Liberia - Grade 6 - Religious and Moral Education

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Subject: Religious and Moral Education

Semester: 1

Period: 1

Week: 2

School Name:
Teacher’s Name:
Subject: Religious and Moral Education
Grade Level: Grade 6
Date: Week 2
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Week & Period: Week 2, Period 1
Topic: Creation
Sub-topic: Non-Scriptural Accounts of Creation

Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

Describe African traditional myths of creation.
Identify other cultural myths (Greek, Chinese, etc.).
Distinguish myths from scriptural facts.

Previous Knowledge
Students already know that different people around the world have stories about how life began.

Instructional Materials
Storybooks, charts of African traditional symbols, chalkboard, maps showing Liberia and other cultures.

Lesson Development – ABC Model

A – Anticipation
Time: 5–10 minutes
Teacher tells a short African myth about how the world began. Learners listen and react. Teacher asks: “Is this the same as what the Bible or Qur’an says?”

B – Building Knowledge (Main Lesson Body)

Time: 25–30 minutes
Topic: African Traditional Myths and Other Cultural Myths of Creation

Full Definition

Myth:
A myth is a traditional story or legend passed down from generation to generation. Myths explain natural events, human origins, or the beginnings of the world according to a group’s cultural beliefs.

Scriptural Fact:
A scriptural fact is a religious truth found in sacred books like the Bible or Qur’an, believed by followers of Christianity or Islam to be the true word of God or Allah.

Explanation

People from different parts of the world have tried to explain how the world began. Those who did not have written scriptures like the Bible or Qur’an used myths to tell their creation stories. These myths were shared through oral storytelling, songs, and festivals.

While myths are important for understanding culture and history, they are not the same as scriptural facts, which are believed by religious followers to be true and guided by God.

Examples of Creation Myths

African Traditional Myths:

Liberia (e.g. Kpelle or Bassa tribe):
It is believed that God created man from clay and then breathed life into him. This shows that humans came from the earth and are connected to nature.
West Africa (e.g. Yoruba or Akan people):
Some myths say that the sky and earth were once joined together, but were later separated to make space for humans to live.

Other Cultural Myths:

Greek Mythology:
The ancient Greeks believed that gods like Zeus brought order from chaos, and each god had a special job in maintaining the world.
Chinese Mythology:
In Chinese tradition, there is a story of a giant named Pangu, who separated the sky from the earth using an axe, and from his body the world was formed.

Difference Between Myths and Scriptural Facts

Aspect	Myths	Scriptural Facts
Source	Passed down by ancestors through oral stories	Found in holy books like the Bible or Qur’an
Purpose	To explain natural events in cultural ways	To teach religious truth and moral lessons
Belief	Cultural belief, varies from place to place	Religious belief, accepted as truth by faith
Example	Man created from clay by a tribal god	God created man in His image (Bible/Qur’an)

Examples for Clarification

Myth Example: Some African myths say that God lives in the sky and sends rain as a gift when He is pleased.
Scriptural Fact Example: The Bible teaches that God created rain, the seasons, and all nature on the third day of creation. The Qur’an teaches that Allah sends down rain to give life to the earth.

Practical Activity

Group Role-Play or Storytelling Activity:

Learners are divided into small groups.
Each group chooses one African or cultural myth of creation.
They prepare a short drama or storytelling performance to show what the myth teaches about how the world or humans were created.
After the performance, the class discusses what is similar or different from what they know from scripture.

Learners’ Activities (Expanded)

Learners listen to and retell African and other cultural creation myths.
They compare these myths with creation stories from the Bible or Qur’an.
Learners write short paragraphs:

One paragraph about a myth they know.
Another paragraph about what they believe from scripture.

Learners discuss in groups why people created myths before the Bible or Qur’an were written or known.
Learners draw a scene from a myth or scriptural story and label the characters or elements.

Assessment Checks

The teacher may ask the following questions:

What is a myth?
Name one African traditional myth of creation.
What is the difference between a myth and a scriptural fact?
What does the Bible or Qur’an say about creation?
Why do people tell myths?

Notes (Expanded and Detailed)

Myths are traditional stories that explain how the world began according to different cultures.
They were created by people who did not have access to written scriptures.
Myths are not considered historical facts, but they teach cultural values and help people understand their environment.
Scriptural accounts, however, are written in the Bible and Qur’an, and are believed to be true by followers of Christianity and Islam.
These religious texts explain that God or Allah created the world in an orderly way, with a purpose.
While myths are useful for understanding tradition, scriptural creation stories are used for teaching faith and religious truth.

C – Consolidation
Time: 5–10 minutes
Summary: Myths are traditional stories of creation. They differ from scriptural facts written in holy books like the Bible and Qur’an.

Evaluation Method: Exit slip: Write one African myth and one holy book that gives the true story of creation.

Assignment: Learners write down one creation myth they know from their community or family.

Follow-up Activity: Share the myth with classmates next lesson.

Differentiation / Inclusive Strategies
Teacher uses storytelling for auditory learners, drawing symbols for visual learners, and dramatization for kinesthetic learners.

Teacher’s Reflection
What worked well? ___________________________________________
What needs improvement? ____________________________________
Students’ engagement level: ☑ High ☐ Medium ☐ Low