Objectives and Key Questions

1. Identify places special to them. Share ideas about why particular places may be special to them or others. What makes a place special?

2. Identify parts/characteristics of a religious building. Identify functions of some features. What happens here? What is it called?






3. Identify parts and functions of the church. Can you name parts of inside/outside of the church?

Teaching Activities

1. Read the story of 'The Church Mouse'. Identify the special place for the mouse. Discuss what are special places to them and consider why they are special (7a/d).


2. Visit the church. (Take cat puppet and finger mice). Look at the outside of the building and talk about the features. Inside, sit quietly to absorb the atmosphere. Look at arches, windows, pillars (7c). How does it make them feel? Play quiet game - cats clues. Cat gives clues about different parts of building. Mice creep to that part. (Take photographs to remind children of the features - possibly using digital camera).

3. Ask children about what sorts of things they had in their special places. Special places usually have special things associated with them. (Playgrounds have swings etc). What special things were inside the church? Revisit game of cat's clues using photographs. Children to draw a part of the church and write a clue to go with it. Share these around circle and guess each other's. Make into class book (7b).

Assessment Opportunities

1. Draw/ write /talk about their own special places (D1).



2. Identify parts of the church that have a special significance - children go to specific area and talk about it (D2).






3. Drawing/writing clues about symbols/objects used in Christianity (C1).