Big Questions Big Answers Vol. 4 – Investigating Worship
Theme: Investigating Worship
The fourth volume in the Big Questions Big Answers series provides a variety of well-resourced, knowledge rich and inspiring strategies for teaching about worship.
This book offers clear and knowledge rich substantive content about the practice of worship for Christians, Jews and Muslims and focuses on celebrations and worship in New Year festivals such as Diwali.
The units and resources cover Christian, Hindu, Jewish and Muslim worldviews and we look at the non-religious celebrations at New Year. For younger children we explore worship through the eyes of Grace and Imran. We also look at what happens in Sunday worship at a Church and a Saturday Shabbat service at a Synagogue with a set of contemporary photos.
Join here if you’re not a NATRE member or buy the book.
Select a topic to explore resources
- Investigator briefing: worship
- How do Christians and Muslims worship God?
- What happens during worship at a church and a synagogue?
- How and why do people celebrate and worship at new year?
- Worship within religions: what is similar and what is different?
- Are there similarities and differences in prayer in different traditions?
1.1 Teaching and learning approach
Member Only Content
This content is available exclusively for members. Not yet registered? Sign up today.
Investigating Worship Unit 1: Investigator briefing
- Internal
Investigating Worship Unit 1: Investigator briefingBriefing students on the fundamental concepts of worship across different religious traditions.
External links
- ExternalTeachers will find it helpful to search on RE:QUEST for Church ‘virtual tours’.
- ExternalA Baptist church with a suitable web photo tour.
- ExternalA site which lists all the mosques in your area – and in the UK.
- ExternalSong about the phrase Alhamdulillah which means ‘Praise be to God’
- ExternalShort clip from the BBC about prayer in a mosque.
Member Only Content
This content is available exclusively for members. Not yet registered? Sign up today.
PowerPoint presentation: How do Christians and Muslims worship God?
- Internal
How do Christians and Muslims worship God?PowerPoint comparing Christian and Muslim worship practices.
Photos from Resource 2.1 for the whiteboard: Places of worship
- Internal
Places of worship photos BQBA4 (2.1)Places of Worship Photos RE resource. A structured tool for exploring the significance and design of sacred spaces in world religions.
Images for the whiteboard from Resource 2.3: Grace and Imran
- Internal
Grace and Imran pictures BQBA4 (2.3)Imof Grace and Imran for discussing worship and family values.
Investigating Worship Unit 2: How do Christians and Muslims worship God?
- Internal
Investigating Worship Unit 2: How do Christians and Muslims worship God?Comparing worship practices in Christianity and Islam to understand distinct and shared rituals.
External links
- ExternalFor teachers: what is worship for Christians? Worship, on the RE:QUEST website
- ExternalFor pupils: parts of the synagogue The synagogue - KS2 Religious Education - BBC Bitesize
Member Only Content
This content is available exclusively for members. Not yet registered? Sign up today.
PowerPoint presentation: What happens during worship at a church and a synagogue?
- Internal
What happens during worship at a church and a synagogue?Discover what happens during worship at a church and a synagogue, exploring key rituals, prayers, and practices in Christianity and Judaism.
Investigating Worship Unit 3: What happens during worship at a church and a synagogue?
- Internal
Investigating Worship Unit 3: What happens during worship at a church and a synagogue?Discovering the elements of worship in churches and synagogues, including rituals and community roles.
Film clips and photos showing new year celebrations:
- ExternalHow do people celebrate New Year around the world? - CBBC Newsround
- ExternalBBC Two - My Life, My Religion: Hinduism, Diwali
- ExternalReligious Studies KS2: Celebrating Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) - BBC Teach
Member Only Content
This content is available exclusively for members. Not yet registered? Sign up today.
4.3 Fact file about Rosh Hashanah
- Internal
Fact file about Rosh Hashanah (4.3)Primary fact file introducing Rosh Hashanah and its traditions.
Investigating Worship Unit 4: How and why do people celebrate and worship at new year?
- Internal
Investigating Worship Unit 4: How and why do people celebrate and worship at new year?Exploring New Year celebrations across cultures and religions, examining rituals and symbolism.
External links
- ExternalExplanation of communion Church: Communion on RE:QUEST website
- ExternalFilm of a eucharist service: Roman Catholic Mass on the RE:QUEST website
- ExternalFilm of a eucharist service: A Day in the Life of a Christian Vicar (Anglican) on TrueTube
Last Supper story retold - choose a version suitable for your pupils:
- ExternalEaster: Maundy Thursday - RE:QUEST
- ExternalThe Last Supper 2014 - TrueTube
- ExternalThe Gospel of Luke - The Last Supper - TrueTube (from 4 minutes 55 seconds to 9 minutes 32 seconds)
Member Only Content
This content is available exclusively for members. Not yet registered? Sign up today.
PowerPoint presentation: Worship within religions: what is similar and what is different? (supports the activities on pp 21-22, 24)
- Internal
Worship within religions: what is similar and what is different?Comparative approach to worship across religions for better understanding.
Investigating Worship Unit 5: Worship within religions
- Internal
Investigating Worship Unit 5: Worship within religionsExamining worship within and across religions, exploring prayer, music, meditation, and gatherings.
External links
- ExternalHindu peace prayers
- ExternalGayatri Mantra
- ExternalPsychology research paper by Kevin L Ladd and Bernard Spilka, ‘Inward, outward, upward prayer: scale reliability and validation’, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 2006
eResources
- ExternalInvestigator profiles: Religious studies
- ExternalInvestigator profiles: Psychology
- External6.4 Voices from three traditions (7 sheets, to support step 4)
- External6.5 Psychology research paper
- External6.6 Additional information for teachers, Jewish prayer
- External6.7 Lanyard template
Member Only Content
This content is available exclusively for members. Not yet registered? Sign up today.
Investigating Worship Pupil booklet (BQBA4)
- Internal
Investigating Worship Pupil booklet (BQBA4)Exploring the significance of worship, rituals, and symbols across various faiths. - Internal
Investigating Worship Unit 6: Multidisciplinary RETaking a multidisciplinary approach to worship, combining theology, psychology, and cultural perspectives.
Select a topic to explore resources
Investigator briefing: worshipHow do Christians and Muslims worship God?What happens during worship at a church and a synagogue?How and why do people celebrate and worship at new year?Worship within religions: what is similar and what is different?Are there similarities and differences in prayer in different traditions?
1.1 Teaching and learning approach
Member Only Content
Investigating Worship Unit 1: Investigator briefing
- Internal Investigating Worship Unit 1: Investigator briefingBriefing students on the fundamental concepts of worship across different religious traditions.
External links
- ExternalTeachers will find it helpful to search on RE:QUEST for Church ‘virtual tours’.
- ExternalA Baptist church with a suitable web photo tour.
- ExternalA site which lists all the mosques in your area – and in the UK.
- ExternalSong about the phrase Alhamdulillah which means ‘Praise be to God’
- ExternalShort clip from the BBC about prayer in a mosque.
Member Only Content
PowerPoint presentation: How do Christians and Muslims worship God?
- Internal How do Christians and Muslims worship God?PowerPoint comparing Christian and Muslim worship practices.
Photos from Resource 2.1 for the whiteboard: Places of worship
- Internal Places of worship photos BQBA4 (2.1)Places of Worship Photos RE resource. A structured tool for exploring the significance and design of sacred spaces in world religions.
Images for the whiteboard from Resource 2.3: Grace and Imran
- Internal Grace and Imran pictures BQBA4 (2.3)Imof Grace and Imran for discussing worship and family values.
Investigating Worship Unit 2: How do Christians and Muslims worship God?
- Internal Investigating Worship Unit 2: How do Christians and Muslims worship God?Comparing worship practices in Christianity and Islam to understand distinct and shared rituals.
External links
- ExternalFor teachers: what is worship for Christians? Worship, on the RE:QUEST website
- ExternalFor pupils: parts of the synagogue The synagogue - KS2 Religious Education - BBC Bitesize
Member Only Content
PowerPoint presentation: What happens during worship at a church and a synagogue?
- Internal What happens during worship at a church and a synagogue?Discover what happens during worship at a church and a synagogue, exploring key rituals, prayers, and practices in Christianity and Judaism.
Investigating Worship Unit 3: What happens during worship at a church and a synagogue?
- Internal Investigating Worship Unit 3: What happens during worship at a church and a synagogue?Discovering the elements of worship in churches and synagogues, including rituals and community roles.
Film clips and photos showing new year celebrations:
- ExternalHow do people celebrate New Year around the world? - CBBC Newsround
- ExternalBBC Two - My Life, My Religion: Hinduism, Diwali
- ExternalReligious Studies KS2: Celebrating Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) - BBC Teach
Member Only Content
4.3 Fact file about Rosh Hashanah
- Internal Fact file about Rosh Hashanah (4.3)Primary fact file introducing Rosh Hashanah and its traditions.
Investigating Worship Unit 4: How and why do people celebrate and worship at new year?
- Internal Investigating Worship Unit 4: How and why do people celebrate and worship at new year?Exploring New Year celebrations across cultures and religions, examining rituals and symbolism.
External links
- ExternalExplanation of communion Church: Communion on RE:QUEST website
- ExternalFilm of a eucharist service: Roman Catholic Mass on the RE:QUEST website
- ExternalFilm of a eucharist service: A Day in the Life of a Christian Vicar (Anglican) on TrueTube
Last Supper story retold - choose a version suitable for your pupils:
- ExternalEaster: Maundy Thursday - RE:QUEST
- ExternalThe Last Supper 2014 - TrueTube
- ExternalThe Gospel of Luke - The Last Supper - TrueTube (from 4 minutes 55 seconds to 9 minutes 32 seconds)
Member Only Content
PowerPoint presentation: Worship within religions: what is similar and what is different? (supports the activities on pp 21-22, 24)
- Internal Worship within religions: what is similar and what is different?Comparative approach to worship across religions for better understanding.
Investigating Worship Unit 5: Worship within religions
- Internal Investigating Worship Unit 5: Worship within religionsExamining worship within and across religions, exploring prayer, music, meditation, and gatherings.
External links
- ExternalHindu peace prayers
- ExternalGayatri Mantra
- ExternalPsychology research paper by Kevin L Ladd and Bernard Spilka, ‘Inward, outward, upward prayer: scale reliability and validation’, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 2006
eResources
- InternalInvestigator profiles: Religious studies
- InternalInvestigator profiles: Psychology
- Internal6.4 Voices from three traditions (7 sheets, to support step 4)
- Internal6.5 Psychology research paper
- Internal6.6 Additional information for teachers, Jewish prayer
- Internal6.7 Lanyard template
Member Only Content
Investigating Worship Pupil booklet (BQBA4)
- Internal Investigating Worship Pupil booklet (BQBA4)Exploring the significance of worship, rituals, and symbols across various faiths.
- Internal Investigating Worship Unit 6: Multidisciplinary RETaking a multidisciplinary approach to worship, combining theology, psychology, and cultural perspectives.
