General KS3 Y9 Convention

Religion, Conflict and Peace

6 lessons

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Subject
General
Key Stage
KS3
Year group
Y9
Source document
Art and Design (KS3) - National Curriculum Programme of Study
Estimated duration
6 lessons
Status
Convention
Source document: Art and Design (KS3) - National Curriculum Programme of Study

Session structure: Discussion and Debate

Discussion and Debate

A structured sequence for exploring contested issues or multiple perspectives. Begins with a stimulus that raises a question or dilemma, builds knowledge through research, develops arguments through structured discussion techniques, captures thinking in writing, and reflects on how views may have changed.

stimulus → research → structured_discussion → writing → reflection Assessment: Balanced written argument or persuasive piece demonstrating understanding of multiple perspectives, supported by evidence, with a reasoned personal conclusion. Teacher note: Use the DISCUSSION AND DEBATE template: present a substantive question or ethical dilemma. Expect pupils to research different perspectives and prepare evidence-based arguments. Facilitate structured discussion using protocols such as Harkness or four corners. Guide pupils to produce a written response that acknowledges multiple viewpoints and justifies their own position. KS3 question stems:
  • What are the strongest arguments on each side of this issue?
  • What evidence supports this perspective, and how reliable is it?
  • How would you respond to the main counter-argument?
  • How has the discussion changed or strengthened your view?

    • Why this study matters

    The relationship between religion and conflict is one of the most contested topics in public discourse. KS3 pupils need to understand that religion is invoked to justify both violence and peacemaking, and that the relationship is never simple. Case studies (the Crusades, Northern Ireland, Israel-Palestine, Buddhist peacemaking in Myanmar) combined with religious teachings on war and peace (just war theory, pacifism, jihad, ahimsa) develop nuanced understanding. This prepares directly for GCSE themes of peace and conflict.

    Pitfalls to avoid

  • Presenting religion as the cause of conflict -- political, economic and ethnic factors are usually primary
  • Oversimplifying jihad as 'holy war' -- teach the distinction between greater jihad (inner struggle) and lesser jihad (defence)
  • Not covering religious peacemakers -- Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, Malala Yousafzai counterbalance the conflict narrative

    • Cross-curricular opportunities

    LinkSubjectConnectionStrength

    Human Rights: What Are They and Why Do They Matter?GeneralHuman rights, international law, justice and conflict resolutionModerate
    Challenges 1901 to Present DayHistory20th century conflict, World Wars, decolonisation and modern peace movementsStrong

    Vocabulary word mat

    TermMeaning

    just war
    pacifism
    jihad
    ahimsa
    reconciliation
    peacemaker
    conflict resolution
    conscientious objector
    proportionality
    non-violence

    Scaffolding and inclusion (Y9)

    GuidelineDetail

    Reading levelGCSE Preparation Reader (Lexile 950–1250)
    Text-to-speechAvailable
    VocabularyGCSE-level academic vocabulary. Command words (analyse, evaluate, compare, justify, assess) must be explicitly taught and used correctly.
    Scaffolding levelMinimal
    Hint tiers3 tiers
    Session length30–50 minutes
    Feedback toneExamination Coach
    Normalize struggleYes
    Example correct feedbackFull marks — you addressed all three assessment objectives: identification, quotation, and analytical comment on the writer's method.
    Example error feedbackThis response would earn 2 of 6 marks. You identified the technique correctly (AO1 ✓) and quoted (AO2 ✓), but your analytical comment describes what happens rather than explaining the effect on the reader — that is the AO3 requirement. Revise the final sentence to explain why the technique is effective.

    Knowledge organiser

    Key terms:
  • just war
  • pacifism
  • jihad
  • ahimsa
  • reconciliation
  • peacemaker
  • conflict resolution
  • conscientious objector
  • proportionality
  • non-violence

    • Graph context

    Node type: TopicSuggestion | Study ID: TS-RS-KS3-006 Cypher query:

    ``cypher

    MATCH (ts:TopicSuggestion {suggestion_id: 'TS-RS-KS3-006'})

    -[:DELIVERS_VIA]->(c:Concept)

    -[:HAS_DIFFICULTY_LEVEL]->(dl)

    RETURN c.name, dl.label, dl.description

    ``

    Generated from the UK Curriculum Knowledge Graph — zero LLM generation.