Saints' Lives Journey

Overview

A 3-day lesson series introducing Year 4 students to the lives of saints, focusing on understanding key values, storytelling, and reflecting on personal character traits inspired by saints. Lessons are designed for 35 minutes each, for a class of 18 students, fully aligned with New Zealand Curriculum Refresh (Te Mātaiaho), emphasising the Religious Education learning area and embedding key competencies including thinking, relating to others, and managing self.

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Curriculum Alignment

Learning Area: Religious Education

• Phase: 2 (Years 4–6)
• Critical Focus: Expanding horizons of knowledge and collaboration
• Key Competencies: Thinking, Relating to Others, Managing Self
• Values: Respect, Integrity, Empathy
• Learning Objectives:
  • Students will understand and share stories about significant figures (saints) and their virtues.
  • Students will relate the values exemplified by saints to their own lives.
  • Students will develop respectful listening and speaking skills to engage with and respond to differing views respectfully .

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Day 1: Introduction to Saints and Their Stories

Learning Objectives

• Understand what a saint is and their role in religious stories.
• Listen actively to a saint’s life story and identify key qualities.

Materials

• Storybook or prepared simple text about a well-known saint (eg. Saint Francis of Assisi).
• Picture cards depicting virtues (kindness, courage, helping others).
• Whiteboard and markers.

Activities (35 minutes)

Time	Activity Description
5 min	Kia ora / Welcome & Set Purpose: Briefly discuss with students what a saint is ("a person who shows kindness and lives by special values").
10 min	Story time: Read aloud a carefully selected simple story of a saint’s life, highlighting their key virtues. Use images to support comprehension. Pause to ask open questions ("What do you notice about this person? What kind of things did they do?") to activate thinking.
10 min	Think-Pair-Share: Students talk to a partner about one thing the saint did that they liked and why. Then share with the wider class. Model respectful listening and responses.
5 min	Class discussion and Virtue Sorting: Show picture cards of virtues. Ask students to suggest which virtues the saint showed. Arrange cards on the board.
5 min	Reflection drawing: Students draw one thing they might learn or do inspired by the saint's story today.

Assessment

• Observe participation in discussion and sharing.
• Review drawings for evidence of understanding virtues.

Teaching Notes

• Use explicit vocabulary and rephrase students’ language to model next learning steps.
• Scaffold understanding using visuals and real-life connections.
• Foster respect for others' contributions during sharing .

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Day 2: Exploring More Saints and Their Virtues

Learning Objectives

• Recognise common virtues among different saints.
• Develop understanding that saints come from diverse backgrounds and times.

Materials

• Short story summaries of two different saints (e.g. Saint Teresa of Calcutta and Saint Peter).
• Chart paper for a ‘Virtues Tree’ with virtue labels.
• Sticky notes or cards for virtues.

Activities (35 minutes)

Time	Activity Description
5 min	Recap: Review previous day’s saint and virtues. Ask students to recall and share.
10 min	Interactive Read-Aloud: Introduce two new saints through short stories. After each, discuss what virtues the saint showed, asking students for evidence. Use guided questioning to support critical thinking ("How did this saint show kindness?").
10 min	Class Virtues Tree: Create a large tree on chart paper. Students place sticky notes or cards representing virtues under the tree. Discuss how many saints share these same virtues.
5 min	Pair Work - Saints and Me: Students write or draw on a card one virtue they want to practice, inspired by the saints they have learned about. Share with a partner using sentence starters: "I want to be more like __ because..."
5 min	Whole-class Sharing: Invite a few pairs to share with the class, reinforcing respectful listening and valuing different contributions.

Assessment

• Listen to partnership conversations and whole-class sharing for understanding and engagement.
• Check cards for personal connection to virtues.

Teaching Notes

• Integrate oral language development strategies: use sentence stems, provide vocabulary support.
• Encourage empathy and managing self through reflection on personal virtues aligned to saints' lives .

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Day 3: Applying Saintly Virtues in Our Lives

Learning Objectives

• Reflect on how saintly virtues can guide personal actions and relationships within school and community.
• Work collaboratively to create a collective class 'Saintly Code' of virtues.

Materials

• ‘Virtues Tree’ chart from Day 2.
• Large paper or board for ‘Class Saintly Code’.
• Markers, stickers for decoration.

Activities (35 minutes)

Time	Activity Description
5 min	Warm-up Discussion: Recall saints and virtues learned. Ask: "How can we be ‘saints’ in our own way at school and home?"
10 min	Collaborative Brainstorm: In small groups (3 students), generate ideas of how to show virtues like kindness, courage, and helping others at school. Teacher models and supports language.
10 min	Whole-class Creation: Groups share ideas. Teacher records on a large paper the 'Saintly Code' - a list of behaviours inspired by saints for the class to follow. Decorate the code collaboratively.
5 min	Role-play/Scenario Practice: Teacher presents simple classroom scenarios, and students role-play responses demonstrating saintly virtues. For example, "You see someone being left out. What could you do?"
5 min	Reflection and Goal Setting: Each student states one virtue from the 'Saintly Code' they will try to show this week.

Assessment

• Observe group discussions and role-play for application of concepts.
• Check verbal or written reflections for understanding and personal connection.

Teaching Notes

• Promote self-regulation and empathy through reflective discussion.
• Use positive language and affirmations to build motivation and a growth mindset.
• Foster a culture of respect and collaboration in line with curriculum values and competencies .

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Summary of Key Curriculum Links

Curriculum Aspect	Detail
Key Competencies	Thinking, Relating to Others, Managing Self
Values	Respect, Integrity, Empathy
Literacy	Oral language development through storytelling and discussions; vocabulary about virtues and feelings; collaborative communication practices【17:9,13†Te Mataiaho English Single Page.pdf】.
Social Sciences Element	Understanding diverse cultural and historical figures (saints) and their impact on society.
Assessment	Formative through observation, discussion participation, reflective drawing and writing, and role play.

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This lesson plan sequence incorporates vibrant, participatory learning approaches with strong curriculum grounding in Religious Education and literacy, designed for meaningful engagement of 8-9 year old students in New Zealand. It draws on explicit teaching, scaffolded social interaction, critical and reflective thinking, and inclusive pedagogy recommended by the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh.