This download resource for Autumn 2015 from REToday supports the article ‘What is Love?’ by Rachel Buckby, using Bible text for RE and literacy with 5-6 year olds Introduce the ideas to your pupils, starting with slide 4. There are probably more examples than you will need, so choose those you like to share with the class.

For the teacher: Rachel Buckby, of St John’s CE Primary School in Leicester writes: “This lesson followed half a term’s whole school focus on the Christian value of Love using the passage from the Bible in 1 Corinthians 13 v 4-7. The theme was focused on in times of collective worship as well as being reinforced within the daily life of the school, encouraging the pupils to put into practise what they had learned. I decided to see what the children had learned from this focus and to allow them to personally reflect on what it means to them and how they can apply it to their lives. I used the objective: ‘I can talk about what love means to me’. With a class of very enthusiastic writers and a whole school focus on the development of writing I decided to tackle this through a written activity.”

Saint Paul’s poem of love 1 Corinthians 13 Saint Paul was one of the people who wrote the Christian Bible. He wrote a famous poem about love. It is in the Bible. Lots of people like to have this poem read out at their wedding. Can you say why? Here is the middle part of the poem.

Love is patient and kind Love is not jealous It does not brag It is not proud Love is not rude Love is not selfish Love does not get upset with others Love does not count up wrongs that have been done Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices over the truth Love patiently accepts all things Love always trusts Love always hopes Love always keeps going Love never ends Saint Paul’s poem: what are the best lines, do you think? Could you write a poem about love? Have a look at some others done by 5 and 6 year olds [Text in simple language for young children]

Write one of your own Read Saint Paul’s poem again. Remember it was written nearly 2000 years ago, in the time of the Romans and the very first Christians. Choose a heart shape for your own poem about what love is, and what love is not.

“Love is sweet, love is peace, you can’t stop love from spreading. Love is great...” What do you like about this poem? Have you got a favourite line?

“Love is thoughtful, love is listening, love is happy..” Rahal (5) has made his own version of the poem.

“Love doesn’t boast Love is sharing sweets Love is powerful Love isn’t greedy...”

“It is sacrifice, it is not arguing, it is giving poor people money... It is helping animals... It is giving away food…”

“Love is celebrations, love is friends, love is kind playing, love is amazing, love is fantastic...”

“Love can never stop, love is everything, love is the world...”

“Love is sharing things always, love is giving someone a hug...”

“Love is giving someone flowers, love is passion, love is not proud...”

“Love is helping your friends, love is sharing your toys, love is showing kindness...”

Role Play Church. Donna: “After exploring All Saints church in Bedworth we have both indoor and outdoor role play areas as a church. This area really takes off after we've had an enactment of a wedding and baptism for our reception children as the children then act out their experiences in the role play area. Over the years we've been doing this children have acted out Christmas and Easter services which we attend at All Saints and Sunday School experiences as well. Baskets of props are good, the children use these to develop their play. Amongst things we've found children playing with are Bibles and crosses in dens ("it’s a church. It’s a quiet place to talk to God. Be quiet please!"). Once, I noticed the children wading across a large piece of blue fabric, escaping from Pharaoh’s armies! We need more play based RE: as well as promoting RE, play develops personal and social skills and communication skills. Most of all play is fun!”

Playful RE: can you find a Church minister who understands that play is serious, not irreverent? If so, go to church and do playful RE. Or mosque. Or synagogue.

Playful RE: ritual and worship can be a foreign country to some children. Dressing up brings it home. Just look at his face!

Playful RE: Younger children know how to learn for themselves. Emotional depth can come sometimes from a white silk scarf. She decorated this one with crosses before the Church visit.

21 Carol is 7. In her piece of work, she is speculating about the arrival of Jesus in her own community (Thurmaston is a suburb of Leicester, UK). The work reflects her knowledge of stories of Jesus as a person who is a worshipper, who believes in God as ‘father’, who has fishermen as disciples, and who helps those in trouble. This is a lot of learning!

This download resource for Autumn 2015 from REToday supports the article ‘What is Love?’ Grateful thanks to Rachel Buckby and her pupils for this lovely work, using Bible text for RE and literacy with 5-6 year olds. Copyright, RE Today, 2015