This document provides information and tasks about religious teachings regarding the treatment of animals. It includes passages from Genesis about humans and animals, and asks students to highlight and describe what Christians believe based on these passages. Students are asked to consider characteristics humans and animals share and how they differ. The document discusses what religions think about animal rights and how the law views animals. Students consider different scenarios involving animal use and whether Christians and Muslims would agree. The document provides extension questions about vegetarianism from a religious perspective and how faith could lead one to care for animals.

1. Draw a picture of an animal and
label how you think it should be
treated.

2. Take 5
• List 5 differences between humans and
animals.

3. Learning intentions:
• To explain religious
teachings and attitudes
towards animals.
• To apply these teachings to
different scenarios of the
treatment of animals.
Success criteria:
• By interpreting the
teachings in the context of
animals.
• By working as a group to
apply the teachings to
scenarios.

4. • If Muslims and Christians believe that
they are khalifahs or stewards of the
earth, how should they be treating
animals?

5. Task

6. Task - In groups, try and consider what characteristics
humans and animals have that are the same, and some
that are different.
Characteristics that
humans and animals
share
Characteristics that are
different

7. So, what do religions think?

8. What is meant by ‘animal rights’?

9. Animals and the law

10. 1. Stick in your copy of Genesis 1:26-30.
2. Using one colour or highlighter, highlight what the
passage says about humans.
3. With another colour, highlight what the passage
says about animals.
4. In your book, write a brief description of what
Christians would believe about humans and
animals from Genesis.

11. • Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness,
so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the
sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the
creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in
his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
• God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in
number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea
and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves
on the ground.”
• Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of
the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They
will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the
birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—
everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant
for food.” And it was so.

12. Extension: “If you care about animals you should be vegetarian.” Give
two reasons why a religious believer might agree or disagree. (4
marks)

13. Consider each of these and decided whether a
Christian and Muslim would agree with this use
of an animal:
• Animals taking part in medical research
• Wearing a fur coat
• Swimming with dolphins
• Using a guide dog
• Betting on horse racing
Extension: what are your attitudes to these uses?

14. Explain how having a religious faith might lead
some people to care for animals. (4 marks)
Point: Some Christians.... Point: Some Muslims....
Evidence: As they believe
that...
Evidence: As they believe
that...
Explanation: This means
that...
Explanation: This means
that...
Link: Therefore, Christians... Link: Therefore, Muslims...

15. Using the mini-whiteboards, draw a religious
teaching for your partner.
Swap and see if you can correctly find out the
religious teaching!