Zwingli, Calvin and the Swiss Reformation
I can explain how the Church split into different groups and the beliefs they held.
Zwingli, Calvin and the Swiss Reformation
I can explain how the Church split into different groups and the beliefs they held.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The printing press helped to spread Luther's ideas around Europe.
- Different people took up Luther's ideas and added to them.
- Zwingli believed that icons, relics and music distracted people from worship and should be removed.
- Groups of Protestants emerged who believed in the views of different leaders like Zwingli and Luther.
Keywords
Reformer/reformist - someone who tries to change and improve something, such as a religion
Catholic - a Christian who believes that the pope has authority over the Church
Protestant - a member of a Western Church which does not recognise the pope as its head
Reformation - a 16th century movement calling for the reform of the Church
Transubstantiation - the teaching that the bread and wine used in the Eucharist become the body and blood of Christ
Common misconception
Protestantism is a single unified religion.
There are, today, thousands of different Christian denominations that can be considered versions of Protestantism. Almost from its very inception, Protestantism split into a variety of competing belief systems.
To help you plan your year 8 history lesson on: Zwingli, Calvin and the Swiss Reformation, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 history lesson on: Zwingli, Calvin and the Swiss Reformation, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the Henry VIII and the Reformation: how unusual was the English Reformation? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
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Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
someone who tries to change and improve something, such as a religion
a Christian who believes that the pope has authority over the Church
a member of a Western Church which does not recognise the pope