This activity was used with pupils at lower-ability level in key stage 4, year 10.

Aim

• To encourage respect for religious food laws.

Activity objectives

• To learn about and understand the significance of halal and haram food for Muslims.
• To broaden pupils' cultural experience and social development through becoming familiar with these and other foods.

Activity description

The teacher introduced the concept of halal and haram in Islam and its importance, describing the types of food 'allowed' in Muslim 'shari'ah' and those that are forbidden. The class then discussed other things in life that are allowed and forbidden. This debate encouraged an exchange of views to establish the importance of such rules in establishing personal identity, belonging to groups and having a moral sense of right and wrong.

The teacher then provided a selection of pictures of such foods. The pupils classified and recorded them in their books under different headings (halal or haram) along with the meanings of these words.

In the next part of the activity, the teacher provided a selection of more unusual foods (eg okra, mango, sweet potato, chapatti and poppadums). The pupils were given a chart with all the food labelled and a choice of boxes marked 'like', 'dislike' and 'not sure'. The pupils moved around the classroom to taste the food marking the relevant box on the chart together with written comments on their reasons for their choices.

Once this process had been completed, each pupil was asked to do one or both of the following tasks.

• Write a letter inviting a Muslim friend to a meal (eg a birthday party), explaining that there are some foods they know their guest would not eat and that they would cater for the appropriate dietary needs.
• Design a menu card showing food a non-Muslim would like (eg traditional British fare) and other dishes that a Muslim would be able to eat without contravening their food laws.

A class discussion then took place about traditional Muslim foods. Questions and issues discussed included:

• Where are traditional Muslim foods found?
• Who uses these shops?
• Do such shops and restaurants offer extra choice to people who like different types of food?
• What other foods are available in these types of shops that are new to non-Muslims?
• Where did these foods come from?
• How would we cope without foods originating in USA or continental Europe?
• Which other religious groups have food law requirements?

The pupils then designed a poster to illustrate and promote the variety of religions and cultures together with their foods.

At the end of the activity, the pupils reflected on what they had learnt by posing themselves a series of questions:

• What foodstuffs have they tried that were new to them?
• Which new people have they met?
• Could they draw parallels between enjoying a variety of (new) foods and enjoying meeting a variety of people in their area?
• How could they illustrate and promote those parallels?

Commentary

As a point of organisation, pictures photocopied on to a single sheet were easier to manage than separate magazine cuttings. All the pupils completed the task successfully and reviewed the activity as a class to check everyone's responses.

The teacher showed pupils the foods in their original state (eg okra and sweet potato) as well as in their cooked presentation for the tasting.

Almost all of the pupils enjoyed the task (only one person refused to try anything) and the majority found a food they really liked and hadn't tasted before. The teacher was aware that sensitivity was needed in this part of the activity.

The pupils realised there were differences in food tastes and everyone has a right to their own view about whether or not people enjoy a taste. None of these opinions could be wrong by definition, so this fact was good for all the pupils' self-esteem.

The pupils learnt about the importance of food within a community and that religions can require strict obedience as to what can be eaten. The students also recognised that different cultures eat different foods and that food is an important aspect of religious affiliation.

Follow-up activities

Such activities could include:

• Visiting places that sell different foods.
• Visiting places of worship to see how food is used in religious practice (eg Sikh Langar).
• Talking to people about how they feel about eating (or not eating) certain things.
• Contributing to a class book on religion and food, illustrated with photographs, articles and interviews that show the value of diversity in their area.

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/

Religious education introduction

All subjects and activities

Respect for all introduction