This Week: Activities for the Sacred Heart of Jesus

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Religion Teacher | Catholic Religious Education

  • Resources
    • Graphic Organizers
    • Catholic Videos
    • Class Prayer
    • Teaching Strategies
    • Guide to Lesson Planning
    • Lesson Plan Templates
    • 31 Days Book
    • Christ in the Classroom
  • Activities
    • Advent Activities
    • Lent Activities
    • Easter Activities
    • Rosary Activities
    • Catholic Mass Activities
    • View All Activities
  • Lesson Plans
  • Worksheets
  • Shop
  • Join
  • Contact

Holy Trinity Lesson Plan

07/10/2017 By Jared Dees

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.

Matthew 28:19-20

Holy Trinity Lesson Plan

One God, three persons. God is a Holy Trinity, a communion of persons. What a great mystery for our students to seek to understand and for us to teach! This Most Holy Trinity lesson plan challenges students to us historic symbols of the Trinity to explain how God is one substance yet three distinct persons.

Holy Trinity Lesson Objectives

  • SWBAT explain that God is one substance, but three distinct persons.
  • SWBAT use the symbols for the Trinity to explain the mystery of the Trinity

Holy Trinity Lesson Activities

1. Hook

To introduce the concept of the Trinity, tap into the students prior knowledge of St. Patrick and the shamrock. Bring in a shamrock or show a picture to the students. Ask the students:

  • Does anyone know which saint used this symbol to teach about God?
  • And what did he explain about God using the shamrock?
  • (Or:) What do you think he taught people about God using the shamrock?

After you give the students a chance to explain what they know, use the shamrock to explain that God is one substance yet three distinct persons.

This video explains the meaning of the Shamrock as a symbol for the Trinity: 

Optional: Saint Patrick Video (members)

2. Trinity Presentation

Offer a more detailed explanation of the Holy Trinity here. Explain that Jesus sent out the disciples to baptize in the name (not the names) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28). God is one substance, but he is also distinctly three persons.

“It is the Father who generates, the Son who is begotten, and the Holy Spirit who proceeds” (Fourth Lateran Council).

Why is this important for our understanding of God? God is love (1 John 4:8). He is a communion of persons and the perfect model of love.

Reference: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 232-267

3. Practice: The Creed and the Trinity Activity

Give students copies of the Nicene (or Apostles) Creed. Give them three highlighters, markers, colored pencils or crayons. Have them distinguish between the three sections of the creed and label them Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

(Optional: you can also give students a copy of the Baptismal promises showing them how we profess our faith in the Trinitarian God when we renew our baptismal vows.)

4: Practice: Holy Trinity Craft

There are a lot of Holy Trinity craft ideas that would help your students practice meeting the objective of explaining the mystery of the Trinity with symbols.

Here are a few to try out in your Trinity lesson:

  • Printable Trinity Shamrock Craft (Catholic Icing)
  • Trinity Triangle Craft (Catholic Icing)
  • Trinity Triangle Lesson and Craft (Faith Sprouts)
  • Holy Trinity Activities and Crafts (The Catholic Toolbox)

5. Practice: Holy Trinity Worksheets

There are a few worksheets available to members of The Religion Teacher that will help students show their understanding of the Trinity. If you are a premium member, you can login and find them here or if you haven’t joined yet, then you can enter your email address here to have them sent to you.

The Trinity Prayer Worksheet: Students will write prayers to each person of the Trinity showing what they know about each yet uniting it together as one prayer.

God So Loved the World Worksheet: Students will reflect on God the Father’s love for God the Son and us.

6. Assessment: Teaching with Trinity Symbols

Divide the students up into groups of 3-4 students. Give each group a print out of a different symbol for the Trinity.

Have the students discuss how they can use this symbol to explain how God is one substance, but three distinct persons. Have the groups designate a representative for the group to speak on their behalf to the entire class. Give each group some time to present to the class.

Symbols for the Holy Trinity:

  • Shamrock (you can remind the students and use this as a model)
  • Triquetra (Trinity Knot)
  • Shield of the Trinity (Scutum Fidei)
  • Borromean Rings
  • Triangle
  • Trefoil
  • Fleur-de-lis
Trinity Symbols Worksheet

(Optional: Give the students a research assignment. Have them search online for the history and meaning of each symbol. Make sure they can explain when and where the symbol originated and how Christians have used it to teach about God through the years.)

To get an individual assessment of the students, have them complete an Exit Card: draw the symbol on the blank side and write the way it expresses the mystery of the Trinity on the lined side.

Download the Holy Trinity Worksheets

Here is another link to download a set of worksheets to help students learn about the Holy Trinity. You will get three worksheets: Trinity Symbols Worksheet, Trinity Prayer Worksheet, and God So Loved the World Worksheet. Or, if you are a member just login and find them online.

Filed Under: Featured, Lesson Plans Tagged With: holy spirit

About Jared Dees

Jared Dees is the creator of The Religion Teacher and the author of 31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator, Beatitales, Christ in the Classroom, and The Gospel According to Video Games.

Previous Post: « Hundreds of Print-or-Play Resources for Religious Educators
Next Post: The Rule of Three: Find Focus in Your Lesson »

Free eBook on Lesson Planning

Have you signed up to receive the free eBook, The Religion Teacher’s Guide to Lesson Planning. Whether you are a veteran teacher or in your first year, this guide provides a step by step process to effective lesson planning and provides 250 suggestions for activities and teaching strategies

Primary Sidebar

Get a free copy of The Religion Teacher's Guide to Lesson Planning and join more than 100,000 subscribers to The Religion Teacher.

The Religion Teacher Members

Login

or

Join

Connect with The Religion Teacher

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Catholic Religious Education Resources on Facebook

The Religion Teacher

Resources from The Religion Teacher

— NEW —

Including resources about
Pope Leo XIV.

Resource Pages

  • Advent Activities
  • Catechetical Videos
  • Catholic Lesson Plans
  • Class Prayer
  • Religious Education Resources
  • Rosary Activities
  • The Religion Teacher Store
  • The Religion Teacher Workshops

Archive

Footer

About the Founder, Jared Dees

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Jared Dees is the creator of The Religion Teacher and the author of 31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator, Just Plant Seeds, Beatitales, and The Gospel According to Video Games.
Invite Jared to Speak at Your Event →

Featured Resources

Copyright © 2025 · Jared Dees