· Web viewDiocese of Oakland . RELIGION. CURRICULUM STANDARDS. Transitional Kindergarten – 8th Grade. Catholic School Department. Diocese of Oakland. Approved 2017. Bishop

Diocese of Oakland RELIGION

CURRICULUM STANDARDSTransitional Kindergarten – 8th Grade

Catholic School DepartmentDiocese of Oakland

Approved 2017Bishop Michael Barber Bishop

Kathleen Radecke Superintendent2121 Harrison St

Oakland CA 94612(510) 628-2154

http://www.csdo.org

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The Catholic Schools Department of the Diocese of Oakland expresses gratitude to theStaff Development Committee for its work in revising and updating our Religion Curriculum Standards.

The special character of the Catholic school and its Catholic Identity is the underlying reason for its existence. It is precisely the quality of the religious instruction integrated into the overall education of the students. Our educational goals are rooted in Christ and the Gospel.

These revised standards are based on the current Catechism of the Catholic Church, Doctrine and Tradition of the Catholic Church as well as Sacred Scripture. They provide for and encourage authentic experiences of faith and emphasize Christian Service.

It is the hope of the committee that with these standards, we will be able to continue to foster quality religious education programs in our Catholic schools.

Elementary Professional Development Committee

Kelly Stevens Jessica Murray Patti CaltonPrincipal Principal Vice PrincipalSaint Patrick School Saint Philip Neri School Saint Francis SchoolRodeo Alameda Concord

Lucia Prince Kristina Leveque Dana BayerPrincipal 6-8 Math Teacher Eighth Grade TeacherQueen of All Saints School Saint Mary of the IC School Saint Joachim SchoolConcord Walnut Creek Hayward

Shari Palladino Michael SahlmanResource Teacher Fourth Grade TeacherSaint Patrick School Saint Philip Neri SchoolRodeo Alameda

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Mission Statement ................................................................................................4Catholic Identity ....................................................................................................5Introduction ..........................................................................................................6Religion Standards Guideline Chart by Grade Level – PK/TK-5............................ 10Bible Stories By Grade Level………………………………………………………………………….….28Religion Standards Guideline Chart by Grade Level – 6-8…….............................. 32Teacher Resources……………..……………………………………………………………………….……53Catholic Social Teachings .................................................................................... 54Service Learning Resources ................................................................................ 56Best Practices For Teaching Religion ...................................................................68

Appendixes: GLOSSARY OF TERMS ORACIONES EN ESPAÑOL PRAYERS, DEVOTIONS, AND PRACTICES PARTS OF THE MASS SCRIPTURE REFERENCES RELIGION SERIES REVIEW CURRENT CONFORMITY OF RELIGIOUS TEXTS

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MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of Religious Education for the Diocese of Oakland is to assist students in fostering a relationship with Christ through prayer, sacraments, scripture, and

knowledge of Roman Catholic doctrine. The teachers will be witnesses of the Catholic faith in providing an

atmosphere for evangelization and catechesis with emphasis on building a Catholic Identity within the

community. Recognizing the primary role of parents as first witnesses of faith, the teachers will work to assist the parents in communicating faith to their children relying on the energizing powers of the Holy Spirit.

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CATHOLIC IDENTITY

“Catholic identity is not measured in individual standards, but in the

overall environment, and is greater than all standards.”

Tom Butler, Diocese of Stockton, California

ELEMENTS OF CATHOLIC IDENTITY WITHIN THE SCHOOL (Adapted from WCEA):

1. Opportunities to participate in Prayer and Sacraments

2. Active partnership with Parents as Primary Educators with focus on the spiritual development of the child

3. Engagement in acts of Service as Christ did as an example for us to follow

4. Widespread use of Signs and Sacramentals in keeping with participation in the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church

5. Evangelization along with the incorporation of the Good News within all academic disciplines

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INTRODUCTION

The Religion Curriculum Guideline Standards have been developed by a committee of principals and teachers in the Diocese of Oakland. The outcomes have been organized and structured to be in alignment with the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

These outcomes are intended to give direction to teachers in planning their lessons and guidance for faculties in enriching the curriculum and providing needed in-services for teachers of religion.

The student performance outcomes, rather than textbooks, should be the focus for planning the religion curriculum. The textbook and supplemental materials are tools to teach and enhance the curriculum and should be used to support and achieve the student outcomes. The teacher should be teaching to the outcomes, not the text.

All religion textbooks used in the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Oakland must be in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church and appear on the Conformity Listing of Catechetical Texts and Series published by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops Committee on Catechesis.

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This document is organized into three major sections for each grade level (with the following sub categories):

I. We Believe Bible Creed Church History Mary as Model Communion of Saints

II. We Worship Sacraments Liturgy Prayer

III. We Live Christian Morality Family Life Baptismal Call and Discipleship (Catholic Social Teachings) Stewardship Ecumenism

Additional Information and Addendums include: Catholic Social Teachings Service Learning – Best Practices in Service Learning are encourage to help students actively practice their faith Best Practices for Teaching Religion – adapted from the WCEA Appendix F Glossary of Terms Key Scripture References relate scripture to the content of the grade level and should be used whenever possible in classroom

instruction as appropriate to age and grade level. Prayers, Devotions and Practices to be learned and used at each grade level are identified. Although prayers are introduced

and mastered at certain grade levels, it is expected that these prayers will continue to be reinforced in every grade level thereafter. Includes Prayers at Mass – from theThe New Roman Missal.

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Diocese of Oakland Religion Standards Guideline Chart by Grade Level – PK/TK-5

Standards PK/TK Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth FifthWe BelieveBibleGen 1:1-312:1-28Luke 1:26-302:41-52Mk 14:32-36Acts 2:1-42

Tell how the Bible is a Holy Book that contains stories of God’s creation and of Jesus’ life on earth

Tell how the Bible is a Holy book of God’s Word to us that tells the story of God’s saving love for us

Explain how the Bible is a sacred book inspired by the Holy Spirit, that reveals God’s love for us in the Old Testament and the New Testament

Explain how the Bible is a sacred collection of books inspired by the Holy Spirit, the revealed and written Word of God including how Jesus is the greatest sign of God’s love

Articulate why the Bible is special to the church and state how the Holy Spirit inspired people to write the Bible and how God speaks to us through the Bible and the Church

Explain how the Bible is the inspired, written Word of God in which God reveals himself and his plan of creation and Salvation most fully in his own Son, Jesus Christ in the New Testament Gospel stories

Explain how the Bible is the inspired written Word of God and how the Old Testament tells the story of God’s Covenant with his people and the New Testament reveals that Jesus Christ is the new and everlasting Covenant

Lk 1:26-382:1-202:41-52Mt 1:18-2:1515:16

Recall Bible stories of God’s creation and Jesus’ life, death, and ascension into heaven

Recall that the Bible is made up of two parts: the Old Testament (prepares us for Jesus) and the New Testament (about Jesus and the church)

Explain how the Bible is made up of the Old Testament and New Testaments, and the four Gospel accounts are the most important books of the Bible that tell us about Jesus

Recall Old Testament and New testament stories about creation and the Fall, Jesus’ love for us, his miracle stories especially those related to the Eucharist and forgiveness

Explain how the Bible is made up of the Old Testament (that reveal God as creator and protector) and the New Testament (reveals the teachings of Jesus) identifying the four evangelists who wrote the Gospel accounts

Identify the first five books of the Old Testament as the Pentateuch, the Jewish Torah, the Psalms as prayers that speak of God’s mercy and forgiveness, and the 4 gospels which are named for the four evangelist Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John

Explain a few of the similarities and differences of the four Gospel writers’ accounts

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CreedTell how our Creed tells others what we believe as Catholics

Explain that sharing our Creed tells others what we believe

Describe how the Church helps us to understand what to believe in the Creed (know key phrases of the Apostles Creed such as One God, Father Almighty, Jesus his only Son)

Define creed and state how the Nicene Creed is the one we usually profess at mass and the Apostles creed is recited with the Rosary

Explain how we profess what we believe about God when we pray the creeds of the church and how the Apostles Creed is a summary of what the Church has believed since the time of the Apostles

Explain how the creeds of the Church are short summaries of the essential concepts of the faith of the Church

Explain the meaning of the Creed (including the four Marks of the Church - one, holy, catholic, and apostolic)

Make the sign of the Cross and tell how God is Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, three Divine Persons

Show respect for the Sign of the Cross and identify God the Father as the first person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ as the second person of the Trinity, and the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Trinity

Explain how God the Father is the First person of the Holy Trinity (who is almighty and can do all things), God the Son is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity (who came to save us), and God the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity (who helps and teaches us to live as children of God and followers of Jesus)

Name and explain the three persons of the Holy Trinity (three persons in one God) and how the Trinity is central to the mystery of our faith

Identify some characteristics of God (all knowing, almighty, all merciful, all just, all present, all loving, perfect)

Name God as Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and distinguish the roles of the Holy Trinity as Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier

Explain how the Holy Trinity is the central belief of the faith of the Church

Begin to understand that Jesus is God and man, Son of God and Son of Mary

Begin to understand and recognize that Jesus is both God and human

Recall that Jesus was both fully God and fully human

Explain incarnation as Jesus is both the Son of God and Son of Mary; Jesus is truly God and truly man

Know that Incarnation refers to God entering our world with a human nature

Recall that God the Father, sent God the Son, Jesus Christ as our Redeemer

Explain how the mystery of the Trinity is most fully revealed in Jesus Christ, the true God, who became man without giving

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up being GodBegin to understand holy in reference to the Church and being close to God

Tell how God makes the Church holy and how God wants us to be holy because we are children of God

Explain how we are called to holiness, to be close to God who is always good and loving

Explain how regular participation in the sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation can help them grow in virtue and holiness

Articulate how practicing their Catholic faith helps them lead holy lives

Name the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit and how they help us become closer to God and grow in holiness

Describe how participation in the sacraments help us lead a holy life

Church HistoryCreation StoriesGen 1:1-312:1-25Noah

Tell how God loves us and created all people, creatures and the world as a gift for all of us

Tell how God loves us and made the whole world and it is good

Describe how God is the creator who made the whole world out of love and every person in his image and likeness

Explain how God is the creator, who created things out of love and in his image and likeness

Explain how God alone is Creator, who made everyone and everything, who always cares for us and for all his creation, and who created people with a body and a soul, in his image and likeness

Explain how God is the Creator of all that is visible and invisible and how God cares for and loves us all and that people are created in the image and likeness of God

Explain how God is the Creator of everyone and everything, visible and invisible

Know the story of Noah and the Ark

Tell how God made a special promise to Noah called a covenant

Define the word covenant and describe times when God made special covenants with His people

Explain how a Covenant is a sign of God’s love and mercy and God made covenants with Noah, Abraham and Moses and how Jesus is the new and everlasting covenant, a sign of God’s love and mercy

Explain how Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Savior God promised to send and how Jesus announced the Good News of the Kingdom of God

Explain how God promised to send someone who would save all people from sin and how Jesus Christ is the Savior God promised to send

Explain how Jesus promised that he would not leave his disciples alone after he returned to the Father and he sent the Holy Spirit to guide the Church as her Advocate, Teacher, and Sanctifier

1Peter 2:9Mt 1:18-2:15

Recognize the Pastor of your church and his role as the leader of the parish

Identify the parish Pastor who is the leader of the parish and the Bishop who is the head of our

Name the pastor (the faith leader of the parish), bishop (the faith leader of the diocese), and the

Explain the similarities and differences of the roles of the pastor, bishop, pope, deacon

Explain how Bishops and priests lead people in worshipping God and learning and

Explain how Bishops, priests, and deacons are ordained to serve the whole church

Explain how a pope is elected and what it takes for a priest or deacon to be ordained

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diocese by name Pope (the visible head of the Church on earth) and describe each person’s role

living their faith

Lk 1:26-382:1-202:41-52Mt 1:18-2:1515:16

Recall Bible Stories of Jesus’ life

Recall Bible Stories of Jesus’ life

Explain how Jesus suffered Death on the Cross to save all people from their sins, how God the Father raised his Son, Jesus from death to new life (called the Resurrection)

Explain how before he returned to his Father in Heaven, Jesus promised the Father would send the Holy Spirit who came to the disciples on Pentecost and how Pentecost was the beginning of the church

Explain Jesus’ life – how he grew in age and wisdom, obeying Mary and Joseph, announced the Good News of the Kingdom of God, suffered and died on the Cross to save all people from their sins, died and was buried, he rose from the dead three days later, and forty days after death ascended to the Father in Heaven and how on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to the disciples and helped them teach others about Jesus

Explain how at the start of his public ministry, Jesus announced that he was the Promised One of God, how Jesus celebrated the Last Supper during Passover before he was crucified, how he suffered and died on the cross for us, was raised from the dead, ascended to his Father in Heaven

Explain how Jesus promised the Father would send the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to teach the disciples how to help the church continue the work of God

Mary as ModelLk 1:26-382:1-20Mt 1:18-2:15Mk 15:16

Tell how Mary is the Mother of Jesus and how Mary is our mother too

Know that Mary is the Mother of Jesus and chosen by God for this unique role

Describe how Jesus is the Son of God, the only son of Mary

Explain how Mary is the Mother of God, the greatest saint of all

Explain how God the Father chose Mary to be the mother of his Son, Jesus

Explain how Jesus is both the Son of God and the Son of Mary

Explain how the Virgin Mary is the Mother of the Church

Tell how Mary is our model of holiness

Tell how Mary is our mother too

Describe how Mary loved and trusted God and how Mary’s

Know titles of Mary: Mother of God, Mary our Mother, and

Explain the significance of the Annunciation and

Articulate how Mary can be an example of a life of virtue and

Understand the implications of Mary’s “yes” to

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example helps us trust in God and live our faith

Mother of the Church how Mary said yes to God)

discipleship God as a model for our lives and why we are also called by God to say “yes” as Mary did

Begin to understand Mary as part of the Holy Family

Tell how Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are the Holy Family

Tell how Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are the Holy Family and how our own families are a community of faith (the domestic church)

Identify Feast days that honor Mary

Identify Mary as model of the Church and know when we celebrate her

Know the solemnities and feast days in honor of Mary and know the meaning of the Immaculate Conception

Celebrate days in honor of Mary

Communion of Saints

Listen to stories of saints who are heroes of our faith and part of the family of the church in heaven

Tell how saints are heroes of our faith who live with God in heaven

Describe how the Saints are holy people and heroes of the church who provide us with examples of how to live as followers of Jesus

Name some days that celebrate the saints (memorials)

Recognize how they belong to the Communion of Saints in the Church

Explain how the Church is the Communion of Saints and the Body of Christ and how Saints are those people whose love for God is stronger than their love for anyone or anything else

Explain how the Church, the Body of Christ, is made up of the lay faithful, the ordained, and members of the consecrated life and how all the members of the church work together to prepare for the coming of the Kingdom of God

Know the saint name of your parish

Know the patron saint of your parish and tell their story

Name the patron saint of your parish and tell their story

Know and celebrate the parish’s patron saint

Know the feast of the parish’s patron saint

Know the story of holy men and women in the church

Realize saints come from all walks of life

Begin to understand that angels were created by God and that God has given each of us a Guardian

Know that angels have been created by God and that God has given each of us a Guardian Angel to

Recall the role of angels as God’s messengers and that we each have a Guardian Angel who

Know the guardian angel prayer and the value of praying to your guardian angel

Know the guardian angel prayer and explain the value of praying to your guardian angel

Explain how your guardian angel is there to listen to you and protect you

Explain how your guardian angel is there to listen to you and protect you

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Angel who watches over us and to whom we can pray

watch over and protect us

watches over and protects us

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Standards PK/TK Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth FifthWe WorshipSacramentsEx 16:1-35Mt 3:13-1728:16-20Mk 1:9-1116:15-18Lk 3:21-22Ps 32Mk 2:1-12

Begin to understand the definition of Sacrament

Describe the seven sacraments as gifts of grace that share God’s love and bring us closer to Jesus

Explain how the Sacraments are the seven signs and celebrations of God’s love and grace that Jesus gave the church

Explain the meaning of a sacrament as effective signs of God’s grace and how we worship God when we celebrate the sacraments with words and actions

Define sacraments as an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace

Identify ways we encounter God through the sacraments, and explain how the Seven Sacraments have been given to the Church by Christ

Identify the outward signs and symbols of each sacrament (water, manna, oil, laying on of hands) and their reference in scripture

Begin to understand that Baptism is a sacrament

Tell how baptism makes us members of the church and children of God

Name the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation) and state that Baptism is the first Sacrament, when we receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit, when Original Sin and any other sin is forgiven, and when we become members of the Body of Christ and are called Catholics

Sacraments of InitiationIdentify the Sacraments of Initiation and explain how Baptism is the first of seven Sacrament we receive and how the Sacrament of Baptism joins us to Christ and makes us members of the Church

Sacraments of InitiationExplain how the Sacraments of Christian initiation lay the foundation for our lives as disciples of Jesus and how Baptism joins us to Christ and to the Church, called the Body of Christ

Sacraments of InitiationExplain how Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist are the three Sacraments of Christian Initiation in which we are fully joined to Christ and become full members of the Church and how every person who is baptized has a vocation to know, love and serve God and do the work of the church

Sacraments of InitiationExplain the three Sacraments of Initiation and how God’s sanctifying grace is revealed in these sacramentsand how all the baptized are called to continue the work of Christ, to build up the Church, and to prepare the way for the coming of the Kingdom of God

Begin to identify objects that are “holy” and how they should be handled with reverence

Identify holy water as being blessed and name and recognize sacramentals (holy water, crucifix, holy oil, tabernacle, Book of Gospels, statues, Stations of the Cross)

Define and tell the difference between sacraments and sacramentals

Explain how sacramentals are holy objects and holy actions

State the meaning of sacramentals and how they can be incorporated in daily life

Explain the meaning of sacramentals and their presence in daily life

Name and explain the liturgical symbols associated with each of the sacraments

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Explain how Confirmation is received after the Sacrament ofBaptism, and how in Confirmation, the Holy Spirit strengthens us to live our Baptism by giving us SpiritualGifts to help us love and serve God and one another

Explain how Confirmation strengthens our Baptism and helps us to live as Jesus’ followers

Explain what special gifts are received through the Sacrament of Confirmation (the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and the Fruits of the Holy Spirit)

Explain how in Confirmation we are sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit, and the graces of Baptism are strengthened and how with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to continue the mission of Christ

Sacraments of HealingExplain how contrition, confession, penance, and absolution are always part of Reconciliation and how in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, weask for and receive forgiveness for our sins

Sacraments of HealingIdentify the symbols and explain how in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, God forgives us for our sins when we are truly sorry and how the Holy Spirit helps us to not sin again

Sacraments of HealingExplain how Jesus continues his work of healing and forgiveness through the Church and how in the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, our faith and trust in God are made stronger

Sacraments of HealingExplain how through the Anointing of the Sick, those who are seriously ill, weakened because of old age, or dying are joined to the suffering of Christ and receive strength and courage (a person may receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick more than once)

Sacraments at the Service of CommunionIdentify and describe the two sacraments in Service of Communion (Marriage and Holy Orders)

Sacraments at the Service of CommunionIdentify and describe the two sacraments in Service of Communion and explain how in Matrimony a

Sacraments at the Service of CommunionExplain how matrimony unites a baptized man and a baptized woman in a lifelong bond of faithful love to serve the Church, how the couple being married

Sacraments at the Service of CommunionExplain how in Holy Orders, a baptized man is consecrated to serve the whole church as a bishop, priest, or deacon

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baptized man and a baptized woman become a sign of God’s love in the world

are the ministers of this Sacrament, and how in their daily lives, a married couple serves each other, their family, and others with love

LiturgyMt 26:25-30Mk 14:12-28Jn 6:32-58Acts 2:42-44

Tell how Sunday is a special day, the Lord’s Day

Tell how Sunday is a special day when we should attend Mass

Describe how Sunday is the Lord’s Day and how Mass is the most important celebration of the Church

Explain why we should set aside Sunday (the Sabbath) to worship in church

Recognize Sunday as the Lord’s Day and explain how the liturgy is the Church’s public worship of God a form of communal prayer in which we thank God and ask God for whatever we need

Explain how the liturgy is the official public prayer of the Church and calls everyone to active participation

Explain how the Liturgy is the Church’s work of worshipping God

Identify Church as a place where all people join together to worship, to thank and serve God and one another

Describe Church as a place where as a community we join together to worship and to thank and serve God and one another

Describe the Church as a building, where the people in the building come together to worship, thank and serve God and others

Explain how the Church is the Body of Christ and how the Mass is the most important celebration of the Church where everyone at Mass has a part to play

Explain how the Church is the holy people of God called to live holy lives and how Catholics have the obligation to take part in the Mass on Sundays

Explain how the liturgy of the Church is her work of worshipping God, how in the liturgy, we are made sharers of the Pascal Mystery, and how the Church celebrates and shares in God’s plan of Salvation

Explain how the Eucharist is the center of Christian life

Experience the “Body of Christ” as who we are when we pray together and use our hands to help others

Begin to understand and identify the “Body of Christ” as who we are all together as we pray together and serve one another

Articulate that Jesus is present with us at Mass, especially in the Eucharist

Exhibit reverence for Holy Communion, and explain the Real Presence of Jesus, who is truly present in the Bread and Wine that is consecrated

Introduce the concept of transubstantiation and associate it with the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist

Recognize Mass as a time to hear scriptures proclaimed and experience the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist

Recall and explain the term and concept of Transubstantiation and the Real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament of Eucharist

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during the liturgyAssociate their parish church with the place where their community, God’s family, joins in prayer together

State that the Catholic Church is the family of God and we are God’s people, and that Church is where we come together each Sunday to remember the words and actions of Jesus at the Last Supper

Explain how at mass, we listen to the readings from the Bible (including the Gospel - the Good News that Jesus told about God’s love and parables that help us to know, love, and serve God)

Explain the order of the Mass (Introductory Rites gathers us and prepares is to worship, Liturgy of the Word is the first main part of the mass, the Gospel is the main part of the Liturgy of the Word, we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus in Holy Communion, and at the end of Mass we receive God’s blessing and are sent forth to glorify God on a mission as messengers of the Gospel)

Explain how the Liturgy of the Word is the first main part of the Mass (which includes readings from the Old Testament, the Responsorial Psalm, and the Gospel from the New Testament) and the second main part is the Liturgy of the Eucharist, when we celebrate what Jesus did at the Last Supper

Recognize and discuss the meaning of the Eucharistic Prayers

Explain how the Passover is the Jewish feast that celebrates God freeing the Israelites from slavery and leading them to new life, how the Paschal Mystery is Jesus’ Passion, Death, Resurrection, and glorious Ascension, and how by his Paschal Mystery, Christ freed people from sin and death, gaining for all the promise and hope of eternal life

Tell how we celebrate special seasons – Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Feast Days and recognize the colors associated with each season

Tell how we celebrate special seasons – Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Feast Days and recognize the colors associated with each season

Associate Jesus’ life with the celebration of important Holy Days in the Church Calendar (Advent, Holy Week, Easter, Feast Days) and recognize the colors associated with each season

Describe how the church has special times and seasons of the year called the liturgical year and associate the colors to each season

Explain how the church’s year of worship is called the liturgical year which begins with Advent

Explain how the church’s year of worship is called the liturgical year and identify the holy days of the church calendar

Explain how the liturgical year is the Church’s cycle of worship with three sets of readings – one for each year

Recite basic mass responses



Recite mass responses Recite mass responses

Recite and explain the intent behind the mass responses

Recite and explain the intent behind the mass responses

Plan a mass with the teacher’s help





Plan a mass with the teacher’s help including writing original prayers of

Plan a mass with the teacher’s help including writing original prayers of

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intercessions intercessionsPrayerMt 6:5-15 Tell how Jesus

prayed and how he taught us to pray at home, school, and church

Tell how Jesus prayed and taught us to pray at all times and in all places

Explain how Jesus taught us to pray anywhere and anytime

Recognize how we can pray alone and with others

Explain how Jesus taught us to talk and listen to God the Father and to pray with trust

Explain how the Church is a people of prayer

Describe what it means to pray and how one can prepare to pray

Begin to understand that prayer is talking to God

Recall a simple definition of prayer – talking and listening to God to sustain a relationship with him

Develop the practice of prayer - listening and talking to God - to form a relationship with and grow in love for God

Understand and experience prayer as a way to talk to and listen to God

Explain how we pray for ourselves and for other people and how we should thank and praise God for all our blessings

Know prayer is essential to our life with God and part of a Christian life

Describe what it means to pray

Associate the Our Father as a prayer we say at Mass and in our daily lives

Be able to recite the Our Father and describe how Jesus prayed and taught his friends to pray the Lord’s Prayer

Recite the Our Father and describe how Jesus taught us to pray using the Lord’s Prayer

Recite the Our Father and explain what the prayer means

Explain how Jesus gave us a prayer to ask for what we need and to forgive others

Explain how Jesus taught us to call God “Our Father” in prayer and identify the seven petitions in the Our Father

Recite and explain the Our Father and explain when and why we say it during the liturgy

Say prayers before meals and at the start and end of each day



Say and lead prayers before meals and at the start and end of each day




Prayers by Heart:Sign of the CrossPrayer to One’s

Guardian AngelGrace before meals

Prayers to Experience:Prayers of blessingThanksgiving

PetitionsSilent PrayerOur Father

Prayers by Heart:Sign of the CrossPrayer to One’s

Guardian AngelGrace before meals


PetitionsSilent PrayerOur Father

Prayers by Heart:Our FatherHail MaryGlory Be


PetitionsSilent PrayerOur FatherHail Mary

Prayers by Heart:Our FatherHail MaryGlory BeAct of Contrition


PetitionsSilent

Prayer/Meditation

Prayers by Heart:Apostles Creed

Prayers to Experience:Prayers of

blessingThanksgiving

PetitionsSilent

Prayer/MeditationOur FatherHail Mary

Prayers by Heart:Hail Holy Queen


PetitionsSilent

Prayer/MeditationOur FatherHail MaryThe Rosary

Prayers by Heart: Joyful Mysteries


PetitionsSilent

Prayer/MeditationOur FatherHail MaryThe Rosary

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Hail MaryThe RosaryStations of the

CrossFaith Family

Activities

Prayers Shared at Mass:AmenAnd with your

SpiritAlleluiaSign of Peace

Hail MaryThe RosaryStations of the

CrossFaith Family

Activities

Prayers Shared at Mass:AmenAnd with your

SpiritAlleluiaSign of Peace

The RosaryStations of the Cross

(14 stations that represent events of Jesus’ suffering and death)

Choral PrayersFaith Family

Activities

Prayers Shared at Mass:Sign of the CrossAmenAnd with your SpiritAlleluiaSign of PeaceResponses after the

readings and GospelPreface DialogueThe Mystery of FaithSanctus Lamb of GodThanks be to God

Our FatherHail MaryThe RosaryStations of the Cross

(14 stations that represent events of Jesus’ suffering and death)

Lectio DivinaFaith Family

ActivitiesReconciliation


readings and GospelPreface DialogueThe Mystery of FaithSanctus Lamb of GodThanks be to God Lord’s Prayer Lamb of GodGloriaNicene/Apostles

Creed

The RosaryStations of the

Cross (14 stations that represent events of Jesus’ suffering and death)



Prayers Shared at Mass:Sign of the CrossAmenAnd with your

SpiritAlleluiaSign of PeaceResponses after

the readings and Gospel

Preface DialogueThe Mystery of

FaithSanctus Lamb of GodThanks be to God Lord’s Prayer Lamb of GodGloriaNicene/Apostles

Creed

Stations of the Cross (14 stations that represent events of Jesus’ suffering and death)




readings and GospelPreface DialogueThe Mystery of FaithSanctus Lamb of GodThanks be to God Lord’s Prayer Lamb of GodGloriaNicene/Apostles

Creed

Stations of the Cross (14 stations that represent events of Jesus’ suffering and death)



Prayers Shared at Mass:Sign of the CrossAmenAnd with your

SpiritAlleluiaSign of PeaceResponses after

the readings and Gospel

Preface DialogueThe Mystery of

FaithSanctus Lamb of GodThanks be to God Lord’s Prayer Lamb of GodGloriaNicene/Apostles

Creed

Standards PK/TK Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth

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We LiveChristian MoralityEx 2-24Ex 19:16-20:17Mt 22:34-40Mk 10:17-20Lk 10:25-28

Tell how doing a good deed is a way to show God’s love

Tell how we share God’s love by caring for others

Explain how Jesus showed people that God cares for them and how we should care for others

Explain how all people are to be honored and respected

Show understanding that God gives us free will so that we might freely love, honor, and obey God

Explain how we are each created with a body and a soul and the soul is our spiritual part that makes us like God and lives forever

Recognize that God created human beings with a capacity to know and respond to God’s will for our lives

Gen 2:7-253:1-24Luke 15:11-32

Begin to name and distinguish right from wrong

Tell how there are right and wrong choices and that choices have consequences

Understand that we make choices (freewill) to love God and others

Explain how God gave us intellect and freewill to choose right from wrong

Define morality and describe ways to form our conscience by choosing right over wrong

Explain how sin is freely choosing to say or do something they know is against God’s will and that living a moral life means taking into account how their actions, thoughts, and words affect others

Explain how when we live as images of God, we live holy lives and when we sin, we choose not to live holy lives and how this sin offends God and has consequences

Begin to understand the word sin refers to when we hurt others and do not listen to God

Understand when we sin through selfish actions that can hurt ourselves and others

Explain how sin hurts our relationship with God and others

Explain how sin turns us away from God’s love and deters us from living holy lives

Explain how following God’s rules helps us to be happy, healthy, and holy

Explain how conscience and the virtues help us make good moral choices and demonstrate a moral decision making process

Explain how the Cardinal Virtues are good habits that help us to live holy lives

Associate happiness with loving and being close to God and other people

Recognize that God loves us so much

Describe the Kingdom of God as happiness with God forever and how God loves all people and wants all people to come live with Him in Heaven

Explain how it is important for us to make wise choices and how making wise choices will help us find happiness in heaven

Explain how Jesus promised us the gift of eternal life and happiness in Heaven

Explain how God created all people to be happy with him now on Earth and forever in heaven

Explain how the Beatitudes guide us to prepare the way for the coming of the Kingdom of God, which will come about at the end of time

Tell how it is important to say I am sorry when we are

Tell how it is important to say I am sorry when we are

Explain how when we say that we are sorry (repentance), we

Explain how all choices have consequences and

Explain how God gives us a conscience to make

Explain how God created each of us with the gifts of an

Explain how conscience is our ability to know and

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wrong wrong show that we love God and others

wise choices show we are forming and following our consciences by choosing to live as Jesus taught

good decisions and the grace to live a holy and happy life

intellect and free will to help us make good moral decisions and how we are each created with emotions that influence our decisions to live holy lives and how God wants everyone to be blessed and truly happy

judge what is right and what is wrong

Begin to understand how the Holy Spirit is with us to help us make good choices and live as Jesus taught us

Tell how the Holy Spirit is with us to help us make good choices and live as Jesus taught us

Describe how the Holy Spirit can help when we have important choices to make

Explain how the Holy Spirit helps us make choices to live aschildren of God

Name the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Explain how the Gifts of the Holy Spirit helps us to know and choose to live as followers of Jesus

Explore the term Social Sin and associate the term with problems in society

State that the Ten Commandments are a set of rules just like we have rules at home and school

State that the Ten Commandments are ways God loves us and invites us to stay close to him and one another

Explain how the Ten Commandments are laws that God has given us to teach us how to live, love, and worship God, take part in the mass on Sundays, treat others with respect, tell the truth

Explain how God gave us the Ten Commandments, the golden rule, and proverbs to teach us to love and honor God, to love, honor, and respect other people and ourselves, and to live happy and holy lives

Explain how the Ten Commandments teach us to honor and respect people and the things that belong to them, teach us to be honest, truthful, kind, and generous, to honor the Lord’s day, and to show we to are friends of God when we keep our promise to live the Covenant

Explain how Jesus came to show us how to live the Ten Commandments that were given to Moses on Mount Sinai and how the Ten Commandments are the basic laws that teach us how to love God, and our neighbor as ourselves, and how the Commandments teach us how to worship only God, show love and respect for all that belongs to God, set aside one day a week as the Lord’s Day, be responsible to our family and

Explain how God revealed the Ten Commandments to guide us in making moral decisions (our privilege and responsibility to worship God, keeping the Lord’s Day holy, obey and respect our parents and those in authority, be chaste and express our love and friendship for others in an appropriate way, not to take what does not belong to us, be truthful, be a good steward)

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neighbors, honor all human life as a sacred gift of God, respect the property of others, be honest and truthful, and be grateful and generous

Describe the Great Commandment as loving God above all else and loving others as we love ourselves

Explain how Jesus taught that the greatest commandment is theGreat Commandment which is the fulfillment of the Ten Commandments

Recite the Great Commandment of Love given by Jesus is a guide for making choices and a summary of all the commandments

Explain how the Beatitudes name the qualities and actions of people blessed by God and how the Beatitudes show ways Jesus wants his disciples to live

Explain how the Beatitudes fulfill the Ten Commandments and guide us in making choices that lead to the happiness that comes from being blessed by God

Explain how the Beatitudes show ways Jesus wants his disciples to live

Begin to recognize the word virtue as a gift from God to do good things

Identify the word virtue as a gift from God to do good things

Recall the word virtue as a gift from God to do good things

Define venial and mortal sins

Give examples of venial and mortal sins

Recall personal sin can have different degrees such as venial and mortal

List the Cardinal Virtues and explain their effects on the life of a Christian

Family LifeTell how Jesus was kind to all people and tells us to do the same

Tell how Jesus was kind to all people and tells us to do the same

Explain how God created all people and call us to be responsible stewards of the gift of life by showing God’s love to others

Explain how God created all people and call us to be responsible stewards of the gift of life by showing God’s love to others

Explain how our family helps us live our faith



Explain how Christian families are signs of Jesus’ love in the world and how members of a family share their love for God and one another and are considered the “church of the

Explain how through Baptism, we are united as people of God

Identify the Church community as the People of God who commit to leading holy, moral lives

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home” or family church

From RCL Family Life (also counts for Safe Environment for multiple diocese)

God created families Families help one

another God gave each

person a loving heart

God created each person with all kinds of feelings

God wants each person to grow and learn

God created all living things

God created boys and girls alike and different

A baby is a gift from God to the family

God gives us friends Jesus teaches us

how to help others

God created all kinds of families

Family members help one another

God gave each person a loving heart

God created each person with all kinds of feelings

God wants each person to grow and learn

God created all living things

God created boys and girls alike and different

A baby is a gift from God to the family

God gives us friends

Jesus teaches us how to help others

God wants people in a family to help each other

Families love and care for one another

God gives everyone a loving heart

God created everyone with feelings

God gave everyone five senses to help them learn

God wants everyone to take care of themselves

God helps everyone to love

Love grows when we share love with others

God wants us to care for one another

Love takes work

God is present with us in our family

The Ten Commandments are God’s rules

God has given everyone gifts to share

God helps us as we grow; New life is a gift from God

God calls us to care for all living things

Sacraments are signs of love between God and us

Promises are a sign of love

God is with us in happy and sad times

God wants us to treat one another as friends

God created man and woman to love one another as husband and wife

God’s love is unlimited

God gives us the language of our feelings to help us communicate

God created us with the ability to think, imagine and choose

Living things are signs of God’s love

God wants new life to be protected and kept safe

Part of God’s plan for creation is that we need plants to live

God gave us free will to choose to care for creation

God wants us to always make good choices

God created us to help provide for one another

God created us to live in communion with him and with one another

God’s gift of free will Jesus is fully divine

and fully human God gave us the gift

of conscience to help us choose what is right

God created us with a unique body and a unique soul

All human life is sacred

Purity of heart comes from modesty and right judgment

The Great Commandment; Love of neighbor is inseparable from love for God

God calls us to proclaim the Gospel according to our vocation

The family is an icon or image of the Church

Families become stronger when members respect one another

The Church helps us to know and live by the truth

Grace helps us to freely choose what is true, good and beautiful

Human life is sacred and is to be respected

Parents have the responsibility to care for their children

God created men and women equal in dignity and complementary in gender

Marriage is a sacred relationship between a man and a woman

The Church as the Body of Christ is strengthened through communal support

Society is to work

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for the common good

Know the difference between good and bad touches

Explain how we own our bodies and are allowed to say “no” to unwelcome touches

Explain how we own our bodies and are allowed to say “no” to unwelcome touches

Understand that our bodies are God’s temple, created by God to be respected by ourselves and others

Describe how God made our bodies sacred

Describe how all human life is sacred

Explain how one can care for the gift of our bodies

Baptismal Call and Discipleship (Catholic Social Teachings)Mt 28:19-20Mt 5:3-12

Restate that by Baptism, we are called to serve God and all God’s people

State that by Baptism we are called to join in Jesus’ mission and how God gives us different gifts that we are called to share with others

Begin to recognize that through Baptism we are all followers of Jesus (his disciples) and part of his mission to share the “Good News” by sharing the special gifts God has given each of us

State and understand that the church has a mission given by Jesus and we are called by Baptism to participate in this mission as disciples of Christ

Explain what it means to be a disciple of Christ

Realize we are all called to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ by the way we live and act

Explain discipleship as following Jesus and living out the Gospel message

Begin to understand that the Church has a set of guidelines for how we should treat others

Tell how the Church has a set of guidelines for how we should treat others

State that there are Catholic Social Teachings that are important guidelines to the Church

List the Catholic Social Teachings and explain that they are important to the Church

List the Catholic Social Teachings and explain the significance of each teaching for the Church

List the Catholic Social Teachings and the seven Corporal Works of Mercy, and explain how they can be put into action

List the Catholic Social Teachings and explain why they are important to the Church

Tell how we show we love God when we take care of God’s creation (Care for God’s Creation)

Tell how we show we love God when we take care of God’s creation (Care for God’s Creation)

Explain how we show we love God when we take care of ourselves (Dignity of the Human Person) and for God’s creation (Care for God’s Creation)


Explain how we show we love God when we take care of ourselves (Dignity of the Human Person) and for God’s creation (Care


Explain how we show we love God when we take care of ourselves (Dignity of the Human Person) and for God’s creation (Care for

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for God’s Creation) God’s Creation)Tell how we share God’s love when we treat others with kindness and respect (Dignity of the Human Person)

Tell how we share God’s love when we treat others with kindness and respect (Dignity of the Human Person)

Explain how we share God’s love when we treat others with kindness and respect (Dignity of the Human Person)





Tell how Jesus taught us to visit and help people (PreferentialOption for the Poor)

Tell how Jesus taught us to visit and help people (PreferentialOption for the Poor)

Explain how Jesus asks us to take care of one another especially the most poor and needy (Preferential Option for the Poor)





Explain how we are all members of the community and we each have a responsibility to contribute to the community (Call to family, Community, and Participation)

Explain how we are all members of the community and we each have a responsibility to contribute to the community (Call to family, Community, and Participation)

Explain how we are all members of the community and we each have a responsibility to contribute to the community (Call to Family, Community, and Participation)

Explain how we are all members of the community and we each have a responsibility to contribute to the community (Call to Family, Community, and Participation)

Explain how we must recognize the dignity of the human person without exception as another self (Rights and Responsibilities of the Human Person)

Explain how we must recognize the dignity of the human person without exception as another self (Rights and Responsibilities of the Human Person)

Explain how important it is to give oneself for the good of one’s neighbor, beyond any individual or particular interest, serving

Explain how important it is to give oneself for the good of one’s neighbor, beyond any individual or

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instead of exploiting or oppressing (Solidarity of the Common Growth of Mankind)

particular interest, serving instead of exploiting or oppressing (Solidarity of the Common Growth of Mankind)

StewardshipTell how God gives each person gifts

Name the gifts God had given them personally

Explain that God had given them gifts that are meant to be shared with others

Identify how each person is given gifts and it is their responsibility to share their time, talent, and treasure with the church

Recognize how each person is given gifts and it is our responsibility to share our time, talent, and treasure with the church

Define stewardship as using God’s gifts wisely

Define stewardship through the understanding of donating one’s time, talent, and treasure

EcumenismTell how we should respect all people

Explain why it is important to respect all people

Explain that because God made us, we are all unique and must be respected and respect others

Understand that all people belong to God and we need to respect and love all people even if they do not share our faith

Recognize Ecumenism is part of the church’s practices

Define Ecumenism as the call for Christian unity

Define Ecumenism as the call for Christian unity

Gen 1:1-182:1-25

Participate in and reflect on age appropriate service learning activities

Participate in and reflect on age appropriate service learning activities and how we can be Jesus for others






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Bible Stories By Grade:

Grade TK/K:

Creation Story – Genesis 1:1-2:25 Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden/ Fall of Man: Genesis 2-3 Cain and Abel: Genesis 4:1-16 Noah’s Ark and the Great Flood: Genesis 6-8 God Calls Abraham: Genesis 12:1-5-23; 17; 21:1-7; Gal 3:6-9 Moses and The Ten Commandments: Exodus 20:1-21 The Birth of John the Baptist: Luke 1 The Birth of Jesus: Matthew 1-2, Luke 1:26-2:40 Jesus Is Crucified To Remove our Sins: John 18-19 Jesus Is Raised from the Dead: Matthew 28, John 20 Jesus Ascends into Heaven: Acts 1:1-11

Grade 1:

Moses in the Bullrushes: Exodus 2:1-10 Moses and the Burning Bush: Exodus 3:1-4:17 The Plagues: Exodus 7-12 Moses Parts the Red Sea: Exodus 14 Moses and The Ten Commandments: Exodus 20:1-21 The Birth of John the Baptist: Luke 1 The Birth of Jesus: Matthew 1-2, Luke 1:26-2:40 Jesus Is Crucified To Remove our Sins: John 18-19 Jesus Is Raised from the Dead: Matthew 27, 28, John 20, Romans 5:6-8, 1 Cor 15:3-4, 1Peter 1:21 Jesus Ascends into Heaven: Acts 1:1-11

Grade 2:

Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden/ Fall of Man: Genesis 2-3 Cain and Abel: Genesis 4:1-16

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Noah’s Ark and the Great Flood: Genesis 6-8 The Tower of Babel: Genesis 11:1-9 Moses and The Ten Commandments: Exodus 19:1-20:1-21; 24:12-18; 31:18; 32:15-16; Deut 26:8-9 The Golden Calf: Exodus 32 Joseph and his Brothers – Genesis 37:12-36; 41:41-45:28; 50 The Angel Gabriel – Daniel 8:17; Luke 1:19; 1:26-27 John the Baptist – Mark 1:4; Mark 2:9-10 Jesus Calls the Twelve Disciples: Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:13-19, Luke 6:12-16 Jesus Feeds the 5,000: Matthew 14:13-21 Jesus forgives the blind man – Luke 5:23-24 Forgiveness – Luke 17:4, Luke 24:47-48, John 20:23, Acts 2:38 Jesus forgives the adulterer – John 8 The Last Supper – Luke 22, Acts 20:7 The Bread of Life – John 6:25-59

Grades 3-5:

God Chooses David to Be King: 1 Samuel 16:1-13, 2 Samuel 7 David Defeats the Giant Goliath: 1 Samuel 17 The Wisdom of Solomon: 1 Kings 3:5-15; 4:29-34 Samson and Delilah: Judges 16:4-31 God Helps Joshua – Joshua 5:13-6:20 Ruth is King – Ruth 1, 2 God Tests Job: Job 1-42 David trusts God – 1 Samuel 17 Daniel in the Lion’s Den: Daniel 6:1-28 Exile in the desert – 2 Kings 17:18-20. 35-41 Jonah and the Great Fish: Jonah 1-3 The Birth of John the Baptist: Luke 1 The Birth of Jesus: Matthew 1-2, Luke 1:26-2:40 John Baptizes Jesus: Matthew 3:1-17 Jesus Calls the Twelve Disciples: Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:13-19, Luke 6:12-16

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Jesus Calms the Storm – Mark 4:35-41 Jesus Feeds the 5,000: Matthew 14:13-21; John 6:1-14 Jesus loves the children – Mark 10:13-16 Jesus Walks on Water: Matthew 14:22-32 Sheeps and the Goats – Matthew 25 Talents – Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus and the Samaritan Woman: John 4:1-30 Jesus Enters Jerusalem: Matthew 21:1-11 The Last Supper: Mark 14:12-42 Jesus Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane: Mark 14:32-42 Return of Jesus: John 14:3. 1 Thess 1:8-10 Jesus is Betrayed by Judas: John 18:15-27 Peter Denies Jesus Three Times: John 18:15-27 Jesus Is Crucified To Remove our Sins: John 18-19 Jesus Is Raised from the Dead: Matthew 28, John 18:1 – 20:18 Jesus Ascends into Heaven: Acts 1:1-11 The Holy Spirit Gives Power to the Disciples / Comes at Pentecost: Acts 2, Galatians 5:22-25 The Parables Healing Stories Salvation History (Noah, Moses, Exodus, Abraham, David)

Grades 6-8: The Tower of Babel: Genesis 11:1-9 God Calls Abraham: Genesis 12:1-5 Abraham and Sarah: Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-7 Abraham Offers Isaac Back to God: Genesis 22:1-19 Jacob and Esau: Genesis 25:19-34, 27-28 Jacob’s Ladder: Genesis 28:10-22 Jacob Marries Rachel and Leah: Genesis 29:1-30 Jacob Wrestles with an Angel: Genesis 32:22-32 The Twelve Spies in the Promised Land: Numbers 13-14 Joshua and the Battle of Jericho: Joshua 6:1-26

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Deborah Rides into Battle: Judges 4-5 Gideon and the Fleece: Judges 6:33-7:24 Ruth Follows Naomi: Ruth 1:1-22 Samuel Hears God’s Voice: 1 Samuel 3 Elijah Routs the Prophets of Baal: 1 Kings 18 Elijah and the Chariot of Fire: 2 Kings 2:1-11 Elisha and the Invisible Army: 2 Kings 6:8-23 Nehemiah Rebuilds the Wall: Nehemiah 2-6 Queen Esther Saves Her People: Esther 2-9 Isaiah Sees the Lord: Isaiah 6:1-8 Jeremiah at the Potter’s House: Jeremiah 18:1-10 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: Daniel 3:1-30 Jesus is Tempted in the Wilderness: Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus’ First Miracle: Jesus Turns Water into Wine: John 2:1-11 Jesus Casts Demons into a Herd of Pigs: Matthew 8:28-34 Jesus Calms the Storm: Matthew 8:23-27 Jesus Goes to Zacchaeus’s House: Luke 19:1-10 Jesus Talks with Nicodemus: John 3:1-21 A Samaritan loves his neighbor – Luke 10:25-37 The Thankful Leper – Luke 17:11-17 Jesus and the Adulterous Woman: John 8:1-11 Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead: John 11:1-44 Jesus Clears the Temple: Mark 11:15-18 Kingdom of God: Rev 21, 1 Corinth 15:22-23

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Diocese of Oakland Religion Guidelines - Sixth- Eighth Grade Learning Outcomes

Could be rearranged differently as long as all topics are covered during the 6-8th grade years

Sixth Seventh EighthWe Believe – The Creed

God the Father• God revealed himself to us as “the Lord” who knows us completely and is always with us.• In the Mystery of the Holy Trinity, God revealed himself as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—three Persons in one God.• Through Jesus we share in the close relationship he has with God, so we too can call God “Father.”• Because God is truth and love, and we are his children,The Holy Trinity• The Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith—namely, that the one God has revealed himself in three Persons as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.• Though God is one, and every action of each Divine Person is an act of the whole God, God’s works are more strongly associated with a particular Person of the Trinity.• The relationship between the Persons of the Trinity is one of perfect love and unity.• The love shared among the Persons of the Trinity pours out to us to share with family and friends and the rest of the world.Faith: Responding to God• Faith is believing God made himself known to us through his words and actions, accepting God’s truth with our minds, and living our lives based on this belief.• Faith is necessary for salvation, is a gift from God, and is an act of the entire Church.• Having faith means trusting in God and allowing him to be in complete control of our

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lives, acknowledging that true happiness cannot be achieved apart from God.• Faith demands action in response to the recognition that God is our true home.Jesus Christ, True God, True Man• Through the Incarnation, Jesus makes it possible for us to get to know him, to love him, and to follow him.• Scripture and Tradition teach us that Jesus is a Divine Person with two natures—human and divine.• The Incarnation means that Jesus is the awaited Messiah and, as both God and man, the perfect mediator for sinful humanity.• Jesus shows us that he desires friendship with us and provides a model of perfect holiness that we might imitate.The Holy Spirit• Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are inseparable from each other and from the Father. We experience God’s love and come to know Jesus through the Holy Spirit.• The Old Testament gives witness to the action of the Holy Spirit in preparation for the coming of Jesus, the Messiah.• In the fullness of time, the Holy Spirit prepared Mary to bring Jesus into the world and leads people to a relationship with him.• The Spirit descended upon the disciples at Pentecost and continues to guide the mission of the Spirit and of Jesus through the Church.Grace and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit• Grace is the gift of God’s loving presence in our lives, freely offered to each person. It is our choice to accept God’s gift of love.• When we allow God’s grace into our lives, we are changed and begin to live and love like Jesus.• Accepting the gift of God’s grace means loving God and neighbor.• The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit are special graces that help us respond to God’s call to

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live holy lives.Scripture

Revelation, Sacred Scripture, and Sacred Tradition• Out of love, God reveals himself and his plan for humanity in two main ways: through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.• The seventy-three books that make up our Sacred Scripture are the Word of God, whereby human authors were inspired by the Holy Spirit to share the truths that will bring us our salvation.• Sacred Tradition consists of those truths that will bring us our salvation and that have been handed down to us through the centuries through the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.• Although God has made himself known to us, our human understanding cannot completely grasp him.

The Bible: The Gospels• Through the Gospels Jesus calls us to know him, serve him, and share in God’s love.• With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ followers teach us about him through their stories.• Each of the Gospel writers used unique source material and wrote for different audiences.• Pursuit of a deeper understanding of Jesus through the Gospels will lead to happiness and discipleship.

The Gospel of Matthew• In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is the Messiah who springs from within God’s people (the ancestors of Christ) yet is destined to be the Savior of the whole world (symbolized by the Magi).• In this Gospel, Jesus’ teaching is opposed by the Jewish leaders.• In this Gospel, Jesus is shown to be both human and divine, as witnessed by his Transfiguration and his miracles.• In this Gospel, Jesus declares that Peter is the foundation of the Church, and sends us, his Church, into the world with a message of love and salvation.

The Bible: God’s Plan for Salvation• In the first stage of salvation history, human sin disrupts the loving and full relationships God intended. In the second stage, God begins repairing the damaged relationship with him caused by sin.• The call of Moses and the Exodus from Egypt continue God’s saving plan in the third stage of salvation history and lead into the fourth stage, where the Israelites enter into the Promised Land.• The fifth stage of salvation history is the formation of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. But as a result of their broken covenant with God, the kingdoms fall, leading to the sixth stage, where the Israelites are taken to and return from the Exile in Babylon.• The seventh and eighth stages of salvation history introduce Jesus Christ, God’s own Son, as the culminating act of God to redeem humanity, and the establishment of the Church, which preaches the Good News of

The Bible: The Gospel of Luke• In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus shows special love for those who are poor and urges the rich to be in solidarity with them.• Luke’s Gospel places emphasis on Jesus’ concern for women, who were greatly marginalized in society.• Luke shows Jesus’ compassion and forgiveness for sinners and other outcasts.• Luke, a Gentile himself, makes clear that non-Jewish converts are included in God’s plan of salvation.

The Bible: The Old and the New Law• God revealed the Old Law, the Ten Commandments, to give the Chosen People guidelines on how to live in right relationship with God and one another.• Jesus revealed the New Law, the Law of Love, with the help of the Holy Spirit, as a completion and fulfillment of the Old Law.• The Bible offers advice and guidelines for making good moral choices.

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salvation in Christ until his return.The Bible: The Old Testament• The Old Testament is divided into four major parts and includes a variety of literary genres. The first section is the Pentateuch, which reveals foundational truths about God’s plan for Creation and humanity.• The second section is the historical books. These books are not unbiased history but instead are written to emphasize God’s action in history.• The third section is the wisdom and poetry books, which use Hebrew poetry to teach how to live a good and holy life.• The fourth section is the prophets. The prophets of Israel had two basic messages—calls to reform and hope-filled promises.

The Bible: The Acts of the Apostles• The Acts of the Apostles is a story of transformation for early Christians and can serve as an inspiration for the Church today.• The Holy Spirit empowered the growth of the early Church, especially at Pentecost.• Peter was a disciple of courage and persistence who guided the Church’s early growth.• Paul’s transformation led to his essential missionary journeys and the growth of the Church.

The Bible: Covenants• God enters into sacred agreements with his people called covenants, and God remains faithful to his covenant promises even when his people are not faithful to him.• God entered into a covenant with Abraham, making the Israelites God’s Chosen People, and with Moses when he gave the Israelites the Law.• God entered into a covenant with David, promising him that he would always have descendants and that his kingdom would last forever.• Through Jesus Christ, God establishes a new and everlasting covenant with the human race.

The Bible: The Gospel of John• John’s Gospel helps its readers see that the Risen Christ is present in their lives. Its use of symbolic language leads us to deeper understanding of God’s love.• John’s Gospel emphasizes how Jesus’ encounters and relationships with people help them come to know him as the Messiah and to know eternal life.• In John’s Gospel, there are two special moments centered around meals that teach us about Jesus and his mission.• John’s story of Jesus’ Passion, death, and Resurrection calls each of us as beloved disciples to take action and spread the Good News.

The Bible: The Patriarchs• God Calls Abraham, and Abraham places his complete trust in God.• God’s blessing extends through Isaac to Jacob and was not stopped because of Jacob’s deception.• Jacob, the deceiver, was himself deceived, but he persevered to marry both Leah and Rachel.

The Bible: The Letters• The New Testament letters provided important guidance to the early Christian communities.• The twenty-one letters can help us to live as Christians today.• Saint Paul addressed many concerns that confused and divided early Christian communities, including his important teaching

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• Joseph is made governor over all of Egypt because God gave him the gift of interpreting dreams.

that God’s plan of salvation is for all people.• Writers of the New Testament letters guided early Christians through many misunderstandings and conflicts, focusing on the importance of love. These messages were and continue to be transformational.

The Bible: Exodus• God heard the cry of his people suffering in Egypt and called and equipped Moses to lead the Israelites out.• The Israelites were saved from the tenth and final plague, the death of the firstborn sons, by the blood of the Passover lamb.• God destroyed the Egyptians and saved the Israelites through the waters of the Red Sea.• Moses received theCommandments of God on behalf of the people, and the people agreed to observe them.

The Bible: The Early Letters of Paul• Paul founded churches in his missionary travels, then wrote letters to guide and encourage these communities. The Letter to the Thessalonians addresses the future and the second coming of Christ, while the Second Letter to the Corinthians encourages resilience and faith in the face of challenges.• Paul’s letters resolve conflicts that emerge as people debate what is essential to faith. Paul tells the Galatians and the Corinthians that the Laws of Moses or individual preachers do not bring salvation. Only faith in Christ Jesus saves.• Paul addresses divisions and arguments with calls for unity, reminding people of their common gifts, given by God for service to his Church, “the Body of Christ.”• In the face of hardships, conflicts, division, and despair, Paul instructs the communities in Rome and Philippi to be joyful, for nothing can keep them from the love of God.

The Bible: Joshua and the Judges• Obedience in every detail to God’s commands assured the Israelite victory over Jericho.• Every good thing that happens has God as its origin.• God heard the cry of his people, Israel, and led Deborah and Barak in victory over the Canaanites.• Even when we find ourselves in harm’s way as a result of sin, we can always call upon God for strength, and he will answer us.

The Bible: The Later Letters of Paul• Paul works to implement God’s vision of salvation that is open to all, encouraging unity and love, even despite suffering. In the Letter to the Ephesians, Paul calls for unity by presenting the four Marks of the Church.• In the Letter to the Colossians, Paul keeps Christians focused when false teachers tried to distract them from Christ.• Paul eases Christians’ worries about when Christ will come again while encouraging them to not become lazy in the Letter to the Ephesians and the Second Letter to the Thessalonians.• Paul’s pastoral letters urge Timothy and all

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leaders to remain strong in their faith and be bold in proclaiming the Good News.

The Bible: The First Kings of Israel• The Israelites demand a king, and Samuel warns them about how the king will treat them.• God leads Samuel to anoint David as the next King of Israel.• David sins greatly when he lusts after Bathsheba and has her husband killed in battle.• Solomon prays for wisdom to rule God’s people with justice and to know the difference between good and evil.

The Bible: The Catholic Letters• Peter calls each to a life of humility and obedience to God.• Peter encourages Christians to rejoice when they are persecuted, because they share in the suffering of Christ and will know the Day of the Lord, in God’s time.• John’s letters insist that Jesus is both human and God, addressing a dispute that was dividing the Church.• John reminds us that God is the source of love. Because God loved us, we must love others. And when we love, we know God.

The Bible: Women of the Old Testament• Through Rebecca’s courage and confidence, she orchestrated Isaac’s blessing of Jacob and Jacob’s escape from his brother, Esau.• Ruth, faithful to her God and mother-in-law, found happiness with Boaz and became the mother of Obed and the grandmother of King David.• Judith courageously used her gifts of courage, cleverness, and beauty to infiltrate the Assyrian stronghold and kill their general, Holofernes, thereby saving her people, Israel.• Esther’s fidelity and love for her king allowed her to uncover and thwart Haman’s plot to kill her cousin Mordecai and exterminate her people.

The Bible: Worshipping God• Exploring the development of the ways we worship God helps us better understand the meaning of the Mass.• Like the feasts and rituals of our Old Testament ancestors in faith, the Mass is a sacrifice.• Each of the Gospel writers used unique source material and wrote for different audiences.• The Mass has deep roots in the Feast of Passover, which recalls the event that freed the Israelites from slavery.• Jesus, celebrating Passover at the Last Supper, establishes a new and ultimate sacrifice. He offers himself for the forgiveness of sins and calls us to continue the sacrifice in his memory.

The Bible: The Prophets• As salvation history progressed, God spoke directly to special individuals—the prophets—who carried his message to his people.• Amos was the first classical prophet, and he preached against injustice.• Ezekiel was a prophet and a priest who used symbolic actions to get his prophetic message across.

The Bible: The Letter to the Hebrews• The Letter to the Hebrews is an appeal to persecuted early Christians not to abandon their faith.• Hebrews responds to the struggling faith of its recipients with examples of strong faith found in the Old Testament, all these exceeded by Jesus.• Jesus is greater than the high priests know

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• Through their words and actions, theprophets prepared the Chosen People for the coming of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

by the recipients of the Letter to the Hebrews. Bishops and priests share in the priesthood of Christ, who is part of the eternal priesthood of Melchizedek.• The Letter to the Hebrews exhorts its readers to be disciplined and strong in the face of coming trials.

The Bible: The Gospel of Mark• Mark’s first chapter establishes the Good News that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God, as Jesus immediately begins to call disciples, to teach, and to heal.• Jesus uses parables to teach about the Kingdom of God.• People know there is something special about Jesus, and Peter identifies Jesus as the Messiah.• Although the disciples are not perfect, Jesus calls them to follow him, just as he calls us to discipleship.

The Bible: The Book of Revelation• Revelation uses symbols and codes to offer hopeful messages to persecuted people.• Revelation reveals a vision of heavenlyworship that inspires the way we pray today.• The battle between good and evil involves all of God’s people; in the end, God prevails and saves his faithful people.• Revelation concludes with stories of Christ overcoming evil and promises of eternal joy with God for those who remain faithful.

The Women of the New Testament• When told she would bear the Son of God, Mary said “Yes!” to God. Mary was a faithful servant of God and continues to care for God’s people.• As a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene supported Jesus throughout his ministry, was with him at the cross, and was the first to witness his Resurrection.• Women interacted with Jesus throughout his public ministry. He healed many women, and they helped others know that Jesus was the Messiah.• Lydia is one of the many women who were instrumental in spreading the Good News and supporting the early Church.The Birth of Jesus• Through both the shepherds and the Magi, the Gospel writers teach us that God has come for all people, rich and poor alike.• God chose Mary to be the mother of the Savior and prepared her through the

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Immaculate Conception.• Mary is an example for all people of how to follow Jesus.• Saint Nicholas of Myra is an example of loving generosity and provides the roots for the modern-day Santa Claus.Jesus Teaches• The Kingdom of God is not a specific place but rather a state of living in harmony with God and with one another.• Jesus shows us that an ordinary life, lived well with love of God and others, has great worth.• Jesus told stories, called parables, to teach surprising lessons about the Kingdom of God.• Jesus came into the world to fulfill the Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets and to reveal their true meaning.Jesus Heals• Jesus’ healing of body and soul is done out of the love and compassion that marks the Kingdom of God.• Jesus came to heal our inner sickness,including unhealthy and hurtful thoughts and desires.• Jesus’ healing of our souls reconciles sinners and restores our relationship with God and others.• Jesus passed his healing mission on to the Apostles, and it is kept alive in the Church through the power of the Holy Spirit.The Death of Jesus• Christ’s Passion shows his great love for us and is a model for how we are to love others.• One image of the suffering and death ofJesus is as the Paschal Lamb. Through thePaschal Mystery, the sacrifice of Christ brings new life for all.• The Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as the Suffering Servant that was foretold in the Book of Isaiah.• Jesus freely accepted death so that we might

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live in union with God forever.The Resurrection of Jesus• Jesus Christ’s Resurrection is real and confirms the truth of everything he taught his disciples.• After his death, Jesus was raised to newlife, his soul united with his eternal, glorified body. Through faith in him, we will share in his Resurrection.• Before ascending to Heaven, Jesus gave his mission to his disciples, a mission we participate in today.• Jesus is now seated at the right hand of the Father but will return at the end of time for the Last Judgment.

The ChurchThe Mission of the Church• The Church is a unique assembly of people who come together in response to God’s call.• The Church can be identified as the People of God, the Body of Christ, and the Temple of the Holy Spirit.• The Church is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.• The Church is both human and divine.

The Early Church• Life in the early Church was a time of both persecution and growth.• The first Christians were Jewish, and Gentiles soon contributed to the growth of theChurch.• Following Jesus means conflict, risk, and possible martyrdom.• We look to the martyrs as examples of courage and faith as we follow Jesus in our own time.

The Structure of the Church• As disciples, we all share in the mission of Christ.• Bishops are pastors and caretakers of the faithful, carrying out the mission of Christ and his Church in a particular geographical area.• Those living as consecrated religious dedicate their lives to Jesus by taking vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.• The laity is called to share in Christ’s ministry as priest, prophet, and king.

The Age of the Fathers• As the Church grew, the Church Fathers solidified the Church’s beliefs and consolidated the Church’s power.• Emperor Constantine made the practice of Christianity legal with the Edict of Milan, spurring massive growth of the Church.• The Fathers of the Church clarified keybeliefs in Ecumenical Councils, even as differences between the Eastern and Western Churches grew.• Despite the chaos that occurred when the Western Roman Empire fell, the Church remained strong and provided stability.The Church of the Middle Ages

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• The Middle Ages ushered in an era ofmonasticism and the rise of Charlemagne.• The many differences between the Eastern and Western Church ultimately led to the Great Schism of 1054.• Internal and external threats to Christianity led to the Crusades and the Inquisitions.• Great witnesses of faith, such as Saint Dominic and Saint Catherine of Siena, inspired the Church’s growth and the faithfulness of her people.An Age of Renewal and Growth• After the Middle Ages, the Church participated in the Renaissance.• Martin Luther’s dissent led to a protest movement that splintered off Protestant factions and led the Church to counter with reforms.• New religious orders were begun by holy men and women after the Council of Trent.• The Church expanded and evangelized as European nations explored North America, Latin America, and the Far East.An Age of New Ideas• The Enlightenment focused on reason and rationalization and challenged the role of God and the Church in the world.• The Enlightenment encouraged people to challenge civil authority and led to theFrench Revolution.• Establishing the Catholic Church in America brought about challenges, such as creating worship spaces, providing clergy, and accommodating immigrant populations.• Many holy men and women worked tirelessly to found new religious orders and schools in America.The Church in Troubled Times• The social doctrine of the Church began with Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical, On the Condition of Labor, and continues today.• The world wars challenged the Church to

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help all peoples, both materially and spiritually, especially those who were targeted for suffering and even death. After World War II, the Church was a reconciler of peoples and continued her inner renewal.• The work the Church began during Vatican Council II is ongoing.The Church Today• In an ever-changing world, the Church looked to Popes Paul VI, John Paul I, andJohn Paul II for guidance.• The popes of the twenty-first century, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, dedicated their papacies to the Church as proclaimer of the Gospel and helper of the poor.• There are many problems in the world, but, because Jesus is with us, there are also many reasons for hope.• Modern Catholics face many challenges, but history teaches us that challenges are to be expected for the followers of Christ.

Mary and the SaintsMary and the Saints• Mary’s “yes” serves as a model of discipleship for all to respond to God’s call.• As the Mother of God, Mary supported Jesus throughout his life. She now supports the Church as the mother of all Christians and a model of faithfulness and love.• All believers in Christ, both living and dead, are part of the Communion of Saints. Those who have gone before us can pray for us and bring our needs to God.• Saints serve as examples of holiness and inspire us in our journey of faith.

We WorshipSacraments

Sacraments: Celebrating Christ’s Presence• The Sacraments of Initiation are Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. The Sacraments of Healing are Anointing of the Sick and Penance and Reconciliation. The

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Sacraments at the Service of Communion are Matrimony and Holy Orders.• Sacraments are encounters with Christ, who is the original sacrament. As we celebrate the Sacraments, we experience God with us and become a sign of Christ for the world.• The Sacraments are sacred mysteries, instituted by Christ and entrusted to his Church to give grace.• Grace comes from but is not limited to the Sacraments. Sacramentals, or sacred signs, also help prepare us to receive grace and come to know God in our lives.The Sacrament of Baptism• Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we are born of water and the Spirit into new life with Christ.• The waters of Baptism wash away Original Sin, changing us forever to be children of God.• The Rite of Baptism is our entrance into the Body of Christ through action and symbol.• God can do all things and has a plan for salvation that includes all people.The Sacrament of Confirmation• In the Sacrament of Confirmation, Sacred Chrism seals the Gift of the Holy Spirit, deepening and confirming our Baptismal call.• As the Church grew and bishops could no longer be at every Baptism, different understandings and practices developed in the East and the West. These focus on two things: apostolic succession and the use of oil.• A person does not celebrate Confirmation until they have reached the age of reason, when they are able to know the difference between right and wrong.• People celebrate Confirmation when they are ready and willing. Through the laying on of hands and anointing with Sacred Chrism, the bishop seals in each person the gift of the Holy Spirit given at Baptism.The Sacrament of Healing

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• Healing begins with contrition and invites conversion. Through the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, God forgives our sins and strengthens us to live as He wants us to live.• Reconciliation is a process that includes being sorry (contrition), confessing sin (confession), working to repair the damage (Penance), and being forgiven (absolution).• Spiritual and physical sickness separate us from the community, but in the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, a person connects to the community through prayer and healing.• The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is a moment of healing and grace.The Sacraments of matrimony and Holy Orders• The Sacrament of Matrimony is a special relationship in which a baptized woman and a baptized man promise to love each other for the rest of their lives.• Marriage is a permanent vocation, or a lifelong promise, in which a woman and man promise to be faithful to each other.• In the Rite of Marriage, a woman and man publicly promise to love each other. They exchange rings as a symbol of their covenant promise to each other and the Church.• Some men are called to enter into a covenant in the Sacrament of Holy Orders as they share in Christ’s mission to serve.

LiturgyIntroduction to Liturgy• Liturgy is the communal, official, and public prayer through which we participate in the life of the Trinity and celebrate the Paschal Mystery.• Symbols and sacramentals are central to liturgy, for they help us see Christ. When we gather as the Church, we are united with Heaven and participating in the work of the Holy Spirit to make Christ visible.• Necessary and beautiful variations happen

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within liturgical practice, but we are nonetheless united through the consistent symbols, words, and actions of ourcommunal prayer.• Liturgical life has a cycle of time with special days and seasons, all of which are important to the Church.The Eucharist: The Heart of All Liturgy• Eucharist, or giving thanks, is a celebration in which we remember (anamnesis) what Christ has done as well as his savingactions today.• Communion transforms us into the Mystical Body of Christ through the proclamation of Scripture and our response of thanksgiving.• Even though the priest or bishop acts in the person of Christ during the Eucharist, each person is called to actively participate by joining with Christ.• Full, conscious, and active participation in the Eucharist is the right and duty of the faithful by virtue of their Baptism.The Eucharist: Liturgy of the Word• The Liturgy of the Word proclaims the important events from salvation history and consists of biblical readings, a homily, the Creed and the Prayer of the Faithful.• Jesus is the Logos, God’s Word Made Flesh.• The Liturgy of the Word on Sundays includes readings from the Old Testament, a Psalm, a reading from a New Testament letter, and a reading from the Gospel. The readings are followed by the homily, the Creed, and the Prayer of the Faithful.•. The Liturgy of the Word is ultimately about hearing the Word of God, applying it to our lives through the homily, and then responding with the Creed and by offering prayers for others.The Eucharist: Liturgy of the Eucharist• The Liturgy of the Eucharist includes the great prayer of thanksgiving. It allows us to

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thank God for providing for our needs.• The Eucharistic Prayer begins by focusing our attention on thanking God for all of creation, especially for the gift of God’sSon, Jesus.• Not only are the gifts of bread and wine changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, but those who receive them become the Body of Christ.• The Eucharistic Prayer culminates by asking God to accept our sacrifice of praise, voicing our desire that God unite the Church’s members with one another and with Christ.The Eucharist: Communion and Sending Forth• The Communion Rite is the culmination of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, when we are united with and as the Body of Christ.• The Sign of Peace and Lamb of God litany are moments of unity and peace as we come together for the breaking of the bread.• As we receive the Body of Christ during Communion, we become the Body of Christ. We become one with Christ, his people, and his mission.• Communion is followed by a sending forth, in which we are called to continue the work of Christ in the world.

PrayerThe Bible: Models of Prayer• Prayer is a skill we develop with practiceand through studying role models like King David, Mary, and Jesus.• Mary, the Mother of God, models true devotion and trust in the Lord.• Jesus, while fully divine, was also fully human and needed to establish a prayerful relationship with God the Father.• Prayer is not only words but committing ourselves to doing God’s will.Prayer: Conversation with God• Prayer is our way of staying in touch with God at all times.

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• God never tires of wanting to be with us.• Because nothing can separate us from the love of God, it is always possible to pray.• Our relationship with God can have ups and downs.Tuning in to God• Prayer is our response to God’s invitation to relationship with him. In this lesson we focus on petition and blessing.• Intercessions, praise, and thanksgiving help us express our dependence on God.• We learn to pray through daily prayer, the liturgy, reading and hearing the Word of God, and the virtues of faith, hope, andlove.• Christians throughout history have practiced three major expressions of prayer: vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplation.The Lord’s Prayer: The Perfect Prayer• Jesus gave us the perfect prayer, the Lord’s Prayer.• Jesus gave us the Lord’s Prayer to teach us how to pray to God.• The Lord’s Prayer helps us know who God is and who we are.• The Lord’s Prayer teaches us to be humble, to be a community, and to live the Gospel.The Lord’s Prayer: A prayer for all Time• In the ancient world, the number sevenrepresented a perfect number and is reflected in the perfect prayer, the Lord’s Prayer.• The first three petitions focus on God; the last four petitions focus on our human needs.• In order to fully receive God’s love and forgiveness, we must be willing to forgive one another.• We petition God the Father to help us resist temptation and keep us from evil.

Experience:Prayers of blessingThanksgiving Petitions



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Silent Prayer/MeditationOur FatherHail MaryThe RosaryStations of the Cross (14 stations that

represent events of Jesus’ suffering and death)

Lectio DivinaFaith Family ActivitiesReconciliation

Prayers Shared at Mass:Sign of the CrossAmenAnd with your SpiritAlleluiaSign of PeaceResponses after the readings and

GospelPreface DialogueThe Mystery of FaithSanctus Lamb of GodThanks be to God Lord’s Prayer Lamb of GodGloriaNicene/Apostles Creed











We Live - Christian Morality and JusticeCreation• God created all that exists that we might share in his love and glory. Although God allows evil to exist, he never ceases to bring good out of evil.• Human sin, which separates us from God and one another, is one reason that evil exists.• Creation is not simply one event that happened a long time ago but is the ongoing work of God.

End Things: Heaven and Hell• The end of life is the beginning of eternal life with God. Even though our souls leave our bodies at death, the two will be reunited and transformed on the last day.• Heaven and Hell are not places, but states of being with or without God for eternity.• When we die, Christ will measure our lives in comparison to the Gospel message, which is called particular judgment. We will experience

Living the Moral Life• Free will is the basis for our moral responsibility, and we look to Sacred Scripture to guide our choices.• The Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12) given to us by Jesus summarize God’s law for us.• The natural law is an inborn understanding of what is good. God uses the teachings of the Old Law to prepare us for the Good News of

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• Creation is the work of the whole Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

a second judgment at the end of time.• Like Heaven and Hell, Purgatory is not a place, but a state of being when we are purified in preparation for Heaven.

Jesus in the Gospels.• Virtues are habits we develop to help us consistently do the right thing. The cardinal virtues (human virtues) and theological virtues help us walk the paths of faith and reason and come closer to God.

The Human Person• Being human means that we have been created in God’s image and have the ability to love and care for one another.• The human person is a living being made up of both a physical body and an immortal, spiritual soul perfectly united at the moment of conception.• Original Sin resulted from the disobedience of our first parents and created the condition in which humanity finds itself—one in which we sometimes find it hard to say “no” to sin.• Human beings are religious beings trying to find our spiritual home with God, and we will experience worry and restlessness until we do.

Moral Decision Making• When judging the morality of an action, we must consider the object, intention, and circumstances.• Freedom is the ability to make good and right choices based on a well-formed conscience. Sins are offenses against God.• Our relationship with God and our neighbor should be the focus of our lives.• The Church offers us guidelines that help

Honoring God• God always comes first in our lives.• The name of the Lord, our God, is sacred, and we should treat it with respect.• Sunday is a day to celebrate our love of God and recreate ourselves by refreshing our minds, bodies, and spirits, all for God’s glory.Honoring Family• The Fourth Commandment, “Honor your father and your mother,” requires us to honor, respect, and obey our parents and those in legitimate authority over us.• Being a family is hard work, and respect between children and parents is a two-way street.• We take our understanding of honoring our families into the world by living out the Fourth Commandment in the larger society.• We take our understanding of honoring our families into the world by living out the Fourth Commandment in the larger society.

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Respecting Life• Life is sacred from the moment of conception.• All life has dignity and should be protected.• Domestic violence and abuse are serious situations and sins against human dignity.• We must counter the violence in our society with proactive peace.• The Fifth Commandment forbids us from purposely ending our own life, because doing so takes over a decision only God can make.• There are end-of-life options that preserve the dignity of the dying person.• Scandal leads to sin through action, attitude, or inaction.• Because of the many evils and injustices that are part of war, we must avoid war if at all possible.Respecting Truth and Property• Stealing doesn’t involve taking just material possessions; it can involve taking intangible things as well.• Envy is wanting what others have, and it is one of the seven Capital Sins.• Words are incredibly powerful and can harm as well as praise.• Archbishop Oscar Romero was a powerful witness to God in the world.Respecting Sexuality• Sexuality is about more than sexual relationships. It is a gift from God.• God created sexual relationships to express a loving union between husband and wife, and to bring new life into the world.• We are called to stay away from sexual immorality. Modesty helps us show respect for ourselves and others.• We are all children of God.• Marriage is a lifelong commitment.• The Ninth Commandment acknowledges our concupiscence and calls us to purity of heart.Working for Justice

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• As Jesus’ followers, we become a loving community, acting on principles of social justice.• As a loving community, we work in our parish and community to help one another.• As a Christian community, we are called to be involved in meeting the needs of those who are poor in our own country.• We are a world community.• We all have a duty to work together for the common good.• We are called to live the truths of Catholic Social Teachings.• We are called to live in solidarity with others, especially those in need.• We are called to care for all of creation.

Family Life Unity within the Church Compatibility of science and faith Chastity respects the unity of the person The Mission of the Church; Human life

begins at conception with the right to life Every human being is a person with dignity Sacredness of the body Christian understanding of death Dignity of work and rights of workers Common good

The Holy Spirit helps us to forgive Using the gift of free will to say yes to God Spiritual maturity means becoming like

Jesus Complementariness in genders The human body is a temple of the Holy

Spirit Honoring the dignity of the person Our loving relationships are to reflect the

loving communion of the Trinity Chastity is integrating our sexuality into

life and love God created us to share love God created us to live in community

God has placed in the human heart the natural desire for happiness

With an informed conscience and free will, we can choose to follow the right path to happiness

Each person is a unique individual created with a soul, an intellect and free will

The Theological Virtue of hope opens up a person’s heart to desire and expect the happiness God promises

Each person has a fundamental dignity because everyone has been created in the image and likeness of God

Sin and moral evil are at the root of the many threats against human life

Human sexuality is primarily concerned with our capacity to love and form relationships based on being male or female

Married love is to be self-giving and life-giving

God created us as social beings; therefore, we need to experience a healthy sense of belonging

Life has meaning with a God-given

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purposeEcumenism Participate in and reflect on age

appropriate service learning activitiesParticipate in and reflect on age appropriate service learning activities and how we can be Jesus for others


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Teacher ResourcesFifth Grade Resources - http://looktohimandberadiant.blogspot.com/Finding God.org - http://www.loyolapress.com/faith-formation/finding-god/finding-god-2013/catechists-and-teachers Busted Halo – http://bustedhalo.com/ The Catholic Teacher - http://www.thereligionteacher.com/religious-education-resources/ Alliance for Catholic Education - https://ace.nd.edu/resources/recommended-websites-for-teachers Catholic Religion Teacher (7&8th grades) - https://catholicreligionteacher.com/ Catholic Teacher Resources (CTR) - https://www.catholicteacherresources.com/ Catholic Catechist - http://www.catholiccatechist.org/ Today’s Catholic Teacher - http://www.catholicteacher.com/ Resources for Catholic Educators - http://www.4catholiceducators.com/ Catholic Kids - http://www.loyolapress.com/our-catholic-faith/family/catholic-kids Teacher Resources - http://catholic.tas.edu.au/our-schools/curriculum/religious-education-teacher-resources Religion Lesson Plans - http://www.eds-resources.com/edthe.htm Saint Mary’s Press – Teacher Editions, Student Activities, Church History - http://www.smp.org/resourcecenter/ Lesson Plans, videos, activity packets - http://www.thereligionteacher.com/religious-education-activities/Seventh and Eighth Grade Units - https://catholicreligionteacher.com/ Teaching Methods for Religious education - http://jeanfurgal.org/introduction/ Pflaum Weeklies - http://www.pflaumweeklies.com/

Resources for Teaching Resilience:Edutopia - https://www.edutopia.org/resilience-grit-resources and https://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-the-abcs-of-resilience-renee-jain Lesson Plans for Teaching Resilience in Children - http://lynnenamka.com/resilience.pdf Bouncing Back: Teaching Children Resilience Skills - http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/greatsenecacreekes/counseling/Teaching_Children_Resilience.pdf Teaching Resilience in Children - https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Building-Resilience/Pages/Building-Resilience-in-Children.aspx APA Resources - http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/resilience.aspx

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http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/resilience.aspx

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Building-Resilience/Pages/Building-Resilience-in-Children.aspx

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Building-Resilience/Pages/Building-Resilience-in-Children.aspx

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/greatsenecacreekes/counseling/Teaching_Children_Resilience.pdf

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/greatsenecacreekes/counseling/Teaching_Children_Resilience.pdf

http://lynnenamka.com/resilience.pdf

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-the-abcs-of-resilience-renee-jain

https://www.edutopia.org/resilience-grit-resources

http://www.pflaumweeklies.com/

http://jeanfurgal.org/introduction/

https://catholicreligionteacher.com/

http://www.thereligionteacher.com/religious-education-activities/

http://www.smp.org/resourcecenter/

http://www.eds-resources.com/edthe.htm

http://catholic.tas.edu.au/our-schools/curriculum/religious-education-teacher-resources

http://www.loyolapress.com/our-catholic-faith/family/catholic-kids

http://www.4catholiceducators.com/

http://www.catholicteacher.com/

http://www.catholiccatechist.org/

https://www.catholicteacherresources.com/

https://catholicreligionteacher.com/

https://ace.nd.edu/resources/recommended-websites-for-teachers

http://www.thereligionteacher.com/religious-education-resources/

http://bustedhalo.com/

http://www.loyolapress.com/faith-formation/finding-god/finding-god-2013/catechists-and-teachers

http://looktohimandberadiant.blogspot.com/

Catholic Social Teachings

Catholic social teaching is a central and essential element of our faith. Its roots are in the Hebrew prophets who announced God's special love for the poor and called God's people to a covenant of love and justice. It is a teaching founded on the life and words of Jesus Christ, who came "to bring glad tidings to the poor . . . liberty to captives . . . recovery of sight to the blind"(Lk 4:18-19), and who identified himself with "the least of these," the hungry and the stranger (cf. Mt 25:45). Catholic social teaching is built on a commitment to the poor. This commitment arises from our experiences of Christ in the Eucharist.

"Catholic Social Teaching is a central and essential element of our faith."

As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, "To receive in truth the Body and Blood of Christ given up for us, we must recognize Christ in the poorest, his brethren" (no. 1397).

Catholic social teaching emerges from the truth of what God has revealed to us about himself. We believe in the triune God whose very nature is communal and social. God the Father sends his only Son Jesus Christ and shares the Holy Spirit as his gift of love. God reveals himself to us as one who is not alone, but rather as one who is relational, one who is Trinity. Therefore, we who are made in God's image share this communal, social nature. We are called to reach out and to build relationships of love and justice.

Catholic social teaching is based on and inseparable from our understanding of human life and human dignity. Every human being is created in the image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ, and therefore is invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the human family. Every person, from the moment of conception to natural death, has inherent dignity and a right to life consistent with that dignity. Human dignity comes from God, not from any human quality or accomplishment.

Our commitment to the Catholic social mission must be rooted in and strengthened by our spiritual lives. In our relationship with God we experience the conversion of heart that is necessary to truly love one another as God has loved us.

Additional Website with Resources:

http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/ http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/seven-themes-of-catholic-social-teaching.cfmhttp://www.catholiccharities-md.org/parish-social-ministry/catholic-social-teaching.html

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http://www.catholiccharities-md.org/parish-social-ministry/catholic-social-teaching.html

http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/seven-themes-of-catholic-social-teaching.cfm

http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/

Service Learning

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Best PracticesService-learning is an approach to teaching and learning in which students use academic knowledge and skills to address genuine community needs.

Picking up trash on a river bank is service. Studying water samples under a microscope is learning.

When science students collect and analyze water samples, document their results, and present findings to a local pollution control agency – that is service-learning.

Service Learning IS NOT… Community Service because Service Learning has clear and direct ties to academic curriculum, in addition to its

community outcomes. Field trips because Service Learning can happen within the four walls of the classroom or school building. Time away from class because Service Learning is class. Stand-alone one-time projects that focus on altruism because Service Learning requires preparation, action and

reflection that often results in asking tougher and bigger questions, and Service Learning only affects academic achievement when it is (1) intentionally integrated with a specific subject, (2) aligned with standards, and (3) uses reflection activities that necessitate higher-order thinking skills.

An “add on” because Service Learning is a methodology to achieve core academic outcomes.

Service learning is different than community service in several key ways. Service learning includes student leadership, reflective and academic components, and chances for celebration once the service activity has been successfully completed. Students reflect on community needs, ways to help, and once their service has been completed, they can internalize how their efforts have helped, while learning more about academics such as geography, math, or science. Successful service-learning is a multifaceted teaching and learning process. Each service-learning project is uniquely tailored to meet specific learning goals and community needs.

Keys to Service Learning

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Service Learning projects must meet both curriculum outcomes and a community need Projects must be actual service - Students must interact directly with people who are served through service learning Student’s voice is part of the decision making process for which service learning project is chosen Service Learning projects must include reflection

Samples

Elementary SchoolFifth-graders tutored younger students in reading over the course of a school year. The project improved language skills for

both younger and older students and helped the tutors develop their organizational and leadership skills.

Middle SchoolA middle school science class studying pollution and disease worked with Environmental Protection to learn about the

dangers of radon and how to test for it in homes. To educate the community on hazards, testing, and cleanup, students created an infomercial to share with local schools and community groups.

What are the benefits of implementing service learning in the classroom?Students will:

Gain a better understanding of diverse cultures and communities. Connect with members in their own community. Learn more about social issues and the root causes of the issues at hand. Develop strong leadership, collaboration and communication skills. Obtain an opportunity to act on a value or belief. See how content learned in the classroom is applied in the real world. Realize that they can make a difference no matter who or where they are or how old they are. Gain confidence in their individual skills and abilities. Develop critical-thinking skills in real-world applications. Create a strong camaraderie with their peers and realize the importance of good citizenship.

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Principles of Good Practice in Service Learning Curriculum & Pedagogy

1. Academic credit is for learning, not for serviceStudents earn academic credit/grades by demonstrating they have learned course content and skills. This is no difference in community service learning experiences. Academic credit is not awarded for doing service or for the quality of service, but rather for the student’s demonstration of academic and civic learning.

2. Academic rigor is uncompromisedAdding a service component should enhance the rigor of a course because in addition to having mastered the academic material, students must also learn from community experience.

3. Set learning goals for studentsDeliberate planning and communication of course academic and civic learning objectives is necessary for students to benefit from learning opportunities offered by community service experiences.

4. Prepare students for learning from the communityMost students lack experience extracting and creating meaning from experience, let alone merging it with other academic and civic course learning strategies. Instructors should support students’ learning through service by providing opportunities to acquire skills for gleaning and connecting the learning from the service context (e.g., participant-observer skills).

5. Service Learning requires reflectionService learning is not service learning without a reflection component. Students need to connect their experience of service with the academic objectives of the project. Students should formally reflect on the impact of their service and its tie to what they are learning.

SOME FRIENDLY ADVICE

Experienced service-learning organizers suggest the following:

Start small: Even a weeklong, very focused project can benefit all involved. Let the students be the leaders: Don’t carry a load that your students should be carrying; remember that part

of the goal is for them to take responsibility. The more responsibility the students take, the better. Be flexible: Working with community organizations means being mindful of their schedules and of the changes

they experience. Closely tie the project to your curriculum: You may be able to substitute or cut back on part of your instruction

if the service-learning project adequately helps students to understand the same material.

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Service Learning Reflection QuestionsThis form will assist you to critically reflect on your service. Please answer the following questions and staple this worksheet to the front of your answer page.

The What? - pertains to the substance of the experience and what happened to you. It deals with facts. The What? is used to start the reflection process by asking, “What happened in the service experience?”

• What did I do?

• What did I like or dislike about the experience?

The So What? - pertains to the difference the experience made to you. The So What? asks, “What did your experience mean to you?” and/or “What did you learn from your experience?”

• What have I learned about myself through this experience?

• What academic insights did I gain as a result of this service learning project?

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• How did my service enhance my community? What other ways could I further help my community?

The Now What? - involves the process of taking lessons learned from the experience and reapplying them to other situations and the larger picture. The Now What? asks, “Where do we go from here?”

•What will I do differently the next time I participate in this type of service activity?

•How did this service project affected me as a leader?

•What is a follow-up activity that I can do related to this service learning opportunity?

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Additional Questions for Reflection During the Service Period

What do you think you will do and what impact do you think you will have? What needs did/does/will your project help fill? What are the causes of those needs? How do people contribute to this problem? How do we help to solve it? What expectations do you have about your service experience? Did anything surprise you? If so, what? What did you do today that made you feel that you made a difference? Why? Did anything happen that made you feel uncomfortable? If so what, and why do you think it made you feel this way? What did you do that seemed to be effective or ineffective in service to others? How does your understanding of the community change as a result of your participation in this project? How can you continue your involvement with this group or social issue? How can you educate others or raise awareness about this group or social issue? What are the most difficult and most satisfying parts of the service you are performing? Why? What do you think is your most valued contribution to the project? Is there a person or activity you find interesting or challenging in your project? How do you see you role with this project? How does that compare with how others may see your role? Have you learned from any disappointments or successes from your project? Has there been a problem situation that you want to discuss with your teacher? How is your service relevant to what you are learning in class?

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SERVICE LEARNING PLANNING SHEET

Teacher, Class __________________________________________________________ Project Name:

Describe your project. If you are working with any individuals, groups, organizations, or businesses in the community, please list them.

Student Input: How (and to what degree) were students involved in selecting and/or organizing the project?

Academic Component: What curriculum goals will be achieved? How?

Service Component: How will the community benefit?

Reflective Component: In what ways will the students reflect on this experience? (journals, class discussions, etc.)

Character Component: In what ways will this project contribute to the personal development of your students? (responsibility, respectfulness, empathy, citizenship, collaborative skills, etc.)

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Sample Elementary School Projects A handicapped awareness program that extends into a "hop'ning" that raises funds for the March of Dimes Student run recycling program tied to a environmental studies science unit A holiday toy drive linked to a social studies unit on community. An ongoing relationship with senior citizens at our local Senior Center that helps teach students basic literacy skills. Raise money and collect food for our local Food Pantry. In an environmental field studies program that involves protecting and caring for wetlands and other natural areas near our

schools, schools work with classrooms of multiple-handicapped children to develop an awareness of and respect for diversity Reading buddies for some of our first grade classes. Provide friendship and social interaction for the veterans living at the Veteran's Home. The students visited the veterans and

invited them to events at our school, made cards, listened and learned the wealth of knowledge the veterans were able to share. Design "Winter Holiday" cards which were sold to family and friends. Profits from the boxes sold went to two local churches. This

class project involved cooperative learning groups - each group was responsible for designing one card. The activity integrated math, writing, language and social studies.

An interdisciplinary project with the Humane Society dealing with the care and protection of animals. Storm drain painting infused with our social science unit on the Bay. Visit a nearby nursing home and read "Big Books," do projects and visit with residents. Through this project, students strengthen

their reading and communication skills while discovering their personal power to make positive changes in their communities. The nursing center in the next town needed help connecting residents to youth in an effort to brighten the resident's days. In

response to this need, our 3rd grade team selected our best 30 workers to prepare and present a play at the nursing center. The play, the "Princess and the Penguin," culminated the students' integrated study of weather and animals. This project also required students to use their writing, researching, and public speaking skills.

Students received funding to stencil "Don't Dump" on the storm drains in the Southampton neighborhood around their school. Students learned about the importance to "Save the Bay" in this community project.

"Generations Can Connect," a different kind of technology-based service-learning project, is being piloted at the Banded Peak School in Bragg Creek, Alberta, Canada. Generations Can Connect has three components. In one part, seniors bring in memorabilia and work with their student partners to capture related memories, pictures, and stories on an Internet Web site. In the second part, students and seniors together learn ways of using the Internet, such as banking, finding health information, sending and receiving e-mail, and researching genealogy. Third, an outreach program provides seniors with access to Web-TV. The goals of the program are to provide opportunities for shared experiences between Canada's seniors and youths, to encourage senior citizens to use the Internet, and to provide both seniors and students with greater technology-based skills. Students at Banded Peak School engaged in a number of curriculum-based activities to prepare for their participation in the program. Those activities included the creation of A Primer for Working With Seniors, a survey of seniors about their attitudes toward and their uses of technology, establishment of e-mail accounts so that seniors and students could maintain online contact between personal visits, research into appropriate online and multimedia resources to meet seniors' needs, the development of a Web site, Personal Memories/Community Treasures, which allows seniors and students to share their experiences with others. During the program,

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the seniors had the opportunity to learn technology skills and to help teach students about the world they live in. Gordon Berry, one of the senior participants said, "I like the idea of playing a role in helping kids learn, since they are the future of the country." Another senior, Pearl Lammie, uses her newly acquired technology skills and e-mail access to keep in touch with her children, living in widely scattered areas of the United States and Canada. The benefits to the students were also more than academic. "The technologies involved are less important than the connections they've helped the participants make," said Belsey. "At the beginning of the program, both the seniors and the teens were uneasy about working together, mostly because of stereotypes they carried about the other generation. The project has broken through that by centering on the shared learning that takes place."

Through the "Voter Empowerment Workshops" project, fifth grade students worked in teams of ten with a teacher-mentor to plan workshops on various political, social and economic topics related to elections. The workshops were presented to adults, which included parents, guardians, community members, etc., by the students during a special evening event. Specific workshop themes varied but included: "We the People: The Importance of Communicating with Government Officials," "The Right to Vote: A Play about South Africa," "Bilingual Workshop: Where are your taxes going?" and "Surf the Vote: Using the Internet to Find Out About Candidates." The project stimulated participation in the democratic process and brought adults into the school through a meaningful forum.

Students developed booklets containing activities they had done in their first year of school and felt that preschool children would like to hear about. The kindergarten children read the booklets that they had produced to preschool children so that the preschool children could better understand what kindergarten was really like.

Kindergarten – Students learning about animals went out into a nature center and took care of a butterfly nest. They then performed a play for other students and their parents dealing with what they had learned about butterflies at the nature center.

1st Grade – As part of a social studies unit first graders prepared a Thanksgiving feast, decorated tables and invited needy people from the community to participate. This feast was compared to the first Thanksgiving dinner.

1st Grade – Students designed and made placemats with a Holidays theme. These mats were laminated and presented to a local soup kitchen to be given to the people with their Holidays meals.

1st Grade – The children combined a science lesson (growing marigolds) with art (decorating pots) to produce unique gifts for senior citizens in a home adjacent to their elementary school. The students presented the gifts individually to the residents of the home.

1st Grade – Students designed and produced Halloween Trick or Treat bags for kindergarten students. The 1st graders wrote Halloween safety tips on the bags and talked with the "younger" children about safe ways to trick or treat.

2nd Grade –Math students studying symmetry designed valentines and presented the valentines to a local adult foster care home. 2nd Grade – As part of Writing Month and a Book-It program the students wrote and drew pictures about their favorite books on

grocery bags. They gave the finished bags to the grocery store, which used the bags to pack shoppers’ groceries. This project worked on students reading and writing skills, school publicity, encouraging reading, and hopefully brightened a shopper’s day.

2nd Grade – As part of the social studies curriculum that dealt with learning about communities’, students implemented a project to assist their local library. The students collected soda cans for their deposit that was then donated to the children’s section of the library to enhance the number of books and the space where they are stored and read.

3rd Grade – Science and social studies students studying the 3 R’s (recycle, reduce, and reuse) made posters for their room. They eventually expanded the use of their posters to the halls in the school and eventually to store fronts downtown.

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3rd Grade – Math and language arts students studying symmetry and reading about veterans made valentine cards and presented them to a local veteran’s hospital.

3rd Grade – Students helped the local community library by designing and making new book covers for children’s books in the library. Each student read the book and wrote a brief summary of the book as well as producing the new cover.

3rd Grade – Students made an "ABC" Big Animal Book with illustrations which was then shared with first graders. Individual students used their book to help the younger students master the words.

4th Grade – Students established a Kids for Saving the Earth Club. This came about as a result of the environmental studies portion of the academic curriculum. Kids wrote letters to children who lived in a rain forest. They started a recycling program in the school and petitioned the local council to make recycling mandatory in their community.

4th Grade – Students made place mats as part of their art time and took them to the hospital to be placed on meal trays at Halloween.

5th Grade – Students learned to bake Christmas gingerbread cookies and made art projects gifts for the local seniors and presented their gifts to the seniors at a program they developed themselves.

5th Grade – Students developed questions that were asked at the local "Foods with Friends" gathering. The students interviewed the seniors to learn about their community and then put on a skit for the seniors to show them what they had learned. They followed up with decorated "Thank You" cards to show their appreciation.

Sample Middle School Projects Students learn how to determine acceptable water quality of our environment using surveys, observations, and test kits. They then

test, analyze and observe wildlife at Marley Creek in our community to determine a plan of action to improve the water quality or the wildlife habitat for this local creek.

"Pennies for Pasta" - The entire school raised money for Leukemia in partnership with the Olive Garden and the Leukemia Society. Each homeroom had a representative that collected and counted. The community was encouraged to donate also, and students were asked to try to earn money for the collection in some manner. The collection took place over two weeks. Students raised over $7,000.00.

Aluminum can recycling drive. The need that during this drive was to reduce the amount of aluminum waste in our landfills. We met this need by collecting aluminum cans and recycling them at the local recycling center. We decided that we would hold a contest among the first period classes of my school. The class that brought in the most cans by weight would win a juice and doughnut party to recognize and celebrate their success. The money that remained after funding the party was given to the local homeless shelter.

8th grade math students planted a butterfly garden in the school courtyard. The students found the area of the courtyard and created scale drawings to indicate where to plant the plants. We were aiming to beautify the school grounds.

After-school environment awareness program - worked with students to create picture books for special education students. Team also coordinated our school's recycling program and Buddy Program.

Used service-learning to understand the inner workings of, and issues that affect, the communities in which they live. Through one project, third grade students divided into five groups to research various elements of their community: housing, government,

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communication, environment and food. By studying these areas and visiting local sites, students learned about the interdependency and relationships between business, government and private citizens. Students then applied what they learned and built their own model community called "Alternative Town." At the end of the school year, the students presented a replica of their model community.

Eighth grade students using the election process as a context for writing editorials about state and national political issues. High school writing mentors reviewed the editorials, which were sent to newspapers. A panel of editorial writers from state and local newspapers discussed editorial writing with the students.

Through service-learning, students in Phenix City Schools helped to raise awareness among members of the community around important health issues. Their efforts were made possible through a partnership between the Healthcare Science and Technology (HST) Department and the western district medical/dental associations, whereby preventative health skills, including hand washing and oral hygiene, were provided to all kindergarten, first grade and special education students in the Phenix City School System. The students developed and prepared all materials used in their teaching programs, and provided educational programs on diabetes (Type I and Type II). In addition, they offered blood sugar screenings to the community. Fund-raising for the Diabetes Association provided students another opportunity to help with the research of this deadly disease. This project enabled students to develop leadership abilities while using skills and knowledge from their own classroom experiences. Students also worked directly with people of all ages, races, ethnic groups, abilities and disabilities, genders, and economic backgrounds.

At John Marshall Middle School, students improved their understanding and appreciation of cultural differences through service-learning. As "Diversity Ambassadors," students trained in peer mediation, cultural diversity, tolerance and conflict resolution conducted workshops on these issues for fellow students and hosted an assembly on school violence in partnership with the Long Beach Police Department's Gang Unit. A program that grew from an ad hoc problem-solving approach to a mechanism for linking classroom curriculum with service, Marshall Middle School teachers and students credit the Diversity Ambassadors with improving the school climate. By bringing together students of different ethnic backgrounds to address their differences and solve their problems outright, the school helped students create tools for communicating across racial and ethnic barriers, and serve one another by delivering resolution to immediate and pressing situations.

Additional Websites for Ideas on Service Learning:

http://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/service/examples.html

http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Community-Schools/Community-School-Forms/Community-Service-Learning-Sample-Projects

http://www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/education-update/mar13/vol55/num03/In-the-Classroom-with-Liliana-Aguas@-Service-Learning-Projects-in-the-Elementary-Classroom.aspx

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http://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/service/examples.html

Improving Student Learning for Catholic Schools

Best Practices for Teaching ReligionDeveloped by:The California Catholic School Superintendents Curriculum Committee (CCSSCC)

(See WCEA ISL Protocol - Appendix P)

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UNDERSTANDING THE CHILD

By Gini Shimabukuro, Ed.D.

Essential to the building of a gospel-based learning community is the sincere, ongoing effort to understand each child. This understanding permits the educator to fulfill the Christian call to formation and transformation of learners.

Since the Second Vatican Council in the 1960’s, Church documentation related to education offers insight into this concept through the “integral formation” of the child. “Integral formation” refers to teaching that fosters the unification of the many aspects of the child—spiritual, moral, religious, intellectual, developmental, social, emotional physical—and to learning that enables the child to make necessary connections among these interior dimensions.

Effective formation, then, precludes an awareness of these many human dimensions as active in the learning process and of their relationship to each other: emotional with religious, intellectual with physical, moral with developmental, and so on.

In order to achieve this holistic goal of learning that is integrated and formative, it is necessary to understand that teaching is more than mere transmission of knowledge. We need to design content-based processes that will empower the child to internalize his or her learning.

2 Resources: Groome, Thomas, Educating for Life. Allen, Texas: Thomas More Publishing Co. 1998:The Congregation for Catholic Education, The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School, Boston: Daughters of St. Paul, 1988

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BEST PRACTICES IN TEACHING RELIGION - Criteria and Indicator Teacher Reference

1. Teacher Preparation

a. Materials/Equipment/Technology/Resources – Teacher does not rely solely on material in the textbook; uses supplementary material such as books, media, etc. with creativity and care in order to achieve the objective of the lesson.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

Prayer corner/setting Approved diocesan textbooks Church documents Chalkboard/overhead Audio-visual equipment/technology Guest speaker – DRE/Priest/Pastor or Pastoral Coordinator References/supportive resource materials Manipulative materials and supplies (felt boards, puzzles, clay, crayons etc.) Liturgical Calendar Colored Cloths relating to the liturgical season Sacramentals – Rosary, crucifix, holy water, statues of saints, etc.

b. Variety of Activities Planned – Teacher uses a wide variety of age-appropriate activities related to the aim of the lesson and appropriate to the level of faith development of the student.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

Prayer experience Classroom discussion (large & small group) Games—(i.e. biblical “bingo”) Chalk or dry board/overhead PowerPoint/smart board/DVD Role play Projects (individual/groups) Oral/silent reading

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Manipulative materials Lectures Management activities (Classroom management) Explanations including questions/answers Music/Dance

c. Lesson Plan/Objectives/Procedures – Teacher has a lesson plan that demonstrates thoroughness and resourcefulness in preparation of content, learning activities, materials and equipment.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

Written lesson plan Materials ready for student use Equipment set up and ready Smooth flow from activity to activity Time given for teacher reflection

d. Physical Set-up of Environment – As much as possible, the teacher sets an environment that is conducive to individual and group learning. Physical environment is attractive, welcoming and comfortable. Room arrangement and prayer table are creative and relate to the objective/theme of lesson.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

Prayer table/corner Bulletin board(s) reflective of Catholic identity/curriculum Clearly displayed religious symbols

2. Catholic/Christian Information/Instruction

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a. Development of Content – Teacher shows knowledge in area being taught. Approach is sequential, age appropriate and effective. Movement from one segment of the lesson to another is smooth. Teacher does not need to refer to the text frequently.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

Variety of activities Subject matter covered (utilize Diocesan Religion Standards/Guidelines) Objectives of lesson plan met Resources used (e.g. church documents, approved supplemental materials) Student involvement

b. Prayer – Teacher provides opportunities for creative prayer, formal or informal relating to the lesson or liturgical season. This includes the beginning and ending prayer.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

Variety of prayer experiences observed in classroom Prayer is frequent Listen and responding to scripture Prayer corners form a central part of classroom environment

c. Student Inquiry/Participation – Students are attentive and motivated. Their participation is encouraged within individual and group activities through a variety of ways.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

Activities Used for Student Involvement Cooperative learning Center activities Collaboration: discussion/sharing faith/prayer/intentions/spontaneous prayer Sacred gestures Prayerful dance Liturgical rituals Role playing

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Partner reading/studying Discussion: large/small Teacher-led question/answer Activities used for student inquiry Research/group discussion/peer-to-peer Resources used to enrich activities

d. Recognition of Learning Styles/Age-Appropriate Development – The teacher provides age-appropriate activities which include different learning styles to help students to use their talents and abilities.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

Age appropriate activities/multi-sensory activities/multiple intelligences learning opportunities Ways of addressing learning difficulties Multiple activities recognizing different talents/abilities Optional pathways to a conclusion permitted and encouraged Peer teaching/peer interaction Teacher with small groups or one-on-one Review of previous lesson and “tie-in” within this lesson Seating arrangement e. Integration of Message into Life Experience – The teacher makes a strong tie

between scripture, doctrine and students’ life experiences. The teacher relates materials and activities to current issues according to the lesson objective.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

Listen And respond to scripture Paraphrase prayers in personal words Compose prayers and petitions Identification of saints and the impact of their lives on today Define lawful authority in society Show concern for needs of others

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Be aware of family customs and cultures Recognize that sexuality is a gift from God Develop an awareness that life is a gift from God Demonstrate how stewardship is an integral part of Christian living Identify various types of ministry within the Church

f. Application to Life – The teacher is able to relate classroom lesson to life and society.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

Quotes that demonstrate correlation (student and teacher) Activities which explore correlation Materials which challenge students’ curiosity about relevance in one’s life— expansion of Church

teaching into current issues facing society (cloning, euthanasia, abortion) Questions/answers encouraged from students Role playing—“What would Jesus Do” situations Small group investigations—relating Church doctrines to text material and current event issues Directed reading Pictures/books/display/ news clippings/videos Community service projects Field trips to homeless shelters, convalescent homes Field experiences to places of other faith traditions and experiences (Holocaust museum, synagogue)

g. Culminating Activities – The teacher is able to bring the lesson to closure by integrating evaluation with a meaningful summarization or activity.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

Time allotted for reflection throughout the lesson itself Statements of summary from the catechist and teacher, and the students Resources to culminate lesson (video/music/poetry/prayer, etc.) Assignment to reinforce concepts covered in the lesson

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3. Assessment

a. Formal and Informal Assessments – Monitor student learning of developmentally appropriate student learning objectives. This measure of progress should be frequent and integrated into the teaching and learning process through the use of in-class activities, question/answer, and more formal assessment of acquired learning of content based objectives.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

Active and engaged participation Homework, handout completion Practice of prayer (recitation) Contribution to discussions in class Dioramas, posters, reports Role-playing activities—scripture passages etc. Journal responses internalizing faith knowledge and internalization Quizzes, tests, oral assessments Technology projects/online use of religious sites Regular attendance at Mass Participating in singing, liturgical dance, etc.

b. Formative and Summative Assessments – Monitor student learning objectives and religion program in light of content mastery, skill acquisition, and experienced faith development. This measure of evaluation will assess teachers to refine their planning and methodology as well as determine resources for future growth and faith internalization.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

On-going survey of teachers, parents, students Analysis of ACRE assessment results Diocesan content standards assessment Portfolio assessment Rubric assessment Projects Student response to outreach activities

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Teacher designed test matching religion curriculum and taught objectives Textbook assessment Essay questions Faith sharing activities 4. Supervision

a. Student Cooperation and Self Regulation – The teacher maintains a positive atmosphere in which students work well in individual or group activities. Time is used effectively. Order is maintained and self-discipline is being developed.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

Classroom rules are posted Students demonstrate self-discipline/on-task behavior Catechist statement to students are positive, empowering, collaborative Activities toward self-direction Spoken/unspoken intervention of inappropriate behavior Flexibility Positive movement of students from one activity to another Minimum friction and interruption

5. Relational

a. Interaction: Peer to Peer – The teacher provides an environment which results in mutual support, trust, and respect from student to student as faith community is being built.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

Students are actively engaged in integrating their faith with each other through classroom activities

Students participate in communal prayer, worship, Scripture and the sacrament Evidence of cooperation in a faith centered learning activity Students show mutual interest/ attention to each other’s responses Collaborative teams stay on task, support each other and successfully complete project All students actively participate in sharing their own special talents to a project

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Cross age mentoring is apparent (school families) for faith activities and sharing.

b. Interaction: Teacher-to-Student – The teacher is able to establish a positive rapport with the students, individually and collectively, resulting in high morale as faith community is being built.

OBSERVABLE DATA:

Statements of encouragement and affirmation – student to the teacher and from the teacher to the student

Personal knowledge of each student (interests, abilities/family, etc.) Student’s contributions are accepted by the teacher and other students An atmosphere of mutual respect (mutual statements of courtesy, etc.) is maintained Discipline is always done with respect to the individual and its outcome is designed to be

formative in establishing a pattern for more positive behavior. Teacher serves as a faith role model

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BEST PRACTICES IN TEACHING RELIGION

Practical Applications

Teacher Preparation:

A teacher who is well prepared has taken the first foundational step to successfully educating children and youth in the Catholic faith. Faith and spiritual development is an ongoing process that begins before we can speak and ends when we take our last breath. Just because we have taken on the title of “teacher” does not mean that we have completed our education in the faith. We, as teachers/catechists, must constantly strive to know more and further enrich our own faith journey by investigating and indulging in the resources available to us.

The list and suggestions provided below are only a few of the many resources available to you. Your parish may have a resource library on site, or your Arch/diocese may have resources available at the Pastoral Center. Ask your Director of Religious Education or Principal where you can go to check out materials that will assist you in your role as catechist. Remember to search the Internet for online resources as well.

Supplemental to written references, other materials will support the learning taking place in your classroom. Puzzles, felt board stories, bulletin board pictures, statues, holy cards, and many more items can be attained through textbook publishers or religious goods suppliers. A copy of the liturgical calendar would be a helpful addition to your classroom. Colored cloths in the liturgical colors (green, white, purple, red) can be obtained at any fabric shop. Construction paper would even work to cover a prayer table or bulletin board with the color of the liturgical season. In this way, your students will become familiar with the cycle of the church year.

RESOURCES:

The Catholic Source Book by Rev. Peter Klein (2007)The Holy See’s Teaching on Catholic Schools by Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB (2006) Called to Be a Catechist – Your Practical Guide by Cullen W. Schippe (2005)The National Directory for Catechesis by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (2005) What Do I Do Now? A Guide for the Reluctant Catechist by Dan Pierson and Susan Stark (2005)The Courage to Lead: Catholic Identity and Diversity by James L. Heft, SM, and Gordon D. Bennett, SJ, DD (2004)Perspectives on Leadership and Catechesis by Robert I. Colbert and Janice A. Kraus (2001)The General Directory for Catechesis in Plain English – A Summary and Commentary by Bill Huebsch (2001)A Call to Reflection: A Teacher’s Guide to Catholic Identity for the 21st Century by Gini Shimabukuro, Ed.D. (1998)General Directory for Catechesis by United States Catholic Conference (1997)

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Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry by National Conference of Catholic Bishops (1997)The Catechetical Documents by Liturgy Training Publications (1996)Catechism of the Catholic Church by United States Catholic Conference (1994)The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School by Congregation for Catholic Education (1988)

To Teach As Jesus Did by National Conference of Catholic Bishops (1972)

Websites to explore: These sites will link you to hundreds of other sources. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops www.usccb.orgNational Catholic Educational Association www.ncea.orgCalifornia Catholic Conference www.cacatholic.org

Vatican www.vatican.vaCatholic – USA www.catholic-usa.com Catholic Sites www.catholicsites.com Catholic Mom www.catholicmom.com

Variety of Activities Planned:

When preparing to teach a lesson, it is important to remember that students learn in multiple ways. Three of the basic ways in which people learn are cognitively – gaining knowledge by absorbing facts and content through listening, seeing/reading, and writing; affectively – gaining knowledge through feelings and attitudes; and behaviorally – gaining knowledge through actions and experience. Ideally, you want to present a religion lesson in such a way that all of these areas can be addressed. Do not be afraid to infuse your lesson with a variety of activities that will appeal to several learning styles. The goal is to encourage your students to seek, accept, and integrate the Catholic Christian message more fully into their daily lives. Effective religious education goes beyond knowing the facts and truths of the Catholic Church; it is putting those truths in action on a daily basis. Section IC will discuss how to create meaningful lesson plans for your students.

Classroom Management:

To be an effective catechist, you must be able to control a classroom in such a way that students are free to learn without disrupting others. This is more than a discipline plan. Discipline is part of classroom management, but classroom management is more about clearing stating the behavioral expectations and outlining classroom procedures so that discipline will not become an “issue” that distracts from the presented lesson.

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Students work to their greatest potential when they have a structure to follow that provides reasonable limits allowing them to grow and experience the lesson, while expressing their thoughts and ideas in an environment that is not disruptive or offensive to others. The following steps will allow you to develop a classroom management system that maximizes the learning potential for your students.

Know Your Students – What are the students’ likes and dislikes? What activities do they participate in outside of school? What skills or talents do they have? Is the student experiencing changes in their family structure? Does the student have any learning/physical problems that might affect behavior or performance?

Many of these questions can be answered through a casual, friendly call to parents introducing you as the child’s catechist. You want to be careful not to pry too personally into the family situation, but rather express yourself as a partner with the parents in the child’s faith development. Parents need to know you, as catechist, are willing to assist when and as you are needed. Information on students can also be gathered by asking the students directly through surveys sheets or casual conversation. Even though you are trying to better understand your students, it is important to remember that you are not the student’s friend or peer – you are an adult teacher and must act accordingly.

Mutual Respect – How do you respond to students’ questions or responses? How are students greeted as they arrive for class? How does the teacher dismiss students to leave after class? Do you foster a sense of security and care for your students? Are students required to address adults and other students with respect and dignity? Is diversity celebrated within the classroom?

Focusing on these questions will support the climate that will be present within the classroom. Students who believe that their teacher likes and respects them will be motivated to respond with respect and perform to the best of their ability. It is important to stress the value of respect at the very first class meeting. State the expectations and establish the procedural practices for your classroom right away. Keep the rules simple and state them in a positive tone. For example, instead of saying, “Don’t use put-down or bad language,” state, “Use kindness in your words and actions,” or “Treat others with respect at all times.” Do not set too many restrictions for the students; keep the rules general to cover many situations. It is best to allow the students to participate in establishing the rules. In this way, they are mutually owned and understood by all members of the classroom community. Students should also understand the consequences for not following the rules before any are broken. Make consequences that are clear, enforceable and age-appropriate. Constantly reward good behavior with verbal praise or gestures (a smile, a nod of the head, a pat on the back). Once rules and consequences are established

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make sure they are visible in the classroom at all times, well-communicated and understood by all, and that they are consistently followed.

When considering the climate you want to establish in your classroom, it is also important to set up procedures for routine events. How is a child dismissed to use the restroom? How are papers/supplies to be passed out and collected? What is the appropriate way in which to answer a question; throw trash away; or get a Kleenex? What is the proper way to enter and exit the classroom? Which way do we exit in case of an emergency? These are all questions that need to be answered in the teacher’s/catechist’s mind before the first class. The students need to be aware of the classroom procedures at the first class meeting to avoid confusion and disruptions to the lesson.

Preparation for Class – Is the lesson plan well-written? Do I have all the supplies I need for the lesson activities? What prayers will I be using? What will I do with the students who come early? What will I do with the students who finish early? What will I do if the lesson finishes earlier than expected? What do I do if the children do not understand? Does the lesson include a variety of activities that will capture the students’ attention?

If the teacher/catechist is well-prepared and organized the students will be more likely to exhibit good behavior. When a teacher’s attention is drawn away from students, students are left to do as they please. Lessons should keep students active and engaged. A wise teacher will have a reserve of activities (puzzles, worksheets, games, songs, and books) to use in the case when a lesson finishes earlier than expected, or a student finishes the activity earlier than others. Discipline problems can be avoided when students are actively engaged in the lesson.

Familiarity with Program Guidelines – How are the students dropped off for class? Are parents required to sign children out of class? What do I do if a student becomes ill during class? Is there a policy regarding homework? Is there a discipline policy already established for the parish/school? What areas within the campus are “off-limits” to students?

It is important that you become familiar with the policies and procedures adopted by the parish/school before a problem arises. The school or parish program guidelines allow you to know the expectations placed on teachers/catechists, parents and students. The classroom discipline program you establish in your classroom should support the rules, guidelines, and philosophy set up by the school or parish program. The Principal or Director of Religious Education (DRE) is there to assist you in facilitating an effective classroom climate for the students.

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When a Problem Occurs – When should I investigate a problem? Should the parents be called? How can I get this student to stop being disruptive? If I discipline the student, am I hurting his/her self-esteem? How did I lose control of this class?

There will come a time when a student will challenge your authority, or disregard classroom rules. An effective way to correct a poor choice of behavior is to: 1) Address the problem directly (unless this is a whole class problem, it is best to handle this in a way that respects the student’s privacy. This will allow the student to be corrected without public humiliation.); 2) Inform the student that the behavior was not appropriate and reference the classroom rule that was broken; 3) Explain the consequence that will happen or that must happen as a result of the behavior choice; 4) Have the student recap what you said so you are sure he/she understands.

If a student continues to exhibit poor choices, or shows disregard for the rules, ask for assistance from the Principal or DRE. It may be necessary to contact parents if a child continues to create a distraction in the classroom. The Principal or DRE can assist you in handling this type of situation.

Prayer Experience:

One of the most important elements of faith that you will assist your students in developing is a prayer life. Children and youth need to know how to communicate one-on-one with God, and how to come together as a community of believers in prayer.

Many books are available on this topic that appeal across the age levels. The basic forms of prayer are the traditional – memorized prayers that can be found in the back of the religion text and in Catholic prayer books (Eucharist, Benediction, and the Rosary are traditional prayers); spontaneous – these are prayers that come from the heart, conversations with God that are spoken aloud; guided meditations – a prayer in which the teacher/leader verbally guides the class through imagery with a set goal/lesson/destination in mind; contemplative – prayer that centers around deep thought on one object or scriptural passage; echo prayer – the students repeat what is spoken by the teacher (this is especially popular with younger students); liturgical movement or dance – prayer that is accompanied by appropriate symbolic movements; and song – King David sang his prayers to God constantly. Find some appropriate songs and ask your students to really mean it when they sing. Prayer is communication with God. Anyway the students can communicate can be a form of prayer.

The following are a few books that can get you started on integrating prayer throughout your lessons:

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Blessed Are You: A Prayerbook for Catholics by Gwen Costello (2003) Prayers for Feasts by Charles Singer (2002)Bless This Day by Patricia Mathson (2002)600 Blessings and Prayers from Around the World by Geoffrey Duncan (2001) In My Heart Room by Mary Terese Donze (1982/1990/1998)

Praying With the Saints by Gwen Costello (1999)Jesus, Teach Me to Pray: A Catholic Child’s Prayerbook by Alison Berger (1999)The Stewardship Rosary by International Stewardship Council, Inc. (1999)Prayer Services for Catechist and Teacher Meetings by Gwen Costello (1998)30 Rituals and Prayer Services for Catechist and Teacher Meetings by Alison J. Berger (1989)

Questioning Techniques:

Class participation is crucial to an effective lesson. Students usually fall into three general categories: 1) the dominators – these are the students who are sure of themselves and usually have the correct response; they are not afraid to risk the having the wrong answer and thus are usually first to raise their hands; 2) the reluctant participators – these are the students who will participate if they have to; they are usually afraid of ridicule or having the incorrect answer; 3) the non-participators – these are students who do not want to be in class; they do not want to share an opinion or attempt an answer. Each group has its own challenges when presenting a lesson. One way to assure that all students given an opportunity to respond to a question, the teacher can require students to reflectively pause before raising their hands to give an answer. This is something that seems awkward at first, but with training and practice can be beneficial to student learning. Before asking a question, tell the students that they cannot raise their hand to respond until you give them a “signal.” The signal can be counting to five with your hand, or when you say, “Answers, please.” Another way to encourage student participation in discussion is to ask the question and have the students share their answer with a specific person sitting near them. It is important that responses are positively affirmed. This will encourage increased participation as class continues.

In order to maximize student participation, the following strategies can be used: 1) Prepare your questions in advance – write questions for the concepts you want to reinforce throughout the lesson. Refer to the teacher’s manual for assistance. Do not rely on adlibbing questions as the class progresses. This can cause confusion with the students. 2) Use an opinion question to begin the discussion – opinion questions allow students to participate without the fear of being wrong. 3) Vary the types of questions you ask – fact questions, opinion questions, “can you give an example” questions, questions that draw on prior experience, prediction questions, review questions, comparison questions, difficult and easy questions.

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Lesson Planning:

Teacher’s edition of the textbook will outline the lesson for you and give several suggestions and references on how to present the lesson. Usually, more information is given in the teacher’s edition than you will be able to present. It is important that you carefully choose and plan the lesson you will present to the students. You will want to make the lesson your own. The students must see that you believe and have passion for what you are teaching. You, as teacher/catechist, must always be aware that you are teaching the Catholic faith and traditions as the Bishop would – you are not to teach the “Catholic Church according to your ideas.” If you do not know an answer to a student’s question, it is always acceptable and correct to say, “That is a really good question. I will have to look into that for you.” We are all life-long learners on this faith journey – you do not need to know everything off the top of your head.

A lesson plan should be written so that anyone could come into your class and teach the concepts, text pages, and activities in your place. The lesson should contain four parts: experience, message, discovery, and response. To incorporate these elements you should have an outline written as to how your class will proceed. Do not rely on the textbook to teach the class for you. The textbook is a tool. You make the concepts real for the students.

Before meeting the students for class, carefully consider the four elements mentioned above by planning your lesson. The preliminary step is to determine the aim/objective of the lesson. What do you want the students to learn, and how will you know that they learned it? This can be written in one or two sentences. After the aim is determined, the teacher/catechist can plan how to get students to experience this concept in their own lives. This can be achieved through discussion, guided reflection, role-playing, situation games, or reflection on the student’s prior knowledge. The next step of the lesson is presenting the message. This is the core of the lesson. It can be told by going through the textbook pages and activities, storytelling, lecture, Scripture reading, drama, technology, DVD, music, and by many other means. The discovery element of the lesson ties the lesson content to the student’s personal experience. The purpose of discovery is to make the lesson/concept purpose-filled for the students – something they can really use on a daily basis. This part of the lesson can be enhanced by questions and answers, personal experience, imagining, and reflection exercises. The response section of the lesson gives students an opportunity to act or practice the concept taught. Effective expressions of response are prayer, music, writing, art projects, celebration, and most especially service. The goal of Catholic Christian education is to take the concepts learned and apply them to everyday living with the hope of building the Kingdom of God today.

Physical Environment:

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The physical environment you create for your students is extremely important to student achievement. The classroom environment needs to be welcoming and conducive to good learning. No one can learn in a distracting, unorganized or chaotic environment. This can be challenging for classroom teachers who share a classroom everyday with the religious education program, and for the catechist who uses the classroom space once a week to fit the needs of the students he/she is blessed to teach. The following are tips that can be used to make sharing the space more practical.

Create a plan of how you want your classroom to look. How do you want the desks to be arranged? Where will the students gather for prayer? Is there some floor space available for small group activities? Once you have a plan, discuss the classroom set up with the teachers using the room. The classroom teacher who uses the room on a daily basis should have a floor plan of how the classroom needs to be assembled each morning. The catechist using the room in the evening or over the weekend will need the room put back into place for classes the next morning. It may help to label desks with a code (numbers or colored dots) so that placing the desks back in the correct order can be accomplished with ease.

Prayer Tables/Corners:

A prayer corner or table should be part of every Catholic Christian classroom. This is a small area that serves as a focal point for devotions or prayer. The table has a cloth on it. The cloth can be changed to reflect the liturgical season. For example a green cloth would cover the table during Ordinary Time, a white cloth would be used during Christmas and Easter Seasons, a purple cloth could be used during the seasons of Advent and Lent. Typically, the table would have an age-appropriate Bible, a rosary, a battery operated candle, Mary statue, and a crucifix. The teacher/catechist may add items such as holy cards, pictures, flowers, seashells, loaves of bread, wheat stalks, chalice-type cups, etc. depending on the content of the lesson or the season of the year. The items could be easily transported if the prayer table could not be a permanent fixture in the room.

Every classroom should have a bulletin board that focuses on the religious theme being taught. Classroom teachers have this element readily available to them. Catechists have more of a challenge with this. Science display boards (sold in office supply or craft stores) make wonderful bulletin boards for religious education classes. These boards stand up by themselves and have plenty of room to display student work or prayer petitions. Students can write their prayer petitions on Post-It Notes and put them on the display board, or the response to a question or drawing

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can be put on these notes to decorate the “instant” bulletin board as well. Post-It Notes also come in chart paper size. Students can color, paint, or glue items right to these papers. The large Post-It papers can then be “stuck” to any surface to create your own class bulletin board. These papers are easy to remove, too. Teacher editions of the textbooks will sometimes give ideas for bulletin board themes. Religious goods stores have ready-made bulletin board materials available.

Recognition of Learning Styles/Age-Appropriate Development:

Not all children learn in the same way, nor do they express what they know in the same way. As catechists, we are assisting to develop a very important part of a child – the spiritual and faith elements of their being. Thus, it is important that we use a variety of ways to convey the message of faith presented in the lessons.

Howard Gardner has identified several distinct “intelligences” that allow students to understand and relate to the world around them. These “intelligences” include: verbal, logical/mathematical, kinesthetic, musical, spatial, naturalistic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. Students who prefer the verbal form of intelligence enjoy expressing themselves in writing – they excel in journaling, providing a written answer, or writing a story on a specified topic. Logical/mathematical students enjoy working with puzzles and solving riddles to learn new information. Kinesthetic students prefer expressing their knowledge through movement, dance, hand gestures, or any activity that involves moving from one location to another. Students who prefer musical intelligence learn well through music, song and rhythm. Spatially intelligent students enjoy learning when they can fit the “pieces” of the lesson together and can identify how the “pieces” are interconnected. Students with naturalistic intelligence learn new ideas by relating them to nature. Interpersonal students enjoy learning by interacting with others. They like to discuss a situation and work with others on a solution or before formulating their own opinion or analysis of the situation. Intrapersonal students need to have quiet time to themselves to process the information given. They would prefer to work alone rather than with others.

It is important that when catechists are planning lessons that they keep in mind the various intelligences in which their students learn and express their knowledge best – will challenging the students to explore and develop the other realms of intelligence.

Meeting the diverse needs of the students you are blessed to serve can also be addressed in your attentiveness to students while they are present in your class. It is important that the catechist walk throughout the room during the lesson to assure that all students are on the same page, or that they are completing the task properly, or have

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a clear understanding of the discussion. As the catechist walks through the room, student behavior and understanding can be redirected as needed. Students’ needs can be most effectively dealt with if the catechist is fortunate enough to have a co-teacher or aide assisting with the class.

Integrating the Message into Life Experience/Application to Life:

This is an area that is often overlooked by teachers/catechists as they attempt to cover ALL the material in a lesson and thus run out of time. It is important to give our students information/knowledge, but this information/knowledge will be better retained when it is connected to a real life experience that the student has encountered. Each lesson taught should include tying the material to real life experience.

This collation can be accomplished at the beginning of the lesson by assessing the students’ prior knowledge of the subject matter by asking what they already know about the topic. For instance, if the lesson is on the Eucharistic celebration, the catechist could ask, “Who can share a time when you enjoyed a special meal with your family?” to introduce the lesson. The integration of the message into real life situations could take place during the lesson as well by pausing during the lesson and asking the students, “How would you feel if you were in this situation?” or “What would you have done in that situation?” The lesson can be tied to a life experience at the end of a lesson by asking, “So now, after hearing the story and discussing the questions, what are we called to do in our own lives?” or “How will you use what you learned in class today?”

Culminating Activities:

A culminating activity is one that ends the lesson by tying all the key components together. This might include an art project that sums up the lesson. This serves two purposes – 1) it allows the students to process what has been taught in a creative way and 2) serves as a means of “evangelizing” to parents regarding the topic learned. The culminating activity could be learning a song, completing a worksheet, reading a story, or assigning a homework assignment or project.

Remember, the purpose of the culminating activity is to relate the important points of the lesson into a summary.

Student Assessment:

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It is important to be aware of what your students are learning and what parts of the lesson may need further development to improve student understanding. Assessment is a way of “testing” what your students understand. This can be accomplished in formal or informal/casual ways.

Formal assessments may come in the form of tests, quizzes, recitation of traditional prayers, memorization of scripture, worksheets, or written assignments. These are items that were usually “graded.” But these are not the only ways our students can show understanding. They could participate in a play, or complete a project individually or as a group. They could create a story, poem, rap song, or piece of art related to the topic in such a way that you can assess that understanding was gained by the student.

Informal/casual assessments can be done instantaneously as the lesson is being taught. There are several fun and interactive ways to check for student understanding. Signal Cards can be used – in this method you give each student a green, red, and yellow card. Green means GO; yellow means CAUTION; and red means STOP. Students can monitor their own learning by letting you know they are keeping up with what you are saying and thus showing the green card; showing yellow would mean “slow down – I am getting confused;” and red would indicate, “I am lost – I need some help.” The colored signal cards could also be used to answer questions such as green = always; yellow = sometimes; red = never. When using these cards, the catechist can see instantly where each student understands as they hold up the different colored cards.

Another variation of this instant response is the “thumbs up / thumbs down / thumbs sideways” approach. Thumbs up = yes/I agree; thumbs down = no/I disagree; Thumbs sideways = I am unsure/undecided. Any indicator, whether it is colored cards or hand signals could be a set response by the teacher, as long as the students know which indicator goes with the desired answer. For example: Thumbs up could mean Old Testament; Thumbs down could mean New Testament; and Thumbs sideways could mean both. Then the catechist would ask questions such as, “Where is the book of Genesis located?” or “You find information about the life of Jesus and the Apostles in this section of the Bible.”

Individual white boards could also be used to check for student understanding. As the catechist asks a question, the students write their response on the white board and then hold up the board for the teacher to see. (It is best if how to hold up the board is established before the activity to maintain classroom control.) If the teacher does not wish for the students to hold up the boards, she/he may walk around the room and easily and quickly check to see which students had the correct response. It is recommended that the answer be given out loud, and clarification explained so the students will know if they are correct or not.

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Student Cooperation/Self-Regulation:

To have a successful and smooth running class, it is important that the catechist gain student cooperation. Behavior expectations must be given by the teacher at the beginning of the year, understood by all students, and consistently followed throughout the course of the year. Students could assist with formulating the class rules – ones that would benefit all students allowing for a safe and productive year. Students should be involved in assisting with passing out materials and caring/maintaining the classroom environment as they are able. This would be different in a class of preschoolers than it would be for a class of high school students. Students should be aware of the classroom rules and procedures – what is allowed/not allowed; how are supplies distributed; what is the procedure for dismissal/arrival; how do we exit the room in case of an emergency. When students know, understand and comply with these expectations, the lessons being taught are more effective and enjoyable for all.

Relational Interaction:

One of the most important components of being a catechist is how you relate to the students, parents, and colleagues. The best witness you can give is not solely by what you say, but how you act and treat others. Students watch your every move – you are a role model for them whether you mean to be or not. Thus it is important to work on sound relationship skills.

Student to Catechist/Catechist to Student – When relating to students it is important to remember that you are not their peer or their friend. You are an adult role model or a mentor to them. They look to you for leadership and to understand what is expected of them as they grow into adults. You may share appropriate portions of your life with your students so they gain a better understanding of who you are and the journey you have taken to this point in your life, but by NO MEANS do your students need to know EVERYTHING about you. There are some things that are private and personal to you that should not be shared with your students. You also need to make it clear to students that if they share something that can be harmful to themselves or others, you will and must share the information with their parents and the appropriate authorities (as the situation requires).

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Catechist to Adults/Colleagues - It is important that you build relationship with the parents of the students you teach. These parents are entrusting you with their most precious possession, and it is your role to assist them in raising their children as Catholic Christians. They are counting on your help! Send notes home informing parents of what you will be covering in class. Ask for assistance on special project (be sure to check the Diocesan policy regarding volunteers). Be open to meeting with parents when concerns arise. Ask parents for assistance when you are having trouble reaching/relating to a student. Always begin the conversation with something positive that you have learned about their child, and then express the concern that you are experiencing. Chances are the parents know exactly what you are talking about and will have a solution to take care of it immediately. Approach parents as partners in this educational realm and realize you are playing on the same team -When this is established, the child benefits.

It is equally important that you make the effort and take the time to relate to the teachers and supervisors who work with you in the program/school. Together, you can assist each other by problem solving situations that arise in your classroom, share ideas for lesson plans, bulletin boards or prayer services, and support each other in your own faith journeys. Be open and welcoming toward colleagues, parish workers, and your catechetical director/principal. These people are working with you to provide the best program possible to benefit the students. Together we make a difference for our students.

*See WCEA ISL Protocol – Appendix P for additional resources including evaluations and lesson plan guidelines.

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