Unit title	Year	Background notes
How and why do Hindus worship at home and in the mandir?	3	In this unit, pupils should be introduced to Hindu traditions by exploring ways in which Hindus worship and by finding out why worship is important to members of the Hindu community. The opportunity should also be made for pupils, whatever their background, to reflect on what the word ‘God’ means to them and others. It is important to remember that ‘Hinduism’ was a Western term used to describe a wide range of practices and traditions. It must not be assumed that Hinduism is ‘one thing’: it is characterized by great religious and cultural diversity. Link with QCA unit 4A How and why do Hindus worship at home and in the mandir?

Key questions	Concept/s	Learning outcomes	Suggested activities	Resources
What different ideas does our class have about God?	Belief Tolerance Diversity	To understand that there may be a range of views within the class, including children who do not believe in God	· Pupils share their beliefs and views about ‘God’ in a discussion. What ideas does the class share? What different ideas do they have? Where do their ideas come from? · Record what they believe in speech bubbles for a display, or their responses could be filmed
What do Hindu families teach their children about God?	Aum Symbol Murti	To understand how families hope to pass on beliefs and values to their children To understand the idea that one person can have different characteristics To understand that Hindus believe that there is one God that takes on many forms To identify the aum symbol as a special Hindu sign for God	· Pupils discuss what special things families would like their children to learn in life eg to be a caring person. Then, think about how religious families will also want to pass on their beliefs, traditions and culture · Read the beginning of the story of Svetaku and ask pupils to explain what the glass of salty water might teach about God (ie God is invisible but is everywhere) before reading the end. Clarify that Hindus believe this about God · Looking at the Aum symbol and identify it in pictures from Hindu traditions · Draw a picture called ‘different sides of me’. It could show being a son, a friend, a footballer, a helper etc. Emphasise they still are one person, but they also have different sides · Share and introduce the idea of one god, with many forms. Watch the Pathways to Belief video that explores this further	Svetaku story from QCA Unit 4A How and Why do Hindus worship at home and in the mandir? (This is also in the Pathways to Belief video: see below) Aum symbol (see page 4 below) BBC Pathways of Belief video programmes on Hinduism
What do different deities mean to Hindu people?	Deity	To know that Hindu deities are in different forms To understand that different Hindu deities can represent different things eg Ganesha as a God of new beginnings and remover of obstacles	· Talk about new beginnings in life. When do we face new beginnings eg starting school, having a new baby, moving house, a new term, a new teacher · Explain how Ganesha is a deity of new beginnings · Look at images of Ganesha and talk about how you can recognise him from other deities · Share the story of how Ganesha got his elephant head · Work together on a display focusing on Ganesha, using images from the internet, Hindu pictures, ideas about new beginnings	Image or picture of Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity
What is a shrine and why is it important in a Hindu home?	Murti Shrine Special place Devotion Service	To understand why a shrine is important in Hindu homes To be able to explore the ideas of devotion and service	· Imagine you have a special guest coming to your house. How would you made them feel welcome? How would you prepare your house to welcome them? Brainstorm ideas · Explain how Hindus treat the figures of the gods and goddesses as extra special guests, respecting them, caring for them, talking to them, offering food and keeping them clean. Explore this idea and introduce the idea of a shrine, a special place in the Hindu home for honouring and worshipping the deities · Each pupil to draw a picture of his/her ‘special cupboard’, showing what objects they would place in it. Discuss what different people have chosen and why · Explain some of the features of a Hindu shrine (see Curriculum Bank Bk 1 p96). Research some pictures of shrines from resource books, posters and ICT	Scholastic Curriculum Bank, Bk 1, pp95-96, 151 (Scholastic Curriculum Bank, Bk 2, pp103-104, 156)
How do Hindus pray at home?	Puja Worship Prasad Aarti	To understand that actions in worship have symbolic meaning To understand that some actions in Hindu worship have parallels in their own lives	· In pairs, the pupils practice miming ‘being pleased to see someone’, ‘saying thank you for something’, ‘giving a present’, ‘receiving a present’, and ‘meeting someone important’. Explain that these are some of the ideas and actions in Hindu worship · Watch a video that shows Hindu worship at home. See if you can spot ways in which Hindu people are worshipping eg ringing the bell, making offerings, touching/bowing to the murti, using incense, receiving prasad, caring for the murti. Which senses are being used in worship? · Look at a poster or a puja tray and think about what the different elements might mean eg aarti and Hindus holding their hands over the flame and then passing their hands over their head. Draw some of the objects used in puja · Devise a special welcoming ceremony to show the class’s devotion to someone special in the school. The ceremony must include all the five senses - taste, sight, touch, hearing and smell	Video showing Hindu worship at home Puja tray (artefact)
What happens in a mandir?	Worship Devotion	To know some of the features and activities associated with a mandir To be able to explore some aspects of Hindu worship through research	· Read the story of ‘A First Visit to a Hindu Temple’ (Curriculum Bank Bk 2, p150) and work in groups to answer the questions (p151) or explore the answers as a class · Show a video that features worship at a Hindu temple and look at pictures and books that feature temples. Use the Redbridge RE Network website to download pictures of a local mandir or visit a mandir · Create a collage of pictures that show Hindu worship and the Hindu temple	Scholastic Curriculum Bank, Bk 2, pp91-92, 150-151 BBC Pathways of Belief video

Useful websites

http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/manorlh/hinduism/puja.html A very clearly written school page that has pictures and a good description of puja

http://www.moorcroftsch.freeserve.co.uk/sensory_stories.htm This shows how a special school learns about puja in a sensory way

www.painsley.org.uk/re/Y7/2-2Hinduism/hindu_worship.htm A clear information sheet on puja with crosswords for more able pupils

http://www.asia.si.edu/pujaonline/puja/homes.html#homes A very interesting video clip showing puja at home

http://www.shreeswaminarayan.org.uk/photo/main.htm Some beautiful pictures of puja in a temple. The same site has very moving pictures of a mandir damaged in an earthquake in Bhuj, India

http://www.swaminarayan-baps.org.uk The official site of the stunning Shree Swaminaryan mandir in Neasdon

Glossary of religious and cultural terms used in this planning grid

Aarti	Part of puja when a flame is passed in front of the deity/deities and then worshipper cup their hands over the flame in order to show their devotion. Sometimes, the word aarti is used as a synonym for puja
Aum (See foot of this page)	This sound (sometimes written as ‘Om’) is said to represent the divine. It is often used in worship and meditation during which it might be chanted. It is usually shown in the form of Sanskrit writing. If you visit the mandir in Ilford (Vishwa Hindu Parishad), you will find a sign saying ‘Aum sweet Aum’ on the inner wall above the main entrance.
Ganesha (Ganesh)	The elephant-headed God who is much loved within the Hindu tradition. Most Hindus will have a representation of him on the entrance to their homes. Stories are told about how he got his elephant’s head that involves his father (Shiva) and mother (Parvati). One version in brief: Shiva was away from home and Parvati became lonely. During a bath, she fashioned a son out of soap. But, upon returning home, Shiva saw the child and, in anger, cut off his head. Parvati told him that he had just slain their son. In grief, Shiva said that he would go into the jungle and find a new head by taking one from the first animal that he met. The first animal that he met was an elephant. He took the elephant’s head and placed it on to the body of his son, Ganesha
Mandir	Hindu temple. It is important to remember, however, that Hindu worship typically takes place in the home
Murti	An image – in the form of a small statue, perhaps – of a Hindu deity such as Krishna (usually blue-skinned and holding or playing a flute), Hanuman (in the form of a monkey) or Ganesha (see above). The word ‘idol’ used to be used as a translation but is now usually avoided because of its negative overtones
Prasad	Something material – usually food, but sometimes flowers, water or ash - which has been offered to the deities and which is then received back by worshippers as a symbol of receiving divine blessing
Puja	‘Worship’, which might consist of a series of symbolic actions and devotional words (including singing)
Puja tray	A metal tray (usually stainless steel) which contains items – such as a small bowl in which ghee (clarified butter) and a wick can be placed to form a lamp) – used during puja

Aum Symbol