Unit title	Year	Background notes
How and why do Hindus celebrate Divali?	3	This is one of two Year 3 units exploring aspects of the Hindu tradition. At least one other Hindu festival should also be explored as part of the ongoing RE unit for this Year group. It would be best to do this unit during the Autumn Term as this is when Divali falls each year. (Check the Shap Calendar or the Redbridge Assembly Bulletin for the exact dates.) Remember that ‘Hinduism’ is not one system and that there is great diversity within Sikh belief and practice. Note that Sikhs also celebrate Diwali although they remember a particular Sikh story relating to the Guru Har Gobind, the sixth of the ten human Gurus: when he was released from prison wearing a many-tasseled cloak (see Scholastic Curriculum Bank RE, Bk 1, pp83-84). Link with QCA Unit 3B, How and why do Hindus celebrate Diwali?

Key questions	Concept/s	Learning outcomes	Suggested activities	Resources
Who do we think ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’ are?	Good Bad	To be able to clarify their own ideas about what makes a person good or bad	· Discuss ideas about who is good and who is bad, encouraging children to share examples from their experience eg real people, storybook characters, people from soap operas, characters from cartoons and comics · Sort pictures from magazines, newspapers and comics eg children's TV characters or storybook figures familiar to the class, trying to decide who is good and who is bad. · Share the findings with the class and decide if there are any images that do not fit easily into good or bad categories - too little evidence of behaviour to judge? · In groups, make up stories that have a good and bad character in them and briefly share with the class · Consider whether there are any similarities in the stories: does the good person always win?	Pictures for sorting
Who were Rama and Sita?	Jealousy Trust Courage	To understand what makes the characters in the Divali story good or bad	· Introduce and tell story, with pictures · Sequence the Diwali story and add speech bubbles · Use cards with good and bad qualities written on them eg kind, loving, angry, jealous, brave, to describe each character from the Divali story · Try to give examples from the story for each quality eg when Rama shows bravery	Pictures from Scholastic Curriculum Bank RE, Bk 1, pp71-73 Version of story eg Rama and the Demon King Big Book by Jessica Souhami (0711214484)
Why do Hindus have divas?	Symbolism Celebration	To understand that light is used as a symbol in a variety of ways To be able to give examples of a way in which the symbol of light can be used	· Light a diva – reflect on what they felt and their thoughts · Discuss what the diva symbolised in the Divali story · Share any other examples of light in religious and other traditions eg Jewish people lighting a special menorah at Chanukah, lights at Christmas, Christingles, birthday candles, beacons to celebrate national events · Make a special lamp out of clay and think of a time at school or in their own family groups when it might be lit	Divas Clay or modeling material
How might Hindus prepare for Divali?	Preparation Belonging Celebration	To know some of the ways in which families prepare for Divali	· Watch a video which shows Hindu and Sikh children celebrating Divali and talk about how it is prepared for and celebrated · Make a presentation for the class in groups about Divali and how it is prepared for and celebrated in Hindu homes · Using ICT, make a Divali card, using appropriate symbols, which could be given to a Hindu friend	Diwali cards ICT BBC ‘Pathways to Belief’ video on Hinduism BBC Watch video Books on Divali eg Festivals: Diwali by Karena Marchant (Hodder Wayland 0750219378)
How might Hindus celebrate a new year?	New beginnings Celebration	To understand the significance of Divali as the start to a Hindu’s new year To be able to relate the idea of ‘new beginnings’ to their own life	· Explain that Divali is the start of a new year for Hindus. Discuss how and why others celebrate a new year eg how Chinese New Year is celebrated, or if they have any family traditions connected with a new year · Investigate what Hindus do for new year, and find out what significance the goddess Lakshmi has for Hindus at this time · Think about what a new beginning might mean eg opportunity to make a fresh start. Make a class poem about new beginnings, starting "It's time for a fresh start…."	BBC ‘Pathways to Belief’ video Hindu visitor/s

Glossary of Religious and cultural terms used in this planning grid

Christingle	In recent years, many Christian churches have held a Christingle service during Advent, the lead-up to Christmas. During this service, children are given a christingle – a decorated orange. Amongst the decorations is a candle which represents Jesus as the Light of the World.
Diva	A small light which is lit at Divali time. Divas come in many shapes and sizes. A diva might consist of a simple earthenware bowl in which ghee (clarified butter) and a wick are placed. The diva might be filled with a candle. Some divas are highly decorated. Divas are placed in rows inside and outside houses, on windowsills or doorsteps perhaps, to be lit in the evening. Sometimes, rows of small electric lights are used.
Divali Diwali	Divali (or Deepavali) literally means ‘a row of lights’. Probably the most widely celebrated Hindu festival which comes at the end of the Hindu old year and the beginning of the new. Many practices, ideas and stories are attached to Divali, notably: · the yearly welcoming of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. The lighting of divas is said to help the goddess find her way into the homes of the worshippers; · remembering the return of Rama and Sita as told in the epic poem, the Ramayana (pronounced ram-eye-anna). When Rama and Sita returned to Ayodhya, the people welcomed them back by lighting divas.
Lakshmi	Hindu goddess representing wealth and prosperity.
Menorah	A Hebrew word used by Jewish people to refer to a candelabrum. The word menorah refers to the seven-branched candelabrum which is an ancient symbol of Israel and Judaism. At the eight-day Autumn festival of Chanukah, however, a nine-branched menorah is used. This is called either a Chanukah menorah or a Chanukiah.
Rama	An avatar or appearance of the god Vishnu.
Sita	Rama’s beautiful wife who is kidnapped by Ravana, the evil ruler of Sri Lanka.