How should we live our lives? The children can examine various life choices and consider what they would choose and why.
The second lesson plan examines a man named Zacchaeus, who was known for his greed and dishonesty, cheating people out of their money, until he met Jesus…
Table of Contents:
1. Teacher’s background information.
Some people live for the moment without considering how that might impact other people.
Others waste their lives hoping to win the Lottery, and then everything would be okay, but they do not enjoy what they have got at the moment.
Another group of people enjoy helping others in a worse state than themselves.
Adults and children have to make moral decisions regularly, so how do we choose what is best for us, and other people?
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2a. Lesson plans and resources for Lifestyle and moral principles
[a] Lifestyle and Moral Principles Primary School. The lesson plan is a downloadable PDF document to present to the children. (Opens in a new tab.)
[b] Lifestyle and Moral Principles Primary School RE Lesson Plan, is a PowerPoint presentation viewable or downloadable for teachers to show the children. (Opens in a new tab on www.slideshare.net) (Same material as the PDF above).
[c] Lifestyle and Moral Principles Primary School RE Lesson Plan video based on a PowerPoint presentation. Created with 5-second slides, so pause the video to enable the children to study each slide: (Same material as the PowerPoint above).
[d] Free children’s song and videos:
‘Without grumbling or arguing’ song.
A cartoon video of Adam and Eve choosing to disobey.
A puppet video of Cain choosing to kill his brother Abel.
A puppet video on the evil plan to throw Daniel into the den of lions.
2b. Lesson plans and resources for Managing money and riches -Zacchaeus
[a] Managing money and riches -Zacchaeus. The lesson plan is a downloadable PDF document to present to the children. (Opens in a new tab.)
[b] Managing money and riches -Zacchaeus Primary School RE Lesson Plan is a PowerPoint presentation viewable or downloadable for teachers to show the children. (Opens in a new tab on www.slideshare.net) (Same material as the PDF above).
[c] Managing money and riches -Zacchaeus Primary School RE Lesson Plan video based on a PowerPoint presentation. Created with 5-second slides, so pause the video to enable the children to study each slide: (Same material as the PDF above).
[d] Free children’s song and video about Zacchaeus:
‘Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man’ song.
‘God’s Story: Zacchaeus’ video.
3a. Children’s songs and videos for Lifestyle and moral principles:
A song about not grumbling…
‘Without grumbling or arguing, but shining like stars’ By Slugs and Bugs.
Adam and Eve chose to disobey God cartoon video (4.41 minutes long)
Cain chose to kill his brother Abel. Puppet video (6.37 minutes long)
The evil plan to throw Daniel into the den of lions. Puppet video (5.6 minutes long)
3b. Children’s songs and videos for Zacchaeus lesson plan:
‘Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man’ song
A simple, short children’s song: ‘Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man’ By Jacqueline Hegarty.
‘God’s Story: Zacchaeus’
The short story of Zacchaeus. By Crossroads Kids’ Club.
Zacchaeus was a tax collector who had no friends because he took people’s money to make himself rich. Jesus showed him love, and it changed his life.
When Zacchaeus realised that Jesus loved him even though he had messed up, he wanted to show that kind of love to others.
4. How to fulfil the locally agreed syllabus for ‘Lifestyle and moral principles’ lesson plan
Hopefully, you will be able to match your local agreed syllabus with what is here.
This lesson plan is based on the UK RE Attainment Targets.
Here is the Mapping Grid for the Attainment Target Categories:
- Sacred Texts – stories, scriptures, parables, teachings
- Beliefs – ideas about God, truth, meaning, purpose
- Practices – worship, prayer, festivals, rituals, lifestyle
- Identity – belonging, community, worldview, personal reflection
- Values – moral ideas, attitudes, virtues
- Living – how beliefs affect actions and everyday life
🎯 Why This Grid Works for UK Schools
✔ Matches Agreed Syllabus expectations
✔ Supports progression from KS1 to KS2
✔ Aligns with Ofsted language (knowledge, understanding, impact)
✔ Works for lesson planning, assessment, and inspection evidence
✔ Non-political, non-denominational, UK-appropriate
For many local syllabi, in KS1, Christianity plus at least one other major religion is studied.
Effective RE should combine:
- knowledge (stories, beliefs, practices)
- understanding (why people believe/do what they do)
- reflection (personal response, values, empathy).
Typical Key Questions for KS1
Here are common “core/enquiry” questions or themes that appear in most KS1 agreed syllabi:
- “Who am I?” (Identity).
- “What does it mean to belong?” (Belonging).
- “What makes some people so important?” (Important people).
- “Where did we come from / how did the world begin?” (Simple beliefs).
- “What makes some stories so important to different people?” (Sacred books).
- “Why are festivals, symbols or special stories important?” (Stories & moral values).
- “Why are some places so important?” (Important places).
These then required merging within the Assessment Aims, but as can be seen, there had to be some overlapping of the themes/core questions:
- ASSESSMENT AIM: 1. SACRED TEXTS (Stories, Scriptures, parables & teachings) – [SACRED TEXTS & WHO AM I?]
- ASSESSMENT AIMS: 2. BELIEFS (Ideas about God, truth, meaning & purpose) – CREATION & IMPORTANT PEOPLE]
- ASSESSMENT AIM: 3. PRACTICES (worship, prayer, festivals, rituals & lifestyle) – [FESTIVALS & PLACES]
- ASSESSMENT AIM: 4. IDENTITY (belonging, community, worldview & personal reflection) – [BELONGING & IDENTITY]
- ASSESSMENT AIMS: 5. VALUES (moral ideas, attitudes, virtues, right & wrong) – [FESTIVALS & BELONGING]
- ASSESSMENT AIMS: 6. LIVING (how beliefs affect actions and everyday life) – [IMPORTANT PEOPLE & FESTIVALS]
Each assessment had its own set of questions to answer. These are included in each lesson plan, which is suitable for that particular subject.