Should a 9 year old (year 5) know who Adam and Eve are?

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Is this general knowledge for this age? My niece doesn't know who they are and I'm sure I did at that age. But maybe I'm old LOL.

Would I expect them to know?

All that just from not knowing about Adam & Eve by the age of 9?!

Kids learn about different religions in schools, obviously. Christianity is no more important than others just because there are lots of paintings about Bible stories and the Adam & Eve bit is hardly a Bible 'highlight', is it?!

Much more important to let kids know where mankind really came from - Africa! Our common ancestry has literally nothing to do with Christianity.

I grew up in a very religious Christian family, and so I definitely knew at that age. I would have known a lot of really obscure bible stories - far more so than Adam and Eve. (Absolom setting his hair tangled in the branches of a tree.)

But, even today, I don’t really know much about other religions - who the Buddha was, for example, or Mohammed, and why the mountain came to him. Or did it?

I do have quite an eclectic general knowledge, but no one can know everything about everything!

I would expect the parents to have taught them.

Do you value general knowledge?

Imo it's important to be conversant with important elements of the culture around you. I think it's particularly true in a multicultural society to acknowledge that religious faith is as important in the lives of many of the people your children will encounter as atheism is in yours.

The study of western history is going to be pretty baffling to a child who knows nothing about Christianity.

Absolutely this.

Clearly there are kids who don't listen too well in RE if the child mentioned by the OP knew nothing of Adam and Eve.

Christianity, and religious belief in general, is a vital element of modern western history, far more important than many other major world religions.

Genesis is very much a highlight of the Bible as it introduces the God of the subsequent books and outlines the initial relationship between God and humankind. This relationship is developed in subsequent books as particular themes of the relationship between God and the Jewish people are expanded upon.

It’s relevant because large swaths of the population of the world believe it is true, so it influences their thinking.

American politics is a good example- what their government do effects everyone, and what they believe effects what their government does. They believe Eve was created as a helpmeet to Adam… that sort of misogynistic thinking permeates through the whole legislature.

Homosexuality laws around the world for example are affected by religious teachings- and that God created one woman (Eve), for one man (Adam) is central to much of religious thought.

There are several moral takes from Genesis. The concept of sin and forgiveness is one. It's an extremely significant element of the Judeo Christian belief system.

The book of Genesis would be taught as part of a description of the Bible, which would be described as the central religious text of all Christian denominations.

There's a difference between 'teaching the bible' and teaching about the bible'.

I would, because it’s one of the main foundation myths of Western Culture. Etc

Were you playing "are you smarter than a 10 year old" at the time?

Yes I would expect a 9 year old to know this.

It’s the foundation myth of Christianity which is a major foundation of Western and global culture, so a well educated nine year old would be expected to know it. Religious belief is neither here nor there.

@mathanxiety @Milange

The OP's point was that they expected children to be taught about one specific part of the Bible by age 9. From a primary education perspective, the only worth of the Adam & Eve story would be that this is what Christians believe. Primary RE includes lots of Christian beliefs/stories and I can see why schools might focus more on other elements, seeing as they have more obvious moral value to children and school communities.

Wanging on about American politics and global homosexuality laws isn't really for key stage 1 & 2, is it?!

I'd argue most adults in this country know the main Bible stories, regardless of their beliefs, that they absolutely see how Christianity has a hold on the US political system, that they are aware that many religions promote dreadful treatment towards the gay community and also read books, listen to music, go to museums AND MIGHT NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT ADAM AND EVE BY AGE 9!

If you really have this much of an issue with what is covered in the primary RE curriculum by all means take it up with central government. THEY choose what is covered!

The shortcomings of the primary curriculum is of no consequence to me on a personal level- I home educate my son. He is 9.

He is certainly aware of world politics (there is a war going on with enormous religious undertones at the moment for example, it’s pretty difficult to avoid knowing). He is also aware of homosexuality laws and religious beliefs, since it affects things like, you know, where it’s safe for us to travel.

These issues are not abstract, or ‘over there’ issues, they are day to day issues for many people, including children.

However, I did not at any point say that if they don’t learn about Adam and Eve by 9 years old that they won’t or can’t ever learn about it, or that they would therefore grow up to be ignorant of world affairs or cultures.

You asked why the Adam and Eve story specifically is relevant, and I gave you the reason, and the examples that spring to mind.

Do please continue with your all caps shouting if you’re enjoying it though.

I'll only address points related to points I posted. So I'll leave out the bits about the US and homophobia.

I highly doubt you have any idea what you're talking about when referencing the Bible or the moral values therein. The book of Genesis is the first book of the Bible and sets out the important themes that develop later, foremost among them the idea that God created the universe, skies, seas, animals, birds, fish, plants, and man, followed by woman - Adam and Eve - and also the idea of sin and forgiveness (the serpent, the apple, the fig leaves, the wrath of God, the reluctance to destroy what he had created, and the banishment from the Garden of Eden). It's actually a fundamental part of the biblical narrative. It has enormous theological implications.

I'm not saying schools should teach this as truth.

What I'm saying is that if schools have left out the story of Adam and Eve / book of Genesis, they have missed a very important element of the Bible, and I wouldn't trust them with the teaching of details about the beliefs of any other religions if they can't figure out what the significant parts of the Christian Bible are.

Why do they need to know?

As an atheist, it wouldn’t cross my mind to expect my young child to know about adam and eve because i’m not sure how it’s relevant these days. Yes we technically live in a christian country, but the census shows fewer people are religious. That particular story has no impact on every day living. Less so than Jesus, so we can explain xmss and easter.

They may need to know it one day as an adult if they are taking part in a quiz.

I would rather they learnt about evolution.

No moral? Really?

What about the consequences of breaking rules, good and evil, temptation etc?

I'm not at all religious, but I know there's general morals to take away from the story, as above, as well as Christian teachings like "trust in God" etc.

Adam and Eve is not crucial to learning about good and evil, consequences etc. These are all covered in other word religions too.

I'f they are in a secular school, and parents are atheists- why would they?

Do 9 year olds generally know other religious myths too or is it only the abrahamic ones you expect them to know?

Have a look at Lilith in the bible, Sunday School seemed to pick and choose their stories.

Er, no - lots of dislike in that story. It was used as justification for treating women like cattle for centuries, for a start. I am not religious at all, but if you want to extract moral guidance from the bible, JC is your man.

Its value is that it is the foundation myth of Western Culture, so a nine year old should know it, as part of the beginning of an understanding of the world they live in.

I think it's important for kids to know biblical history as it informs so much of our culture.

For example, the Apple logo is likely a reference to the forbidden fruit and garden of Eden. Or there's so many phrases and words in our language like 'the Good Samaritan' or understanding what a 'scapegoat' is or who the original Jezebel was...so much rich history that I think kids are missing out on.

Even if you're not religious I think it's great to know where some of our sayings come from.

Pretty sure all mind did comparative Creation legends during KS1 (memorably one played Coyote in a class assembly)

So yes, I would expect pupils mid-way through KS2 to have a grasp of the major ones