This activity was used with pupils in key stage 3, year 8.

Aims

• To deepen and broaden understanding of important religious, cultural and social traditions and ceremonies.
• To identify and explore how personal family traditions and ceremonies may differ from other traditions and ceremonies.
• To think about why traditions and ceremonies are different in various religions, cultures and societies, and to value this diversity.

Activity objectives

• To realise the importance and value of diverse religious ceremonies and practices in society.
• To develop a knowledge and an understanding of Sikh weddings.

Activity description

The teacher planned a simulation of a Sikh wedding ceremony well ahead of this activity, including:

• identifying key actors;
• earmarking an appropriate date;
• chosing the venue;
• chosing the guests;
• acquiring the necessary artefacts;
• preparing the orders of service.

As many parts of the ceremony as possible were simulated: one pupil dressed up as a bride, another as a bridegroom. The simulation took place at a local gurdwara (Sikh temple). All the guests removed their shoes and covered their heads. The pupils acted out all the key events in the ceremony except one: the bride and groom did not walk round the Guru Granth Sahib (scripture). Because this walk is the most sacred moment of the whole service, the teacher explained its significance to the class instead.

The ceremony was recorded, on video and in photographs, to provide opportunities for the pupils to reflect on the occasion, the experience and what they had learnt.

The teacher discussed the ceremony and its meanings with the pupils. The pupils were asked what they thought the words and gestures in the ceremony meant. The teacher then led a discussion on weddings with the pupils, which included questions such as:

How do you feel about this work on Sikh weddings?
What have you learnt? How?
Was the activity valuable and enjoyable? In what way?
Have you been invited to other weddings? How did they compare?
Why are such ceremonies held?
What are the meanings that weddings have for the people involved, and for the families and cultural groups to which they belong?
Why do different cultural groups have different wedding ceremonies?
Do you think wedding ceremonies should be all the same or all different? Why?
Does it matter that there are different wedding ceremonies?
Do weddings have some things in common? What are they? Why are these things common to all cultural groups?

A variety of activities followed this discussion, designed to record and measure pupils' learning. These activities included the following:

The pupils produced a wedding album (as a whole-class activity), annotated to illustrate the significance of what was happening in each photograph taken at the simulation.

The pupils designed and created wedding catalogues for different wedding types and traditions. These catalogues were annotated to explain the significance of the items illustrated and how they are used.

The pupils wrote examples of wedding cards, newspaper reviews, and thank-you letters to express the sentiments and importance of wedding ceremonies.

The pupils discussed accounts of racist incidents at local weddings. They discussed how promoting respect for religious, cultural and social traditions and practices could help prevent such incidents.

Commentary

This activity was very noisy as it required pupils to do unusual things such as taking off their shoes and sitting on the floor. The teacher had to talk the simulation event through and make it as realistic as possible. One of the points the teacher brought out in class discussion was the difference between religious and secular wedding ceremonies.

Resources

The religious education schemes of work can be found at www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes
The online national curriculum can be found at www.nc.uk.net.