KS2 Units header

Unit 3.2: Faith founders

Key Question: Who are the faith founders and what did they teach?

About this unit

Investigate the lives of key figures and founders in the major world faiths, looking at how faith members follow the teachings of those founders in the modern world. 

Explore the key beliefs of two or more world faiths (Unit 2.2: Belonging).   

Resources: stories of Jesus and one or two other faith founders (see Key Content)

RE Learning Cycle
Unit 3.2: Faith founders and their teachings

Programme of study Teaching and learning outcomes (AT1) Teaching and learning outcomes (AT2)
Beliefs & practices

investigate key teachings of faith founders and make links with key religious beliefs

Identify key events in the lives of a faith founders

give examples of the teaching of a faith founder

Reflect on the impact of the faith founders on those around them

express thoughts and feelings about why the teaching of a faith founder influences followers
Identity & values




In addition to viewing the individual sections 1-7 below, you may scroll to the bottom of the page to download the full unit as a PDF. You may also download the corresponding PDF of the Burning Core (S) version.

Who are special or influential people in school, their homes and the community?

What does it mean to be the founder of something, such as a group, a team or an organisation?

What responsibilities might you have if you started a club or group (devising rules, codes of behaviour and the aims of the group)?

Explore why groups have rules and what would happen if they didn’t have them
Identify who the founders are of Christianity and one or two other world faiths

Explore what pupils already know about those founders
What makes a good leader? What makes a good follower?

What inspires people to found a religion?

Who are the founders of Christianity and the other chosen faith?

What did they teach their followers to believe and to do? How do we know this?

What did those founders do in their lifetime? How did people respond to their deeds and words in their lifetime?

How do modern followers of those religions respond to that teaching?

How does a person’s faith influence the way that they behave in their daily lives?

How do faith members distinguish between what they want to do and what they ought to do?
Explore the life, actions and key teachings of Jesus through key stories from the Bible, Christian artwork and music from different cultures

Explore the lives, actions and key teachings of the faith founders of one or two other world faiths in a similar way

Explore how faith members live their lives according to the teachings of their faith founders

Look at religious rules and values including the Ten Commandments and Jesus ‘Greatest’ commandment (see Key Content); talk about how these rules show fairness and guide the life of the community

Using videoclips, interviews with faith members and other resources, find out how faith members live their lives according to the teachings of faith founders
What are the characteristics of a good leader? Consider how a faith founder influences and inspires faith members

Explore the life of Jesus, his incarnation and resurrection

Consider a key teaching of Jesus (see Key Content); how did it impact on followers?

Investigate the lives of other faith founders to learn of their teaching; make links with the teaching of Jesus

How do faith values give the believer rules for living?

Consider the ways in which they live out their beliefs and dilemmas they may face
Write a job advert for a faith founder

Sort key beliefs and teachings and identify which faith and founder they are from; consider why there similarities and differences between faiths

Create a depiction of a faith founder as a stained glass window, a picture or a model to reflect a teaching of a faith founder

Storyboard an aspect of the life and work of Jesus and another faith founder; sequence key events to illustrate their teachings

In the role of a faith founder, create a diary, a blog or Tweets, or freeze-frame a life-changing moment for a faith founder and discuss its impact

Dramatise a parable in a modern context; explain its moral or message

Set up a dilemma for a faith follower (‘Conscience Alley’); explore how key teachings influence the decision between what a person wants to do, what they ought to do and say what may help them decide

Identify sources of authority in a person’s life and how they influence decision-making; look at ultimate sources of authority and identify the place of God in religious codes for living

Create a ‘golden rule’ for their community; try to identify a common ‘golden rule’ for 2 or three faiths
Share thoughts and feelings when hearing a story about a faith founder’s story from a holy book; explain its meaning to a believer

Express thoughts about how the teachings of faith founders can change lives for the better and be a source of guidance for faith followers

What is the point of having rules? Are religious rules the same as secular rules?

What aspects of living a faith are the hardest and why?


Highlighted text indicates how this unit contributes to overall End of Key Stage attainment.

AT1 (Knowledge & understanding)  AT2 (Reflection & response)
Describe and show understanding of links between stories, beliefs and practices of faith communities specified in the key content Respond thoughtfully to a range of sacred writings and the beliefs, teachings and practices of different faith communities specified in the key content
Describe a range of beliefs, symbols and actions showing links between different religions including rules for living and forms of worship specified in the key content Demonstrate understanding of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning including rules for living and forms of worship specified in the key content
Click / tap on the file name of the selected resource to download.

Contact us:

Click here to visit the Contact us page

© 2018 East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston-upon-Hull, North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire

SACRE Humber Council Logos
Please enter your comments below