New
New
Year 4

The legacy of Guru Nanak

I can explain how Guru Nanak’s teachings continue to inspire Sikhs today.

Link copied to clipboard

New
New
Year 4

The legacy of Guru Nanak

I can explain how Guru Nanak’s teachings continue to inspire Sikhs today.

Link copied to clipboard

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.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Sikhs pray and worship at the gurdwara and at home.
  2. Never forgetting the poor is a key belief in Sikhi.
  3. Equality, including gender equality, is important to Sikhs.
  4. Seva, or service, is something all Sikhs hold as important.

Keywords

  • Seva - selfless service

  • Gurdwara - Sikh place of worship, meaning 'door of the guru'

  • Langar - a community kitchen and free meal service provided in gurdwaras

Common misconception

Sikhs believe prayer is more important than practical service.

Practical, selfless service (sewa) is an essential part of being a Sikh.


To help you plan your year 4 religious education lesson on: The legacy of Guru Nanak, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

If possible, visit a gurdwara to experience langar and seva or interview some Sikhs at the gurdwara about what seva means to them and how Guru Nanak inspire them.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

6 Questions

Q1.
What does 'Mool Mantar' mean in Sikhi?
Correct answer: essential teaching
wonderful teacher
sacred text
Q2.
Why do Sikhs meditate by repeating the word 'Waheguru'?
Correct answer: to focus and connect with God
to improve their health
to prepare for worship at the gurdwara
Q3.
What does the word 'Ik' in 'Ik Onkar' mean?
creator
truth
Correct answer: one
Q4.
What is the Guru Granth Sahib?
a prayer said in the gurdwara
Correct answer: the holy book in Sikhi
a script used to write hymns
Q5.
The Mool Mantar teaches that God is without and hate.
Correct Answer: fear, Fear
Q6.
Guru Nanak compared God to - there everywhere but not always visible.
Correct Answer: light, Light

4 Questions

Q1.
What does the word 'seva' mean in Sikhism?
praying for others
Correct answer: selfless service
eating food at the gurdwara
Q2.
Why do Sikhs participate in langar?
to teach people how to cook
Correct answer: to serve food to the poor and promote equality
to celebrate religious holidays
Q3.
What did Guru Nanak teach about helping the poor?
that they should be ignored
Correct answer: that Sikhs should always help and care for the poor
that the poor must help themselves
Q4.
The practice in Sikhi of giving 10% of earnings to help others is called .
Correct Answer: Dasvandh, dasvandh
This site uses cookies to store information on your computer. Some of these cookies are essential, while others help us to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used.