RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

LIVING AS A BUDDHIST

HOME LEARNING

YEAR 7

Name _________________________________________________

Tutor Group _________________________________________________

Teacher _________________________________________________

Given out: Monday 11 March Hand in: Monday 18 March

Staff Comment:

Parent/ Carer Comment:

Target:

Dear Year 7

Here is your first Home Learning Booklet for Religious Education. You have one week in which to

complete all the tasks in the booklet, and this will support your learning in class. You should aim

to spend around 5 hours in total, completing all the tasks and making sure that you put as much

effort into each task as possible.

Once you have completed the booklet and handed it in it will be assessed and you will be given an

effort grade and, where possible, a level.

During the week, if you have any problems with anything inside this booklet, please come and see

me and ask for help if necessary.

Finally, make sure you try and enjoy completing these exercises!

Ms Flower

Homework Aims & Objectives a) To understand how behaviour, tradition and beliefs can affect people’s identity and personality. b) To empathise and reflect on how being a Buddhist affects day-to-day life. c) To consider the personal and spiritual value of prayer and meditation to Buddhists.

Skills you will learn whilst completing this homework:

Empathy

Knowledge Understanding

Evaluation of opinions and ideas

SET 4 – try tasks 3, 4 and 5. If you want to do more then that would be great!

Task One- The Buddhist Stilling Exercise

Try and find somewhere quiet (your bedroom or somewhere peaceful in your garden maybe) where you can sit for around 10-15 minutes alone. Once you are sitting there, make sure you won’t be disturbed (ask your friends and family to leave you alone for a bit!) and get yourself comfortable. Close your eyes if you like and then relax….. Try to remove all negative and horrible thoughts from your mind and focus on positive things for example sunlight, calm, nature, the stars at night, clouds floating across the sky, happiness….. Whilst you are doing this, try and stay relaxed, breathe deeply in and out, slowly, focusing on your positive thoughts….. Stay like this for around 10 minutes, or longer, depending on how long you can concentrate!

In the thought bubble above, record what you were thinking and how you felt during the exercise – be honest – some people find this much more difficult than others! If you felt uncomfortable and fidgety, say so - but remember to explain WHY you felt uncomfortable and fidgety!

TASK TWO

Task Two- The Noble Eightfold Path. Read through the following information (we have covered this in class so you should remember some of it) and then answer the questions.

The Noble Eightfold Path The Noble Eightfold Path is also known as the Middle Way. It shows eight ways for people to live. The Buddha said that people should try to follow all these paths. The Eight Paths are:

Right Understanding- understanding the Four Noble Truths, having a true understanding of an issue e.g. understanding life.

Right Thought/ Attitude - thinking good, kind thoughts and having a positive attitude.

Right Speech- not telling lies or saying unkind things.

Right Action- behaving thoughtfully and kindly towards others.

Right Work- doing a job that doesn’t involve harming others or the environment.

Right Effort- trying hard to do good things.

Right Mindfulness- thinking carefully before you speak or act.

Right Concentration- using meditation to help train your mind. This helps to make you a peaceful person.

The Noble Eightfold Path Activity

Write any answers as sentences. Answer all these questions in the space provided.

1. Which of the steps would be easiest to follow and which would be the most difficult?

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2. Draw a diagram to show the eight steps of the Eightfold Path.

(Buddhists often use a wheel with eight spokes)

3. Which steps on the Path would tell a Buddhist: a) To do his/her best and not call other people names? b) To be kind to animals? c) Not to kill anything? d) Not to drink alcohol or take drugs?

My Eightfold Path diagram

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4. Name four jobs you can think of that would support the ‘Right’ Work. Answer

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5. Draw a picture showing your own idea of Enlightenment or perfect peace. My idea of enlightenment or perfect peace:

Use a separate sheet of paper if necessary and hand in with booklet.

Task Three- The Four Noble Truths.

The Four Noble Truths

Task 3A Fill in the blanks to complete the Four Noble Truths and write them out properly underneath. 1) Th r w ll alw ys b suff rin in life or a feel ng th t life is n t p rf ct.

2) Suff rin is caused by w nting mor and mor th ngs. This causes unh ppin ss b c

se th ngs r alw ys ch ng ng.

3) Acc pt th t th ngs ch nge and try not to w nt th ngs all the time.

4) Foll w the adv ce giv n in the Noble Eightfold Path.

TASK 3B Think of three things you want that you think would make you happy. Write them in the table below and explain why you want them. Then, using the Four Noble Truths, explain why a Buddhist would argue that having these things would not really make you happy permanently.

What I want… Why I want it… Why a Buddhist would say it won’t make me happy…

Task Four- Write a poem. Write a poem about Buddhism. The poem can take any form you like, but you must try to include some of the teachings you have learnt about and, perhaps, something that you particularly like about the religion. Use the draft section to brainstorm your poem ideas. Use the picture on the next page as your background. When you have completed your poem, colour and decorate the ‘My Poem’ page. Draft/ Poem Brainstorming

My Poem

Task Five- Write a letter. Your final task is to write a letter to a friend. Imagine you were a young Buddhist and had to live day-to-day trying to follow the Buddha’s teachings. The friend you are writing to has no idea what it is like to be a Buddhist, and therefore you must explain to them what your life is like. Try to include examples of how you should behave (e.g. being a vegetarian) and explain why you should do certain things. DON’T just make a long list of things Buddhists do, remember to JUSTIFY them (explain why). Explain what your day is like; what you do, what a temple is like, what sort of things you try to do and what sort of jobs your parents may have as Buddhists. Remember spelling, grammar and try to use religious words correctly e.g. Buddhism, Buddha, and the Eightfold Path. Spend 45 minutes to 1 hour on this part of the homework including planning and preparation. (Use a separate sheet if you need to.)

Self Evaluation of my Homework

I am a R____________________ learner. I know this because:

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I believe that my effort and attitude to learning for this booklet is a:

1 2 3 4

I know this because:

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