Unit title	Year	Background notes
What makes me the person I am?	3	In this unit, pupils are given the opportunity to reflect on different aspects of their identity, on ideas about what is distinctive about them, and what they share with others and the world around them. The unit develops work on special qualities from Year 1 as well as ideas in two other Year 2 units: What does it mean to live with family and friends? and What makes us wonder about the world? Pupils may also remember the Muslim story of the Crying Camel from Foundation Stage work.

Key questions	Concept/s	Learning outcomes	Suggested activities	Resources
What special qualities do I have?	Special Value Personal worth Qualities	To be able to reflect on the special qualities that make us unique To be able to appreciate others' special qualities	· Class discussion on what makes us all special and different. What special qualities do we have? Who is good at helping, at being thoughtful, at being kind etc? · Each child draws round their hand and cuts the stencil out. They then write their name in the middle of the hand, a symbol to represent them (eg football, religious symbol, smiley face) and pass it around the room. Their classmates write on it any positive words that describe them, perhaps prompted by a list of qualities on the board · Alternatively, in circle time, they could go around the circle and say a positive quality about someone chosen from the class
What things do I care about in the world?	Responsibility Relationship Nature Sainthood	To be understand that human beings have a relationship with the natural world To be able to identify things that they care about in the natural world To be able to respond imaginatively to a special piece of writing about the environment	· Show some pictures of the natural world and share some of their responses – perhaps in the form of single words (eg calm, beautiful, peaceful) · Draw a picture of things they care about in the natural world · Share what it would mean if we used the words Brother and Sister for different parts of their picture, (eg Brother Sun, Sister Water), stressing what it means to feel part of the same family, and how we would behave if we felt like this · Tell children about the life of St Francis and his love for the natural world. · Listen to St Francis ‘Canticle to the Sun’, focusing on references to natural things mentioned in the hymn (eg Brother Fire, Sister Moon and Stars) · Split the canticle into verses. Divide class into groups. Each group can design an illustration for each verse, eg the Sister Moon and Stars group. ICT could also be used to find appropriate images to illustrate the canticle · They can finally write a verse dedicated to an element of the natural world that they care about and this can be put together into a class natural world poem	Pictures of the natural world Scholastic Curriculum Bank, Bk 1, pp40-41 Statue or picture of St Francis ICT Art materials
Who are the influences on my life?	Role model Admiration Influence Leader	To be able to evaluate the good qualities and special influence of people on them To be able to understand how people can influence others by their words and actions	· Make a list of people who are special influences on them, thinking about their good qualities · Discuss their list in pairs and then share with whole class · Listen to the story of Muhammad and the crying camel, stressing importance of Muhammad to Muslims · Discuss the story eg how can they tell that Muhammad was a special person from his actions? What good qualities did he share? How did he change the camel owner’s behaviour? · Write a story about their most special person, showing what special qualities they have. Make into a special class book of people who have an influence on their lives	Scholastic Curriculum Bank, Bk 1, pp60-61 For a version of this story, see: Scholastic Curriculum Bank, Bk 1, p125
What objects remind me of special times in my life?	Special object Value	To be able to identify special objects which are of personal value To understand what makes these objects special To understand how to treat special objects	· Read the story of Dogger and ask questions focusing on underlying feelings and qualities eg How did Dave feel when he lost Dogger? · Show the children your special object and explain why it is special to you, the reasons why it is special and how you feel about it · Listen to pupils talk about their own special objects which remind them of special times in their life, how they would feel they were lost or damaged, and how they would like others to look after them. Some might like to bring their object in to share with others · Make or decorate a special box to hold their special object, or design a picture frame to hold a picture of their special object · This work could lead to a discussion about religious traditions and the way that special objects are treated eg how the Qur’an is stored, or what happens to the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book, at night time	Dogger by Shirley Hughes (Red Fox, ISBN 009992790X) Special object of your own to share with class Scholastic Curriculum Bank, Bk 1, pp15-16 Art and design materials

Useful websites

www.google.com (click on Images) Search for Canticle of the Sun. Images to link with this hymn will be displayed.

www.reep.org.uk is an educational organisation which focuses on RE and the environment

Books about the life of St Francis

Brother Sun, Sister Moon: The Story of St Francis by Margaret Mayo & Peter Malone (Dolphin Paperbacks, ISBN 1858817706)

St Francis, the Man who spoke to Birds by George Berton (Moonlight Publishing, 1996, ISBN 185103241X)

A glossary of religious and cultural terms used in this planning grid

Canticle	A song, poem or hymn, especially one that is religious in character.
Guru Granth Sahib	The full title of the Sikh holy book. Sikhs treat it with great care eg it is covered with decorative cloths when not used, it is carried by being placed on someone’s head, it is put away into a special room at night.
Muhammad (570-632 CE)	According to Muslim belief, the final Prophet sent by God (Allah) to humankind to deliver his message. Muslims do not worship Muhammad but regard his life as a model for Muslims to follow.
Qur’an	Muslim holy book. Because they believe that it contains the Arabic words revealed by God to Muhammad, Muslims treat it with great care eg washing hands before touching it, wrapping it up after use, placing it on a high shelf ‘above’ other books.
Saint Sainthood	The word saint (deriving from the Latin sanctus meaning holy) was used by the first Christians to refer to themselves: all Christian believers were saints. Gradually, however, the title came to be reserved for Christian men and women who revealed exceptional spiritual qualities in their lives and deaths.
Saint Francis (c1181-1226)	Francis was born into a rich merchant family in the Italian town of Assisi. He eventually gave up his wealthy background in order to embrace ‘Sister Poverty’. Many men and women followed his lead and so began the Franciscan Order of monks and nuns. Francis had a particular love of nature and is often called the patron saint of ecology. His feast day (a day when some Christians celebrate his life and example) is October 4^th.