Five Pillars - 2 lessons (KS3: learning GCSE exam skills/4 and 5 mark questions)

Islam whole 11 lesson SOW/resources on mastering GCSE exam skills (KS3)

I put together this SOW on Islam following extensive research on how to improve achievement for disadvantaged learners, basing it on Slavin's Student Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD). I designed this SOW for KS3 to embed GCSE exam skills, and how to master exam questions, in preparation for students beginning the GCSE course in Year 9. The whole SOW contains 2 cycles, whereby students learn knowledge and exam skills, and then work to apply these themselves. The first cycle of lessons looks at beliefs about Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (including Islamic art, the Shahadah, tawhid and shirk), the Five Pillars and hajj, focused on 4 and 5 mark questions. Students then have an assessment. The following cycle then looks at jihad and why many Muslim women wear the veil, focused on 12 mark questions, followed by another assessment. The questions are based on AQA GCSE RE/RS, but can be easily adapted. Could also be used for KS4. Resources include everything necessary, such as Powerpoints, lesson plans, information sheets, activities, exam question frames, peer marking criteria, exam question help mats and exam-style assessment booklets.