New
New
Year 5

The one life

I can explain how a belief in one life motivates humanists.

New
New
Year 5

The one life

I can explain how a belief in one life motivates humanists.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Humanists use reason to conclude that there is only life.
  2. Humanists believe that we have freedom to make the most of the one life we have.
  3. Having just one life motivates many humanists to make the most of their time on earth.

Keywords

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

  • Evidence - proof supporting a claim

  • Freedom - power to act and make choices

  • Meaning - the purpose of our actions and decisions

Common misconception

A humanist belief in the one life means that they can do whatever they want.

A humanist belief in the one life motivates them to find meaning, purpose and happiness.


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

The 'One Life, Live it well' video is narrated by Alice Roberts on the Humanist UK website. It beautifully illustrates the humanist attitude to life and would be worth showing to pupils as part of this lesson.
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

Loading...

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
The way we see and understand life is our world ...

Correct Answer: view, View

Q2.
What type of worldview is humanism?

supernatural
religious
Correct answer: non-religious

Q3.
What do humanists use to understand the world?

Correct answer: science
stories and magic
faith in a God

Q4.
What do humanists believe about human nature?

humans are all good
Correct answer: humans can be good and bad
humans must follow a religion

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
What do humanists believe about life?

Correct answer: There is one life.
There are many lives.
Life continues after death.

Q2.
What do humanists use to understand life?

faith
stories
Correct answer: reason

Q3.
A humanist belief in the one life means they can do whatever they want.

Correct answer: False – Humanists seek meaning and happiness.
True – They can live without thinking of others.
False – Humanists must always follow strict rules.

Q4.
The international symbol of humanism is the human symbol.

Correct Answer: happy, Happy