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The Miracles of Jesus

Students review many familiar miracles performed by Jesus in the gospels before choosing a favorite.

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Chapter 44 Activity: Ask Annie and Andy

Students are asked to answer a series of “Dear Abby” style questions that deal with Internet safety.

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Living in a Material World

A worksheet where students are asked to rank items on their necessity for living a happy life.

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Middle School Retreat to Learn about the Church as a Saving Community

An outline to help plan a middle school retreat focused on the Church as a saving community.

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Catholic Mission and Volunteer Organizations

A worksheet where students are asked to research a mission or volunteer organization and answer several questions about their findings.

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Communal Prayer

A worksheet to help in preparing for a celebration of the Eucharist, from "The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth" Teacher Guide.

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The Cardinal Virtues

A handout on defining the Cardinal Virtues and describing how a person who exhibits the Cardinal Virtues acts.

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The Ten Commandments

A worksheet focused on what the Ten Commandments teach us about living in right relationship with God and with our neighbors.

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Interview Questions for Family Members

Several interview questions for family members on family life and the Fourth Commandment.

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Honoring God

A worksheet on honoring God based on students’ knowledge of the first three Commandments.

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What Makes Something Moral?

Two scenarios that involve people making moral choices. Students are asked to identify the object, intention, and circumstances surrounding the act in the scenario and indicate whether the choice is morally good or morally bad.

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Final Performance Task Options for Unit 5

Several final performance task project options for Unit 5 of The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Third Edition.

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What Is a Symbol?

A worksheet on symbols, their abstract meanings, and how they are integral parts of Church liturgies.

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Sacred Time: The Liturgical Calendar

A worksheet where students are asked to fill in information on the liturgical calendar.

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Sacraments as Privileged Encounters with Jesus Christ

A worksheet that looks at the seven Sacraments.

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Final Performance Task Options for Unit 4

Several project ideas that coincide with Unit 4 of The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Third Edition.

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World Religions and the Catholic Church

An activity where students are asked to research several religious traditions, complete a comparison chart, and then reflect on their findings.

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Marks of the Church

A chart that students are asked to fill in with at least two examples of ways the Church models the four marks of the Church, and at least two examples of ways they model the four marks of the Church.

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Five Models of the Church

An activity where students are given a chart containing the meanings, strengths, and limitations of each of the five models of the Church and asked to answer related questions.

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Jesus Reveals the Kingdom of God

Scripture passages that go along with the group assignment that uses parables to see the Kingdom of God.

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Seeing the Kingdom of God Through Parables

A group assignment on using parables to see the Kingdom of God.

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Final Performance Task Options for Unit 3 of “The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth”

Several final performance task options for Unit 3 of “The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth.”

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Final Performance Task Options for Unit 2 of “The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth”

Several final performance task options for Unit 2 of “The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth.”

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(Re)reading the Gospels

An activity where students delve deeper into Scripture.

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Interview Questions for a Practicing Catholic

A list of interview questions to ask a practicing Catholic.

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Final Performance Task Options for Unit 1 of “The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth”

Several final performance task options for Unit 1 of “The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth.”

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Abraham's Family Tree

A worksheet where students work to fill in Abraham’s family tree, from “The Catholic Youth Bible” Old Testament Teacher Guide.

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Covenant, from “The Catholic Youth Bible” Old Testament Teacher Guide

A worksheet that uses certain Scripture passages to describe covenants, from “The Catholic Youth Bible” Old Testament Teacher Guide.

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Small Passage Midrash, from “The Catholic Youth Bible” Old Testament Teacher Guide

An activity where students read an assigned Scripture passage of the mythical genre and then work on interpreting what they have read, from “The Catholic Youth Bible” Old Testament Teacher Guide.

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Order of Creation, from “The Catholic Youth Bible” Old Testament Teacher Guide

A worksheet where students are to organize several Creation events into the proper order in which they occurred. Students are to look at both of the Creation stories in the Book of Genesis.

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JEDP Reading for Perspective, from “The Catholic Youth Bible” Old Testament Teacher Guide

An activity dealing with different perspectives of the same event, from “The Catholic Youth Bible” Old Testament Teacher Guide.

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Final Performance Task Options for Unit 2 of “The Catholic Youth Bible” Old Testament Teacher Guide

Several final performance task options for Unit 2 of “The Catholic Youth Bible” Old Testament Teacher Guide.

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Mind Map

A mind map for a brainstorming activity on the Bible, from “The Catholic Youth Bible” Old Testament Teacher Guide.

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Socratic Seminar Symbol Codes

Socratic seminar symbol codes to help quickly evaluate a seminar speaker.

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The Socratic Seminar

A reading on the process and expectations for the Socratic Seminar debate.

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Using a Mind Map

A reading on using a mind map, which is a creative way to introduce a concept.

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"Tools of Evangelization" Word Search

Please note that this document is only available as a PDF.

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The Parable of Juan and the Fishbowl Reflection

This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students can answer basic, advanced, and highly reflective questions about the story.

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You're Respect-a-Ball!

Class activity/affirmation exercise

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Working for Justice

Student handout: Activity for chapter 39, crossword

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The Resurrection

Student handout: Activity for chapter 14, crossword

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The Lord's Prayer

Student handout: Activity for chapters 42 and 43, crossword

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The Human Person

Student handout: Activity for chapter 5 decode

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The Holy Trinity

Student handout: Activity for an unnamed section of Cath Connections Handbook (pg 35-39 ish) word puzzle

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Skittles Starters

Class Activity, use candy to determine conversation...

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Respecting Truth and Property

Activity for Chapter 37, complete the sentence

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Pass the Bag: A Biblical Affirmation Exercise

Class activity that familiarizes them with scriptural values, increases vocab, and ups self-esteem

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Directions for Game on! Games for Catholic Connections

Original directions to go with Game On! Cards. instructions for Baseball, Dodgeball, Identity, Jeopardy...

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Mercy Works: The Hands-on Gospel

Activity in class

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Let Your Light Shine: An Overnight Retreat on Self-Esteem

This overnight retreat on self-esteem invites the young people to explore their own personal gifts and encourages them to share those abilities with others. The retreat emphasizes the light of Christ in our Life, the special people who bring us …

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Jesus Jingles

Activity, turn commercial slogans into slogans for God

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Jesus Heals

Activity after Chapter 12, crossword puzzle

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It’s in the Cards

Uses cards to make/form groups

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It's A Match

Icebreaker? people are famous pairs, have to find each other

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I Am More Like. . .

Class strategy. Activity to help students articulate and share some of their personal characteristics and develop an appreciation for differences among people

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Honoring Family

Activity answering questions based on Chapter 35

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Giving Thanks for Special People: A Communication Activity for Thanksgiving

A thank-you card activity to give thanks for the special people in students' lives.

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Four of a Kind

In class activity to help students share with each other

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Fears: A Discussion Exercise for Halloween

Exercise to do in class, for catechist

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Faith: Responding to God

Student handout: Puzzles to do after Chapter 7

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Play Ball

Preparation Gather the following items: * two foam balls or two beanbags * one copy of the resource A Communication Process(PDF) Secretly Ask a participant to help you with the activity. Explain that the second activity in this session is …

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Leader's Guide for The Master's Companion: A Christian Midrash

Table of Contents Beyond Scripture Helpful Hints for Using and Creating Midrash with Young People Classroom Activities Chapter 1: The Small Black Dog with the White Foot (John 4:1-30)--compassion for animals Chapter 2: A Night in the Garden (John 4:39-45)--significance …

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Word-Association Exercise: Afterlife

(30 minutes) Prior to this exercise, have the all participants (including the facilitator) bring to the session a personal symbol. This symbol should be an object from among the participant's personal belongings that acts as a reminder of a much …

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Reflection Exercise: My Least Answerable Questions

(5 minutes) 1. Introduce this exercise by reiterating the idea that death is mystery and that since the beginning of time, people of all ages, cultures, and races have asked tough questions about death. Jesus himself struggled with such questions. …

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Talking Hands--Personal Attitudes Toward Death

(10 minutes) 1. Have the participants assemble and sit in a circle. Introduce this activity as Talking Hands. Explain to the participants the signals that they will need to use. Tell the young people that each time they hear a …

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Unbound!

  OVERVIEW Praying for forgiveness sets us free. In this prayer the young people experience this message through a ritual of reconciliation. This strategy, which is ideal for a retreat or as a conclusion to a session on forgiveness, allows …

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Lenten Nails: A Reflection Exercise for Lent

OVERVIEW This two-part reflection exercise allows the young teens to evaluate their behaviors and attitudes and admit their faults, throughout Lent. The exercise is introduced at the beginning of Lent and concludes before Easter. Suggested Time: Approximately 10 minutes for …

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Ashes to Reconciliation: A Reconciliation Prayer for Lent

OVERVIEW This prayer can be used during the first week of Lent or any time the sacrament of Reconciliation (also called the sacrament of Penance) is discussed or celebrated. Suggested Time: 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of …

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Soup or Bowl: A Game and Service Project for Super Bowl Sunday

OVERVIEW This combination game and service project is played in relay style by teams of young people with cans of soup that they bring as donations for the local food pantry. Suggested Time: A minimum of 10 minutes, or as …

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Advent: Saint Joseph and Jesus

This can be easily adapted to a video call.  1. Gather the group in a circle for a moment of silence. Light the candle and read these passages about Joseph in the Gospel of Matthew (1:18-21 and 2:13-15). Ask the …

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Advent Buddies

Advent Buddies: An Intergenerational Relationship-building Activity OVERVIEW This activity helps young people learn from an older person in the parish and establish a faith relationship with that person. Suggested Time: About 15 minutes for each meeting during Advent Group Size: …

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Build a Meal: An Outreach Activity for Thanksgiving

Build a Meal: An Outreach Activity for Thanksgiving OVERVIEW This outreach activity invites the young people to build holiday meals and memories for families that might not be able to afford a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Suggested Time: 10 to 15 …

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All Saints' Day: Unmasking Saints

Unmasking Saints: A Learning Activity for All Saints' Day OVERVIEW This creative activity helps young adolescents learn a little about their Catholic heritage by exploring the life and work of their patron saint or a favorite saint. Group Size: This …

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A New Rock

  OVERVIEW This is a youth catechetical session intended to lead young people to an understanding of Pope John Paul II's life, ministry, general papal responsibilities, and the procedure for electing a new pontiff. It can be used in a …

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A New Rock: Adaptations for Home Use

These activities are easily adapted for family members at home. When gathered for a meal, or for the specific purpose of these activities, family members can do one activity, a couple, or all of them, depending on the amount of time …

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Back to School: Latin 101

Invite your class or each student to create a motto for the year in terms of positive faith growth over the course of the year. Your students are most likely familiar with the tradition of mottos or creeds in Latin. …

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A Listening Session for Teens on the Mishandling of Sexual Abuse by Clergy

Materials Needed * a 3-by-5-inch index card for each young person * a pencil for each young person * prayer materials (Select one of the "Options for Ritual Actions" below.) * 3 readers for the closing prayer                                                                                                                 * handouts …

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What Every Teen Should Know

I often joke with my students that they help me parent my children! When my daughter Ellie was turning thirteen, all of a sudden I was struck with this idea that turned out to be an awesome activity for my …

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Intergenerational Service Project

Objectives to provide layette and nursery supplies for families in need to bring together girls and women to serve, build community, and pray to stimulate intergenerational dialogue among girls and women to reflect on the physical and emotional needs of …

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Forms for the Hermitage Experience

For more information see Leading Students to Hermitage. Preparation for Hermitage Dear __________________________, Your day for hermitage is _____________________ in the MORNING at 8:00 a.m. or AFTERNOON at 1:40 p.m. To come to hermitage, you must do the following things: …

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Questions for God

In a course on faith that he teaches at De La Salle Academy in New York City, David Detje, FSC, uses the film Oh, God! to shake up the students' notions of what God is like. He has gotten some …

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Introductory Activities for Teaching Christology

Mimi McCaul, who teaches at La Salle High School in Pasadena, California, passes along to you some of the strategies she uses in the course Jesus of History, Christ of Faith. Thanks, Mimi! Introductory Activity On the first or second …

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