Be My Disciples TE Gr 4 by RCL Benziger

TEACHER EDITION 4

Welcome to a sample of Be My Disciples School Grade 4 — Teacher Edition. Included in this sample: Introduction of Be My Disciples Catholic School Program l

Cover, Title Page, Acknowledgments, and Table of Contents

Welcome Lesson and Prayer Lesson Wrap

From Day One Teacher Workshop — Your starting point for confident, capable, committed catechesis

Unit 1 including l

Unit Opener Background Information

Chapters 1–4 Lesson Plan with reduced student pages

Catholic Social Teaching Lesson Plan

Unit Review Lesson Plan

Please note that pages 4–15 and 31–40 are not included in the sample. We hope that this sample will help you experience the beauty and rich content of our Catholic faith through Be My Disciples.

Peter M. Esposito President Jo Rotunno, MA Publisher Anne P. Battes Associate Publisher Program Advisors Michael P. Horan, PhD Elizabeth Nagel, SSD

GRADE FOUR TEACHER EDITION School

Thank you for reviewing Be My Disciples program for Catholic schools from RCL Benziger. This pre-publication electronic sample may be utilized for the product review of the Be My Disciples program grades 1-6 and Junior High levels. The contents are not intended for student, parent and family, or classroom use at this time and may not be copied for any purpose. Copyright © 2013 RCL Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. The Imprimatur and Statement of Conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church are pending. For further information about the program and its support materials for teachers, students, families, and program directors, please contact your local RCL Benziger sales representative. You may also call our Customer Service Department, 877.275.4725, for contact information about your local representative. RCL Benziger is grateful for your ministry in Catholic education. We are also grateful that you have chosen to review our newest program, Be My Disciples,, to support you in sharing the faith with future generations.

Acknowledgements

Excerpts are taken and adapted from the New American Bible with Revised New Testament and Revised Psalms, © 1991, 1986, 1970, Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Excerpts are taken and adapted from the English translation of the Roman Missal, Third Edition, © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy, Inc. (ICEL); Rite of Confirmation (second edition),, © 1975, (ICEL); Pastoral Care of the Sick: Rites of Anointing and Viaticum, Viaticum © 1982, (ICEL); Rite of Penance, © 1974, (ICEL); General Instruction of the Roman Missal, The Roman Missal, Missal © 2010, (ICEL); General Introduction to the Roman Missal, © 2010, (ICEL); United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, Adults © 2006, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C.; National Directory for Catechesis, Catechesis, © 2005, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. No part of these works may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Excerpts from Second Vatican Council: Dogmatic Constitution on the Church [Lumen Gentium]; Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation [Dei Verbum]; Dogmatic Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy [Sacrosanctum Concilium]; Rites of the Blessing of Oils and Consecrating the Chrism, © 1972, (ICEL); Pastoral Care of the Sick,, © 1982, (ICEL); John Paul II, Catechesis in Our Time [Catechesi Tradendae], (16 October 1969); John Paul II, Rite of Ordination to the Priesthood, homily, (21 April 2002); Brother John M. Samaha, S.M., Holy Days of Obligation, Or Holy Days of Opportunity;; excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America, second edition, © 1997, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.- Liberia Editrice Vaticana; excerpts from the General Directory for Catechesis, © 1997, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Washington, D.C.; Popular Devotional Practices: Basic Questions and Answers, 2003, (USCCB), Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. No part of these works may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Excerpts and adaptations of prayers were taken from the book of Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers, © 2007, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. No part of the book of Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder. Copyright © 2014 RCL Publishing LLC All rights reserved. Be My Disciples is a trademark of RCL Publishing LLC. This publication, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form by photographic, electronic, mechanical, or any other method, for any use, including information storage and retrieval, without written permission from the publisher. Send all inquiries to RCL Benziger, 8805 Governor’s Hill Drive, Suite 400, Cincinnati, OH 45249. Toll Free Fax

877-275-4725 800-688-8356

Visit us at www.RCLBenziger.com and www.BeMyDisciples.com 20774 ISBN 978-0-7829-1643-0 (Teacher Edition) 20764 ISBN 978-0-7829-1637-9 (Student Edition) 1st printing Manufactured for RCL Benziger in Cincinnati, OH, USA. March, 2013

Contents UNIT 1: We Believe, Part One Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

God’s Word to Us. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 I Will Be Your God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 The Mystery of God. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 God’s Promise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

UNIT 2: We Believe, Part Two Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8

The Son of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116 The Death and Resurrection of Jesus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 Receive the Holy Spirit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 The People of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164

UNIT 3: We Worship, Part One Chapter 9 People of Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..186 Chapter 10 Celebrating God’s Love.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..202 Chapter 11 Sharing in Christ’s Life and Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..218 Chapter 12 Responding to God’s Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..234

UNIT 4: We Worship, Part Two Chapter 13 Jesus Feeds Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..256 Chapter 14 Jesus Forgives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..272 Chapter 15 Jesus Heals the Sick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..288 d’s Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..304 Chapter 16 Signs of God’s

UNIT 5: We Live, Part One Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20

Created ed in God’s Image. Image. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..326 The Beatit udes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..342 udes. Beatitudes. Living a Holy Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..358 Living Livingg God’s Covenant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .374

UNIT 6: We Live, Part Two Chapter 21 Love God with All Your Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .396 Chapter 22 Love Your Neighbor as Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .412 Chapter 23 Love One Another. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .428 Chapter 24 The Prayer of Disciples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .444

We Celebrate the Church Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .464 Catholic Prayers and Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .500 We Celebrate the Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .508 Key Teachings of the Catholic Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .516 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .522 Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .526 Credits and Footnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .527

A Teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Prayer for Discipleship Lord, make me your disciple. Help me to bring the Good News to others as you did. Give me the courage to answer your call, as Simon and Andrew and the other Apostles did, and to invite others to answer bravely too. Give me the wisdom to see that following your Way brings blessings and true joy, and give me the words and actions to show this wisdom to others. Give me your spirit of forgiveness, that I may never allow anger or judgment to enter into my relationship with my students. In this way, I will help them to be reconcilers too. Give me the reverence to pray always, in my words and in my deeds. Help me to teach my students to pray, that they may grow ever closer to you. Give me the gift of creativity, to bring your message of hope alive in the hearts of my learners, so that I can engage their hearts, heads, and hands in the work of the Gospel. Give me a spirit of generosity and poverty, so that I will never become too attached to the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goods. Help me to inspire my students to see the emptiness of material things. Give me the faith of Martha and Mary, to find the balance between prayerfulness and my good works for the Gospel. In this way I will lead my students to greater works than my own. Spirit of Love, help me to proclaim the Good News to all I meet, so that I can hasten the day when your Reign will come in its fullness. I ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

16 Grade 4

From Day One Your starting point for confident, capable, committed catechesis

Welcome to Be My Disciples! Thank you for answering Jesus’ call to discipleship! You have agreed to serve in the Church’s ministry of the Word as a Catholic school teacher. Your decision is a sign of your faith commitment to the young people and their families, to your fellow teachers, and to your school and parish. RCL Benziger not only wants to support you, but also to empower you with the knowledge, skills, and spirituality needed to be a confident, capable and committed teacher and catechist. From day one, as Be My Disciples was being developed, great consideration was given to the learner, the learning process, and to you—the teacher and catechist. This built-in interactive workshop will help you get the year off to a great start From Day One. You’ll also find a correlation to related modules in the Echoes of Faith program for teacher formation that will increase your confidence still further.

For Reflection From Day One, think about the ways you have answered the call to discipleship and who has nurtured you along the way. Now think of the ways you can help the young people in your class to be engaged learners as they answer Jesus’ call to discipleship.

Grade 4

Be Confident: You Are a Catechist! As a teacher of religion, you are a catechist. You are joining a long line of dedicated believers stretching back through the ages who have answered God’s call to share the Catholic faith with others. Like them, you have been touched by your experience of Jesus Christ and are unable to keep the Good News to yourself. Dr. Thomas Groome speaks of the catechist as a “leading learner.” This image can help you remember that you do not need to have all the answers. You are still learning yourself, and that process will continue for the rest of your life, as a teacher and as a Christian. But you are indeed a leader for the students in your care. They look to you for information, but even more, they look to you as a role model. This is both an honor and a great responsibility. As important as your role is, it is not the most important one in the faith formation of these young people. That role is reserved for their parents; your role is to support them. Ideally, the home is the “domestic Church” in which the Catholic faith is nurtured on a daily basis. In others, family pressures may get in the way and make your classroom the best experience the students have of the Church, at least for a time. The best attitude to have toward the families of your learners is to assume that, at heart, all parents want the best for their children and that they are grateful for your assistance. Your role in the students’ faith formation is to make more explicit for them the Scripture and doctrine of the Catholic Tradition and to give them opportunities to integrate their new knowledge into their daily lives. It is to help students celebrate the great events in the life of Jesus Christ, his mother Mary, and the great Saints of the Church throughout the year. In this role you are helping the students establish their Catholic identity.

For Reflection 18 Grade 4

How well equipped are you to be a “leading learner” in your catechetical setting? What do you see as your strengths and weaknesses? Discuss your assessment with your principal or catechetical leader. He or she can help you establish a growth plan for continued learning throughout the year.

Be Confident…The Six Tasks of Catechesis [T]he definitive aim of catechesis is to put people not only in touch but in communion [and] intimacy with Jesus Christ. On Catechesis in Our Time 5

Just as some actors play multiple roles in a drama, so will you in your role as a catechist. At times, you are a storyteller, at others a facilitator, a presenter, or a leader of prayer. At all times, you are a witness to your own faith in Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church defines six key tasks for you to fulfill in your role as a catechist. The General Directory for Catechesis, published in 1987, guides the worldwide Church in its catechetical mission. It identified six important tasks of catechesis (GDC 85– 87). These tasks are reiterated in the National Directory for Catechesis, published in 2005 (NDC 20). Reflect on the list on the next page and assess your abilities in each of these areas before you begin the year.

The Six Tasks of Catechesis 1. Promoting knowledge of the faith. Teachers introduce their learners to all that has been revealed through Jesus Christ by initiating them gradually into the whole truth revealed through Scripture and Tradition. 2. Liturgical education. As a catechist, you will help students understand the Church’s sacramental life and give them an experience of the signs, symbols, gestures, prayers, and creeds of the Church. 3. Moral formation. Moral catechesis involves both the announcement of the Good News through your proclamation of the Gospel call to moral living and your presentation of what the Church’s Tradition teaches about this message. The Disciple Power feature in every chapter helps you introduce the young people to the gifts, virtues, and habits of Christian living.

4. Teaching to pray. Every chapter begins and ends with prayer. Be My Disciples will provide you with a wide variety of prayer experiences to introduce the students to the Church’s tradition of prayer. The last chapter in the student’s book teaches and extends the young people’s knowledge of the Our Father every year. 5. Education for community life. You are leading children into a way of life that you have already been privileged to experience. You invite them to join a loving community of faith, to live simply and humbly, to care for the poor and alienated, to forgive as they wish to be forgiven, and to join in common prayer. Your classroom will become a daily experience of Christian community for the students. 6. Missionary initiation. Catechesis prepares children to live the Gospel in daily life and to prepare the way for the coming of the Kingdom of God. Be My Disciples is filled with suggestions for outreach activities and service projects to help young people begin to participate in the Church’s mission. Be sure to note the Catholic Social Teaching feature at the end of each unit.

FOR FURTHER STUDY See the Echoes of Faith Plus “Roles of the Catechist” and the “Person of the Catechist” modules. Go to EchoesofFaith.com for more information.

For Reflection

For which task of catechesis do you feel most qualified? Which seems most daunting? Share with another teacher what strengths and concerns you bring to the catechetical vocation. Grade 4

Be Capable… The Be My Disciples Approach A BALANCED APPROACH An innovative religion curriculum that empowers children and their families to answer Jesus’ call to “Be My Disciples” • Invites children to discipleship • Teaches Scripture, Doctrine, and Celebration • Challenges children to integrate faith and life

You feel confident as a teacher when you know what your role is. You will feel more and more capable as you develop the skills to facilitate the catechetical process effectively. Be My Disciples uses a unique balanced approach to children’s catechesis rooted in the mandate of the General Directory for Catechesis that all catechesis include formation as well as information, so that the life of the learner may be transformed (see GDC 29). A BALANCED APPROACH that

Invites through its Catechumenal Methodology

Teaches through its Spiral Structure of Scripture, Doctrine, and Celebration

Challenges through Integration Activities and Faith Choices

A Child-Centered Catechesis

20 Grade 4

nvites students to discipleship through a • i invites dynamic methodology that incorporates the latest findings in brain research, psycho-social development, and emotional intelligence. • t eaches, reinforces, and extends knowledge of Catholic doctrine and the Church’s seasons every year in every grade through RCL Benziger’s unique spiral structure. • c hallenges students to a deeper integration of faith and life by leading them to higher levels of thinking and encouraging a weekly faith choice.

Be My Disciples helps students to know and live their faith through loving service to others. Here is what they will experience through the balanced approach. 1 Begin with Life.

LIFE

2 Grow in Knowledge.

A Child-centered Catechesis

LEARN

LIVE

4 Practice the Skills of

LI N K

3 Connect Faith with their Experience.

For Reflection

Which do you think is more important in catechesisâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the teaching of the truths of the faith, or facilitating the integration of faith and life? For which of these tasks are you the most qualified? What could you do to balance your strengths and challenges? Grade 4 21

Be Capable… The Eight Human Methodologies The National Directory for Catechesis describes eight methodologies, or avenues through which individuals come to faith. Be My Disciples incorporates these methodologies in a consistent way throughout the program.

1. Learning through Human Experience We respond to God’s invitation through our human experience. Every Be My Disciples chapter begins by engaging the child’s interest and imagination and helping them relate the lesson concept to their experience.

2. Learning by Discipleship We learn the Way of Jesus Christ by choosing to follow him and do what he asks of us. Be My Disciples incorporates New Testament reflection and activities in every unit to assist in the young people’s growth in discipleship.

22 Grade 4

3. Learning within the Christian Community The witness of the Church shows these young people how to believe, worship, and to take up the Gospel call to service. Each week, Be My Disciples invites students to make concrete faith choices for the Kingdom of God.

4. Learning within the Christian Family The Christian family is often the first experience the child has of what it means to live in a Christian community. The family offers the first and best environment for growth in faith. Be My Disciples engages the family through the With My Family take-home pages, and through a variety of other projects and activities both within the text and online at BeMyDisciples.com.

5. Learning through the Witness of the Catechist

7. Making a Commitment to Live the Christian Life

You will be a powerful influence on your learners’ faith formation this year, both by the faith knowledge you will share with them and, most importantly, by your witness of the Catholic faith. Your words and actions model for the children what it means to live a Christian life. Your Be My Disciples Catechist Guide offers you front-to-back catechist formation to assist you every step of the way.

Our acts of commitment to live the faith, made again and again throughout our lives, are how we learn what it means to have faith. Be My Disciples invites young people to make a faith choice at the end of every chapter so that they can live the faith more deeply in the coming week.

6. Learning by Heart

Learning by apprenticeship allows us to learn from an experienced Catholic, a mentor, who can give us insight into the Christian life. You are such a person for your learners this year. Be My Disciples also provides activities at every grade level inviting young people to begin modeling for younger children actions of a disciple.

When we “learn by heart,” we make knowledge or a skill our own. Memorization of key definitions, doctrinal formulations, and prayers plays an important role in building religious literacy and identity. Be My Disciples highlights faith vocabulary and reinforces key concepts in every chapter through student book sidebar features and Teacher Guide strategies.

8. Learning by Apprenticeship

Look for a box in every chapter’s lesson plan that will assist you in incorporating the human methodologies into your lessons. The boxes provide you with helpful background information, activities, and lesson strategies.

FOR FURTHER STUDY Review the Echoes of Faith Plus Methodology module for grades 3 and 4. Look for activities and teaching techniques that utilize the eight human methodologies. Go to EchoesofFaith.com for more resources.

For Reflection

Which of the human methodologies has most helped you grow in faith? How will utilizing the different methodologies help you to be a more effective teacher and catechist? Grade 4

Be Capableâ&#x20AC;Ś Getting to Know your Fourth Graders For various reasons today, rather more than in the past, the child demands full respect and help in its spiritual and human growth. General Directory of Catechesis 177

These incredibly curious fourth graders want to learn about the world around them and may enjoy researching topics that interest them. With their increased attention span, these students tend to spend more time on activities that interest or excite them. Fourth graders tend to think more critically and often want to share their opinions about what they are learning. On the cusp of adolescence, fourth graders want physical challenges craving serious cooperative and competitive games and yearning for self-challenges. They are more independent, and are developmentally mature to handle many responsibilities and situations with little adult intervention. Socially, friendships are increasingly important and peer pressure may become more of an issue at this age. These active young persons have a strong sense of fairness and right and wrong. They also begin to broaden their adult role models beyond their families and become more interested in bettering the world and helping others. Even though this age group can think more critically, their thinking strategies are still more concrete, logical and organized. Thinking abstractly is better when it relates to their direct experiences but they do grasp concepts. Nine and ten year olds appreciate being trusted and are more intrinsically directed. As a role model for these fourth graders, you are a special witness to the faith in the lives of these impressionable children!

Growing in Discipleship In their faith journey, fourth graders enjoy learning about the heroes of the Bible and the stories of the People of God. They have a strong desire to learn about people, past and present, and their differences. 24 Grade 4

Because they value the attitudes and habits of important adults in their lives, learning about virtues and moral habits is critical at this stage of faith formation. They begin to realize that true happiness comes from knowing and loving God. They develop a deeper appreciation of Scripture, liturgy, community and prayer. These young persons can begin to apply Jesus’ teachings to their own lives and become involved in efforts that will help them recognize their own unique gifts and their role in the Christian community. As you nurture these young people in their relationship with Jesus, help them to know how special they are to God and in the Christian community. This is an exciting time to watch students grow in their faith, as they learn to answer the Jesus’ call to Be My Disciples.

Physical Characteristics Rapid and irregular physical growth Changes in physical growth increase tiredness Rapid brain growth Active and curious

Cognitive/Learning Skills Inquisitive and questions adult concepts

Relationships Peer acceptance is important Desires independence Focuses on role models Accepts responsibility

Religious Growth Developing a value system Exhibits a strong sense of justice Seeks guidance from God for everyday decisions Questions matters of faith Enjoys a variety of prayer forms Relates Bible messages to life experiences Desires to participate in liturgical celebrations in a more meaningful way

FOR FURTHER STUDY The module entitled “The Learner” in Echoes of Faith Plus provides a good overview of the human stages of growth and development. Go to EchoesofFaith.com for more resources.

Transitioning from concrete to abstract thinking Prefers learning experiences with peers Exhibits varied ability levels

For Reflection

• What do you remember about your experiences as a fourth grader? What are the similarities and differences between your experiences and today’s fourth graders? • How does this help you understand your fourth graders, to enjoy them, and to plan for your religion classes this year? Grade 4

Be Capable… Helping My Fourth Graders Learn For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another. Romans 12:4-5 God has given each of us variety of spiritual gifts to help us to grow individually and in the community. Each gift is unique and each person and gift is needed. It is through these diverse spiritual gifts that we are one body in Christ! Knowing your own gifts will assist you in helping your second graders discover their own gifts. The way you learn and the way each young person learns is also unique and these are gifts from God. How are you smart? How do you prefer to learn? How do you respond emotionally to help you think and form relationships?

Learning Smart

A well-known educator, Howard Gardner, believes that each of us is born with at least eight different ways of processing and responding to new information that he calls multiple intelligences. All of us possess each of these kinds of ‘smart’ in one degree or another. The particular combination of these intelligences is what makes each of us unique; there is usually one or several of these intelligences that is dominant for each person. Refer to the “Eight Kinds of Smart”” on the next page.

Learning Ways

When you were in school, did you prefer just listening to a lecture, taking notes while you were listening or did you keep your fingers or your feet tapping while your were listening? Do you like to read a novel or see movies? Do you want just the facts or do you prefer open-ended questions with lots of possibilities? The answers to these questions tell a lot about the ‘ways’ you prefer to learn and express yourself. You may prefer to learn by listening, by seeing, by imagining or by doing. Students have these preferred learning styles as well. Young people today are also digital learners. They access information quickly from multimedia sources; primarily utilizing the internet, laptops and cell phones. Learning takes place through multitasking while processing pictures, sound, color and video before text. Digital learners are graphic thinkers! They respond to learning that is relevant, instant, active, useful, and fun.

Learning Heart

How do your recognize your own emotions and how do they affect your thoughts and behaviors? 26 Grade 4

How do you manage your emotions and adapt to change? How do you understand the emotions, needs, and concerns of other people? How do you develop and maintain good relationships and communicate clearly? The research of Daniel Goleman on ‘Emotional Intelligence’ is an important part of understanding who you are and who you are in relationship with others. The ‘heart’ must be a part of learning in order to grow in a faith response that lets you share why you love being Catholic! As children grow in relationship with others and Jesus, they need to know how to express their own feelings and knowledge to have common ground with their family, classmates, and people from other cultures and religions. Learning heart will help students to be engaged and active members of the Church. Be My Disciples provides a variety of strategies that respect the many gifts of students as they learn smart, learn ways to grasp the knowledge and learn heart to grow spiritually. To assist you in engaging all your learners, look on the next page for some activities related to the eight intelligences that support the different ways students can learn and express their relationship with God and one another.

FOR FURTHER STUDY The “Methods for Grades 3 and 4” module of Echoes of Faith Plus will help you provide activities that will assist many kinds of learners. Go to EchoesofFaith.com for more resources.

For Reflection

• Knowing your own gifts will assist you in helping your fourth graders discover their own gifts. How do you learn “smart” and what are your preferences for learning? How does this help you understand the young people in your class so that your catechesis will engage them more? • How will you nurture and incorporate the emotional intelligence of the young people so that their faith response will be more authentic?

LogicSmart WordSmart

SelfSmart

ImageSmart

Kinds of Smart

PeopleSmart

BodySmart

SoundSmart NatureSmart

Language and Music-Related Activities • Researching word meanings meanings puzzles • Word games and puzzles • Reading and Bible search activities • Storytelling and journal writing • Learning hymns and Mass responses • Writing prayers or songs • Using background music for activities

Object-Related Activities

• Learning “how many?” of different categories • Celebrating the liturgical seasons • “You are there” activities such as placing oneself in the action of a Bible story • Using maps and models • Using or creating graphic organizers • Posters and art activities • Crafts and classroom dramas • Using gestures with songs and prayers • Expressing response through dance • Nurturing plants and animals • Creating gardens or nature areas

Person-Related Activities

• Cooperative learning activities • Peer tutoring and sharing • Teaching other students • Games and simulations • Quiet prayer times • Writing and drawing in journals • Creating autobiographies • Self-assessment activities

Teaching Trends

• Build in more discovery. • Put content in context. • Pose problems first and teach second. • Give fewer conclusions. • Integrate digital learning. • Utilize higher-level thinking techniques.

Grade 4

Be Capable . . . Designing the Environment The most important task of the catechesis of children is to provide, through the witness of adults, an environment in which young people can grow in faith. National Directory for Catechesis 48E.2 The learning process can occur in any place, anywhere, at any time. Our Master Teacher, Jesus, taught while he was walking, sitting on a hillside, preaching in the synagogue, or conversing in a home. Jesus modeled a variety of ways to teach through telling stories, asking questions, offering compassion, and challenging others. He also knew that the physical needs of people must be met so they can focus on God’s message. A caring, child-centered environment helps invite young people to discipleship. Since passing on faith is a sacred task, it deserves the creation of sacred space.

Prayer Space

Every learning enviroment shold integrate a catechetical space that is focused around an age-appropriate prayer space. Here are some suggestions: • Cover the table with an attractive cloth that matches the liturgical season.

28 Grade 4

• Place a crucifix at the highest point in the prayer space. • Place a candle on the surface of the table as a sign of the light of faith. Light the candle only during the prayer service. Use an electric or flameless candle if school fire regulations require it. • Enthrone an open Bible on the table. The opening lesson in your student book includes a prayer service for enthroning the Bible on the first day of class. • Place a plant or other objects in the prayer space to symbolize the lesson theme or the liturgical season. • You may want to consider placing a cell phone, laptop, or another type of technology in the prayer space. Make sure it is turned off ! This can indicate to your learners that digital media, when used properly, can be used to communicate the Christian message.

Learning Space

Now it’s time for careful consideration of the other aspects of your sacred learning space. How will you create a distinctive space for catechesis? Here are some questions to help you create a student-centered learning environment that will encourage faith reflection: • Are chairs or desks arranged in such a way to promote cooperative learning? Is the arrangement flexible to allow for individual, small, and large group learning experiences? • Can you easily transition the young people to the prayer space for a more solemn reading of Bible stories and prayer services? • Can you adjust lighting during reflective activities or prayer services? • How can you display student activities? Is there a way to use liturgical colors in the learning area beyond the prayer space? • Do you have some reflective music available for use in prayer services and reflective activities? As you know, music can help to set the mood appropriately to signal that the class is moving into a more sacred time. Consider utilizing the Be My Disciples Music Program to enhance the learner’s knowledge of liturgical music and experience of prayer.

Learning Materials

You will need the usual essentials: pencils, pens, paper, and some art supplies. Here are a few other items you will want to have available to enhance your religion classes: • Materials for the prayer space • A class set of Bibles • Maps of the Bible lands • Photos and posters that match the lesson themes • General literature titles connected to the lesson themes • A DVD/CD player How will you incorporate digital learning solutions to engage these young learners and where can they be incorporated into the physical space? Discuss with your principal or catechetical leader what resources are available and learn how to use them. If you have a smart phone or laptop and have Internet access in the classroom, there are many resources at BeMyDisciples. com that could enhance your classroom lessons. The Church asks us to “proclaim the Gospel to the world of youth with courage and creativity” ((General Directory for Catechesis 181). Jesus used all the means available to him in his own time to invite others to conversion, and so should you!

FOR FURTHER STUDY Take a look at the Echoes of Faith Plus module “Getting Started” for ideas on creating a positive environment for catechesis. Go to EchoesofFaith.com for more resources.

For Reflection

• What can you do to plan an effective sacred learning space for your lessons? • How can you create an inviting climate for prayer that will deepen the experience for your learners?

Grade 4

Be Committed: Being A Person of Prayer Liturgical formation . . . must explain what the Christian liturgy is, and what the sacraments are. It must also however, offer an experience of the different kinds of celebration and it must make symbols, gestures, etc., known and loved. General Directory for Catechesis 87

To teach others to pray requires, first of all, that you are a person of prayer yourself. Your students look to you as an example of what a prayerful person looks like. Prayer is listening with openness to God’s Word, and responding in faith, hope, and love. Our response involves a willingness to spend time with God, to ponder the words of Scripture, to discern God’s message to us, and to respond with our whole selves—body, mind, and heart. Spending daily time alone with God in an attitude of openness and thanksgiving will transform you and prepare you to be the inspiration to the children that you hope to be and that they deserve. Worship is simply the prayer of the Church. We gather together to lay our lives before God the Father, to praise him and give thanks for the gift of his love, and to join with his Son in offering our lives for his service. That is why the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to liturgy as “the participation of the People of God in the work of God” (CCC 1069). Liturgical celebrations weave together signs and symbols drawn from our human experience—words and actions, singing and music, and sacred images. An artful blending of these elements produces a worship experience that can evoke for us the mystery of God and lead us to a fruitful response.

As the students experience such gestures as signing, anointing, blessing, and kneeling within the intimacy of your classroom setting, you will be preparing them to participate more fully in the worship of the whole community. Just as you have certain ways of praying with which you are most comfortable, you will find that children have their preferences too. The many approaches that are included in the Be My Disciples program will provide a true school of prayer for your learners.

How Be My Disciples Will Help You

• Beginning and closing prayer experiences in every lesson • A rich variety of prayer experiences using the signs, symbols, and gestures of the Church’s liturgy whenever appropriate • An exposition of the rich variety of the Church’s tradition of prayer, liturgy, and Sacraments • Tips for enhancing the classroom prayer experiences • A closing chapter on the Our Father that summarizes the year’s Gospel message

FOR FURTHER STUDY See the Echoes of Faith Plus “Prayer and Spirituality” and “Liturgy and Sacraments” modules. Go to EchoesofFaith.com for more resources.

For Reflection

• How do you create opportunities in your daily life to hear the voice of God speaking to you? • What forms of prayer will you most enjoy leading for your learners? 30 Grade 4

Welcome Creating an inviting environment is an important part of everything you do with the students. Before your first class, prepare name tags for them. Greet each student as they arrive. This will help them feel safe and ready to learn. The first day of classes provide the opportunity for you to get to know the students. By setting realistic expectations, introducing them to their new books, and creating an atmosphere of prayer and hospitality, they will know they are welcome.

Welcome to

A Snapshot of Me My name is: A hero of mine is: My favorite Bible story is: My favorite book is:

Making Good Choices

Every day we use the gift of our minds to discover good choices. The Church guides us to make the best decisions. This year you will learn four ways the Church helps us. You will learn: • what Catholics believe about our relationship with God. • how the Sacraments help us celebrate our good choices. • rules that guide us in making good decisions. • ways to pray when we need God’s help and the guidance.

Figure It Out!

Follow this path to make good choices. At each stop along the way, discover a way God helps us to make a right decision. A clue in each box will help you know the answer. Unscramble the letters and write the answer. Move along the path to the next choice box.

Unit 1: We Believe, Part One God is the real author of this. The Holy Spirit inspired the human writers of the Bible to write God’s Word for his people. Unscramble the words, and then check your answer on page 15. Tell a partner about your favorite Scripture story.

D S A R E C

T E R U C S R P I

SACRED

SCRIPTURE

Invite Give each student a name tag with their name on it. You can find additional introduction activities at BeMyDisciples.com.

Discover and Involve → Read the “Making Good Choices” section and then have the students complete the “Figure It Out!” activity. → The read the Unit 1 activity aloud. Show the class the Bible, and ask for other names that describe it. Have them turn to page 15 and find the words Sacred Scripture. Have everyone write the answer.

Student Page 6 Grade 4 41

→ Then read the Unit 2 activity aloud. Have the students turn to page 92 and find the name Holy Spirit. Have everyone write it on the line in the activity. → Have the students read the clue in the Unit 3 box and turn to page 137 to find the word described by the clue. Ask volunteers to share their discovery. → Invite the students to read the Unit 4 clue. Ask the group to tell what they think the answer is. Have turn to page 190 to find out. visitthem www.BeMyDisciples.com → Work with the students on the → Share with the children the many Unit 5 activity to help them learn activities on the Faith First Web another way they can be followers site. of Jesus. Ask the students to work together in pairs and share → Encourage the children toone visitway they can live as a child of God. www.BeMyDisciples.com → Workout withthe thetitle students the → Point and on theme Unit 6 activity. themtoturn of next week’s Have chapter the to pages 322 and 323 and discover children. another name for Our Father.

Unit 2: We Believe, Part Two

Write who guides us to live as children of God. Tell a partner one other thing you know about this answer. Check your answer on page 92.

L H Y O

T S R I P I

HOLY

SPIRIT

Unit 3: We Worship, Part One

During this season of the liturgical year, we celebrate that Christ is risen. He is always with us, and will come again in glory. After you unscramble the word, check your answer on page 137. Share how your family celebrates this season with a partner.

S E R A E T EASTER

Unit 4: We Worship, Part Two

Write the Sacrament that helps us begin anew. Tell a partner one thing that happens at this celebration. Check your answer on page 191.

N O T E L R I C A I C N O I RECONCILIATION

Unit 5: We Live, Part One

Write the name of the eight guides to happiness Jesus gave us. Tell a partner one kind of person who is blessed by God. Check your answer on pages 243 and 244.

A S E U T D I B T E BEATITUDES

Unit 6: We Live, Part Two

Write the name of the prayer that teaches us how Jesus tells us to live. Tell a partner one thing this prayer teaches. Check your answer on page 322.

R U O

H F T R E A

OUR

FATHER 7

42 Grade 4 Student Page 7

Pray

Do Not Worry Leader: O Lord, we gather to thank you for speaking to us through the Holy Bible. All: Your word is truth and life. Leader: A reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew. All: Glory to you, O Lord. Leader:

[Jesus said,] “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life. . . . Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more important than they?. . . Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Soloman in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you Matthew 6:25–30 of little faith?” The Gospel of the Lord.

All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. Come and bow before the Bible.

→ Invite the students to prepare for prayer. Reverently hold a Bible slightly above your head and lead them in procession to the prayer space. → After a moment of silence, lead the class in praying Do Not Worry. Use a hand gesture to invite the students to join in when you want them to pray their parts of the prayer. → After the prayer, place the Bible on the prayer table and reverence the Bible by standing before it and slightly bowing your head. Invite each student to come forward and do the same. → Thank the students for being good learners. Invite them to experience the feeling of this sacred prayer space throughout all their classes and the coming school year.

TEACHING TIP Creating a Prayer Space. Having a prayer space that is decorated in a special way will help the students realize the importance of prayer. Display the Bible in your prayer space in such a way that shows its importance. Talk about respecting the Bible. Always hold the Bible reverently when you proclaim God’s Word. Before you pray together, allow a moment of quiet time and share with the class that God is with them.

Student Page 8 Grade 4 43

U NIT

1 We Believe Part One

Objectives In this unit, the students will learn: → The Bible is the inspired, written Word of God. → The gift of faith helps us know and believe in God

who has revealed himself most fully in his own Son, Jesus Christ.

→ Every person is created in God’s image and likeness

and called to share in the life of the Holy Trinity.

→ Jesus is the Savior God promised to send to save all

people from sin and suffering.

Spiritual Insights God makes himself known to us through Revelation in order to both give us something and to draw a response from us. Both this gift of God and our response to his Revelation are called faith. By faith, we are able to give our minds and hearts to God, to trust in his will, and United States Catholic to follow the direction he gives us” (United Catechism for Adults Washington, D.C.: USCCB, 2006).

“It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).

Living the Six Tasks of Catechesis Promoting Knowledge of the Faith: Saint Robert Bellarmine (1542–1621) Even as a young boy in Italy, Robert felt called to serve God as a priest. After years of study, he was ordained a Jesuit priest. His first assignment was teaching Greek at a boys’ school. Robert was successful only because he first taught himself the language by staying one lesson ahead of his students in the textbook.

Robert had a gift for preaching. People traveled great distances to hear him explain the Scriptures and to defend the faith during the challenges of the Reformation. He also wrote two catechisms to help people grow in their understanding of the Catholic doctrine. Although he became a bishop and then a cardinal, he never lost his thirst for learning and teaching. Cardinal Bellarmine lived a very simple life, even when he lived in a lavish apartment in the Vatican while serving as the Pope’s official theologian. It is said that he took down the hangings that decorated his walls and donated the fabric to clothe the poor. When he was quizzed about his empty walls, he showed his sense of humor by declaring, “The walls won’t catch cold.” Saint Robert Bellarmine is an excellent model for teachers and catechists. His life encourages us to know our faith well so that we can share it with our learners. He reminds us to be proud of our calling to profess our faith in Jesus and the Church.

Sharing Your Faith Find a partner to work with: a spouse, a friend, a fellow teacher/catechist. Come together at the beginning or end of each unit for shared prayer and discussion. Use the questions below as a starting point. As an alternative, record your thoughts in a personal journal. → What three words describe your journey of faith? → How has God made himself known to you? → What prompted you to become a teacher and

catechist?

Joseph

We Believe

UNIT

Part One

Unit 1 Opener The Unit 1 opener pages assess the student’s prior knowledge about the key faith concepts in the unit. Processing these pages should take no more than fifteen minutes.

David Isaac

Opening Page

Abraham

The Family of Jesus Jesus has a family tree with very deep roots! We call Jesus Christ the son of David and the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob. Many years later, Obed, who was descended from Jacob, became the father of Jesse. Jesse became the father of David the king. Even later, another Jacob who was descended from David, became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her, Jesus the Messiah was born.

Invite the students to tell you what they see in the image on the page. Proclaim the Scripture story, The Family of Jesus. Ask: How many of the people in Jesus’ family tree have you heard of ? Share what you remember about them. Do not respond to their answers at this time.

Getting Ready → Invite the young people to write their

The total number of generations from Abraham to the Messiah is forty-two generations. Based on Matthew 1:1–17 9

responses to the questions and directions under What I Know, the Faith Terms, and Questions I Have in the second column.

→ Invite a few volunteers to share their

responses, but do not correct them at this time. Tell the students that they will return to this page to check their learning at the end of the unit.

What I Know What is something you already know about these faith terms?

→ For Questions I Have, you might write

their questions on the board or on a piece of newsprint so that you can refer to them when the topics come up in the unit.

Faith

→ Ask the class to look at the next page and

Divine Providence

Questions I Have

begin Chapter 1.

The Bible

Messiah

Faith Terms Put an X next to the faith terms you know. Put a ? next to faith terms you need to learn more about.

What do you know about how to find passages in the Bible?

The Church What would you tell a friend about what the Church believes?

Divine Revelation Sacred Scripture truthfulness YHWH Original Sin

What questions would you like to ask about the mystery of God?

Almighty Creator

Student pages 9, 10

CHAPTER

God’s

Word to Us

BACKGROUND

The Living Word of God As Catholics, we cherish the Scriptures, the inspired holy Word of God. We believe that words of Sacred Scripture tell the story of the many marvelous ways that God spoke and continues to speak to us, drawing us to live in covenant and communion with him. The Scriptures are not just any group of stories. They are the living Word of God.

Interpreting the Bible Familiarizing ourselves with the Bible does not mean merely to memorize chapter and verse, although it is always good to be familiar with particular Bible passages. We strive to understand the depth of God’s message to us. To do this we employ three criteria for interpreting the meaning of Sacred Scripture. First, we are attentive to the content and unity of the whole of Scripture. We avoid lifting a particular passage out of context. This means that we always read each passage and each book with regard to the whole of the Bible. Second, we appreciate Scripture as part of the living tradition of God’s people. The inspired books of the Bible are written less upon paper than they are upon the hearts of the People of God. Thus, only within the living body of the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, can Scripture be interpreted, and the meaning of God’s Word to us be truly discovered.

Being Fed by the Word of God When we proclaim, reflect upon, meditate over, or study the Scriptures, we are nourished by the Word of God, living and active among us. [S]uch is the force and power of the Word of God that it can serve the Church as her support and vigor, and the children of the Church as strength for their faith, food for their soul, and a pure and lasting fount of spiritual life. . . . Access to sacred Scripture ought [therefore] to be open wide to the Christian faithful. (Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation [Dei verbum]) 21, 22

As catechists who venerate and employ Scripture through all of our formational, liturgical, and educational endeavors, we constantly bring people to the table of the Word of the Lord. We invite people to be fed with the living Word of God.

Third, we do not simply read the Bible as if it were like any other type of literature. We always remember there is a deeper message leading us into greater faithfulness to God.

For Reflection What passage from the Gospel sheds special light on Jesus Christ for me?

Grade 4

How does prayerfully reading Sacred Scripture provide strength for my faith and food for my soul?

Teacher to Teacher Passing On the Word of God In the beginning of the Church, God’s Word was passed on primarily by word of mouth. There were very few written copies of the writings of Sacred Scripture. Those that did exist had to be carefully copied by hand. Since the printing press, all that has changed. Printed, and now electronic, copies of Sacred Scripture are easily available. Many of these are available in child-friendly editions.

Becoming Familiar with the Word of God Spend some time reflecting on the Scripture readings assigned for this Sunday’s Mass. Familiarity with the Scripture readings will carry over into the classroom. In your sessions, try to use the Bible frequently and guide the students in becoming familiar with it. For example, ask the students to put their fingers between the Old Testament and the New Testament and see which is bigger. Then look back at the table of contents and have them try to remember which books are found where. You might even create and play games to see how many of the names of the books of the Bible they can remember. These simple, fun, and effective techniques can really help the students learn their way through the Bible.

The Church Teaches… “Human experience provide the sensible signs that lead the person, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, to a better understanding of the truths of the faith” (National Directory for Catechesis, 29A). In this chapter the students will be introduced to the concept of Divine Revelation and faith and how the two work together to help them come to know and believe in God.

Further Reading and Reflection For more on the teachings of the Catholic Church on the Sacred Scripture, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 101–133; and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pages 23–33.

Teacher Prayer Spirit of Wisdom, help me this week to always share the Word of God wisely and generously with the students. Amen.

Lesson Planner Chapter 1 Focus

God’s Word to Us

To discover that the writings in the Bible are “holy writings” because they are the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit

LESSON PART DAY Focus

EXPLORE

To explore Sacred Scripture as God’s Word Pages 11–13

MATERIALS and RESOURCES

PROCESS

Bible

→ Proclaim and discuss Genesis 1:1–5 (story of Creation); Matthew 5:14–16 (You are the light of the world).

Pencils Crayons or markers

→ Explore the significance of the Bible.

Index cards

Disciple Power: Truthfulness Activity: Choose a Bible verse to pass on to others.

DAY Focus

DISCOVER

To discover that Sacred Scriptures are the holy writings of God’s people inspired by the Holy Spirit Pages 14–15

DAY Focus

DISCOVER

To discover the content of the Old and New Testaments Pages 16–17

→ Review the nature and inspiration of Sacred Scripture.

Bibles

Faith Vocabulary: Sacred Scripture, Bible

Pencils

Faith-Filled People: The Israelites

Index cards

Scripture: The Gospel of Luke tells about the teachings of Jesus (Luke 1:1–4); “I AM” (Exodus 3:14).

Slips of paper

Activity: Write a name that the Bible uses for God.

Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 61 Decorating Bible Verses

→ Learn about the Old Testament.

Bible

→ Learn about the New Testament.

Pencils

Faith Vocabulary: Covenant

Index cards

Catholics Believe: The Holy Spirit

Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 61 Character Maps: Biblical Figures Making a Word Search

Scripture: “Everything the Lord has said, we will do” (Exodus 19:8). Activity: Complete a puzzle using words about the Bible.

DAY Focus

DECIDE

To discover how to locate passages in the Bible, and to decide on a response to the lesson on the Word of God Pages 18–19

DAY Focus

CONCLUDE

To reflect on how the gesture of signing our foreheads, lips, and hearts prepares us to listen to God’s Word

→ Learn how to find a Scripture passage in the Bible. Activity: Locating a Scripture passage

Additional Activities Booklet: Activities 1a and 1b or see BeMyDisciples.com

Activity: Complete a Scripture reflection based on Matthew 5:14–16 (Light of the World). My Faith Choice: Decide when to read and pray with Scripture this week.

→ REVIEW Review concepts: Recall, Reflect, and Share. Bible, candle, cross for prayer space, pencils

→ PRAY Lights in the World

Assessment Tools Booklet: Assessments 1a and 1b

→ Grade 4 Music CD

Preview the With My Family page and the theme of the next chapter.

Pages 20–22

Assign online Chapter Review

Grade 4

BeMyDisciples.com

DAY Looking Ahead In this chapter the Holy Spirit invites you to →

CHAPTER

EXPLORE the Bible, God’s Word for us.

DISCOVER how reading and praying the Bible brings us closer to God.

DECIDE ways to live as a disciple of Jesus.

EXPLORE

Pray → Greet the students as they

enter class. Ask them to quiet themselves for prayer.

→ Remind the students that God is

present with them. Begin with the Sign of the Cross. Say a simple prayer thanking God for his presence:

God’s

Dear God, thank you for being with us as we explore your Word in the Bible. Amen.

W ord to Us

Reflect

What is your favorite story that your family enjoys telling? Why do you enjoy hearing this story?

→ Tell a short, favorite story of yours,

The Bible is filled with stories about God’s love. These words are from the first story in the Bible. Listen carefully to this part of the story of creation.

such as a family story. Then read the questions at the top of the page. Invite several students to share a story and invite responses.

In the beginning, darkness was everywhere and a mighty wind filled the air. God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw how good the light was. God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light d ‘ ay,’ and the darkness he called ‘night.’ There was evening and then came morning. It was the first Based on Genesis 1:1–5 day of creation.

→ Invite the students to tell about the

images that they see on the page.

→ Read aloud or paraphrase the first

What else do you remember about the Bible story of creation? 11

paragraph. Then prayerfully read aloud the Scripture passage from the Book of Genesis. This is God’s own story of creation.

→ Pose the reflection questions aloud.

TEACHING TIP Getting to Know the Students. You might help the students to identify themselves as Christians by cutting out paper fish to use as nametags. With words and pictures, they can tell about themselves and their interests on their nametags. Have the students wear their tags for the rest of the day, and encourage them to share their words and pictures as a way to become better acquainted with anyone in the class they don’t know. It would be a good idea to wear a nametag like theirs, so they can get to know you better, too. Tell the students that it is important to identify ourselves as Christians. Ask them how people could tell they are disciples of Jesus even if they aren’t wearing a Christian symbol. Remind them that their actions speak loudly and people they don’t know will see their light.

Tell the students to close their eyes for a moment and reflect on the questions.

→ Have the class open their eyes.

Invite responses to the questions. Remind the students that God is always with us. The Bible is filled with stories of God’s love.

Focus → Use the Looking Ahead section to

preview the chapter content.

→ Tell the students that on the next

pages they will learn more about how the Bible came to be.

Student page 11

DAY

EXPLORE

Introduce

Disciple Power

→ Ask the class if something special

has ever been handed down to them. Be prepared with your own example to jump-start the discussion if necessary.

→ Tell the students that they are

going to learn about something very valuable that has been handed down to them.

Truthfulness God is the source of all truth. His Word is truth. God wants us to live “in the truth.” We do this when we let God’s Word guide our words and actions. A person who is truthful does not tell lies. A truthful person admits mistakes. Love and trust grow when we practice truthfulness.

Reading the Bible Megan’s grandmother read her Bible early every morning, before the rest of the family was awake. She told Megan that this was a special time of the day. Grandma said that reading from the Bible was one of the best ways to start her day. She listened to and spoke to God during those quiet moments. Megan loved to listen to her grandmother tell stories from the Bible. She often asked Grandma to share her favorite Bible story. Every time, her grandmother told a different story. Megan never could decide which one was her very favorite.

→ Invite volunteers to read the story

about Megan and her grandmother reading the Bible. Allow the students to react to the story. Ask the class if they know someone who reads the Bible regularly.

Who has shared a Bible story with you? How do you know the Bible is important to that person?

→ Invite the students to help you to

complete a timeline about the Bible. Point out that the timeline will not include the Old Testament. Place the dates a.d. 50, a.d. 100, and the current date on a horizontal line on the board or newsprint. Remind the students that “a.d.” stands for “anno domini,” which means “the year of the Lord.” It indicates the number of years since the presumed year that Jesus was born.

→ Write God’s Word and truth on the

board. Ask the students to tell you how they are related. Read aloud Disciple Power to find the answers. Remind the students that we grow in our love for God by reading the Bible. Reading the Bible helps us discover the truth about who God is and who we are.

Student page 12

Many years later, after Grandma died, Megan’s father gave the Bible to Megan. This Bible was precious to Megan because of her relationship with her grandmother. This Bible reminded Megan of her grandmother when she would turn its well-worn pages. Megan would always treasure this Bible and those memories of her grandmother.

DISCIPLE POWER Truthfulness. The Eighth Commandment, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16), commands us not to lie about our neighbor. God asks us to be truthful at all times. Truthfulness is the habit of being honest in our actions and in our words and is a virtue that shows the true character of a person. Just as we want others to be truthful and honest in speaking of us, so we should be equally truthful and honest in speaking of others. Ask the students to give examples of times when it is hard to be truthful. Why do we not tell the truth? Why do we exaggerate or tell a lie? Point out that we should be truthful not just because we do not want to be caught in a lie. We are called to be truthful because we are disciples of Jesus Christ. It shows we respect ourselves and others.

DAY

EXPLORE

Sharing the Bible

→ Pick up the story again in

One day Megan was looking through her grandmother’s Bible. She found a folded paper between two pages in the Gospel of Matthew. Megan carefully unfolded the paper. It was a drawing she had made of her Grandma’s “favorite” Bible story.

→ Ask if they have a favorite story

Sharing the Bible. Again, give the students the opportunity to react to the story. from the Bible. Let them share with another student. Challenge them to draw a word picture for their partner.

In the picture, a girl was standing beside a rose bush. The girl had a huge smile on her face and a big bright sun was shining down from the corner of the page. Megan remembered the story that went with her picture. She found the passage in Grandma’s Bible, You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.

→ Relate the grandmother’s words of

wisdom at the end of the story to your discussion of truthfulness.

Reinforce

Matthew 5:14–16

→ Use the reflection questions to

Her grandmother had said, “Let the Bible be your guide. Your bright light will show everyone the truth of God’s love.”

reinforce the main points of the lesson: reading and cherishing the Word of God and passing it on to others.

How can the Bible be a guide in your life? Activity

Look through this chapter and choose a Bible verse that has a message you would like people to know and believe. Write it in this space. Make a card that you could pass on to someone.

→ Point out the picture on the page.

Ask: How is Megan letting her light shine?

Connect

THE TASKS OF CATECHESIS Promoting Knowledge of the Faith. As Christians we are asked to bear witness to Jesus in our actions. “Let your light shine” means that our faith is evident in the way we live our lives. We respect all those whom we meet. We treat everyone with dignity and respect. We respect the integrity of God’s creation. In these ways, we bring Jesus’ light into the world. Brainstorm with the students what it means to let your light shine. Who is a light for them? Which qualities does this person have that makes them a light for the world?

Explain the activity and give the class time to look through the chapter. After they have recorded their Bible verses in their books, distribute index cards and have them make Pass It On cards. Encourage them to give the message to someone today.

Pray Ask the class to repeat each phrase: Lord God, your Word is a lamp for my feet a light for my path. Amen.

Student page 13

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept • Our faith has been handed down to us from the first disciples of Jesus. • God is the author of Sacred Scripture.

Pray Invite the students to echo the prayer:

Faith Focus

Why are the writings in the Bible holy?

Faith Vocabulary

Sacred Scripture The holy writings of the people of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and collected in the Bible. Bible The Bible is the Word of God. It was written by human writers who were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Lord God, open our hearts and minds to listen to your Word. Amen.

→ Ask the class what they think it

means to hand on the faith. Invite several students to tell who handed on the faith to them.

→ Invite the students to help you

to complete a timeline about the Bible. Point out that the timeline will not include the Old Testament. Place the dates a.d. 50, a.d. 100, a.d. 1456, and the current date on a horizontal line on the board or newsprint. Remind the students that a.d. is short for Anno Domini which means in the year of Our Lord.

→ Invite volunteers to come up and

write a caption for one of the dates on the timeline.

Teach → Write the words Sacred Scripture

and Bible on the board.

Student page 14

In the introduction to his Gospel, Luke explained: From the beginning, eyewitnesses of all that happened have handed it down to us. I have decided to write it down in an orderly way for you, so that you may know that the teachings you have received Based on Luke 1:1–4 are true.

Today the Bible is available in almost every language. It is one of the most widely read and studied books in the world.

→ Call on volunteers to read The

Reinforce

From the very first days of the Church, the followers of Jesus shared stories about Jesus and his teachings. At first, these stories spread by word of mouth. About the year a.d. 50, the disciples of Jesus began writing down the stories about Jesus and his life.

The writings that make up the New Testament were completed around the year a.d. 100. For the next 1,300 years, scribes, or “writers,” made copies of the Bible by hand. In the year 1456, John Gutenberg printed the first Bible on a press. That invention made it easier to make copies of the Bible. More people could read the Bible.

Teach

Faith Story of God’s People. Pause after each paragraph and have students underline what they think is the most important fact about handing on the faith.

The Faith Story of God’s People

Why is it important to know how the Bible came to be? What more would you like to know about the Bible?

Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of biblical writings found on the shore of the Dead Sea.

TEACHING TIP Reading Aloud. Because students at the fourth grade level can have many different reading levels, avoid calling on them randomly to read aloud until you have a better sense of their abilities. Your first priority is to welcome and not to embarrass any of the students. Be sure to call only on those students who raise their hands. You could also use a reading-aloud technique called Pass/Play. When called on, the students choose whether they will read aloud or not. All they have to say is “Play” if they want to read aloud or “Pass” if they do not. No one has to explain his or her choice.

DAY

DISCOVER

DISCOVER Sacred Scripture God’s people have always shared the stories found in the Bible. Sacred Scripture is the collection of these holy writings. The words sacred scripture mean “holy writing.” God is the real author of Sacred Scripture. The Holy Spirit inspired the human writers of the Bible to write God’s Word for his people. This means that the human writers wrote down, without error, what God wanted to say to his people. The Church collected the holy writings of God’s people and placed them in the Bible.

Faith-Filled People

→ Have the class read silently the first

The Israelites The Israelites were the people God first chose to be his people. The story of the Israelites begins with the Old Testament story of Abraham and Sarah.

Here is a passage from one of the most important faith stories in the Bible. In this story God reveals, or makes known, his name to Moses. God said, “[T]ell the Israelites: I AM sent me to you.”

exodus 3:14

The English words “I am” are the same as the Hebrew word YHWH. YHWH are four letters of the Hebrew alphabet. These letters represent the name for God that was revealed to Moses.

paragraph of Sacred Scripture. Ask them to pay special attention to the words on the board. Ask volunteers to explain Sacred Scripture and Bible in their own words.

→ Write YHWH on the board.

Tell the students that this word is pronounced “yä-way.” Ask a volunteer to read the sentence that tells what this Hebrew word means. (I AM; the name of God that he gave to Moses)

Reinforce → Have the students make word

Do you know any other names that the Bible uses for God? What is your favorite name for God?

cards for the Faith Vocabulary.

→ Invite the students to share their

ideas about why it is important to know where the Bible came from. Direct them to the quotation from Luke if they are not sure.

Activity

Write another name that the Bible uses for God. Tell what that name reveals to us about God.

→ Distribute slips of paper and

give the students time to write down questions they have about the Bible. Collect the papers.

Connect → Read the activity. Brainstorm

FAITH-FILLED PEOPLE The Israelites. The story of Abraham and Jacob and Joseph is the beginning point of the Israelites’ journey of faith—a journey that started about four thousand years ago. Today, the Jewish State of Israel is located in the Middle East. Lebanon lies to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the southwest. It is a small tract of land, about 150 miles long and 60 miles wide at its broadest point. Take a few moments to show the students Israel on a map. This tiny piece of land was the home of Jesus.

responses. (Father, Almighty, Love, Lord, Creator, and so on. Affirm appropriate responses.)

→ Invite volunteers to share what

each name tells us about God.

→ Point out Faith-Filled People

about the Israelites. Inform the students that they will focus on the Old Testament in the next lesson.

Pray → Address God using the words the

students suggested during the lesson. Then add:

May we and all of your works give you praise and glory, now and forever. Amen. Student page 15

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concepts • The Old Testament tells us about the Covenant God made with the Israelites. • The New Testament tells us about the fulfillment of God’s promises in Jesus Christ.

Faith Focus

How does the Bible help us to know God’s love?

Faith Vocabulary

Covenant This is the sacred agreement between God and the People of God.

The Old Testament The Bible is divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament. The forty-six books of the Old Testament begin with the story of creation, Adam and Eve, and the Fall. We read that God created Adam and Eve to live in friendship with him, but then Adam and Eve turned away from God and his love. God continued to love Adam and Eve, and he promised to send someone to renew that friendship. All the writings of the Bible after the story of creation and the Fall tell the story of God’s fulfilling that promise.

Pray

God’s people, the Israelites, made a promise to God. God and the Israelites entered a sacred agreement, or Covenant. God promised that he alone would be their God. They promised to worship him alone and to obey the commands, or the laws, that he gave to Moses to give to them. The laws are summarized in the Ten Commandments. God’s people promised,

Proclaim the reading from Genesis found on the opening page of the chapter, page 11.

Teach → Ask the students to name some

stories that they know from the Old Testament. List key words and names on the board as the students report them.

“Everything the Lord has said, exodus 19:8 we will do.”

What does God reveal to us in the Old Testament?

→ Have the students read the page

silently to recall the promises that God and his people made to each other. Explain that the Fall refers to Adam and Eve turning away from God’s love.

Moses Smashing the Tablets of the Law, Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn 1659 (oil on canvas)

→ Ask volunteers to share what

promises God and his people made.

→ Recall Faith-Filled People

from page 15. Emphasize that the Israelites were the people with whom God entered into a Covenant.

→ Have the students make word cards

for Covenant.

Reinforce → Pose the reflection question. Ask

the students to join with a partner and come up with a one-sentence answer to the question. Invite the pairs to share their answers.

→ Ask volunteers to share how they

would explain to others why it is important to read the Old Testament.

Student page 16

LITURGY CONNECTION The Liturgy of the Word. Help the students prepare for Sunday Mass each week by previewing the readings in class. Sharpen their listening skills by asking them to listen for a particular word or phrase or teaching. Identify the focus word in your classroom proclamation of the Sunday Scriptures in class. Encourage the students to listen for the focus when the readings are proclaimed at Mass. The homily that follows the readings at Mass is a reflection on the Word of God. Help the students prepare by writing their own homily. Ask them to think about how they would share with others the meaning of the chosen Scriptures. This can serve to help them better understand the message of the readings and integrate it into their lives.

DAY

The twenty-seven books of the New Testament tell about the fulfillment of God’s promises in Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the heart of the New Testament. The word gospel means “good news.”

→ Write the words New Testament on

The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit inspired the human writers of the Bible. This means that they wrote down without error what God wanted to teach us.

There are four written accounts of the Gospel, or the Good News of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. They are named after four followers of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These four writers are called the Evangelists. The name evangelist means “writer of the Good News.”

the word map. Reinforce that the Gospels tell about Jesus’ birth, life, suffering and Death, Resurrection, and Ascension.

Activity

Six important words about our relationship with God are hidden in this puzzle. Find and circle the words. Use some of the words in a sentence to tell what God has revealed to us. B

→ Tell the students to read the text

→ Ask volunteers to add new words to

How would you explain the Good News of the Gospels?

the board. Create a word map. Invite volunteers to call out words about this part of the Bible. Write their responses around New Testament. silently. Invite them to highlight three sentences that they think are important as they read.

The Gospels pass on the Church’s faith in Jesus. The center of the Gospels is the account of Jesus’ birth, life, suffering and Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. Through the Gospels and the other writings in the Bible, God speaks to us and invites us to believe and trust in him.

DISCOVER

Teach

Catholics Believe

The New Testament

→ Ask a volunteer to read aloud

Catholics Believe about how the Holy Spirit inspired the human writers of the Bible.

Reinforce Ask volunteers to share why we read the New Testament.

Connect 17

Explain the activity, and have the students complete it. After that, ask volunteers to use each of the words in a sentence to tell about our relationship with God.

HUMAN METHODOLOGIES

Pray

Learning Through the Witness of the Catechist. The National Directory for Catechesis states, “[C]atechists powerfully influence those being catechized by their faithful proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ” (NDC 29E ). Model the importance of the Bible in our lives by selecting Scripture passages and setting aside time each session for the students to read one passage silently. Afterward, allow time for communal faith sharing and prayer. Be sure to share your own favorite passages and why the Bible is an important part of your life.

Invite the class to quiet themselves for a closing prayer: Lord God, help us to honor your holy Word and to follow your living Word in everything we say and do. Amen.

Student page 17

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept The Word of God guides our lives.

Faith Focus

How will reading the Bible help you throughout your life?

Pray Invite the students to pray with you: God, our Father, thank you for your Word that reveals you to us and tells us that we belong to your family. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

The Word of God You will hopefully read and study the Bible for the rest of your life. You can read the Bible to learn the truth about God and his love for you. You will learn what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. The Church helps us and teaches us how to listen to and understand the Word of God. You can read the Bible each day as Megan’s grandmother did. You can use it to help you pray.

Activity

Here is a simple way to find any passage in the Bible. Let’s try Luke 15:8–10. The word Luke refers to the name of the book. Check the table of contents in the front of the Bible to locate the page number where the book begins. The number 15 before the colon (:) refers to the chapter number. The numbers after the colon (8–10) refer to the verse numbers. Find this passage in a Bible. Read the words slowly to yourself. Close your eyes and imagine that you are there. What does Jesus say? Why do you think Jesus told this parable?

Teach → Invite the students to read the

first paragraph on their own, and underline four reasons for reading the Bible. Call on volunteers to list the four reasons on the board.

Luke

→ Read or explain in your own words

Chapter 15

how to locate a passage in Scripture as explained in the introduction to the activity.

→ Have the class find Luke 15:8-10

and invite a volunteer to summarize the Parable of the Lost Coin.

Reinforce

Versus 8-10

→ Distribute Bibles and divide the

class into four groups. Ask each group to find and read one of the following passages: Exodus 3:4–6, Isaiah 9:1–2, Psalm 23:1–4, Luke 4:14–20.

→ Ask each group to tell about or act

out its passage.

Connect → Invite the students to close their

eyes and imagine that they are in the scene. Read Luke 15:8-10 slowly. Lead the students in a short guided meditation. Give them time to conclude with their prayer.

Student page 18

TEACHING TIP Bible Skills. Have the students explore all the study aids that are found in their class Bibles. Examples include: the footnotes, which explain challenging passages; the cross-references, which refer to the location of similar stories or verses; the maps; and the dictionary. Have the students find the division between Old and New Testaments. Ask: If you wanted to read about the Resurrection of Jesus, would you look in the Old or New Testament? If you wanted to find out about Abraham and Sarah, would you look in the Old or New Testament? Give additional examples. Point out that each Gospel tells the story of Jesus’ life and ministry. If they wanted to read about his birth would they look at the beginning of a Gospel or toward the end? It they wanted to find something that happened after the Resurrection, where would they look?

DAY

DECIDE

Reinforce → Point out the importance of

listening to or reading and telling the faith stories of God’s People.

Remember that the Bible tells us that at Creation, God brought light to the darkness. The image of light is used often in Scripture to describe God’s presence with his people. Jesus uses the image of light too. Telling the truth is one way you can bring God’s light to the world.

→ Recall with the students the image

of light used in the Bible story about creation.

LIGHT OF THE WORLD In this reading, Jesus is talking about what it means to be one of his disciples.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.

In this passage, Jesus tells us how God’s love can shine through us by what we do and say. Discuss with a partner a time when telling the truth could share God’s light with others. Describe your idea here.

Respond → Introduce Light of the World by

telling the class that Jesus wants each of them to bring God’s light to others. Jesus wants us to see God’s light in others as well. Point out a few simple ways you have seen God’s light shining through the students during your time with them.

Situation

Response

Matthew 5:14–16

→ Remind the class about the story of

MY FAITH

CHOICE

Megan and her grandmother. Share with the students that they will reread the Scripture passage from Matthew and relate it to their own lives.

We grow in our love for God and for others when we read and pray Sacred Scripture. You can spend a few quiet moments each day listening to and speaking to God. Write when and where you will do this. I will .

→ Remind the class that when we read

Scripture, we can think and pray about how God is speaking to us.

Pray,“O Lord, send down your Holy Spirit to help me let my light shine before others! Amen.” 19

Choose → Read aloud My Faith Choice. Invite

TEACHING TIP Faith and Life. Each week, the I Follow Jesus page will serve as an integral part of the students’ faith formation. It also is important that the activity My Faith Choice be given appropriate time. The activity allows the students to move from what they have learned to how they will live what they have learned in their daily lives. Discuss and affirm the students’ responses, and invite them to share their faith choices with one another.

the students to respond by writing how they will read and pray the Bible during the coming week.

→ Emphasize that when we read and

pray with Scripture, God’s love grows in us, and his light shines through our words and actions.

Pray Ask the students to pause and pray silently as directed on the student page.

Student page 19

DAY

CONCLUDE

Pray Begin class by asking the students to join you in praying the Sign of the Cross slowly and reverently.

Recall → Have the students write their

sentences using the words, and invite the volunteers to share them aloud with the class.

TO HELP YOU REMEMBER 1. The Bible is the inspired, written Word of God. 2. The Holy Spirit inspired the human authors of the Bible.

Chapter Review Recall Write a sentence about the Bible. Use three or more of these words. YHWH

Jesus Christ

Covenant

Old Testament

New Testament

Gospel

3. The New Testament begins with the four Gospels, which tell us the Good News of Jesus Christ.

→ Write the words in the Recall

activity on the board. Have the class read them aloud as a volunteer points to each one.

Reflect Think of a place in your home or community where Jesus might want more light. Draw a candle, and then write what you will do to be a light before others.

→ Ask volunteers to read the To Help

You Remember statements aloud.

Reflect Remind the students that one lighted candle gives light. Invite the students to join together to bring light to a forgotten corner of the world.

Share → Remind the students of the

questions they wrote on Day 2. Ask how many had their questions about the Bible answered during the week. Be prepared to answer questions that were not covered in the chapter. Group the students’ questions on the same subject. Ask if any new questions have come up because of the week’s lesson.

→ Invite the class to answer the

questions as much as possible. For questions that the students cannot answer encourage them to use their text to find the answers.

Student page 20

Share with your classmates the answers to any questions you have about the Bible.

SPECIAL NEEDS Assisting Written and Verbal Responses. To assist students with reading or writing deficits, try this process to ease the process of sentence construction. Divide the word choice in the Recall segment, into two groups on different colored cards. On one color, write YHWH, Moses and Jesus Christ. On the other color write Covenant, Old Testament, New Testament, and Gospel. Have each student choose one card from each color category and create a meaningful sentence using the chosen words. The student may speak the sentence aloud rather than write it. Cards should be returned to the stack after use and shuffled.

DAY

CONCLUDE

We Pray → Gather the students in the prayer

Lights in the World

center. Introduce the concept of praying with gestures. Have the students demonstrate some prayerful gestures with which they are familiar.

Signing our foreheads, lips, and chests over our hearts is a gesture showing our faith in God. This gesture helps us to prepare to listen closely to God’s Word. Leader: Let us prepare ourselves to listen to God’s Word by signing our forehead, lips, and chest over our hearts with a small sign of the cross.

→ Explain the signing gesture to the

students, and practice it with them.

All: Jesus, be in my mind, my lips, and my heart. Reader1 : Let us listen to God’s Word.

→ To begin the prayer, light a candle

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland. . . . Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

(if permitted), or illuminate a lamp or flameless candle.

→ Choose readers and lead the prayer.

Genesis 1:1–3

All: God, at Creation you brought light to the darkness. May we bring your light to the world. Reader2 : Let us listen to God’s Word.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. . . . [Y]our light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:14–16

All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. Leader: Listen quietly to God’s Word in your heart. How can you be God’s light for the world this week? Let us pray together. All: Lord, may your light shine in our lives. Amen.

LITURGY CONNECTION Prayer Gestures. Christians use a variety of prayer gestures that express that we are living as disciples of Christ. In this prayer, the students will pray with a gesture that we use before we listen to the Gospel at Mass: signing our forehead, lips, and chest over our heart with a small sign of the cross as we pray: Jesus, be in my mind, my lips, and my heart. Practice the gesture with the students so they are making it correctly, carefully, and reverently. Encourage them to do it this way at school and Sunday Mass. To help the students see the connection between this gesture and the Gospel reading, add the phrase “may your word” to the prayer: Jesus, may your word be in my mind, on my lips, and in my heart. We are praying that God’s Word in the Gospel will be reflected in our thoughts, word, and actions.

Student page 21

DAY

CONCLUDE

Preview

With My Family

→ Have the students carefully

This Week...

Sharing God’s Word

Our Spiritual Journey

In chapter 1, “God’s Word to Us,” your child learned:

Read and talk about a favorite Bible story. Tell about where you first heard the story. Remember that the Bible is God’s Word to us.

Christians use a variety of sacred gestures that express that they are living as disciples of Christ. In this chapter, your child learned to pray with the gestures we use before we listen to the Gospel during Mass. This week, pray with your child by signing your forehead, lips, and chest over your heart with a small sign of the cross as you pray: Jesus, be in my mind, my lips, and my heart.

tear out pages 21 and 22 along the perforation.

→ Encourage the students to share

these pages with their families, and to complete the activities together.

→ If they did not complete the review

activity on page 20 by the end of the session, emphasize that they can complete it with their families at home.

→ Point out the title and theme of the

next lesson to the students.

→ The Bible is the inspired Word of God. → The Holy Spirit inspired the human writers of the Bible to assure that God’s word would be communicated faithfully and accurately. → The two main parts of the Bible are the Old Testament and the New Testament. → In the Gospels we read how God has revealed himself fully in his Son, Jesus Christ. → God is truth and the source of all truth. For more about related teachings of the Church, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 101–133; and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pages 23–33.

We Live as Disciples The Christian family is a school of discipleship. Grow in faith as a family. Choose one of the following activities to do as a family or design a similar activity of your own. → Create and decorate a special place for the Bible in your home. Open the Bible to a favorite story. Read the story and talk about it. → Be on the lookout for family members practicing truthfulness during the week. Challenge each other to practice this virtue every day.

Visit BeMyDisciples.com

→ Take time with the students to explore the many activities and resources available at Be My Disciples Web site.

→ Encourage them to join with their families to discover the many resources available at the Web site. For more ideas on ways your family can live as disciples of Jesus, visit 22

Before Moving On … As you finish today’s lesson, reflect on the following question before moving on to the next chapter. Which students in the class work particularly well together?

Student page 22

BeMyDisciples.com

PARTNERING WITH PARENTS Encouraging Web site Usage at Home. Introduce your students’ families to BeMyDisciples.com early in the year. Invite the families to reflect on the weekly Sunday Gospel using the Web site. In a note or e-mail to parents, explain how to access the weekly Sunday Scripture readings from the home page. Invite them to go to Gospel Reflection and click on the appropriate date. Note that the page provides the Scripture passage for that Sunday, a summary, reflections, and an activity, Bringing the Gospel Into Your Family. The students can look up the Scripture passage in the family Bible. If possible, demonstrate the Web site in the classroom.

Enriching the Lesson Decorating Bible Verses Purpose

Directions

Materials

To show a way that the Church honored the Word of God in earlier times (taught on page 14)

Catechist note: Use the Internet to find information about illuminated manuscripts. Try to provide examples of illuminated manuscripts for the students.

examples of illuminated manuscripts

→ Have the students select a favorite Psalm verse.

Bibles

→ Have the students write the first letter of the first word of the

white construction paper

Psalm in a box using large print. Then have the students copy the rest of the verse in regular print.

→ Have the students design colorful pictures and designs in the box to illustrate the message of their Psalm.

markers or crayons

→ Invite the students to share their illuminated manuscripts and place them around the room.

Character Map: Biblical Figures Purpose

Directions

To reinforce and extend learning about the people of the Bible (taught on pages 15–16)

→ Have the students describe what they like about Moses or other tag board people in the Bible.

→ Begin to develop character maps, using the biblical people

Materials pens or pencils

whom they have read about.

→ Put the character’s name in a circle, and then draw four extending lines to describe the qualities of the person as the students share them with you.

→ Suggest that the students continue to research these people of the Bible at home.

→ As they learn more about the people, they will add to the character maps.

→ Place the character maps around the classroom.

Making a Word Search Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce the importance of developing a faith vocabulary (taught on page 17)

→ Have the students work in pairs to develop a New Testament

Bible

word search similar to the one on page 17.

→ Have them exchange their word searches and solve them. → Ask the students to construct sentences using the words in

paper pencils or pens

their puzzles.

CHAPTER

I Will Be

Your God

BACKGROUND

Divine Revelation We first come to know God’s Revelation of himself in the marvelous work of creation. We also come to know God in the events of Salvation History. The many interventions of God on behalf of his people—from the call of Abraham and Sarah, the presentation of the Law to Moses, to the work of the prophets and judges—gradually unfold Divine Revelation down through the ages.

The Divine Pedagogy

The Response of Faith

Slowly and surely, the world is built up and prepared for the Good News in Christ. By this Revelation, God opens to us the fullness of truth and beauty found in his only begotten Son. In the Person and life of Jesus Christ, we find the ultimate proof of God’s love for us.

Our response to God’s Revelation is faith. Through faith, we are able to come to know and believe in God and all that he reveals to us. The gift of faith opens our minds and hearts to the transforming presence of God in our lives. Gradually, we are changed by this good news and begin to give active witness to it throughout our lives.

Jesus Christ is not merely the greatest of the prophets but is the eternal Son of God, made man. He is, therefore, the final event towards which all the events of salvation history converge. He is indeed “the Father’s one, perfect and unsurpassable Word.” General Directory for Catechesis [GDC] 40

Saint Irenaeus (d. 200) was the bishop of Lyons and one of the first great Church theologians. Over and over again in his writings, he described the wisdom for this divine pedagogy: We become more accustomed to God by the gradual unfolding of divine mystery among us.

On one hand, faith is a gift from God, who takes the first step, the initiative, in revealing himself. On the other hand, faith is an authentic human act, our free response in love to the One who is love and makes all good things possible. God acts in love and manifests himself to us in many ways. Because of this divine action, we respond in faith, hope, and love. While God transcends this world, he also approaches us so closely that we cannot miss his loving message: God is our God, and we are the people formed, chosen, and saved by him. We come to know this truth because God has freely chosen to reveal himself to us.

For Reflection What have been the stages in my life by which I have become more aware of God’s presence in my life? Who are the people in my life who are models of faith? 62

Grade 4

Teacher to Teacher The Gift of Faith

The Church Teaches . . . “Sacred Scripture, the word of God written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has the preeminent position in the life of the Catholic Church and especially in the ministry of evangelization and catechesis” (National Directory for Catechesis, 24B).

Faith is the gift of God making himself known to us. We show our gratitude for the gift of faith by sharing it with others. Throughout this year, you will be living and sharing your faith among these young persons. Your actions and words will demonstrate what your faith means to you. Share your faith story with the students and invite them to share their faith with others. By watching and listening to you, the students will, in turn, begin to emulate you by sharing their faith with others.

God reveals himself in both Scripture and Tradition. As the students continue their faith journey this year, it is important for them to grow in their understanding of the Word of God. This chapter continues their introduction to Sacred Scripture.

Sharing Faith Stories

Further Reading and Reflection

Be sure to share stories with the students by using concrete and age-appropriate words. Use plain words that the students know and can understand. Tell them about experiences of yours that they can relate to. Just share the real you! Treat these young persons with kindness, patience, fairness, and love. Be generous both in praising their achievements and forgiving their wrongdoings. When they speak about their faith to you, listen attentively.

For more on the teachings of the Catholic Church on the mysteries of faith and Divine Revelation, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church Church, 27–43, 50–67, and 142–197; and the United States Adults, pages 12–18. Catholic Catechism for Adults

Teacher Prayer Spirit of Wisdom, help me this week to share the Word of God wisely and generously with my students. Amen.

Lesson Planner Chapter 2 Focus

I Will Be Your God

To identify ways God makes himself known to us

LESSON PART DAY Focus

EXPLORE

MATERIALS and RESOURCES

PROCESS

Bible

→ Proclaim and discuss Exodus 6:6–7 (God’s Covenant with the people of Israel).

Pencils

To explore what the Church believes about God

→ Learn and discuss the story of Saint Basil the Great

Pages 23–25

Disciple Power: Faith

and Saint Gregory of Nazianzus.

Activity: Design want ads for faithful disciples of Jesus.

DAY Focus

DISCOVER

To understand the creeds as public professions of belief Pages 26–27

DAY Focus

DISCOVER

To discover the relationship of Divine Revelation and faith Pages 28–29

DAY Focus

DECIDE

To decide how to be generous with our gifts and talents Pages 30–31

DAY Focus

CONCLUDE

To pray a prayer professing our faith in God

→ Review the creeds of the Church.

Pencils

Faith Vocabulary: creeds

Index cards

Catholics Believe: Apostles’ Creed Activity: Write captions to describe how we tell others about God through our actions.

→ Discover the meaning of Divine Revelation.

Pencils

→ Learn that Jesus most fully reveals God.

Index cards

Faith-Filled People: Saint Thomas the Apostle

Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 77 Role Play: Trusting Others

Faith Vocabulary: Divine Revelation Activity: Write a prayer to share your love for God.

Scripture: Thomas saw Jesus and believed (John 20:24–26, 28–29).

Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 77 Collage: Living Our Faith Pantomime: Living Our Faith

Activity: Respond to a Faith Invitation My Faith Choice: Choose a way to live a life of faith in God.

Additional Activities Booklet: Activities 2a and 2b or see BeMyDisciples.com

→ REVIEW Review concepts: Recall, Reflect, and Share. Bible, candle, cross for prayer space, bowl of holy water, pencils

→ PRAY We Profess Our Faith → Grade 4 Music CD

Assessment Tools Booklet: Assessments 2a and 2b

Pages 32–34

Preview the With My Family page and the theme of the next chapter.

Assign online Chapter Review

Grade 4

BeMyDisciples.com

DAY Looking Ahead

CHAPTER

In this chapter, the EXPLORE what the Holy Spirit invites creeds of the Church you to → tell us.

DISCOVER how God has revealed himself.

DECIDE ways to live and share faith in God.

EXPLORE

Pray → Greet the students as they enter

class. Invite them to join you in prayer by praying the Sign of the Cross together. Remind them about God’s presence with them.

→ Pray:

Thank you, God, for making yourself known to us. Amen.

I Will Be

→ Close with the Sign of the Cross.

Your God

Reflect → Invite a volunteer to read the

opening questions. Give the students several minutes to think about their responses.

How can you get to know your friends better? What are some of the ways that you come to know God? The Bible helps us to know God better. Imagine that you could hop in a time machine and go back to the time of Moses in the Old Testament. Listen as God speaks to Moses about the promise of his special friendship, or Covenant, with the people of Israel:

→ Describe to the class how a

person has helped you come to know who God is. Encourage the students to share the ways that other people have helped them to know who God is. (Answers will vary. Affirm all appropriate responses.)

Therefore, say to the Israelites: I am the LORD. I will free you from your slavery in Egypt. I will rescue you. Based on exodus 6:6–7 I will be your God.

What do you hear God telling you about himself in this passage?

→ Tell the students that they 23

TEACHING TIP The Opening Prayer. The prayer suggested for the opening page of each chapter is an important feature of the lesson. It relates to the chapter theme and sets the tone for learning. It also provides the learner the opportunity to experience prayer in a variety of ways.

are going to take a short trip back in time and learn about God’s promise of friendship for all people. Invite them to listen closely as you read the introductory paragraph and the Scripture passage.

→ Pose the question following

the Scripture reading. Have the students discuss what God promised to the Israelites.

Focus → Ask the students to look at the

picture. Ask what they are seeing that could remind them of God. (Answers will vary.)

→ Preview the chapter by reading

Looking Ahead.

Student page 23

DAY

EXPLORE

Introduce

Disciple Power

→ Engage the students in a

conversation about friendship. Ask questions such as, what makes a person a good friend? Is it someone who helps you be and do your best?

→ Tell the students that today

Faith Faith is a gift from God. It is a Theological Virtue because it helps us know God and believe in him and in all that he has revealed.

they are going to read about two friends. They lived more than 1,680 years ago.

Faithful Friends How would it be to have a friend whose faith was as strong as your own? Gregory and Basil lived in Europe nearly 1,700 years ago. They met when they were students and quickly became friends. Both went on to become priests, bishops, and then saints. Gregory and Basil were both strong champions for the Christian faith and they stood up against people who told lies about the Church and the faith. At this time, many people were discussing and writing about theology, the study of God. Some men were teaching things about God that were not true. The more people listened, the more popular these false teachings became. It was very important for the Church to teach the truth about God.

→ Invite several volunteers to read

Faithful Friends.

→ The faithful friends were Saint

Basil the Great (330–379) and Saint Gregory Nazianzus (329–390). Both were named Doctors of the Church because of their powerful orthodox teaching and writings. They were born in Cappadocia, which in now in the country of Turkey.

The Holy Spirit guided the leaders of the Church, including Bishops Gregory and Basil. These two faithful friends were known for being able to explain the truths of the Church clearly. They helped people to understand the teachings of the Church. How does one of your friends help you have a strong faith?

→ Have the students read, or share in

your own words, Defenders of the Faith. Stress that the truths of God’s revelation and the teachings of the Church did not change.

Saints Basil, John Chrysostom, and Gregory, the great defenders, of the faith.

DISCIPLE POWER Faith. Faith is a gift; it is a gracious offer given by God for us to be in relationship with him. It is given to us freely; we do not earn it, and we do not merit it. God gives faith to us out of love. When we respond to this gift by choosing to believe, it is called an act of faith. Faith is lived within a community of believers. Discuss with the students how your class is a community of believers. Why can we call the class a community of faith? How is our faith being lived and shared within this community? What role does this faith community playing in the development of our own faith?

Student page 24

DAY

Both Basil and Gregory defended the truth of the Church’s teaching. One way they did this was by taking the time to explain exactly the meaning of different Church teachings.

→ Remind the class about the

Apostles' Creed by reading or paraphrasing Catholics Believe on page 27 in the student book.

Bishop Basil also played an important role at a very important Church meeting, called a council. The Council of Constantinople was intended to stop the false teachings from being spread. Gregory helped the Church form creedal statements. These statements were professions of the faith, like the Apostles’ Creed.

→ Direct the class to look at the

Nicene Creed on page 368. Point out some of the belief statements that are not included in the Apostles’ Creed, also on page 368. Show that the teachings did not change. Rather, they were explained more completely.

What are the ways you learn about the teachings of the Church?

God’s Overjoyed, Outspoken Disciples

The name of your club is God’s Overjoyed, Outspoken Disciples (GOOD). Members of the GOOD Club help one another to live as faithful followers of Jesus. Write a want ad for finding people to join your club. In your ad, list the qualities that members need to have.

EXPLORE

Reinforce

Defenders of the Faith

Activity

→ Call on a volunteer to read the

GOOD CLUB

definition of faith in Disciple Power. Discuss the concepts about faith found in the Disciple Power box in this teaching guide at the bottom of page 66.

Connect → Have the students work in

small groups to complete the “GOOD” activity.

→ Provide time for sharing and

discussing their want ads.

→ To extend the activity, have the 25

TEACHING TIP Using Journals. Using journals is an effective way to help fourth graders reflect on what they are learning, thinking, and feeling. Introduce journal writing to them as a way to capture their thoughts. Have the students make journals using lined notebook paper and yarn. Or you may provide ledgers or spiral notebooks for the students to use. Either way, let them design a cover for their journals not only to identify them as theirs, but also to ensure respect for their property. It is best to suggest a topic or question for journal writing. Watch for good ideas as your prepare your lessons for the week. Remember that thoughtful journaling takes time, so you will have to plan accordingly. Be sensitive to the fact that some students will not want to share what they have written. Insist that everyone respect their confidentiality.

students create a class club based on the GOOD model. Assign committees to design examples of the following for the rest of the class to vote on: a logo, club colors, a patron saint, and a Scripture motto.

Student page 25

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept The creeds of the Church are professions of faith.

Pray Invite the students to offer prayers of intercession or thanksgiving. After each, respond together:

Faith Focus

How do we profess our faith?

Faith Vocabulary

creeds Creeds are statements of what a person or a group believes. The creeds of the Church are brief summary statements of what we believe.

“Lord, we place our trust in you.”

The Creeds of the Church We belong to the Catholic Church and each Sunday we profess our faith by praying one of the creeds of the Church. We profess our faith in God and in all that he has revealed. The creeds of the Church are statements and symbols about what we believe. They are brief summaries and signs of the faith of the Church. The creeds of the Church are also called professions of faith. We profess, or publicly accept and announce, faith in One God in Three Divine Persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We profess the faith of the Church in God the Holy Trinity. Praying the creeds of the Church remind us of what we believe. The creeds also remind us of who we are. We are followers and disciples of Jesus Christ. We are members of his Church.

Teach → Pose the question on the page to

A friend of yours, who is not Catholic, asks you, “What do you believe about God?” How would you respond?

the class. Invite a volunteer to come to the front of the room and record responses to the question: What do you believe?

→ Share with the students that the

Holy Spirit invites us to live the gift of faith. Have partners create a onesentence definition for the word Faith. Invite all of the students to share their definitions.

→ Write the word creeds on the board.

Create a mind map around it with the students.

→ Have a volunteer read aloud the

Faith Vocabulary definition of creeds.

→ Explain more about creeds by

inviting the students to turn to page 368. Help the students see the three sections in each creed that state our faith in God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Ask the students why the Nicene Creed is longer. (It describes and explains what we believe.) Remind the students that this Creed comes from the faith and teaching of Church leaders like Saint Basil and Saint Gregory.

Student page 26

OUR CATHOLIC IDENTITY The Christian Creeds. The Church’s earliest profession of faith was “Jesus is Lord.” By the fourth century, the western Church developed a Trinitarian profession of faith that we know today as the Apostles’ Creed. In the East, a conciliar creed known as the Nicene Creed emerged in the fourth century. It was based on the conclusions of two Church councils, the Council of Nicaea and the Council of Constantinople. In the East, this creed was used as the baptismal creed; in the West, it was used within the celebration of the Eucharist. Together these two creeds have stood through the centuries as symbols of the Church’s faith.

DAY DISCOVER Living Our Faith We also profess our faith by living our faith. We are to love God and others as Jesus taught. We make a difference in the world by putting our faith into action. We live and grow in faith with other disciples of Jesus. What some ways you live your faith at home and at school?

Catholics Believe

DISCOVER

→ Invite volunteers to read aloud

Apostles’ Creed The Apostles’ Creed is one of the earliest summaries of the faith of the Church. We call it the Apostles’ Creed because it tells the main beliefs that the Church has professed from the time of the Apostles, about 2,000 years ago.

The Creeds of the Church. Then, give the students time to write or circle key words or phrases from the reading. Invite the students to share and compare the words they selected with a partner.

Reinforce → Continue to add to the creeds

mind map based on what the students have learned.

Activity 1. Look at the pictures on this page. How are the young people professing and living their faith in God? What are they telling others about God through their action? Write a caption for each picture.

→ Have the students read aloud the

Faith Vocabulary definition of creeds and make word cards for it.

2. What do you believe about God? Tell a partner. Then write in the space below your own creed, professing faith in God the Holy Trinity.

Connect → Ask for examples of how fourth

graders can show that they believe in God through their words and actions.

→ Wrap up by having the students

HUMAN METHODOLOGIES Learning by Heart. The National Directory for Catechesis explains that memorization fosters a “common language of the faith among all the faithful” (NDC 29F). It is not uncommon for young persons to confuse the wording of the Apostles’ Creed with the wording of the Nicene Creed, which we pray more frequently at Mass. Refer them to Catholic Prayers and Practices in the back of their texts where they can compare the wording of both of these creeds. To help the students differentiate between the two creeds, encourage them to memorize the Apostles’ Creed. Pray it frequently as a class.

complete the activity. After they have written their captions, have them share the ideas with a small group. Let each small group vote on the best caption for each picture. Ask the groups to nominate their choice for a caption for each photo. Write the choices on the board. Stress that all of the options are good. Take a hand vote. Discuss how the caption answers the two questions: How are the young people professing and living their faith in God? What are they telling others about God through their actions?

→ Invite volunteers to share how

they do the actions portrayed in the photos.

Pray Point out the Catholics Believe feature, and then pray the Apostles’ Creed on page 368. Student page 27

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concepts • God has revealed himself to us gradually. • God revealed himself most fully in Jesus Christ.

Pray

Faith Focus

How does God make himself known to us?

Faith Vocabulary

Divine Revelation God making known both himself and his plan of creation and Salvation for the world and all people.

Invite the students to pray the Glory Be together.

God’s Revelation God created us in his image and likeness. He created us to know, love, and serve him. He invites us to live in friendship with him. God wants everyone to be happy with him on Earth and in Heaven. God has revealed, or made known, both himself and his plan of creation and Salvation for the world and all people. He invites all people to know and believe in him. We call this Divine Revelation. We can never fully know God or explain the mystery of God in words.

God’s Promise to Love Little by little and over a long time, God has revealed himself and his plan of creation and Salvation. The story of God’s Revelation was first written down in the Old Testament. There we read the story of creation and God’s first promise to love people always.

Teach → Summarize the first paragraph in

your own words.

After the story of creation, we read about God’s Covenant with Noah and with Abraham. We then read about God’s promises to Moses and David and to the other great leaders of God’s people.

→ Invite a volunteer to read the next

paragraph aloud.

Why did God reveal himself to us?

→ Write the words Divine Revelation

on the board and then slowly read aloud God’s Promise to Love. Invite volunteers to retell the events of God’s Covenant with the people mentioned here from the Old Testament. As they name each one, list it on the board.

→ Read aloud Jesus Fully Reveals

God. Ask the students to read the section again silently, and to underline a key point in each of the first three paragraphs.

→ Invite a volunteer to read the

Faith-Filled People feature about Saint Thomas the Apostle. Ask the students to describe Thomas’ faith in Jesus. (Thomas’ faith was strong; he was willing to die with Jesus.) Share more information about Saint Thomas and why he died for his faith. Tell the students that they will learn more about the faith of Saint Thomas.

Student page 28

SCRIPTURE BACKGROUND Fact Versus Fiction. Make sure that the students understand that the stories they read and see on TV today are mostly about madeup characters. Emphasize during this session that the Bible contains many real stories about real people. These biblical people once lived and breathed and walked the Earth and dreamed big dreams. Other stories, like parables, use imaginary characters as examples to teach important truths. Help to make these biblical people and their stories come alive for the students this year.

DAY DISCOVER Jesus Fully Reveals God God has revealed himself most fully in Jesus Christ. There will be no further Revelation after Jesus. Everything that Jesus said and did on Earth tells us about God. Everything Jesus said and did invites us to believe in God, to place our trust in him and to love God with all our hearts. This is what Jesus did. This is what Jesus’ disciples are called to do. Jesus is at the center of God’s plan of creation and Salvation. He is the center of our lives. He is the center of the Covenant binding God and his people. Jesus Christ is the new and everlasting Covenant that God has made with people.

DISCOVER

Reinforce

Faith-Filled People

→ Call on three volunteers to share

Saint Thomas the Apostle Thomas was one of the original twelve Apostles. Thomas told Jesus that he was willing to die with him. Tradition tells us that Thomas was a house-builder. The Church celebrates the feast day of Saint Thomas on July 3.

The New Testament tells the story of the new Covenant that God made in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Son of God. He is true God and true man. We believe in Jesus Christ and in everything that he has revealed about God.

the key points they underlined in the reading. Ask if anyone has other points.

→ Read Faith Vocabulary. Direct the

students to make word cards for Divine Revelation.

Connect → Remind the students that God’s

Covenant with the people is a promise of friendship. Ask them to tell why God needed to reveal himself to us. (God wants everyone to be happy with him forever; God wants his people to grow in friendship with him.)

We live and deepen our friendship with God the Father and with Jesus Christ, who is God the Son, with the help of God the Holy Spirit. How do you deepen your friendship with God? Activity Write five words that tell about how God reveals himself in Jesus. Use those words to write a brief prayer. Share your love with God.

→ Stress again that we have

learned about God from Divine Revelation. We know God because he wants us to know and love him.

→ Read the instructions for the

activity and give the students time to complete it.

Pray Invite the students to close their eyes as you end class with this prayer:

FAITH-FILLED PEOPLE Saint Thomas the Apostle. Thomas is thought to have preached in Persia, Parthia, in what today would be northeastern Iran, and India. He was one of the first to bring Christianity to India. Because he helped build a palace there, he is often depicted with a spear and builder’s square. Thomas was willing to die for what he believed. He eventually was killed for his preaching. Remind your fourth graders that we call Christians who have died for their faith martyrs. Thomas the Apostle was a martyr. For more information on Saint Thomas, go to Saints Resource at BeMyDisciples.com.

God, help us to see you in the greatness of creation. Help us to see you in the love and forgiveness of Jesus. Help us to see you in our family and friends when they comfort and guide us. May our words and actions help others to see you, too. Amen.

Student page 29

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept Faith is a gift that helps us know and believe in God.

Faith Focus

What is faith?

Pray

God’s Invitation Faith is a gift from God. It is one of the three Theological Virtues. The Theological Virtues are faith, hope, and love. Faith is not something we can earn. The gift of faith helps us come to know and believe in God and in all that he has revealed. It is both God’s invitation to believe in him and our acceptance of that invitation. The Bible has many stories about people of faith. One of these stories tells about the faith of Thomas the Apostle:

Begin class with a prayer thanking God for his presence. Alternatively, ask a volunteer to read aloud the prayer he or she wrote in the previous lesson.

Thomas, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus appeared to them after he was raised from the dead. When the disciples told him that they had seen the Risen Jesus, Thomas refused to believe. A week later, the Risen Jesus again appeared to the disciples. This time Thomas was there. He saw Jesus and believed. Jesus said, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Teach → Invite a volunteer to read the first

paragraph aloud.

Based on John 20:24–26, 28–29

→ Introduce and proclaim the Gospel

Faith includes responding to God’s wonderful invitation. Faith gives us the power to give ourselves to God, whom we do not see. Faith is believing in God simply because he is God and has revealed himself.

from John 20.

→ Ask volunteers to explain the

message of the story. Ask the class to read the closing paragraph to check their answers.

What difference does faith make in your life?

Reinforce → Ask what it means to say that faith

is a gift from God. (Faith is not something we earn; God gives it to us.)

→ Ask the students to identify Jesus

and Saint Thomas in the painting. Remind them that even though Thomas’ faith in Jesus wavered, he went on to spread the Good News to others.

Connect Draw a T-chart on the board with the headings With Faith and Without Faith. Ask the students how faith makes a difference in their everyday lives. What do they do because of their faith? Fill the With Faith column as they respond. Read over the entire list. Point out that without faith our lives would be empty.

Student page 30

TEACHING TIP Putting Faith into Action. There are many ways to profess our faith. Praying the creeds of the Church is just one example. We also profess our faith through our actions. Have the students find James 1:22, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Divide the class into groups to prepare pantomimes—action only—of ways they can show their faith. Invite each group to present their work to the rest of the class.

DAY

DECIDE

Reinforce Share with the students that the Holy Spirit invites us to live a life of faith. One way we profess our faith is by praying the Apostles’ Creed.

FAITH INVITATION God is always inviting us to know and believe in him. Read the “Faith Invitation” below. Choose one way that you can accept God’s invitation. Write one way you will live as a person of faith and as a disciple of Jesus.

Respond

Welcome!

→ Remind the class about the

I invite you to be a person of faith. Come share friendship with me. Experience my wonders in creation. Read the Bible. Talk with me in prayer each day. Be a disciple of Jesus. Live what he told you. Reach out to others with love and kindness. Honor and respect all of my gifts. Celebrate my love in your life with me and with others. Please respond today!

Disciple Power description of faith on page 24. Have a volunteer read the introduction to the Faith Invitation. Encourage the students to describe the kind of life God is inviting them to live.

→ Give the students time to complete

the activity, Faith Invitation.

→ Invite several students to do a

MY FAITH

CHOICE

God invites you to a life of faith in him. How can your words and actions show that you have faith in God? I accept God’s invitation to live faithfully. I will

. Pray,“O, Holy Spirit help deepen your gift of faith within me. May my words and actions show my faith in you. Amen.” 31

dramatic proclamation of their Faith Invitation, rotating around the room. Encourage them to proclaim the invitation with energy and excitement. Suggest that this is an invitation from God the Father to be a disciple of his Son, Jesus. The Holy Spirit helps us to live faithfully. When we accept this invitation, we become part of a community of believers, a community of faith. (See the Disciple Power box on page 66.)

TASKS OF CATECHESIS

Choose

Education for Community Life. Fourth graders are enthusiastic learners. Active learning helps capture their zeal for new knowledge and enables them to feel that they are a part of a community of faith. They enjoy becoming involved in cooperative learning tasks. Occasionally you may not complete everything you wanted to accomplish in the session, but if the discussions and activities have engaged the students and drawn them closer together as a Christian community, you can be proud of your efforts.

Discuss My Faith Choice as a large group. Then ask each student to write his or her response to the invitation to live faithfully. Invite volunteers to share what they wrote.

Pray → Invite the students to pause for a

moment of silent prayer thanking God for the gift of faith.

→ Encourage the students to take a

moment each day to thank God for the gift of faith. Student page 31

DAY

CONCLUDE

Pray Ask the students to pause and remember God’s presence amoung them. Pray the Glory Be together.

Recall → Rephrase each To Help You

Remember statement as a question.

→ Ask volunteers to answer the

questions in their own words, and then compare their sentences with those on the page.

TO HELP YOU REMEMBER 1. God gives us the gift of faith to help us know and believe in him. 2. God has revealed or made known himself and his plan of creation and Salvation. 3. God has revealed himself most fully in his own Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the fullness of Revelation.

Chapter Review Recall Write the term on the line that best completes each statement. creed

Revelation

Faith

Covenant

revealed 1. God has ________________ his love for us in many ways. 2. The special friendship between God and the Israelites Covenant is called the _____________________. Faith 3. ________________ is both God’s invitation to believe in him and also our acceptance of that invitation. creed 4. A __________________ is a brief summary of what the Church believes. 5. God making known his plan for us is called Divine Revelation ______________________.

→ Invite the students to complete the

review activity. Ask volunteers to share answers.

Reflect

Conclude by asking:

Write a lantern poem about the ways that God speaks to you. The first and the last lines are done for you.

— What is the most important lesson you learned in this lesson?

God ______________________ 2 syllables

— Why is it the most important?

____________________________ 3 syllables

Reflect Review the directions with the students so you are sure that everyone understands how to structure the lantern poem. You may wish to share a poem you completed as an example.

revealed

__________________________________ 4 syllables Speaks

Tell about a time when something happened to remind you that God is always with you. Share with a small group.

Share Invite the students to share their experiences of God’s presence with a small group or partner.

CROSS-CURRICULAR CONNECTION Visual Arts: Make Lanterns. Have the students make lanterns to display their lantern poems. Provide lantern shapes cut out of cardboard as patterns and a variety of lighter-colored construction paper. Allow the students to choose a piece of construction paper in a color they like. Direct them to trace a lantern pattern and cut it out, leaving about a 1” X 9” strip of construction paper uncut—this will be used as a handle for their lanterns. Then they may print their poem as neatly as possible on the lantern. Instruct them to print their name on the back of the lantern. Then they may use markers to draw designs or pictures on the lantern. Allow them to use their own strip of paper for the handle, or to switch with another student, so they have 2 different colors. The handle should be attached with a glue stick or staples, with one end on the front of the lantern and the other end of the back of the lantern. Hang the lanterns on a cord stretched across a corner of the room. Enjoy the poems!

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DAY

CONCLUDE

We Pray → Place a crucifix in the center

We Profess Our Faith

of the prayer table. Add a clear bowl of holy water as a reminder of Baptism.

At Baptism, we first profess our faith in God and what he has revealed. Pray this creed. It is part of the creed prayed at Baptism.

→ As an alternative, take the class

Leader: Let us profess our faith. Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth?

to the church for prayer. Gather around the baptismal font or pool.

All: I do.

→ Gather the students in the prayer

Leader: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the VIrgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?

center. Tell them that your prayer today renews the profession of faith that they made or their parents and godparents made for them at their Baptism. Point out that most of us were baptized as infants. We were welcomed into a community of faith, a community of believers who wanted us to belong to God’s family. In Baptism, we become members of God’s family.

All: I do. Leader: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit? All: I do. Leader: This is the faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it, in Christ Jesus our Lord. All: Amen. Leader: Come forward, place your right hand in the bowl of holy water. Dip your hand in the bowl and bless yourself as you say the words of the Sign of the Cross.

→ Direct the students to respond

Based on the Rite of Baptism

“I do” to each faith statement.

→ Lead the prayer. → Invite the students to come forth,

one at a time, take holy water on their fingers and reverently bless themselves by making the Sign of the Cross.

LITURGICAL CONNECTION Moments of Silence. The chatter of our busy lives can drown out the voice of the Lord, who is always with us. Ask the students to identify moments of silence that we observe in the celebration of the Eucharist (after the Second Reading, after the homily, after Communion). In addition, we enter the church quietly and pray silently. Invite the students to explain why we do that (to show reverence to God and to prepare to participate in the liturgy). Incorporate moments of silence into your classroom prayer for the same reasons. It is important to take some quiet time as we begin to communicate with God in prayer to heighten our awareness of his presence with us. Using a single ring of a chime or bell is a beautiful way to remind the students to quiet themselves for prayer.

Student page 33

DAY

CONCLUDE

Preview → Have the students carefully tear

out pages 33 and 34 along the perforation.

→ Encourage the students to share

these pages with their families, and to complete the activities together.

→ If they did not complete the review

activity on page 32 by the end of the session, emphasize that they can complete it with their families at home.

→ Point out the title and theme of the

next lesson to the students.

With My Family This Week...

Sharing God’s Word

In chapter 2, “I Will Be Your God,” your child learned:

Read together the Bible story about Jesus appearing to Thomas the Apostle and the other disciples after Jesus was raised from the dead. You can read this Gospel story in John 20:24–29 or read an adaptation of the story on page 30. Emphasize that faith includes believing in God even though we do not see God.

→ God created us to know, love, and serve him, and to be happy with him on Earth and in Heaven. → God has revealed himself most fully in his Son, Jesus Christ. We call this Divine Revelation. → We can never fully comprehend the mystery of God. → God gives us the virtue of faith to help us come to know and believe in him and in all that he has revealed. → People of faith strive to come to know God and respond to him. For more about related teachings of the Church, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 27–43, 50–67, and 142–197; and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pages 12–18.

Visit BeMyDisciples.com

We Live as Disciples The Christian home and family is a school of discipleship. Your family grows in faith together. Choose one of the following activities to do as a family, or design a similar activity of your own. → Share stories of the Baptism of each family member. Open a photo album, watch the videos, show your child his or her baptismal gown, candle, and certificate, and share what his or her Baptism day was like.

→ Read Jeremiah 7:23. Then pray together, asking God to strengthen your faith.

Our Spiritual Journey Christians profess their faith in both words and actions. In this chapter, your child prayed a profession of faith that is taken from the Rite of Baptism. Read and pray together the baptismal profession of faith on page 33, and then talk about ways that you can join others to put your words of faith into action. Make a family decision, and put it into action. This week, pray a prayer of faith together each day: I believe in God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is the faith of our Church. We are proud to profess it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

→ Take time with the students to explore the many activities and resources available at Be My Disciples Web site.

→ Encourage them to join with their families to discover the many resources available at the Web site. For more ideas on ways your family can live as disciples of Jesus, visit 34

Before Moving On … As you finish today’s lesson, reflect on the following question before moving on to the next chapter. Which student in the group could use more praise from me?

Student page 34

BeMyDisciples.com

PARTNERING WITH PARENTS Bible Skills. Encourage parents and families to have a Bible in a prominent place in their homes and to explore with their child all the study aids that are found in their family Bible: the footnotes, which help to explain challenging passages; the cross-references, which refer to the location of similar stories or verses; the maps; and the dictionary in the back. If you have shown the students these study aids in class, suggest to the parents that they ask their child to show them what they learned. Point out that this is a great activity to do as a family. Help the parents recognize that being familiar and comfortable with their Bible will increase their child’s desire and ability to read the Bible.

Enriching the Lesson Role Play: Trusting Others Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce the concept that Jesus invites us to believe and trust in God (taught on page 29)

→ Storytelling captures the religious imagination of students.

none

→ In small groups, have the students think of situations when they need to trust in God.

→ Have them prepare a role-play of one of these episodes. → Allow each group time to present their role-play. → Discuss with the students the importance of trusting in God in the different situations they present.

Collage: Living Our Faith Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce the concept of the need to live the gift of faith (taught on page 31)

→ Brainstorm with the class ways they see people living their faith.

construction paper

→ In small groups, have the students cut out words and pictures from newspapers and magazines illustrating people living their faith.

→ Invite the students to create collages using their words and pictures.

→ Have the students make titles for their collages by cutting out letters and words from the newspapers and magazines.

→ Encourage them to develop a creative title for their collages.

magazines and newspapers scissors glue sticks crayons or markers

→ Have the groups share their collages.

Pantomime: Living Our Faith Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce the importance of living the gift of faith by words and actions (taught on page 31)

→ Ask the students to pair off and prepare a pantomime to show

none

how they live their faith by helping others.

→ As each pair presents its pantomime, have the other students identify how the partners are living their faith.

CHAPTER

The of

BACKGROUND

Mystery

God

The Mystery of Divine Love Creation is an act of God’s love and goodness. It is a mystery of faith. When we speak of the mystery of creation, we mean that we can only understand God’s reason, or motive, for creating a mystery of love—the incomprehensible and completely free gift of divine love.

God the Creator Faith and trust in God the Creator, who is love, draws us forward through questions, pain, and other seemingly crushing difficulties of life. We exist, and all creation exists, because of God’s love. All of creation manifests God’s glorious power, love, and goodness. The beauty, the power, and the order of creation speak of the one God who has created everything out of love—and out of nothing. Although all creation clearly reflects the grandeur of God in some way, human beings do so in a unique way. God endows each and every human person with the nobility and dignity of being created in the very image and likeness of God. With that nobility and dignity comes a serious responsibility.

We are called to collaborate with God’s providential plan, to work together to do good and to build up the creation entrusted to us. We are called to reverence the gift of life—our own and others’. This kind of reverence begins with realizing how precious the gift of life—all of life—is! As God’s children, we are to value all creation as a gift that we have been given to cherish and to care for and to share in such a way that all people can come to know and believe in God. This is a profound biblical message: God has created the world. He entrusts human beings to care for and cultivate it. Fulfilling the command to serve as stewards of creation includes using our gifts and talents to open up and discover the mystery and wonders of creation and the mystery of God.

Stewards of God’s Creation In the first biblical account of the creation of humans, we read: God blessed them, and God said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” God said: “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of the earth and every tree . . . every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, . . . everything that has the breath of life” (Genesis 1:28–30).

For Reflection What have I learned about God’s love by reflecting on his creation? In what ways do I work with others to care for the good things of this Earth?

Grade 4

Teacher to Teacher Images of God in Creation God manifests himself and his love to us in many ways. Most children can see in their world some signs of God in the wonder and beauty of creation: a purple flower, a mauve sunset. Where do you see the image and face of God in creation? Where do you see the image and face of God in people? How and where do you let God touch you and open you to the gift of his love?

Seeing God’s Image in Creation Invite the students to name examples of beauty and goodness in creation. Use the examples they give to help them discover the goodness and love of God. Help them respond to God’s goodness by being good stewards of creation. This will help the students come to a greater and greater appreciation of God as they grow. Be conscious of how Saint Paul the Apostle described his work and apply it to your own: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6). Parents plant the seed of faith; you, the religion teacher, water it; and God gives it life and growth. Believe and trust in God’s love for you and for these young people.

The Church Teaches . . . “The Christian message is inherently Trinitarian because its source is the incarnate Word of the Father, Jesus Christ, who speaks to the world through his Holy Spirit” (National Directory for Catechesis, 25B). This is why the mystery of the Trinity is introduced early, helping the students to center themselves in a Trinitarian faith.

Further Reading and Reflection For more on the teachings of the Catholic Church on the mysteries of God and creation, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 199– 379; and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, Adults pages 53–55.

Teacher Prayer Spirit of the living God, who hovered over the universe, bless these young students and me as we strive to know you and to take care of creation. Amen.

Lesson Planner Chapter 3 Focus

The Mystery of God

To explore what it means to believe in God the Father

LESSON PART DAY Focus

EXPLORE

To explore the gift of God’s Creation Pages 35–37

MATERIALS and RESOURCES

PROCESS

Bible

→ Proclaim and discuss Psalm 148: 1, 3, 11, 13 (In praise of God’s Creation).

Pencils

→ Learn and discuss the story of Saints Isidore and

Crayons or markers

Maria of Spain.

Disciple Power: Trust Activity: Write a job description for Creation Caretakers.

DAY Focus

DISCOVER

→ Discover qualities or attributes of God.

Index cards

To discover God as the Creator

Scripture: Attributes or qualities of God (Psalm 147:5; 164:2, 6; 13:6; Isaiah 43:1; 2 Samuel 7:28).

Crayons or markers

Pages 38–39

Faith Vocabulary: Almighty, Creator Catholics Believe: Catholic Social Teaching

Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 93 Photo Book on Creation

Activity: Create a desktop background about a Scripture story.

DAY Focus

DISCOVER

To discover that God cares for us and calls us to care for creation Pages 40–41

→ Review that Divine Providence is God’s loving care for us.

Pencils Crayons or markers

→ Learn that people are God’s greatest creation.

Index cards

Scripture: God will provide (Matthew 6:26, 28, 30); God created man and woman in his image (Genesis 1:27).

Mirror

Faith-Filled People: Blessed Julian of Norwich Faith Vocabulary: Divine Providence

Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 93 Trust Walk

Activity: Make a prayer of thanksgiving to God.

DAY Focus

DECIDE

To decide on a response to the lesson on God’s gift of creation Pages 42–43

DAY Focus

CONCLUDE

To recall that psalms are prayerful songs to God that the Church prays every day

Scripture Story: Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) Activity: Create a Web announcement about a parish stewardship project. My Faith Choice: Choose a way to be a good steward.

Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 93 Public Service Announcement Additional Activities Booklet: Activities 3a and 3b or see BeMyDisciples.com

→ REVIEW Review concepts: Recall, Reflect, and Share. Bible, candle, cross for prayer space, pencils, magazines, scissors, glue, paper, seed packets

→ PRAY Great Is Your Name → Grade 4 Music CD

Assessment Tools Booklet: Assessments 3a and 3b

Pages 44–46

Preview the With My Family page and the theme of the next chapter. Assign online Chapter Review

Grade 4

BeMyDisciples.com

DAY Looking Ahead In this chapter, the Holy Spirit invites you to →

CHAPTER

EXPLORE how Isadore and Maria were stewards of God’s creation.

DISCOVER what God tells us about himself and about who we are.

DECIDE ways to praise God by being a good steward.

EXPLORE

Pray Ask the class to quiet themselves and remember that God is present. Begin with the Sign of the Cross and a short prayer: Creator God, we thank you for the gift of our world, for its beauty and for all the ways it sustains life. Amen.

The Mystery of

Reflect

God

→ Invite the students to reflect on

the images on the page. Ask them to share descriptions of beautiful places that they have seen, in pictures or in person.

What is your favorite song about God? When do you sing it? Why do you like singing it?

→ Read aloud the questions at the

top of the page. Give the students several minutes to write one or two lines to a song giving praise to God. Let them work with a partner if they choose. Invite volunteers to share their songs. Remind them that singing songs about God is one way of praying.

The People of God have written and sung many songs about God. Imagine that you and all of creation have come together to praise God. The writer of the Psalm 148 looked at creation, and his heart burst into song: Praise the Lord from the heavens, Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars, Praise the Lord from the earth; Let all peoples praise the Lord’s name, for his name alone is greater than any Based on Psalm 148: 1, 3, 11, 13 other name.

How have you and your family admired God’s creation?

→ Have the students close their eyes. 35

TEACHING TIP Discussing Pictures and Paintings. The photographs on the pages of the students’ texts play a vital role in the learning experience. They reinforce and extend the meaning of the chapter. Be sure to take time to draw attention to the images and to discuss them with the students. For students who are more visual learners, these images enhance comprehension. You may wish to build your own collection of photos and art images for this purpose. File them by topic so that they will be easy to locate as you move through the curriculum.

Ask them to imagine that they, along with all of the creatures of the Earth and sky, have come together to praise and sing in glory of God. Let them picture the scene in their imaginations.

→ Ask them then to open their eyes

and proclaim with you the Psalm verses on the page.

→ Tell about a time when you

shared an experience of wonder and awe at God’s creation with one person or several other people. Ask several students to answer the question at the end of the page. (Accept all reasonable responses.)

Focus Tell the class they will now read about two Saints who were special stewards of God’s creation. Student page 35

DAY

EXPLORE

Introduce

Disciple Power

→ Write the phrase Creation

Caretakers on the board. Invite the students to tell you what they think it means.

→ Ask if anyone has planted a garden.

Briefly let them describe their gardens.

Trust To trust in someone is to count on him or her to care for our well-being and respect us. To say “I trust in God” means that we know that we can count on him to be true to his Word.

Saint Isidore and Saint Maria Isidore and his wife, Maria de la Cabeza, were farmers. They worked for a wealthy landowner in Spain many years ago. Isidore and Maria loved the land. Isidore and Maria did not own the land they farmed. They cared for the land because they believed it was God’s gift to them. They trusted in God because he blessed them with so much.

→ Have volunteers read aloud Saint

Today Isidore and Maria are honored by the Church as Saints. Isidore is the patron Saint of farmers. Each spring celebrations are held in farming communities to ask for his prayer and blessing over the crops.

Isidore and Saint Maria. Ask the students for their ideas about why Isidore and Maria have been named Saints of the Church.

Saint Isidore and his holy wife, Saint Maria, are examples of a married couple who placed God at the center of their lives. They believed God provided for their needs and trusted in his loving care for them. Their deep love of God showed in their readiness to help a neighbor in need. Even though they did not have much themselves, they shared with the poor.

→ Continue reading their story

with Good Stewards. Emphasize that Saints Isidore and Maria are examples of how to be good stewards, or creation caretakers.

→ Ask several students to define

steward in their own words.

→ Invite a volunteer to read Disciple

How did Isidore and Maria use God’s gifts?

Power. Then focus on how we trust in God to care for us, and how we can count on him to be true to his Word.

→ Explain that Saints Isidore and

Maria are examples of people who trusted in God. Ask the students to share ways fourth graders can trust in God.

DISCIPLE POWER Trust. The word amen comes from a Hebrew word for faith. From this perspective, faith is understood as “I believe you,” a relationship of trust. A total trust in God does not mean we sit back and wait for God to act. Trust in God requires us to use our God-given gifts to help others. Believing that no matter what happens in our life God is always with us reflects total trust in God. It is an act of faith. Invite the students to make a list of the people in their lives. Afterward, ask volunteers to give one reason for trusting a person on their list.

Student page 36

DAY

EXPLORE

Reinforce

Good Stewards Isidore and Maria were good stewards. Stewards faithfully care for someone or something that belongs to someone else. Isidore and Maria took care of the land. They took care of neighbors and people in need.

→ Ask the students to underline in

the text what it takes to be a good steward. (A good steward faithfully care for someone or something that belongs to someone else.) Ask them to name ways that Saint Isidore and Saint Maria were good stewards.

Have you ever planted a garden? If you have, you know that plants and trees need special care to grow and produce fruits, flowers, and vegetables. God asks us to care for all of creation with the same special care as we would our own garden. When we are good stewards, as Saint Isidore and Saint Maria were, we care for God’s creation. We share its gifts with others, especially those in need.

→ Point out that Isidore and Maria

didn’t own the land they farmed, and the rich man who they worked for didn’t either. All the land and our natural resources come from God and belong to God. We are caretakers of God’s gifts of creation.

How can you show that you are a good steward for God’s creation?

Activity

Connect Creation Caretakers

→ Introduce the activity. Ask the

God’s creation needs many caretakers. What would a creation caretaker do? Write a job description here.

students to brainstorm with you some characteristics of a Creation Caretaker and jot their responses on the board.

JOB TITLE: JOB SUMMARY:

→ Have the students complete the

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

activity and share their responses.

HOURS:

Pray 37

Invite the class to pray the Our Father together.

CROSS-CURRICULAR CHALLENGE Social Studies. Saints Isidore and Maria were farmers near Madrid, Spain. Assign study teams to prepare reports on geographical and agricultural topics that would have impacted their daily lives and labor. Topics could include: map showing location of the Spain and Madrid; physical features such as elevation and climate of Madrid area; growing seasons and main agricultural products; average temperature and rainfall during the growing season. After the groups have presented their reports, ask the class to speculate on what Isidore and Maria planted and cultivated on the land. Ask if they think it was easy to grow plentiful crops in this area.

Student page 37

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept The Bible reveals to us attributes of God.

Faith Focus

What does it mean to call God, the Creator?

Faith Vocabulary

Almighty God’s power to do everything and anything good.

Pray → Invite the class to quiet themselves

for prayer. Begin with the Sign of the Cross. Ask them to echo the prayer after you:

Creator God, who created everything and everyone, visible and invisible, out of love and without help.

2. God is the Creator. There was nothing besides God before God created. God made everyone and everything, visible and invisible, out of love and without any help.

Praise the Lord, my soul; I shall praise the Lord all my life, sing praise to my God while I live. The maker of heaven and earth, the seas and all that is in them.

→ Tell the class that God has revealed

many things about himself in the Bible.

Psalm 146:2, 6

→ Invite five students to come with

→ Write the words Almighty

and Creator on the board. Ask volunteers to describe what each word tells us about God. Invite volunteers to read aloud each definition in the Faith Vocabulary section on the page to check their responses.

→ Ask the students to make word

cards for the Faith Vocabulary.

Student page 38

Here are some of the qualities, or attributes, that God tells us about himself in the Bible:

Psalm 147: 5

Teach

Father. Ask the students to name a prayer that calls God Father. (Our Father, Glory Be, Sign of the Cross)

When we see his amazing works, we attribute certain qualities about God, and we praise him. We bless and thank God for the gifts of creation and for loving us.

Great is our Lord, vast in power, with wisdom beyond measure.

→ Conclude with the Glory Be prayer.

→ Discuss what it means to call God,

God tells us about himself in many ways. He tells us about himself in the Bible and through the work of his creation. Just by looking at and thinking about creation, we can come to know something about God.

1. God is the Father, the Almighty. God has the power to do everything and anything good. We profess our faith in one God who is the Father, the Almighty.

Praise God, all creation. / All creation praise the name of God. / How good it is to celebrate our God in song. / Amen.

their books to the front of the class. Ask each student to read one of the five numbered statements about God. Invite the rest of the class to respond by reading the Scripture verses together.

God the Father

What else have you come to know about God from the Bible?

TEACHING TIP Using Word Cards. An important part of Catholic identity is to build a strong faith vocabulary. Each week the students will be learning one or two new faith words. Have them use index cards to create word cards. From time to time, you can take a few minutes at the end of class for the students to challenge each other on the vocabulary word they have learned so far. Another strategy is to choose several related faith words and ask the students to create sentences of short paragraphs using the words. As they put these words to use, the students are demonstrating that the words have become a part of their vocabulary.

DAY DISCOVER 3. God is all-present. God is always with us. More than anyone else, God is always there for us. Placing our trust in God is the best thing we can ever do.

I trust in your faithfulness. Grant my heart joy in your help, That I may sing of the Lord, “How good our God has been to me!”

4. God is all-knowing and all-loving. God knows us by name and always loves us.

[T]hus says the Lord, who created you,...and formed you,... I have called you by name: you are mine.

IsaIah 43:1

5. God is truth and faithfulness. God’s word is always true. He always keeps his promises. He is always faithful.

DISCOVER

Reinforce

Catholics Believe

→ Emphasize that God can do all

things that are good.

Catholic Social Teaching

Psalm 13:6

The Catholic Church has named certain principles to guide us in all our human relationships. These principles are part of Catholic social teaching. Care for God’s creation is one of these principles. It is part of God’s plan for us to live in harmony with him, with others, and with nature.

“Lord God, you are God and 2 samuel 7:28 your words are truth.”

→ Read aloud Catholics Believe.

Discuss the meaning of the final sentence.

Connect → Ask the students to summarize

to a partner five things that the world around them tells them about God. As a large group, compile a list on the board.

→ Have the students complete the

Activity

activity. Facilitate a large group discussion about what God tells us about himself in the Bible. List these things on the board as well.

Read and think about the Bible passages below. Create a desktop background that tells how one of the passages helps you hear God’s Word in your life today.

Pray

Psalm 95:1–5 What did God’s creation tell the writer of the psalm about God?

Divide the class into five groups and assign each group one of the five short Scriptures featured in this lesson. Ask the class to quiet themselves for prayer. Invite each group to read the Bible verses prayerfully.

1 Kings 19:9–13 The prophet Elijah went away to pray. How did Elijah finally hear God’s voice?

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING Care for God’s Creation. We show our respect for God the Creator by caring for all that he created. Care for creation is, in fact, a requirement of Christian faith. We are called by God to show respect for all people, because all are created in his image. This is the foundation of our human dignity. We are to be stewards of the Earth as well. Christians must measure every choice by the impact it has on human life and on the environment.

Student page 39

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concepts • Divine Providence is God’s constant loving care for us and all creation. • God is the Creator of all that is, visible and invisible.

Faith Focus

God Cares for All Creation

Faith Vocabulary

Best of all, God told us about himself through Jesus Christ. Jesus called his Father “Abba.” The word Abba means “father.” This shows us Jesus’ love for and trust in his Father.

How does God care for us and all creation?

Divine Providence God’s caring love for us.

Jesus showed his trust in the Father in everything he said and did. He invites us to trust God the Father as he did. One day he told his disciples, Look at the birds in the sky and the wild flowers. Your heavenly Father takes care of them. You are more important to God than they are. God will provide much more for you.

Pray Invite the class to remember God’s presence and then pray the Our Father together to begin class.

Based on matthew 6:26, 28, 30

Jesus invited his listeners to trust that God has great joy in providing for us. Every moment of every day of our lives, God, our Almighty Father, cares for us and his creation. We call this truth about God, Divine Providence.

Teach → Ask the students: Why do we

sometimes worry? Share some of your own examples to begin the discussion.

God asks us to share in his Divine Providence by taking care of his creation. Good stewards help to complete the work of creation. They look for people, places, or things that are in need and find ways to help.

→ Have the class look at the picture

on the page. Ask them to describe how the people in the picture look. Happy? Sad?

How do you show that you trust God will care for you?

→ Ask the students to read silently

the first paragraph to learn why Jesus called his Father “Abba.” (This showed Jesus’ love for his Father and his trust in the Father. He trusted that his Father would always be with him.)

→ Read the Scripture passage aloud

and summarize the paragraph that follows.

→ Invite a volunteer to read

about Divine Providence in Faith Vocabulary.

Reinforce → Return to the words written on

the board—stewards and Creation Caretakers. Ask volunteers to tell what it means to be a steward.

→ Have the students make word

cards for Divine Providence.

Connect Pose the final question on the page. 86

Student page 40

HUMAN METHODOLOGIES Learning by Discipleship. The National Directory for Catechesis explains, “By following the example of [Jesus’] self-giving love, we learn to be Christian disciples in our own time, place, and circumstances” (NDC 29B). Invite the students to write letters to God, addressing him as Abba, as Jesus did. In their letters, encourage them to express their faith and trust in God and ask him to continue to love and provide for them. Invite volunteers to read aloud their prayers, and then offer them to Abba by placing them on the prayer table. Activities such as this help students learn the nature of discipleship.

DAY DISCOVER God Our Creator In the Nicene Creed, we profess our faith in God, who is the Creator of all that is, visible and invisible. This means that God is the Creator of all. He is the Creator of people and angels. Angels are invisible spiritual creatures who do not have a body as humans do. They endlessly give glory to God. All of God’s creation is good, but people are the greatest of all God’s creations. God tells us the reason in the Bible: God created man in his image; . . . male and female he created them. GenesIs 1:27

God created people to share in the life of the Holy Trinity now on Earth and forever in Heaven. The Holy Trinity is the mystery of One God in Three Divine Persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

DISCOVER

Teach

Faith-Filled People

→ Ask the students to read silently

Julian of Norwich Blessed Julian saw creation as a great sign of God’s love. She believed that people are the greatest part of creation because Jesus, the Son of God, became a man. Because of Jesus, people are the heart of the universe. People are the greatest sign of God’s love.

the first paragraph of God Our Creator. Ask them to share one new thing that they learned.

→ Emphasize that everything that

God created is good. Invite a volunteer to read the Scripture passage. Ask why God loves people most of all. (God created us in his image.) Explain that the term “man” refers to all people.

→ Invite a volunteer to read the final

paragraph. Ask: Why did God create us? (God created us to share in the life of the Holy Trinity now and forever.)

How do you give glory to God? IN GOD’S IMAGE

Activity

In God’s Image

→ Remind the class that belief in

Look in a mirror. Remember that person staring back at you is created in God’s image! Decorate this prayer card. Bless and thank God for creating you—in his image!

the Holy Trinity is central to our faith.

→ Read aloud Faith–Filled People

about Blessed Julian of Norwich, a woman who saw creation as a great sign of God’s love.

Reinforce 41

FAITH-FILLED PEOPLE Blessed Julian of Norwich (1342–1420). Julian of Norwich was a mystic—a person whose deep contemplation of God was focused on union with him. Her deep faith is expressed in terms of God’s great love for his people. As her fame spread throughout England, great numbers of pilgrims were eager to meet her. Julian’s optimism was built on her faith and trust in God’s tremendous love. During Europe’s terrible tragedy of the Plague, Julian expressed her faith and trust in one of her well known prayers, which she recited daily: “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.”

Remind the class that at Mass we profess the Nicene Creed. Have them locate the Nicene Creed in their books and remind them to memorize it.

Connect → Pass around a mirror and remind

them that the person they see is an image of God.

→ Have the students decorate the

prayer cards.

Pray Pray together: Abba, Father, we thank you for your Divine Providence and care for us. We ask your special blessings on these needs. (Invite the students to mention special intentions for which they wish to pray.) Student page 41

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept Jesus gave us an example of stewardship.

Faith Focus

What does Jesus teach us about stewardship?

The Workers in the Vineyard Jesus told his disciples a parable about the Kingdom of God. Listen to what Jesus teaches us about how to share the gifts of creation. The kingdom of heaven is like a man who went out early to hire some workers for his vineyard. Later than morning, he saw some other workers standing about, and he hired them, too. All day long, he kept hiring new workers. At the end of the day, he paid them all the same money!

Pray Begin the class by inviting the students to pray with you: God, our loving Father, help us to be generous in sharing the gifts of creation with everyone.

The morning workers grumbled and complained to the farmer, “This isn’t fair! We worked hard and it was really hot today. Those last workers only worked for an hour!” The man said, “My friends, did I not pay you what we agreed was the usual daily wage? I didn’t cheat you. Why do you care if I give the last ones the same as you?”

Teach → Read the text or introduce the story

in your own words. Point out that parables often use surprise endings to make us think.

Jesus finished the story and said to his disciples, “Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Based on matthew 20:1–16

What did Jesus teach us about God through this parable?

→ Divide the class into small groups.

Ask them to make up a skit to show a situation in their lives like the one in the parable.

→ Invite each group to present its skit

to the class.

→ Direct the groups to discuss the

two questions as the end of the story and make notes on their group answers.

Reinforce Ask what Jesus wanted to tell us about God in the parable.

Connect Invite the students to share how they would feel if they were one of the first workers hired for the vineyard. If one student says he or she would feel cheated, ask for a show of hands to indicate agreement. Ask how they would feel if they were the last worker hired. Repeat the show of hands. Guide the students to understand that God is a generous Father who gives everything for us to share equally.

Student page 42

CROSS-CURRICULAR CONNECTION Math. Challenge the students with some problems based on the Parable of the Workers In the Vineyard.

→ If the owner of the vineyard hired 10 workers at 7 am and two more every hour after that ending at 4 pm, how many workers did he hire altogether? (8 am to 4 pm = 9 hours. 9 hours X 2 workers = 18 workers + 10 workers = 28 workers)

→ If the owner hired 28 workers and spent $840, how much did he pay each worker? ($840 ÷ 28 = $30.)

→ If the first ten workers each picked 55 pounds of grapes an hour, how much did they pick by noon? (7 am to noon = 5 hours. 55 pounds x 5 hours = 275 pounds per worker. 275 pounds X 10 workers = 2,750 pounds of grapes.)

DAY

DECIDE

Reinforce Share with the class that we show our love for God when we live as good stewards of his creation.

A good steward can be counted on, or trusted, to take good care of things. God wants us to be good stewards of his creation. He trusts that each of us can be counted on to make a difference in caring for his creation. When we work together, we can do a better job of caring for God’s creation.

Respond → Summarize what a good steward

GOOD STEWARDS Pretend that your parish is planning a “Good Stewards” project to help others. Create an announcement for the home page of your school Web site.

is. Emphasize that we can all work together to do our part in caring for God’s creation.

Good Stewards of Creation

→ Introduce the activity and give the

students time to complete it. See the Teaching Tip on this page for more ideas for this activity.

Choose → Display three large sheets of

MY FAITH

CHOICE

newsprint in the room. Label them HOME, SCHOOL, and NEIGHBORHOOD. Suggest that these are the places where fourth graders spend most of their time. Have the students walk around the room to visit the newsprint and write on each one way that they can be a good steward in that place.

What is one way you can be a good steward at home? At school? In your neighborhood? I will

. Pray,“Holy Spirit help me return God’s trust in me by taking care of the gifts God has given me. Amen.” 43

TEACHING TIP Designing a Stewardship Home Page. Ask the students to name some of the elements that can be found on their favorite websites. Divide the class into small groups. Ask each group to design a home page for a website that encourages people to be good stewards. Remind the students that their home page will use words and pictures showing people caring for God’s creation. The students will need to think about the kind of images that would illustrate best the theme of the Web site. For example, they might choose a picture of people cleaning the beaches, recycling plastic containers, or tending a vegetable garden. If you are aware of stewardship projects in your parish, you might ask someone involved with the project to come and speak to your class.

→ Direct the students to make a

personal response by writing how they will work hard to be a good stewards. Invite volunteers to share their responses.

Pray Invite the students to take a quiet moment in prayer to thank God for creation and to ask the Holy Spirit to help them take care of the gifts that God has given us.

Student page 43

DAY

CONCLUDE

Pray Begin class by slowly and reverently praying the Sign of the Cross with the students.

Recall → Ask the students to name what

they think were the three most important concepts in this chapter. Write ideas on the board.

TO HELP YOU REMEMBER 1. God is our Father, the Almighty, who is all-knowing, all-loving, all-present, truth, and faithfulness. 2. God is the Creator of all that is, visible and invisible. God always cares and provides for creation. 3. All people are created in the image of God.

Chapter Review Recall Complete the sentences. Use the words in the word bank. Creator

Abba

Divine Providence

likeness Holy Trinity

Abba 1. Jesus called God the Father _____________________. 2. God the Father is the first Person of the Holy Trinity _____________________. Creator 3. God the Father is the _____________________ of all that is, both visible and invisible. 4. He always loves us and provides for us. We call this Divine Providence truth about God _______________________.

→ Ask the students to compare this

list with the three To Help You Remember statements.

likeness 5. God created us in his image and _______________.

→ Introduce the activity. Give the

Reflect

students time to complete it, and then read the paragraph aloud.

Packages of vegetable seeds include planting and growing instructions. Think about what it would take to grow trust. Write directions for planting and growing trust.

→ Conclude by reviewing the ideas

written on the board. What is the most important thing you learned in this lesson? Why is it the most important?

GRO W TR

UST

Reflect Show some seed packets to the students. Read the directions and show the picture on the front of the packet, which illustrates how beautiful the flower or vegetable will be. Ask the students to create a seed packet with instructions for how to grow trust, and a picture of how beautiful it would be to trust God.

Share → Provide poster board newspapers

and magazines, scissors, glue sticks, and markers for the students to use. Direct them to write a short story using words cut from the paper or magazines and substitute pictures for some of the words.

→ Have them exchange stories with

another group and read that group’s story. Continue until all groups have read all of the stories.

Student page 44

With a small group, use words and pictures to write a story about ways to care for creation.

TEACHING TIP Extending the Lesson. One way to extend this lesson is to help the students brainstorm practical ways they can care for God’s creation. Divide the class into groups, Have each group decide on a stewardship project they can do for the school, parish, or neighborhood, for example, picking up trash, planting flowers, or collecting newspapers or cans to recycle. Have each group create a poster that describes their project, the date for the project, supplies needed, and invites others to join them. Have each group present their poster to the class. If a project is interesting or especially needed in your school or parish, have the whole class plan how they will tackle the work. If necessary, get the necessary permission and adult help.

DAY DISCOVER

CONCLUDE

We Pray → Gather the students in the prayer

Great Is Your Name

center. Introduce them to the Psalms as prayers and songs of praise and thanks to God. Tell them that this Psalm gives praise and thanks to God the Creator.

Psalms are prayerful songs that give praise and thanks to God. Other psalms ask God for help. The Church prays the Psalms every day. One way we pray the Psalms is by alternately praying the verses aloud. Leader: God, the Creator, how great is your name.

→ Rehearse the Psalm response and

All: God, the Creator, how great is your name.

then divide the class into two groups and pray the Psalm by alternating Group 1 and Group 2.

Group1 : Your love for us is so great. Group2 : You always care for us. All: God, the Creator, how great is your name. Group1 : You have made us your greatest creation. Group2 : You have given us the responsibility to be good stewards of your creation. All: God, the Creator, how great is your name. Based on Psalm 8:2, 5–7, 10

THE TASKS OF CATECHESIS Teaching to Pray. The Book of Psalms (Praises), found in the Bible, contains 150 Psalms. These Psalms, or songs/chants, are prayers of thanksgiving, lamentations, praise, and petition. The Psalms reflect the marvels of God throughout history based on the human experiences of the writer (CCC 2641). Although they were written thousands of years ago, the Psalms offer us meaningful opportunities for prayer today. After the students pray Psalm 8, invite them to reflect on its meaning for us today.

Student page 45

DAY

CONCLUDE

Preview → Have the students carefully

tear out pages 45 and 46 along the perforation.

→ Encourage the students to share

these pages with their families, and to complete the activities together.

→ If they did not complete the review

activity on page 44 by the end of the session, emphasize that they can complete it with their families at home.

→ Point out the title and theme of the

next lesson to the students.

With My Family This Week...

Sharing God’s Word

In chapter 3, “The Mystery of God,” your child learned:

Read together the Bible story in Matthew 6:26–31, or read the adaptation of the story on page 31. Talk about how God cares for all creation.

→ We profess our faith in God, the Father, the Almighty, the Creator of all that is visible and invisible. → God is love, truth, faithful, all-knowing, and all good.

We Live as Disciples

→ We respond to God’s loving care, or Divine Providence, by caring for creation and sharing the gifts of creation with those in need.

The Christian home and family is a school of discipleship. Grow in faith together as a family Choose one of the following activities to do as a family, or design a similar activity of your own.

→ When we practice the virtue of trust, we trust God and are trusted by him. For more about related teachings of the Church, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 199–379; and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pages 53–55.

→ Invite your child to help you prepare a family meal. Talk about how your family can care for God’s creation. Then choose one thing you will do this week together to care for creation.

→ Invite your child to go food shopping with you. As you walk down the aisles, talk about your family’s blessings and how you might share those blessings with others.

Our Spiritual Journey The Psalms in the Bible reflect the ups and downs of the daily journey of God’s people. Learn several psalm verses and pray them at appropriate times as a family. In this chapter, your child prayed verses of Psalm 8. Read and pray together Psalm 8 on page 45 or from your Bible. Or pray this short prayer each day this week together as a family: O God, our Creator, how great is your name!

Visit BeMyDisciples.com

→ Take time with the students to explore the many activities and resources available at Be My Disciples Web site.

→ Encourage them to join with their families to discover the many resources available at the Web site. For more ideas on ways your family can live as disciples of Jesus, visit 46

Before Moving On … As you finish today’s lesson, reflect on the following question before moving on to the next chapter. Am I creating an atmosphere in which my students feel comfortable asking questions of me?

Student page 46

BeMyDisciples.com

ENRICHING THE LESSON Safety First! If you plan on doing the Trust Walk suggested on page 93, be sure to conduct this activity in a large open area so that the students will not hurt themselves bumping into furniture or walls. Keep in mind that your fourth graders need to be carefully supervised during the activity. If a student appears unable to participate in this activity responsibly, you might wish to make him a timekeeper or ask him to help with putting on blindfolds.

Enriching the Lesson Photo Book on Creation Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce coming to know something about God through his creation (taught on pages 38–39)

→ Have the students plan a book of photographs on knowing

drawing paper

→ Divide the class into groups to describe the different kinds of

crayons or markers

God through creation.

photos, illustrations, and captions they would use.

brads

→ Invite each group to share their ideas with the class. Ask the

students to look during the week for photos that they could use.

→ Invite several students to work outside of class on an illustrated cover.

→ When the book is complete, ask volunteers to share what the different images teach them about God.

Trust Walk Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce the concept of trust in God (taught on page 40)

→ Ask for volunteers. Have the students choose a partner,

material for blindfolds

blindfold their partners, and lead them carefully around the classroom. Remind the student who is leading that his or her responsibility is to ensure the safety of his or her partner and to be worthy of the partner’s trust.

→ Switch roles so that each student has both the experience of leading and trusting.

→ Discuss with the students their feelings and compare the trust that they put in their partner to the trust that they can always place in God.

Public Service Announcement Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce the importance of being good stewards (taught on pages 36, 37, and 43)

→ The students will enjoy producing public service commercials

props for the commercials

for the radio on taking care of God’s creation.

→ Tell the students that their commercial will be one minute long and will incorporate the slogan “Reduce—Reuse—Recycle,” or another one that they make up on their own.

→ Give the students simple props to add interest, such as a round hairbrush to use as a microphone or a set of earmuffs to use as earphones.

→ If you have the ability to actually record their announcements,

they will enjoy having them played back for themselves and for the class.

CHAPTER

4 God’s

Promise

BACKGROUND

The Promise of Isaiah God first chose the Hebrews, or Israelites, to be the people of the Covenant, the People of God. The history of the living of the Covenant is full of ups and downs. Throughout it all God was (and is) ever-faithful to his part of the Covenant—always renewing it, always promising mercy and forgiveness.

The Fidelity of God The Israelites always believed and hoped in God’s fidelity, his unshakable love. In their hearts they expected God to save them, despite their many acts of infidelity to him and the Covenant. However, there were times when that hope grew weak because of the oppressive nature of political events, such as the oppression both of their own kings and of the kings of nations that overran and conquered Israel. During those times, when the belief of the Israelites in the value of being God’s people was fading, God manifested his fidelity to the promises he made to them. He reached out to strengthen their faith and enliven their hope. He sent his prophets to the Israelites. Through the words and actions of the prophets, God made it clear to the Israelites that he would always be their God and they would always be his people. Isaiah was one of the prophets of Israel, whose message we find in Sacred Scripture. He lived at a critical time in Israel’s history, proclaiming that a messiah would come who would be, paradoxically, majestic and glorious and yet weak and ridiculed by his enemies. This messiah would be known as the Suffering Servant of God. Along with that message of hope came another: Israelites must repent, and they would be saved.

Jesus, the Messiah In the New Testament, Christ is the title most frequently used to describe Jesus. The use of this title professes the faith of the apostolic Church that Jesus is the Christ. He is the Messiah promised by God and announced by Isaiah. 94

Grade 4

Christos is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word for messiah, which literally means “anointed one.” In ancient Israel those who were consecrated to God for a special mission were anointed in his name. Kings, priests, and, in some instances, prophets were thus anointed. At the time of Jesus, there was an expectation among Jews for the coming of the Messiah, the One anointed by God to save them as Isaiah and the other Prophets had announced. However, Jesus did not fit the profile of the Messiah whom many were expecting and were yearning for. They were looking mistakenly for a savior to lead them to freedom from Roman rule. A messiah who would have to suffer and die as Jesus did was out of the picture. They could not even imagine that the messiah would not re-establish the glory of the earthly kingdom of their ancestors. They were not looking for the establishment of the Kingdom of God that Jesus announced. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, came not to be served but to serve. Like Jesus, we place our lives at the service of God’s people and work for the coming of the Kingdom. When we do, we become living signs of hope among the people of our time.

For Reflection During times when I feel oppressed, where do I find hope? When have I placed my life at the service of the Kingdom and been a messenger of hope for others?

Teacher to Teacher God Knows Us by Name God chose Isaiah by name to speak for him to the people. Isaiah went to the Israelites who were suffering and shared with them that God knew of their suffering and would deliver them from their suffering. One day they would return to their homeland. Isaiah’s experience and the experience of God’s People in exile mirrors the experiences of all his people. God knows each of us by name. He reaches out to us in our suffering, speaks to us by name, and assures us of his presence with us.

Call On Each Student by Name Show your respect for each young person. Learn each student’s name quickly and call on the students by name. Here is one way you can show your respect for each student’s individuality. Set up a volunteer box. Print each student’s name on separate index cards and place the cards in the box. Whenever you need a volunteer, draw a card from the box, and invite each student by name. The student whose name you draw can then choose to volunteer or not volunteer. Afterward, put the card aside so other students will have the chance to volunteer. This process will help you involve every student throughout the year. As you use this or a similar process, always respect each student’s comfort level when it comes to volunteering.

The Church Teaches… “The new evangelization is aimed at personal transformation through the development of a personal relationship with God, participation in sacramental worship, the development of mature ethical and social conscience, ongoing catechesis, and a deepening integration of faith into all areas of life” (National Directory for Catechesis, 17A). As a catechist you are more than a teacher; you are a witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ. Share with the students your own personal transformation in faith. Help them in their transformation in faith by highlighting each chapter’s feature on how the students can grow virtuously as a disciple of Jesus.

Further Reading and Reflection For more on the teachings of the Catholic Church on Original Sin, the mysteries of evil and the Savior promised by God, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church Church, 385–412; and the United Adults, pages 18, States Catholic Catechism for Adults 56–57.

Teacher Prayer Spirit of God, who filled the prophets with zeal to proclaim your message of hope, fill these young students and me with the same zeal to proclaim that same hope. Amen.

Lesson Planner Chapter 4 Focus

God’s Promise

To identify the message of hope preached by the prophet Isaiah

LESSON PART DAY Focus

EXPLORE

To explore God’s message of hope Pages 47–49

DAY Focus

DISCOVER

To discover God’s plan of Salvation Pages 50–51

MATERIALS and RESOURCES

PROCESS → Proclaim and discuss Mark 1:7–8 (John the Baptist).

Bible

→ Learn and discuss the story of Dorothy Day.

Pencils

Disciple Power: Hope

Crayons or markers

Activity: Write ways your school or parish helps people who are suffering.

→ Learn about God’s plan of Salvation.

Pencils

Faith Vocabulary: Original Sin

Index cards

Catholics Believe: Works of Mercy Scripture: A psalm of sorrow (Psalm 137: 1–2, 4) Activity: Write a psalm of hope.

DAY Focus

DISCOVER

To discover more about the prophet Isaiah Pages 52–53

→ Discover more about the prophet Isaiah.

Pencils

Faith-Filled People: Isaiah the Prophet

Crayons or markers

Faith Vocabulary: Messiah

Index cards

Scripture: A child is born to us (Isaiah 9:1, 5).

Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 109 Making Messiah Bookmarks Designing a Personal Emblem

Activity: Plan a collage about the Kingdom of God.

DAY Focus

DECIDE

To decide on ways that members of the Church can be messengers of hope

→ Learn the titles that describe the promised savior. Activity: Interview classmates or family members about those who bring hope to others who suffer. My Faith Choice: Choose a way to be a messenger of hope.

Pages 54–55

DAY Focus

CONCLUDE

To learn that prayers of praise give glory to God, and to pray a prayer of praise

Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 109 Catholic Social Teaching: Planning a Project for People in Need Additional Activities Booklet: Activities 4a and 4b or see BeMyDisciples.com

→ REVIEW Review concepts: Recall, Reflect, and Share. Bible, candle, cross for prayer space, pencils

→ PRAY Praise the Lord

Assessment Tools Booklet: Assessments 4a and 4b

→ Grade 4 Music CD

Preview the With My Family page and the theme of the next chapter.

Pages 56–58

Assign online Chapter Review

Grade 4

BeMyDisciples.com

DAY Looking Ahead

CHAPTER

In this chapter, the EXPLORE how Dorothy Holy Spirit invites Day gave hope to you to → people who are poor.

DISCOVER God’s plan of Salvation and the promise of the Messiah.

DECIDE how to be a messenger of hope.

EXPLORE

Pray Greet the students and together pray the Sign of the Cross. Ask the students to quietly think about God’s promise to love and be with them always. Close with the Sign of the Cross.

Reflect

God’s

→ Ask the question at the top of

the page. Have the students share responses with a partner. Invite pairs to share about their promises with the class. Accept all appropriate answers.

Promise

→ Introduce John the Baptist by

Think about a promise that you have made. Why was it difficult or easy for you to keep your promise?

pointing out his image on the page. Let the students share what they know about him.

God promised to send a Savior to his Chosen People, the Israelites. About thirty years after Jesus was born, some people believed that John the Baptist was this person. Imagine yourself in the desert, listening to John the Baptist’s message of hope:

→ Read the Scripture from Mark’s

Gospel aloud. Invite the students to answer the questions about John the Baptist.

One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will Mark 1:7–8 baptize you with the holy Spirit.

Focus

What sort of person would John’s words have led you to expect?

→ Preview the chapter by reading

aloud the Looking Ahead box.

HUMAN METHODOLOGIES Learning by Apprenticeship. The National Directory for Catechesis tells us that apprenticeship is a “guided encounter with the entire Christian life” (NDC 29H). As you introduce the students to Dorothy Day on the next page, explain that the title Venerable is given by the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints when a person’s life has been found to be worthy of consideration for sainthood. The final two steps are beatification and canonization. Clarify that Saints and holy people like Dorothy Day are guides for us in living our faith. Encourage the students to pray to the Holy Spirit to help them find their true calling, as Dorothy did with the Holy Spirit’s inspiration and help. Suggest that they choose a Saint whose life can guide them during the coming year.

→ Tell the students that they will

learn more in this chapter about God’s promise of a messiah. This was a promise of hope. First, they will learn about how Dorothy Day brought hope and the Good News of Jesus to people.

Student page 47

DAY

EXPLORE

Introduce

Disciple Power

→ Invite a volunteer to read Building

a Just World. Tell the students that Dorothy’s house was also damaged. The building where her father worked was destroyed so he lost his job. But they saw others who needed their help.

Hope Hope is a gift from God. The Theological Virtue of hope enables us to trust in God and in his promises. It helps us trust that God is always with us, in good times and difficult times.

→ Read or paraphrase the other

paragraphs.

Building a Just World Dorothy Day was eight years old when an earthquake and fires damaged much of San Francisco in 1906. Dorothy’s family lived across the bay, in Oakland. Homeless families came there looking for help. Dorothy saw men setting up tents at a nearby racetrack. Her mother and neighbors gave all of the food and clothing they could spare to the homeless people. Dorothy learned at a very early age that people need to have hope, especially during difficult times.

Sharing Hope

→ Ask the students to describe how

Dorothy grew up always having a sensitivity toward what is just and good in society. Her relationship with God and the Church took time.

Dorothy helped others when she grew up.

After difficult times living in New York, Dorothy became a newspaper writer in Chicago. With the help of friends, her faith in God and love for the Mass grew. With this renewed faith in God, she continued to report on the sufferings of people who were living in poverty.

→ Call on volunteers to read Living

Among the Poor. Tell the students that some people have called Dorothy Day a modern-day prophet. Prophets show us the way God wants us to live. Dorothy’s work for the poor shows us ways to live the Gospel and be prophets of hope.

Why is having hope important?

→ Discuss the reflection question.

Assure the students that their experiences now are helping them to become strong disciples of Jesus.

Reinforce

→ Write the word hope on the board.

Ask the students to name the ways that Dorothy Day brought hope to people.

→ Have a volunteer read the Disciple

Power definition of hope. Ask volunteers to share about a time when someone in their families, school, or parish has helped them have hope. Share an experience of hope from your own life as well.

Student page 48

DISCIPLE POWER Hope. Hope is the Theological Virtue by which we seek the Kingdom of God and eternal happiness in Heaven, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on help from the Holy Spirit. Dorothy Day prayed for and worked for a better life for the poor and homeless. She lived in hope. Our prayers of petition are prayers of hope. Hope is a source of prayer. Our hopes are also nourished through our prayer life. During difficult times especially, we can ask the Holy Spirit to increase our hope and trust in God’s love and care for us. We must also work to make our hopes in God’s loving plan for the world become a reality. Ask the students to write a prayer that expresses hope for those living in poverty.

DAY

→ Have the students work in

Dorothy wanted to do more than just write about the in justice of poverty. Dorothy prayed that she could find a way to change things for people who were poor. Dorothy believed that the Holy Spirit was calling her to share God’s message of hope with people.

groups of four to develop a list of activities the school or parish does to help those in need. (Giving Tree, Thanksgiving baskets, and so on) Give each group a copy of a parish bulletin to examine for organizations that help others.

Dorothy Day told her friend Peter Maurin about her work with the poor. They began the Catholic Worker movement. They brought God’s gift of hope to people in many ways. They spoke out against injustice. They chose to live among the poor. They set up Catholic Worker houses, where people who were homeless could live.

→ Invite the small groups to share any

Dorothy Day was a woman of action, but she was also a person of prayer. She prayed the Rosary and read the Bible every day. Her journals reveal her love of God and the Church.

How can you bring hope to others?

EXPLORE

Connect

Living Among the Poor

The Catholic Church has named Dorothy a Servant of God. This is part of the process in naming a person a Saint. We honor Dorothy best when we live as she did, as disciples of Jesus. When we do, we are God’s messengers of hope in our world. We work to build a just world as Jesus taught us to do.

new ways that they discovered that their school or parish helps others and gives them hope.

→ Have the students complete the

Dorothy Day, head of the Catholic Worker movement, inside the worker office at 175 Chrystie Street in New York.

activity, now, by themselves based on the work of the group.

Pray Gather the students for prayer. Encourage them to silently say their own prayer asking for the strength and courage to offer hope to others.

Activity

Find out more about the work that your school or parish does for people who are suffering. Start by writing three ways that you already know.

CROSS-CURRICULAR CONNECTION Visual Arts. Remind the students that a rainbow is a message of hope. It was a sign that God gave to Noah after the flood of his promise to protect the world. Have the students make a chalk wash. Give the students drawing paper and chalk in either cool colors (green, blue, purple) or warm colors (yellow, orange, red). Direct them to sponge the paper lightly with water and then fill the space with their chalk colors immediately. The colors will run and take wonderful shapes. Set the papers aside to dry. In the meantime, have each student write a message of hope on a smaller paper. When the chalk washes are dry, let them glue on their message of hope. Post the rainbow signs of hope.

Student page 49

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept God has a plan for the Salvation of people.

Pray Begin the class by praying the Hail Mary.

Faith Focus

What is God’s plan of Salvation?

Faith Vocabulary

Original Sin The sin that the first humans committed, which lost original holiness not only for themselves but for all human beings.

→ Ask the students to recall how

Adam and Eve, the names that the Bible gives to the first humans, rejected God’s original plan of happiness for people and for all creation. They freely chose to turn against God’s will. The Church calls this choice made by Adam and Eve, and its effect on all people, Original Sin.

Dorothy Day helped people, and why the people needed help.

→ Tell them that God’s People in the

Old Testament experienced some of the same situations. Have them read the first two paragraphs.

By this sin, Adam and Eve lost the gift of original holiness, or friendship with God. The first human beings not only lost this gift for themselves, but for all human beings. Because of Original Sin, suffering, injustice, sin, and evil of all kinds came into the world. Because of Original Sin, we too suffer.

→ Direct the students to read silently

the rest of God’s Plan of Salvation to recall how suffering began in the world.

Who is someone you know who helps people who are suffering? How does this person help?

→ Write Original Sin on the

board. Ask volunteers to read the definition found in Faith Vocabulary. Have the students make a word card for it.

Have the students highlight an important point in each paragraph to summarize the page. Pose the questions at the bottom of the page and invite partners to share their responses with each other.

Teach → Tell the students that in spite of

the evil and suffering in the world God’s People had hope. Ask the students to share their ideas about what this hope was and why the people had hope.

100

Student page 50

God created us to be happy with him here on Earth and forever in Heaven. Yet we know that people are hurting. Many people are treated unjustly. Many children go hungry each day. When we see and hear about people who suffer, we wonder how they can be happy? We wonder why suffering exists at all. God’s people in the Old Testament experienced pain and suffering, too. They aksed God questions about suffering, pain, and injustice. They wrote in the Book of Genesis what God revealed to them.

Teach

Reinforce

God’s Plan of Salvation

TEACHING TIP Hold a Caucus. You might follow up the reflection questions on page 50 by inviting the students to hold a caucus similar to a political caucus. In a caucus, a group of people meets to decide on a candidate or points in a policy. In your classroom caucus, each student could stand up and describe the good qualities of the person they told about. This will give all members of the class a chance to learn other ways that people are reaching out to the poor and suffering. Invite the students to vote for the three descriptions that they think are the best examples. Remind them that every person described by the students is trying to live the Gospel by helping people who are suffering.

DAY

DISCOVER

DISCOVER God’s Promise God’s love refused to let evil and sin destroy his original plan. He set a new plan in motion—God’s plan of Salvation. God would send a savior. He promised to send someone who would free all people from sin and suffering. About 600 years before the birth of Jesus, God’s people, the Israelites, were suffering in many ways. Many of their kings and other leaders were treating them unjustly. Things became especially bad when many of the Israelites were forced to move out of their homeland and live in another country called Babylon. This period of suffering is known as the Exile. God’s people prayed for the savior God had promised.

→ Read the first paragraph of God’s

Catholics Believe Works of Mercy The Corporal Works of Mercy and the Spiritual Works of Mercy are works of hope. They help prepare for the coming of the Kingdom that Jesus, the Messiah and Savior, began to build. When we live the Works of Mercy, we share the gift of hope with people.

How can God’s promise give people hope today?

Activity

Read this psalm about the deep sorrow of God’s People in Exile.

Write a psalm about the joyful hope that God will bring the Israelites home again.

Promise. Ask the students to describe God’s original plan for his people. (to be happy with him on Earth and forever in Heaven) Then ask them to describe God’s new plan of Salvation. (to send a savior who would free all people from sin and suffering)

→ Invite volunteers to read aloud

the second paragraph of God’s Promise. Ask them if they think the people in exile remembered God’s promise. (Yes, they prayed for the Savior God had promised.)

Reinforce

By the rivers of Babylon we sat mourning and weeping when we remembered Zion. On the poplars of that land we hung up our harps. But how could we sing a song of the Lord in a foreign land?

→ Ask the students if they have ever

felt discouraged or helpless. Who helped them? Tell the students that the Israelites sometimes felt that way, too.

PsalM 137.1–2, 4

→ Invite the students to read about

the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy in Catholics Believe. Ask the students how the Works of Mercy are works of hope.

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy are based on our responsibility to respond to the basic needs of others. They call us to action. The fourteen works of mercy bring about the Kingdom of God as Jesus taught, by treating others with justice, love, and mercy. Brainstorm with the students practical ways of living out each of the Works of Mercy. Write the ideas on the board. Have the students work in groups of two or three to create a tableau—a frozen live portrait— of one of the works of mercy. As you touch the frozen players on the shoulder one by one, they speak one line to explain their part in the tableau.

Connect → To prepare the class for the

activity, ask the students to recall the meaning of a psalm. (a song prayer) Remind them that God’s People expressed many of their hopes and sorrows in the Psalms.

→ Read the verses of Psalm 137

with the class. Briefly discuss the images so the students understand the psalm. You may wish to give the students the choice to illustrate their answer.

Pray Invite the students echo the following prayer. Father of our Lord Jesus Christ / you always keep you promises. / Fill our hearts with joy and hope. Amen. Student page 51 101

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concepts • The prophet Isaiah described the Messiah God would send. • Jesus Christ is the promised Savior, or Messiah.

Pray

Faith Focus

The Savior Promised by God

Faith Vocabulary

God sent the prophet Isaiah to speak to the Israelites. A prophet is someone whom God chooses to speak to people in his name.

Who fulfilled God’s promise?

Messiah The person whom God promised to send to save people from sin. Jesus Christ is the Messiah.

In the Book of the Prophet Isaiah we read, Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone. For a child is born to us, a son is given us;. . . . They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.

Proclaim Isaiah 9:1, 5 from the Bible on your prayer table.

IsaIah 9:1, 5

Isaiah’s message filled the hearts of the Israelites with hope. He is considered one fo the greatest prophets of Israel. God had called Isaiah to speak during a crucial time in Israel’s history. He gave them hope of the messiah during a time of great suffering.

Teach → Summarize the introduction of

The Savior Promised by God.

The Israelites trusted that God would one day send to them the savior he had promised. This savior was called the Messiah, or God’s Anointed One. In the liturgy we hear the names, or titles, that Isaiah used to describe the messiah. These titles help us to understand who the Messiah is and the work he will accomplish.

→ Invite the students to read the

verses from Isaiah aloud together.

→ Ask them how these words or

images are messages of hope.

→ Ask a volunteer to read aloud the

When did God’s promise to the Israelites come true?

last paragraph to summarize the message of Isaiah.

→ Write the word Messiah on the

board. Invite a volunteer to read the definition in Faith Vocabulary.

→ Have the students read Faith-Filled

People on their own. Tell them more about Isaiah the Prophet using the content at the bottom of this page.

Reinforce → Ask the students to recall the

Disciple Power definition of hope on page 48. Have the students create word cards for hope and Messiah.

→ Ask the students to tell why the

images on this page are good images for the Savior whom God promised to send.

→ Pose the reflection question. Be

sure the students understand that Jesus is the Savior and Messiah whom God promised to send.

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FAITH-FILLED PEOPLE Isaiah the Prophet. Isaiah is often called the greatest prophet because God called him to speak at a crucial time in Israel’s history. Isaiah proclaimed the fall of Israel and Judah, yet he also consoled the people with a message of hope and God’s promise of a Messiah who would bring salvation. We most often hear the prophecies of Isaiah during the Advent season. For more information on Isaiah, go to the Saints Resource at BeMyDisciples.com.

DAY DISCOVER Jesus Is the Anointed One God’s promise of a savior was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The name Christ means “Anointed One.” Jesus’ birth and his life, his suffering and Death, his Resurrection, and his Ascension brought the gift of Salvation to all people. Jesus established the beginning of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is a kingdom of mercy, love, peace, and justice that will last forever. It will finally come about when Jesus Christ returns in glory at the end of time. How can you show mercy, love, peace, and justice now to help share in the Kingdom of God?

DISCOVER

Teach

Faith-Filled People

→ Ask the class to read the first

Isaiah the Prophet Isaiah lived and worked in the city of Jerusalem about 800 years before the birth of Jesus. The name Isaiah, which means “God is Salvation,” summarizes the message of hope that he announced to God’s People.

paragraph of Jesus Is the Anointed One silently. Invite them to share what they know about anointing. Remind them again that they were anointed at Baptism. Share additional information from the Teaching Vocabulary box.

→ Read the second paragraph aloud

to the class. Ask the students which words describe God’s original plan for people (love, peace, justice) and to share how each of these words gives them hope.

Activity

When you see people around you acting with mercy, love, peace, justice, you are catching a glimpse of the Kingdom of God! List the kinds of actions that show mercy, love, peace or justice. With your friends, make a Kingdom of God collage of pictures and symbols that shows what God’s Kingdom is like.

Reinforce Ask a volunteer to give the meaning of the name Christ. (Anointed One) Ask several students to explain how Jesus fulfilled the promise God had made so long before. Ask several others to describe the Kingdom of God that Jesus brought? (It is a Kingdom of mercy, love, peace, and justice that will last forever.)

Connect → Explain the activity and encourage

the students to work in pairs or threesomes to complete the activity.

TEACHING VOCABULARY Anoint. Although the students may have heard or read the word anoint, they may not truly understand its layers of religious meaning. On the simplest level, the word means “to smear or rub with oil.” In biblical times, a person anointed was considered to be chosen by God for a special purpose. Into modern times, the anointing of a king, for example, was a rite of consecrating the person as leader and protector of the people. For Christians, the rite takes on a religious meaning. For example, in Baptism the anointing signifies that the newly baptized person is chosen by God, is united with God’s people, and belongs to Christ forever.

→ Invite each group to share their

ideas and complete their collages.

Pray Invite the class to stand and say the Our Father together. As they do, encourage them to think about what they have learned about God’s Kingdom.

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DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept The titles that Isaiah gave to the Messiah help us understand who Jesus Christ is.

Faith Focus

What does the prophet Isaiah say about Jesus?

Pray

Jesus Christ Is the Messiah Each year at Christmas, Catholics listen to the message of hope that Isaiah spoke to God’s People. During Mass, we proclaim the names, or titles, that Isaiah used to describe this promised savior, or messiah, as describing Jesus. Wonder–Counselor He is wise and clearly knows God’s plan for all people.

Proclaim Isaiah 9:1, 5 from the Bible on your prayer table.

God–Hero He brings blessings to people because he follows God’s commands.

Teach

Father-Forever He never stops loving God’s People.

→ Ask the students to recall the

Prince of Peace He establishes the peace that God had always promised to his people.

four titles that Isaiah gave to the Messiah. Write the titles on the board. Ask the students what each says or means to them.

These titles that Isaiah gave to the Messiah help Christians understand who Jesus Christ is. They also help us understand the work that Jesus did among us.

→ Remind the students that these

How can you help the Kingdom of God grow on Earth?

titles belong to Jesus. Taking the titles for the Messiah one by one, ask the students how they think each pertains to Jesus. Then read the description in the text.

→ Explain that each year the Church

remembers and celebrates Isaiah’s message of hope in the liturgy. Ask the students to identify when the Church celebrates the fulfillment of God’s promise. (Christmas) Direct them to look on page 54 to find the answer.

Reinforce → Invite the students to turn back

to page 51 and read about the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy in Catholics Believe.

→ Ask: Which works of mercy do the

people in the school or parish do?

Connect Divide the class into small groups. Ask them to read the last paragraph, discuss the reflection questions, and share their responses with the class.

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TEACHING TIP Create a Dilemma Box. Give the students the opportunity to write about their real life dilemmas—situations they are unsure how to handle or that make them feel helpless or frustrated. Keep the box containing the written responses on your desk to ensure privacy. Encourage the students to add dilemmas to the box in the coming days and weeks. Read and restate the dilemmas to preserve confidentiality. Use the dilemmas to engage the students during the coming weeks. This continuing activity grounds our faith in the real world of fourth graders.

DAY DISCOVER

DECIDE

Reinforce Remind the students that disciples of Jesus are messengers of hope. These messengers of hope are all around us.

Disciples of Jesus are messengers of hope. We can see and hear Jesus’ messengers of hope all around us. They are in your family, in your school, in your parish, and in your neighborhood. As Dorothy Day did, they bring God’s message of hope to people who suffer.

Respond → Explain the directions for the

MESSENGERS OF HOPE

activity Messengers of Hope.

Interview two or three members of your class and members of your family. Use the questions below. Find out what they know about people who bring hope to those who suffer. Write what you find out.

→ Invite the students to interview

one member of their class and jot down responses. Tell them to complete the activity at home after their interviews with their family members.

1. Who are people you know who bring hope to other people?

2. What are they doing for others?

Choose → Point out to the students that

3. How does their work bring hope to those whom they serve?

the Holy Spirit helps them to be messengers of hope.

→ Encourage the students to

MY FAITH

CHOICE

complete My Faith Choice and put it into practice.

The Holy Spirit helps you be a messenger of hope. Choose one way that you will bring the message of God’s hope to someone. I will

Pray

. Pray,“Come, Holy Spirit, fill my heart with the power of your love. Help me bring a message of hope to someone who is suffering. Amen.” 55

Have the students pause in silence to pray for the help of the Holy Spirit in being a messenger of hope in the prayer at the bottom of the page.

THE TASKS OF CATECHESIS Moral Formation. The Catholic Church teaches concern for the common good of the people. We must respect the human dignity of all people and act with temperance, justice, and solidarity in the same way that Isaiah and Dorothy Day encouraged people of their times to do. They spoke out against oppression and brought hope to many. Invite the class to reflect on how people like Isaiah and Dorothy Day might bring hope to people suffering in today’s world.

Student page 55

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DAY

CONCLUDE

Pray Ask the students to remember God’s presence with them. Pray: God, bless us today and everyday. Guide us so that we may know you, love you, and serve you. Amen

Recall

TO HELP YOU REMEMBER 1. God created all people to be happy with him now on Earth and forever in Heaven. 2. God promised to send someone who would save all people from sin. 3. Jesus is the Savior God promised to send.

Chapter Review Recall Complete this crossword puzzle. Across

1. A prophet speaks in the name of 3.

was a prophet. 5

J E S U

M E S S 5. The is the Anointed One, the Savior, promised by God.

G O D R I S A I A H G I N 3

I A H L

Down

→ Write the words Adam and Eve,

Isaiah, and Jesus Christ on the board. Have the students tell what they have learned about each.

Sin is the name we give to the first sin committed by Adam and Eve.

→ Then read aloud the To Help You

is the Savior promised by God.

Reflect

Remember statements.

Tell how someone helped you when you were hurting or afraid.

→ Ask the students to compare their

responses to the To Help You Remember statements.

→ Have the students work with

partners to complete the crossword puzzle.

→ Conclude by asking:

— What is the most important thing you learned in this lesson?

With a small group, look up and read Isaiah 9:3–4. What can fourth graders do to bring peace and justice to the world?

— Why is it the most important? — How will you be a messenger of hope this week?

Reflect Give the students time to respond in their journals.

Share Isaiah 9:3–4 are Isaiah’s picture of the suffering that the messiah would overcome. Remind the students that they cannot change everything, but with the grace of God, they can make a difference. Encourage them to think of the need for peace and justice in their everyday experiences.

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TEACHING TIP Sharing Your Own Experiences. Whenever you will be asking the students to share from their own experiences, test the questions by answering them first for yourself. Thinking of your own answers first will help you guide the students through the activity effectively. Sharing your own experience with the class where appropriate will encourage them to think of examples of their own.

DAY DISCOVER

CONCLUDE

We Pray → Ask the students to read the prayer,

Praise the Lord

focusing on what Jesus does that are named in the prayer. Explain that here we use the title “Savior,” but we have learned many other titles for Jesus. Invite them to add more titles for Jesus and the things he does, and write them on the board.

There are many kinds of prayers. Prayers of praise give glory to God. Pray this prayer and praise God the Father. Praise him for keeping his promise and sending Jesus, the Savior of the world. All: Lord Jesus, you are the Savior. We praise you. Group1 : Lord Jesus, you bring hope to all people who suffer from want.

→ Introduce Praise the Lord by

Group2 : Lord Jesus, you bring hope to people who suffer from injustice.

reading the introduction to the prayer. Divide the class into two groups.

Group1 : Lord Jesus, you bring hope to people who suffer from hunger. Group2 : Lord Jesus, you bring hope to people who suffer from fighting and war.

→ Gather the students in the prayer

Group1 : Lord Jesus, you bring hope to people who suffer from illness.

center. Pray together. Include the additional titles of Jesus that the students have suggested.

Group2 : Lord Jesus, you bring the Good News of hope to the poor. All: Lord Jesus, you are the Savior. We praise you!

LITURGY CONNECTION Songs of Prayer. Music is part of all major religious traditions. The words of Saint Augustine, “When we sing, we pray twice,” will help the students understand why this is so. Singing expresses all human emotions from joy to sadness and enlivens the human spirit. Music brings about a sense of unity and purpose. Most important of all, it is a universal language. With music, we can give a joyful response to the gift of God’s creation that all can understand. Consider adding at least one refrain from a hymn on the Be My Disciples Music CD to today’s prayer.

Student page 57

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DAY

CONCLUDE

Preview → Have the students carefully tear

out pages 57 and 58 along the perforation.

→ Encourage the students to share

these pages with their families, and to complete the activities together.

→ If they did not complete the review

activity on page 56 by the end of the session, emphasize that they can complete it with their families at home.

→ Point out the title and theme of the

next lesson to the students.

With My Family This Week...

Sharing God’s Word

In chapter 4, “God’s Promise” your child learned:

Read together the Bible story in Isaiah 9:1, 5 about Isaiah’s message to the Israelites, or read the adaptation of the story on page 52. Emphasize that Jesus is the Messiah whom God promised to send.

→ God promised to send the world a savior and messiah. → Suffering, evil, sin, and death entered the world as a result of Original Sin. → Isaiah the Prophet brought a message of hope to God’s people. → Jesus is the Messiah, God’s Promised One, the Savior and Redeemer. → Hope is a Theological Virtue; hopeful people know that God cares for them and is always with them. For more about related teachings of the Church, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 385–412; and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pages 18, 56–57.

We Live as Disciples The Christian home and family is a school of discipleship. Your family grows in faith together! Choose one of the following activities to do as a family, or design a similar activity of your own. → Ask family members to share a story about a time when they were hurting or sad. Describe a person who helped them and what that person did to help. How did this person bring them hope?

→ Use the Internet to learn more about the Catholic Worker community closest to where you live. Choose a way to support this community.

Our Spiritual Journey Almsgiving is one of the spiritual disciplines of the Church. We “give alms” when we share our material and spiritual blessings with others, especially people in need. In this chapter, your child learned about Dorothy Day. Share ways that your family can share their materials and spiritual blessings with people in need. This week pray with your family: Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with the power of your love. Help us bring a message of hope to someone who is suffering. Amen.

Visit BeMyDisciples.com

→ Take time with the students to explore the many activities and resources available at Be My Disciples Web site.

→ Encourage them to join with their families to discover the many resources available at the Web site. For more ideas on ways your family can live as disciples of Jesus, visit 58

Before Moving On … As you finish today’s lesson, reflect on the following question before moving on to the next chapter. Am I allowing quiet time for the students to think about the concepts that I am presenting?

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BeMyDisciples.com

THE LAST WORD Summarizing Learning. During the last several weeks, you and your fourth graders have begun a faith journey together. You have studied, reflected, shared, prayed, and celebrated the many aspects of our relationship with God. Through your sessions, you have helped to draw the students into a closer, deeper relationship with God. Invite the students to name what they have enjoyed learning or doing during this unit. You may wish to review some of the activities or stories that you and the students have shared. It is a good teaching practice to reinforce what was taught by summarizing the main points that you have presented.

Enriching the Lesson Making Messiah Bookmarks Purpose To reinforce how the titles for Jesus described by Isaiah express our faith in Jesus the Savior (taught on pages 51–52)

Directions

Materials

→ Invite the students to make bookmarks expressing their faith in

construction paper

Jesus the Savior.

→ Give them art materials, and invite them to use a title for Jesus on their bookmark and decorate it.

crayons or markers

→ Be sure that the students have a chance to share their work and talk about the title they chose.

Designing a Personal Coat of Arms Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce that what the students say and do should be signs of hope, preparing the way for the Kingdom of God announced by Jesus (taught on pages 52–53)

It is important that the students realize that they, too, are messengers of hope.

drawing paper for coat of arms

→ First, as a large group, design a coat of arms for the Messiah.

crayons or markers

Encourage the students to name words and symbols that represent who the Messiah is. Place these on a coat of arms that you draw on the board or newsprint.

→ Next, ask the students to design a coat of arms that depicts how they can be signs of hope.

→ Discuss with the students the importance of their being messengers of hope.

→ When appropriate, have the students display their coat of arms.

Catholic Social Teaching: Planning a Project for People in Need Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce the importance of living the Corporal Works of Mercy (taught on page 54)

Children have a natural sense of caring and empathy for people who are hurt or suffering from a special need.

chart paper to create the checklist

→ Brainstorm with the students projects already in existence in the parish in which they could participate.

→ Have them select one that they as a class would like to be-

pencils or markers

come involved in together.

→ Design a checklist of responsibilities that need to be accomplished for the project to become a reality.

→ Assign tasks, and encourage each student to report back their efforts.

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Catholic Social Teaching—Unit 1 Pray Invite the class to quiet themselves for prayer. Prayerfully read Genesis 1:31 aloud.

Introduce → Share with the class that

throughout the year they will be exploring some of the key social teachings of the Catholic Church and putting them into practice. Read aloud the feature describing our responsibility to care for God’s creation. Tell the students that caring for God’s creation is a key social teaching of the Catholic Church.

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING Protect and Preserve God’s Creation God has given us this world and, with it, the responsibility to preserve its beauty and resources. Sometimes we can take the natural resources around us for granted. When we do, nature is harmed.

WE CARE FOR GOD’S CREATION God has entrusted us with the care of his creation. We look for ways to preserve and protect the natural wonders of the world.

One community is trying to take better care of the natural resources in their area. Currently the community collects all of its garbage and puts it in a landfill. The landfill is now overflowing. The local government has decided to implement a recycling plan. All businesses and schools are required to comply with the new program. Saint Therese Academy needs to develop a plan. First, the students need to know the reasons why recycling is important. They also need to know what impact the school’s efforts will have on the environment. Second, the students will develop practical suggestions and strategies to present to the principal and the School Board. Once everyone agrees, then the school can put into action a plan that will work.

→ Invite the students to test their own

knowledge of how well people care for creation. Ask them whether these statements are true or false.

— It takes a 15-year-old tree to produce 700 grocery bags. True. — Paper recycling began in the 1990s. False. It began in the 1930s.

— Recycling a stack of newspapers three feet high can save a tree. True.

Teach

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

→ Introduce the story by reminding

Responsibility for the Environment. Chapter 10 of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (CSDC) speaks to the Church’s teaching on safeguarding the environment. It teaches: “Care for the environment represents a challenge for all of humanity. It is a matter of a common and universal duty, that of respecting a common good.” . . . This perspective takes on a particular importance when one considers, in the context of the close relationships that bind the various parts of the ecosystem . . . which must be handled with a sense of responsibility and adequately protected, because it constitutes an extraordinary richness for all of humanity” (CSDC 466).

the class that God wants us to protect his creation.

→ Invite a volunteer to read aloud the

section titled Protect and Preserve God’s Creation.

→ Ask the class what they think the

school should do.

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DISCOVER

MAKING CONNECTIONS

Catholic Social Teaching—Unit 1

Your class has been asked to consult with the fourth grade students at Saint Therese Academy about recycling. They want you to share your ideas. What will you tell them?

Reinforce Discuss the importance of recycling. Relate the discussion to the Church’s teaching on caring for creation.

with CREATIVE ARTS

with LANGUAGE ARTS

Create a board game modeled on Chutes and Ladders®. Brainstorm examples to help you get started. Find out more about recycling, then add what you find out to the game.

One way to preserve God’s creation is to reuse old things. For example, old newspapers can become new newspapers. Old scrap paper can be used to make paper towels, tissues, and egg cartons. Brainstorm ways old things can become new through recycling efforts.

with SOCIAL STUDIES Identify the different geographical regions in your state, such as mountains, deserts, plains, oceans, or lakes. What are the natural resources in each region? Which of these natural resources are in danger because of people’s abuse of them? What strategies would you recommend that people follow to use these natural resources more wisely?

Faith Action

Other ways to take care of God’s creation are to reduce and recycle. In each category (reduce, reuse, and recycle), brainstorm five ideas you can do at school. It is important to be aware of basic concepts when investigating ways we can help preserve God’s creation. Look up the meanings of the words and phrases that relate to recycling. Write down the definitions in your own words.

Evaluate how your family implements the principle of reduce, reuse, and recycle. What else can your family do to take care of God’s creation?

Connect Read the opening paragraph under Making Connections and introduce the activities on page 60. Have the students read the activities. Invite them to choose the activity they would like to work on in small groups. → Creative Arts: Ask a volunteer

to describe how to play the game Chutes and Ladders®. You may review instructions for Chutes and Ladders online. Help the students create their own board game and review the instructions with the group. Encourage the students to use resources, such as the Internet, to find out other facts they can incorporate in their games.

→ Language Arts: Have the .

TEACHING TIP Project Centered Learning. Invite your students to complete each of the three activities with a project group. Divide the class into three groups. They can rotate through the cross-curricular activities over the course of several days or weeks while they are studying unit 1. Each time the groups complete their projects, have them make a presentation to the class. For the Chutes and Ladders® game, consider providing materials such as heavy poster board for the students to make an actual game that the class can play. Many Internet sites provide information about caring for the Earth. Find a few sites in advance, and encourage the students to use them in their research.

students make a “Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!” chart for the school. The chart should use those three headings. After the students have brainstormed five ideas in each area, invite the students to choose the top three ideas that could be implemented in their school. Finish the chart and share with other classes.

→ Social Studies: Provide a

topographical map of your state or have the students do research on the Internet.

Choose Invite the students to develop a plan with their families that they can present for how they can take care of God’s creation.

Pray Prayerfully re-read Genesis 1:31 aloud. Student page 60

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Unit 1 Review

The Unit Review provides the opportunity to assess the students’ understanding of the faith concepts presented in the unit and to affirm them in their growing knowledge and love of God. Here are a few suggestions for using these pages.

A. Choose the Best Word Fill in the blanks, using the words from the word bank. Faith Divine Revelation Sacred Scripture

→ Provide time for the students to

ask questions.

→ Have the students complete the

review alone or with partners.

Passover Wonder-Counselor God’s Anointed One

Ark of the Covenant Original Sin

1. Divine Revelation is God making himself and his plan for creation known over a long period of time. 2.

→ Share that the next two pages are

an opportunity to stop and review what they have learned.

Name

Faith is both a gift from God to know and believe in him and our acceptance of that gift.

3. The Ark of the Covenant is the chest the Israelites used to hold the tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written. 4.

Original Sin is the choice that Adam and Eve freely made to turn away from God.

Passover is the Jewish feast that celebrates God’s freeing of the Israelites from slavery and leading them to the land he promised them.

B. Show What You Know

A. Choose the Best Word → Read the directions for this section. → Then have the students work alone

or with a partner to complete the section.

→ Invite volunteers to share their

responses. Clarify and correct responses as needed.

Match the words or phrases in column A with the words or phrases in column B. Column A

Column B

1. Writers of the Bible

4 a. Feed the hungry; visit the sick

2. Israelites

3. Prince of Peace

5 c. The Kingdom of God

4. Corporal Works of Mercy

1 d. Inspired by the Holy Spirit

5. Place and time of lasting love and justice

2 e. God’s Chosen People

b. Isaiah’s description of the Savior

B. Show What You Know → Read the directions for this section.

Answer the first question together as a class.

→ Then have the students continue

working alone or with a partner to complete the section.

→ Invite volunteers to share their

responses. Clarify and correct responses as needed.

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TEACHING TIP Assessing Learning. Throughout the year, use multiple forms of assessment at the end of each unit. Students learn and communicate their understanding in multiple ways. Some forms of communication, for example, writing paragraphs, work better for some students. Other forms of communication, for example, artwork and verbal responses, work better for others. Asking questions, observing small group interactions, and using different activities throughout the chapter will provide you with multiple ways of identifying the students’ understanding of the truths of the faith.

C. Connect with Scripture Reread the Scripture passage on the Unit Opener page. What connection do you see between this passage and what you learned in this unit?

D. Be a Disciple 1. Review the pages in this unit titled The Church Follows Jesus. What person or ministry of the Church on these pages will inspire you to be a better disciple of Jesus? Explain your answer.

C. Connect with Scripture → Invite the students to reflect on

the Scripture passage in the Unit Opener. Then have them write their understanding of how this passage connects with the doctrinal content of the unit they have just completed.

→ Ask volunteers to share their

responses, now or after completion of the entire Unit Review.

D. Be a Disciple → Invite the young people to work

2. Work with a group. Review the four Disciple Power virtues or gifts you have learned about in this unit. After jotting down your own ideas, share with the group practical ways that you will live these virtues or gifts day by day.

independently on the first question about The Church Follows Jesus. Ask volunteers to share their responses.

→ Divide the students into small

groups of three or four for the second part of this section. Ask them to write their personal reflections first, and then to share with their group practical ways of living the Disciple Power virtues or qualities of discipleship in everyday life.

→ Ask for feedback from the small

groups as time allows.

TEACHING TIP Sensitivity to All Learners. As you complete this Unit Review, be sensitive to all types of learners. Those students with special learning needs as well as those who may be hesitant to share their ideas aloud in a group may need particular encouragement and support. Remember that this unit review is only one way to access the students’ understanding of the faith concepts as presented in this unit. Alternative assessments can be found online at BeMyDisciples.com.

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