. • Read about ‘Water as
Threatening’ in the
o Describe the water while holding up the glass in front of the learners (you could Bible:
even let some press the glass to their cheeks to feel how cold it is). Ask: “Who is o Genesis 7:1-10
thirsty?” o Exodus 14:21-31
o Produce two similar pieces of white cloth, one soiled and one clean. Ask the o Jonah 1:1-15
class which of the two they like. o Mark 4:35-41
• Read through and think
o Ask: “What do you feel like when water is poured over you?” Point out that
about the Lesson Sug-
water is sometimes cleansing, sometimes threatening. Ask: “Has anyone had the gestions, selecting the
experience of getting into difficulties in water, or being nearly drowned?” most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
• Group presentation of Bible stories:
feel they complement
o Organise the learners into seven groups (it doesn’t really matter if the groups do the theme, the unit and
not all have the same number of learners) and hand out the titles and Bible the proposed Lesson
references indicated below. Suggestions.

§ Water as Cleansing:
New Words
Ø Naaman is cleansed from his leprosy by dipping in the Jordan (2 Kings 5:1-19) symbol – something that
Ø John baptises people in the Jordan to cleanse them from sins (Mark 1:1-6) stands for, and is linked to,
something else, e.g. red is
Ø Philip baptises the eunuch from Ethiopia (Acts 8:26-40) the colour of flames and a
§ Water as Threatening: symbol of fire, and water
is a symbol for cleansing
Ø Noah and the Flood (Genesis 7:1-10)
the heart as well as the
Ø The Israelites cross the Red Sea (Exodus 14: 21-31) body.
Ø Jonah and the Whale (Jonah 1:1-15)
Materials needed: glass
Ø Jesus stills the storm (Mark 4:35-41)
of clear cold water; two
Note: You need to show the learners how to find the list of contents at the beginning similar pieces of white
of the Bible, and look up the reference they have been given. cloth, one soiled and one
clean; Bibles (or photo-
o Ask the groups to find all the references in the Bible and quietly read aloud to copies of the relevant text)
each other. for each pair of learners.
o Now assign a story to each group and ask them to decide how best to present it
to the class e.g. each learner could give one sentence, their best reader could
read the passage to the class or they could retell the story in their own words
(each taking turns to contribute something).
o Give the learners several minutes to read the text and think about it, then ask
them to present their stories, warning them to listen carefully to each other’s
stories and not just think about how to present their own.
• Help the learners make a class book entitled Water: God speaks to us.
o At the beginning of the week, ask the learners to find out about the symbolism of
water in their tradition, and report back when this lesson is covered. Include as
much as possible of this information in the Class Book.

129
Grade 4 - Theme 3

o Ask learners to suggest biblical stories that relate to the topic ‘God speaks to us’,
while you list them on the chalkboard. Questions
o Organise the learners into pairs or small groups and ask them to illustrate and Was Naaman a Jew or a
foreigner? How was he
write about one of the suggested stories. You may need to use one or two Art cured of leprosy? (MS)
lessons to give them time to do the work to the best of their ability.
Who did Philip baptise
o With the class, complete the book Water: God speaks to us using the information and where? (MS)
and illustrations as above.
What happened to the
• Refer to the questions in the grey column. people who were not in the
Ark with Noah and his
family? (MS)
Why did Jonah board the
ship? (MS)

Unit 3.2: The symbolism of fire in African

tradition
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH ART) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Ask a series of questions to stimulate thinking about the topic of fire, e.g.: • Read through and think
o Who has made and successfully lit a wood fire? about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
o Whose family has a fire at home on special occasions? most useful and adding
o Has anyone a neighbouring family where there was a death and a fire was kept your own ideas if you
continually burning until after the burial? feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
o Can anyone describe the Herero Holy Fire ceremony? the proposed Lesson
• Help the learners make a class book entitled Fire: God speaks to us.
o At the beginning of the week, ask the learners to find out at home about customs
and ceremonies connected with fire in their own culture and report back to the
class when this unit is covered.
o Ask the learners to think about the phrase “My fire and I are on guard”. You
could talk about the comfort of a fire that protects people from the danger of wild
animals at night; about sitting and thinking as you stare into a fire; about the way
a fire or a braai brings people together, creates ubuntu; about schools where, in
cold weather, each child in the class is asked to bring a vegetable from home, and
the teacher boils up soup in the classroom and so on. Make notes of what is
discussed on the chalkboard.
o Give the learners the opportunity to share with the class their findings regarding
customs and ceremonies related to fire. Make a list of the customs the learners
describe.
o Ask the learners to form groups of between five and eight, and illustrate the
customs.
o With the class, complete the book Fire: God speaks to us using the information
and illustrations as above. It may be necessary to use one or two Art lessons as
well, to give them time to do the work to the best of their ability.

130
 The Sacred: Symbols and rituals

Unit 3.3: The symbolism of fire in the Bible

Notes on Preparation
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH ART) • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Read :
• Ask the learners to share stories from the Bible connected with fire.
o Exodus 3:1-6
• Share with the class the stories, or some of them, as indicated below: o Exodus14:15-22
o Exodus 3:1-6 – Moses and the burning bush. You could briefly tell the learners o Genesis 22:1-19
how Moses, once the adopted child of Pharaoh’s daughter, brought up in the o Acts 2:1-4
royal palace, had to flee into the wilderness because he had killed an Egyptian • Read through and think
who was beating a fellow-Israelite, and one of his own people had seen the deed about the Lesson Sug-
and threatened him. Emphasise Moses’s loneliness and despair. gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
o Exodus14:15-22 God as a pillar of cloud or fire leads his people to safety. your own ideas if you
o Genesis 22:1-19 Abraham ready to sacrifice his son Isaac. Emphasis Isaac’s feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
words “Father! The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt
the proposed Lesson
offering?” Suggestions.
o Acts 2:1-4 The tongues of fire at Pentecost.

Note: These stories require the narrator to provide some background information Materials needed: paper
and pencil crayons or felt-
on earlier events, and therefore it is better if you tell the stories initially. Read all
tip pens.
these stories beforehand, so as to be equipped to retell them vividly to the learners.
• Ask the learners to draw any of the events as told in the stories. The pictures could Questions
be displayed in the classroom or be added to the Class Book entitled Fire: God What was it that Moses
speaks to us. Remember to include learners’ comments. saw that made him cur-
ious? (MS)
• Refer to the questions in the grey column.
What was he first told to
do? What reason was
given? (MS)
Who was speaking to him,
and where from? (MS)
Unit 3.4: The symbolism of the cross Was Moses glad about
what God asked him to do,
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)
or did he think it would be
too difficult?
Lesson Suggestions If you had been Moses,
• Share the following information with the class (continues on page 155). how would you have
responded to God?

The cross is used throughout the Christian world as a symbol of the

Notes on Preparation:
faith. Yet in the first centuries of the Christian era the cross was still in
• Familiarise yourself
common use for putting criminals to death. In the early centuries it was with all the text, before
felt that the cross was too painful a reality to use as a symbol, and a fish the lesson.
was used as a symbol, or Christ was shown as the Good Shepherd. • Read through and think
The meaning behind the different ways of representing the cross: about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
When Christ is depicted nailed to the cross, it represents what He most useful and adding
suffered for us; your own ideas if you
feel they complement
When the cross is depicted as empty, this is to represent the Resur- the theme, the unit and
rection; the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
Sometimes in the Eastern Church Christ is represented crowned
and robed as a King, on the cross yet reigning in glory.
Questions

• Refer to the questions in the grey column. When Christ is depicted

nailed to the cross, what
does it represent?(MS)

131
Grade 4 - Theme 3

When the cross is depicted

as empty, what does it re-
present? (MS)
What is different about the
Eastern Church’s way of
representing the cross?
(MS)

List of More Structured Questions

Was Naaman a Jew or a foreigner? How was he cured of his leprosy?
Who did Philip baptise, and where?
What happened to the people who were not in the Ark with Noah and his family?
Why did Jonah go on board a ship?
What was it that Moses saw which made him curious?
What was he first told to do? What reason was given?
Who was speaking to him, and where from?
When Christ is depicted nailed to the cross, what does it represent?
When the cross is depicted as empty, what does this represent?
What is different about the Eastern Church’s way of representing the cross?

132
 The Sacred: Symbols and rituals

Theme 4
Festivals: The temptations of Jesus in the desert;
Lent; Ramadan

Teacher’s Note: In Grade 4, the theme of festivals looks at the time of fasting (this means
giving up food) that leads up to the big festivals, both in Christianity and in Islam. It also
covers the temptations of Jesus in the desert.

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should learn about the temptations of Jesus in the desert.
Learners should understand why people fast and feast.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• In the grey column, there are questions to be answered orally. Those marked MS (More Structured)
are suitable for a quick written assessment, preferably unexpected, at the end of the theme. There is
a full list of the More Structured Questions at the end of each theme, the answers to which can be
found at the back of the book.
For less structured assessment:
• How well can learners describe how they overcame a temptation?
• Can they tell, in their own words, about a situation where fasting is customary?

133
Grade 4 - Theme 4

Unit 4.1: The temptations of Jesus in the

Notes on Preparation
desert
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)
the lesson.
• Read Luke 4:1-13 in
Lesson Suggestions the New Testament of
the Bible. (Note: The
• Begin the lesson by putting a pile of small sweets on your desk. As you walk away
Gospel according to St
from them, ask the children what they would feel, if you left them and went out of Luke differs only from
the room for a moment. Would they want to take them? What about helping them- Matthew’s version in
selves to other people’s pencils or erasers? What about the temptation to pay the order of the temp-
someone back in an underhand way, rather than explain openly what has gone tations):
wrong and what he or she needs to do to put that right. What about the temptation o The first temp-
tation: “Com-mand
to tell lies in simple situations?Ask them to think about these things. that these stones be
• Tell the story of Jesus going into the desert and his three temptations and ask the made bread” (1-4)
learners to imagine what form the Devil might have taken when he came to tempt o Two more temp-
Jesus. A snake? A friendly man? Let them draw a picture of him in a desert land- tations in the desert
(5-13):
scape in their exercise books.
• Read through and think
• Divide the class into three groups and assign to each group one of the three about the Lesson Sug-
temptations for role playing. gestions, selecting the
o Suggest that the devil has several assistant or ‘learner’ devils with him, so that most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
everyone in the group has a role. Or they could suggest desert-dwelling animals feel they complement
to role play (e.g. scorpion, snake, lizard, rock rabbit). the theme, the unit and
o Suggest that the ‘learner’ devils and creatures of the desert comment to each the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
other about what the devils are saying, and Jesus’s replies.
o If the results are exceptionally good, suggest that the class presents it at School
Materials needed: suffi-
Assembly, in the season of Lent. cient sweets to create a
• To draw out the learning, discuss with those who role played or drew devils what small pile on your desk.
their feelings were. Did they enjoy it? Can they think of an occasion when they
Questions
were smaller, when something seemed very enjoyable at the time, but they realised
What did the Devil want
they should not do it, and succeeded in overcoming the temptation?
Jesus to do in the desert?
• If you have plenty of time for Religious Education lessons, you could also refer to (MS)
Genesis 3:1-6 and tell how, in the Garden of Eden, the Devil also tempted Eve with Why would that have been
food, then ask the questions in the grey column. wrong? (MS)
Where did the Devil take
him next, and what was
the second temptation?
(MS)

Unit 4.2: Pilate’s temptation: the voice of Where did the Devil take
Jesus in Jerusalem and
fear what did he want him to
do? (MS)
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)
Can anyone give an
example of giving in to
Lesson Suggestions temptation, when he or
she was younger?
• In your own words, retell the story from John 18:13-24 and Luke 22:54-23:25. It is
important to add emotion and give dramatic pauses for key points to make an What did the serpent sug-
gest about the forbidden
impact on the learners. This is to prepare learners for the ‘Conscience Corner’ at fruit?
the end of the unit.
Why do you think he
o Jesus was arrested, at around midnight, in the Garden of Gethsemane. He would wanted to tempt Eve?
not allow his disciples to try and defend him. Jesus, who had been so active, who
Why was it wrong for Eve
could command even the winds and the waves and they would obey him, was to listen to him?
allowing himself to be maltreated. Simon Peter followed him.

134
 Festivals: The temptations of Jesus in the desert; Lent; Ramadan

o Over the course of the next few hours he was taken to four places:
§ First: Jesus was taken to the house of Annas, the father-in-law of the High Notes on Preparation
Priest, for unofficial questioning (John 18:13-24). • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
§ Then: He went to an early-morning meeting of the Sanhedrin. In this hastily- the lesson.
called meeting, Jesus was cross-questioned, but because the occupying Romans
• Read from John 18:13-
would not allow the Jews power of life and death, they sent Jesus to Pilate, 24 and Luke 22:54-
asking him to sentence him (Luke 22:54-71). 23:25.
§ Then: He went to the Praetorium (judgement hall) of Pontius Pilate, the Roman • List the key points to
Governor (Luke 22:66-23:5). Pilate questioned him and then, on hearing that be drawn out.
Jesus was from Galilee, which was not his area of rule, he sent him to King • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
Herod, who happened to be in Jerusalem. (This was one of the sons of the gestions, selecting the
Herod who tried to kill Jesus as a baby.) most useful and adding
§ Then: Jesus was taken to the palace of King Herod, a Jewish king who grew your own ideas if you
feel they complement
up in Rome and supported Roman rule. Here, Herod mocked him before sending
the theme, the unit and
him back to the Praetorium (Luke 23:6-12). the proposed Lesson
§ Then: Jesus was, again, taken to the Praetorium. Pontius Pilate could still find Suggestions.
no valid charge against Jesus, but suggested a compromise by which he would
be flogged (even though he was innocent) and set free (Luke 23:13-16). New words
However, the crowd demanded that Jesus be crucified. In the judgement hall Sanhedrin – the supreme
of the Romans, Jesus was stripped and flogged, then dressed in a purple robe council at Jerusalem, and
and mocked by a whole company of soldiers (Luke 23:17-25). highest court of justice
Praetorium – the
• The above story lends itself to acting out as it is told. It can be enacted by appointing Judgement Hall of the
a volunteer from each of the four corners of the classroom, to represent Annas, Roman Governor
the High Priest, Pontius Pilate, and Herod Antipas. The passiveness and helplessness
of Jesus could be stressed by choosing the youngest learner in the class to play
Jesus. Appoint two others as soldiers. As each of the four names is mentioned, the
volunteer stands, and the learner playing Jesus is brought to stand in front of him,
while you tell his part in the story.
• Conscience Corner: Have the learners act out Pilate’s dilemma in front of the
class. Appoint two or three volunteers to speak for Pilate, another group to be the
Voice of Conscience, and another group to be the Voice of Fear. These two voices
(groups) attack Pilate in turn: Conscience tells him he should not condemn an
innocent man; but Fear tells him he cannot stand up against the angry crowd, and
the pressure put on him by the High Priest and the Sanhedrin. Each group tries to
persuade Pilate, and he tries to defend himself.

Unit 4.3: Keeping Ramadan

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Share the following information with the class (continues on page 136): • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
FROM THE LIFE OF MOHAMMED gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
Mohammed sometimes went off to be alone to think – in his case he your own ideas if you
began going to a mountain outside Makkah to meditate. He was troubled feel they complement
at the way the rich in his city cheated the poor, and spent their time the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
gambling, drinking, and fighting. He was troubled also about their worship
Suggestions.
of idols, and the killing of girl babies.

135
Grade 4 - Theme 4

THE MONTH OF RAMADAN

New words
In order to remember the poor, to stop fighting and raiding one another,
meditate – think deeply
and to recall one’s dependence upon God for all things, every year,
about God’s will
during the month called Ramadan, Muslims keep a fast. They do not
eat or drink during the hours of daylight. This is very hard, and children, idols – statues which were
worshipped as gods
expectant mothers, and the sick are not supposed to keep this fast. In
any case people are not compelled to fast, they do it as an act of devotion.
Materials needed: paper
The fast draws families together, and makes rich and poor equal, because and pencil crayons or felt-
all feel hunger. People also spend time in prayer and reading the Qur’an. tip pens or a variety of
seeds and glue.
And those who fast learn what it is like to be in need, and so the end of
Ramadan is a time for giving to the poor. During the day, during
Questions
Ramadan, people should not have sex, should not behave foolishly, and
Why do Muslims keep
if someone tries to pick a quarrel with them, should simply say they are Ramadan? (MS)
fasting, and repeat it if necessary.
How long is Ramadan?
(MS)
• Organise the learners into discussion groups.
What do people give up
o Write the following statements on the chalkboard:
during Ramadan? (MS)
§ Children fast as much as adults.
Which groups of Muslim
§ Only men fast. people are not expected to
fast? (MS)
§ Muslims may only drink water during the month of Ramadan.
§ The fast means nothing to eat or drink from first light till nightfall.
§ All Muslims should fast.
§ Muslims fast to lose weight.
§ People try to save money during Ramadan.
§ People give more time to prayer and reading the Qur’an during Ramadan.
o Ask the groups to discuss the statements and appoint a spokesperson to say
what the group thinks.
o Once all the groups have had a chance to speak and all the statements have been
noted as “True” or “False”, check the final answers and advise the class.
o Let the learners copy the correct statements into their exercise books and decorate
with a border, using pencil crayons or felt-tip pens or by gluing different seeds to
make a patterned border.
• Share the following information with the class:

Christians may have something to learn from the commitment with which
Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset, and the importance of their
religion in the family.
Jesus took it for granted that his followers would fast, He said ‘Whenever
you fast’ not ‘If you fast’ (Matthew 6:16). Times of fasting are also
times for giving to the poor.
This is what two Muslim teenagers say about it:
“Usually in our family we all fast. All our relatives too.” (Nuzrat, aged
13, living in the UK)
Kamram’s older brother keeps the fast, ‘... the whole of it! You lose a
lot of weight! It’s easier in the UK as it is not so hot. Things are different
in Pakistan and Arabia when it’s 35 or 36 degrees and you cannot drink
anything.” (Kamram is also 13 and lives in the UK with his family)

• Refer to the questions in the grey column.

136
 Festivals: The temptations of Jesus in the desert; Lent; Ramadan

Unit 4.4: Keeping Lent

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Share the following information with the class: • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
When and why: Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans and Lutherans gestions, selecting the
all observe the six weeks leading up to Easter as a time for thinking most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
about their lives. It is a time for looking inwards and examining how feel they complement
they are living, and for laying their lives before God. Giving up certain the theme, the unit and
things for those 40 days is a good way of remembering to do this. the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
What do people give up: Among Orthodox Christians the fast is strict
– no meat or sausages, no dairy products (including items containing
Questions
them such as ice cream, cakes and biscuits), cheese or egg dishes. Yet
Why do Christians ob-
fasting is practised even by people who do not regularly go to church, serve Lent? (MS)
as a way of acknowledging that there are many people in need, and of
How long is Lent? (MS)
offering their lives to God. In the West, the period of Lent traditionally
begins after the family has had a pancake feast, designed to finish up all Suggest two sorts of things
given up during Lent.
the remaining dairy products (pancakes use a lot of eggs, milk, and
butter), to which people invite friends and family. Among Protestants,
people often give up sweets and chocolates, or sugar for Lent, or perhaps
give up a meal once a week. Usually they donate the money saved to a
charity. In the Dutch Reformed tradition, people often have extra prayer-
meetings rather than give up things. In all parts of the Christian church,
people are expected to give more time to study and to reading the Bible,
at home or together.
The Importance of Forgiveness: For Russian Orthodox, the Sunday
before Lent is Forgiveness Sunday, a day on which everyone asks family
and friends to forgive them for any way in which they have wronged
them. Even the priests ask forgiveness, in front of the whole
congregation.
Shrove Tuesday: In English-speaking countries, the day before Lent
begins is known as Shrove Tuesday, because it was a day for confessing
sins and being forgiven (the old word for this is being ‘shriven’). Catholics
make a point of going to confession at the beginning of Lent.
Customs connected with Lent: Pancakes are eaten on Shrove
Tuesday, and some villages hold an annual Pancake Race. In Russia,
people entertain with pancakes for the whole week before Lent starts.

• Start a class discussion, incorporating the following:

o How, by giving up something, you can raise money.

o How your community could contribute money or food to people in need.

o Ways in which you could help people who are old or very poor, such as cleaning
up or working in the garden, or even washing them.
• Refer to the questions in the grey column.

137
Grade 4 - Theme 4

Unit 4.5: The feast at the end of the fast

(SUGGESTED TIME: ½ A LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Share the following information with the class: • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
Ramadan ends when the first sign of the new moon is seen in the sky. gestions, selecting the
It is celebrated with the feast of Id-ul-Fitr, celebrated with many lights, most useful and adding
a big meal and sometimes fireworks. your own ideas if you
feel they complement
In the Christian world, Lent leads into Holy Week, when the fast is kept the theme, the unit and
even more seriously, and more time is given to prayer. Often there will the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
be communal worship each evening. Many people do not have a midday
meal on Good Friday, out of respect for the fact that that was the time
when Jesus was hanging on the cross, and till Easter Sunday do not eat
meat or rich food. In the Orthodox Church the end of the fast is
celebrated straight after the end of the midnight service (usually about
4 a.m.) by having a big communal meal next door to the church, or even
inside it.

• Collect photographs and cuttings from magazines and newspapers to make a class
display on either Easter or Id-ul-Fitr. Remember that Christians have many different
ways of keeping Lent and of celebrating Easter, so this collection should be truly
multi-cultural.

List of More Structured Questions

What did the Devil want Jesus to do in the desert?
Why would that have been wrong?
Where did the Devil take him next, and what was the second temptation?
Where did the Devil take Jesus in Jerusalem, and what did he want him to do?
Why do Muslims keep Ramadan?
How long is Ramadan?
What do people give up during Ramadan?
Which groups of Muslim people are not expected to fast?
Why do Christians observe Lent?
How long is Lent?

138
 Festivals: The temptations of Jesus in the desert; Lent; Ramadan

Theme 5
Social Values: Defining honesty; African and
Biblical traditions about dishonesty

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should appreciate the value of honesty.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• In the grey column, there are questions to be answered orally. Those marked MS (More Structured)
are suitable for a quick written assessment, preferably unexpected, at the end of the theme. There is
a full list of the More Structured Questions at the end of each theme, the answers to which can be
found at the back of the book.
For less structured assessment:
• How able are learners to tell in their own words, a story to illustrate what honesty and dishonesty is,
and can they point out the consequences?

139
Grade 4 - Theme 5

Unit 5.1: Towards defining honesty

(SUGGESTED TIME: ½ A LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
Note: the material in sections 5.1 and 5.2 can be taken together, in one single lesson. with all the text before
the lesson.
Lesson Suggestions • Read through and think
• Read the following true story to the class: about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
Joan was eleven, and a hard-working learner, in good favour with your own ideas if you
all the teachers. One day, she and some friends picked up an oil- feel they complement
can and began playing with it, and Joan spilt some oil on the slate the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
floor. A moment later the Principal happened to come past. When Suggestions.
he asked who had spilt the oil, Joan was afraid and denied it. She
did not want to lose her good reputation with him. But the Principal New words
noticed oil on her fingers, and it was obvious that she was the
oil-can – tin holding oil
one who was guilty. The Principal took her into his office and with a long narrow spout,
gave her a serious talking to, not for spilling the oil but for being for pouring it
dishonest, and she felt very ashamed. slate – a kind of hard
stone, which is very
• Start a discussion about what happened in the story. smooth, but can easily be
stained.
• Refer to the questions in the grey column.
Questions
Why did Joan deny that
she was the guilty one?
(MS)
Unit 5.2: African traditions about honesty Who can tell a similar
and dishonesty story of learning ‘the hard
way’ about the importance
of being honest, when
(SUGGESTED TIME: ½ A LESSON) they were younger?

Lesson Suggestions
• Read the following story to the class: Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
There was once a family who had almost no food left at all, because the lesson.
the rains had not come. So the husband went to his wife’s parents, • Read through and think
who lived in another village, and begged them to give him some about the Lesson Sug-
meal. gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
They gave him some meal, and they also gave him a cow and a your own ideas if you
calf. But instead of taking them home to his wife, the cunning feel they complement
man hid the cow and the calf in a wood, and told his wife that her the theme, the unit and
parents had been unable to help them. Every day he said he was the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
going in search of work, and went out early. He went straight to
the wood, milked the cow, made himself some porridge with the
Questions
meal, and ate his fill. But a certain man began to wonder why it
was that every day he always went to the same wood. He followed In what way was the
father dishonest? (MS)
him and found out his secret. When the people of the village
heard the story they were very angry with him. Why were the people of
the village very angry with
the man?
• Refer to the questions in the grey column. Do you think the guilty
man ought to be
punished? How?

140
 Social Values: Defining honesty; African and Biblical traditions about dishonesty

Unit 5.3: A Bible story about dishonesty

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH DRAMA) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Let learners think about their own honesty: • Read from Genesis 39:
o Take some coins from your pocket, and pile them carefully on the desk. 1-12 and 13-20 in the
Old Testament of the
o While you do this, chat about the story of Ananias and Sapphira, the couple who Bible.
conspired together to pretend they were giving all that they had to the common • Recall from your own
fund, while keeping back some for their private use (see Unit 5.4). experience (or make
up) a story about
o Pretend to forget about the coins, and go and look out of the window for several
someone who lied to
minutes. get someone else into
o Look at the learners and turn their attention to the coins. Are they still there? Ask trouble.
the learners whether they felt tempted to pocket them while you were looking out • Read through and think
of the window, and if so, why did they not yield to the temptation? about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
• As vividly as possible, retell the first part of the story about Joseph in Egypt, and most useful and adding
about how his master’s wife tried to tempt him (Genesis 39:1-12). your own ideas if you
feel they complement
o Draw out from the learners what Joseph is saying about honesty in verses 7-9.
the theme, the unit and
o Organise the class into groups of between five and eight learners: the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
§ Have them dramatise the story, bringing out the fact that Joseph was a foreigner
in Egypt, and so it was easier for others to behave dishonestly towards him.
Materials needed: a few
§ Then, invite each group to invent their own end to the story, and let the class coins
watch the different versions.
o Finally, tell them the actual end (Genesis 39:13-20). Questions
What was Potiphar’s job?
• Tell the story about someone who lied to get someone else into trouble. (MS)
• Refer to the questions in the grey column.
How did he treat his slave
Joseph? (MS)
Why did Potiphar’s wife
become angry with Jo-
seph? Was it Joseph’s
Unit 5.4: A New Testament story about fault? (MS)

lying to God When she took hold of his

clothes, what did he do?
(MS)
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH DRAMA)
What did she do next?
(MS)
Lesson Suggestions
Is it important to be
• Retell the bible story you read before the lesson: honest with foreigners as
o Explain that in the first few years of the Early Church, the Christians held well as with people you
know? If so, why?
everything in common. People voluntarily sold what they had, and gave the money
to the apostles, to use for the day-to-day needs of the community.
o Tell them about how a certain man called Ananias and his wife Sapphira decided
Notes on Preparation
together to cheat the apostles. • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
o Talk about the death and burial of Ananias, how Sapphira also deceived them and the lesson.
how she died. • Read Acts 4:32-5:11
• Organise the class into groups of between five and eight learners: from the New Testa-
ment in the Bible.
o Give each group two paper plates and a thick black pen to make face masks
• Read through and think
representing Ananias and his wife Sapphira. about the Lesson Sug-
o Ask each group to draw a man’s smiling face on one plate, and a woman’s on the gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
other.
your own ideas if you
feel they complement

141
Grade 4 - Theme 5

o They should cut holes for the eyes, and make sure they are big enough for someone the theme, the unit and
holding the plate in front of his face to see through. the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
o On the other side of the plates, they should draw another face, this time horrified
and afraid.
Materials needed: two
o Ask each group to think about and decide how to share out the parts and dramatise paper plates, and one felt-
the story. tip pen per group.
• Refer to the questions in the grey column.
Questions
What did Ananias and
Sapphira say they wanted
to do? (MS)
Were they forced to do it,
or was it a matter of free
choice?
What did they actually do?
(MS)
What happened when
they each realised their
trick had been found out?
(MS)
Can you tell a similar
story about two people
planning together to
deceive others?

List of More Structured Questions

In the story about the spilt oil, why did Joan deny that she was the guilty one?
In the story about the starving family, in what way was the father dishonest?
In the story about Joseph in Pharaoh’s court, what was Potiphar’s job?
How did he treat his slave, Joseph?
Why did Potiphar’s wife become angry with Joseph? Was it Joseph’s fault?
When she took hold of his clothes, what did he do?
What did she do next, and what did she say?
In the story from the New Testament, what did Ananias and Sapphira say they wanted to do?
What did they actually do?
What happened when they each realised their trick had been found out?

142
 Social Values: Defining honesty; African and Biblical traditions about dishonesty

Theme 6
Religion and the Environment: Religious basis
for protecting the environment

Teacher’s Note: Most learners have had some experiences of caring for plants and for
animals at home. Help them understand that wild plants and animals also have specific
needs for survival. Explain how people often destroy what the plants and animals need in
order to survive. The best examples are those closest to the learners, for instance:
- a tree chopped down may destroy a bird’s nest or a lizard’s home;
- when a new house is built, small animals and insects and plants that live on that piece
of soil may be destroyed; and
- lions, crocodiles and elephants cannot live near people.

As people destroy the places in which animals live, they also destroy the soil, water and
plants from which they gain a living. Children need to understand how our destructive
behaviour can eventually destroy all life on earth. Teachers should be careful not to cause
children to become depressed about the situation, but should rather stress how the child
could meaningfully participate in the protection of the environment.

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should appreciate that all religions provide a basis for conserving nature.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• In the grey column, there are questions to be answered orally. Those marked MS (More Structured)
are suitable for a quick written assessment, preferably unexpected, at the end of the theme. There is

143
Grade 4 - Theme 6

a full list of the More Structured Questions at the end of each theme, the answers
to which can be found at the back of the book.
For less structured assessment:
• How able are learners to describe the common basis between religions for the
conservation of nature?

Unit 6.1: Christian approaches, good and

not so good
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Share the bible passages that relate to the lesson option you have chosen: • Read Deuteronomy
o Option 1: The Old Testament background to Christ’s teaching (Deuteronomy
24:14 and 25:4 and
Leviticus 25:1-7 from
24:14 and 25:4; Leviticus 25:1-7). the Old Testament in
§ The Old Testament taught that even the foreign slave should be allowed to rest the Bible.
on the Sabbath, and that the ox that was treading the corn should befree to • Read Psalm 148:7-13
eat as he walked. from the Old Testa-
ment in the Bible.
§ It also taught that just as one day in seven was to be a Day of Rest, so one year • Select either Option 1
in seven should be a Time of Rest for the land and it should be allowed to lie or Option 2 (unless
fallow for a year. there is plenty of time
or you are able to use
o Option 2: The human exploitation of nature.
an Environmental
§ The story of Adam and Eve being placed in the Garden of Eden to work was Studies lesson).
taken by some people as a justification for the human exploitation of nature. • Read through and think
Such thinking has justified the same kind of taking land here in Namibia. about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
§ Examples: most useful and adding
Ø The Puritan settlers in North America felt they had a ‘right’ to take away land your own ideas if you
from the native American Indians, on the grounds that the Indians did not feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
farm it, or cut down trees, or mine the minerals. the proposed Lesson
Ø In Namibia, land which was occupied seasonally by the nomad San people Suggestions.
was considered to be empty. Good land was taken and the inhabitants were
moved to another part of the country much less fertile and where there was New Words
almost no rain at all. lie fallow – lie unplanted
• Next, talk about the destruction of the environment:
Questions
o When villages grow, large trees close to them get cut down to use for building and
Why do you think the Old
firewood, so that the women have to walk further and further in search of fuel.
Testament links oppress-
Goats eat young saplings before they have a chance to grow strong. When the ing the poor with the
trees are all gone, the top soil dries up and blows away. Human waste products destruction of the pros-
pollute rivers. Despite this, the Christian church in the villages very seldom teaches perity of the earth?
its people not to destroy their environment. Why do you think the
o We sometimes kill animals to make ornaments and fancy goods. Among the victims story of Adam and Eve
being placed in the Garden
are elephants, crocodiles, rhinos, whales, seals and ostriches, and numerous others. of Eden to work was taken
Thousands of animals are killed in the interests of scientific experiments, often by some people as a
for testing cosmetics and beauty products. justification for taking land,
and for the human
• Draw a square on the floor at the front of the class, to represent the land for
exploitation of nature?
farming. Call volunteers to be mother and father. Call five more volunteers to be
their children and let them crowd onto the same space. Then call two more to act Name one practice that
spoils the earth (MS)
as refugees and let them also squeeze onto the space. Now ask learners to suggest
Name three kinds of
overworking of the land or
destruction of the environ-

144
 Religion and the Environment: Religious basis for protecting the environment

what happens to their resources such as firewood and clean water, and to wild ment that can happen in
animals. and around the villages.
• Let the learners write out and decorate Psalm 148:7-13 (see the Scripture Box below). (MS)

• Refer to the questions in the grey column. Name three kinds of

creatures that are killed to
make ornaments and fancy
A HYMN OF PRAISE TO THE CREATOR: goods. (MS)
Let the earth praise the Lord:
Sea monsters and all deeps,
Fire and hail, snow and mist,
Great winds that obey his decree,
Mountains and hills,
Orchards and forests,
Wild animals and farm animals,
Snakes and birds,
All kings on earth, and nations,
Princes, all rulers of the world,
Young men and girls,
Old people, and children too!
Let them all praise the name of the Lord.
(Psalm 148:7-13, free translation, taken from Christianity and
Ecology, p.108)

Unit 6.2: Islamic and African traditions

about the environment
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)

Notes on Preparation
Lesson Suggestions • Familiarise yourself
• Share the following information with the class: with all the text before
the lesson.
• Read through and think
ISLAM about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
The Qur’an and Hadith remind us that creatures are communities like most useful and adding
the human community. They are loved by God in the same way as your own ideas if you
human beings are loved, and they were created by God in the same feel they complement
way that we were created. the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
There is not an animal on earth, not a bird that flies with its wings, Suggestions.
but they are a community like you. (Qur’an 6:38)
A good deed done to a beast is as good as a good deed done to a human Materials needed: scrap
paper, pencil crayons or
being; while an act of cruelty to a beast is as bad as an act of cruelty to
felt-tip
a human being.
Allah has created every animal from water: of them there are some
that creep on their bellies: some that walk on two legs; and some
that walk on four. (Qur’an 24:45)

• Ask the children to learn by heart one of the sayings from the Qu’ran.
• Read the stories on page 171 to the class.

145
Grade 4 - Theme 6

AFRICAN TRADITION - STORY OF THE BUSHMAN

HUNTER
One day a man from a San tribe accompanied a man with a rifle
on a hunting trip. The San man wanted a big buck for his people
to eat. On the way, the San man pointed at different places where
animals lived. The man with the rifle asked him why he did not
eat those animals. The San man replied, “No, we leave those for
the days of real hunger.”

WHY THE CHEEKS OF THE CHEETAH ARE STAINED

WITH TEARS
A lazy hunter saw a cheetah stalking a springbok. It caught the
springbok. The hunter also saw that it had three beautiful cheetah
cubs. He wanted the cheetah cubs to grow up and hunt for him,
so he caught all three cubs, because he reckoned three cubs
would provide him with more than just one ever would.
After half an hour, the mother returned. Her babies were gone.
The poor mother cheetah cried and cried. An old man heard her.
He was wise and respected. He knew that only lazy hunters become
thieves: a hunter should only kill with strength and honour. He
took the cubs from the lazy hunter and returned them to the mother.
But nothing could wipe off the tears from the mother’s face.

• Story chain:
o Organise the learners into four groups.

o The groups should then create a story chain of one of the above African stories
i.e. the first group tells one part, then stops, the second group continues the story
and so on through all the groups until the end of the story.
o Ask one learner in each group to write down the whole story as it is told.

o Ask one learner in each group to draw illustrations to depict the story.

o Let the learners display the text and illustrations on the wall or make a class storybook. Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
the lesson.
• Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
Unit 6.3: Prayers gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) your own ideas if you
feel they complement
Note: The prayers on page 166 can be used at the beginning of each of the Religion the theme, the unit and
and Environment lessons; or they can be used to mark a special occasion such as a the proposed Lesson
Suggestions.
tree-planting ceremony.
• Make 10 photocopies
of the worksheet con-
Lesson Suggestions taining three prayers on
• Ask the learners to sit quietly (they could also close their eyes if this is customary). page 166. Cut each into
three strips (to be
• Read out each prayer, slowly and meaningfully. reused.)
• Give each learner a prayer strip (see Notes on Preparation in grey box) to read
silently and think about. Materials needed:
prayer strips (see Notes on
• If you plan to let them say it to start lessons or to mark special occasions, all Preparation), pencil crayons
learners will need to memorise and be able to recite them. or felt-tip pens or a variety
of seeds and glue/paste.

146
 Religion and the Environment: Religious basis for protecting the environment

Unit 6.4: Practical action

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH ENVIRONMENTAL Notes on Preparation
STUDIES) • Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Note: One or both of the stories of signs of hope among Christians can be used as the lesson.
examples (see text below). • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
Lesson Suggestions gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
• Share the following information with the learners. your own ideas if you
feel they complement
In parts of India and Pakistan, Christian Women’s Groups have started the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
the ‘one grain of rice’ movement. Women were powerless because of
Suggestions.
poverty and because they had no control over the land, but they have
formed groups and encourage each other to put aside one grain of rice New Words
a day, no matter how hungry themselves or their families are. These
eroded – worn away, by
grains of rice go into a common pool, and as soon as they have collected wind, water, or people
a few hundred grams, the rice is sold and the money put in the women’s
to terrace – to make level
bank. Gradually a sum of money is gathered, enough to buy or rent land strips on a steep hillside,
that is unused because the soil has been eroded or exhausted. By like giant steps.
working on this land together, the women terrace it, plant trees, and
gradually bring the land back into cultivation. In this way women have
become decision makers about the land and have gained some power
over their own lives.
In Africa, the Mennonite Central Committee works with farmers to
develop methods and tools suitable to the changing conditions. For
example, in many parts of Africa traditional methods depended on fields
being left resting for many years between crops. Now that more people
want land, it becomes scarce. The old ways are no longer possible. So
Mennonite workers are helping the local farmers and the local church
to investigate new methods, such as the planting of trees between rows
of crops, which can feed the soil without the use of chemical fertiliser.
(taken from Christianity and Ecology, ed. Elizabeth Breuilly and Martin
Palmer, London: Cassell, 1992, pp. 8, 88-9, 98-9, 112-115)

• Organise the learners into four groups and let them each do one of the following
activities over the course of a specific period that you choose:
o Care for an easily managed pet such as a goldfish or a rabbit. Let them name the
pet, then each have a turn doing the following tasks as well as any others you or
the learners can think of, for instance:
§ Feeding the pet;
§ Cleaning the bowl, hutch or whatever other home in which the pet is kept;
§ Restocking where need be (e.g. algae plants, tiny stones, food supply etc.);
§ Talking in soft, loving tones to the pet.
o Care for a plant. Let them each have a turn doing the following tasks as well as
any others you or the learners can think of, for instance:
§ Watering the plant;
§ Clearing out fallen leaves;
§ Gently turning the soil and wiping the leaves clean.
(They could also grow plants from seedlings to be transferred to the patch of
ground being managed by another group)

147
Grade 4 - Theme 6

o Clean up and manage a dirty patch of ground for all to enjoy. Tasks may include
things such as:
§ Digging and removing stones, rocks and weeds;
§ Planting shrubs and flowers (or even vegetables such as carrots, lettuces etc.
to feed the class rabbit, for instance);
§ Watering the plants;
§ Clearing out fallen leaves and flowers.
o Do artwork involving Namibian animals and plants for a display table.
o Do a small environmental project in which they clean up some pollution.
§ If it was rubbish they cleared, they should find ways of recycling or reusing the
items (e.g. tin cans can be cleaned and decorated and become handy holders
for all sorts of things such as pens and pencils or small plants; glass bottles can
be sent to a glass recycling plant; paper can be turned into paper maché for art
projects; and so on).
§ They should then write a report on what type of pollution they cleared, what
items they found and, where relevant, how they recycled or reused the items.
§ The report could then be sent to a local newspaper for publication.

List of More Structured Questions

Name one object or practice that spoils the earth.
Name three kinds of overworking of the land or destruction of the environment that can happen in
and around the villages.
Name three kinds of creatures that are killed to make ornaments and fancy goods.

148
 Religion and the Environment: Religious basis for protecting the environment

Theme 7
Personal Values: Helping others

Teacher’s Note: All the great world religions emphasise love for one’s neighbour, and help
for those in need. In the Christian church, Christmas and Lent are times when many people
give to benevolent funds, especially charities for children and for refugees. In Judaism, the
festival of Purim, in February or March, is a special time when Jews give to charity, and
give gifts of food so that even the poorest families can share in the family celebrations. In
Islam, one of the five pillars that support the religion is Zakat, which means giving to
charity, to help the poor. Not to give Zakat would mean they are not doing their duty to
poorer Muslims, and more important, they are cheating Allah. While studying this theme, the
prayer given below could be used at the beginning of the lesson every week and learners
could be encouraged to learn it by heart and in so doing, think about it at others times and
wherever they go.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should listen to and discuss three stories about people being helped to recover from illness.
They should be able to discuss how to identify the needs of people.
They should decide on a project on how to help people with HIV/AIDS.

149
Grade 4 - Theme 7

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• In the grey column, there are questions to be answered orally. Those marked MS
(More Structured) are suitable for a quick written assessment, preferably unexpec-
ted, at the end of the theme. There is a full list of the More Structured Questions at
the end of each theme, the answers to which can be found at the back of the book.
For less structured assessment:
• Can learners participate in undertaking some practical project for helping others,
e.g. a fund-raising concert?

Unit 7.1: Jesus helps people and is helped

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH DRAMA) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Ask the learners if they can remember their first days at school. How did older • Read Luke 4:38-39,
children help them, e.g. to put on their school uniform, to pack food to take to eat Mark 5:1-15 and Luke
8:40-42 and 49-56 in
during break, to cross roads or riverbeds safely, to find their way about the school. the New Testament of
It might help if you recall and share feelings of helplessness that you or someone the Bible.
you know experienced on the first day of school. • Write each story out in
• Invite the learners to think about other ways in which the needy are cared for in language the learners
their own society. If their grandparents are not living near them, who cares for will understand, then
photocopy each one.
them if they are ill? Do they know anyone who is blind or in another way physically
• Read through and think
challenged? How is such a person helped to take part in the life of the community? about the Lesson Sug-
• Remind the learners that when Jesus helped people, he did not give them money to gestions, selecting the
buy a loaf of bread; he helped them return to taking a full part in the life they had most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
been cut off from. feel they complement
• In your own words, retell the bible stories you read before the lesson. the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
• Organise the class into three groups:
Suggestions.
o Give each group one story to work on. Possible activities are outlined below:

§ Group 1: Retell the story of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law to (Luke 4:38-39) to New Words
the the rest of the class in a story chain (i.e. one learner tells one part of the charities – organisations
story, the next learner follows on, and so forth until the story has ended). Let that collect money to give
the learners in Group 1 pose the relevant questions to the rest of the class. to good causes or to
individuals
§ Group 2: (There could be more learners in this group than in Group 1) Let the
physically challenged –
learners rehearse and act out the story of Legion (Mark 5:1-15) Let the learners disabled e.g. blind, deaf etc.
in group 2 pose the relevant questions to the rest of the class.
§ Group 3: (There could be more learners in this group than in Group 1) Rehearse Materials needed: copies
and act out the story of Jairus’ daughter (Luke 8:40-42 and 49-56). Let the of each story.
learners in group 3 pose the relevant questions to the rest of the class.
Questions
What was Simon Peter’s
mother-in-law’s illness?
(MS)
When Jesus had healed her,
what did she do?(MS)
What afflicted the man
called Legion, and what did
he look like, as he came out
of the tombs towards
Jesus? (MS)

150
 Personal Values: Helping others

Unit 7.2: Helping others, helping the land, What task did Jesus give
in India to him, before he went
back onto the boat? (MS)
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 WEEK’S WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH ART) What was the reaction of
people in the house of the
ruler of the synagogue,
Lesson Suggestions when Jesus said, “She is
• Share the summary below with the class. It tells of how a present-day group of not dead, but sleeping”?
(MS)
people saw a need and came together to work to undo the damage which was
being done, and to make the lives of the people of Vrindavan better. The work was After he had raised the
child from death, what help
started by a local person, and now pilgrims and local people work together as
did Jesus ask from the
volunteers to continue the project. The text was taken from Hinduism and Ecology parents? (MS)
by Ranchor Prime, London: Cassells, 1992, 104-114.
Notes on Preparation
In the pilgrimage town of Vrindavan everybody worships Krishna. About
• Familiarise yourself
20 000 people live in the city, and two million pilgrims come every year. with all the text before
One of the main acts of devotion is to walk along the Pilgrims’ Way, a the lesson.
path that circles the holy hill of Krishna. Once the path led through • Read through and think
shady forests, full of birdsong, but the trees were cut down gradually about the Lesson Sug-
for firewood and for development by builders. In places sharp stones gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
have been dumped on the Pilgrims’ Way, so that cars can drive across your own ideas if you
it, in other places it is strewn with rubbish or contaminated with raw feel they complement
sewage. Worse still, there is the stench of drains that are blocked or flooded, the theme, the unit and
because the modern drainage system was never completed, and anyway the proposed Lesson
cannot cope with the huge numbers of pilgrims that come to the city. And Suggestions.
the river, the sacred river in which pilgrims purify themselves, is foul too,
polluted with the waste from the city of Delhi, 70 km upstream, unfit for New words
drinking and bathing. If you stay long in the water you get a skin rash. The pilgrims – people who go
on a journey to a holy
deer and other forest animals have disappeared – even the peacocks, place.
companions of Krishna. The pilgrims mostly ignore these distractions,
contaminated – made
perhaps thinking that Vrindavan was always like that. poisonous
How has this come about? For nearly 200 years Indian education has been
the western, European model, and people have been alienated from their Questions
own culture. Many of the serious problems affecting Indian society are the Why do two million
result of inappropriate technology and life-styles. One local person, however, people visit Vrindavan
called Shri Sewak Saran, cared about what was happening and had ideas every year? (MS)
for improving things. A visiting pilgrim, Ranchor Prime, felt the same. They What circles the holy hill
helped each other, got a small grant from World Wildlife Fund, and then of Krishna? (MS)
other people began to help them too. Today pilgrims and local residents What do pilgrims and local
combine together to plant young trees and care for them, and clear rubbish residents do together,
from the Pilgrims’ Way. There is a tree nursery, on land donated by one of now, in Vrindavan? (MS)
the important religious organisations in Vrindavan, where 2 000 young trees Can you suggest a similar
are growing, ready for planting out by volunteers. place in Namibia, in your
own region or town, a
place that has been spoilt
and made unsafe to play
in, because too many
people are there?
Suggest what needs to be
done to restore it to the
way it used to be.

151
Grade 4 - Theme 7

• Role play:
o Select two members of the class to role play the meeting between the visiting
pilgrim, Ranchor Prime, and the local person, Shri Sewak. They should role play
how they started to clear rubbish and plant trees together.
o Ask each member of the class to go up to them, ask one of them what they are
doing, and join in to help them. Two learners may decide to help by providing
young trees for people to plant, and they should call people to come to them for
the gift of a young tree.
• Start a discussion: The issue here is that people’s lives are being ruined – they are
surrounded by parched, poor ground where there should have been forests, by
Notes on Preparation
smelly, ugly, and poisonous waste. Try to think of a similar situation in your local
• Familiarise yourself
area, and encourage learners to think creatively of how local people could improve with all the text before
their lives by working together. Use the questions in the grey box to get the discussion the lesson.
started and to maintain momentum. • Read through and think
• Refer to the questions in the grey column (starting on page 151). about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
Unit 7.3: Prayer and action Suggestions.

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 OR 2 WEEKS’ WORK, CROSS-CURRICULAR WITH DRAMA)

Materials needed: all
items you think might be
Lesson Suggestions necessary for the concert.

• Talk to the Principal about letting the learners raise money to help others. If the
Principal is in agreement, suggest to the learners that they organise a concert to
raise money for a soup kitchen or a playschool, for instance. Involve the learners in
planning and organising:
o Programme;

o Where it will be;

o Best date and time for people coming;

o Clothes to be worn by the performers;

o Whether food and drinks will be provided;

o Ticket price;

o How they will sell tickets;

o How they will let people know it is happening; and

o Anything else you may think of.

• Let the learners choose a community project, which they will undertake. Most
Grade 4 learners are quite able to help the elderly e.g. by reading to them or doing
simple shopping for them.

152
 Personal Values: Helping others

List of More Structured Questions

What was Simon Peter’s mother-in-law’s illness?
When Jesus had healed her, what did she do?
What afflicted the man called Legion, and what did he look like as he came out of the tombs
towards Jesus?
What task did Jesus give to him before he went back onto the boat?
What was the reaction of people in the house of the ruler of the synagogue, when Jesus said, “She
is not dead, but sleeping”?
After he had raised the child from death, what help did Jesus ask from the parents?
Why do two million people visit Vrindavan every year?
What circles the holy hill of Krishna?
What do pilgrims and local residents do together, now, in Vrindavan?

153
Grade 4 - Theme 8

Theme 8
Children’s Rights and Responsibilities: Violence,
children’s rights and responding to violence

Teacher’s Note: For this theme the focus in the first two weeks is on an actual situation,
involving a ten-year-old boy and his younger sister. In the third and fourth weeks the
teacher and class together explore how children are one of the vulnerable groups in society,
and other vulnerable groups are briefly discussed. The authors are grateful to UNESCO for
the excellent material produced for use in schools (Education for Human Rights and
Democracy in Southern Africa: A Teacher’s Resource Manual, ed. Karen Morrison,
Windhoek: Longman Namibia, 1999).

Learning Objectives (as in the Syllabus):

Learners should understand that there are two kinds of violence: emotional violence and physical
violence.
They should appreciate the rights of the child according to the Namibian constitution.

Assessment Criteria:
For more structured assessment:
• In the grey column, there are questions to be answered orally. Those marked MS (More Structured)
are suitable for a quick written assessment, preferably unexpected, at the end of the theme. There is
a full list of the More Structured Questions at the end of each theme, the answers to which can be
found at the back of the book.
For less structured assessment:
• How well can learners make posters showing how to stop cruelty and violence in school and society?

154
Children’s Rights and Responsibilities: Violence, children’s rights, and responding to violence

Unit 8.1: Domestic violence

(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Say: “In a violent situation, no one really wins. Both the aggressor and the attacked • Source as much rele-
are the losers.” Allow some time for silence. vant age-appropriate
additional material as
• As a warm-up exercise, write the words WHAT IS VIOLENCE? in the middle of possible to use in
the chalkboard and let the learners call out words that they think answer this question. follow-up discussions
Add their suggestions round the title heading and keep this list – do not wipe it off and to develop your
the board. own Lesson Sugges-
tions.
• Now read aloud to them the following letter, written by a ten-year old boy, Nicholas, • Read through and think
to his favourite uncle. about the Lesson Sug-
P O Box 22678 gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
Windhoek your own ideas if you
Namibia feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
2 September 2004 the proposed Lesson
Dear Uncle John, Suggestions.

I am writing to tell you about the terrible things that are happening here at home.
New words
Mum and Dad are always fighting. It happened when Mum got promoted, about insult – say nasty things
a month ago. Dad seemed not to mind at first, but since it means that Mum no to or about someone
longer has time for us, Dad comes home late. Mum gets angry each time this
humiliate – damage
happens. They argue and complain. It never ends! someone’s dignity or pride
Last night they had a terrible fight. The coffee table was broken. Mary and I hid punch – hit with a
in the bathroom. When we came out, Mum was crying and bruised. Dad sat in the clenched fist
kitchen with a swollen eye. He did not want to talk to us.
bruise – hit and hurt a
This morning I felt terribly hurt as I wanted to give Mum and Dad the usual hug person, without breaking
but they both turned away. Mary was so upset that she cried all the way to school. anything

Please Uncle come and fetch us. It is no longer safe to live here. resent – feel angry about
something, and be unable
I hope to see you soon. to get rid of the anger
Your nephew, swollen – made larger than
normal
Nicholas
ridicule – make fun of or
oThe letter provides a starting-point for talking about violence. However, you will mock someone
need to be sensitive – some children may be experiencing violence in their own
homes, and may not want to talk about it. Questions
• Describing Two Sorts of Violence: Why is Nicholas so upset?
(MS)
§ There are many words that can be used to describe violence. Some words
describe emotional violence – when people’s feelings are hurt. Why are his parents
fighting? (MS)
§ Write some of these words on the board, asking learners to make suggestions
as well. Below follows a few examples: Who is right and who is
wrong in this case?
hit kick hurt ridicule
insult punch bruise break
fight angry worried swollen
unhappy embarrass insecure humiliate
resentful
o Draw a table on the board and label the left column ‘Physical violence’ and
right column ‘Emotional violence’.
o Ask the learners where they think the words in the list belong. Guide them if
they are unsure.

155
Grade 4 - Theme 8

o Once you are satisfied that the categories contain sufficient words and duplicates
have been removed, let the learners copy the final list into their exercise books.
o Now let the learners choose five words from the list (they should include words
describing feelings as well as physical pain) and use them to describe each of
the people in the letter, for example:
Mother – angry; swollen ... Father – resentful ...
Nicholas – hurt; unhappy ... Mary – insecure ...
• As a follow up, talk further with the learners about emotional as well as physical
violence and the prevalence of it. Use any additional material you managed to find
when you prepared for this lesson
Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
the lesson.
Unit 8.2: Responding to violence • Copy the following
paragraphs onto four
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON)
individual pieces of
paper.
“I think I’ll visit the
Lesson Suggestions family and talk to them
• Ask the learners to sit quietly and think about the question: How could Nicholas’ about my concerns. I
am sure I can help them
Uncle John respond to the letter? to solve the problems
• Divide the class into four groups: they are having without
fighting.”
o Give each group one piece of paper containing a response and ask the groups to
“This has nothing to do
discuss it. with me. I have my own
o Once there has been thorough discussion, let each group report back to the life, and if my relatives
whole class. can’t manage their own
affairs, it is their prob-
• Ask the class as a whole, which of the four responses is likely to get the most lem. I can’t take respon-
positive result. Ask them to say why. Let the learners talk about other possible sibility for them!”
responses to this kind of situation. This gives them the chance to think critically “I think I will write to
and to make decisions of their own. It also allows learners who might be experiencing Nicholas and invite him
violence at home to see that there are options for dealing with it and for getting and Mary to come and
stay with me for a
help. (Education for Human Rights... pp.33-5) while. They can go to
• Let the learners make posters showing how to stop cruelty and violence in school school here with their
and society. Each poster should have written on it the question, ‘What can YOU cousins.”
do?’ and should contain suitable answers. In thinking about what answers to suggest, “This is terrible! I
should call the police
the learners could draw on Assertiveness Training covered in Grade 3 Theme 8 and tell them that my
Unit 8.2. Remind them that Nicholas wrote a letter to appeal to an uncle he trusted sister’s life is being
for help, children can telephone Childline, at (061) 232 221 or they can talk to you threatened and the
or someone else they trust. Lastly, they should add their own suggestions. Speak children are being
to the Principal about displaying these posters at strategic points around the school. neglected.”
• Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
most useful and adding
your own ideas if you
Unit 8.3: Vulnerable groups feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
the proposed Lesson
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Suggestions.

Lesson Suggestions Materials needed: suffi-

cient copies of the para-
• Mention that this unit is about children at risk, and outlines the main ways in which graphs (four options of
children’s rights are often violated. Children should be allowed to live and develop responses for Nicholas’
uncle).

156
Children’s Rights and Responsibilities: Violence, children’s rights, and responding to violence

freely, and be offered protection from harm by their parents (or guardians) and by the
state. In reality many children in our cities just struggle from day to day to stay alive, Notes on Preparation
because of war, family conflict, or economic pressures. Describe how children can be • Familiarise yourself
found searching for food in dustbins or rubbish heaps, or sleeping in bad conditions. with all the text before
the lesson.
• Invite learners to list a child’s basic needs and then lead a class discussion on this.
• Source additional mate-
• Share the following information with the class: rial that is relevant and
age-appropriate for use
Children are in need of more than merely food and water. They need in follow-up discus-
sions and to form the
love and acceptance, and they need immunisation against the six killer basis on which to
diseases, and they need protection against customs and practices that develop your own Les-
harm their health or discriminate against them – girl children are son Suggestions.
particularly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. • Read through and think
about the Lesson Sug-
Make it clear that this does not refer to ordinary domestic chores, but to gestions, selecting the
situations where children are made to work in risky, exploitative situations, most useful and adding
and circumstances which are not suitable for their physical or mental your own ideas if you
age. (Education for Human Rights ... pp.81-92). Examples are feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
commercial sex work, war operations, bonded labour or slavery, mining, the proposed Lesson
and places where children are exposed to toxic chemicals. Suggestions.
In some places in the world economic necessity compels parents to sell
their children into enforced labour, e.g. carpet-making, and sewing leather Questions
shapes together to make soccer balls. Think about the child who
tries to find food in a dust-
bin. What are a child’s
• Pose the questions in the grey column to the class and note down the learners’ basic needs?
replies. Do you think a child needs
• Remind learners of the questions about whether children need protection and why. protection? Why?
Read through the learner’s answers and decide whether you think the class is
ready to talk about child abuse. You should also note that learners must realise one
thing: Child abuse doesn’t only happen in the newspapers or magazines; it can
happen at home, in school, or within the local community. It can happen to any
learner and to other children learners know.
• As a teacher, you have a vital role to play in making learners aware of people and
places that are available to help them. Remind them of the work of Childline (this
was focused on in Theme 8 in Grade 3) and of its phone number (Crisis Line (061)
23 22 21 and Office (061) 22 68 89). There are also other welfare and child-
protection agencies where counsellors can help children in need. Encourage children
to seek help from trusted adults such as their parents, teachers, church ministers,
or local social workers.
• Talk about the abuse of drugs and alcohol. Tell the learners that it is not legal to sell
drugs or alcohol to children. However, often the people who deal in these substances
target children because they are easily misled. Try to make learners aware of the
harmful effects on their physical and also mental health if they take drugs, and
warn them that they should not get involved in trafficking of any kind.
• Talk about parental violence. Tell the class that when one or both parents abuses
drugs or alcohol, the children are at risk from their violence. The advice of Childline
is that the teacher needs to handle this sensitively, or the child will be turned against
the parent altogether. It may be that when not under the influence of drugs or
alcohol the parent is loving and caring towards the children. It is important to say
that we all have our weaknesses and our bad sides.
• Organise the class into groups of between five and eight learners and let them role
play a situation in which a child is in need of protection, then help them find ways to
resolve the situation.

157
Grade 4 - Theme 8

Unit 8.4: The rights of the child and

corresponding responsibilities
(SUGGESTED TIME: 1 LESSON) Notes on Preparation
• Familiarise yourself
with all the text before
Lesson Suggestions the lesson.
• Children’s Rights: • Make enough photo-
copies of the list of
o Hand out a copy of the list of Children’s Rights to each learner and allow time
Children’s Rights for
for everyone to read it. each learner.
o Select three rights and start a discussion with the class. The same selections can • Read through and think
be used in the brainstorming session indicated below. about the Lesson Sug-
gestions, selecting the
• Children’s Responsibilities: most useful and adding
o Once the children are more familiar with their rights, help them to realise and your own ideas if you
understand that they also have responsibilities to themselves, to their parents, feel they complement
the theme, the unit and
and to the state. the proposed Lesson
o Divide the class into three groups. Suggestions.
§ Assign the topics as follows:
Materials needed:
Ø Group 1: Duties or responsibilities at home.
photocopies of the list of
Ø Group 2: Duties or responsibilities in class. Children’s Rights (see page
186) for each learner, extra
Ø Group 3: Duties or responsibilities at school.
paper, pencil crayons or
§ Ask each group to make a list of the duties or responsibilities their group has felt-tip pens if available.
been assigned. Help each group where possible, especially when ideas run out
or if there are several duplicates and the list needs refining.
§ When you feel the learners have been quite thorough, let the groups rotate
their lists amongst the other groups so that everyone gets to see all the lists.
§ End off this activity by letting the groups read each other’s lists (e.g. each
learner in Group 1 could have a turn to read out the duties or responsibilities of
Group 2, learners in Group 2 read out that of Group 3, and learners in Group 3
read out that of Group 1).
• Help the learners connect rights with responsibilities (e.g. children have the right
to go to school, but their responsibilities are to listen to the teacher, do their work,
co-operate with others and so forth) by starting a brainstorming session, using the
technique described in the section entitled How to Use this Teacher’s Guide
(page ix).
o Write on the chalkboard: CHILDREN HAVE THE RIGHT TO ... BUT THEY
ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ...
o Divide the class into three groups, then give each group a sheet of paper and as-
sign one children’s right to each group. They should spend some time thinking
and talking about that particular children’s right and the corresponding
responsibilities.
o Ask each group to nominate one learner to do the writing. He or she should
write “Children have the right to (e.g.) go to school, but they also have a
responsibility to ... ” at the top of the sheet, then note down all the suggestions by
the group members, including duplicates.
o After some minutes, when you feel that most learners have contributed enough,
ask the groups to stop brainstorming and to look carefully at what has been
written down.
o Ask each group to refine the list by correcting mistakes, removing duplicates
and so on.
o Collect the lists from all the groups and make one master list of each right and
corresponding responsibility on the chalkboard.
158
Children’s Rights and Responsibilities: Violence, children’s rights, and responding to violence

o Ask the learners to copy the final lists onto sheets of paper and decorate the
margins to create a wall display. Questions
• Refer to the questions in the grey column. Name three rights of the
child. (MS)
Name three responsibi-
The Declaration of Children’s Rights lities. (MS)

All children have the right to a name, enough to eat, and a decent place
to live.
All children should be looked after when they are sick, and have the
right to grow up with love, affection and security.
Handicapped children have a right to special treatment and education.
All children have the right to free education, and should be protected
from neglect, cruelty and exploitation.
All children should not be made to work before a certain age and should
be protected from discrimination.
All children should never have to fear arrest and detention.
All children should be brought up to understand that their energy and
talents should be devoted to the service of their brothers and sisters.

List of More Structured Questions

Why is Nicholas so upset?
Why are his parents fighting?
Name three rights of the child.
Name three responsibilities.

159
160
Key: 35. Vela
1. Cetus 36. Triangulum Aus
2. Sculptor 37. Norma
3. Aquarius 38. Serpens
4. Capricornus 39. Ophiuchus
5. Piscis Austrinus 40. Lupus
6. Fornax 41. Circinus
7. Eridanus 42. Crux
8. Microscopium 43. Pyxis
9. Grus 44. Antlia
10. Phoenix 45. Centaurus
11. Lepus 46. Libra
12. Orion 47. Virgo
13. Cælum 48. Corvus
14. Reticulum 49. Crater
15. Hydrus 50. Hydra
16. Tucana
17. Inbus
18. Aquila
19. Sagittarius
20. Pavo
21. Octans
22. Dorado
23. Pictor
24. Canis Major
25. Puppis
26. Volans
27. Chamæleon
28. Corona Australis
29. Scutum
30. Scorpius
31. Ara
32. Musca
33. Carina
34. Monoceros
161
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.

Lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
The power and the glory
Forever and ever
Amen

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 Name

OUR COMMUNITY

Questionnaire
Instructions
1. In the central circle, either draw your home, or the members of your family who live together.
2. In the rectangles, starting with Question 1, fill in the names of people, not just words like ‘doctor’. You will
need to ask for information from your family for some of the questions.

1. What was the name of

your first teacher?
8. If someone has passed 2. Who sells food to your
away, who will lead the family? Give names.
funeral?

7. What is the name of 3. Who helps your

the doctor? family if the roof
leaks?

6. Who do you go to if 4. Who helps if you need

someone is sick? electrical work done?
5. Who would officiate if
there was a wedding in
the family?

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 VISUAL SYMBOLS

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 WORKSHEET

GROUP 1: The Two Families

Ask your parents and grandparents:

Why is it important for the parents on both sides to meet each other before the marriage is agreed to?

What are the traditions connected with this?

What is lobola or iigonda?

GROUP 2: Preparation for Marriage

Ask your parents and grandparents:

What were the traditional ways of preparing young people for marriage, for example iiyugo and omandhlano?

What will be the husband’s responsibilities?

What will be the wife’s responsibilities?

GROUP 3: Engagement and Wedding Ceremonies

Ask your parents and grandparents:

What happens at the engagement?

At the etanda and ohango?

At the actual wedding?

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A prayer especially for Christians:
O God of justice and plenty whose generous earth was created
For its own particular beauty for the nourishment of its people,
And to sing of your glory:
We confess that through our sinfulness we have harvested injustice and pollution,
And not your abundance;
The land has become strange to us, and our songs of celebration have become harsh.
We turn to you, O God. We renounce [Link] seek your forgiveness. We choose to be made
whole.

Praise to the Creator:

Let the earth praise the Lord:
Sea monsters and all deeps,
Fire and hail, snow and mist,
Great winds that obey his decree,
Mountains and hills,
Orchards and forests,
Wild animals and farm animals,
Snakes and birds,
All kings on earth, and nations,
Princes, all rulers of the world,
Young men and girls,
Old people, and children too!
Let them all praise the name of the Lord.
(Psalm 148:7-13, free translation taken from Christianity and Ecology, p.108)

Prayer to be said responsively:

(Note: The learners should memorise the response before starting to read the prayer.)
Response: Lord, bless our land and your children who live by it.
Reader: How beautiful is the soil that the Lord has made. It is rich and black and fruitful. A single
seed planted in her womb will produce a hundred seeds. How beautiful is the soil that the Lord has
made.
Learners’ Response: Lord, bless our land and your children who live by it.
Reader: Who can live without soil? Can the wildebeest eat grass without soil? Can the wild pig
survive without rooting in the forest? Even the eagle who soars above the highest mountain should
return to the earth to find food.
Learners’ Response: Lord, bless our land and your children who live by it.

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 Answers to More Structured Questions

GRADE 3

Theme 1
Why did God place Adam in the garden?
God placed Adam in the garden to work it and take care of it.
Why did God decide to create a second person?
Because it was not good for the man to be alone or because he needed a helper suitable for him.
What sort of tools and weapons are made out of iron? List three.
Out of iron they made hoes, axes, assegais, spears, and swords – any three.
How did the traveller find his way to the mine, when he arrived at Oshimanya?
At Oshimanya an oshivinda/a medicine man or woman, looked after people.
What did the traveller do with the tools he had made, once he returned to his village?
He exchanged/bartered them for necessities such as salt and tobacco.

Theme 2
List three responsibilities Helao had by the time he was nine years old.
Helao was responsible for cooking meals, pounding corn, and preparing home brew.
Why did Jesus’s parents go up to Jerusalem?
Jesus’s parents went up to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.
On the return journey, when Jesus’s parents realised he was not with their company, what did they
do?
They returned to Jerusalem, and searched for three days for him. They found him in Jerusalem in the Temple
courts. When Mary and Joseph found Jesus, he was sitting with the scribes and teachers, asking them questions
and answering the questions they posed.
Give one action by the candidates, and one by the Bishop, during the service of Confirmation.
The candidates come forward together. The bishop lays his hand on their heads in turn/prays for each in turn.
What does the Bishop or leader pray for?
The bishop or leader prays for the Holy Spirit to strengthen them.
What do Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah mean?
Bar Mitzvah means ‘son of the commandment’ and Bat Mitzvah means ‘daughter of the commandment’.

Theme 3
Name the Sacred Texts of the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims.
Jews: The Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament); Christians: the Bible and the Muslims: the Qur’an
(or Koran).
Give one example of how Jews honour the Torah.
The Torah used in worship is handwritten on scrolls/it is kept in a special cupboard in the synagogue/before
being read aloud, it is carried round the synagogue, with bells attached to the top of the scrolls tinkling/the
readers use a special pointer, to avoid touching the text with their hand.
Give one example of how Muslims honour the Qur’an.
In the mosques the Qur’an is only read in the original Arabic/only handwritten texts are used in worship.

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Give one example of how Christians honour the Bible.
The Bible used in public worship may be highly ornate, the cover even decorated with precious stones, especially
in Orthodox churches.
What does the Star of David represent to Jews?
It is a modern symbol of Judaism and is used as an emblem of the state of Israel.
What does the Crescent represent to Muslims?
It is used to represent Islam because the rising of the new moon marks the end of the fast of Ramadan.
What does the Dove represent to Christians?
It used to represent peace, because it was the dove that brought news to Noah that it would be safe to leave the
shelter of the Ark; used to represent the Holy Spirit because in the Gospels the Holy Spirit descended ‘like a
dove’ onto Jesus at his baptism.

Theme 4
Name three traditional festivals.
Day of the Herero; Samkhubis; Day of theCovenant/Kasinga Day/Day of Commemoration of the death of
Chief Hosea Kutako – any three.
Explain why the religious leaders of the time wanted Jesus crucified.
Those who had links with the traders in the Temple forecourt were annoyed with Jesus for upsetting trade; the
Scribes and Pharisees had been publicly attacked by Jesus in his teaching; the High Priest accused Jesus of
blasphemy.

Theme 5
What democratic rights do learners have?
Learners have the democratic right to come to school and to learn the same syllabus in whatever school they
are.
What obligations do these rights bring with them?
These rights bring with them an obligation for learners to study hard and do their homework.
In the story from Acts 6, which group was being unfairly treated?
In the story in Acts, the Hellenist widows were being unfairly treated (they too were Jews, but they spoke Greek
not Aramaic).
How did the Apostles handle the conflict?
The Twelve called the whole assembly of disciples to choose seven deacons.

Theme 6
Name the books of the Bible in which we learn about the Tree of Life.
The Book of Genesis, the Book of Revelation.
In the second of these two books, where does the Tree of Life grow?
The Tree grows on the banks of the River of Life.
In the faith of Islam, is it enough, just to plant a tree? What else should be done?
A new tree must be cared for and watered after it has been planted.
Who is it that decreed that there should be nature reserves around Makkah and Madina?
The prophet.
What is forbidden in these nature reserves?
Round Makkah, the game is not to be molested, nor the herbage cut.

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Which group of churches has started tree-planting in Zimbabwe?
The African Independent Churches.
How do they stress the link with their faith?
Tree-planting ceremonies are often linked to an outdoor service of worship and prayer.

Theme 7
What did the son ask his father to give to him?
The son asked to be given his share of the estate.
Where did he decide to live?
He decided to live in a distant land, where he could squander all his wealth.
Did he have any friends to help him, once he began to starve? If not, can you suggest why?
No, he had no friends left. They were not true friends, they only wanted his money.

GRADE 4

Theme 1
What work was Zephaniah Kameeta doing when he was consecrated as bishop?
He was working unpaid in the little town of Maltahöhe as a pastor.
How does Ketja behave when she finds her grandmother lying in her hut, almost burnt to death?
Ketja laughed loudly/behaved hysterically/behaved in a strange way.
How does the healer react to Ketja?
The healer douses Ketja with holy water/prays to the ancestors for her. Ketja feels much calmer/at peace with
herself/able to listen quietly.
Name three or more different kinds of African traditional religious leaders.
Medicine men/seers/diviners/priests/ritual elders/rain-makers.
How are medicine men trained, and how long is the training?
Medicine men are trained either by their parents or by attaching themselves to a skilled healer, sometimes for 10
years or more.
For how long did Mother Teresa teach in the Loreto convent school in Calcutta?
Mother Teresa taught in the Loreto Convent school for 22 years.
Which three groups of suffering people did she help especially?
Her homes particularly help destitute children, the dying, and lepers.
What possessions did Mother Teresa have when she died?
Her only possessions were a Bible, two saris, two buckets, and a pair of sandals.

Theme 2
Why is it important for the two families to meet each other, and to have their agreement to the
marriage?
It is important because a marriage is not just between two individuals, but between two families, and each owes
respect and love to the members of the other family, especially the parents.
What does lobola mean and why is it such a widespread custom?
Lobola is a price paid to the bride’s family. It is supposed to compensate the family for the loss of their daughter’s
labour.

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Where do you go for a civil marriage?
For a civil marriage you go to a Registry Office.
What do you need to take with you for a civil marriage?
You need to take a witness, and proof of identity.
In Jesus’s teaching, why does a man leave his father and mother?
In Jesus’s teaching, a man leaves his father and mother to be united with his wife and become one flesh with her.

Theme 3
Was Naaman a Jew or a foreigner? How was he cured of his leprosy?
Naaman was a Syrian. He was cured by dipping himself in the river Jordan.
Who did Philip baptise, and where?
Philip baptised an Ethiopian eunuch, in Samaria.
What happened to the people who were not in the Ark with Noah and his family?
They were all drowned.
Why did Jonah go on board a ship?
Jonah got on board a ship to escape from God.
What was it that Moses saw which made him curious?
Moses saw a bush that was on fire, but not burnt up.
What was he first told to do? What reason was given?
He was told to take off his shoes. This was because he was standing on holy ground.
Who was speaking to him, and where from?
God was speaking to him, out of the burning bush.
When Christ is depicted nailed to the cross, what does it represent?
It represents that He suffered for us.
When the cross is depicted as empty, what does it represent?
It represents the Resurrection.
What is different about the Eastern Church’s way of representing the cross?
Sometimes in the Eastern Church Christ is represented as nailed to the cross yet reigning in glory.

Theme 4
What did the Devil want Jesus to do in the desert?
The Devil wanted Jesus to turn stones into bread.
Why would that have been wrong?
‘Man does not live on bread alone.’
Where did the Devil take him next, and what was the second temptation?
The Devil took him to a high place, and offered him all he could see.
Where did the Devil take Jesus in Jerusalem, and what did he want him to do?
He took him to the pinnacle of the Temple, and asked him to throw himself down, to prove God would look after him.
Why do Muslims keep Ramadan?
Muslims keep Ramadan to remember the poor/to stop fighting and raiding/to recall that they are dependent upon
God.
How long is Ramadan?
Ramadan lasts one month.

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What do people give up during Ramadan?
People totally give up eating and drinking during the hours of daylight.
Which groups of Muslim people are not expected to fast?
Children, sick people, and expectant mothers are not expected to keep the fast.
Why do Christians observe Lent?
Christians observe Lent to think about their lives/lay their lives before God.
How long is Lent?
Lent lasts 40 days.

Theme 5
In the story about the spilt oil, why did Joan deny that she was the guilty one?
Joan denied that she was guilty, because she wanted people to think she was always good.
In the story about the starving family, in what way was the father dishonest?
The father pretended that his wife’s family said they could not help/he hid their gifts in the forest.
In the story about Joseph in Pharaoh’s court, what was Potiphar’s job?
Potiphar was captain of the guard.
How did he treat his slave, Joseph?
Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his household, and trusted him completely.
Why did Potiphar’s wife become angry with Joseph? Was it Joseph’s fault?
She was angry because he would not lie with her. No, it was not his fault.
When she took hold of his clothes, what did he do?
Joseph left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
What did she do next, and what did she say?
She called her servants, and told them Joseph had tried to assault her.
In the story from the New Testament, what did Ananias and Sapphira say they wanted to do?
They said they wanted to sell a piece of property and give the money to the apostles.
What did they actually do?
They secretly kept back some of the money for themselves.
What happened when they each realised their trick had been found out?
They were both so shocked that they fell down and died.

Theme 6
Name one practice that spoils the earth.
Overworking domestic animals/overworking the soil, so that it becomes exhausted.
Name three kinds of overworking of the land or destruction of the environment that can happen in
and around the villages.
Things that happen in and around villages: Chopping down trees/letting goats eat up young saplings/polluting
rivers with human waste-products/killing animals to make ornaments or fancy goods – any three.
Name three kinds of creatures that are killed to make ornaments and fancy goods.
Creatures killed to make fancy goods: elephants/crocodiles/ rhinos/whales/ seals/ostriches/snakes – any three.

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Theme 7
What was Simon Peter’s mother-in-law’s illness?
She had a high fever.
When Jesus had healed her, what did she do?
She got up, and immediately began serving people.
What afflicted the man called Legion, and what did he look like, as he came out of the tombs towards
Jesus?
The man was possessed by many devils, and he looked wild/fierce/clothed in rags.
What task did Jesus give to him, before he went back onto the boat?
Jesus asked him to tell everyone what great things had been done for him.
What was the reaction of people in the house of the ruler of the synagogue, when Jesus said, “She is
not dead, but sleeping”?
People in the house of Jairus laughed at Jesus and mocked him.
After Jesus had raised the child from death, what help did he ask from the parents?
Jesus told them to give the girl something to eat.
Why do two million people visit Vrindavan every year?
They go to Vrindavan on pilgrimage/ to visit the birthplace of Krishna.
What circles the holy hill of Krishna?
A path called the Pilgrims’ Way circles the holy hill of Krishna.
What do pilgrims and local residents do together, now, in Vrindavan?
Pilgrims and local residents work together to plant young trees and clear rubbish.

Theme 8
Why is Nicholas so upset?
Nicholas is upset because his parents have had a violent fight/they are always fighting.
Why are his parents fighting?
His parents are fighting because each is angry that the other is neglecting the family.
Name three rights of the child.
The right to a name. The right to food. The right to shelter. The right to medical care. The right to security. The
right to education. The right to protection. The right not to be exploited by being made to work before a certain
age. The right to freedom from fear of arrest or detention – any three.
Name three responsibilities.
A duty to care for and obey parents and teachers; a duty to help at home; a duty to care for smaller children; a
duty to care for their own bodies – any three.

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Bibliography

Breuilly, E. and M. Palmer ed. 1992. Christianity and ecology. London: Cassell.

Diescho, J. 1992. Troubled waters. Windhoek: Gamsberg Macmillan.

Education for human rights and democracy in Southern Africa: a teacher’s resource manual pp 33-35. 1999.
Morrison, K. (ed.). Windhoek: Longman Namibia.

Fazlun, K. and O’Brien. J. 1992. Islam And Ecology. London: Cassesll.

In: 5 April 2002 edition of the Namibian newspaper. Front-page photograph of a lioness with a young oryx (gemsbok).

Hallam, D.G. 2000. Spiritual values for earth community. Geneva: World Council of Churches Publications.

Hiyalwa, K. 2000. Meekulu’s Children pp. 21, 34, 82. Windhoek: New Namibia Books.

Judaism and ecology. 1992. Rose, A. (ed.). London: Cassell (Worldwide Fund for Nature).

Manasse, R. 1996. Oshimanya. In: The Moon People and other Namibian stories. Windhoek: New Namibia Books
(Namibia Oral Tradition Project).

Mbiti, J.S. 1991. Introduction to African religions pp. 53-157. Oxford: Heinemann.

Namhila, E.N. 2001. The Price of Freedom pp. 15-16. Windhoek: New Namibia Books.

Oshikango, F.K. 1999. Friendship makes you strong. In: Oral Tradition Stories told in Namibia. Windhoek: New
Namibia Books (Namibia Oral Tradition Project).

Prime, R. 1992. Hinduism and ecology. London: Cassell.

Shityuwete, Helao. 1992. Never follow the wolf. London: Cliptown Books.

In: Sister Namibia. Vol. 14:1, January/February 2002 (also in Lutheran World Information, No. 03/2002)

Taylor, Ina. 2000. Judaism. Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes.

Van Wyk, B-E and N. Gericke. 2000. People’s Plants: a guide to useful plants in Southern Africa. Pretoria: Briza
Publications and a series by Luise Hoffman published in The Namibian newspaper)

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Bishop Zephaniah Kameeta

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Bishop Desmond Tutu

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Copyright by Marie Constantin

Mother Teresa

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