New
New
Year 5

Humanist ceremonies

I can explain how and why many humanists choose to have ceremonies to mark stages in life.

New
New
Year 5

Humanist ceremonies

I can explain how and why many humanists choose to have ceremonies to mark stages in life.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Many humanists believe that having a ceremony to mark different stages in a human’s life is important and meaningful.
  2. Humanist celebrants are people who are trained to carefully design a ceremony that is personal and meaningful.
  3. Naming, wedding and funeral ceremonies celebrate the connection of people to each other and the natural world.
  4. Humanist ceremonies will be non-religious and celebrate the one precious life they believe humans have.

Keywords

  • Connection - the responsibility and care a person might feel towards something or someone

  • Celebrant - a person who leads or performs a religious or formal ceremony, such as a wedding, or funeral

  • Ceremony - a formal event performed on a special occasion

Common misconception

Ceremonies are only marked by people who believe in god.

Humanists do not belive in god, but have ceremonies to mark meaningful events in life.


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

Be sensitive to pupils' experiences of death and loss with some of the lesson content. You may have a local humanist celebrant who could come and talk to the class. The Understanding humanism website has other resources and case studies to help with this lesson.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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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5 Questions

Q1.
Humanists believe we have life to live, so we should make the most of it.

Correct Answer: one, 1, One

Q2.
Humanists believe that humans have the capacity for good and ...

Correct Answer: bad, Bad

Q3.
What do humanists use to understand the world?

faith and holy books
Correct answer: reason and evidence
dreams and imagination

Q4.
Why might some humanists become vegetarian?

Correct answer: because of empathy and ethics
to follow religious teachings
to make life more interesting

Q5.
What do humanists aim to do when making ethical decisions?

only help people they know
research a variety of religious laws
Correct answer: promote happiness and reduce suffering

Assessment exit quiz

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5 Questions

Q1.
Why might humanists choose to have a ceremony?

to show religious faith
Correct answer: to mark life events
to follow tradition

Q2.
What does a humanist celebrant do?

reads prayers from a holy book
Correct answer: leads meaningful non-religious ceremonies
teaches humanist beliefs in school

Q3.
Humanists believe children should be free to what they believe.

Correct Answer: decide

Q4.
Which of these actions might happen at a humanist ceremony?

lighting candles and planting trees
tying ribbons with loved ones
Correct answer: all of the above

Q5.
Humanist ceremonies always include religious prayers.

Correct answer: False – humanist ceremonies are non-religious.
False – humanists pray to different gods.
True – all ceremonies include religious content.