Preparation is a key to effective teaching. Lesson planning can be so much more than creating a list of activities for students to do. Take a look at the following questions and consider them a process by which you can lesson plan each week. Ask yourself the following questions when you create your lesson plans:…
Middle School
Learning New Student Names
As the first days of school begin in the coming weeks, here are some activities and tips for learning your new students’ names. Note Cards: Distribute note cards to each of your students. On the blank side, have them print their name largely and legibly. On the lined side, have them write information that will…
Scripture-Based Classroom Rules
When you are developing your classroom rules this year, you may want to consider a couple of Scripture passages to provide a framework for acceptable behaviors. You will, of course, need to create succinct rules such as “follow directions,” “seek permission to get out of your seat by raising your hand,” “raise your hand to…
The Bread We Offer
Deacon Greg Kandra (The Deacon’s Bench) posted a great video from the Boston Globe about a company that produces altar bread on his blog this December. This short video is something that you and your students will no doubt find interesting to watch. You may reflect on this prayer from the liturgy with your students:…
Saint Patrick’s Breastplate Prayer Activity
Copy and paste the prayer into a word document. Number each section, print it out, and then cut it into sections to distribute to your students. If you have time, include the last line of the preceding stanza in each section. For example: “…The Creator of the Universe” I bind myself today The virtue of…
Top 10 Resources on the USCCB Website
http://www.usccb.org/The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has a number of resources that religion teacher and catechists may find helpful on their very extensive website. Most of the information is directed toward an older audience, so you can find some good background reading for yourself. In my opinion, these are the top ten most useful…
