Tonight’s Session: What’s Your Story? “This is MY Story!”

This evening is the last chance I have this year to review with my 6th graders so I’m going to make the most of it! Here’s my plan:

Big Idea: What’s Your Story? (This is MY Story!)

Preliminaries (15 mins)

1. Collect permission forms for Ronald McDonald House Mercy Experience
2. Go over details for the upcoming Mercy Experience
3. Opening procession and prayer ritual

Engage (20 mins)

1. Do “What’s Your Story?” ice breaker in which you ask questions of the class to get to know their “story.”

• what is your middle name and do you like it?
• what is your favorite color?
• what is one of your favorite songs?
• can you whistle?
• what is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
• what was the last movie you watched?
• what secret talent do you have (wiggle ears, arch one eyebrow)

1. Explain that each of us has our own “story” but that this year, we learned that our individual story is part of a larger STORY…the story of God’s plan of salvation. Tonight, for the last time this year, we’re going to review that story.
2. Scripture reading: Dt 4:7-10 (“Gather the People to me and I will let them hear My words”)
3. Listen to Blessed Assurance (This is my story!) – distribute lyrics

Explore (35 mins)

1. Create index cards with each one identifying one of the Old Testament stories we covered this year (taken from last week’s Bible Bookmark Review worksheet answer key)
2. Randomly tape index cards to the board.
3. Invite students to come forward one at a time to help arrange them in chronological order, locate the story in the Bible, and tell as much of the story as they can recall.
4. Whenever a student is “stuck,” call on the next student to come forward to continue.
5. When completed, distribute Homework Notification Sheet and lead students through the directions to take their Gr 6 Final Assessment (Gr 6 Final Assessment answer key) at home and to return it when they come to Ronald McDonald House. Have them take their Finding God text book home to assist (show them the Prayers and Practices of Our Faith section and the Glossary, as well as the index to assist them)

Reflect (15 mins)

1. Invite the young people to their sacred space.
2. Play recorded guided reflection “My Call to be Holy” from Finding God CD 3, Guided Reflections (13 mins)

 Respond (5 mins)

1. Distribute Novena cards for the Mercy Experience at Ronald McDonald House and explain what a novena is (see below) and encourage the young people to pray this prayer everyday beginning this Saturday, April 12, leading up to our visit to Ronald McDonald House on April 21. (I made cards of the prayer below)
2. Read the prayer as a closing prayer
3. Bless selves with holy water as they leave.

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A Novena Prayer for Our Mercy Experience to Ronald McDonald House

 Catholics have a tradition of praying novenas. The word novena means 9, recalling the 9 days that the Apostles and Mary gathered in prayer after Jesus’ Ascension, awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. To pray a novena is a way of making sure that we are opening ourselves up to God’s will and grace as we look forward to an important event, which for us, is our Mercy Experience at Ronald McDonald House on April 21. Pray this prayer each day for 9 days beginning Saturday, April 12:

Good and gracious God, you never fail to show us your mercy! Help us to show your mercy to those who are staying at Ronald McDonald House. Fill us with enthusiasm and good spirits to truly be present to these people during their time of need. Help us to be mature in our behavior and to be hospitable and joyful in our interactions with those we will be serving. Most of all, help us to be a sign of hope during their time of struggle, as we join our prayers with them for the healing of their children. May the Holy Spirit guide and inspire us on this mission of mercy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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