Feast of the Ascension Activities is a post from The Religion Teacher
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The following prayer table ideas are taken from various experiences of religious educators.

A Collection of Prayer Table Ideas

You can read various, specific ideas and suggestions in the quotes below. Within them you will find various common elements and themes including:

• Position the prayer table as the focal point of the room.
• Focus on the readings of the week.
• Set up the table to relate to the lesson of the day or the liturgical season (Advent, Lent, etc.).
• Some of the most common sacramentals that you will find on a prayer table are a crucifix, a statue of Mary, a rosary, a candle, as well as a Bible.
• The majority of teachers also use the prayer table for students to share their prayer intentions in an intentions box.

Prayer Table Ideas from the Field

My 7th graders’ prayer table is in a centrally-located spot in the classroom. At the beginning of the year, each student brought in a small item of significance, and we had a ceremony in which students explained the meaning of the item, then placed it on the table. I have a vinyl tablecloth (easy to clean) beneath the items, as well as a small 2-shelf stand containing various books by Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II, etc., as well as the YOUCAT, a youth Bible, and a set of rosaries. I also have a sign-up calendar for prayer leaders and a God Can, where students can drop in prayer needs whenever they wish.

Laura Rudiger
St. Michael the Archangel
Cary, NC
__________________________________________

I am a 3rd Grade religion teacher at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Phoenix, AZ. We only have the children once a week for 1 ½ hours so it is important to set the mood at the very beginning of class. I like to incorporate the theme of the Gospel reading from the previous Sunday, OR the theme of the lesson if different. An example would be when introducing (or reintroducing) the Sacraments, I will display a symbol for each on the prayer table. Such as rings, a dish of oil, bottle of holy water, copy of the Act of Contrition etc. Also would include a candle and Bible with an appropriate verse which is read and discussed.

Carol Brescia
Corpus Christi Catholic Church
Phoenix, AZ
__________________________________________

I try to make my prayer table the focal point of my room, and change it with the liturgical seasons, i.e sacramentals, table clothes that match the liturgical colors and I incorporate them into my lesson plans. On top of that, I take the USCCB message and incorporate that in the year round theme, for example this year was “Do This In Memory of Me.” Included on my prayer table this year for every class was a wooden paten and chalice similar to what Jesus would have used, along with a loaf of bread and grapes, as well as a statue of the Last Supper. Words teach the best, in what we say and how we say it to our students, I have however found that using sacramentals and visual reminders of our face reinforces the message that we send every week for our students.

Tim Redinger
St. Andrews (Sloan)
Diocese of Buffalo
__________________________________________

I will sometimes change it to reflect what we might talk about that day, also changes with the Liturgical season.

Angi Jones
__________________________________________

We change the cloth just like Father does and talk about the church calendar. We have all the items in the back of the room and each child brings an item to the front for the prayer table. We read a verse and say a prayer with an electric candle lit during class. At the end of class we reverse the order.

Wendy Langer
__________________________________________

We change the cloth for the liturgical season, keep the Gospel from Sunday open (we change it on Friday when we prepare for the coming Sunday) and I have an framed illustration of whatever the “mystery of the week” is. This week it’s the Ascension as we pray the Glorious mysteries during Easter. I also have a crucifix.

Stacy Botthof Kynes
__________________________________________

Ditto on basics (cloth color for season, liturgical calendar nearby, crucifix, candle, bible, various seasonal items) with one twist: we keep the prayer table items in their own box, and allow the kids who arrive early to set it up. Another catechist has a “prayer bear” that travels home with a variety of students and another has an ‘intention jar’ where kids can whisper their prayer intentions in (any time during class) and they’re all lifted up in group prayer.

Kristi Jenkins
__________________________________________

Yes. A statue of Mary with child, it follows the color of the liturgical season, Infant of Prague statue, Bible, candle, rosary, prayer request book, and other symbols for the liturgical season.

Kimberly Gesser LeBreton
__________________________________________

When I teach beginning catechists about this, one thing we stress is that, unlike your example picture, the Bible should always be enthroned OPEN–signifying that the Word of God is open to all and is alive and active. It is never a closed book! The other tip I have is to consider this an act of abundance, not minimalism. As I go around, I often see a tiny cloth (often in the wrong color for the season), with a Bible and a cross and that’s it. I know portability is a problem for catechists who share a schoolroom. One would hope the day-school teacher, if it is a Catholic school, has a decent prayer focus, but this is often an afterthought. Bringing a sense of the sacred into the teaching space to differentiate it from other classrooms the children are in is very important, and we should not be skimpy about it. A decent-sized cloth, cross, candle, water bowl and a natural object or two can be packed into a small rolling suitcase. Catechists should feel free to be creative in their choice of cloth and objects. Express yourself; the kids will appreciate it.

Joyce Donahue
Diocese of Joliet
Liturgy and Catechesis Shall Kiss
__________________________________________

This is also where I post our school word of the month (currently it is “stewardship,” and has been tolerance, integrity, compassion, etc). A teacher I mentor has her prayer spot in a back corner of the room where students feeling out of sorts can go to be alone with God for a bit. It is like a calming place when middle school emotions rise too high. She does not send kids there but allows them to go there.

Jean Gengler
__________________________________________

This is a great topic. Since I have been teaching 8th grade religion, I usually combine the beginning prayer with the Bible reading with the lesson for that day or according to the Liturgical calendar. Every week I assign a particular student as the prayer leader and another student for the Bible reading.

Gerald Ciccone
__________________________________________

During Lent once I had a crucifix, candles and a terracotta pot on the prayer table. After a time of prayer and reflection, I asked the children to write what they would like to do better or change for the better in their lives. (I wrote one for myself too!) When they had finished, they brought it and placed it in the pot in silence, after a silent prayer before the crucifix. After a prayer and hymn (“Change My Heart O God”) I lit the papers and we sat in silence once more watching the papers burn. The children were preparing for Confirmation.

Marianne Johnpillai
__________________________________________

I have my prayer table and I change it out with different colors, fabrics, statues, the Nativity scene, candles, etc. It is right underneath the Liturgical Calendar so that students can see where we are in the Church year. Sometimes the students even bring me things they would like to display at the prayer table.

Kathleen Miller Dautremont
__________________________________________

We have an intention box and statue of Mary in addition to a few of the items mentioned above…

Kelly Foyle
__________________________________________

We also have an intentions box, a Bible, a Mary statue, and rosaries. This year my students also wrote prayer intentions on paper cutouts of candles to resemble the grotto at ND.

Marisa Foyle
__________________________________________

Due to lack of space, I have a corner of a countertop instead of a table. I have a large basket that the students put their intentions in each week. We start class each Monday by praying a decade of the rosary and focusing on our intentions for the week.

Julie Purcell Lobb
__________________________________________

I have a Bible, a rosary, a statue of Mary, a candle on a corner table. We add to the table depending on the them we are doing in religion.

Mary ‘Tere’ Reyes
__________________________________________

Thanks to all of you who shared your ideas on Facebook and via email!

Prayer Table Ideas for Religious Educators is a post from The Religion Teacher
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This lesson plan about the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit will help students recognize and appreciate the gifts that God considers to be most important and understand how they can turn to the Holy Spirit for an increase in God’s gifts especially through the sacrament of Confirmation.

Lesson Objectives

Lesson Assessment

Teaching Strategies

The 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit Lesson Plan is a post from The Religion Teacher
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You can view the presentation below or download the it from Slideshare:

The Free eBook

A large portion of the presentation was focused on the “effectively” portion of talk’s title. This was my first opportunity to really share an in depth explanation of the Learning PROCESS and the Conversion PROCESS, both of which are introduced in The Religion Teachers Guide to Lesson Planning.

Download The Religion Teacher’s Guide to Lesson Planning.

My primary goal was to help teachers and catechists recognize that if we focus on becoming good teachers and catechists first, the edtech tools will cease to be intimidating. Any time you come across a shiny new tool ask yourself how it fits into the way students learn or come to know Christ through faith.

The Top 12 Edtech Tools

Here is the list of tools discussed in the presentation with links to their websites:

1. Google 
2. Microsoft PowerPoint
3. Google Docs (Forms)
4. Evernote 
5. Prezi 
6. YouTube 
7. Screencasting (Screenr; Jing)
8. Animoto
9. Music (CD Player, iPod, MP3 Player)
10. Wordle 
11. Quora 
12. Facebook 

I’m happy to answer any additional questions about any of these tools in the comments below.

There were a number of great comments, questions, and discussions that occurred during the presentation. It was recorded by NCEA and NPCD, so as soon as I know how you can get a copy for yourself or your school I will update this post.

Thanks again to everyone who attended and said hello at NCEA. It was great to meet you all!

NCEA 2012 Presentation: 12 Edtech Tools Any Religion Teacher Can Use Effectively is a post from The Religion Teacher
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Lesson Plan: Development of the New Testament Canon (Engaging Faith)

Birth of Jesus Lesson Plan (Catholic Mom)

Feast of the Epiphany Lesson Plan (The Religion Teacher)

Baptism of Jesus Lesson Plan (Catholic Mom)

The Temptation of Jesus Lesson Plan (Catholic Mom)

Loaves and the Fishes Lesson Plan (The Catholic Toolbox)

The Good Shepherd Lesson Plan (Catholic Mom)

The Good Samaritan Lesson Plan (Catholic Mom)

Teaching About the Book of Revelation in Catholic Schools (Engaging Faith)

New Testament Lesson Plans is a post from The Religion Teacher
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Fr. Ted oversaw years of rapid growth at Notre Dame becoming a national figure himself, being involved in many issues, the most memorable of which is the Civil Rights movement. Two buildings on campus bear his name, the including the iconic Notre Dame library with “touchdown Jesus” which he stopped at nothing to erect.

To hear such a great man–a man whose life spans over 90 years–speak so passionately about such a simple prayer, you can’t help but give it a try.

Praying Come Holy Spirit in the Classroom

Give students some time to quiet themselves.

Ask them to think about their days so far. What has gone well that we can be thankful for? What is on our minds for the day ahead?

Ask them to think about their week. What are the things that worry us? What are the things that excite us most.

Keeping in mind an intention or need, pray together: Come Holy Spirit.

They can either repeat after you or pray it quietly to themselves.

Suggest, of course, that they use this prayer as a part of their daily lives whenever they are in great need.

Praying the Come Holy Spirit Prayer as a Teacher

After all these years, I still get nervous before teaching. When I feel especially nervous or unsure of the day, I turn to the Holy Spirit for inspiration, guidance, and peace.

My favorite pre-class prayer (as you might imagine) is “Come Holy Spirit.”

This week, when everything leading up to the lesson seemed to be going wrong, I asked the Holy Spirit for help. I recorded this video right before my pre-class prayer.

Don’t worry, the class went well and though I can’t say whether anything we did had an immediate impact, I know that with the help of the Holy Spirit the seeds we planted will bear fruit somewhere down the line.

The Full “Come Holy Spirit Prayer”

Many people will be familiar with a longer version of this three-word prayer. In its entirety it is:

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
V. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created.
R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

The Latin Version of Come Holy Spirit (Veni Sancti Spiritu)

Veni, Sancte Spiritus, reple tuorum corda fidelium: et tui amoris in eis ignem accende.

V. Emitte Spiritum tuum, et creabuntur.
R. Et renovabis faciem terrae.

Oremus. Deus, qui corda fidelium Sancti Spiritus illustratione docuisti: da nobis in eodem Spiritu recta sapere; et de eius semper consolatione gaudere. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.

Amen.

The Come Holy Spirit Prayer is a post from The Religion Teacher
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An important disclaimer: the risk of using this activity is that students lose an appreciation for the Scriptures as the Word of God. Before introducing the activity, be sure to point out that the wording of the commandments come from God’s infinite wisdom. Scripture is not something we can water down with our own words and interpretations or judge for being written in a certain way.

A Ten Commandments Group Activity

Have students work in pairs to rewrite the Ten Commandments in positive language. They should replace the “You shall not…” with a positive statement (“You shall…”). For commandments three and four, students can transform the phrasing into negative statements (“You shall not…”).

The Ten Commandments
(the traditional Catechetical formula from the Catechism): 

1. I am the LORD your God: you shall not have strange god before me.

2. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.

3. Remember to keep holy the LORD’s Day.

4. Honor your father and mother.

5. You shall not kill.

6. You shall not commit adultery.

7. You shall not steal.

8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.

10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

Teaching Ten Commandments Vocabulary to Kids

If you are introducing the Ten Commandments to kids for the first time there are almost always some students who will not know the meaning of words like adultery and covet. Rather than asking students to sheepishly come up with explanations for adultery, just provide them with a definition and extend it beyond just married people.

adultery — voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person andsomeone other than his or her lawful spouse.

covet — do desire wrongfully without due regard for the rights of others

Discussing the Rewritten Commandments

Most of the time the students will plug in words like “respect” and “honor” into the commandments. Sometimes they might even use the word “love.”

Be sure to point out the importance that we place on “love” over “respect” as Christians. We don’t just respect God by saying good things about him or going to Church on Sundays. We love God.

Point students to Matthew 22:36-39. Note that these two greatest commandments summarize and extend the Ten Commandments. Jesus didn’t ask us to respect and honor our neighbor, he asked us to love our neighbor!

Love, in this case, is not a romantic love but a self-giving love that always seeks what is best for the other person. The Ten Commandments are crucial to the Christian life because they teach us how to love. Christ inspires us by his life to know how to love as well.

A Ten Commandments Activity is a post from The Religion Teacher
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Download the KWL Chart

Put simply, KWL Charts consist of three columns:

K – What I Know.
W – What I Want to Know.
L – What I Learned.

Completed at different parts of a lesson, the three phases of the K-W-L Chart can increase comprehension of new information and move the needle of motivation to learn new things.

I like it because of how closely it aligns with what I call the Learning PROCESS, which is described in detail in The Religion Teacher’s Guide to Lesson Planning. 

One of the biggest challenges that teachers and catechists share with me is getting students interested, engaged, and excited about learning. The best way to get students interested in something is to make it relate to their lives. The K column opens the door to relevancy and the W column drives it home.

By completing a KWL Chart, all new learning about a certain topic is meaningful because it is placed within the context of things the students already know (K) want to know (W).

How to Use a KWL Chart

Students can create KWL Charts on their own or you can print pre-created charts that you find online. You can find one of these charts on The Religion Teacher’s graphic organizers page.

One of the most common uses for KWL Charts is as a framework for an entire lesson. Give it to the students at the beginning of class or and have them complete it at the beginning (K-W) and end of class (L).

You can also have students complete a KWL Chart as a reading guide for the class textbook.

Know

The K portion of this graphic organizer is perfect for Bell Work and can work well with an advance organizer. Introduce a topic or just write it on the board. Give students five minutes or more to write everything they know about the topic in the column on the left (K).

You may want to recreate a KWL Chart on the board. In this case, have students share what they wrote and copy it to the board. Or use the Chalktalk strategy to invite students to silently write their responses on the board one at a time.

Want to Know

This step is crucial. All too often we overlook the importance of motivation in learning. The importance of this step is to get students to think about what they want to know about a certain topic. With this desire or set of questions in mind, students will have a frame of reference for new information.

In many cases students get stuck on this section. Have these students write one of each of the following types of questions: Who, What, When, Why, How?

What I Learned

In its simplest form this can be straight answers to the questions in the W column, but it should also provide additional new information the students have learned.

If students have a hard time with this, you can employ some other teaching strategies like 3-2-1 (3 terms or phrases of the day’s lesson, 2 concepts they learned about, and 1 concept they have mastered) or just ask them a set of questions and give them the time to answer them in the columns.

When used properly, this column can be a quick formative assessment to measure student progress toward an objective. Just be sure the students are aware of the objective or they won’t write down a relevant response.

Keep in mind that in many cases the students will have unanswered questions from the W column. Give them the opportunity to ask their questions and be prepared to answer as many as you can. If you don’t have the answers, assign it for homework or research it for them. In a student-centered classroom this is a perfect opportunity for extending and refining learning.

(Another popular version of the KWL Chart is the KWHL Chart. The “H” in the KWHL Chart refers to “How I will find out more. . .” If you are using this teaching strategy as a framework for student research or projects, then this is a helpful addition to the KWL Charts. The “H” gives students the opportunity to strategize about how they will learn address their questions in the W column.)

Download a KWL Chart Template. 

Download a KWHL Chart Template. 

The KWL Chart: A Model for Student Engagement is a post from The Religion Teacher
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Engaging Catholic Activities for Easter

Loyola Press Easter Resources (Loyola Press)

The Empty Tomb File Folder Game (The Catholic Toolbox)

Jelly Bean Prayer File Folder Game (scroll down) (The Catholic Toolbox)

Jelly Bean Prayer (CatholicMom.com)

Easter Triduum Activities (The Catholic Toolbox)

Dying and Rising Writing Prompt (Engaging Faith)

Our Ancestors in Faith Activity (Engaging Faith)

Easter Worksheets and Coloring Pages

Easter Coloring Pages (CatholicMom.com)

Religious/Christian Coloring Pages (Apples 4 the Teacher)

Easter/Religious Coloring Pages (Easter-Coloring.com)

Easter Art Activities and Coloring Pages (My Bible Crafts)

Easter Coloring Pages (Squidoo)

Christian Easter Games for Kids (365 Kids Games)

Catholic Easter Crafts for Kids

A Resurrection Set (Catholic Icing)

Catholic Resurrection Eggs (Catholic Icing)

Easter Crafts on The Catholic Toolbox (The Catholic Toolbox)

Easter Wreath (Catechist Magazine)

Catholic Easter Activities is a post from The Religion Teacher
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Ash Wednesday Lesson Plan Objectives and Asessments

SWBAT explain that ashes were used as a sign of repentance in the Old Testament. (Assessment: Class Discussion)
SWBAT explain why we wear ashes on Ash Wednesday. (Assessment: Ash Wednesday Quiz)
SWBAT make connections between what they decide to give up for Lent and the meaning of ashes on Ash Wednesday. (Assessment: Ash Wednesday Worksheet)

Ash Wednesday Learning Activities

1. Bell Work: Make a list of the things that you have in your life that you are thankful for (i.e. your iPod, your cell phone, your computer, your video game system, your new shoes, your favorite dress, etc.)

2. Prayer: Read the Ash Wednesday Psalm as a class. Announce the response, “Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned,” and read Psalm 51 from the USCCB website.

3. Reading: Read aloud the story of Jonah and the city of Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-10). Ask students, “What were the signs that the people of Nineveh used to show their repentance?”

4. Video: Ash Wednesday. Have students fill out the video graphic organizer while they watch.

5. Direct Instruction: Review the answers to the Ash Wednesday graphic organizer.

6. Ash Wednesday Worksheet: From Ashes Wednesday to Easter. Give students some time to write about what they have decided to give up for Lent this year. Remind them that we often desire things (even good things) that will one day become dust and ashes. We give things up for Lent to remember that all we have is a gift from God and that being with God and following his will should be our greatest desire.

7. Assessment: Ash Wednesday Quiz

Do you like this lesson plan and the resources to accompany it? Get instant access to dozens of other resources in The Religion Teacher’s Lenten Activity Pack.

Ash Wednesday Lesson Plan is a post from The Religion Teacher
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