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Engaging Faith

Practical Lesson Ideas and Activities for Catholic Educators
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Prophets Lesson Plan

A very large portion of the Old Testament focuses on the lives and messages of the prophets. The prophets played a very important and influential role in the history of Israel and the development of the Jewish people. They voiced a constant reminder from Yahweh that his people must worship the one, true God and treat others with dignity and respect. Old Testament Prophets Lesson Plan Lesson Objectives: SWBAT list the eighteen prophetic books of the Old Testament. SWBAT categorize the prophets as major/minor and northern kingdom/southern kingdom. Assessment: Prophets Matching Quiz Teaching Approaches: 1. Bell Work: Directed Reading Guide Jesus Christ: God's Revelation to the World (Chapter 5, pages 107-116) Or The Old Testament (Chapter 7, Introduction) 2. SMART Board Activity (or Prophetic Worksheets) Using the Prophets SMARTBoard Notebook presentation or the PDF prophets worksheet version of the activities, address the following questions: How many prophetic books are in the Bible? (18) To what do the terms "major" and "minor" refer? (the length, not the importance, of the prophetic books) Who were the "major" prophets? (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, [Daniel]) Who were the "minor" prophets? (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habbakuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi) Who were the prophets of the northern kingdom? (Elijah, Elisha, Amos, Hosea) Who were the prophets of the southern kingdom? (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah) Who were the postexilic prophets in Judah (southern kingdom)? (Zechariah, Haggai, Isaiah (3rd), Joel, Malachi, Zechariah, Jonah) 3. Create Matching Quizzes To memorize the categories for each prophet, have the students create matching quizzes on blank notebook paper. Have them create an answer key on a separate sheet of paper. After 10-15 minutes, allow the students to exchange their quizzes with a partner. Repeat the process as time allows. 4. Verbal Check Check the students' ability to categorize the prophets. Say the name of a prophet and have the students show who the prophet is in the following ways: stand if the prophet is a major prophet sit if the prophet is a minor prophet raise a hand pointing to the sky if the prophet is from the northern kingdom point to the ground if the prophet is from the southern kingdom point behind yourself if the prophet is from postexilic Judah After students have shown sufficient evidence that they know the categories of each prophet, distribute the quiz. 5. Assessment: Matching Quiz Give students the opportunity to show their knowledge in the Prophets Matching Quiz (PDF or Word versions). Note that the final question can use some of the names on the front of the sheet, but will require students to know the prophetic books that are not listed. Answers: 1. A, 2. B, 3. B. 4. B, 5. B, 6. A, 7. A, 8. B, 9. B, 10. B, 11. A, 12. C, 13. A, 14. C, 15. B, 16. B, 17. A, 18. B, 19. A, 20. C, 21-22. the length, not the importance, of the prophetic books, 23-40. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Amos, Nahum, Hosea, Habakkuk, Micah, Zephaniah, Joel, Haggai, Jonah, Zechariah, Obadiah, Malachi, Lamentations, Baruch.

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More Thoughts on Bringing Facebook into the Classroom

Do you allow the use of Facebook as part of your classroom experience or not? Some states, such as Missouri, have actually created state-wide regulations to Facebook interactions between students and teachers. Individual schools often create their own guidelines about using the social networking site. In a recent article author Tina Barseghian, discusses the benefits of having class Facebook pages in “50 Reasons to Invite Facebook Into Your Classroom.” By having their own classroom Facebook pages, teachers possess additional opportunities to encourage student learning. Here are some advantages: Students like Facebook and many check it several times a day, so they are more apt to see a reminder from a teacher or become involved in a discussion. Facebook is free in contrast to the social network sites that schools must pay for. Teachers can easily share calendar and events. Facebook can be an easy way for students who miss class to catch up. Parents can follow what is going on in the classroom by looking at the class Facebook page. Students and Parents can also find pertinent information such as permission slips electronically that may have been lost in a locker in their paper form. Students can use the polling feature to poll their friends as part of research. A teacher who requires responses from all students will hear from shy students or those who prefer not to share in class; the rest of the students will benefit as well. Teachers can invite experts to participate in a Facebook conversation much more easily than inviting them to the classroom. Protecting student privacy is an important concern but finding creative ways to do so can yield some excellent teaching opportunities via Facebook. And don't forget, even the Pope is on Facebook. Written by Christine Schmertz Navarro

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SMART Board Tutorial Video: Teaching Vocabulary

Most teachers use PowerPoint as the backbone of their direct instruction. Like me, many of these teachers didn't understand the true potential of the SMART Board when they first got one in their classrooms. IF you have a SMART Board, I'm challenging you to use the SMART Board Notebook software to step up your teaching and move beyond PowerPoint lectures. SMART Boards are equipped with interactive tools to teach basic concepts and lessons. Take vocabulary for instance. Those of you who have used the SMART Board Notebooks for Jesus Christ's God's Revelation to the World, will notice a few pages with a list of vocabulary definitions. If you click on the vocabulary word, its definition will appear beside it. How do you create something like this for yourself? SMART Board Tutorial: Vocabulary Words and Definitions Type out the vocabulary word and definition as separate objects. Clone (or copy and paste) the vocabulary word and move it out of the way. Group the vocabulary word and its definition. Add object animation: "Fade In" to the grouped word and definition. Align the cloned vocabulary word over the grouped vocabulary word so that it looks like a single object. Send the visible vocabulary word to the back. You will still be able to see it, but when you click over it, you will actually be clicking on the invisible grouped version of the word. Click on the vocabulary word to reveal its definition. Video Tutorial:

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Catholic Connections with Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs, who died on Wednesday, was not a Catholic, though he was baptized a Christian. In the last years of his life he practiced Buddhism. This post is not to delve into Job's religious practice but more to appreciate the life of a remarkable person who nevertheless reminds us of the trusted servants in the Gospel parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14–30) who used their God-given talents to the full. Jobs also had an impact on Church life; like with any other organization in the world today much of the technology the Church now uses for record-keeping and communication can be attributed to Jobs. As this current event remains in the consciousness of your students, consider drawing on some of the following links to enrich your lessons. A Catholic Perspective on the Life of Steve Jobs Vatican Reflections on Steve Jobs Steve Jobs and the New Evangelization A Right to Life Connection: Steve Jobs was adopted Steve Jobs' Stanford Commencement Address: Three Important Lessons for Life (including living each day as if it were your last) Steve Jobs' decision not to include porn on iPhones and iPad apps: Steve Jobs' Impact on Church Life Steve Jobs: Life Lessons for Catholic Leaders

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Respect Life Month Teaching Resources

The month of October is Respect Life Month. When we hear "respect life," most of us immediately think of the pro-life movement to end abortion. This is a key cause to support during October (and all year round!). But Respect Life Month is also meant to remind us of the issues of capital punishment, euthanasia, contraception, and respect for those with disabilities. September 28 begins the 40 Days for Life campaign that coincides with Respect Life month and ends on November 6. The three components of 40 Days for Life are: Prayer and Fasting Peaceful Vigil Community Outreach General Respect Life Month Teaching Resources: USCCB Website This list of resources includes the Respect Life Sunday Statement, pamphlets, bulletins, liturgy guide, posters, flyer, clip art, and additional program activities. Check out the old USCCB website for past Pro-life Activities. TeenBreaks.com This teen-friendly website provides great talking points for discussion in class. Have the students explore the resources on their own or in class. Have them create a mock conversation that they might have with a classmate considering abortion. How would they explain to them the resources that can be found on the site? Right to Life Michigan: Teacher Resources This collection of resources provides teachers with materials to use in class at many age levels. Pro-life Activities Great list of pro-life activities for children that may be useful for teens as well. 40 Days for Life Teaching Resources: 40 Days for Life Website This is THE home of the 40 Days for Life campaign. Explore the many valuable resources and share them with the students throughout the campaign. The resources include: A map of all local campaigns Daily Devotional 40 Days for Life Store Teaching Resources from Ave Maria Press Discussing President Obama's Embryonic Stem Cell Order The Catholic response to the 2009 executive order that allows stem cell research using embryonic stem cells. Prayer for the Holy Innocents Background to the Feast of the Holy Innocents and a prayer for the unborn. Our Lady of Guadalupe Prayer for the Unborn Overview of the 36th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion in the U.S. and a prayer for the unborn. Living and Dying on Death Row Lesson Short lesson plan for reading an article about living and dying on death row.

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E-D-U-C-A-T-E

Frank Mercadante, founder of the very successful Cultivation Ministries that has offered training seminars for youth ministers for the past twenty years, offers the following acronym to help youth ministers be better catechists to the youth they serve. His suggestions also are very applicable to classroom teachers. The acronym E-D-U-C-A-T-E with some notes from Frank taken from his book Growing Teen Disciples (St. Mary’s Press, 2002) follows. E Emphasize Interaction “When a teen is not given the opportunity to interact and be a partner in learning, he or she concludes that the class does not belong to him or her in any way, shape, or form, but is solely possessed by the catechist.” D Diversity of Learning Approaches “Variety of activity is a boredom-buster….Teens learn differently. By utilizing a variety of different methods we increase our likelihood of satisfying a greater number of our participants.” U Utilize Life Experience “Every adolescent arrives at a session with relevant experiences. We need to capitalize on these experiences by helping draw a connection point from their life to the teachings of the Church.” C Content Moderation “Our meetings should emphasize only one, two, or maybe three points of content. We are on a lifelong journey. No one needs to know everything before their eighteenth birthday.” A Applicable to Real Life “When a young person describes a class or subject as “boring” or a “waste of time,” what he or she often means is that “I will never have to use this information in real life.” Faith is a verb. We are meant to live it. T Three-Fold Response “Genuine faith involves a response of the whole person—mind heart, and will. Effective catechesis helps foster faith in all three dimensions: trusting (heart), believing (mind) and doing (will).” E Environment of Concern “We may employ all of the above principles for effective adolescent catechesis, yet foster little or now growth. Without a warm, caring, and accepting environment, we possess only the “batter” for spiritual faith and growth. This batter is transformed into the real thing when “baked” in an atmosphere of genuine love.

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A Book of Reflections for Teachers

Prayer and reflection must be a cornerstone of success for any teacher. Teachers are extremely busy. With constant lesson planning, grading, extra-curricular activities, and the many jobs teachers take on, setting aside time for reflection can be hard for teachers to do. Five minutes of reflection can open the door for hours of spirit-filled activity throughout the day. We are excited about a new book of reflections for teachers called 5 Minutes with Christ: Spiritual Nourishment for Busy Teachers edited by Fr. Lou DelFra and Ann Primus Berends. The book is a collection of reflections on the Gospels by teachers, principals, and associates of the Alliance for Catholic Education program of the University of Notre Dame. If you are looking for a short devotional book specifically written for use by teachers and educators, then you'll love 5 Minutes with Christ. Each entry has a quote from Scripture, a reflection about teaching, and a short prayer. It is an easy way to integrate prayer into the short amount of time before school or in between classes and will provide you with some thoughts to reflect on for the rest of the day. Teacher Reflections in 5 Minutes with Christ Can't see the video? Click here to view it on YouTube. Sample Reflections for Teachers Listed below are small snippets from the reflections and prayers in the book. If you are interested in samples of full reflections, you can download them here. “Lord, help us to be humble students of Christ the Teacher, learning his ways and pointing others to the path of life.” The Visitation, Meghann Robinson Kirzeder “Lord, keep us open to your will for us. Grant us the strength to respond to your call with enthusiastic, generous hearts.” Jesus in the Temple, Sarah Greene “A teacher’s life is full of challenges, and we can be tempted to take the easy way out. Christ the Teacher shows us a different way.” The Temptation of Jesus, Ricky Austin “When our patience is tried by the more raucous members of our classrooms, it is helpful to remember that Christ the Teacher did not call already-perfect students, but those who would love him and persevere in his will.” The Appointing of the Twelve Apostles, Barbara Jane Sloan “Yet, in Christ’s eyes there are no hopeless causes, no unteachable students, just lost children looking for a teacher who will have the patience and love to pick them up when they fall.” The Parable of the Lost Sheep, Colleen Gannon "Christ the Teacher is constantly reminding his disciples that there is no reason to fear because the Father is always welcoming us." Jesus' Teaching on Prayer, Kate Linden “Studies will watch how we respond to adversity in our own lives, how we carry our crosses. Do we do so with humble, trusting hearts?” Gethsemane, Sarah Lamphier “Thank you, Lord Jesus, that with you I am never alone. As you gave and forgave in your loneliest hour, help me to do the same today.” The Crucifixion, Michael Suso “Christ’s invitation to action, evangelization, and ministry—ultimately, an invitation to joy—removes the paralysis of fear. This invitation spreads joy to the Church, for God’s life indeed echoes among us today.” Jesus Appears to the Women, Chuck Lamphier Click for full copies of free sample reflections.   About the Alliance for Catholic Education The book was developed by the University of Notre Dame's Alliance for Catholic Education, better known as ACE. In its nearly two decades of existence, the ACE program has developed leaders in Catholic education that are changing the face of schools across the country. All of the contributors to the book are in some way connected to the ACE program as teachers or members of the ACE Advocates. To find out more about the many programs offering service to Catholic schools, check out the Alliance for Catholic Education website.

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Using a Simple Tool in the Classroom: The Camera

Many of us carry a classroom tool around with us with realizing it. Whether it be a small digital camera or a cell phone, the camera can capture images that may help you and your students. Photograph notes you have up on a board. You can then send the notes to students who are absent or post them on a website for students who write more slowly. Photograph the board when students are doing an oral presentation if you require them to have notes or diagrams up for the class, especially if all students are responsible for knowing the information and you want to ask them accurate questions about the information on an assessment. If students produce excellent examples of a project or a project method (mapping ideas, a timeline, creativity,) take a shot of the poster board to share the next time you assign this or a similar project so that the next group of students gets a good sense of what you expect. The use of more than one example of excellence can help students realize that there are multiple ways to do an exceptional job. If teaching ninth grade, especially first semester, photograph of each of your students and print the photos out (4 inches x 6 inches). Ask students to create introductions to themselves by placing the images in the center of pieces of card stock and then writing other pieces of information about themselves around the picture. Hang these introductions around the room for the first month or so to help students get to know one another. In summary, the next time you wish to remember something as is, just take a photo! Christine Schmertz Navarro

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