Discovery Through Gospels

Curriculum Area and Level

Curriculum Area: Religious Education
Level: Years 7-8, aligned with the New Zealand Catholic Curriculum Levels 3-4.

Lesson Plan

Objective

By the end of the lesson, ākonga (students) will be able to identify and articulate themes from the Gospels that can be used to plan for weekly prayers.

Materials Needed

• Copy of the Holy Bible (New Testament)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed excerpts of the Gospels
• Sticky notes
• Notebooks and pens

Lesson Structure

Introduction (5 minutes)

1. Greeting and Prayer (2 minutes): Start with a short opening prayer to set the tone of reverence and focus.

2. Objective Overview (3 minutes): Explain to the ākonga the aim of the lesson: to discover themes within the Gospels and use them to plan prayers. Introduce how understanding themes can enrich their prayer life and connect them deeper to their faith.

Activity 1: Gospel Reading (10 minutes)

1. Group Formation (2 minutes): Divide the class into small groups of 3-4 students each. Ensure each group has a copy of the Holy Bible and printed excerpts from different Gospels (choose well-known passages like the Good Samaritan, Sermon on the Mount, etc.).

2. Reading and Highlighting (8 minutes): Instruct each group to read their assigned Gospel passage and highlight any recurring ideas or messages. Encourage them to think about how these ideas can relate to their daily lives and prayer.

Activity 2: Theme Identification (10 minutes)

1. Theme Brainstorming (5 minutes): Each group discusses amongst themselves to identify a theme from their passage (e.g., compassion, forgiveness, love, faith). They write these themes on sticky notes.

2. Class Sharing (5 minutes): Groups take turns sharing their highlighted themes with the class. Stick the notes on the whiteboard under categories if similar themes emerge. This visual clustering helps to see common threads across different Gospel passages.

Conclusion and Reflection (5 minutes)

1. Whole-Class Discussion (3 minutes): Facilitate a discussion on why these themes are important and how they can guide personal prayers. Ask leading questions to prompt reflection, such as "How can you incorporate the theme of compassion into your daily prayers?"

2. Wrap-Up and Homework (2 minutes): Summarise the lesson's key points. Assign a follow-up activity: each student chooses one theme discussed today and writes a short prayer centred around it to share with the class next week.

Evaluation

• Monitor group discussions to ensure engagement and understanding.
• Collect and review the sticky notes to assess theme identification.
• Encourage students to share and reflect on their homework prayer activity in the next class.

By closely adhering to this structure, teachers will effectively scaffold how ākonga can find and use themes from the Gospels, making their prayer planning meaningful and spiritually enriching.