Religion Planning Holy Spirit School

Duration 6 Weeks
Fertile Question / Topic

PREP

2016

How can we know about God?

As a Catholic school what are the stories we share from the Bible to tell us what God is like?

Class Context Who are my learners?

Class Needs
Individualised Learning Needs
Catholics/non-Catholics other faiths
practising/non-practising
Students with Disabilities [e.g. ASD ADHD
-abstract concepts may need further unpacking
visuals etc]

Adjustments for Learners

Differentiated learning

Children are gradually developing an image of God that is influenced by the significant adults in
their lives:
imitating the religious gestures and behaviours of others
assimilating some of the values and beliefs of their parents/carers; and
developing a natural sense of wonder and experience the sacred through nature using
their senses.
Prep H:
Extra assistance for ESL students to check for understanding Danyella, Julieta, Annabella
Scribing, particularly for children who lack fine motor skills, Tadhg
Use of visual cues to assist
Small group work
Drawing further responses for children with a deeper understanding of the concepts

Learning Context - Significant Days and Celebrations

What events/demands/celebrations are

timetabled in the school for the duration of the
unit?
Religious Life of the School: Liturgies; Assembly
Prayer; Feast days; Retreat Days; Social Justice
Outreach etc
Check Ways to Pray Calendar for significant

Term Two:

Whole School Sacred Time 12pm daily

ANZAC Day Sandakan POW Friends Assoc. School Choir and students at New Farm Park
Under 8s Day celebration 60th celebration
May Month of Mary
Orange Sky Laundry Day 23rd June
Pentecost School Feast Day- 15th May School Celebration 16th May
1

dates in Liturgical Calendar

Plan to integrate these things into learning, not
add on top.

Mothers Day Liturgy

Year Level Description - PREP

The Religion curriculum P-12 involves four strands: Sacred Texts, Beliefs, Church and Christian Life. These strands are interrelated and should be taught in
an integrated way; and in ways that are appropriate to specific local contexts.
In Prep, students learn about some Old Testament and New Testament stories that tell of a God of love, the creator of all; the goodness of Gods
creation, Gods special relationship with all of creation and Gods plan that people help each other to live safely and happily together, for the good of
all.
Students listen to, read and view stories of and about Jesus in the Gospels that tell of Jesus life as a Jew, his mother Mary, his friends and family; of Jesus
praying and teaching others to pray; of his teachings about love, compassion and forgiveness that challenged people about the way they were living; and of
his suffering, death and resurrection. They learn that Christians believe God created people with the freedom to choose between good and bad, right and
wrong. They explore examples of times, from familiar texts and their personal experience, when people make these choices.
Students understand that prayer helps believers follow the teachings of Jesus; to live according to Gods plan. They learn about ways in which believers
pray, either alone or with others, including the Sign of the Cross and Amen. They observe ways in which believers pray together during special celebrations
and rituals that mark important times in the life of believers and in the Church year. They learn about the Church building as a sacred place for believers and
the Bible as a sacred book for believers.

Achievement Standard - PREP

By the end of Prep, students communicate clearly their ideas, feelings and thoughts about God, the goodness of Gods creation and Gods plan that
people help each other to live safely and happily together, for the good of all. They identify connections between some Old Testament stories and their
personal experience, including experience of the goodness of creation. They listen and respond to stories of and about Jesus in the Gospels that tell of
Jesus life as a Jew, his mother Mary, his friends and family; of Jesus praying and teaching others to pray; and of his suffering, death and resurrection. They
recognise Jesus teachings about love, compassion and forgiveness that challenged people about the way they were living. They relate examples of people
having the freedom to choose between good and bad, right and wrong.
Students understand that prayer helps believers to follow the teachings of Jesus; to live according to Gods plan. They recognise ways in which believers
pray, either alone or with others, using word, music, action, silence, images, symbols and nature and participate with respect in a variety of these prayer
experiences, including meditation, the Sign of the Cross and Amen. They describe ways in which believers pray together during special celebrations and
rituals that mark important times in the life of believers and in the Church year.

Content Descriptions
Cluster strands and sub-strands that make connections with the Unit topic.

Sacred Texts: Old Testament * New Testament* Christian Spiritual Writings and Wisdom
Religious Knowledge and Deep Understanding
OLD TESTAMENT [STOT1, STOT2]
Christians venerate the Bible as a sacred book in many ways, including
proclamation in prayer celebrations and meditative reflection in personal prayer.
STOT1
Familiarity with characters, events and messages from some key Old
Testament stories, including Joseph (Genesis 37:1-36, 39:1-6, 41:15-44, 41:5357, 42-46) and David (1 Samuel 17:1-49), is a means of connecting Scripture
and real life.

Skills
Use and display the Bible respectfully.
Listen with respect as Scripture is proclaimed in prayerful settings.
Listen and respond to Old Testament stories
Share feelings and thoughts about the events, characters

NEW TESTAMENT [STNT1, STNT2]

CHRISTIAN SPIRITUAL WRITINGS AND WISDOM [STCW]

Beliefs: Trinity * Human Existence * World Religions

Religious Knowledge and Deep Understanding
TRINITY There is one God, the source of truth and love, who is creator of all.
Gods presence is revealed in the goodness of creation.
[BETR1]

Skills
Listen and respond to the two creation stories in Genesis (Genesis 1:1-2:4a
and Genesis 2:4b-9; 15-25).
Make links between God and the natural world.
Share their ideas about God and creation.

WORLD RELIGIONS [BEWR1]

.

Church : Liturgy and Sacraments * People of God * Church History

Religious Knowledge and Deep Understanding
LITURGY AND SACRAMENTS [CHLS1]

Skills

PEOPLE OF GOD [CHPG1]

4

Christian Living: Moral Formation * Mission and Justice * Prayer and Spirituality
Religious Knowledge and Deep Understanding
MORAL FORMATION [CLMF1, CLMF2]
Explore the emotions, feelings and reasoning involved when people make
choices between good and bad, right and wrong and make connections with
their personal experiences.

Skills

MISSION AND JUSTICE [CLMJ1]

PRAYER AND SPIRITULAITY [CLPS1, CLPS2]

Learning Intentions
Learning Intentions
By the end these learning experiences, students

Communicate their ideas, feelings and thoughts about God

Identify connections between the OT stories of Joseph and David and their personal experience

Success Criteria

Assessment

Achievement Standard Assessed

By the end of Prep, students communicate clearly their ideas, feelings and thoughts about God. They identify connections between some Old Testament stories
and their personal experience.

Success Criteria

Assessment Background

How will we know if students have achieved the desired results and met the
standard?
What will we accept as evidence of student knowledge, understanding and skills?
Students talk about their ideas, thoughts and feelings about God.
Students explain how the OT stories of Joseph and David can connect to
their own lives.
Share how these stories of family help us know what God was like then
and is like for me today.

Consider a range of assessment methods informal and formal

assessments during a unit

Mandated Scriptural Texts

Appendix B

Focused analysis: teachers examining in detail student

responses to tasks or activities.
Teacher observation: observing students and monitoring their
progress as they work.

EXPLICIT TEACHING ABOUT

PRAYER
Appendix A

Joseph : Genesis 37:1-36, 39:1-6, 41:15-44, 41:53-57, 42-26

David: 1 Samuel 17:1-49

CURRICULUM Connections
What connections can be made with other Curriculum areas (eg History, Geography, English)?

Geography : Google Images Maps of areas

Religious Life of the School

History families English - description

General Capabilities
6

Cross-Curricular Priorities

Religious Identity and Culture

Ethos and charism (ICE)
Authentic Christian community
(ICC)
Sense of the Sacred (ICS)
Social Action and Justice
Justice in the school community
(SJS)
Action for justice (SJA)
Reflection on action for Justice
(SJR)
Evangelisation and Faith Formation
Living the Gospel (EFG)
Spiritual Formation (EFF)
Witness to the wider community
(EFW)
Prayer and Worship
Christian prayer (PWP)
Celebration of liturgy and
sacraments (PWL)
Ritualising everyday life (PWR)

Literacy

Numeracy

Information and communication technology

(ICT) capability

Critical and creative thinking

Personal and social capability

Ethical understanding

Intercultural understanding.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

histories, cultures and spiritualties

Asia and Australias engagement with Asia

in a multi-faith context

Sustainability and ecological stewardship.

Recommended Resources
Resources

Together at One Altar;

ResourceLink
Caritas
Judaism
Ways to Pray

Teacher Background
Mandated Scriptural Texts
A-Z Learning Strategies
Prayer Chart
Learning Bytes
Melbourne RESource,

Rina Wintour

TEACHING AND LEARNING SEQUENCE:

7

CORE CONTENT AREA 1:

Finding Out

Tuning In

How can we know about God?

What is the topic?

Why should we study this topic?
Frame manageable questions.
What do I already know about this
topic? I think I know
How is this relevant to me?

Sorting Out

Communicating

Sorting
Out

Finding
Tuning In
Out

Teaching and Learning Sequence Core Content Area One

Focus/Question How can we know about God?

Commun
icating

Reflecting and

Identify possible sources of

What do we want to find
Evaluating
information
out?
Extend and challenge students
Identify skills necessary for How can we do this
understandings
So what have I learnt?
the investigation.
Offer more information
best?
If I know this, how can I
How did it happen?
Is there something else I need
How will we gather the
connect it with my world?
to deepen my knowledge
information?
Who was there and what
understandings?
Does what I knew before
were the facts?
What difference does this make
still apply?
to me?
Does my first idea still
make sense?

(Week 1 to 4 covers Focus 1:

How do we live in our school community?
What is our school community like?
What do we do together in our classroom?

Explore the idea of God through different books

such as Where does God live?, How can I talk to
God?, In Gods Name

View various images of God from books or online

Students contribute to a whole class visual

display of what is
God is for them in the world including words
and images.
Students create their own visual image to show what
God is or what God means to them e.g. draw a
picture, make a collage picture, painting
Students share their visual image with their
8

Resources
Adjustments for
Learners
Visit the Church building
Review Mission, Rules
Visual displays
Visuals of people who show us
love and care: Community
members Family members

Commun
icating

Sorting
Out

Finding
Tuning In
Out

Core Content Area Two

Focus/Question How can we learn about God through the stories of
the Old Testament?
(Cross curriculum: History curriculum Families)

Brainstorm what is a family structure, how they are different and similar

Students bring in photos and information about their family

Create family trees to show members of the family

Explain to students that the Bible story is about a boy called David who was the
youngest and smallest of his brothers but was brave enough to fight a giant.
(Evidence of Success Criteria: Students describe their family through visual
representations and explain an understanding of similarities and differences within
Discuss with students what the message of the story might be e.g. what does
the story tell us about Joseph and how he loved his family? What can the story
tell us about God and how he loves us?
God shows us how to forgive, God works through people. We find out what God
Students create a visual or oral response to the three worlds of the text to show
information on:
- The world behind the text: what was the world like at the time of David?
- The world of the text: what happened in the story?

Tuning In

Core Content Area Three

Focus/Question How can we learn about God through the stories of the Old Testament?
(Cross curriculum: History curriculum Families)
Students discuss how many brothers and sisters they have in their families.
They discuss whether they ever tell on each other, argue or hurt each other.
The students listen as the teacher explains that they are going to hear another

Resources
Adjustments for
Learners
Refer to the Star of the Week posters
Be aware of the make up of various
families in the class
Teacher background and
resources

Scripture Project Weebly Old

Testament stories Prep/Year 1

Hard Copy and iPads

Three Worlds of the Text poster - Support
by school officer and teacher to scaffold

Resources
Adjustments for
Learners
Refer to the Family Trees

Finding
Out
Sorting
Out
Commun
icating
Evaluatin
g

Reflectin
g and

Explore the message of the story

World in front of the text
Students contribute to a class list of similarities and differences between Joseph's
family and our families. Students listen to the text of Genesis 45: 4-11 read from the
Exploring the story of Joseph
World of the text
The students explore the world of the text of the story of Joseph through a selection of
God was looking after Joseph
Students contribute to a class list of all the times God was looking after Joseph in the
story particularly referring to the adapted text. Students illustrate and retell the story
Share your learnings with your classmates and peers and reflect on the choices
made when making your puppets
Reflect on planning mode of sharing what worked well and what would you do
differently next time

10

Teacher background and resources

Scripture Project Weebly Old Testament
stories Prep/Year 1
http://scriptureprojectsscn.weebly.com/prep

Hot Seat with Rainbow Jacket

Material for puppet making and iPads

Note adjustments for learners and use this

data when planning the next unit.