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Catholic Education Week 2017: Walking Forward TogetherWalking Forward Together with GodDAY 1: Monday

Suggested Grade Level:PRIMARY

BOOK TITLE: Does God Hear My Prayer?

AUTHOR andILLUSTRATOR:

August Gold andPhoto Illustrations by Diane Hardy Waller

ISBN-13 9781594731020

BOOK DESCRIPTION:This lovely rhyming book playfully guides children down their own paths of spiritual understanding by exploring the many ways that children can communicate with God. Using simple, every day examples that children can relate to, and beautiful photo illustrations, this book offers guidance on how to pray and illustrates how prayer can help to express a multitude of emotions. This book invites children, teachers and parents on an imaginative journey toward a deeper understanding of God.

MATERIALS:BookElmo – overhead projection device (if available)Laptop/computer/promethean board/LCD projector/speakers (for presenting YouTube video)Copies of BLM Day 1 primary page (Prayer isn’t telling God what to do…)Drawing/colouring materialsStudent journals

CATHOLIC CONNECTIONS:OCSGEAn Effective CommunicatorA Reflective and Creative ThinkerA Collaborative ContributorA Self-Directed, Responsible, Lifelong LearnerA Discerning Believer

Catholic Social Teaching: Dignity of the Human Person

Scripture Focus:R.E. Curriculum: Living A Moral Life, PrayingFamily Life Curriculum: Created and Loved by God, Living in Relationship

MINISTRY CURRICULUM LINKS:Language ArtsThe Arts

MINDS ON (Before) Approximately 10 minutes PAUSE & PONDERLearning Goals:Students will:

Identify different ways to communicate with God Learn about letting go of our will and trusting in God’s will Explore a relationship with God by praying in different ways Recognize God as a special and loving friend

Consider designing success criteria with the students prior to the lesson.

Before Reading:Show students the following video:“Be Still and Know that I am God”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKWGSzxtcZA

After students have watched this video, ask for student responses to the song. Invite students to provide “feeling words” to describe their emotions as they were watching and listening, and record these on the whiteboard. Tell students that a song like this one can help us to quiet our minds and prepare us for prayer.

Pre-Reading:Invite students to turn and talk to a partner about all the times and all the ways that they might pray to God. Ask for a few students to share their ideas. Ask, “Do you think God hears your prayers?” “How do you know?” Show students the title and the cover of the book. Invite students to comment on the title as well as the photos on the cover. Ask students to make predictions about the book.

Turn and Talk is an excellent cooperative learning strategy to promote and support higher level thinking. When students are given the opportunity to reflect on a specific topic and then pair with another student to discuss before sharing with the big group, they are sometimes able to take their sharing to a deeper level.

ACTION (During) Approximately 20 minutes PAUSE & PONDERRead the story to the students. As you are reading, invite students to observe and comment on the photographs and how they relate to the text.

Ask for student reactions to the book. Did they enjoy the book? What was their favourite part and why? Did the book answer some of their questions from when they talked to a partner? How? Ask them to discuss their predictions vs. what they just heard. Was anything surprising to students?

If students haven’t already commented on the fact that the book is in rhyme, ask if they noticed an interesting pattern to the words in the book. Read the story a second time to students, inviting them to chime in with you on the last word of each rhyming couplet.

Divide the students into groups of 3 or 4 and assign each group several pages of the book to present. In each group, have students select a narrator who will read the words from the designated pages in the book, and have the other members of the group act out the words as they are being read. Depending on the number of students in your class, divide it so that the entire book is read in order, in this manner.

It is hoped that the reading and discussing of the book can help students to recognize that God has open and welcoming arms for receiving our prayers, and that we may bring God all that we need to our questions and our fears, all our laughter and our tears, etc.

CONSOLIDATION (After) Approximately 15-20 minutes PAUSE & PONDERAfter Reading:Show students the BLM page, Prayer isn’t telling God what to do, it is letting God help you remember what’s true. Call on a few students to share their comments on this sentence from the book. Invite students to provide their own response to the book by illustrating this sentence with whatever comes to mind.

As a follow-up, have students write a short journal entry about anything they may still be wondering about, any questions they might still have about talking and listening with God.

God listens to us every time we ask him. So we know that he gives us the things that we ask from him.-John 5:15 ICB

NOTE: Since there may not be time during the lesson to respond to all of the questions generated by students on this very broad topic, the journal entry can provide students an opportunity to express their curiosity and further wonderings, which can then perhaps be explored in future lessons. Primary students can often surprise us with their abilities to offer wisdom and profound insights as they begin to journey down their own paths of spiritual discovery.

BLM Day 1 Primary

Prayer isn’t telling God what to do, it is letting God help you remember what’s true.

Suggested Grade Level:JUNIOR

BOOK TITLE: Journey to the Heart

Frank X. Jelenek andPhoto Illustrations by Ann Boyajian

ISBN-13 9781557254825

BOOK DESCRIPTION:“We are off to take a journey to the center of ourselves…” are the first words of this inspiring book, which provides information and instructions on contemplative prayer practice for children. With age-appropriate illustrations and text that provide clear directions on how to engage in this practice, Journey to the Heart is an excellent resource to prepare the heart and mind for the joys of communicating with God.

MATERIALS:BookElmo – overhead projection device (if available)Laptop/computer/LCD projector/speakers (for presenting YouTube video)Large, plain white sheets of paperDrawing/colouring/painting materials

CATHOLIC CONNECTIONS:OCSGEAn Effective CommunicatorA Reflective and Creative ThinkerA Collaborative ContributorA Self-Directed, Responsible, Lifelong LearnerA Discerning Believer

Catholic Social Teaching: Dignity of the Human Person

Scripture Focus:Micah 6:6-8 Act justly, love kindness and walk humbly with God.R.E. Curriculum: Living A Moral Life, PrayingFamily Life Curriculum: Created and Loved by God, Living in Relationship

MINISTRY CURRICULUM LINKS:Language ArtsThe Arts

Identify the steps needed in order to engage in centering prayer

Learn about traveling to the deepest part of one’s heart Explore a relationship with God by practicing centering

prayer Recognize God as a special and loving friend

Before Reading:Tell students that they are going to be participating in a kind of prayer today, called a centering prayer. Let them know that you will be reading a book together that teaches about this type of prayer, but that you will first be listening to a song that helps set the stage. Tell students that while they are watching the video, they are invited to try to come up with a special, sacred, secret, Holy word that they will use during the centering prayer but that they will not share with anyone. Give several examples of possible sacred words… Jesus; God; love; faith; Holy Spirit; etc.

Play the following video, “Be Still and Know that I am God.”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKWGSzxtcZA

After students have watched the video, ask for student responses to the song. Tell students that for 3 minutes, they are invited to first record their sacred word, and then write a short private journal entry about anything that they’re feeling.

Pre-Reading:Show students the title and the cover of the book. Ask if anyone has ever participated in a centering prayer. Invite students to discuss why they think it might be called a “centering prayer.”ACTION (During) Approximately 20 minutes PAUSE & PONDERRead the book to the students. Invite students simply to listen the first time you read it and then let them know that they don’t need to follow any of the steps yet.

After reading, invite students to share their reactions to the book. Ask them to identify what they think are the positive aspects of centering prayer, and why they think Frank Jelenek wrote the book. Ask if anything in the book was surprising. Invite students to share what they think could be challenging about this type of prayer.

Tell students that you are going to divide them into 7 groups and that each of the groups is going to become an expert on one of the steps of centering prayer, in order to teach it to the rest of the class. Instruct each group to meet, discuss the step, and then identify one thing about the step that seems easy and one thing about the step that might be challenging. Give students about 5-7 minutes to work in their group. For groups that finish more quickly, invite them to memorize their step or to come up with a creative way to explain it. For those students assigned to Step 1, invite them to come up with as many possible sacred words as they can (without revealing their own secret word to one another)

Come together as a group and have each group explain its step, including what might be easy and challenging, following the step.

Engage in centering prayer as a class. In the whole group, proceed through the steps, relying on the group “experts” to guide the rest of the class in following their step.CONSOLIDATION (After) Approximately 15-20 minutes PAUSE & PONDERAfter Reading:While still in the circle, invite students to reflect on the centering prayer practice. Ask them to identify what worked, what was challenging, and their overall reactions to participating in the experience.

Art Activity:Distribute large sheets of white paper to students. Explain to students that today’s Catholic Education Week theme is, “Walking Forward Together.” Invite students to do a free drawing or painting on anything that comes to their minds related to this theme and/or centering prayer.

Suggested Grade Level:INTERMEDIATE

BOOK TITLE: The Oak Inside the Acorn

Max LucadoPhoto Illustrations by George Angelini

ISBN-13 9781400310040

BOOK DESCRIPTION:It was hard for Little Acorn to believe he would ever be a big, strong oak tree. Soon, Little Acorn grew into Little Oak. But now, what was he to do? He just grew and grew until he became Big Oak, and his branches were big and strong – but still, he didn’t know what he was to do. Then one day, Big Oak found that his strong branches were just right for a very special purpose. The Oak Inside the Acorn is the story of the miracle inside each of us. For within every child, is the special person God created, just waiting to grow. The book reminds us to trust that God is always with us in times of change and growth. As we journey to become the people we are called to be, we draw strength from the love of God, our steadfast companion.

MATERIALS:BookElmo – overhead projection device (if available)Laptop/computer/LCD projector/speakers (for presenting YouTube video)Copies of BLM Day 1 intermediate pageStudent journals

CATHOLIC CONNECTIONS:OCSGEAn Effective CommunicatorA Reflective and Creative ThinkerA Self-Directed, Responsible, Lifelong LearnerA Discerning Believer

Catholic Social Teaching: Dignity of the Human Person, Care for God’s Creation

Scripture Focus:Micah 6:6-8 Act justly, love kindness and walk humbly with God.R.E. Curriculum: Living A Moral Life, PrayingFamily Life Curriculum: Created and Loved by God, Living in Relationship, Living in the World

MINISTRY CURRICULUM LINKS:Language ArtsThe ArtsMedia Literacy

Recognize the importance of trusting God in times of change Explain the meaning of the title “The Oak Inside the Acorn” Identify a possible purpose God might have for them Write a short reflection on their understanding of what it

means to be the person God made them to be

Before Reading:Begin by showing the video of the song, “Who am I?” by Casting Crowns to students:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C53GgUJ6y-Y

Pre-Reading:Ask students to turn and talk to a partner about their reactions to the song. What did they think it was about? What messages did they think the song was trying to convey? Invite students to share their responses in the whole group setting and record their ideas on the board.ACTION (During) Approximately 20 minutes PAUSE & PONDERShow students the title and cover of the book. Ask them if they notice anything surprising about the title (how can an oak tree be an acorn?). If students don’t pose this question, then ask students to explain it. Ask students to make predictions as you read and then evaluate these predictions as you continue to read. Ask guiding questions as you are reading, such as:

What do you think the author means with the statement, “Within you is a great oak, Little Acorn. Just be the tree God made you to be.”?

What do you notice about how Mother Oak reassures Little Acorn about his future? How does this help him? Do you think this is similar to how most moms reassure their children about growing up?

How does Little Acorn change in the story? What helps him? How does Little Acorn finally figure out his purpose? How does Big Girl figure out her purpose? Why do you think the author chose an acorn to be the main

character of the story?

Possible ideas to emerge from the reading of the book: God designed each of us in his own image, yet made all of us unique. He did so because he loves us and wants us to glorify him. How one of the best ways we can do this is to be patient enough to understand his plan for us, to treat it and to follow his call. We each have a gift inside ourselves, which we must honour, and how we might also see and encourage the gift in others. 1

CONSOLIDATION (After) Approximately 15-20 minutes PAUSE & PONDERAfter Reading:Encourage students to reflect on becoming the person God calls them to be. Tell them that to prepare themselves to write a response on this topic, they will be participating in a walking meditation in which they reflect on what God’s plan might be for them.

Walking Meditation:Walking Meditation is a wonderful initiation for beginners into the art of Meditation. It is easy to practice and enhances physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Tell students that they will be heading outdoors for a 10 minute walking meditation and that during this meditation they are going to reflect on the question, “How can I become the person God made me to be?” Provide perimeters on how far they are allowed to walk, but explain that the

Consider connecting this lesson to the Grade 7, Fully Alive, Theme 1, Created and Loved by God, Topic 1: “Who am I?”

1 http://traininghappyhearts.blogspot.ca/2012/03/oak-inside-acorn-guest-post.html

point is to wander aimlessly without a specific destination at which to arrive. Explain to students that the idea is to be somewhere, rather than to go somewhere. Tell students that they are able to start out walking a little faster than normal, and gradually slow down to a normal walking speed, and then walk very slowly. Instruct students that they are to be mindful of their breathing, without trying to control it. Tell students that their breathing should feel natural, not artificial, and that they should try to let all worry and sadness fall away from them as they walk, and simply concentrate on the question. Let them know that they are to walk in silence, both internal and external. Explain that they need to be mindful of their walking and need to make each step a gesture of the peace and love we feel for God and for the universe. Encourage students to walk with slow, small, deliberate, balanced, graceful footsteps. Encourage students also to notice the beauty of their surroundings. (For more information about Walking Meditation, read, “Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life” by Thich Nhat Hanh Foreword by H.H. the Dalai Lama, published by Bantam Books.) Once students have returned from their walking meditation, ask them to see if their walking meditation helped them to find answers to the reflection question.

Journal Writing:Have students write a one page reflection which answers the question, “Who am I?” Encourage them to include ideas about what they think their life purpose might be and to identify people in their lives who can help them to figure out how to become the person God made them to be.

Distribute the reflection “Slow Me Down, Lord” and read it together with students.

You might consider having students keep the “Slow Me Down” reflection in their journals for further reflection and future journal writing.

BLM Day 1 Intermediate

Slow Me Down, Lord

Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind. Steady my hurried pace. Give me, amidst the day’s confusion, the calmness of the everlasting hills.

Break the tensions of my nerves and muscles with soothing music of singing streams that live in my memory.

Help me to know the magical, restoring power of sleep. Teach me the art of taking “minute vacations,”...slowing down to look at a flower, to chat with a friend, to read a few lines from a good book.

Remind me of the fable of the hare and the tortoise; that the race is not always to the swift; that there is more to life than measuring its speed.

Let me look up at the branches of the towering oak and know that it grew slowly and well. Inspire me to send my own roots down deep into the soil of life’s endearing values...that I may grow toward the stars of my greater destiny.

Slow me down, Lord.

~Wilfred Arian Peterson

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