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