Forty days. We have forty days to help young people grow into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ during Lent. How do we make the most of our time with them? First, think about some ongoing Lenten projects you can do with the students this year. How can you check in with them each time…
The Religion Teacher Blog
Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation Lesson Plan
You can use this lesson plan to prepare children for their first confession or at any time to help them prepare for the amazing experience of mercy in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation Lesson Objectives Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation Lesson Activities 1. Lesson Hook (Learn more about lesson…
A Lesson Objective Cheat Sheet for Religious Educators
In step 2 of The Religion Teacher’s Guide to Lesson Planning, I explain how to establish lesson objectives for your students achieve by the end of your lessons. This follows step 1, which is simply creating a list of all the most important topics that you might teach in the lesson you are preparing. Check…
Christmas Tree Lesson Plan
Christmas trees can be a great tool for catechesis whether at home or in a classroom. This lesson plan will help you unpack the symbolism of the Christmas tree customs with your students. They will be able to see their trees in a new way and even be able to teach their parents about what…
Action Homework Assignments
The following article is an expanded excerpt from chapter 5 of Christ in the Classroom: Lesson Planning for the Heart and Mind, which will help students learn, love, and live their Catholic faith. Think of the final step in your lesson plans as unassigned and ungraded homework. You want your students to freely choose to act…
Eucharistic Adoration for Kids
The following article is an expanded excerpt from chapter 4 of Christ in the Classroom: Lesson Planning for the Heart and Mind, which describes various ways to use contemplation in class to help students make personal connections to Christ through what they are learning. For many Catholics, myself included, the Eucharist and specifically eucharistic adoration played…
Planning a Catholic Prayer Service (with a Simple Format and Outline)
The following article is an expanded excerpt from chapter 3 of Christ in the Classroom: Lesson Planning for the Heart and Mind, which describes various ways to use meditation and prayer in class to help students make personal connections to Christ through what they are learning. The goal of planning a prayer service for class is…
The Power of Story in Religious Education
The following article is an edited excerpt from chapter 2 of Christ in the Classroom: Lesson Planning for the Heart and Mind, which describes various ways to use meditation in class to help students make personal connections to what they are learning. The simplest way to lead students in meditation is to invite them into…
Three Keys to Christian Meditation in Class
This article is adapted from a section in chapter 2 of Christ in the Classroom: Lesson Planning for the Heart and Mind. To get more teaching strategies like these, get your copy of the book wherever books are sold. The goal of Christian meditation is to make connections between a mystery of faith and our own…
The Seven Scaffolding Strategies for Teachers
This article is adapted from chapter 1 of Christ in the Classroom: Lesson Planning for the Heart and Mind. To get more teaching strategies like these, get your copy of the book wherever books are sold. What is a Scaffolding Strategy? Imagine, for a moment, the construction of a building. As each new level is…
