51ºÚÁÏ

AQA GCSE Religious Studies – Reasons for Crime (Christianity & Islam)

Description:
This thought-provoking lesson is designed to support the AQA GCSE Religious Studies specification, focusing on why people commit crimes, with reference to Christian and Islamic teachings. It encourages students to explore social, psychological, and environmental factors contributing to criminal behaviour, and to critically assess religious responses to these reasons.
A key part of the lesson includes evaluating whether it is ever right to break an unjust law, using the powerful example of Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights Movement to spark debate and ethical reflection.

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify and explain a range of reasons why some people commit crimes (e.g. poverty, upbringing, addiction, opposition to unjust laws).

• Describe and explain Christian and Islamic attitudes toward these reasons, using relevant teachings and scripture.

• Evaluate whether it is ever justifiable to break the law in the face of injustice, using Rosa Parks as a case study for ethical discussion.

• It includes a **** PowerPoint presentation**** that outlines the key content and learning objectives.

• A starter activity recaps prior knowledge from the scheme of work (SOW), helping students to connect new learning to what they already know.

• Throughout the lesson, **questioning activities **are used to promote discussion, check understanding, and encourage participation.

• Students will complete an exam/ deliberate practice question to develop their assessment skills and apply their knowledge.

• A student worksheet is provided with a variety of tasks to reinforce learning.

• The lesson concludes with a final activity that allows students to consolidate their understanding and reflect on what they have learned.

Ideal For:
• Schools introducing/covering AQA GCSE Religious Studies
• KS4 RE departments
• New or non-specialist teachers

Why Choose This Resource?
Fully aligned with AQA GCSE RS (Paper 2: Thematic Studies)
Clear links to Christianity and Islam throughout
Encourages critical thinking and application of religious beliefs to real life case studies
Easily adaptable for in-class or homework use
Suitable for mixed-ability classes, with scaffolding provided to support all learners.