Skip to content
Oak National Academy
Oak National Academy
Teachers
Pupils
New
New
Year 8

Comparing the Lord's Prayer over time

I can compare different versions of the Lord’s Prayer and explain how language has changed over time.

Download all resources
arrow-right
Share activities with pupils
arrow-right
New
New
Year 8

Comparing the Lord's Prayer over time

I can compare different versions of the Lord’s Prayer and explain how language has changed over time.

Download all resources
arrow-right
Share activities with pupils
arrow-right
warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
View new resources
arrow-right

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The Lord's Prayer, from the King James Bible 1611, contains many words that we still use today.
  2. Modern technologies have caused us to use abbreviations as part of spoken language.
  3. New words are created all the time, with generational divides between word usage.

Keywords

  • Hallowed - If something is hallowed then it is very respected because of its importance.

  • Outdated - If something is outdated then it is old-fashioned and no longer considered current.

  • Generation - A generation refers to all of the people born and living at about the same time.

  • Inter-generational - If something occurs across generations it can be described as intergenerational.

  • Abbreviation - An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase.

Common misconception

That different translations of the Lord's Prayer over time have been purely literal.

When new translations are made, writers change both the language and the content to suit modern audiences.

The task in LC1 presents a good opportunity to analyse how English has developed over time. The three different version of the Lord's Prayer are in: Old English, Middle English and Modern English.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Skip lesson video

Loading...

Starter quiz

Download starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
Which group was most responsible for the creation of Old English?
the Romans
the Vikings
Correct answer: the Anglo-Saxons
the Normans
Q2.
Across Modern English, Old English and Latin, words associated with which field are very similar?
Correct answer: religion
science
war
politics
Q3.
What was the name of the language spoken in England between the 5th and 12th centuries?
Correct Answer: Old English, Olde English, OldEnglish, old english, old English
Q4.
Match the below keywords with their definitions.
Correct Answer:abbreviation,A shortened form of a word or phrase.

A shortened form of a word or phrase.

Correct Answer:outdated,Old-fashioned and no longer considered current.

Old-fashioned and no longer considered current.

Correct Answer:generation,All of the people born and living at about the same time.

All of the people born and living at about the same time.

Correct Answer:inter-generational,Something occurring across generations.

Something occurring across generations.

Correct Answer:hallowed,Very respected because of its importance.

Very respected because of its importance.

Q5.
In which language was the story 'Beowulf' written in?
Old Norse
Correct answer: Old English
Old Brittonic
Latin
Q6.
Which of these is not an example of a language spoken in Britain before the adoption of Old English?
Old Norse
Old Brittonic
Latin
Correct answer: Norman French

Exit quiz

Download exit quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
In which language was the Lord's Prayer first spoken?
Latin
English
Correct answer: Aramaic
French
Q2.
The Lord's Prayer first appeared in English in the 10th century. In which text is it first recorded?
King James Bible
Correct answer: Wessex Gospels
Beowulf
Tyndale Bible
Q3.
The most widely known version of the Lord's Prayer is from the King James Bible. In which year was it first published?
1511
Correct answer: 1611
1711
1811
Q4.
Which of the things below might indicate to us that a text was written a long time ago?
Boring content
Correct answer: Outdated language
Correct answer: Cultural references that are no longer relevant
Longer paragraphs
Q5.
Younger generations are more likely to use abbreviations. Why so?
Correct answer: Abbreviations are more common on social media.
Younger generations are more impatient.
Abbreviations have only been invented in the last 30 years.
Older generations consider abbreviations rude.
Q6.
What is the definition of the word 'outdated'? Here it is used in a sentence: 'The students believed the text to be very old as the language was outdated'.
Very important and respected.
Correct answer: Old-fashioned and no longer considered current.
Difficult to understand and interpret.
Religiously significant.