Diwali in India and the UK
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain what Diwali is and how Hindu communities celebrate it in different ways.
Key learning points
- Diwali is a five day celebration observed by millions of Hindus in India and worldwide.
- The story of Lakshmi is told by some Hindus at Diwali as well as the Ramayana.
- Different Hindus may celebrate and remember different events during Diwali. This shows diversity.
- Many Hindus will use lights and create rangoli patterns to ask for blessings for the year ahead.
- Diwali will look and feel different in a Hindu majority country like India compared to the UK.
Keywords
Majority - the larger group of people or things
Minority - the smaller group of people or things
Diversity - doing things in a variety of ways
Lakshmi - the deity of wealth, prosperity, and good fortune
Common misconception
Diwali is celebrated in the same way everywhere in the world.
Diwali is celebrated by most Hindus. However, its celebration will vary according to geographical and cultural context.
Teacher tip
You might want to look at video clips online and other sources to show how Diwali is celebrated. Look for other images from India to show how the whole country joins in. You might mention that Sikhs also mark Diwali as Bandi Chhor Divas. Look for images of Diwali celebrations in Leicester.
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Lakshman followed his dharma by choosing to help his , Rama.
Q2.What is the Ramayana?
Q3.What does the word dharma mean?
Q4.Why did Rama go into the forest?
Q5.What did Ravana’s 10 heads show about him?
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Diwali is a celebration that lasts for days.
Q2.Which story might some Hindus remember during Diwali?
Q3.What is Lakshmi the goddess of?
Q4.What do Hindus make on the floor during Diwali?
Q5.Why is Diwali a bigger celebration in India than the UK?
To help you plan your 3 religious education lesson on: Diwali in India and the UK, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 3 religious education lesson on: Diwali in India and the UK, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 religious education lessons from the Festivals: How do ancient stories influence modern celebrations? unit, dive into the full primary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.