Most RE classrooms now have a computer; access to the internet and a projector. This means that we can now access a wide range of free resources which we can use to engage our students. Both reonline and NATRE / REtoday are good starting points, but the ideas below might prove useful too.

Ideas; links and resources will be added weekly to help inspire you and your students. Feel free to add your own ideas in the comments box which will then be added to the list (and credited)

Good Starting Points

The following websites are good starting points for lesson plans; downloadable videos and other ideas

http://www.truetube.co.uk

This site is free to join, and offers lots of downloadable videos plus lesson and assembly plans. The MTV Cribs style tours of places of worship are particularly useful.

http://www.cleo.net.uk

Use the menu to search for RE resources by Key Stage. The site includes videos and resources that can be used with interactive whiteboards.

Creating Resources

http://www.triptico.co.uk

An amazing free downloadable computer app that can be used on your school computer and displayed onto your interactive whiteboard. Not RE specific, but you can make games such as ‘Find 10’ where students have to select the 10 correct statements from a selection of 15, alongside student selectors; group makers and timers. The basic app is free, but you can download it for the whole school for a small price and for a personal subscription you can store your work ‘in the cloud’ (although everything is savable on your network / laptop)

Tarisa

If you google ‘tarsia’ (or speak to your Maths department if you are in a Secondary school) you will come across a wonderful tool to make a variety of puzzles. The free download allows you to make matching puzzles in the shape of hexagons / pentagons or triangles where students match up key words & definitions or you make dominoes or discussion circles.

MyRebus

pilgrimage-question-my-rebus

Is a new(ish) website that allows you to make picture puzzles from words / phrases. Simply type in your word / question or phrase and it will turn it into a puzzle.

Here is one for the question ‘Which city in Israel would both Christians and Jews visit on pilgrimage?

Popplet (free on the internet, also downloadable as an ipad app)

religious-expression-popplet

Popplet is a brainstorming website that allows you to make very visual mind maps – these are colourful, simple to look at and can contain images (if you want to print out) of if you show online can include videos too. You can leave ‘popples’ empty for students to write in.

Extending Student Learning through Digital Magazines

flipboard

Flipboard is a Google Chrome extension / app that allows you to copy articles from websites include newspaper and magazine articles into your own magazine. The Philosophy and Ethics Department at Ridgeway School are currently producing their own magazine for A Level students and it can be found here http://flip.it/jho1C

It is very easy to do. If you need help, then email [email protected] or tweet @hartleyian or catch him at the 3rd Conference and he will explain all!

RE Community on Twitter

If you are on twitter, then search out the lively RE community on there. Search for us using  #reteacher – lots of relevant links and lesson ideas are posted each day.