Euthanasia
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the key issues surrounding euthanasia and assisted suicide and evaluate arguments for and against legalising them.
Key learning points
- Euthanasia ends life to relieve suffering, either voluntary or non-voluntary, and active or passive.
- Assisted suicide involves helping someone end their life, with the person administering the lethal dose.
- In the UK, active euthanasia is illegal, assisted suicide is punishable, but withdrawing treatment can be legal.
- Opponents argue life has intrinsic value, suffering has meaning, and legalisation may pressure vulnerable people.
- Supporters argue it respects autonomy, allowing people to end suffering with dignity.
Keywords
Assisted dying - helping someone end their life, often through euthanasia or assisted suicide
Assisted suicide - providing someone with the means to end their life due to terminal illness or severe suffering
Euthanasia - intentionally ending a person's life to relieve suffering, either by causing death or allowing it to occur
Palliative care - medical care that focuses on providing relief from pain aiming to improve the quality of life for patients
Common misconception
Those with non-religious views, such as Humanists, always support euthanasia.
Many Humanists advocate for the right to die (e.g., ‘Dignity in Dying’), but some oppose it due to concerns about coercion, vulnerable people, or better alternatives like palliative care.
Teacher tip
Some students may have personal experiences with terminal illness or loss, so set clear expectations for respectful discussion.
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.Which law legalised abortion in the UK under certain conditions?
Q2.Many people with a non-religious worldview are known as . Most believe a woman has the right to choose abortion.
Q3.Which of the following is a key argument used by pro-life supporters?
Q4.According to the 1967 Abortion Act, what is the legal time limit for most abortions in the UK?
Q5.Which Christian teaching is often used to oppose abortion?
Q6.Which Christian denomination is most likely to support abortion in some circumstances using situation ethics?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the following terms with their correct definitions:
when a person requests to end their life to relieve suffering
when a person is unable to consent, and someone else decides
when a deliberate action is taken to cause death
when life-sustaining treatment is withheld or withdrawn
Q2.In the UK, active euthanasia is , but withdrawing life-sustaining treatment in some cases is allowed.
Q3.Which of the following is an argument in favour of legalising euthanasia?
Q4.What is a key argument against legalising euthanasia?
Q5.Which of the following best describes assisted suicide?
Q6.Which organisation is Humanist and campaigns for the legalisation of assisted dying in the UK?
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Euthanasia, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Euthanasia, 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 Religion and life unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.