Religions, Beliefs and Viewpoints

Presentation 2: Which religions, beliefs and viewpoints are present in our local area?

Lesson Aim:

Identify which beliefs, religion and viewpoints are currently represented in our local area.

Identify ways in which we identify religions, beliefs and viewpoints and how we group and classify them.

Your Task:You have been divided into groups of four. These are ‘cooperative groups’. Your groupof four will become “experts” on a particularbelief, religion or viewpoint which is represented inour local area.

You can choose from the following:Church of Scotland, Roman Catholic, OtherChristian, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, Jewish, Hindu,Pagan, Humanist

Now that you have chosen your focus, you should conduct research using the internet and other resources available in the department.

You should work to create a visual (poster, power point etc.) which the group will then use to share your findings with the rest of the class.

Some questions for your to consider:1. How can you identify which groups are in your local area?2. What are the key features of the religion, belief or viewpoint you have

selected?3. How much variety of religion, belief and viewpoints is present in your local

area?4. What is the geographical spread of religion, beliefs and viewpoints in your

local area?5. How did the religion, belief or viewpoint you have selected come to be

present in your local area?

Throughout your research you should consider:•What sources of evidence have you used and how reliable are they?•What level of diversity of religion, beliefs and viewpoints is present in our local area?•What preconceptions do you have about religion, beliefs and viewpoints and how far is this challenged as you carry out your research?•In what ways has your understanding of religion, beliefs and viewpoints deepened as a result of your research?

PresentationsYour findings should now be presented.

• While you are listening to the other presentations, you should take notes of their findings in your personal folders for evidence. Your notes should include:

1. Facts and figures about the religion, belief or viewpoint2. What you already knew about this religion, belief or viewpoint3. How what you have learned adds to/challenges what you already knew

• You should also keep a note of how your own views about the place of religion, beliefs and viewpoints in our local area is challenged by the presentations you observe