Don't forget to have your students submit essays for the Brother Andre Scholarship Contest. We will be awarding one $500 dollar scholarship to the student with the winning essay. Additionally, to the teacher with the most student participation, we are offering a complete set of classroom textbooks. The contest deadline is September 17. View this link for more information!
The early Church Fathers, also known as the Patristic writers, are foundational to the Church’s Tradition. Their writings were integral to the development of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and continue to inspire teachers and theologians in their work. Living during times when the Church was still defining itself, the Church Fathers were guides to the one true faith. Many of them wrote apologetic pieces in response to heresies that developed in the first few centuries of the Church. St. Irenaeus, St. Jerome, and St. Athanasius are prime examples of the apologetic fervor of the Church Fathers. Many teachers like to use Patristic “sound bytes” in lectures and lessons. Try using these websites as resources: Church Fathers Quotes organized by person: EWTN: www.ewtn.com/library/SCRIPTUR/TRAD.TXTTopical Organization of Church Fathers Quotes: Stay Catholic.com: www.staycatholic.com/early_church_fathers.htm Catholic Answers: www.catholic.com/library/faith_tracts.asp Catholic Bible 101: www.catholicbible101.com/quotesfromthesaints.htm (some quotes are from non-Patristic saints) Or, if you have some time, try reading some of the great works of the early Church Fathers. It is likely to be well-worth your time and some great inspiration for the lessons you are preparing. Website Collections of the Church Fathers Writings: New Advent: www.newadvent.org/fathers/Christian Classics Eternal Library: www.ccel.org/fathers.html Early Christian Writings: www.earlychristianwritings.com Monachos.net: www.monachos.net/content/patristics/patristictexts Catholic Culture: www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/
Consider using these passages from the Gospel for inspiration or mediation in your first days back to school. Jesus Calls the First Disciples • John 1:35-51 • Matthew 4:18-22 • Matthew 9:9-13 Discipleship • Matthew 10:37-39 • Luke 9:23-27 • Luke 10:23-24 Salt and Light • Matthew 5:13-16 • Mark 4:21-25 • Luke 11:33-36 • John 8:12-20 Jesus and Children • Matthew 19:13-15 • Mark 9:36-37 • Luke 18:15-17 The Kingdom of God is like a Seed • Mark 4:26-29 • Mark 4:1-9 (Parable of the Sower)
Have you signed-up yet for our bi-weekly e-mail newsletter? Every other week (and every month during this summer) we have been sending out an e-Newsletter to high school theology teachers, campus ministers, and youth ministers. The e-newsletter includes links to articles about religious education, teaching tips and techniques, teaching strategies, lesson plans, and activity ideas. We also provide short updates about what we’re up to and where you can find us on the road. High School Religious Education E-newsletter 009 Check out our latest e-newsletter for August 2010. Here are the top 10 links that e-Newsletter subscribers found interesting and that you might like: 1. The Health Care Reform Law and Catholic Social Teaching2. How to Get Students to Participate in Class Discussions3. End of School Year Ideas and Activities4. Guided Meditation: The Parable of the Prodigal Son5. Bell Work Activities - They Save Time and Keep Students Engaged6. A PowerPoint Alternative: Prezi7. Icebreakers: Collaborative Learning/Substantive Learning with some Icebreaker Activities8. Teaching Theology with Technology Webinar Follow-up9. Dying and Rising10. 10 Ways to Use Laptops in Teaching and LearningIf you would like to subscribe, sign up below: Sign up for our Email Newsletter (You may be signed up to receive posts via e-mail, but this does not automatically sign you up for our newsletter. You must sign up for this separately.)
Listed below are some sentence starters (from Time Out: Resources for Teen Retreats by Kieran Sawyer, SSND) for the start of a school year. Divide the class into groups of four or five. Write the sentence starters on the board. Hold in your hand a set of playing cards, numbered 1 to 8. Call on a random student to pick a card. The number corresponds to the sentence on the board. Allow time for everyone in the group to share a response. For the first sentence you might want to designate outgoing students in each group to begin the discussion. Repeat the process with the playing cards until all the sentences have been discussed. Sentence Starters 1. I want my new friends at school to see me as a person who . . . 2. Academically, this year I hope to . . . 3. This year I hope to know God better by . . . 4. This year I am looking forward to . . . 5. A person I would like to know better this year is . . . 6. Athletically, this year I hope to . . . 7. Ten years from now I hope to . . . 8. After I die, I hope to be remembered for . . .
+Sign of the Cross Leader Loving God, thank you for the joys that summer brought to us. You have blessed us with time to spend with family and friends, rest and relaxation, and a break from school work. As we return to our studies, inspire us to take on a new interest in new classes and new topics. Be with us as we discover old friendships and start new ones. Amen. Reader 1 A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:13-16) "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” Leader Take a moment to reflect on your summers. When were you “salty”? When were you “light”? (Pause) Now think of the coming school year. How can you be the salt for this school? Who will you inspire today? Leader Let us offer prayers of petition to our Lord. Reader 2 The response is, “Lord, hear our prayer.” For our school, may it continue to be a beacon of light to the students, teachers, staff, and parents involved in this community. We pray to the Lord. (Lord, hear our prayer.) Reader 3 For the Church, may it continue to bring light to those in darkness. We pray to the Lord. (Lord, hear our prayer.) Reader 4 For all people who have made this new school year possible, especially faculty and staff. Bless their work now and throughout this school year. We pray to the Lord. (Lord, hear our prayer.) Reader 5 For the students, may join together in unity and support of one another in the classroom, in clubs, and on sports teams. We pray to the Lord. (Lord, hear our prayer.) Leader Lord, we ask all these things in your holy name, amen. +Sign of the Cross
This twenty-minute game is a fun icebreaker for Confirmation classes or youth groups helping teens to make a connection with the Body of Christ and the variety of gifts that make up the Church. It can be found in Send Out Your Spirit, a Confirmation preparation program for teens. A rather active exercise can be used as a lead-in to help the teens understand that they are literally members of the Body of Christ. Divide the class into groups of six to eight participants. Remind them of St. Paul’s description of the Church as a body with many parts. Read all or part of 1 Corinthians 12 as a means of introduction. Within the small groups, assign “parts” of the body. Two people can be “arms,” two to four people can be “legs,” one person can be a “mouth,” and the last person can be the “eyes.” The task of the group is to cross from one side of the room to another and to open a closed Bible to 1 Corinthians 12. The challenge is that only the people who are legs can have their feet touching the ground. Only the people who are arms can use their hands. Only the person who is eyes can see (the rest of the group should close their eyes or be blindfolded), and only the mouth can speak. Basically, it falls to the “legs” to carry the other members of the group across the room and the “eyes” and “mouth” to direct the “arms” to open the Bible to the correct page. The first team that completes the task is the winner. Besides following up on the activity with more discussion of 1 Corinthians 12, this can be a good lead-in to a discussion on the diversity of gifts within the Church and how all must work together.
One of the most popular projects assigned in religious education programs is a research project on the saints. Confirmation candidates almost always have to do some research on their Confirmation saint and many Catholic school teachers find such research to be very valuable in supplementing the lessons of the year. Consider the following resources to provide students with their research: Note that these websites should only be starting points. Students should search their local or school library or diocesan media center for resources dedicated specifically to their saints.) SQPN.com http://saints.sqpn.com/ Excellent source of facts about each saint with some short life summaries. It is the best place to find information on patronage and important dates. Catholic Online www.catholic.org/saints Short summaries of the lives of thousands of canonized saints and beati. Catholic Saints www.catholic-saints.info/ Another great source for basic information about the saints. Catholic Saint Bios https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/saints More biographical information on many saints. Pope Benedict XVI’s Wednesday Audiences Since 2006, Pope Benedict XVI has dedicated his Wednesday Audiences to catecheses on the saints from the Apostles to the present day. Peter to Timothy and Titus (2006): http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2006/index_en.htm Stephen to saints of 4th Century (2007): http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2007/index_en.htm 4th to 6th centuries, with 20 catechesis dedicated to the year of Saint Paul (2008): http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2008/index_en.htm 6th to 12th centuries (2009): http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2009/index_en.htm 12th to 13th century and beyond (2010): http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2010/index_en.htm Suggested Project Formats Essays/papers Video biography Decorated information cards/pages to post in the room Presentation options: Role-play the saint Dress up like the saint PowerPoint slide presentation Have students debate certain issues from the perspective of their saint. Have students lead the class in a prayer written by their saint. On what basis should their research projects be evaluated? This will depend on the format that you are asking students to present their research. Make sure you have written rubrics and clear project descriptions for the students. If possible, provide sample “A” projects, “B” projects, etc. with explanations for their grades. Sample research project rubrics: “Rubric for a Research Project”: www.sdst.org/shs/library/resrub.html A+ Rubric, “Research Process Rubric – Middle School”: www.uwstout.edu/static/profdev/rubrics/middlelschresearchrubric.html Rubistar, “Create a New Rubric”: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=NewRubric
