Reflection: Is a river alive?
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can reflect on the idea of personhood for rivers and the difference this might make to their protection.
Key learning points
- The writer and academic Robert MacFarlane has written a book on the state of rivers around the world.
- He draws attention to the widespread destruction of rivers through exploitation and pollution.
- The rights of nature movement campaigns for rivers to be ascribed personhood and given rights to protection.
- These ideas are drawn from ancient indigenous worldviews and modern ideas of rights and protection.
- We can reflect on the state of rivers in the UK and their need for protection.
Keywords
Personhood - state or fact of being considered a person such as having awareness or conciousness
Rights of nature - legal and philosophical movement recognising rivers, forests etc. as rights-bearing entities, not just property
Indigenous - from a particular place or culture that lived prior to European colonisation
Guardian - someone who takes on the role of protecting an entity such as a river
Common misconception
Giving a river legal rights would mean it is seen exactly the same as a human being.
The rights of nature movement wants to give rights to entities such as rivers and ecosystems. Their rights would be protected by humans acting as guardians on behalf of the entity.
Teacher tip
This lesson could be split into two. One lesson could be spent reflecting on what is happening to rivers and understanding the rights of nature movement. The final lesson could allow pupils to debate or reflect on the key unit question of 'is a river alive?'
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Which continent has Indigenous cultures?
Q2.Indigenous worldviews come from cultures that existed before by Europe.
Q3.A key idea in many Indigenous worldviews is that:
Q4.We understand worldviews by noticing how people reason about .
Q5.Which of the following best describes nature as having identity or agency?
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Match each keyword to its correct meaning:
Q2.Robert MacFarlane has written a book about the state of around the world.
Q3.Robert MacFarlane highlights that many rivers are being damaged by:
Q4.Rivers with personhood could have legal .
Q5.What issues do many UK rivers face today?
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: Reflection: Is a river alive?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: Reflection: Is a river alive?, 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 Personhood: what does it mean to be alive? unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.