Year 4 Spirituality: how is art used in religions and beliefs? worksheet

“Symbols Speak Too” is free to print, with no account. It is the first sheet in the Year 4 religious education unit “Spirituality: how is art used in religions and beliefs?”, for children aged 8 to 9, and takes about 22 minutes.

Print it on A4. The child's pages come first; the answers, and what each wrong answer tells you, are on the grown-up page that follows. Weeks 31 to 36 of the year, 6 sheets in the unit.

Free sample · answers on the last page

Symbols Speak Too

Name: ____________ · Date: ____________
Year 4 · Religious education · about 22 minutes
Answers are on the grown-up page

Today I can tell what a symbol stands for and why words are not the only way to share belief.

A Look back3 min

1.
The scale goes from sunny to stormy. Which end shows a happy feeling? Circle one.
sunnystormy
2.
In this made-up town, a red colour on the bus stop means stop here. Is the red colour a symbol? Circle yes or no.
yesno
3.
On UK roads, a sign shaped like this triangle is a symbol. What do you think it tells drivers? Write it.

B Watch me, then you4 min

In this made-up town, flags tell walkers what to do. Look at the flag and what it stands for.

A park path with a yellow flag and a green flag on short poles

Watch me

The yellow flag is a symbol.

It stands for something else: slow down.

A symbol can share a message without any words.

Now you

1.
Walkers in this made-up town see a green flag. Green often means go. What could the green flag stand for? Circle one.
the path is clearthe path is closedlunch is ready

C Your turn8 min

Each question asks what a symbol stands for. Circle the answer that fits the symbol.

Four stone tiles showing a cross, crescent moon, sword in a ring, and fish.

1.
Many Christians use the cross as their main symbol. What does it show? Circle one.
Jesus dying on the crossa school bella harvest meal
2.
The crescent moon and star is often linked with Islam. What could it remind Muslims of? Circle one.
the new moon marks the start of months like Ramadanit is a picture of a famous schoolit is the name of a holy book
3.
The Khanda is the main symbol of Sikhi. What does its circle show? Circle one.
God has no start and no finishthat a school day has startedthat a river runs past the temple
4.
Early Christians scratched a fish shape into the sand. Why did they do this? Circle one.
to find other Christians safely without speakingto mark where the school gate isto show the price of bread

Say it out loud: Each question names a different symbol. What stayed the same in every question, and what changed?

D Spot the mistake3 min

An open old book with a page of decorated knotted patterns

Ella says: “Words are the only way to explain what people believe.”

1.
Why is Ella wrong? Write one sentence.

E Think deeper4 min

A stone wall carved with a cross, a crescent and a fish shape

1.
The Psalms are poems from the Bible. The Lindisfarne Gospels is an old book of Bible stories, decorated with patterns. Sort the cards. Each sign on its own goes under A symbol or picture.
crossPsalmscrescent moonLindisfarne page patternsKhandafish shape
A symbol or picture Poetry or pattern

How did it feel?

I can do it Nearly Not yet

For the grown-up

Symbols Speak Too · 2 minutes to read

Answers, and what a wrong one tells you

A

1. sunny If your child circles stormy, ask them to point to the sunny end and show a happy face with their own face.

2. yes

3. Look for: Gives a sensible message the sign could stand for, such as take care or danger ahead.

B

1. the path is clear If your child circles the path is closed, ask what a green traffic light tells drivers to do. Then look at the green flag again.

C

1. Jesus dying on the cross If your child picks the school bell, point to the cross and ask whose death it reminds Christians of. Talk about how symbols hold a story.

2. the new moon marks the start of months like Ramadan If your child picks the holy book, explain that the moon links to the calendar, not to a book. Ask what the moon helps Muslims to track.

3. God has no start and no finish

4. to find other Christians safely without speaking If your child picks the school gate, ask them why a secret sign would need no words. Explain that the fish helped people stay safe.

D

1. Look for: Says that symbols, pictures or patterns also share beliefs, so words are not the only way. If your child only repeats that words are important, ask them to name one symbol or pattern that shares a belief without words.

E

1. Poetry or pattern: Psalms, Lindisfarne page patterns · A symbol or picture: cross, crescent moon, Khanda, fish shape If your child puts the Psalms under symbols, ask what kind of writing the Psalms are. Remind them they are poetry used in worship.

Words to use

Say“Could you show someone something important without speaking? What would you draw or do?”

Instead of“Religions only use words, so just read the book to me.”

After the sheet

Draw a simple sign at home for something you enjoy, like a star on a card. Ask someone to guess it without speaking.

Tick what your child got right in StudyDen. Anything missed comes back in a later Look back box, so there's no need to redo the sheet.

The rest of this unit

5 more sheets come with a StudyDen plan, in teaching order:

Calligraphy: more than writing(with a plan)
Words that carry feeling(with a plan)
Art That Tells Stories(with a plan)
How Art Shows Faith(with a plan)
Art That Shows Beliefs(with a plan)

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