Reminders
Juniors
- Get your letters written to the Archbishop! You don't want to be spotted
out by him for not submitting one.
- Confirmation Names: If the candidate has a Saints name for a first
name, no problem. This Archbishop wants kids to choose the name of saint
(sorry we just found out!) and I would tell the kids to go online to
find out if they have a saints name (maybe their middle name is one.)
Have them go on the parish web site and click on Confirmation. I will
have links for Saints names on that web page.
Materials Needed
Paper and pencils
You may want to read the "If you have time"
section at the end of the lesson. This might be more appealing to you.
Suggested objects for the Starter
sunglasses, suntan oil, compass, medium-size rock, TV
Remote, candy bar, clock, flashlight, beads, backpack, keys, gift bag.
Use your imagination and whatever is available.
Background Main Objective
Last time we focused on the two great
sacraments. This time we highlight the fact that ritual and religion is
all about conveying a deeper meaning, for that we use symbols and these
symbols then become sacred or sacraments. |
Starter
Begin the session by saying something like this:
- "I'm going to place a number of items on the table, one at at
time and I would like you to take a brief moment to consider a word
or phrase which comes to mind. The connection doesn't have to be religious-just
anything the object suggests to you."
- Proceed to place each object on the table and give time for everyone
to write their responses.
- At the end of the process, hold up each object and ask for sample
of the written responses. These will be varied. After doing so for each
object, invite observations or conclusions from the group.
- Summarize in words such as: It is clear from the variety of answers
which were given that these objects do not have a meaning by themselves,
but we bring a meaning to them. We bring a meaning to symbols.
None of these objects by themselves can be a symbol, unless
we participate in that meaning through our own understanding and connection
to events in our lives."
- On a separate piece of paper, have the kids write: Who, What, When,
Where and Why, down the page leaving space underneath each heading.
- Ask the kids to pick one object and asks them to recall a personal
story which the object suggests. Recording things like, Who the situation
involved; where it took place; when it took place; and why it was significant.
- After several minutes of personal time divide the group in half and
ask them to share their stories, appoint someone in the group to summarize
for similarities and differences in the stories. Allow several minutes
for this.
- Summarize by saying: Even very simple objects like these can remind
us of stories-events which have been significant in some ways for us.
Symbols remind us of stories. Some symbols are better
at recalling a variety of stories than others, but the stories are first
ours. Those stories take on larger significance if they remind us of
common stories.
- Ask the kids to share similarities and differences.
|
Lesson
- Ask the kids to recall the seven sacraments of the church
- Baptism
- Reconciliation
- Eucharist
- Confirmation
- Holy Orders
- Matrimony
- Sacrament of the Sick
- Assign two kids to a sacrament(if you have enough, others some will
be by themselves). Have them read to themselves, the information about
their sacrament in the pages of Chapter 11.
- Can the kids recall the symbols, the physical elements for their particular
sacrament? See if they can.(For example, baptism-water, oil, garment,
candle etc.). When done:
- The Church uses these symbols to convey meaning. Now ask the kids
to tell the class what they think these symbols or elements mean.
- The Church has symbols for all these key passages in a persons life.
These symbols mark the milestones, the highlights of life.
If their is time:
Branding is a big part of advertising. Can they think of logos that brand
or symbolize a product? What do they think the logo is supposed to mean?
What would their personal logo or symbol look like? What would it mean?
[Maybe they could draw it or prepare one for next class!] |
