Catholic Religious Education (CRE) Week #5

Welcome back to my blog, and my weekly 7th Grade Lesson Plan. Is it Thanksgiving yet? I need a break! Last week was both a lesson and prayer time. I'm not sure the kids appreciated it at all, but when they I asked how many of them prayed the Rosary and only one of them raised their hand (my priest in training, of course), I knew we needed to pray the Rosary with them.

On a sadder note, my teacher's aide had a fire at her house while she was teaching, and she had to run off before class was over. No one was seriously harmed, but there was significant property damage, so please say a prayer for her and her family.

• Preparation for the Lesson
• Write the following on the board:
• Omnipotent = All powerful
• Omnipresent = Present everywhere at the same time
• Omniscient = All knowing
• Ask the students to reflect on these three attributes of God and to write in their notebook how it makes them feel knowing God is all of these things.
• Introduction
• Good morning. Today we are going to talk about God, Our Loving Father. Before we get to the words on the board, I would like you to turn to page 41 and begin with the opening prayer.
• I need 1 reader and the rest of you will respond to All.
• Okay! While waiting for class to start, I had y’all reflect on these three words of God.
• Let’s go around the class and say how it makes us feel knowing God is all of these things.
• Address any fears or uneasiness students may have
• Explain that God is also:
• All Loving = Loves us forever, despite hating our sin
• All Merciful = Wants to forgive us of our sins
• Chapter 4
• Now I would like you to turn into your books and I want someone to read the first two paragraphs on page 44.
• All of you know the Creation stories. However, what we are to take away from them is that God not only made everything and everybody but he loves us and has a plan for us.
• Now I need a reader to begin on page 45.
• Write the word Covenant on the board
• What is a covenant?
• Explain that the entire Bible is about God’s covenants with his people.
• Adam – husband and marriage
• Noah – father and family
• Abraham – chief and tribe
• Moses – judge and nation
• David – king and kingdom
• Jesus - Messiah
• Let’s continue on Page 46.
• Write the word mercy on the board.
• Have the students define it.
• Ask the students to think back to last year and the Old Testament.
• Have them recall how the Israelites kept turning away from God.
• Explain that God kept forgiving them and was merciful toward them.
• Ask them what God’s ultimate form of mercy and love was.
• Sending Jesus to die for our sins.
• Now on to page 47.
• Providence
• What does it mean?
• What is God’s ultimate plan for us?
• To love Him and go to Heaven
• Activity
• Pass out sheets of paper and colored pencils
• Have the kids draw a card for someone they know who seems sad or down.
• In the card, have them explain how God loves them
• Real-world application
• Pass out Our Father 2 person skit.
• Ask the kids how many of them know the Lord’s Prayer?
• How many of them know what they are saying when they say it? And how many just say it without thinking?
• Read through prayer-skit.
• How can we show God that we are thankful for His mercy and love?
• Praying
• Asking forgiveness for our sins
• Forgiving others
• What are ways you can show mercy and/or love to the following people this week?
• Parents
• Siblings
• Teachers
• Classmates
• This month we have the Saint Museum so start thinking early about who you want to dress up as and get your parents to help you if you need it.

For those of my readers wondering, our Catholic Religious Education Coordinator has the older children dress up as Saints on the Sunday closest to All Saints Day, and the little kids get to walk around and see them in their costumes and learn facts about each saint. It really is an awesome idea!