The world of Abram
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe the world of Abram before he became Abraham.
Key learning points
- The Bible states that Abram lived in Ur, which is modern-day Iraq.
- People were polytheistic in Abram's homeland.
- The gods were worshipped through the use of idols.
- Abram's father was an idol maker and Abram rejected this practice.
Keywords
Deity - a supernatural being that is worshipped, like a god or goddess
Idol - an image or statue used as an object of worship​
Monotheism - the belief in and worship of one god
Polytheism - the belief in and worship of multiple gods
Common misconception
Everyone in the Torah or Old Testament always believed in only one god.
Abram's family and the people of Abram's homeland were polytheists, meaning they believed in multiple gods.
Teacher tip
The image used of Abraham throughout this lesson shows Abraham holding a dagger/knife. This relates to a later event where God tests Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son (Genesis 22). This event occurs later in Genesis than the events discussed within this lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Christianity, and Judaism are all Abrahamic religions.
Q2.What did God promise Abraham?
Q3.Match these keywords to the correct definitions.
to give something up for the sake of others
to be saved from sin
an agreement between God and people
Q4.The covenant between Abraham and God is known as the covenant.
Q5. is the belief in one God.
Q6.Covenants are meaningful because ...
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.What was Abram called after he made a covenant with God?
Q2.Where was Abram born?
Q3. is a supernatural being that is worshipped, such as a god or goddess.
Q4.The that the Sumerians built for their gods to live in was called a ziggurat.
Q5.Starting with the earliest, put the events from the story of Abram and his father's idols in the correct order.
To help you plan your 7 religious education lesson on: The world of Abram, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 religious education lesson on: The world of Abram, 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 3 religious education lessons from the Abraham: what is the significance of covenants for Jews, Christians and Muslims? unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.