Mary, mother of Jesus
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the importance of Mary, the mother of Jesus, across different denominations, and give different perspectives on her ability to be seen as a role model in feminism.
Key learning points
- Most Christians believe that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a virgin at the time of his birth, as told in two Gospels.
- Across different Christian denominations, Mary is held in high regard for her role in the life of Jesus.
- There are different perspectives on whether Mary is a role model for modern-day feminism.
- Translations of the original language of a text can influence what meaning is taken from it.
Keywords
Almah - a Hebrew word meaning 'young woman' or 'virgin' depending on translations
Feminism - the idea that women should be equal to men
Immaculate Conception - the belief that Mary was born without the stain of original sin by the grace of God
Theotokos - the mother of God
Messiah - 'anointed one'; chosen by God to bring a new age of peace
Common misconception
That the Immaculate Conception is when Mary conceived Jesus miraculously through the Holy Spirit.
The Immaculate Conception is the Roman Catholic belief that Mary was born without sin. When the Angel Gabriel greets her for the first time she is called ‘Mary, full of Grace’, which would mean she was without sin even before Jesus is born.
Teacher tip
Mary (Maryam) is also a significant figure in Islam, with Surah 19 named after her - Surah Maryam. Students can explore her significance within Islam through this Surah and other sources of authority in Islam.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sexual content
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.The Book of Esther is a biblical story set in .
Q2.The Jewish diaspora refers to the communities of Jews living outside of the land of ancient __________ following exile.
Q3.Esther, a Jew, was taken to be a for King Xerxes and was then promoted to his wife.
Q4.In the story of Esther, was plotting against the Jews.
Q5.The term 'patriarchy' is formed from words meaning '__________' and 'to rule'.
Q6.Feminist theologians interpret the concubines named in the Bible as victims because we never hear them .
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.' ' is a Hebrew word meaning 'young woman' or 'virgin'.
Q2.Matthew links his story of the birth of Jesus to the prophecy of about the birth of the Messiah.
Q3.The annunciation is ...
Q4.The Rosary is ...
Q5.Sacred paintings, which can help Christians to connect more deeply with their religion when they pray, are called .
Q6. is the idea that women should be equal to men.
To help you plan your 9 religious education lesson on: Mary, mother of Jesus, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 religious education lesson on: Mary, mother of Jesus, 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 Matriarchs: are the women of the Bible victors or victims? unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.