Wiltshire RE Starter StimulusStarter ideas for the following key question from the 2011 Agreed Syllabus:

KS1.10 How do we show we care for others?

This simple idea can be used as a way in to this question with young children. Thinking about treasure and money can help to get children to think about what is important to them. The idea of being generous, set out in many religious traditions, can help children to think about ways of caring for others.

Examples of children’s work are given as stimulus for class talk.

Notes can be found with some slides; suggestions for using the resource can be found on slides 16 & 17.

© Wiltshire Council /RE Today Services 2011

Do you have any treasures?

The greatest treasure in my family

Here is something of mine I would not sell for any money:

Having money matters because

Something that is worth more than any money:

If I had £100 I would Being generous matters because

Treasure and money: what’s the difference?

Some thoughts about treasure, money and generosity

Jesus said: where your treasure is,

that is where your heart is too.

The Buddha said: “The wise are generous,

and they go to a happier world.

The Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] taught his followers: “Do not shut your purse to the poor, then God will give you his blessings.’

Jesus said: God loves a cheerful

giver. Be generous and others will be generous to you.

1. What matters most?Gather some of the ideas from your class talk together and make a list of things that are important to the children in your class.

Put these ideas on cards and give them to children, or put them into boxes on the whiteboard for whole class talk. Give pairs of children a target board and ask them to place five of the cards on the target: one right in the centre (most important to them), two on the next ring (important) and two on the outer ring (not so important).

Here are two ways of using this resource:

2. Showing we careTalk about the great ideas and kind, generous thoughts your children have had. Ask them to come up with one thing that they can do for someone else to show that they care. It might be for a friend, or a grown-up at school, or someone in their family, or neighbourhood – or for someone in need in another country. Ask children to do this one thing, and then come back and talk about what happened, how they felt, what impact it had, etc.