While at NCCL this week, I am doing a poster presentation about how to conduct a parent-child session on introducing Catholics to the Bible. The poster indicates that you can get a pdf of the outline for the session on my blog. That said, here ’tis!
Primary Grades
Bibles at Home
Every year part of our third-grade curriculum includes teaching children how to look up a verse in the Bible. In the past I’ve used fortune cookies with a verse from Scripture as the “fortune” to make the learning fun. We started out this class by handing out a Bible to each child and showing them the list of books of the Bible in the table of contents and finding where the Old Testament ends and […]
Scripture
“What’s Your Story?” Inviting Children into a Healthy Narrative
Among the many popular digital entertainment apps available today are those known as “interactive story” apps in which players “enter into” a storyline that is not predetermined and make choices that determine the story’s outcome. One such game, What’s Your Story?, invites players to choose from favorite movies and TV shows and to become a character in the story, making the story their own. The truth is, we all have a story or a narrative […]
Comings & Goings
From Albany to Atlanta
A great big THANK YOU to all of the good folks in Albany, NY, who participated in my workshops at the Spring Enrichment conference! We had a great time exploring ways to grow as catechists and how to make our classes more “Catholic.” After a couple of days to catch my breath, it’s off to Atlanta for the NCCL Conference where I’ll be doing a couple of presentations on catechetical leadership…always an honor to speak […]
This outline moves right along….a full 90 minutes of engaging the group and moving them forward.
I like the bit about revelation.
Thanks, Christian…I like the idea of de-mystifying the word “revelation.” It sounds so deeply theological and yet it’s simply what we do when we enter relationships…we reveal ourselves to others.
WOW…. Thanks So much! I am a leader in the Rite of Initation for teens. This is perfect..
Theresa…sounds like a good fit! Best wishes with it!
Oh my heavens – this is perfect. This fall, I will be teaching 5th and 6th graders. we will be doing lectionary based once Advent begins, but I plan to spend the first few weeks (this year) on the Bible. We can’t afford to give each child their own bible so we will have to modify that portion, but this is perfect. THANK YOU!!!!
Great, Maureen! I’m glad you find this helpful!
I am going to try an experiment to explain oral tradition and writing of the Bible. The first 6-7 weeks I am going to end class with a short story (I have chosen one from the 1920’s so they won’t already know it). Their homework on the last week will be to write out the story themselves from memory. when they bring it back, we will discuss.
Sounds like a good idea, Maureen…good luck with it. My only concern with an activity like that is that it might demonstrate how much of a story can get lost or distorted when passed along orally until it is written down and it might give the wrong impression that the Bible suffers from a lack of accuracy. Just a thought.
I did think of this. However, much of the Bible was passed on orally before being written down. also we continue to have Tradition that is not written down. I will emphasize that the number Jesus fed, the number of lepers cured was not what is important. I believe their own writing will give the “moral” of the story (and there is one in my choice) even if descriptions or amounts are off.
Hi Joe,
Sorry I am going to miss your presentation on Thursday in New Bedford, but fortunately I downloaded this presentation because I can have Cynthia purchase a copy of your “Bible Blueprint”. I have started doing parent child sessions with 2nd graders and now I’ll have a ready-made session for fifth graders – and early enough that it can be put on “the calendar”. I enjoyed your session last year with Margie and am really disappointed about not getting to hear you again. Thanks, too, for this doing this blog. As a 30-year veteran, I love so many of your ideas!
Pat
Thanks, Pat! Wow, 30 year-veteran! I should be reading YOUR blog!
Thank you!! searching for a Bible presentation service and while this is not exactly what I need, it give me a wonderful start.
Great, Charlene. Let me know if there’s something else I might offer you by way of help.