5th Grade Week 8: The Teaching Church / Praise & Worship
Please go to the Assembly Room 5 minutes after your class time begins so that we can pray together as a community. We will pray and sing together approximately 15 minutes.
Catechist Preparation:
Alive in Christ book: Chapter 11:The Teaching Church pp. 165-174
Objectives
- Relate Jesus’ dialogue with Peter in Matthew 16 to the authority of the Apostles’ successors – the bishops and the Pope
- Express the Church’s mission to faithfully pass on what God has revealed through his Son, Jesus
- Recognize that the Pope and the bishops, guided by the Holy Spirit, protect and explain the Word of God
Scripture: Psalm 25:4-5, Matthew 28:18-20, Matthew 16:15-19
Classroom Lesson:
Welcome / Chapter 9 Review p. 150 or other gathering/welcome activity
Invite
Prayer Space / Let Us Pray
Scripture
What do you wonder?
Practice “Apostles’ Creed” prayer (prayer stickers)
Discover / The Magisterium p. 168
Activity: Create a visual of tools the Church gives you to continue on a lifelong journey of faith (i.e., the Eucharist, Prayer, etc.)—see p. 169- paper
Optional activities: “You are the Church” songs, Magisterium issues (see below)
Live / Give out Liturgical calendars
Optional: If you have time, teach part or all of the “Liturgical Year Lesson Plan” provided below (catechist responsible for materials-may check the CRE office)
Chapter 11 Activity Master: Decipher the Clues
Song: “Come and Follow Me”
People of Faith / Blessed Pope John Paul ll p. 171
Going Forth / Celebration of the Word p. 172
Materials: Green = provided by CRE / Blue = on website / Purple = Optional, catechists provide
Activity: You Are the Church
Musical
Have the children form groups and choose a favorite mark of the Church. Ask them to choose a familiar melody and create lyrics about their image. If you like, you can allow them to use their smart phones to look for song ideas.
- Have the children title their songs and create movements for them.
- Ask groups to perform their songs.
Activity: Magisterium Issues
Multiple Intelligences: Verbal/Linguistic
Have the children use references or the Internet to find:
- Two examples of papal actions that affected life in Europe or the Americas.
- Two recent social issues on which the current Pope has taken a stand.
Liturgical Year Lesson Plan and Flashcard Activity
How do you introduce young people to the liturgical year? Most catechists and religion teachers spend in-depth class meetings focusing on each individual season, especially during Advent and Lent. Sometimes, though, it is important to zoom out and help young people see the whole picture.
The liturgical year isn’t about colors and rituals. The seasons are more than wreaths and fish fry Fridays. They celebrate the life of Christ. They always, always, always focus on Christ. He is the reason for EVERY season!
This liturgical year lesson plan is meant to introduce the Church year to your students to gain a basic understanding of the purpose and colors of each season as it relates to the life of Jesus Christ.
Liturgical Year Lesson Objectives
- List the names of the seasons of the Church year.
- Describe the key event(s) in Jesus Christ’s life associated with each season of the liturgical year.
Liturgical Year Learning Activities
1. Introduce all of the liturgical seasons with a calendar of the liturgical year.
Many classrooms have these calendars, often in the shape of a circle, in their classrooms. You can pick one up at your local Catholic bookstore or order them online with your favorite Catholic publisher. Draw attention to this calendar and ask students to point out the colors and times of year for you.
Use a liturgical calendar handout from your textbook or find one online to review the names of the seasons as well. If you have the time, have students color the seasons on their calendars in the correct liturgical color. (Or focus on the colors in step 4 below.)
2. Liturgical year lecture.
Introduce the students to the seasons of the liturgical year by writing a concise definition of each season on the board. Here are the definitions I used when I introduced the seasons to my elementary school students:
- Advent: Jesus is Coming
- Christmas: Jesus is Born
- Ordinary Time (1): Jesus Teaches
- Lent: Jesus will Die and Rise
- ThreeDays (Triduum): Jesus Dies
- Easter: Jesus Rises
- OrdinaryTime (2): Jesus Teaches
One helpful perspective when introducing the students to the seasons is how each one relates specifically to the life of Jesus Christ. Remember, Jesus is the reason for EVERY season.
Each of these definitions is simplistic, but easy to remember. Depending on the age of your students you may want to add key events (Last Supper, Passion, Ascension, Pentecost, Christ the King) even at this point but remember that you will have time to teach each season in more detail later in the year.
Have the students copy down the seasons and definitions as notes or provide them with a simple graphic organizer (table with two columns).
3. Create liturgical year flashcards.
Cut up 3×5 notecards in half and give each student seven 3×2.5 cards to create liturgical year flashcards. (I like to conserve note cards and the small size sets them aside from the larger cards they might have for other school classes.) Have the students copy the definitions from the board on their cards. On one side have them write the name of the season. On the other side have them write the definition.
You may also want to have the students complete these cards as you write the definitions on the board.
4. Color the liturgical year flashcards.
With colored pencils or crayons (not markers) color the boarder of the cards in the correct colors. (You might want to substitute white with yellow or gold so they actually have something to color.)
- Advent: Purple/Pink
- Christmas: White (Yellow, Gold)
- Ordinary Time: Green
- Lent: Purple
- ThreeDays (Triduum): Red
- Easter: White (Yellow, Gold)
Here are one my student’s finished cards:
5. Practice and memorize the definitions of the liturgical year with the flashcards.
Match students up in pairs and have them quiz each other on the definitions of the liturgical seasons. Give them five minutes and then have the rotate to another partner. Do this until the students clearly know their definitions. Walk around the room and get a sense for how well they are doing in their groups.
6. Class Assessment: Turn the board into a fill-in-the-blank class activity.
Now, return to the board and erase some words to create a fill-in-the-black quiz. For example, erase and draw a blank line for the following:
- ______: Jesus is Coming
- Christmas: Jesus is ______
- Ordinary Time(1): Jesus ______
- Lent: Jesus _____ Die and Rise
- ThreeDays (Triduum): Jesus ______
- ______: Jesus Rises
- ______Time(2): Jesus Teaches
Call on students to fill in the blanks or have them answer them using the Chalk Talk technique.
Repeat the process until you are sure they know their seasons.
7. Test or Quiz
Create a simple matching quiz as a final form of assessment.
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