Basic 8 · Religious and Moral Education · Term Preparation
Preparing for the Term in Religious and Moral Education
In this topic you will prepare for the term by recalling what you know about God's creation and moral values, and practise applying moral lessons through discussion, reflection and presentation.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Recall key ideas from earlier Religious and Moral Education lessons
- Explain why the study of religion matters in a country of many faiths
- Plan a small values-based project
What you already know
- God the Creator and the three main religions of Ghana (Basic 7)
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
Lesson 1
- Strand
- God’s Creation & Attributes
- Sub-strand
- Term Preparation
Introduction
Ghana is home to Christians, Muslims and followers of African Traditional Religion. Studying these faiths side by side helps us to understand our neighbours and to live together in peace.
1. Why We Study Religious and Moral Education
Religious and Moral Education, often called RME, is not meant to turn you into a member of any particular faith. Its purpose is to help you understand what people believe, why they behave as they do and which values make a good society. In Ghana, a family may contain members of different faiths, so this knowledge has daily use. A learner who understands why a Muslim classmate fasts during Ramadan, or why a Christian friend attends church on Sunday, is more likely to show respect.
2. The Three Main Religions in Ghana
| Religion | Name for God | Holy text or source | Place of worship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christianity | God | The Bible | church or chapel |
| Islam | Allah | The Qur'an | mosque |
| African Traditional Religion | Onyame, Mawu, Nyongmo, Naawuni and others | oral tradition | shrine, grove or home |
These religions differ in many of their teachings, but they share important ideas. All of them teach that there is a Supreme Being, that human beings have duties towards one another, and that wrong behaviour has consequences.
3. Study Skills for This Subject
RME requires careful reading, listening and thinking. When you study a story from a religion, ask three questions. What happened? What does this religion teach through it? What can I learn from it for my own life? Always speak respectfully about beliefs that are not your own, and do not mock anyone's practices. It is also useful to keep a small notebook of new words and moral lessons.
4. What Lies Ahead
This term you will study creation stories from the three religions and the moral lessons they teach. You will then learn about rites of passage, which are the ceremonies that mark birth, puberty, marriage and death.
5. Speaking About Religion Respectfully
Use the correct names for people, books and places, and describe a practice as its followers describe it. Say "Muslims believe" or "Christians teach" so that you report a belief fairly. You may disagree with a teaching, but do so politely and with reasons.
New words
- religion
- A system of beliefs and worship.
- morals
- Ideas about right and wrong behaviour.
- rite of passage
- A ceremony marking a new stage of life.
- tolerance
- Respecting people whose beliefs differ from yours.
Summary
- RME helps us to understand beliefs and to live well with others.
- Ghana's three main religions share belief in a Supreme Being and moral duties.
- Respect and careful reflection are key skills in this subject.
Class activity: What We Share
- List the beliefs that the three religions have in common.
- List one difference that deserves respect.
- Share your lists with the class.
You need: Bible, Qur'an, Printed photograph of a Ghanaian traditional shrine
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. The holy book of Islam is the…
- A. Qur'an
- B. Bible
- C. Torah
- D. Vedas
Show answer
Answer: Qur'anMuslims read the Qur'an.2. A ceremony that marks a new stage of life is a…
- A. rite of passage
- B. festival of harvest
- C. prayer meeting
- D. sermon
Show answer
Answer: rite of passageBirth, puberty, marriage and death.3. RME teaches us to respect other people's beliefs.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueTolerance.4. Respecting beliefs that differ from yours is called ______.
Show answer
Answer: tolerancePeaceful living.5. State two beliefs shared by the three main religions in Ghana.
Show answer
Answer: Belief in a Supreme Being and that people have moral duties to one another.Shared ideas.6. Why is RME useful in a country with many faiths?
Show answer
Answer: It builds understanding and respect, which helps people of different faiths to live together in peace.Social harmony.
Lesson 2
- Strand
- God’s Creation & Attributes
- Sub-strand
- Term Preparation
Introduction
Moral lessons are not only for reading. They become real when you apply them at home, in class and on the playground.
1. What Are Values?
Values are the qualities and beliefs that guide how we act. Honesty, respect, responsibility, kindness and hard work are all values. Religions teach them through stories and commandments, while families teach them through example and correction. A person with strong values behaves well even when nobody is watching. For example, an honest learner returns a lost purse with all the money still inside it, even if nobody saw it being picked up.
2. Values in Daily Life
| Value | At home | At school |
|---|---|---|
| respect | greeting elders politely | listening when others speak |
| responsibility | doing your chores | arriving on time and doing homework |
| honesty | telling the truth about a broken cup | not copying in a test |
| kindness | helping a younger sibling | welcoming a new learner |
| hard work | helping on the farm | revising regularly |
3. A Values Project
A values project takes one moral idea and turns it into action. Your class could run a campaign to keep the compound clean, start a kindness week, or create a poster about honesty. A good project follows simple steps. First, choose a value that your class needs. Next, plan what you will do and who will do it. Then carry out the plan and observe the results. Finally, report back to the class and reflect on what you have learned.
4. Reflection
Reflection means thinking carefully about your actions. At the end of each day, ask yourself what you did well and what you could improve. Many religious people do something like this through prayer or quiet thought. Reflection helps you to learn from mistakes rather than repeat them. It also helps you to notice the good things that others do for you, which leads to gratitude.
New words
- values
- Qualities that guide how we act.
- honesty
- Telling the truth and acting fairly.
- responsibility
- Doing what you ought to do.
- reflection
- Thinking carefully about your actions.
Summary
- Values guide our behaviour at home and at school.
- A values project turns a moral idea into action.
- Reflection helps us to learn from our actions.
Class activity: Plan a Values Project
- Choose one value that your class needs.
- Plan a small project and share out the roles.
- Present your plan to the class.
You need: Bible, Qur'an, Printed photograph of a Ghanaian traditional shrine
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Which of these is a value?
- A. honesty
- B. football
- C. mathematics
- D. rain
Show answer
Answer: honestyMoral quality.2. The first step in a values project is to…
- A. choose a value
- B. report back
- C. reflect
- D. give prizes
Show answer
Answer: choose a valueStart by choosing.3. Values matter only when someone is watching.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseGood character shows when alone too.4. Thinking carefully about your actions is ______.
Show answer
Answer: reflectionLearning from actions.5. Give two ways of showing respect at school.
Show answer
Answer: Listening when others speak and greeting teachers politely.Any two.6. Describe a small values project for your class.
Show answer
Answer: A kindness week in which learners help others and report on what they did, or any project with a value, plan and reflection.Project steps.
Homework
- Write five values you already practise and one you want to improve.