Divergent funeral rites
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can compare some of the key decisions made about funerals and some of the beliefs that may influence these.
Key learning points
- How a body is treated after death varies widely between religions, worldviews and cultures.
- For many people it is important to honour and mourn loved ones.
- One decision to be made is between burial or cremation.
- Some religions believe a burial is preferable due to the physical body being required for resurrection.
- Followers of Dharmic traditions are typically cremated and ashes scattered in water.
Keywords
Buried / burial - the act or ceremony of putting a dead body into a grave in the ground
Cremated / cremation - the act or process of burning something
Funeral - a ceremony that is held when the body of someone who has died is buried or cremated
Memorial - a statue or structure established to remind people of a person or event
Common misconception
More people are buried in the UK than cremated.
Data from 2024 shows that 80% of UK funerals were cremations.
Teacher tip
A video has been embedded within this lesson. The video provides context and shows how a range of religious and non-religious worldviews deal with the body after death. It would be great to use this as a lesson prompt and then revisit sections throughout the lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Why do different people have different views about what happens after death?
Q2.Humanists believe there is only this ...
Q3.What happens after death in Abrahamic religions?
Q4.Which religions teach reincarnation?
Q5.Dharmic faiths teach that actions create ...
Q6.Some non-religious people believe in life after ...
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Burial usually involves ...
Q2.Jewish burials often take place within hours.
Q3.Why might Christians choose a headstone?
Q4.Eco funerals reflect concern for the ...
Q5.What percentage of UK funerals are cremations?
Q6.Hindus may scatter ashes in the River ...
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Divergent funeral rites, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Divergent funeral rites, 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 4 religious education lessons from the Memory: what happens to us and our memories when we die? unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.