RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Lesson Plan Format

TOPIC: 5.1 The Reign of God: Reaching Out in Justice GRADE: 5 DURATION OF EACH LESSON: 50 minutes

OUTCOMES: Students will be able to… RESOURCES:

● identify the basic principles of Catholic Social Teaching
● relate Church teaching and Scripture to life situations
● describe how the Catholic community promotes justice
Learning Intention: We are learning about environmental issues that threaten the sacredness of
God’s creation and our responsibility to care for God’s creation as part of social justice.
Lesson 1 –
Campfire & River Night Ambience 10 Hours | Nature White Noi… ,
2021 | Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor | The Bishops Social Jus…
, warm coloured cloths, wood sticks, whiteboard, whiteboard markers,
butcher’s paper, coloured markers.

Success Criterias: We can… Lesson 2 –

Explore the concept of sustainability and stewardship Relaxing Zen Music with Water Sounds • Peaceful Ambience for…
Describe the principles of the Catholic Church’s Social Teachings , blue cloths, pebbles, trifold paper, printed images, coloured markers,
Apply the life and teachings of Jesus to help us make decisions images of nature.
Learn about situations of injustice in relation to ecological issues both locally and

⛰️
globally Lesson 3 –
Describe the Church’s response to injustice through its institutions and organisations CAVE SOUNDS for DEEP SLEEP INSIDE the CAVE Ambience/… ,
Analyse ecological issues in light of Scripture and Church teachings ipads to film, past lesson materials (brainstorms, lists, brochures).

SCRIPTURE PASSAGE:

Luke 15:11-32 (The Parable of the Lost Son)

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between
them.

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything,
there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to
feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father
and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up
and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s
have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going
on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving
for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered
your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is
alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Genesis 1:26 (God Loves and Cares for All of Creation)

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the
livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Teaching Strategies / Learning Experiences: (How it is taught)
Write detailed steps showing what the teacher (T) will do and what students (Ss) will do.
LESSON 1: School Community
Opening Prayer
‘The Campfire’
PREPARATION
➔ Campfire & River Night Ambience 1…
will be played on the TV as ss enter the
room – lights will also be off.
➔ Ss sit in a circle formation like they do
around a campfire
PROGRESSION
➔ T and ss do the sign of the cross.
➔ T builds a campfire in the centre of the
circle using warm coloured cloths and
wood sticks while posing reflective
questions to ss.
➔ T reads out Genesis 1:26 slowly with
pauses drawing ss attention to words or
phrases.
➔ T poses reflective questions on the
passage and ss share their prayers using
the “read the room and respond” method.
LESSON SEQUENCE
Task
Introduction to Sustainability
BRAINSTORM
Ss share their prior knowledge on the
topic of sustainability and T creates a
brainstorm on the shared ideas.
WATCH
2021 | Cry of the Earth, Cry of t…
Ss will explore the concept of
sustainability through the lens of the
Social Justice Statement 2021-2022
and what scripture teaches us about
stewardship (linking to the opening
prayer – Genesis 1:26).
EXPLAIN
In groups of 4, ss compile a list of
steps they can take as a class to what
steps we can take as a class to target
ecological issues at a school level.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT:
Ss demonstrate their
understanding through
spoken language,
Reflection
questioning, and
‘I Used to think… Now I know’
conversations observed
CIRCLE FORMATION between peers.
➔ Campfire & River Night A…
will be played on the TV as ss Analysis of ss work samples
come back to the floor (list of steps).
➔ In a circle, ss are encouraged to
share what they have learnt in
the lesson and how it compares
to their prior knowledge one by
one
LESSON 2: Parish Community
Opening Prayer
‘The Watering Hole’
PREPARATION
➔ Relaxing Zen Music with…
will be played on the TV as ss
enter the room – lights will
also be off.
➔ Ss sit in a circle formation like
they’re sitting around a water
hole.
PROGRESSION
➔ T and ss do the sign of the
cross.
➔ T builds a campfire in the
centre of the circle using blue
cloths and pebbles while
posing reflective questions to
ss.
➔ T reads out Genesis 1:26
slowly with pauses drawing ss
attention to words or phrases.
➔ T poses reflective questions on
the passage and ss share their
prayers using the “read the
room and respond” method.
Assessment as learning – the
brochures will be completed
to understand the literal,
Task Reflection
spiritual, and applicable
‘See, Judge, Act’ ‘See, Think, Wonder’
senses of ss as part of their
WATCH & DISCUSSION DISCUSSION consolidation for this unit.
Ss watch The Prodigal Son Parable and explore how the ➔ Ss given a series of
message in this parable can be linked to sustainability using images of nature Ss demonstrate their
the ‘See, Judge, Act’ framework (Sydney Catholic Schools, (both in positive and understanding through
n.d.). negative light), spoken language,
1. SEE: What is the situation? Who is involved? communities, their questioning, and
2. JUDGE: What can the Scriptures tell us about this school, cities and are conversations observed
situation? What Church social teachings are asked to share what between peers.
relevant? Is the situation life-giving or life-denying? they see, think, and
**like the Prodigal Son, we have not used the resources wonder about an Analysis of ss work samples
given to us wisely, leading to negative ecological effects like image of their (brochures).
climate change which we experienced in the past years – choosing.
parables also often follow the theme of nature. ➔ T encourages ss to Assessment as learning – the
look at the images brochures will be completed
CREATIVE ARTS through the lens of to understand the literal,
Ss will build on their ideas from lesson one of how to target climate change and spiritual, and applicable
ecological issues and be sustainable at a school level and sustainability. senses of ss as part of their
design brochures focused on one ecological issue of their consolidation for this unit.
choosing (floods, bushfires, drought). They will link it to the
parable and the list of steps they came up with in lesson
one. Ss should also consider what they can do to address the
vulnerable communities. These brochures will be provided
to the school and local community centre, on the school
website and be featured in the school newsletter.
LESSON 3: Outreach
Opening Prayer
‘The Cave’
PREPARATION
➔ CAVE SOUNDS for DEEP SLE…
will be played on the TV as ss
enter the room.
➔ Ss sit in a circle formation.
PROGRESSION
➔ T and ss do the sign of the cross.
➔ T poses reflective questions to ss.
➔ T read a quote from Pope Francis’
Encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ about
caring for the environment slowly
with pauses drawing ss attention
to words or phrases.
➔ T poses reflective questions on
the passage and ss share their
prayers using the “read the room
and respond” method.
Assessment as learning – the
brochures will be completed
to understand the literal,
Task Reflection
spiritual, and applicable
Designing an Advertisement ‘Zoom in, Zoom out’
senses of ss as part of their
EXPLAIN DISCUSSION consolidation for this unit.
Students explore what is meant to be stewards of ➔ T displays a zoomed
creation and how caring for our common home and in picture of a plant/ Ss demonstrate their
building a loving relationship with earth is a key aspect endangered animal/ understanding through
of this belief. Continuing from last lesson, ss will firefighter. spoken language,
complete the ‘Act’ stage of the ‘See, Judge, Act’ ➔ Ss share what they questioning, and
framework (Sydney Catholic Schools, n.d.). see and how they feel conversations observed
3. ACT: What is your opinion, based on the about the image. between peers.
information you have gained? What should be ➔ T gradually zooms out
done? Why? How can we reach out in justice in to display the full Analysis of ss work samples
this situation? picture. (advertisement).
➔ Ss share their new
CREATIVE ARTS insights about the
Ss create and film an advertisement over the course of image and discuss
the week encouraging families from the school and the why it might be the
local parish to take sustainable measures in their daily same/differ from
lives in accordance with Pope Francis’ Encyclical their previous idea.
‘Laudato Si’ and the Social Justice Statement 2021-2022.