Religious Education Unit: Primary
Celebrating the Mass:
From Feeding the 5000 (Mark 6:30-42) to Mass today.
Unit of Work
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See Resources, Links and Worksheets for supporting documents.
1. Prepare to Hear the Word:
How this section works:
All good teaching begins with preparation. Prepare to Hear the Word ‘gets teachers and pupils ready’ by providing them with sufficient information so they can hear and engage with the passage meaningfully.
Teachers:
Read the passage which is the basis of this unit (Mk 6:30-42) carefully (http://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Mark+6 ). Do a close reading: ie identify any terms, places or roles you are not familiar with and check their meaning on www.thebibledoctor.com
Pupils:
Use your professional judgement to determine how you will prepare your pupils. Select from the information you gathered in your own close reading, and/or from the suggestions provided below. Highlight what you will do on this copy or cut and paste your selections onto a blank planning sheet.
1. Tell pupils the genre of the passage. This passage is a recount. However, it has all the features of a narrative: a clear setting, a beginning (orientation), a middle section in which a problem emerges, and a distinct resolution. Recall some of the recounts you have studied with pupils and note some of the features you would expect to find in this passage.
2. Explain that this passage is one of only a few passages which appear in all four Gospels. In fact, not only do Matthew, Luke and John have an account in which Jesus takes bread, blesses, breaks and shares it with people, Mark has it twice! This ‘repetition’ means that this story was a strong memory in the minds of the early followers of Jesus. By telling and retelling this story, and then eventually by writing it down, the early communities not only kept the story of Jesus alive, they used it to shape and inform their lives as his followers.
The small differences, in the ways that each of the four authors tells their version of the story, do not take away from what we can learn from this story. The truth, what this story teaches us and how we can act in response to it, is not found in the small details.
3. Explain that the Church ‘rotates’ the reading of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke at Sunday Mass so that we hear them in full once every three years. The Gospel of Mark is the Gospel we hear in Year B - from the first Sunday in Advent 2011 through to the beginning of Advent 2012. Find Mark’s Gospel in a Bible. Where does it sit in relation to the other Gospels? Skim through Mark’s work and find out how many chapters it has. Allow pupils to find familiar stories. Recall what pupils might know about Mark the writer and build a simple author profile suitable for the back fly-cover of his Gospel.
4. Tell pupils that this passage is set in a ‘wilderness’ place, thought to be modern day Tabgha, on the western shores of Lake Galilee.
Use a map of 1st century Palestine to find Lake Galilee, Nazareth, the villages around the Lake and Tabgha on its shores.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_opS7ZcZqLsg/TDAC8iv_W7I/AAAAAAAAAuM/95rYw-gqjAE/s1600/Map-of-Upper-Galilee.gif
5. Explain the literary context this passage is taken from.
At the beginning of this chapter Jesus was in his hometown, Nazareth, where he taught in the synagogue. People were ‘astounded’ at his ‘wisdom’ (Mk 6: 2). He then left Nazareth and went ‘out about the villages, teaching’ (Mk 6: 6). He then called the 12 (the close inner circle of disciples) and sent them out ‘two by two’ (Mk 6: 7) ‘with authority over unclean spirits’ (Mk 6: 7). Mark tells us that while they are in the villages the 12 have ‘proclaimed that all should repent, cast out many demons, and anointed many’ who were sick with oil (Mk 6: 13).The 12 have now met up again with Jesus after their visits. The story begins……
2. Hear and Encounter the Word
How this section works:
Having been prepared to hear the passage, pupils are now introduced to it and invited to engage with it. Use the grid on the following pages to plan what pupils will do. Teaching and learning activities have been formatted with a double focus: the vertical columns of AT1 strand i ensure that content appropriate to the higher levels of attainment is explicit while the horizontal rows provide learning about the Mass suitable for AT1 strand iii. This unit therefore aims to provide learning primarily in AT 1, i and ii. However, opportunities for assessment of learning in AT 1, ii may also be found.
NOTE: The activities at the top of each column are easier, those further down the column, harder.
The unit has been written expecting that teachers will focus on the passage first, and then extend pupils by moving to activities across the page to the right. How far across the page you can go will be determined by your pupils age and ability. Arrows indicate where there is a clear and deliberate connection between activities. Highlight what you will do on this copy or cut and paste your selections onto your planning sheet.
Remember: Worksheets can be put onto the IWB instead of copying them for all pupils.
Activities may form part of on-going assessment.
Hear the Word:
Tell this story in your own words using concrete materials if possible. See the EYFS outline for suggestions.
AND/OR
Put the passage into the IWB and do a close reading with your pupils to ensure they know any difficult terminology.
AND/OR
Ask your pupils to find this passage in the Bible and to do a close reading themselves.
Encounter the Word:
Links to beliefs / Extension to AT 1 (i) Level 4:
Links to other sources / Extension to AT 1 (i) Level 5:
Explain how belief arose
Overview… / Explain any words, phrases
or terms discovered in the close
reading.
Teach the passage using some of the following activities:
· Drama
· Story strips
The story has a clear structure: people gather, tell stories, share food and
depart. Divide the story into four
parts (Worksheet 1) and illustrate each
one.
Use picture story books or the pupils
own experiences to explore
other stories of people gathering to celebrate the events in their lives.
Use the four ‘parts’ identified in
Mark’s account as a structure for discussion. (Worksheet 2)
Complete (or write your own)
Echo rap.
This story appears in all the Gospels. Compare Mark’s account with that of Matthew, Luke and John.
(Worksheet 3) What changes do these authors make to Mark’s story? What
do the changes emphasise, stress or
overlook? / Christians study the life of Jesus
so that they might learn from him and imitate him. Thus Christians call themselves the ‘followers’ of Jesus.
Explain that this event in the life of
Jesus is a foundation stone for
celebration of the Mass. Draw the footsteps of the crowd who rushed to
hear Jesus. Write their questions,
feelings and thoughts in the footprints and display them ‘on the way’ to a
place of prayer. (This activity links to
one at the end of the unit) / Sing! Learn Song of the Body of Christ
Or All are Welcome (See Links)
The Mass, The Eucharist, the Lord’s Supper -this Sacrament has many
names. Teach pupils some of these.
(see A friendly guide)
Explain the structure of the Mass as
the same as ‘ordinary’ gatherings of
people: we gather, talk, share food and then leave. What differentiates
‘ordinary’ gatherings from Mass is the reason for gathering (to worship and praise God as Jesus taught us to.)
Teach pupils the structure of the Mass
in its four parts. Give each section its correct name.
(See BOBOSC/Together 1, 2/
powerpoint/A friendly guide).
Make a display of the feeding of the
5000 and parallel the parts of the
Mass (Worksheet 4)
Look at artistic representations of the
passage. Identify whose account the
artist has produced. (See Links) Are
the art works faithful to the author/s? / Gathering to share the story of Jesus
and to break bread has been a
feature of Christian life since the
earliest communities began.
Group pupils and have them use one
of the resources to identify how the
Mass has changed and developed over
the years. Collect their findings and
make a class timeline of changes.
(See BOBOSC/Together 14/Youtube
clips/A friendly guide)
Have pupils choose one development
in the Mass and draw two pictures of
it: one of how it was/
one of how it is now. Have them take a
digital picture of each of their
drawings and make the older one into
a sepia image.
Display the two images with an explanation of the change. Make sure their drawings are historically
accurate!
Focus on the passage / Extension to AT1 (i) Level 3:
Links to beliefs / Extension to AT 1 (i) Level 4:
Links to other sources / Extension to AT 1 (i) Level 5:
Explain how belief arose
The gathering……The Introductory Rites / Identify the two groups of people who gather with Jesus: the disciples and
the crowd. Read the passage carefully.
Why does each group go to the
‘deserted’ place? Compile a list of
why each group might have gathered.
Mark describes 3 character groups:
Jesus, the disciples and the crowd.
Read the passage carefully and
identify what each person comes with,
what they do there (look for actions implicit and explicit) and what they receive as a result of their
participation. / Explain that Catholics believe that
Christ is present in a number of ways
at Mass, including in all the people
who gather at Mass.
(See Together 11)
Have pupils make small cards or
tokens of greeting expressing this
belief to leave in the Parish foyer for Sunday Mass. Ask that they be given
out to Parishioners with the bulletin.
Have pupils draw and cut out people
seen from the back. (ie so you can’t
see faces) Make sure a range of people (old, young, single, families, different racial groups) are included. Put these people into a wall display so they look
like they are in the pews of your
local Parish Church looking toward
the altar. Don’t put the furniture you would see (eg altar, lectern (ambo), presider’s chair) in yet. Annotate the display with the words: Christ is
present at Mass in the people who
gather. / Examine this list of reasons and see
how many might apply to Catholics
gathering at Mass today. Add other reasons people might come to Mass.
Look at the statements on the
purposes of the Mass and compare
them to your list. (See Together 12)
Explore the different roles people
have at Mass. Have pupils identify and describe particular ministries
(See Liturgy Office brochures/
Together 17)
Examine the role of the assembly
thought their actions, gestures and
prayers. (See Together 15, 16)
Use the movie of the Introductory
Rites to identify, describe and
explain what occurs. (See Together 4)
Teach pupils the structure of the Introductory Rites.
(See BOBOSC/RRMS/Together 3, 4
and powerpoint.)
Teach pupils the responses as
appropriate.
(See BOBOSC/RRMS/Together 3, 4
and powerpoint.)
Focus on the passage / Extension to AT1 (i) Level 3:
Links to beliefs / Extension to AT 1 (i) Level 4:
Links to other sources / Extension to AT 1 (i) Level 5:
Explain how belief arose
The story……The Liturgy of the Word / Use some of these activities to explore
the 3 character groups:
· Pointers
· Clash
Identify some of the villages the
disciples might have been visiting
prior to their going away with Jesus.
(see maps links) Pair pupils and have them prepare what the disciples might have said to the villagers, so that they
would want to hear more.
Mark says that Jesus had compassion
on the crowd because they were like
‘sheep without a shepherd’. Use think/pair/share to invite pupils to suggest what Mark might have meant
by this simile. What do ‘sheep without a shepherd’ need? God is sometimes
called a shepherd. What might Mark
have been saying?
All Mark says about the conversation
Jesus has with the crowd is to say he ‘teaches’ them.
Mark has already told us some of what Jesus has been teaching. Put pupils
into groups and have them prepare ‘review lessons’. Have each ‘lesson
begin recall what Jesus did or said
and give a short review of the point he
was making. They could begin
‘Remember when I….. I wanted you to know that...... ’
Useful passages for ‘review’ are
Mk 1: 14-15; Mk 2:13-17; Mk 3:1-5;
Mk 4:1-9, Mk 4:21-23; Mk 4: 35-41. / Explain that Catholics give special reverence to the ‘Word of God’
in Scripture because it is a very
important way we learn about God.
Invite pupils prepare a biography of someone they know well from outside
the school. Make sure the biography includes both factual details and at
least one story. Pair pupils to
‘introduce’ their person to each other. Talk about how you can ‘know’ a
person through hearing about them.
What is most helpful: facts or stories?
Read A Story for Bear or Passing On
(see Resources) to explore the power
of story to ‘make present’ someone or something. Find the words
/illustrations that the author uses to
show the ‘presence’ of another person, time, place or experience.