Year 1 - Religious education
Christmas: deeper meanings through art
Jesus: why is he so important to Christians?
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils will study the centrality of Jesus for most Christians through the story of his birth. Pupils will learn the term incarnation to describe Jesus as God's son. They will see how different Christians portray Jesus through art, and explore how Jesus' birth inspires acts of charity.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to understand how art is used to tell the nativity story.
Key Notes
- Over centuries, the nativity story has been drawn by many artists to express the idea of incarnation.
- Symbols such as a halo are used to show that Jesus and Mary are holy.
- The nativity scene can be presented in different ways depending on the cultural background of the artist.
Vocabulary To Learn
- icon: a person or thing regarded as worthy of worship
- halo: a glowing ring around someone's head, often seen in pictures of angels
- symbol: when something stands for something else, like a heart meaning love
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Jesus was born in a European-looking stable and it was snowing outside.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Over centuries, the nativity story has been drawn by many artists to express the idea of incarnation. Symbols such as a halo are used to show that Jesus and Mary are holy.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'icon'
a person or thing regarded as worthy of worship.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Jesus was born in a European-looking stable and it was snowing outside. Correction: We do not know what Jesus or Mary looked like but he was born in the Middle East. Many artists paint this scene in line with their own culture.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 1 Religious education guide library.