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Practical Lesson Ideas and Activities for Catholic Educators
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Guided Meditation: Peter Denies Jesus

Use this reflection to bring your students near to the fire—figuratively and literally—listening to accusations and denials. Allow them to enter into the dialogue. Pause longer on the italic lines. Say: Enter into this space. Relax. Quiet down. Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out. Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out. Be still. Relax. Let all your worries fly away. Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out. It is cold. Someone has built a large open fire to keep warm. You are standing next to the fire. A lot of people do the same. Your mind is exploding with thoughts. Your friend, Jesus, was just arrested. You and his followers came to this place where he is being kept. The crowd is restless, hostile even. What is it like to be in this place? How are you feeling? A woman glances over at Peter, a close friend of Jesus. Stares at him. She points at him. She whispers something to the woman next to her. She knows who Peter is. What if she knows you are? Are you safe? She walks over to Peter, her friend behind her. She says, “You are one of his followers.” Peter jumps to his feet and denies it, “No, I am not..” Watch his expression. Watch her reaction. “Yes you are,” she continues. “I have seen you with that man they call Jesus.” Peter responds, “I am afraid you are mistaken.” Look at Peter’s face. “Yes you are,” she continues. “I have seen you with the man they call Jesus.” Peter responds, “I am afraid you are mistaken.” Look at Peter’s face. She replies, “No, I am not, it is you.” “No,” Peter says sternly, “Now get away from me.” He shoves her aside and walks away. A rooster crows. You look at Peter, stopped in his tracks. He also heard the rooster. You remember Jesus’ words at dinner. Jesus predicted that Peter would deny him three times before the rooster crowed. None of you, including Peter, thought that it could ever happen. Peter is one of Jesus’ closest confidants. What are terrible night this has been. Let your mind replay the scene of Peter’s denial. Walk over to Peter. Sit with him. List to Peter as he tells you how he feels. He asks if you ever did something like this. Answer him. It is time to reenter this space. Say good-bye for now. Ask Jesus to lead your way into the rest of the day. Say thank you. Come back gently. Open your eyes. Remember. Sit up.

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What Is RSS and Why Should I Use It?

I must confess up front that I love using RSS Feeds to access theology resources and any other kind of interest I have. It has virtually replaced the need to bookmark a website. Now that websites are dynamic with blogs, newsfeeds, podcasts, videos, twitter feeds, etc., I get instant notification when a website is updated. Many of you are reading this in an RSS feed reader. Some of you are getting it by e-mail. Others are reading it on our actual website. Today I want to introduce teachers to using RSS Feedreaders to get access to quality resources and ideas for their theology instruction. If students aren't familiar with RSS, these tips would work just as well for them. What is RSS? RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication." It refers to "feeds" that aggregate frequently updated websites such as blogs, news headlines, and podcasts. The RSS feed icon is seen everywhere on the web to notify web visitors that they can follow the site's updates using and RSS feed reader. You can find a good explanation for RSS at CommonCraft.com: RSS in Plain English. How do you follow websites? Ten years ago, I had a mountain of bookmarks in my web browser that I would sift through to find the sites I visited often for resources and ideas. A few years later I discovered Google and just Googled the names of sites I liked to visit. Today, I rely on RSS and e-mail to update me when a website has something new. It saves time and energy and helps me organize what is most important to me on the web. Four RSS Benefits Teachers Real-time updates from news websites. Get teaching ideas from blogs like Ave Maria Press Engaging Faith. Follow your favorite interests and hobbies to catch a break during your planning period or lunch. Get content sent to you rather than going out to find it. Subscribe to Engaging Faith in Google Reader There are many feed readers out there including Google Reader, My Yahoo, Netvibes, NewsGator, Outlook, etc. My personal preference is Google Reader. First, you need to set up a Google account, if you don't already have one. Then, you can customize your Google Reader to get updates to this and other blogs, news websites, and more. How to Create a Google Account Video TeacherTube has a nice short video on how to create a google account. Check that out here: Or view it on YouTube. How to Add a Blog to Google Reader Can't see it? Check it out here: How to Add a Blog or News RSS Feed to Google Reader. Subscribing to a blog is easy. In fact, you can subscribe to this one, by getting its feed here.

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Recipe for Forgiveness

Take some time with your class to allow prayer and reflection on four courses of forgiveness: forgiveness of self, others, enemies, and reconciliation with God. If possible, seat the students in a comfortable setting away from their desks. Tell them to open a prayer journal for writing. When everyone is settled, follow these steps: We Forgive Ourselves 1. Call on a good reader to read the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Lk 18:9-14). 2. In a journal, have them finish this sentence: "O God, be merciful to me a sinner for . . . 3. Allow a few minutes for writing. Then choose a reader to pray: Dear God, Have mercy on us in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out our offenses. Thoroughly wash us from our guilt and of our sins. Amen. We Forgive Others 1. Tell the students to thin about friends, family members, classmates, acquaintances, merchants, etc. whom they are called to forgive. Tell them to write the initials of these people in their journals under the heading "I Forgive You." 2. Next, tell them to draw a symbol for peace to represent their efforts to reconcile with the persons whose initials they have written. 3. To symbolize their promise, have the students get up and share a sign of peace with their classmates. Say: Jesus said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." The peace of the Lord be with you always. Let us offer each other the sign of peace. We Forgive Our Enemies 1. Ask the students to recall a recent experience in which they needed to forgive someone who had hurt them or offended them. Tell them to write briefly about the situation and the results. Tell them they will be asked to share what they wrote with a partner. 2. Allow time for sharing with partners. 3. Call on two or three volunteers to share their experience with the entire group. 4. Choose a student to lead this prayer: All-holy Father, you have shown us your mercy and made us a new creation in the likeness of your Son. Make us living signs of your love for the whole world to see. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. We Reconcile with God 1. Play a recording of a song that praises God's glory. 2. Choose a reader to read aloud the Parable of the Lost Sheep (Lk 15:1-7). 3. Ask the students to write a prayer expressing thankfulness for all of God's gifts, his blessings of mercy, compassion, and forgiveness.

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10 Google Search Tips for Students and Teachers

In this week's edition of Ave Maria Press tech tips, we explore a tool that is used over 400 million times per day. In the five minute video below, we share 10 Google search tips for students and teachers to use while doing research on the Web. Keep in mind this is only the basic search function in Google and doesn't even illustrate the excellent educational ways that Google Maps, Google Images, Google Video, Google Blogs, Google News, Google Scholar, etc. can be used as well. 10 Google Search Tips for Students and Teachers Can't see the video? Check it out here. The Ten Google Search Tips in the Video: Quotation marks (" ") — Show only the webpages that include the exact search words in the sequence in which they were entered Minus/Hyphen (-) — Excludes all webpages that have that word in it Tilde (~) — Includes results that contain synonyms of the word Asterisk (*) — Fills in the blank for words you can't remember in a series. Ellipses (...) — Returns only the search results that mention the years or numbers at both ends of the ellipses (1990...2000) define: — Provides the definitions of a word from dictionary sites OR: — Returns results that have either word on the page, but not just both site: — Searches a specific website for keywords. related: — Searches for websites similar to a site included in the search query Ctrl+F or Command+F — Though not a Google-specific function, you can search for a word in the search results by using this keyboard shortcut. Google Search Educator Resource: Google for Educators: http://www.google.com/educators/p_websearch.html.

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Lights of Life: Torn Tissue Art Banner

Jesus’ healing of the blind man (Jn 9:1–41), the Gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, reminds us that Jesus brings light to our world. This Lights of Life: Torn Tissue Art Banner (originally published in Time Out by Sr. Kieran Sawyer, SSND) can support this message and serve as the backdrop for a prayer reflection that might culminate in the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Here’s what you need: A piece of heavy white banner paper, large enough for 6 or 8 students to work on at a time Thin black markers A large supply of tissue paper of many bright colors A solution of white liquid glue diluted with water Small paint brushes Bibles Light and Darkness Scripture references (see below) Heavy books to serve as weights for the completed banner Directions: Share the following Scripture passages with the students. Tell them to read through a few of the passages and choose a favorite. In small groups, have the students print the passage (or part of the passage) in bold black letters on the banner paper. Have them tear pieces of brightly colored tissue paper large enough to cover any of the words or phrases in the passage that you want to highlight. Place the tissue on the word or phrase and brush over it with water-glue solution. The tissue will adhere to the paper. After all the groups have finished, have several students return and add other pieces of tissue paper in other areas of the banner to complete the colorful montage. Place heavy books on top of the banner as weights to help it dry. Lights of Life Scripture Passages Gn 1:15 Is 60:19 Acts 13:47 2 Sm 22:29 Dn 2:21-22 Acts 26:17-18 Jb 29:2-3 Mi 7:8 Rm 13:12-14 Ps 18:29 Mt 4:16 2 Cor 4:6 Ps 27:1 Mt 5:14-16 2 Cor 4:6 Ps 27:1 Mt 5:14-16 Eph 5:8-9 Ps 36:10 Mt 6:21-23 Eph 5:14 Ps 97:11-12 Lk 2:30-32 Col 1:11-13 Ps 107:10-11 Lk 8:16 1 Thes 5:4-5 Ps 112:4 Jn 1:3-5 1 Pt 2:9-10 Ps 119:105 Jn 1:9-10 2 Pt 1:19 Prv 4:18-19 Jn 3:19 1 Jn 1:5 Is 5:20 Jn 8:12 1 Jn 1:6-7 Is 9:1 Jn 9:5 1 Jn 2:8 Is 42:16 Jn 12:35 1 Jn 2:9 Is 49:6 Jn 12:36 1 Jn 2:10-11 Is 60:1-3 Jn 12:46 Rev 22:4-5 The Scripture passages are excellent as a source for an examination of conscience prior to reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

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What Is a Wiki?

One of the most common questions I have been asked since the recent technology tips webinar and tech center presentation at LA Congress is: "What is a Wiki?" Wiki is a funny word. People laugh just saying it. So, what does it mean? Where did the word come from? The best source for an answer to these questions must be the most popular wiki in the world: Wikipedia. According to Wikipedia, a wiki is "a website that allows the creation of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor." (WYSIWYG stands for "what you see is what you get" and refers to web editors that work like Word document editors that people can use to create web pages without any knowledge of HTML.) The word "wiki" comes from the a Hawaiian word for "fast" or "quick." What makes a wiki so special? Multiple people can work on the same web page at any time. It is easy to edit and change using markup language and the WYSIWYG web editors. The only editorial review is from the other individuals developing the pages. Communities tend to congregate around wikis, making it an effective way to communicate. Webpages can be updated quickly and frequently. Take Wikipedia, for instance. Millions of people have edited the millions of articles on Wikipedia (there are over 3 and a half million articles just in English). Once a person creates an account, they can start to suggest edits to improve the information about various topics. They can edit what others have written or include there own additions. These Wikipedians participate in a community with a common goal of improving quality information on the Internet. Wikis in Plain English CommonCraft creates effective video explanations of various things online. One of the most popular videos is "Wikis in Plain English." It provides some practical application that even teachers can use. The simplicity is great: edit, write, and save. Now, don't tell me you can't see the correlation in the classroom among your colleagues or for students working on a group project! (Common Craft also has a nice explanation of Wikipedia in Plain English) Classroom Wikis Many teachers have found the benefit of creating classroom wikis to encourage students to collaborate on projects outside of class online. They have also been using wikis to communicate with students and parents. They are finding that the ease of creating a wiki and opening it up for students to contribute, make it an excellent pedagogical tool. This article is a part of a weekly series of Tech Tips offered by Ave Maria Press. Subscribe to Engaging Faith by RSS or e-mail or join the bi-weekly eNewsletter list on the left menu bar for updates.

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LA Congress Tech Center Presentation

Among the many Los Angeles Religious Education Congress presentations and workshops by Ave Maria Press speakers and staff, Jared Dees offered a showcase of Ave Maria Press online classroom resources and the Xplana eTextbooks. Some of those in attendance requested a copy of that presentation, which can be found below.  LA Congress Tech Center Presentation (Ave Maria Press) LA Congress Tech Center Presentation: Ave Maria Press 2011 View more presentations from Ave Maria Press.

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Catholic Colleges in the NCAA Tournament 2011

The buzz among your teens this week likely centers around the annual NCAA basketball tournament, i.e. "March Madness." Don't let the excitement slip away without capturing some of it for your theology class! There are a number of fun things that connect religion, Catholic identity, and basketball that you can do with your students. Start with the basics. Pass out a printable tournament bracket sheet and have the students circle all the Catholic colleges in the field of 68 (up four from previous years). While they're at it, have the do the annual ratings of Catholic college teams based on the tournament seedings. Here's how it shakes out this year. Catholic College Ratings 1. Notre Dame (2) 2(t). Xavier (6) 2(t). Georgetown (6) 2(t). St. John's (6) 5. Villanova (9) 6. Marquette (11) Gonzaga (8) 8. St. Peter's (14) Continue by having the students identify each of the Catholic colleges in the tournament with their locations by city and state: Notre Dame (Notre Dame (South Bend), IN) Xavier (Cincinnati, OH) Georgetown (Washington, DC) St. John's (Queens, NY) Villanova (Villanova (Radnor), PA) Marquette (Milwaukee, WI) Gonzaga (Spokane, WA) St. Peter's (Jersey City, NJ) Next, have them identify the founding religious community of each college: Jesuit (Xavier, Georgetown, Marquette, Gonzaga, St. Peter's) Holy Cross (Notre Dame) Vincentian (St. John's) Augustinian (Villanova) Research Work: Have the students research each team and determine which roster has the most players named after saints and/or biblical characters. Interactive: Develop some quiz questions based on your current lesson plan for the week. Divide the class into two teams for a head-to-head competition. In the spirit of the week, bring in a nerf ball and have the teams compete for bonus points by being able to sink the ball into a strategically placed trash can. Report: There are many Catholics who coach college basketball. Ask the students to report on three famous Catholic coaches from the past: Lou Carnesecca (St. John's), Al McGuire (Marquette), and Ray Meyer (DePaul). Feel free to add some NCAA March Madness ideas for your religion classroom in the comments section below!

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