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Jesus’ Vision for His Followers
This activity asks students to illustrate the organization of the Church by filling in the title of the group or role described in each box.
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What Biblical Images Reveal about God’s Relationship with His People
Students will examine seven different images of God’s people used in the Bible, and describe what each image reveals about God’s relationship with his people.
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Chapter I: Tough Questions
The worksheet poses several questions that ask students to reflect on how they would have stood up for their faith during the French and American Revolution.
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Chapter E: Early Christians Plant the Seeds
On this worksheet, students solve clues to list the names of important early Christians. These answers are then used to decode a secret message.
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Exercise Your Catechism
This handout guides students as they become familiar with searching for information in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
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The Seven Petitions
On this handout, students match the meaning to each line of the Lord’s Prayer.
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A Prayer Puzzle
On this handout, students must use clues to unscramble words related to prayer.
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Spirit Telecom: The Universal Wireless Prayer Network
This handout guides students as they locate and read various Scripture passages focusing on the many way God calls us to prayer.
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Mercenary, Slave, or Disciple
Students identify their motivation for doing good deeds before reflecting on the role of grace in their lives.
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Grace upon Grace
Students look up and read several passages about grace. The worksheet asks students to identify the purpose of grace in each and summarize the ways grace is present in their own lives.
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The Spirit in Multiple Acts
Students look up and read several passages that the Holy Spirit. The worksheet asks students to summarize each passage and describe the role of the Holy Spirit in spreading the Good News.
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Okay, Gang, Listen Up!
Students look up and read several passages that highlight Jesus’ instructions to his disciples. This worksheet then challenges students to reflect on how well the Church is following the instructions today.
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Jesus’ Healings’ Common Points
Students look up and read several miracle stories from the New Testament before identifying common points between them.
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Although You Have Heard
Students rewrite classroom rules modeling their responses after Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
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A Little Help Here!
After reading several real-life examples of conflict, students provide suggestions to mediate each situation.
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Biblical Evidence for Jesus’ Divinity
Students look up, read, and examine Scripture passages that provide evidence that Jesus is God.
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Influential Women
Students look up, read, and answer questions about Scripture passages that note influential women in the New Testament.
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What about You?
After reading Mark 8:27-29, students must answer several questions about who Jesus is to today’s world and people.
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I’m in This Story?
Students must look up several Scripture passages that give insight into the disciples of Jesus. This worksheet poses questions that help make Jesus’ mission relatable to students.
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Do You Believe?
For this worksheet, students look up Scripture passages that examine the words and beliefs of Jesus in each story.
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She Is Your Mother
As students complete this worksheet, they will explore what it means when we say that Mary is the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church.
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Priest, Prophet, and King
Students find examples in the Bible of the priestly, prophetic, and kingly work of Christ before applying it to their own lives.
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Cana Connections
Students match symbols from Jesus’ first miracle the wedding feast in Cana with their meaning and significance.
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The Lost Son
On this worksheet, students retell the story of the Prodigal Son using texting and social media messages.
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Gospel Comparisons
On this worksheet, students read all four Gospel accounts of the resurrection before identifying similarities and differences between them.
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My Vocation
This handout helps students identify their talents, gifts, and personality and how these fit into God’s vocation for their lives.
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Where East Meets West
This worksheet guides students to make connections between Confirmation in the Eastern and Western Churches.
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Waters of Salvation
On this worksheet, students identify the Scripture passages associated with the various parts of the Blessing of the Water used at the Easter Vigil.
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A Sacred Family Meal
This worksheet guides students to make connections between the Mass and a special meal or tradition in their family.
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Saying Yes
This handout guides students to examine several Scripture passages exemplifying what it means to say “yes” to God’s call.
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The Word God Speaks
This worksheet helps students to explore the meaning of “the Word” in John’s Gospel and throughout Scripture.
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Stories That Speak to Us
This handout guides students to recognize the importance of stories, both in our families and our faith.
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My Birthday Readings
Students identify the liturgical season in which their birthday falls. This worksheet then guides them to identify and summarize the readings for that day.
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Liturgical Roles
This handout asks students to identify the role of the various liturgical ministers at Mass.
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Important Moments
This handout asks students to think about and reflect on moments in their life that have been significant.
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My Morning and Evening Prayers
This handout asks students to think about the Liturgy of the Hours before they answer questions about and create their own morning and evening prayers.
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Symbol Search
This handout challenges students to find symbols in their classroom or school and identify the deeper meaning of each.
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Unlocking the Codes
This handout provides several short activities for students to complete as they learn about the symbolism of the Book of Revelation.
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By Faith
This worksheet guides students to read numerous passages from the Bible regarding despair, faith, and hope. Students are then asked to draw connections between the passages and heroes.
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Passover Parallels
This partner worksheet helps students draw connections between Old Testament passage about the Passover and New Testament passages about the Mass.
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Married Couple Interview
This handout provides the outline for an interview of a married couple.
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The Roles of Men and Women on TV: True to Life or Not?
This handout provides questions for students to answer as they observe the roles of men and women on TV.
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Extra! Extra!
Students read two “news articles” and evaluate the morality of each by answering a series of questions.
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Samson Smart
This is a set of riddles to challenge students as they learn about Samson in the Old Testament.
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Ways to Respect Life
This worksheet challenges students to think about how they can value the dignity of life on a day-to-day basis.
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Justice in the World
This worksheet challenges students to think about how the teachings about Justice from the Bishops of the World apply to their daily lives.
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Teachings from the Catechism
This worksheet challenges students to think about how the teachings from the Catechism on the fourth commandment apply to their daily lives.
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Which Way Shall We Go?
This handout provides a chart for students to list activities that are best to do on Sunday and those that should be saved for other days of the week.
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The Transfiguration of Jesus
This worksheet helps students to read Scripture passages, answer questions about, and understand the importance of the Transfiguration of Jesus.
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The Bible’s Practical Moral Advice
This worksheet guides students as they look up Scripture passages that give moral advice.
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Exodus, Chapters 19–20
This handout provides a note-taking guide while reading chapters 19-20 from Exodus.
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The Ten Commandments
This handout asks students to keep a running record of how they observe the Ten Commandments in their actions throughout a week.
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Mary’s Little Lamb
This worksheet helps students to reflect on the numerous images of the lamb found in Scripture.
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Supernatural Beliefs: What’s Right?
This worksheet guides students to identify and research Church teachings on supernatural beings.
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Introduction to the Old Testament
This worksheet guides students to explore and become familiar with the sections of the Old Testament.
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Unit 1 Preassessment: Knowing God
This preassessment poses questions about how students have come to know God.
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New Testament References to Eternal Life
This handout lists Scripture passages to be read by students that reference eternal life and how Jesus makes it possible for us to attain it.
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Catholic Social Teaching and the Common Good
This worksheet helps students to take notes as they read articles and make connections to the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.
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Scripture and Prayer
On this worksheet partners choose three scripture passages from both the Old and New Testaments. They then note how what each passage teaches about prayer and our relationship with God.
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The Movie Tells a Story
This worksheet provides questions for students to reflect on and answer while watching a movie.
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Fully Human
This handout poses questions and gives statements that challenge to think about what it means to be fully human and how Jesus exemplified that in his life.
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What It Means to Be Human
This handout helps students list characteristics that come from society and from Jesus’ teachings that describe what it means to be human.
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Called to Service
This handout asks students to list examples of people in their lives that are serving the community in the various Christian vocations.
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Getting to Know Mary
Students look up various Bible passages to create an understanding of who Mary was.
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Discovering God in Creation
Students think of examples when they have experienced or discovered God in creation.
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From the Apostles to Us
Students create a storyboard to show how God is revealed in Sacred Tradition.
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Unit 2 Preassessment
This preassessment helps students identify what they know and want to know about concepts from Unit 2.
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Learning about Learning
This handout asks a series of questions to help students reflect on and evaluate the learning in a particular unit.
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My Key Relationships
This handout provides a chart for students to list key relationships that are from their church, community, family, and friends.
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The Development of Catholic Trinitarian Theology
This worksheet has students fill in blanks from Chapter 2, Section 6-8, focusing on the faith changes during the early Church centered on the Trinity.
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The Ninety-Nine Names of God
This handout lists the ninety-nine Islamic names for God and poses several questions regarding the list.
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"In the Beginning Was the Word"
After presenting John 1:1-18 from the Christian Bible, this handout challenges to students to identify key parts that describe the doctrine of the incarnation.
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Images of Jesus
This handout provides many different images and descriptions of Jesus for students to examine and relate to.
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Greek and Roman Gods Today
This handout challenges students to identify the associations they have with Greek and Roman gods.
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Who Is the Sage?
This worksheet provides the opportunity to choose life situations that exemplify practices of the Taoist sage.
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Right Speech
This handout provides a reflection on students’ use of words and speech. Students identify ways to improve their use of words to speak truth and kind things.
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Karma Marga: "The Path of Works"
An individual worksheet that examines the intentions and motivations behind one’s actions.
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The Fruits of Action
An individual worksheet that challenges students to apply teachings from the Bhagavad-Gita to real-life situations.
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The Titles for Jesus
This worksheet presents a list of names for Jesus taken from Scripture. Students examine the meaning and purpose for each title.
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The Disciples' Dilemma
This handout challenges students to decide how they would have reacted as a disciple after Jesus’ trial, death, and resurrection
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Paraphrasing the Sermon on the Mount: Hearing and Acting on the Word of God
This handout allows students to complete statements from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount
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Paraphrasing the Sermon on the Mount: Not Judging Others
This handout allows students to complete statements from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount
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Paraphrasing the Sermon on the Mount: How to Pray
This handout allows students to complete statements from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount
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Paraphrasing the Sermon on the Mount: Not Being A Hypocrite
This handout allows students to complete statements from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount
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Paraphrasing the Sermon on the Mount: Loving Your Enemy
This handout allows students to complete statements from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount
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Paraphrasing the Sermon on the Mount: Being Salt and Light
This handout allows students to complete statements from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount
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Paraphrasing the Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes
This handout allows students to fill in the blanks as they examine the Beatitudes
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Who Is Your God?
A reflective worksheet where students identify meaningful definitions of God
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Jesus' Priorities
An individual worksheet where students rank the priority Jesus placed on certain values in his ministry
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To Know Another
An individual worksheet where students rank the importance of discovering specific types of information about another person
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Parish Council Committee Assignments
This handout assigns students to a made-up Parish Council Committee. Students must then brainstorm ideas and activities to help engage young people in the life of the parish.
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The Resurrected Jesus
Students answer questions about the story of Jesus' Resurrection from one of the four Gospels.
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Jesus Had Feelings Too
Students read passages from the Gospels to explore the numerous emotions that Jesus experienced during his time on Earth.
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Who Is Your God?
This handout presents a list of different definitions and identities for God. Students are asked to choose ones that resonate with them.
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Our Culture, Our Selves
This handout asks students to rank a list of items in life and society according to their importance.
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Communication in My Family
This handout helps students to explore the communication and relationship they have with their parents by asking a series of reflective questions for students to answer.
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Telling Our Body's Story
This handout helps teens reflect on their body image and the influences on their attitudes towards their bodies.
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Relationships in Marriage
This handout presents numerous questions about healthy, life-long marriages for students to think about and answer.
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Cases to Examine: Changing Roles
This handout presents several real-life family situations about which students must evaluate and make a decision.
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Cases to Examine: Parenting Dilemmas
This handout provides several examples of parenting dilemmas. Students are to read the situations, choose a course of action, and explain their thoughts.
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Scoring "My Responses to Conflict"
This handout provides the scoring that should be used to interpret the accompanying Handout 9-D.
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My Responses to Conflict
For this worksheet, students choose which behaviors match how they typically respond to conflict in relationships.
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When To Keep Things Confidential
After reading several pieces of information that might be shared by a friend, students decide which should be kept confidential and which might be shared with others.
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Whom Will You Tell?
Students identify with whom in their life they would share a list of personal pieces of information.
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Listening Traps
Students reflect on and answer a series of questions about their listening skills.
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Interpersonal Style
Students reflect on and answer a series of questions about their interpersonal style and relationships with others.
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Cases to Examine: Where Is Love?
Students read and respond to several stories about what it means to love yourself and others.
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Questionnaire on Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS
This handout provides a list of True/False statements about sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS.
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Role-play: "I'm Pregnant"
This handout provides two role-play situations in which a couple has discovered they are pregnant.
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Opinionnaire on Gender Roles (Part 2)
Students share their opinions in response to a series of statements about gender roles in society.
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Opinionnaire on Gender Roles (Part 1)
Students share their opinions in response to a series of statements about gender roles in society.
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Word Association
Students identify the different associations with and meanings of sexuality as portrayed in the media, by peers, and from adults.
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Attitudes About Sexuality
This handout presents a series of statements about sexuality. Students are to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with each.
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Measuring Fixed Costs
On this handout students calculate the fixed expenses of an independent adult on a monthly and yearly basis.
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How Much Did You Pay for That?
Students estimate the cost of a list of items needed to live independently. This exercise is meant to help students understand the amount of money needed to survive.
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Work Values
On this handout students explore the qualities they look for or want in a job and brainstorm possible jobs that fit those qualities.
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Ranking the Prestige of Occupations
Students rank a list of careers based on their importance and prestige in society.
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Perceptions of Leisureliness
This handout provides a list of statements designed to help students evaluate the leisureliness of a specific person.
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Support for Leisure Activities
This handout asks students to decide which types of leisure activities their peers encourage them to participate in.
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Checking Your Leisure Benefits
Students categorize their favorite leisure activities based on the primary benefit they receive from each.
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Cases to Examine: Leisure or Work?
This handout presents two real-life scenarios for which students must read and answer questions.
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Leisure Satisfaction
Students list leisure activities in which they participate before rating the frequency and satisfaction for each.
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Circles of Learning
This handout provides a diagram for students to fill in as they reflect on the impact of friendship and relationships.
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Goals of Formal Education
Students rank eight possible goals of formal education based on their importance or relevance.
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Cases to Examine: Levels of Independence
Students read several scenarios and rank the level of independence demonstrated.
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Personality Perceptions of __________
Students choose adjectives from a list to describe a specific person.
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About Myself
This handout provides a series of questions for students to answer about themselves.
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How Do I Know That I Am Fully Alive?
This handout asks students to rank statements according to their beliefs about what it means to be fully alive.
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Cases to Examine: Dealing with Conflict
This handout provides three situations for students to read and evaluate. Students must give a suggestion for how to respond to the conflict in each scenario based on the strategies in the book.
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Cases to Examine: Self-respect
This handout provides three situations where teenagers are not fully respecting themselves. Students read the situations and respond with suggestions that demonstrate more self-respect.
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TV Truth: Keeping a Record
This handout provides a chart to help students keep track of the types of truths and lies portrayed on TV.
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An Inventory on Money Matters
This handout provides a chart to help students keep track of their expenditures during one week
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Cases to Examine: What Are We Afraid Of?
Students read several real-life scenarios and explore the many fears, anxieties, and pressures that influence decisions.
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What is the State of Justice?
Evaluate the degree to which the seven themes of Catholic social teaching are present in a given situation. Use the scale below each theme to rank the extent to which it is present or absent, and write N/A (not applicable) …
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That Catholic Feeling
Whether or not you have been baptized, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults outlines a process for growing in faith. Here are four statements from the introduction to the rite that describe characteristics of the process. After each statement, …
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Alienation and Belonging
Without thinking for too long on any one item, complete the following sentences.
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A Healthy Approach to Life
It may be easy to think of church councils as having very little to do with our personal life. Yet the themes of Vatican Council II—change and renewal—are ones that we are called to live out for the rest of …
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Hugh's Life, My Life
After reading the fictional story of Hugh in the textbook, use the chart below to reflect on the similarities and differences in the faith life of Hugh and you!
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Jesus as Sacrament!
For each statement below, use your Bible to find at least three stories from the life of Jesus that support each theme. Write the citation of the stories under their respective statement, and be sure to tell which sacrament is …
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Cemetery Visit
Reflect on and answer in writing the following questions as you visit a cemetery.
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Jesus, Teach Us to Pray
Read each of the following Scripture passages and explain in writing how they each give insight into Jesus’ prayer life.
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Prayer Objects, Prayerful Environment
After spending some time walking around a church or chapel and observing the ways that art is used to create a prayerful, sacred space, answer the following questions reflectively.
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Ritual Clothing
The dress and demeanor of people involved in rituals tell us much about what the activity is all about. Discuss with your group each of the situations below and write your thoughts in the space provided.
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Lifelong Conversion
Conversion is an ongoing process that we engage in throughout our lives. Some people may have a dramatic conversion experience like Saint Paul in the Acts of the Apostles, but most people have smaller, less dramatic experiences that cause them …
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"Field of Dreams"
The movie Field of Dreams is a modern-day parable that teaches some powerful lessons and connects with the major concepts in chapter 1 of the textbook. Ray Kinsella hears voices that tell him to build a baseball field in the …
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Finding God in My Life
As your textbook states, the Catholic belief about sacraments is that “God communicates through the people, places, actions, events, and experiences that shape a person’s life.” Consider the meaning of this statement in your own life by reflecting on the …
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Which Marriage Is More Promising?
Imagine that you know two engaged couples and that each couple has decided to write down the terms of their marriage agreement. The couples show you their “covenants,” which are offered below. As you read, consider the pluses and minuses …
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True Prophet Versus a False Prophet
The two lists below contrast the characteristics of a true prophet and a false prophet. Examine the lists.
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Kuan-Yin
1. Look at the statue or picture at this station. 2. This image depicts the deity Kuan-yin. Write words that describe this image.
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Monks
1. Look at the picture at this station. 2. Write words that describe the actions that you see in the picture. 3. Write words that describe the relationships between people that you see in the picture.
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Objects Used in Tibetan Rituals
1. At this station are several objects. Some may look familiar. Gently pick up each object and examine it. SOME OF THE OBJECTS ARE FRAGILE. PLEASE HANDLE THEM CAREFULLY. 2. Write the following information about each object.
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Karma Marga: "The Path of Works"
For each of the following actions, write a selfish motivation and a selfless motivation. Responses have been supplied for the first action as examples.
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Life Issues A Summary: Who Am I?
A summary of Life Issues from the Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers, Second Edition.
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Preparing a Wedding Ceremony (Part 2)
This handout accompanies the handout “Preparing a Wedding Ceremony (Part 1).” After reading and considering the various options listed on that handout, consult with your group and choose one option for each box in the first column below. For each …
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Reading Reflection: Pope John Paul II's 1992 Address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences
In your group, read the excerpt from Pope Saint John Paul II’s 1992 Address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. Work in your group to answer the questions about your assigned paragraph. Then complete the questions about the remaining paragraphs …
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Read and Reflect: A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indians
Complete this handout as you read the excerpt from Bartolomé de las Casas’s A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indians. Use a separate sheet of paper as needed.
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Film Reflection: The Mission
Complete this handout as you view the film The Mission (1986, 125 minutes, rated A-III and PG).
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Explorers, Conquistadors, and Missionaries Mind Map
Complete this mind map as you listen to the presentations of your classmates. Attach lines and boxes to each topic to add notes.
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Examining the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification
Answer the following questions as a group.
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Reflecting on Luther's Theses
Read these five excerpts from Martin Luther’s Ninety-five Theses. Then answer the reflection questions. Use a separate sheet of paper if you need more room.
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Reviewing Martin Luther's Complaint and the Church's Response
Use this handout to take notes from the in-class presentation on article 28, “Luther’s Complaint,” in the student book.
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Monastic Rule
Your group is about to found a monastery, and you must develop a rule (or constitution) governing your religious community’s life and work. Answer the following questions to begin developing your monastic rule. Use a separate sheet of paper if …
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Characteristics of Apologetics
With your group, read Saint Ignatius of Antioch’s letter to the Romans. Then answer the following questions.
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The Development of the New Testament
Use a separate sheet of paper to answer the following questions. Each group member must turn in an answer sheet.
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Mind Map
First, write the class prompt word or phrase in the center circle. In the other circles, write a word or phrase you associate with the center word or phrase. Extend even more circles from the center and from the other …
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Handout: Praise Petition and Promise
The Lord’s Prayer includes three forms of prayer: praise, petition, and promise. Identify the types of prayer expressed in each phrase of the Lord’s Prayer.
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Handout: A Prayer Chart
Use these questions to help you identify situations when you used each prayer form, and record as many situations as you can recall.
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Handout: The Precepts of the Church
The Precepts of the Church direct us to participate in the sacramental life of the Church so that we might be nourished for living a moral life. Following are the Precepts of the Church as designated by the Catholic bishops …
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Handout: Morally Good or Morally Suspect
For each situation, determine whether the action is right, neutral, or wrong; whether the intent is good or not good; and whether the circumstances allow you to decide freely or keep you from deciding freely.
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Handout: Jesus and Forgiveness
Read the passage listed under “Forgiveness and Salvation,” and then read your assigned passages from Matthew, Mark and John, or Luke, and answer the questions as your teacher has directed, either in writing (on a separate sheet of paper) or …
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Handout: Thoughts on the Mass
Complete the following sentences in the spaces provided. Feel free to be totally open and honest in your answers; you will not be asked to share them with anyone.
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Living in a Material World
Consider the following list of things. Which of them is necessary for you to have in order to be happy? Place a check mark in front of each one you feel is necessary.
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The Precepts of the Church
The Precepts of the Church are rooted in Scripture and Tradition. Do your best to locate Old and New Testament passages (in the Old Law and the New Law) that support each of the following precepts.
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Morally Good or Morally Suspect
For each situation, determine whether the action itself is good, neutral, or bad; whether the intent is good; and whether the circumstances keep the person who is considering the action from acting freely.
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Jesus and Forgiveness
Questions about Scripture verses that talk about forgiveness and salvation.
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Ritual Postures and Gestures
The different postures and gestures that take place during Mass.
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We'd Like to Know: Possible Questions While Visiting Other Churches
In your visit to a different Christian Church, be prepared to ask the church’s representative some thoughtful questions about what they believe, their mission, and their worship. Here are some questions to start with. You might also think of other …
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The Message of Jesus
Read and discuss the meaning of the parable your group was assigned from the list below. Use this question to guide your discussion: What lesson was Jesus trying to teach about the Kingdom or about our relationship with the Kingdom …
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The I Am Sayings of Jesus
Choose three of the Scripture passages below to look up and read. After reading each one, discuss with your group what it says about Jesus’ identity. Write down a summary of your discussion below the saying.
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Questions about Jesus’ Teachings about How to Live
Questions about Bible passages where Jesus teaches how to live.
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Marks of the Church
Write at least two examples of ways that the Church and you model the four Marks of the Church.
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A Living Sign of Hope
We believe that because we are transformed by faith in the Risen Jesus, his presence in the world becomes more visible through us. Read the following statements that are based on Jesus’ teachings, and then answer the questions that follow. …
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How and Why Do People Suffer?
In the boxes below, give examples for each type of suffering, and respond to the questions that follow.
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A Preassessment
Answer each question by writing what you know for sure, what you think you know but are unsure about, and things related to the topic that you would like to explore.
