Isaac and Ismail
I can explain the theological reasons for divergent interpretations of Abraham's test.
Isaac and Ismail
I can explain the theological reasons for divergent interpretations of Abraham's test.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Abraham had two sons, each to different mothers.
- Judaism and Christianity say Abraham was told to sacrifice Sarah's son, Isaac.
- Islam says Abraham was told to sacrifice Hagar's son, Ismail.
- Despite the difference in the characters of Isaac and Ismail, all Abrahamic faiths are connected by Abraham's sacrifice.
Keywords
Ancestor - a person related to you who lived a long time ago
Descendant - your children and any further generations of children that begin from them
Divergent - developed in different directions
Sacrifice - to give up something very important to you or to kill something as an offering to God
Common misconception
Jews, Muslims and Christians are all descended from Abraham in the same way.
Jews and Christians trace their ancestry through Isaac to Abraham. Muslims trace their ancestry through Ismail to Abraham.
To help you plan your year 7 religious education lesson on: Isaac and Ismail, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 7 religious education lesson on: Isaac and Ismail, 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 religious education lessons from the Prophethood: how are Abrahamic faiths connected through prophets? unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
5 Questions
a person related to you who lived a long time ago
your children and any further generations of children
developed in different directions
to give up or kill something as an offering to God
Hagar
Sarah
Mary