Sunday, August 31, 2008

Class Activity 1

Activity 1: Who Is My Neighbour?
Time: 75 minutes

Description
The purpose of this activity is to provide students with an opportunity to review the course content, evaluation scheme, and assignment expectations. The second part of the activity intends to allow students to get to know each other and to create a positive learning environment in the classroom, based on the understanding that we are neighbours. Lk 10: 25-37

Planning Notes
The teacher will need to prepare an opening prayer which contains both a formal and informal component in order to model prayer leadership for the students (Appendix 1: Student Prayer Leadership). The teacher needs to be conscious of the importance of setting a welcoming and positive tone for the course. For the name card activity only positive descriptions will be accepted. The teacher needs to present to students the outline of the overall project that they will complete for the unit. (See Appendix 2: Summary Chart of Newspaper Assessment/Evaluation.)

Teaching/Learning Strategies
1. The teacher leads the class in prayer and assigns students to prayer leadership beginning the sixth day of class. The teacher reviews the course expectations with the students.


Prayer:

Under thy patronage, dear Mother, and calling on the mystery of thine Immaculate Conception, I desire to pursue my studies and my literary labors: I hereby solemnly declare that I am giving myself to these studies chiefly to the following end: that I may better contribute to the glory of God.

I pray thee, therefore, most loving Mother to bless my labors in loving-kindness. Moreover I promise with true affection and a willing spirit, as it is right that I should do, to ascribe all the good that shall come to me in God's holy presence.

Amen.



Class activity:

2. In Pairs: Students interview each other asking general questions about likes and dislikes and family makeup. Students keep brief notes on their interview for reference when they introduce their partner.

3. Individually: Students make a name card folded in half and include on it their own name and one talent they have or an accomplishment that they are proud of.

4. In Pairs: Students introduce their partner (limit the number of comments to four) to the class using their reference notes. After each pair has finished they display their name cards in the classroom (either on a bulletin board or a string across the front of the class).

5. The teacher reads Lk 10: 25-37 and facilitates a discussion about Who Is My Neighbour? and the diversity that exists within the classroom:

25 And behold a certain lawyer stood up, tempting him and saying, Master, what must I do to possess eternal life? 26 But he said to him: What is written in the law? How readest thou? 27 He answering, said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with all thy strength and with all thy mind: and thy neighbour as thyself. 28 And he said to him: Thou hast answered right. This do: and thou shalt live.
29 But he willing to justify himself, said to
Jesus: And who is my neighbour? 30 And Jesus answering, said: A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, who also stripped him and having wounded him went away, leaving him half dead. 31 And it chanced, that a certain priest went down the same way: and seeing him, passed by. 32 In like manner also a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by. 33 But a certain Samaritan, being on his journey, came near him: and seeing him, was moved with compassion: 34 And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine: and setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two pence and gave to the host and said: Take care of him; and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I, at my return, will repay thee. 36 Which of these three, in thy opinion, was neighbour to him that fell among the robbers? 37 But he said: He that showed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him: Go, and do thou in like manner.



Resources:http://www.catholic.org/clife/prayers/prayer.php?p=197
Bible:http://www.catholic.org/bible/
Prayer:http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/index.htm

Assessment/Evaluation Techniques
· Assessment is done at the end of Activity 2.

Accommodations
Students who have serious trouble verbalizing in large groups may be allowed to find another way to introduce their partner: through a tape recording, on video, or as a pictorial chart.
Resources
New Revised Standard Version Bible. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1989. (K,T)
Appendices
Appendix 1: Student Prayer Leadership

Course outline

Course Overview
Religious Education, Grade 10, Open
Identifying Information
Course Title: Christ and Culture
Grade: Ten

Course Type: Open

Ministry Course Code: HRE2O
Credit Value: 1

Description/Rationale
This course examines the relationship between the person and message of Christ and the dominant attitudes of contemporary culture. Central to this course is the sacramental nature of Jesus and through His incarnation, the sacramentality of the Catholic Church, persons, and all of creation. Beginning with students’ own life experiences, seen in light of the Gospel narratives, students acquire a deeper and more systematic knowledge of Christ, his message, and his Church. Connections between the Church and contemporary culture are explored in terms of what it means to be a responsible adolescent developing as a member of a Catholic, Christian community while living within the context of a secular society. In the Family Life Education strand, students explore a variety of topics related to the themes of person-hood, interpersonal relationships, and sexuality. Students have the opportunity to experience first-hand the call and response to Christian Community Service.

How This Course Supports the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations
The fundamental premise of this course is that both teacher and students are discerning believers formed in the Catholic faith tradition, intent on participating in the transformation of society. Understanding that the students operate from, and yearn to deepen their spirituality, this course encourages students to articulate Catholic beliefs, and to continue to journey as reflective, creative thinkers. By raising important questions about their faith, this course leads students to a deeper understanding of their relationship with God and neighbour. The students are called to be caring family members and responsible citizens who respect and understand the history, cultural heritage, and pluralism of today’s contemporary society.

Unit Titles (Time + Sequence)
Unit 1
Called to Jesus
27.5 hours

Unit 2
Called to Be Church
21.25 hours

Unit 3
Called to Be and Relate
21.25 hours

Unit 4
Called to Be Holy
16 hours

Unit 5
Called to Be Just
24 hours

Unit Organization
Unit 1: Called To Jesus
Time: 27.5 hours
Description
Through the study of the Gospels as an extension of their Judaic roots in Hebrew Scriptures, students come to know the Jesus of History and the Christ of Faith. Understanding Jesus as the Sacrament of God leads students to an appreciation of their call to live a sacramental life. This knowledge forms the basis for students to begin to think critically about their world.

Unit 2: Called To Be Church
Time: 21.25 hours
Description
Students enter into a three-way conversation about their own life experience, their experience of parish life, and their encounters with Church teaching in order to answer the core question for this unit: What does it mean to be Catholic? Students first explore their personal faith journey. This experience, along with an investigation of an aspect of parish life, provides the experiential basis for exploring the core question. Then a study of the notion of sacramentality is undertaken. At this point students investigate the Sacrament of Anointing. This core understanding is then applied to particular aspects of Catholicism, namely: prayer, the communion of saints, Mary, and the Church. Finally, students are challenged to come to an understanding of the Eucharist as a life-giving sacrament. Throughout the unit, students write a journal that traces their explorations of each of the topics. Students compile an artistic response to their experiences and insights throughout the unit. In the culminating activity students integrate their learning by means of an artistic response to the core question of the unit question.

Unit 3: Called to Be and Relate
Time: 21.25 hours
Description
Steeped in Jesus’ call to love God with one’s whole body, mind and soul, students come to know the sacredness of the human person. Students are challenged to examine the quality of their relationships in light of the profound example of Jesus’ inclusive love. Acknowledging the impact of culture on the lives of individuals but with a focus on youth, students compare cultural priorities with the Gospel imperative. A culminating activity is the production of a media campaign, which promotes a Christian vision of personhood, relationships, and sexuality for teens.

Unit 4: Called to Be Holy
Time: 16 hours
Description
Informed by Christ’s life and the teachings of the Church, students apply Christian moral principles to the relevant moral issues in their lives. Students are given opportunity to illustrate maturity in their understanding and practice of Catholic moral decision making methods. In addition students examine the virtue of holiness in the Scriptures and apply insights gleaned to their own faith lives.

Unit 5: Called to Be Just
Time: 24 hours
Description
Through this unit students grow in their understanding and appreciation of the gospel call to live justly. In light of social justice teachings found in Scripture and Catholic Church Tradition, students explore local and global social justice issues. Students carry out a research project on global issues. As a culminating activity, students develop and begin to implement a plan of action that addresses a local social justice issue. Time is allotted at the end of this unit for review of the course material in preparation for a final exam.