AQA GCSE Religious Studies – Suffering and Causing Suffering
This reflective and engaging lesson supports the AQA GCSE Religious Studies specification and focuses on the complex topic of suffering, both natural and human-made. Students will explore the types and causes of suffering, religious attitudes towards it, and what faith teaches about the responsibility of those who cause others to suffer. Drawing on the beliefs and teachings of Christianity and Islam, this lesson encourages students to think critically about moral responsibility, forgiveness, and justice—key themes within the Crime and Punishment unit.
Learning Outcomes:
Identify different types of evil and suffering (e.g., moral evil and natural evil)
Explain Christian and Islamic responses to suffering, including its purpose and meaning
Analyse what religious believers should do if they cause suffering, using ethical and theological reasoning
It includes a **** PowerPoint presentation**** that outlines the key content and learning objectives.
A starter activity recaps prior knowledge from the scheme of work (SOW), helping students to connect new learning to what they already know.
Throughout the lesson, **questioning activities **are used to promote discussion, check understanding, and encourage participation.
Students will complete an exam/ deliberate practice question to develop their assessment skills and apply their knowledge.
A student worksheet is provided with a variety of tasks to reinforce learning.
The lesson concludes with a final activity that allows students to consolidate their understanding and reflect on what they have learned.
Ideal For:
• Schools introducing/covering AQA GCSE Religious Studies
• KS4 RE departments
• New or non-specialist teachers
Why Choose This Resource?
Fully aligned with AQA GCSE RS (Paper 2: Thematic Studies)
Clear links to Christianity and Islam throughout
Encourages critical thinking and application of religious beliefs
Easily adaptable for in-class, homework use or remote learning
Clearly structured to support students in building high-level evaluative answers
Suitable for mixed-ability classes, with scaffolding provided to support all learners.
I purchased this bundle to assist with my unit on crime & punishment. The lessons feel very dated and are not very pleasing to the eye. They also do not provide many tasks apart from exam practice. Would not purchase again, especially for £35.
MsSaachaJ
2 days ago
Thank you for your feedback. However, I am disappointed that your review does not accurately reflect the content provided within this bundle.
These resources were created in 2025, so describing them as dated is difficult to understand. Furthermore, each lesson includes two exam-practice activities, alongside a comprehensive accompanying worksheet containing a range of tasks designed to develop students’ knowledge, understanding and application of the content. Therefore, the suggestion that the lessons offer little beyond exam practice overlooks a substantial part of the resources provided.
I would also encourage you to explore the accompanying worksheets fully, as they form an integral part of the lessons and provide the variety of activities you appear to feel is missing.
I welcome constructive feedback, but it is important that reviews fairly reflect the resources in their entirety, particularly when other educators rely on them to make informed purchasing decisions.
Empty reply does not make any sense for the end user
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