Demonstrating Excellence

Overview

This 60-minute lesson is designed for Year 7-8 students in New Zealand, focusing on Christian perspectives of demonstrating excellence through living out faith with actions, serving community, glorifying God in personal achievements, and undertaking a personal challenge or project. The lesson aligns closely with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh principles, values, and key competencies, fostering critical thinking, community participation, integrity, and ethical decision-making.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

Understand the concept of excellence from a Christian perspective with emphasis on faith in action.
Explore ways to serve their community as an expression of living out their Christian faith.
Reflect on how personal achievements can glorify God.
Plan or commit to a small project or personal challenge demonstrating excellence in faith and actions.

Alignment with NZ Curriculum Refresh

Values: Excellence, community and participation for the common good, integrity, and equity (NZ Curriculum p.10).
Key Competencies: Managing self (goal-setting, reflecting), Relating to others (empathy), Participating and contributing (service), and Thinking (critical, creative, ethical decision-making) (NZ Curriculum p.12-13).
Curriculum Principle: The curriculum encourages students to express values through actions and decisions in authentic contexts (NZ Curriculum p.9, 10, 12).
Phase Critical Focus: Years 7-8 focus on “Seeing ourselves in the wider world and advocating with and for others” (Te Mātaiaho overview).

Lesson Plan Breakdown

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

Activity: Start with a brief interactive discussion: "What does excellence mean in our everyday lives and how can living out faith relate to excellence?"
Teacher prompts: Refer to Christian teachings on faith and actions (e.g., James 2:17 – faith without works).
Resource: Print or write up key Bible verses and Christian quotes on a whiteboard to refer to throughout the lesson.

2. Exploring Excellence through Faith and Service (15 minutes)

Activity:
- Present brief stories/examples of Christians demonstrating excellence by serving others and glorifying God in their achievements (e.g., community helpers, athletes using their talents for good).
- In groups of 4-5, students discuss: How can serving others be a way of living out faith? How can personal achievements bring glory to God?
Key Competencies Focus: Relating to others, Participating and contributing.
Print Handout: Short scenarios describing community-serving actions reflecting Christian virtues.

3. Personal Reflection and Goal Setting (10 minutes)

Activity: Individually, students write in their reflection journals about a personal challenge or project they might undertake that demonstrates excellence through faith in action.
Teacher guidance: Use sentence starters like, "One way I can serve my community and live out my faith is..." or "My personal challenge/project for demonstrating excellence is...".
Key Competencies Focus: Managing self.
Resource: Reflection journal or paper templates with guiding questions.

4. Project Planning and Sharing (15 minutes)

Activity:
- Students share their planned personal challenge or project in small groups, receive feedback and suggestions.
- Groups then present one or two ideas to the whole class.
Teacher Role: Encourage students to refine their challenge/project idea focusing on serving others and glorifying God.
Possible project ideas: Volunteering in school or local community, organising a fundraiser for a charity, demonstrating excellence in a skill for God’s glory.
Key Competencies Focus: Participating and contributing, Thinking.

5. Conclusion and Assessment (10 minutes)

Class discussion: Recap what it means to demonstrate excellence through Christian faith in action.
Formative Assessment: Students complete an exit slip answering: "How will my personal challenge help me demonstrate excellence in faith and actions?"
Assessment Focus: Clear articulation of Christian perspective on excellence, and setting a meaningful, achievable goal/project related to faith and community service.

Resources

Bible verses and Christian quotes on excellence and service (printed or displayed).
Handout with example stories of Christian service and achievement.
Reflection journals or printed templates with guiding questions.
Whiteboard or projector for discussion points.
Paper for exit slips.

Differentiation and Inclusion

Support students who may need assistance with writing through sentence starters and group discussions.
Allow students to express their personal challenges or projects verbally if preferred.
Inclusion of multiple perspectives where students discuss values respectfully, consistent with New Zealand Curriculum’s cultural responsiveness and respect for diversity.

Extension Ideas

Follow-up lessons where students report on progress with their personal challenge/project.
Invite local community members or church leaders to speak about living Christian faith through service and achievement.
Art integration: Students create posters symbolising excellence through faith and service to display in the classroom.

References from New Zealand Curriculum Refresh

Values: Encouraging excellence, integrity, community participation, and equity reflected in everyday actions.
Key Competencies: Managing self, Relating to others, Participating and contributing, and Thinking utilised in project work and reflections.
Phase focus (Years 7-8): Seeing ourselves in the wider world and advocating with and for others, supporting ethical decision-making and social contribution .
Curriculum Principles emphasize teaching for students to express values through practical, ethical actions.

This plan offers a comprehensive, reflective, and practical approach grounded in the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh, aiming to engage Year 7-8 students in meaningful Religious Education with a strong Christian perspective on excellence.

Teaching Instructions