Teachers of RE KS2/KS3

[LaBelleDameSansPatience]

For reasons too complicated to explain, I will be teaching the story of Noah's ark to Y5/6 next term. Obviously, I will have to approach it is a far more complex manner than the normal KS1 activities. Has anyone any ideas for an interesting take on the story at y6 level? I am particularly interested in RE ideas; I know that there are lots of great cross-curricular things to do with the story.

[Wellthen]

I think the key point here is that the story is about redemption - not water or animals! It can be easy to make cross curricular links that actually take away from the meaning of the story.

You could show them clips from Evan Almighty which is basically the same story but modernised with the guy from the American Office. Use the clips to show how mad people think he is and how even he is reluctant at first. But ultimately he trusts in God and is saved.

With this age range I think its always great to just start with 'what does the story mean?' they are old enough now to get that it doesnt really mean 'if you are bad God will flood the world'. You could do a fact finding mission: What does the story tell us about...
God? - He is powerful, he is forgiving, he makes and keeps promises, he loves his people
Man? - Christians must trust God even when those around them don't
Animals? - It refers to the Jewish Kosher laws with unclean and clean animals.

Cross curricularly (if it isnt a word it should be) I might relate it to dilema stories, facing difficulty, Historical figures who have faced difficulty. It kind of depends what other units you're doing. At a push you could do some area, perimeter and volume work on the 'ark' but again I think that takes away from the actual point of the story. It is't (in my belief) supposed to be scientifically acurate.

[LaBelleDameSansPatience]

Wellthen, I agree that xcurricular links can trivialise a subject (but I can rarely resist them!)

That is why I was consulting the collective wisdom of MN; to get some more sophisticated views.

[PotteringAlong]

Go onto the natre website - look at the spirited arts project. Sons good ideas there

[LaBelleDameSansPatience]

Off to natre website!

[CountingClouds]

Assuming you are teaching the story as a literal event, it would be good to see a balanced view given. On the one hand god saved a few people and animals. On the other hand god committed genocide by drowning the entire human race... but that's ok because he promised not to do it again and made a nice rainbow to prove he meant it. ;)

Just let them watch Evan Almighty and leave it at that.

[mummytime]

My kids school spend a term on this in year 3 - there are lots of extra things you can do from measuring the Ark in cubits, talking about the animals, or comparing with other flood stories.

[PotteringAlong]

Ooh, yes to other flood stories (I'm a secondary RE teacher but sometimes go into primary schools in our catchment to do some year 5 and 6 RE so shamelessly looking for ideas here!)

You could look at the idea of stewardship too - the idea of looking after the world for the next generation - and bring in stuff about the environment?

[LaBelleDameSansPatience]

Clouds, no, not teaching it as a literal event. Teaching that some people believe that it really happened and some don't. The children will spot the point you made too.

Pottering, we will also be linking to ideas about stewardship and the environment; it was these possibilities that made me so keen to do this topic.

[SuffolkNYoni]

I tend to use the (edited) Eddie Izzard version of Noah's Ark with Sean Connery as Noah.

It opens up an interesting debate about evil and good and whether evil is a solely human trait etc.

Not so suitable for KS2 though!

[PotteringAlong]

Suffolk, I've never seen that! I'm off to google...

[CountingClouds]

what about teaching the historical or scientific facts that Noah's flood was really a localized event of less than epic proportions?

[LaBelleDameSansPatience]

Good idea, Clouds - don't know how I am going to fit it all in!