Session 03: Chapter 03 pages 30-43

Reminders:

You know, these lesson plans are just one man’s opinion. If you have an inspiration on how to convey the content of the chapter or the main idea – go ahead! For what you get paid, you should be allowed some freedom too!

Materials Needed:

► Paper and pencils

Background-Main Objective:

Starter:

In many ways, this starter is the lesson.

[There are many historical examples of people, who while awaiting their execution, write a letter to their children. It is a last testament, a chance to share their values with the children they will never see. This is often true of people going into battle. Numerous examples of these letters were found in the pockets of dead soldiers of the civil war. Tell this to the kids. Ask them why people would want to do this? (Parents want to pass on their core values)]

Check out:

http://www.jewish-history.com/lastletter.htm

► Tell the kids that they are to write a letter to a child they will never see. They are going to executed for standing up to an injustice. In the letter they must address which injustice they are fighting. Also: What do they want the child to know about them? What values do they want to pass on to this child? Remind them that this is how the world will remember them. Have them share as much as they would like to the class.

►When done with the sharing, tell the kids that they have just revealed their spirituality in the contents of the letter. (Did any of them talk about God in their letters?) Have someone read the first sentence of Chapter 3 page 31. Discuss this sentence.

Lesson:

You could:

►[This stuff, the biographies of famous Catholics, will not go over too well with kids. Pre-read the chapter and highlight the different examples, particularly their approach to spirituality. They are different, yet they are all still Catholic. Or, you could divide the kids into groups and ask each group to take a person, then report back to the group.]

Or You Could:

► Have them follow up with the above letter example , by asking them to write a letter to God – a prayer. Read “Your Guardian Angel” page 38.

Or You Could:

► Talk about sex! Read “For Heaven’s Sake!” page 37. Ask the kids to put this into their own words. Does are culture try to separate sex from the soul? Yes or no? Why do they believe this? (It is the heart of marketing to separate the soul from the body!) Our spirituality, as Catholics, requires us to see the soul body connection. This wasn’t always true. If you have some recollections about Catholic teaching from the past, share them.