LESSON 6: RS KS4
RESOURCES
NATIONAL CURRICULUM LINKS
OBJECTIVES
AIM
Choosing to die
Explore what the major religions have to say about suicide. To explore the emotional effects of suicide on the characters in Breathing Country. To develop an understanding of the religious perspectives on suicide and how these may or may not help people suffering with mental illnesses. To engage empathetically with issues surrounding mental health. Knowledge, Skills and Understanding 1 e: discuss and evaluate how religious beliefs and teachings inform answers to ultimate questions and ethical issues 1 g: interpret and evaluate a range of sources, texts and authorities, from a variety of contexts QCA Criteria 2.1i: Identify, investigate and respond to fundamental questions of life raised by religion and human experience, including questions about the meaning and purpose of life. Key Skills Developed AO1: recall, select, organise and deploy knowledge AO2: describe, analyse and explain AO3: evaluate different responses to‌moral issues, using relevant evidence and argument GCSE Specifications AQA (B) Module 1 B: Thinking about God and Morality Module 2 B: Key Beliefs, Ultimate Questions and Life Issues- Human relationships Module 4 B: Truth, Spirituality and Contemporary Issues Edexcel (A) Unit H1: Religion and Social responsibility White board and pens Article 5: Religion and suicide
ACTIVITY
READ
Read aloud the following dialogue from Breathing Country. It is taken from the climatic scene towards the end of the play in which Lizzie finally confronts her father over the suicide of her mother. Lizzie
What did it feel like, when he mentioned mum?
Beat Because I don’t know that you value it, either. Privacy. I don’t think that you know what it means, for other people. I’m going to go out into your office and make an announcement. And I’m going to email all your contacts Schrader from the mail, too I’m going to tell them that your wife killed herself. Now do you understand what it feels like? You’ve nothing to be ashamed of. It wasn’t her fault, was it? It wasn’t your fault It was the drugs, wasn’t it? It was the drugs. You have nothing to hide. I don’t know where we go from here, dad. They stare at each other.
DISCUSS
Consider the events of the play. Lizzie's mother is a strong presence in the play. Discuss the ways in which Lizzie's mother's suicide may have affected both her and her father, Richard. Write some of the ideas on the white board. Some suggestions below: • • • • • • • •
Richard runs home to his daughter after Janet mentions her research on the suicidal effects of a particular anti-depressant. Lizzie fears being 'just like [her] mother' Richard lies to his colleagues about his wife's death saying it was a car accident Richard grieves over his lost wife in his daily diary entries Lizzie fears seeking help for her own condition Richard and Lizzie's relationship suffers Dealing with the suicide helps Lizzie to understand her own feelings Through grieving for his wife Richard is able to understand what privacy means to other people
Now consider the 'character' of Lizzie's Mother. Remember that she was suffering from depression. By the end of the play we are aware that she was taking anti depressants that were later discovered, in Janet's study, to cause suicidal feelings in patients. Ask your students to use their imaginations, and what they have learned from the play, to try to understand why some people may want to choose to die. Write the reasons on the white board.
READ
Ask your class to get into pairs. Give each pair a copy of Article 5: Religion and suicide. Allocate one of the 4 religions to each of the pairs and ask them to read and discuss the relevant section of Article 5.
EXPLORE
Now ask each pair to imagine they are giving advice to Laura in the weeks before she took her life. One member of the pair should be a representative of the religion allocated to them. The other an atheist. Ask them to perform the scene. They should imagine Laura is present - but she does not respond. Think about how the advice given differs and where it is similar.
PERFORM
Ask each pair to perform their scene to the class.
DISCUSS
Discuss how the advice of different religions differs. How does this compare to a non religious viewpoint?
EXTENSION Ask the students to write a well balanced argument as a response to the following statement: 'To commit suicide shows great disrespect not only to friends and relatives but also to oneself' Try to write in the following format: Some people believe... [agree with statement] Others believe... [disagree with statement] On consideration... [offer a balanced summary] The answer should aim to incorporate at least two of the religious view points from Article 5 as well as demonstrate an empathetic understanding of the issue as demonstrated in Breathing Country.