Session Plan for March 4, 2014: The Prophets

Joe Paprocki Intermediate Grades

Here is my lesson plan for tomorrow evening’s session, in which we will turn our attention to the Prophets of Israel.

Big Idea: Prophets “get in the face” of the People of Israel.

Preliminaries (30 mins)

Engage (10 mins)

  • Put on baseball cap, whistle, and hold clip board and ask who I am imitating. (a coach)
  • Ask how many of the kids have had a coach.
  • Invite volunteers to imitate one of their coaches.
  • Talk about why coaches “get in the faces” of their players.
  • Invite kids to talk about coaches and instructors who get in their faces.
  • Explain that it is the coach’s job to make sure that you are playing to the best of your ability and according to the plan.
  • Explain that, in the Old Testament, God sent certain people to “get in the faces” of the people of Israel and their leaders since they were not living up to their potential or following God’s plan.

Explore (30 mins)

  • Read aloud Finding God pg. 94 (The Prophets; Amos and Jeremiah), pg. 95 (God calls Isaiah), and pg. 97 (What it Means to Reform). Use ball toss to facilitate reading.
  • Distribute Bibles and have students locate passages in the Old Testament of Prophets getting in the faces of the people and leaders of Israel.
  • Distribute the Prophets of Israel Challenge the People BLM.
  • Check off ahead of time one passage for each student to locate in the Bible and to write out on the BLM.
  • Tell students to look over their passages and to prepare to announce to the group and to work in at least two pauses for people to respond.
  • Do a “Getting Up on Your Soapbox” activity. Bring in a sturdy wooden box or crate for students to step up on to proclaim their passages. Explain that people used to stand up on a box or crate or tree stump (“stump speech”) to get people’s attention and make a speech.
  • Encourage students to read their passages with passion and fire, and have the rest of the students roar approval (half) or boo (half) at the pauses and at the end of each speech.

Reflect (15 mins)

  • Explain that if we are to be prophets, we must pray for guidance and inspiration to be sure we are proclaiming God’s Word and not our own opinions.
  • Lead guided reflection using Finding God pg. 96 (Send Me, Lord).

Respond (5 mins)

  • Complete bottom of Finding God pg. 97, which asks young people to identify an example of injustice they would like to call to people’s attention.
  • Distribute Homework Notification Sheet asking the students to write a prophetic message using the handout, A Prophetic Message.
  • Closing Prayer.
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About Joe Paprocki 2742 Articles
Joe Paprocki, DMin, is National Consultant for Faith Formation at Loyola Press, where, in addition to his traveling/speaking responsibilities, he works on the development team for faith formation curriculum resources including Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts and God’s Gift: Reconciliation and Eucharist. Joe has more than 35 years of experience in ministry and has presented keynotes, presentations, and workshops in more than 100 dioceses in North America. Joe is a frequent presenter at national conferences including the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, the Mid-Atlantic Congress, and the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership. He is the author of numerous books, including the best seller The Catechist’s Toolbox, A Church on the Move, Under the Influence of Jesus, and Called to Be Catholic—a bilingual, foundational supplemental program that helps young people know their faith and grow in their relationship with God. Joe is also the series editor for the Effective Catechetical Leader and blogs about his experiences in faith formation at www.catechistsjourney.com.

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