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Lesson Plan Format

Class: Year 6, Stage 3

Date: N/A Duration: 3 hours
Key Learning Area: Religion

Lesson Topic: Confirmation: Celebrating the Gift of the Holy Spirit
Recent Prior Experience: Students have been exposed to and familiarised with sacraments of initiation since Kindergarten, where they were introduced to the Eucharist.
By Year 1, students experience Jesus as someone who welcomes them into his kingdom through the sacrament of initiation into the Church community, Baptism. These
experiences have been added to with units about Pentecost in middle and upper primary which provide a foundation for understanding Confirmation as a Personal
Pentecost by Year 6 and a renewal of Baptismal Promises.

Syllabus Outcome(s):

Knowledge and Understandings:

- Explain how Word, symbol and ritual are
used in sacramental and non-
sacramental celebrations (C3.2)


Indicators of Learning for this lesson:

By the end of this sequence of lessons, the students will:

- Identify some images in Scripture that reveal God as Holy Spirit
- Describe the relationship between the sacraments of Baptism and
Confirmation
- Outline the main structure of the sacrament of Confirmation


Assessment:


- Create a mind map on the Pentecost story to
explore symbols that reveal the Holy Spirit.

- Popcorn share to identify symbols for the Holy
Spirit.

- K.W.L. chart to asses students prior
knowledge and understandings of the
relationship between Baptism and Confirmation.

- Adding to the mind map the symbols and
rituals of Confirmation.

- Matrix of the words, symbols and rituals of
Confirmation in pairs.


Resources:
- Interactive whiteboard (IWB)
- Acts of the Apostles script
- KWL chart per student
- Sacraments 101: Confirmation [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt32SyDWuW8]
- King David Big Book


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Lesson Content / Indicators of Learning Timing
(mins)
Teaching Strategies / Learning Experiences: Assessment

LESSON 1

Images of wind and fire helped the
people of the early Christian community
express their experience of the presence
of God.

Students will learn:
about the biblical images used to
express the presence of God
to explore the Pentecost event and
the significance of the symbols of
wind and fire

Wondering:

I wonder how those who received the Holy
spirit felt.
I wonder how they knew that they were filled
with the Holy Spirit.
I wonder why the early Christians used fire
to describe what the coming of the Holy
Spirit was like.
I wonder why the early Christians used wind
to describe the coming of the Holy Spirit.
I wonder how the apostles were able to
speak in different languages.
I wonder what the people did after hearing
the disciples speak.
I wonder why some of the people sneered
and said the apostles were drunk.




10mins











20mins







5mins






Introduction
- Ss recall previous lessons about symbols and rituals used in
everyday life and the symbols of fire and wind that will be particularly
important in todays lesson.
- Ss remember the strong positive and negative aspects of the
symbols of fire and wind.
- Ss engage in think pair and share with the person next to them
on what they know about Pentecost.
- T stops Ss and asks for volunteers to share their thoughts and
creates a mind map of the main ideas around the Pentecost story
using the IWB for easy retrieval in future.

Development
- Ss are asked to make a semi-circle and listen to The Acts of the
Apostles from the New Testament.
1

- After the Godly Play, Ss are engaged in wondering about the story.
- T asks Ss to think about some of the words that were used to
symbolise the Holy Spirit in the story and adds these to the mind
map, connecting them to any related ideas already present.

Conclusion
- Ss engage in popcorn share.
- Ss recall similes from their work in English and are prompted with
the beginner God is like.
- Ss then popcorn share what they think God is like.


- Informs T how much Ss gathered from
the previous lesson on the significance
of the symbols of wind and fire.




- Mind map session informs T how much
Ss recall from previous units completed
in previous years on Pentecost.











- T can adjust teaching in future lessons
based on the depth of understanding
that Ss have about the biblical images of
the Holy Spirit. These images build the
foundation for understanding the
significance of Confirmation.
Evaluation:
- Could students make connections between the symbols of fire and wind, and Pentecost?
- Can students use biblical images and symbolism to describe the Holy Spirit?



1
Refer to appendix
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LESSON 2

The symbols of Baptism and
Confirmation help the Church
community to express and celebrate
initiation into the Christian community.

Students will learn:
about the symbols of Baptism and
Confirmation
about the connection between
Baptism and Confirmation

Background teacher information:
Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist are
the Sacraments of Christian initiation. In the
early Church adults were baptised,
confirmed and received the Eucharist within
one ceremony. This still occurs in the RCIA
(Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). In
some expressions of the Catholic faith (for
example Maronite, Melkite traditions) the
sacraments of Confirmation and Baptism
are part of the one ceremony. Some
students may have already been confirmed
at their Baptism as infants. The symbols are
basically the same. (CEO Sydney, 2013)

Romans 6:3-4:
Therefore we have been buried with him by
baptism into death, so that, just as Christ
was raised from the dead by the glory of the
Father, so we too might walk in the newness
of life.




10mins







10mins










35mins










5mins

Introduction
- Ss record in their R.E. books everything they know about
Confirmation e.g. what it is, the symbols related to it, how it is related
to Baptism and who participates in it.
- Ss record their ideas in a K.W.L. chart (what I already know, what
I want to know and what I have learned).
2

- What I have learned remains blank for the end of the unit.

Development
- Ss are brought back to the floor.
- T reads KWL Year 6, pg. 101-102.
- T prompts discussion around the reading, asking Ss to suggest
what they now think Confirmation is about and how it relates to
Baptism.
- T highlights that Baptism and Confirmation were combined in the
early Church and still are in some expressions of the Catholic
Church e.g. Maronite Catholic Church and that they are the
sacraments through which we are initiated/welcomed into the
Church.
- Ss are walked over to the church to look at the baptismal font to
talk about its position, use and the importance of water.
- T reads a short verse from Romans (6:3-4) to help Ss understand
the symbolic nature of the water and why Baptism is a sacrament of
initiation.
- T outlines that in the early Church people were completely
immersed in the water and as they were raised they were walking in
the newness of life, rising with Jesus and becoming a part of his
family.
- Ss are walked back to the classroom.

Conculsion
- T tells Ss that confirmation is special because most of us were
Christened as babies and it gives us the opportunity to renew our
Baptismal promises.
- T ends with I wonder how this special opportunity and gift makes
you feel.



- Filling in a K.W.L. chart assess Ss prior
knowledge, misunderstandings,
curiosities and interests around the
connection between Baptism and
Confirmation. T can apply this to
upcoming lessons to cater more
accurately to Ss needs.
Evaluation:
- Can students describe a relationship between Baptism and Confirmation?
- Are students beginning to understand the importance of Confirmation and Confirmation as the beginning to leading a Catholic l ife?

2
Refer to appendix
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LESSON 3

The rituals in the celebration of
Confirmation strengthen our
commitment as baptised Christians.

Students will learn:
about the rituals in the sacrament of
Confirmation

Background teacher information:
1 Samuel 16:1-13 David is Anointed
The story of King Davids anointing is quite
surprising. God chooses David to be king
when he is only a boy - the youngest in his
family. King Saul, the current king has been
rejected. God sends Samuel, the last of the
judges, to Jesse who is Davids father, to
anoint one of his sons as king. All of Jesses
sons are brought in except David who is
considered not old enough to be king. Jesse
has fine looking sons but God does not
choose any of them. Instead God chooses
the one no one expected. He chose David,
as king because God does not see as
people see; people look at appearances but
God looks at the heart (v7). (CEO Sydney,
2013)

Laying on of Hands: The laying on of
hands is a rich ritual going back to the early
Church, and the history of Israel. It
symbolises the calling of the Holy Spirit.
Outside the seven sacraments the laying on
of hands can be used with a blessing. All
baptised people can bless.

Anointing: As with the laying on of
hands, anointing is a rich symbol and finds it
roots in the biblical tradition. It is a symbol
of the Holy Spirit and represents
abundance, joy, cleansing, healing, beauty,

10mins








15mins















15mins















Introduction
- Ss recall and share what they remember from the previous lesson
on sacraments of initiation.
- T tells Ss that they will be focusing more on confirmation in
upcoming lessons.
- T retrieves mind map and asks Ss to think about how it can be
altered and what can be added to it at this point. E.g. the focus or
title may now be The Gift of the Holy Spirit.

Development
- Ss view a short YouTube clip on Confirmation and take notes in
their religion books
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt32SyDWuW8].
- T asks Ss to recall from the clip how Confirmation links to
Pentecost.
- T discusses with Ss that we are receiving a personal Pentecost
when we are confirmed.
- Ss think about what is meant by personal Pentecost and T holds
a discussion around this e.g. we witness and receive the same gift of
the Holy Spirit as the Apostles did over 2000 years ago.
- T brings Ss attention to an image that continually reappears
throughout the video the laying on of hands.
- Ss are asked to raise their hands to suggest the significance of this
ritual. T clarifies that it is a biblical gesture by which the gift of the
Holy Spirit is invoked.
- T tells the story of King David using the Kindergarten Big Book.
- Ss are engaged in I wonder statements.
- T brings Ss attention to the last I wonder statement.
- T returns to the YouTube clip, skipping to and pausing at 1:42 to
view the image of a person being anointed with oil during
confirmation.
3

- Ss think about what this image is of and asks Ss to raise their hand
to give suggestions. T clarifies that this is someone being anointed
with oil.
- Ss are asked to think about why oil is used in baptism and then in
confirmation i.e. Anointing with Chrism strengthens, protects heals.














































3
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health and strength. The word Christ
means anointed one. As Christians we are
anointed and share in the mission of Jesus,
the Christ. We are Christ in our world.
(CEO Sydney, 2013)

In the Old Testament kings were anointed
when they were chosen by God to lead with
justice and integrity. People were called as
prophets and anointed to carry out Gods
work. Priests too were anointed. The ritual
of anointing with oil symbolises
strengthening for the mission of the
Church. (CEO Sydney, 2013)

Wondering:

I wonder which part of this story you like the
best.
I wonder how prophets know about Gods
ways.
I wonder how Jesses sons felt when
Samuel said that God did not choose them.
I wonder how David felt when he was
chosen to be king.
I wonder why God chose David to be king.
I wonder why Samuel poured oil on Davids
head.
I wonder if you know some of the purposes
of using oil.
I wonder if you know any times when the
Church uses oil.
5mins Conclusion
- Mind map is retrieved.
- Ss come up to the IWB and add to the class mind map, reflecting
on what they have learned.


































- Retrieving, altering and adding to the
mind map informs the teacher of how far
the Ss have come from the previous
lessons and how their understandings
are developing about the rituals in
Confirmation.



Evaluation:
- Can students describe the link between Confirmation and Pentecost?
- Do students understand why Confirmation is seen as a Personal Pentecost?
- Are students able to identify rituals within Confirmation e.g. laying on of hands and Anointing with Chrism?





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LESSON 4

The rituals in the celebration of
Confirmation strengthen our
commitment as baptised Christians.

Students will learn:
about the rituals in the sacrament of
Confirmation
to explore these rituals in the light of
sacred Scripture and the Tradition
of the Church
about the structure of the Rite of
Confirmation

Background teacher information:
The Mass is celebrated with the ordinary
structure. After the Liturgy of the Word, the
Rite of Confirmation begins.

- Presentation of the Candidates
- Homily
- Renewal of Baptismal Promises
- The Laying on of Hands
- The Anointing with Chrism
- General Intercessions
- Liturgy of the Eucharist follows.
(CEO Sydney, 2013)








5mins







30mins












5mins

Introduction
- Ss recall the previous lesson and the video watched on
Confirmation.
- T has a conversational brainstorm with Ss, asking them to raise
their hand to outline what they know about Confirmation so far.
- T tells Ss that they may need to refer to their notes from the
previous lesson to help them during this lesson.


Development
- Ss are paired up.
- Each pair receives a Walkthrough of the Confirmation Rite from
http://rclbsacraments.com/confirmation/walkthrough-confirmation-rite
- Ss highlight words, acts and symbols that are significant, related to
receiving the holy spirit or related to any of the scripture from
previous lessons e.g. Romans 6:3-4 and King David.
- Ss list these in a matrix outlining how or why they are significance.
4

- The mind map that the class has been working on is retrieved to
assist Ss in the task and prompt their memory.

Conclusion
- Ss reflect on what they have learned today by thinking about an
aspect of their matrix that they would like to represent in their
upcoming art lesson where they have been experimenting with and
developing painting skills. This will be an individual task.


















- T will collect each pairs matrix to
determine whether the class
understands the structure of
Confirmation and the word, symbols and
rituals it is made up of and their
significance.
Evaluation:
- Can students identify words, acts and symbols within the Confirmation Rite?
- Can students explain the significance of words, acts and symbols within the Confirmation Rite?





4
Refer to appendix
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Appendix

The First Pentecost
Acts 2:1-13
YOU WILL NEED:
Red underlay (50cm x 90cm)
Block to represent a table
3D figures: 4 disciples, 8 people from other countries, including some children.

Children are seated in a semi-circle ready to listen to the story. When the children are ready carry the materials
carefully from the story shelf to the story area and place beside you.
Hold the Bible in front of you:
This story comes from a book called The Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament section of the
Bible
Respectfully place bible beside you.
Spread underlay as you say
After his resurrection Jesus appeared to many of the disciples.
Place table in middle edge of the underlay closest to you; one disciple on each of the four sides of the table facing
inwards.
He told them they must wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came upon them.
Now when the Jewish feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place
Move your hands rapidly all around Peter and the apostles
when suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the
entire house in which they were.
Place the heel of your right hand into the palm of your left, flicker your upward facing fingers
Divided tongues that looked like fire appeared among them

Make a flame with your thumb and forefinger. Touch each of the apostles as you say:
... and a tongue rested on each one of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to
speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them ability.
Place two people (from other countries) slightly inwards from the centre left of the underlay; another two from centre
right; another two from far left corner; and another two from far right corner; with all these people facing inwards to
form a semi-circle as you say:
Now at that time there were many good and holy Jews from every nation who had travelled to
Jerusalem for the Jewish Feast of Pentecost.
Move the two apostles on the left side of the table out - one each to one of the groups on the left side of the underlay,
as you say:
The apostles moved out to the crowd telling about the mighty deeds of God.
Move the two apostles on the right side of the table out - one each to one of the groups on the right side of the
underlay, as you say:
The people were bewildered because each one heard them speaking in their own language.
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Hold out your hands, palms upwards
Amazed and astonished, they asked, Are not these apostles from Galilee? How is it each one of us
hears them in our own native language?
But others sneered and said, They are filled with new wine.

Sit back, pause for a moment, then wonder about the story with the students.

I wonder how those who received the Holy Spirit felt.
I wonder how they knew that they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
I wonder why the early Christians used fire to describe what the coming of the Holy Spirit was like.
I wonder why the early Christians used wind to describe the coming of the Holy Spirit.
I wonder how the apostles were able to speak in different languages.
I wonder what the people did after hearing the disciples speak.
I wonder why some of the people sneered and said the apostles were drunk.



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Word/Act/Symbol Meaning Significance






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References

CEO Sydney. (2014). Unit 6.4: Confirmation: Celebrating the gift of the Holy Spirit. Retrieved from
http://www.ceosyd.catholic.edu.au/Parents/Religion/RE/Pages/Primary.aspx

CEO Sydney. (2014). Summary curriculum resource - Year 6. Retrieved from
http://www.ceosyd.catholic.edu.au/Parents/Religion/RE/Pages/Primary.aspx