Activity
 

Your school may be embarking on Elective Course A, Sacred Scripture, of the USCCB Doctrinal Framework. Even if you are not, Scripture study plays prominently in each of your school's required and elective courses. Correspondingly, making sure students are familiar with Bible study aids (e.g., Bible dictionaries, one-volume Bible commentaries, and Bible concordances) is an essential prerequisite for this task. Use the following exercise to introduces students to these tools.

Jesus taught several things about prayer and how to pray. Have the students read each of the following examples. Have them write a summary for each example and explain the teaching on prayer. 

Earlier this year we had the honor of publishing an excellent introduction to the Bible by Franciscan University professor John Bergsma called Bible Basics for Catholics: A New Picture of Salvation History. Dr. Bergsma, who is a colleague of Dr. Scott Hahn, is known for his fun and creative drawings that illustrate the deep meaning behind the Old Testament biblical texts. He has a unique approach to teaching the Old Testament that all religion teachers can learn from and teens will surely enjoy.

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.

We are excited about a new book of reflections for teachers called 5 Minutes with Christ: Spiritual Nourishment for Busy Teachers. 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.

During an introduction of the topic of Salvation History, review the plot structure diagram with students. Connect this story diagram with salvation history. Invite students to fill in as much as they know of the story of salvation history.

Assign the following comparison of the accounts of Jesus' Baptism from the four Gospels. Have the students note similarities and differences.

Use this meditation with your students to help them to reflect on what gratitude means to them.

On Tuesday, Br. Michel Bettigole, editor of the book The Catholic Spirit: An Anthology for Discovering Faith Through Literature, Art, Film, and Music, presented a sample lesson on the Eucharist drawing from classic works of art and literature.

John the Baptist is connected with the prophets of the Old Testament while at the same time he acts as a model for the new Kingdom of God.

The miracles of Jesus were meant to bring about reaction. Play this fun mental math game with your students to solicit the same kinds of responses that Jesus often received whenever he performed a miracle.

Here are some tips and activities for teaching about the Book of Revelation and its symbols and meaning.

This meditation places your students in the scene of Jesus' famous Prodigal Son parable (Luke 15:11–32), the Gospel reading for the fourth Sunday of Lent.

This lesson plan is useful for anyone teaching a course on the Introduction to the New Testament.

We are pleased to announce the publication of Jesus Christ: God's Revelation to the World, an introduction to understanding Divine Revelation, especially through Sacred Scripture.

Ask the students to look up clues into Jesus' personality in Scripture references.

Assign the following activity on friendship.

The Fall Issue of the Ave Maria Press Religious Education newsletter, Engaging Hands, Hearts, and Minds for Faith is now available online.

Call on students, one at a time, to be "on the spot" and come before the class to hear a scenario about Jesus and to respond to the challenge that he presents.

Dr. Daniel Smith-Christopher, the keynote speaker at the fifth annual Teacher Enrichment Day on October 10 at the University of Notre Dame, offers advice on reading the Old Testament.

Have the students look up the following passages and match them to the truths about the Kingdom which they reveal.

Encourage your students to read, reflect, and pray for peace.

Learn some more about the Holy Spirit from Scripture.

Have the students work either on their own or with a partner to read through the Gospels and identify the Gospel, chapter, and verse for each of these stories.

Assign the short fill-in-the blank quiz. See how many the students can complete in 15 minutes.

Share this guided meditation on the Transfiguration from Touching Jesus by Patty McCulloch.

This engaging warm up activity from Time Out: Resources for Teen Retreats by Sr. Kieran Sawyer works well as a fun break in any Scripture course.

Continuing the Year of St. Paul, have the students write a 750-word commentary paper on a selected passage in one of Paul's letters.

Assign an exercise asking the students to explain a teaching about God, Jesus or the Church using the style of writing used by St. Paul in his Epistles.

Have your students write a essay or journal entry detailing what they would say to Jesus if they met him face to face.

Though the Gospels do not provide complete biographical information about Jesus' life, they do offer several clues.

Pope Benedict XVI began a "marathon of Bible reading" on live Italian television on Sunday, October 5, while encouraging people world-wide—Catholics, Christians, Jews, Muslims, and all others—to spend some time with this sacred book.

In the spirit of the Year of St. Paul, here is another lesson to help students read and summarize the three main missionary journey's of Paul.

I've designed a theology site called Nicenet.org (independent of Ave Maria Press) that I'd like to make available to anyone who teaches the faith and visits the Ave Maria Press web site.

I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cellphone?

Listed below are three short New Testament Scripture activities that can enrich Scripture or faith synthesis courses.

Here’s a sample of Dr. Smith Christopher’s favorite Bible Lab sample with a link to two more lessons.

Remind your students that the Book of Isaiah actually contains the work of more than one writer, from more than one time.

To help celebrate the start of Advent and the birth of a new Church Year, have the students search the Bible for a specific Scripture verse they can make their own.