This lesson planning page takes you through the lesson materials for EYFS, Branch 1, Learning Focus 2.
Before you begin, make sure you have watched the EYFS Branch 1 Overview videos, which introduce the key themes to draw out across all Learning Focuses within Branch 1.
If you have already seen these videos, feel free to skip on to the next section.
Take a look at the following key information about Learning Focus 2, which includes all the links and documents you need to plan your session:
Branch 1
Creation and Covenant
Learning Focus 2
Catholics believe that…God made you and me.
Teaching time
Approximately 2.5 hours
Downloads
Lesson Plan Template
EYFS | B1 | LF2
Assessment Framework
EYFS | B1
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You might like to use our Lesson Plan Template for EYFS Branch 1 Learning Focus 2 to make your own notes/plan as you go along. This template is pre-populated a list of titles of available lesson materials. The rest of the document is left blank for you to complete.
Learning Focus 2 helps pupils to understand that God, who made the tallest mountains and deepest seas, also made you and me and cares for each one of us equally.
Activities within this session explore our differences, celebrating that God made us all unique and all ‘good’. Continue cultivating the sense of awe and wonder in response to God’s Creation that was begun in Learning Focus 1.
Throughout this Learning Focus, be particularly sensitive to children who might feel different in one way or another; this could be a good opportunity for them to recognise or talk about their differences and be affirmed in their goodness.
The lesson material activities outlined below are designed to invite children into awe and wonder, to create, play and explore through active learning and to develop critical thinking skills. Alongside these activities, you might find the following ‘wondering questions’ to be useful. These are related to the RED Ways of Knowing, and aim to help support your professional assessment of individual pupil progress with the content in Learning Focus 2. The questions should also help you to tailor teaching according to the children in your class.
This programme is designed to help children achieve the RED Ways of Knowing, but is also related to the EYFS Learning Goals. Download the Assessment Framework from the menu above, which displays the Ways of Knowing and Learning Goals. For each Learning Focus, every activity is mapped to the EYFS Learning Goals, to help guide your assessment.
There are 8 activities that you can use as building blocks to create your own sessions. These are explored within this section.
These activities have been planned to utilise the screen, but they all also rely on off-screen facilitation. Lots of ideas are offered throughout so you can choose the best options for your class.
‘God Made You and Me’ is within the Hear Knowledge Lens and provides an opportunity for pupils to recall and reread the story of Creation. Remember that you can read the whole Scripture from Genesis 1:1-2:3 or just Genesis 1:31, but ensure you read it from the Bible.
Highlight that God says we are ‘good’ and discuss with pupils how that feels to hear.
You might also like to explore some retellings of the Genesis story, including from The Jesus Storybook Bible and ‘When God Made You’ by Matthew Paul Turner.
This activity offers pupils the opportunity to recall, read, explore, share and talk about.
‘Different and Good’ is a film which is within the Believe Knowledge Lens. It helps pupils begin to think about how:
The film also introduces in a simple way the concept of ‘dignity’ as a special way to describe what it means for us to be all different and all good. You might want to explore this further with children after the film ends.
For pupils working at a deeper level, this could also be a good opportunity to discuss how we should treat one another in light of the fact that we all have dignity: we can uphold one another’s dignity – we can remember that we each have dignity – for example by respecting each other, being kind and caring, being polite and listening carefully.
This activity offers pupils the opportunity to recognise, talk about and explore.
The next activity is within both the Believe and Live Knowledge Lenses. Equipped with the knowledge that we are all different, ‘Made In His Image’ helps pupils to recognise one thing that we all have in common: we are all made in the image and likeness of God.
You might like to explore this more through the story ‘God’s Very Big Idea’ by Trillia Newbell, though we suggest just watching until 2:34, after which the scope of the story becomes a little more complex.
Encourage children to be curious and use mirrors to explore what they look like. Ask them to name the colour of their eyes, hair and skin – noticing the things they have in common and the things that are different.
Then invite pupils to make a piece of art showing what they look like, perhaps using paint on paper plates or natural objects to create a collage.
This activity offers pupils the opportunity to read, explore, recognise, name, label and express themselves.
‘You and Me’ is within the Live Knowledge Lens and invites pupils to consider more deeply their similarities and differences – beyond just what they look like.
You might find that children don’t understand why someone might not like the same things as them – reiterate that this is good, as God made us all different! Encourage a culture of curiosity, for example asking more about what someone else likes and why they like it.
This activity offers pupils the opportunity to recognise, name, label and express themselves.
‘He Knows Your Name’ is within the Live Knowledge Lens and helps pupils to understand that God created us and knows every part of us – He knows our name and He loves us.
To embed this knowledge, and linking in with literacy skills, practise different creative ways of children spelling out their names.
There is an option to explore the deeper meanings of our names too, though please be cautious around cultural sensitivities. A good resource to explore name meanings is here.
For pupils working at a deeper level, you might like to explore Psalm 139, written by King David, which speaks more about how God knew us before we were born.
This activity offers pupils the opportunity to recognise, retell, talk about, match and sequence.
Also within the Live Knowledge Lens, ‘Me Soup’ invites pupils to imagine they are chefs making a delicious soup – but the ingredients are all the things that make up who they are!
Reiterate that we are all unique and like different things – and we are all good.
Their ‘Me Soup’ might include small world items or pictures of things that they like, for example, food, toys, sports, family, friends and music.
Some children might enjoy the challenge of writing a list of their ingredients, or even recipe instructions including more abstract components such as ‘a spoonful of kindness’ or a ‘sprinkle of fun’.
This activity offers pupils the opportunity to recognise, label, name, talk about and express themselves.
‘See the Good’ is the last activity within the Live Knowledge Lens for Learning Focus 2.
In it, children are invited to see the good in one another. For example:
This activity offers pupils the opportunity to recognise, talk about and label.
Finally, ‘The Sign of the Cross’ is within the Celebrate Knowledge Lens.
This was first introduced in Learning Focus 1, and this is a chance to consolidate knowledge and prayerfully practise it.
Invite children to recall it, and if you wish, watch the video again.
Please be aware that it won’t be appropriate for some children from other faith backgrounds to make or say the Sign of the Cross, so make sure you facilitate accordingly.
This activity offers pupils the opportunity to recall, recognise and sequence.
God Our Father,
Thank you for the opportunity to explore this content with the children in my care.
By the power of your Holy Spirit, lead and guide me as I prepare this lesson.
Bless me, and each and every child, with an open heart and mind to continue our journey of knowing you more clearly.
I ask this in the name of Jesus, Your Son and our Lord,
Amen
