The Story of the Church
8th Grade Religion 2017/18 School Year
Course Overview
The ministry of catechesis is one of religious education and faith formation. Based on the catechesis of the Catholic Church, the tasks of catechesis are built on the four “pillars”— what Catholics believe, how Catholics worship, how Catholics live, and how Catholics pray. As the eighth grade teacher, I intend to combine these different elements in a variety of ways in our daily classes throughout the school year.
BELIEVE: Teach the students the doctrine of the Catholic Church and establish a common language of faith so they can progress from year to year in understanding and expressing the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church.
WORSHIP: Engage the students in understanding the sacramental life of the Catholic Church and the liturgical calendar. Provide children with opportunities to develop the skills needed for full participation in the sacred rites and celebrations of the Catholic Church.
LIVE: Focus on the moral teachings of the Catholic Church. Through a consistent presentation of Scriptures and with special emphasis on the Commandments and the Beatitudes, help the students develop and informed conscience and encourage them to practices virtues that lead to charity and justice.
PRAY: Provide students with a wide variety of experiences of prayer. Children’s natural inclination for prayer is fostered through group practice and respect for individual spiritual needs.
My overall purpose is to call the children in my class to a personal encounter with Christ, to help form them into his disciples and encourage them, through participation in the life of the Catholic Church, to make a permanent commitment to live as Jesus taught us to live. The sequence of units for our Religion class is as follows:
Unit One: The Mission Begins – The Pentecost, the Holy Spirit and the Church
Unit Two: Being Catholic and Me – Baptism, Confirmation and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Unit Three: The History of the Church
Unit Four: Faith and Personal Growth
Unit Five: Christian Lifestyles and Moral Conduct – Works of Mercy
Unit Six: A Well-Formed Conscience – Fruits of the Holy Spirit and Ministry
Assessments
Every unit will conclude with at least one summative assessment. This is your opportunity “show what you know”. These generally include things like a unit test and/or long term projects. In addition, there will be multiple formative in-class assessments which are opportunities to acquire and refine skills and knowledge. Of course, all units include homework.
Summative Assessments = 50% grade
In-class work (formative) = 35% Homework = 15%
Supplies
Students are not allowed to go to their lockers during class. The following items should be brought to class every day:
❖ Subject folder
❖ Notebook
❖ Planner
❖ Blue/black pens
❖ Water bottle
❖ Pencils/markers
Supplies available in the room:
❖ A stapler/ a 3 hole punch/ a pencil sharpener
❖ Scotch tape/ masking tape
❖ Kleenex
❖ Loose leaf paper
❖ Textbooks (in general this will stay in the classroom, but if it’s taken home for an assignment it should return to school the next day and be placed back on the shelf in numerical order)
❖ Bibles
Absences
When a student is absent a written note for any reason, should be brought to me the first dayreturning to school. Also, a written note is required when a student has any change in dismissal (riding a different bus, being picked up from school, after-school activity, etc.).
Making Up Missing Work
All work must be completed in a timely manner. A student will have the equivalent of the amount of days missed to make up the assignments.
Homework turned in a day late will receive a 20% deduction, and will not be accepted any later.
If any work was due on the day a student is absent, the assignment is due the first day the student returns to school. A grace period will be given under certain serious circumstances (ie. family/medical emergencies).
Assignments must include all required elements per Middle School policy (ie. proper heading, legible writing, etc.). Assignments missing any of these required elements will receive “no credit”.
Contact & Website Information
Phone: 585.394.4300
Email: → I generally check my email before and after school