This one-on-one discussion activity encourages students to meet and dialogue with a variety of people in class, including those they don’t know well or don’t know at all.
Make a worksheet with a large traditional clock with numbers on it. Print copies for every student. Tell them they will be finding people in class ask asking them to write their names on each hour of the clock. They can only use a person’s name one time. Read the items on the list one at a time, pausing between each item to allow the students to find a person and write in the other’s name.
Items
At twelve o’clock, exchange names with a person with different color hair than yours.
At one o’clock, exchange names with a person who lives more than five miles from where you live.
At two o’clock, exchange names with a boy if you are a girl, and a girl if you are a boy.
At three o’clock, exchange names with a person who is fan of a different sports team than you.
At four o’clock, exchange names with a person who has different musical tastes than you.
At five o’clock, exchange names with a person who has a different number of siblings than you.
At six o’clock, exchange names with a person who has different color eyes than yours.
At seven o’clock, exchange names with a person who is has a different political perspective than you.
At eight o’clock, exchange names with a person who hangs out with a different group of friends than you.
At nine o’clock, exchange names with a person who has a different hair length than you.
At ten o’clock, exchange names with a person with different color socks than yours.
At eleven o’clock, exchange names with a person who was born in a different month than you were.
When everyone has filled in a name at each time on the clock, tell them they are going to conduct short (one minute) interviews with the people they listed. Say: “Meet with your one o’clock appointment. Discuss this question: When was a time you got really angry and why?”
Allow one minute, call time and ask the participants to meet with their “two o’clock appointments.” Continue with the same process using the list of questions below.
Questions
When was the last time you got really angry? Why?
When was the last time you cried? Why?
On what basis do you choose your friends?
What advice would you give to a sixth grader?
Are you more of a leader or a follower? Explain.
How important to you is following the Ten Commandments?
How important to you is attending church on Sunday?
When do you pray? What does your prayer mean to you?
Who is a person who has influenced your life? How?
Who is an adult you find it easy to talk with? Why?
If you could go back in time, what period of history would you like to live in? Why?
Tell about a goal for your life.
Here’s a short class opener that might be appropriate for the first day of a new semester.
Secure playing cards ace (one) through eight.
Print and number the following sentences on the board:
I want my friends to see me as a person who . . .
Academically, this semester I hope to . . .
This semester I hope to know God better by . . .
This semester I am looking forward to . . .
A person I would like to get to know better this semester is . . .
Athletically this semester I hope to . . .
Ten years from now I hope to . . .
After I die, I hope I will be remembered for . . .
Say:
Spend a few minutes deciding what you might say if you were called on to finish each of the sentences on the board. Think of endings that tell us something important about you and your values. You can work together with a partner to think up your answers.
When most are ready say:
I have in my hand playing cards valued from one (ace) to eight. When it is almost your turn, I will pull a number to tell you which sentence you are going to finish for us. You will be told your number one turn ahead so you have a minute to get your thoughts together.
Pick the numbers of the first two people. Call on a talkative person to give his or her first answer. After the person talks, allow the rest of the class to ask one or two follow up questions. Then pick a number for a third person as the second person answers his or her question.
Continue on for as long as you have time. When you play the game again, begin with students who didn’t get a chance to talk the first time.
Juliane Stanz and Tom East offer thirteen practical principles to guide accompaniment of youth and young adults as part of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops resources for Catechetical Sunday 2017. The full article introduces and expounds on the thirteen principles.
Practical Principles to Guide Accompaniment of Youth and Young Adults
Look broadly at the youth and young adult populations and develop targeted ministries for different segments. Some youth, and young adults are looking to go deeper and become more engaged in formation and service. Other young people need deeper prayer experiences. Some young people are anxious to come to weekly gatherings and join communities; others resist this kind of participation but are longing to have someone to talk to about their faith. We need a differentiated approach that begins with the variety of young people in mind.
Engage families and see parents as part of our ministry. Parents need to be inspired and equipped to take the lead in the spiritual formation of their children. This looks different when children are youth and young adults. We can help families make this transition. What can we do to strengthen and support families as they share faith across the generations? For families that are struggling with faith and active practice in the community, our work with youth can be a spark that evangelizes the whole community. Families with young adults often face different challenges. We can support parents as they continue to foster the faith life of emerging adults.
Look broadly at our community and engage lots of disciples who are willing to spend time with youth and young adults. Notice we didn't say "recruit more ministry leaders." Discipleship is about developing the practices of being a disciple of Jesus which is something we learn in community and in relationship with other disciples. Who are the youth and adults in your community from whom you want young people to "catch" faith?
Focus on spiritual growth and attend to youth and young adults in a comprehensive way. Youth and young adults are more than just a family member or learner. Our ministry responses and faith formation need to address and engage each young person and assist them in taking the next step in their journey. It is especially important to invest time in helping youth and young adults who are evangelized to take the deeper steps toward accountability, witness, and engagement in mission.
Help young people do what disciples do and get good at it! Our ministries could focus less on participation and learning information and more on the skills and practices of being a disciple. When youth and young adults are good at praying on their own, reading the Bible, participating in Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, engaging in service, and witnessing to their faith, they will continue to do these things and seek communities and relationships that support them in being disciples.
Touch their hearts and make it personal. Young people yearn to belong and to relate to people who care about them and value them as individuals. To build this relationship, we need to learn names, know youth and young adults, and provide ministries that move, inspire, and engage.
Provide multiple contact points. Youth and young adults grow in commitment through a variety of relationships. They benefit from hearing different voices that provide an echo of faith.
Listen and include the youth, young adults, families, and leaders from among the diverse cultures within the community. Dioceses and parishes are learning new ways to come to know and include the needs and gifts of people from various cultures in developing authentic and inclusive ministry responses. The Bishops of the United States are calling ministry leaders to develop intercultural competencies so that we have the capacity to listen, welcome, include, and be formed by people of many cultures. These resources are an important part of our accompaniment of young people. See http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/cultural-diversity/intercultural-competencies/
Go where the youth and young adults are, including online. The roots of youth ministry are to go to the corners where youth hang out. Young adult ministry has a similar history. To do this today, we should be proficient in social media, and use technology as a means to draw them towards gathered participation with the faith community.
Engage youth and young adults in ministries that help them belong, believe, and share their gifts. These elements address fundamental human needs that profoundly shape the youth and young adult years. Ministry that addresses these elements develops the commitment and identity that are foundational to formation as growing young disciples.
Don't treat young adults like youth. A starting place for any young adult ministry is to treat them as adults, not post-high school youth. For example, don't list them under parents' names in the church directory. Give them their own listing. Another important point to remember is that most ministry with young adults will be conducted by young adults themselves, in a peer-to-peer manner.[vi]
Empower them to make a difference. Young people welcome and value opportunities that empower them to make a difference in the world. To put individuals in situations where their involvement truly affects another person is at the heart of faith. Ensure that ample opportunities are given to perform service and ministry that directly impacts the life of another.
Be action oriented. Young people value instant communication, respond quickly to action, and are adept at multitasking. They would rather participate in service than talk about it. If you decide to invite a young person to a parish committee, make sure that your committee is action oriented. Youth and young adults do not respond well to sitting around talking about ministry; they prefer to make a difference now. Long, drawn out meetings without a clear focus are certain to make your committee a youth-and-young-adult-free zone!
Pope Francis is being joined by bishops across the U.S. and around the world in launching a global campaign to support our brothers and sisters who have fled their homes seeking a decent and safe life for their families. This historic campaign, “Share the Journey,” will respond to some of the most desperate of God’s children and your leadership and inspiration is needed.
You can help your diocese, parish, school or other organization participate in the “Share the Journey” campaign along with Pope Francis, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Catholic Charities USA, and the Church’s global charitable network, Caritas Internationalis. Through prayers and acts of compassion and support, you can help shape conversations and actions to answer the Gospel call to love our neighbors.
September 27: The official launch in Rome by Pope Francis
October 7-13: Week of Prayer and Action across the U.S.
A website with resources for parishes, schools, universities, national organizations and other groups will go live the week of September 5.
As you probably know from your own personal retreat experiences, there are many different ways to “retreat” with teens who are participating in a Confirmation, youth ministry, or campus ministry retreat. However, depending on the group and circumstances, some models definitely work better than others do. Here are a few options:
Two-Day Overnight Retreat.
This is usually an ideal option for a group. A weekend allows time for the relationships among teens and adults to develop in a variety of experiences, including small-group sharing, recreation, and communal prayer. A weekend retreat may be a teen’s first chance to experience an informal celebration of the Sacraments of Penance and Eucharist. Many teens who return home from a weekend retreat name the celebrations of the sacraments as the highlights of their time away.
One-Night Retreat.
Depending on how far you are from the retreat location, a one-night retreat can offer most of the same advantages of a weekend retreat. Yet, you may find that just when the group is coming together, it’s time for them to go home. For younger adolescents, however, one-night retreats are preferable.
One-Day Retreat.
These can be difficult, whether they are held on a missed school day or a Saturday. In either case, it is hard for the teens to put schoolwork or basketball practice out of their minds in such a short time. Rather than spending seven or eight hours together during a day, have the teens meet from about 4 pm to midnight. These “less used” hours make the retreat time more sacred. Just make sure the teens have a free day from school on the day after the retreat so that they can rest and recover.
Mini-retreat.
Shorter retreats of about three to five hours can be successful for breaking out of the regular youth group-like routine. Schedule a mini-retreat during the time your group usually meets, albeit adding two or three hours of extending time. With this extra time, provide variation from what you usually do in a class or meeting. For example, add more time for personal and communal prayer. If you rarely include music in your prayer, do so on this occasion. If possible, incorporate a Mass into this mini-retreat as well.
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.
Activity Directions
Introduce students to these Bible study tools: the Bible dictionary, a one-volume Bible commentary, and a Bible concordance. Display at least one example of each to show the class. Then have them complete the following short exercises with their group. Allow about five minutes to work. Then rotate the study aids. Continue until each group does one assignment for each study aid.
Bible Dictionary Assignments
Look up and define "nomads" and list one example of nomadism from the Bible.
Look up "genealogy." How many genealogies are there in the Bible? List them.
Look up "mystery." How is it defined in the Old Testament? How is it defined in the New Testament.
One-Volume Bible Commentary
List three interesting facts about Jesus' anointing at Bethany (Mk 14:1-11).
What are the origins and background of Hannah's hymn of praise (1 Sm 2:1-11)?
What does Paul mean by "freedom from the Law" (Rom 7:1-25)?
Bible Concordance
What is the first reference of "Jerusalem" in the Bible? (Jos 10:1) What is the last reference? (Rv 21:10)
What is the Scripture reference for "Such a one, man or beast must not be allowed to live"? (Ex 19:13)
Which Gospel has the most references to St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus? (Matthew)
Option: Arrange a trip to your school library (or local Catholic university library) to compare single-volume Bible commentaries with multi-volume versions.
This activity is part of the Ave Maria Press textbook Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of God's Word by Dr. Daniel Smith-Christopher and Fr. Patrick Mullen.
If you have occasion to work with teens in the summer through a parish-sponsored Youth Ministry program, here's an idea that works well with both younger and older adolescents.
Description
This is a bike rally (not a race) in which teens follow a predetermined map to the homes of three or four parishioners (typically parents of teens in the group), where they can play a game and have a simple snack and drink. The final stop of the rally is at the local movie theatre where the teens take in an appropriate afternoon feature.
Plan a map from your starting point at the parish in a logical order to each of the homes or parents or parishoners who have agreed to sponsor a stop along the way. Give each person a map and remind them to observe all biking safety rules. At each home, wait for everyone to catch up. Take a break with a short game or activity. (You will need to arrange for all game items to be at the homes prior to the rally.) Possible activity ideas might include:
First Stop
Play a series of the old Twister game. While some of the teens are playing, the others can enjoy a drink of lemonade.
Second Stop
Divide into two teams. Play a game where all can participate; for example, any form of a trivia quiz game.
Third Stop
Play a friendly game of "spin the bottle." Seat everyone in a circle. The two people the bottle points to exchange compliments with one another (not kisses!).
Fourth Stop
Get into the movie theme. Play a game of "movie charades" in which the teens act our famous movie titles or scenes and the rest of the group tries to guess the name of the movie.
Movie Stop
End the rally at the movie theatre. Make sure to lock the bikes. Then enjoy the movie. If your group is large enough, you may be able to quality for a group discount. After the movie, ride together back to the parish at a leisurely pace where parents can meet for pick up.
Here are three simple, summer games for some added fun for your parish youth groups (and a few extra adaptations). Enjoy!
Miniature Golf
What’s Needed
money for admission for 18 holes of miniature golf
transportation to the miniature golf course
several small prizes to award to the teens (e.g., candy, ribbons, etc.)
Description
A trip to the local miniature golf course remain a popular outing for teens. Call the local miniature gold course and inquire about a group discount.
Once at the course, divide the teens into foursomes and let them begin playing. Tell them you will be offering a few special prizes at the end of eighteen holes, but don’t tell them for what. Remind them to write down their scores.
As the foursomes return, collect their scorecards. Award several prizes for things like:
low score on hole 7
most holes in one
low team (foursome) score
low individual score
high score on hole 11
high team score
high individual score
Some courses offer a discount on replays. You may want to have the group go through again just for fun!
Swim Party/Inner Tube Water Polo
What’s Needed
a recreation center or house with a pool
food for a cookout
several large rubber inner tubes or similar flotation devices
a plastic ball (basketball size)
two lounge chairs set up as goals
Description
Summer is the time for a pool party. Check with local schools or recreation centers to find out how you might go about reserving a pool for your group. Or, inquire in the parish if someone with a pool might be willing to sponsor such an event. Include a cookout as part of the festivities. Divide the cost of the event among the teens.
Mostly the teens will be able to entertain themselves with swimming, eating and playing regular pool games like “Marco Polo.” If there is a diving board, you may suggest that they toss the plastic ball to a person jumping, diving, or flipping off. They can enjoy watching for the most acrobatic catches.
Inner tube water polo is played by setting up two lounge chairs on their sides at opposite ends of the pool (on the pavement, not in the water). Divide the group into two teams, with each person sitting in the inner tube against the wall near their own goal. Say “go” and throw the plastic ball to the middle of the pool. Players from both teams paddle to the ball. The team that retrieves it begins its assault on the other goal. A point is awarded for any ball that hits on the seat part of the chair, but the player has to have thrown the ball from the inner tube. You can permit lots of rough stuff as long as the players remain in their inner tubes at all times.
If there are not enough inner tubes to go around adapt with other kinds of floating devices.
Cookout Games
What’s Needed
food for the cookout
items for the games (see below)
Description:
This event works for groups just getting acquainted. Reserve a place at a local park with cookout grills or any place with a large field.
Keep the food cooking and available throughout the event so that teens can eat whenever they want during the activities. Here are standard games that always seem to work well in groups with both boys and girls:
Softball.
This is a game for the entire group. If you don’t want to require the teens to bring gloves, play with a larger, spongier ball so that they will be able to catch it with their hands. Old towels work just fine for bases.
Capture the Flag.
This remains a popular game, especially when it is played in a large open space. Divide the area into two sides. Put flags (towels) toward the rear of each side. One goalie for each team is permitted to guard the flag. Also reserve a jail on each side. This is the area for the capture opponents. The object of the game is to retrieve the opponents’ flag without being touched. Those who are touched are sent to the opposing team’s jail. The teens can fill you in on the other details.
Frisbee Football.
This is played like regular football as teams move toward their opposing team’s end zone. In this game, a Frisbee is used instead of a football. One team starts with the “ball” at its own twenty yard line. Teammates pass from one teammate to another all the way down the field. There is no running after a catch and opponent have to back at least three feet off the passer. A dropped Frisbee gives the ball to the other team.
Steal the Bacon.
This game is similar to the old playground game of the same name except a water balloon is placed in the middle of the circle of participants. Give each person a number. When you call two numbers, those players race to the center of the circle for a balloon. The person who gets their first is allowed to douse the opponent before he or she gets back to the circle. Toward the end of the afternoon, a plain old water balloon fight would be great.
