Inspiring Faith: Carlo Acutis

Overview

This 45-minute lesson introduces Year 6 students to the life and legacy of Carlo Acutis, a remarkable young figure in the Catholic Church. Through storytelling, discussion, and multimedia exploration, pupils will learn about Carlo’s early years, family background, and the key moments that shaped his Christian faith, fostering curiosity and reflection on personal spirituality.

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Curriculum Links

Area of Learning: Religious Education
The Northern Ireland Curriculum Reference:

• Minimum Learning Expectation: Explore how religious beliefs influence people’s lives (World Religions and Christianity Progression of Learning)
• Attitudes and Dispositions: Recognise and respect the beliefs and practices of others
• Cross-Curricular Skills: Communication (listening and expressing thoughts)
• Key Stage: P5 - Level 2 (Year 6)
• Competences: Exploring meaning and belief, Expressing meaning and belief

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will be able to:

1. Identify key facts about Carlo Acutis’ early life and family background.
2. Explain why Carlo Acutis is considered an inspiring figure in the Catholic Church.
3. Reflect on how faith can influence day-to-day actions in young people.

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Resources Needed

• Projector and screen
• Pre-prepared multimedia presentation (images, short video clips about Carlo Acutis)
• Printed timeline handouts of Carlo Acutis’ life for individual work
• Whiteboard and markers
• Sticky notes
• Bible or Children’s Bible (optional for reference)

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Objective: Activate prior knowledge about saints and role models.

• Pose a question on the board: “Can you name a young person you know who inspires others? What makes them inspiring?”
• Give pupils 2 minutes to discuss in pairs and 3 minutes to share ideas with the class.
• Link responses briefly to the idea of faith and role models, introducing the concept that saints and people like Carlo inspire others by their beliefs and actions.

2. Introduction to Carlo Acutis (10 minutes)

Objective: Share key information about who Carlo Acutis was.

• Use a multimedia presentation to tell Carlo Acutis’ story: his birth in Milan (1991), family life, his interests (especially in computers and the internet), and his deep Catholic faith.
• Show photos and a brief video clip (2-3 minutes) focusing on his life and values.
• Emphasise important facts: he was very young, dedicated to his faith, used technology to spread religious messages, and was beatified by Pope Francis.
• Encourage brief pair discussion: “What surprised you about Carlo’s story?”

3. Timeline Activity (15 minutes)

Objective: Understand the chronology of Carlo’s life events and growth in faith.

• Distribute printed timelines with significant events in Carlo’s life but jumbled.
• In small groups (3-4 pupils), students will arrange the timeline cards in the correct order.
• Groups briefly present one key event on the timeline to the class, explaining why they think it’s important.
• Teacher guides and clarifies events, ensuring all students grasp key milestones (e.g., his first Communion, interest in computers, his illness, and death at age 15).

4. Reflection and Discussion (10 minutes)

Objective: Encourage personal connection with faith and values.

• Pose reflective questions on the whiteboard:
  • “Why do you think Carlo’s faith was important to him?”
  • “How can young people today live out their beliefs like Carlo did?”
• Ask each student to write one way they could show kindness or faith in their everyday life on a sticky note.
• Place all sticky notes on a “Faith in Action” board or wall space. Briefly discuss diversity and respect for all contributions.

5. Plenary and Assessment (5 minutes)

Objective: Assess understanding and consolidate learning.

• Quick quiz: Ask five oral questions to the class, e.g.
  • When and where was Carlo Acutis born?
  • What hobby did Carlo have that was unusual for someone his age?
  • Why is Carlo Acutis called “the computer saint”?
  • How did Carlo show his faith in everyday life?
  • What do you think is the most inspiring thing about Carlo?
• Use pupils’ answers to informally assess understanding and correct misconceptions.

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Differentiation

• Support pupils who need help by providing sentence starters for timeline explanations.
• Challenge more able pupils to think about the impact of technology on faith and how they might use it for good causes.
• Additional adult support available during group work for pupils who need it.

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Reflection for Teachers

Consider:

• How effectively did pupils engage with the multimedia materials?
• Which parts stimulated the greatest reflection on faith and values?
• How might digital tools be further used in subsequent lessons to explore Carlo’s online work (e.g., Eucharistic Miracles website Carlo created)?

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Next Steps

Lesson 2 will explore Carlo’s use of technology to share his faith, building upon the understanding of his background gained today. Students will be introduced to the idea of evangelisation and digital mission.

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This lesson plan not only aligns with the Northern Ireland Curriculum’s focus on exploring beliefs and respecting others’ values but also integrates modern learning approaches like multimedia storytelling and collaborative activities, ensuring pupils are both informed and inspired.