New
New
Year 5

Humanist beliefs

I can explain what humanists believe about human nature.

New
New
Year 5

Humanist beliefs

I can explain what humanists believe about human nature.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Humanism is a non-religious worldview.
  2. Humanists look for answers within the natural world.
  3. Humanists believe that humans have capacity for good and bad.

Keywords

  • Humanism - a non-religious worldview based on reason and human values

  • Humanist - a person who has a worldview based on humanism

  • Non-religious - a way of seeing the world that is not based on belief in a god or the divine

  • Reason - use of logic and facts to make sense of the world

Common misconception

It isn't possible to live a meaningful life without religion.

Humanism is a non religious worldview, in which people can live a meangful life without religion.


To help you plan your year 5 religious education lesson on: Humanist beliefs, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Give pupils the opportunity to consider how people they know find meaning in their lives.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
What do religious people often believe in?

only what they can see with their eyes
that people should never ask big questions
Correct answer: a god or higher power and a sense of purpose

Q2.
Which religion has the largest number of followers in the world?

Correct answer: Christianity
Islam
Hinduism

Q3.
What do most non-religious people believe?

They have no thoughts at all.
They do not care about others.
Correct answer: Humans and the world are important.

Q4.
Which of these is true?

Only religious people care about others.
Correct answer: People can be moral with or without religion.
Everyone has to follow a religion.

Assessment exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
What do humanists use to understand the world?

faith and prayer
dreams and feelings
Correct answer: logic and evidence

Q2.
People can live a meaningful life without religion.

False – only religion gives life meaning.
Correct answer: True – humanists can find meaning without religion.
False – humanists believe life has no purpose.

Q3.
Some humanists believe that humans have the capacity for good and ...

Correct Answer: bad, Bad

Q4.
What does the story of The Two Wolves teach?

Only good people have inner peace.
Everyone is either good or bad.
Correct answer: We can choose which parts of ourselves to grow.

Additional material

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