LESSON PLAN ONE A - Wondering at the Creator

Key Understanding/Learning Point A1 wondering at loving friendships

Teaching Focus for the Lesson A1.1 Identifies the qualities that
make a friend

Prior Knowledge

This is an introductory lesson for this Religious Education unit.

Timing Steps of the Lesson Resources

Making Friends is an Art by Julia Cook
10 mins Introduction
Read book: Making Friends is an Art by Julia Cook
Pose wonder questions:
How did Brown make friends?
I wonder, who are your friends?
I wonder why we have friends.
I wonder, what makes a friend, a friend?
I wonder, what makes a good friend?
Discuss that friends are special people in our lives, our friendships help us to feel safe, secure and
loved.
Smartboard (with a blank page open)
Strategies for Learning and Teaching Card/paper
30 mins
Create a word bank, as a class, on the smartboard of words you might use to describe your Scissors, glue, tape, pencils/crayons/textas
friends and the activities you might do with friends. Assorted crafts to decorate with
Children create a book about some of their friends. They can include: Photos (parents have been asked to provide
Photos photos prior to this lesson)
Stories
Descriptions/Profiles
Drawings
Likes and dislikes
Cards or pictures from friends
Why their friends are good friends
Why they are a good friend
Write the above suggestions on the smartboard as a prompt for children.
 The finished products can be displayed in the book corner so that children can look at each
others books.

5 mins Conclusion
Discuss with children what they have learnt about:
Why do we have friends?
What makes a good friend?
How can we be a good friend?
Catering for Learner Diversity Evidence of Learning for Assessment and Reporting
Offer a pre-prepared template to provide structure. Childrens books will be assessed using a checklist to determine if they can identify
Provide children with focus questions/statements. the qualities that make a good friend and recognise these qualities in the people
around them.

LESSON PLAN TWO B - The Promise of Christian Salvation

Key Understanding/Learning Point B2 Jesus came to show people how to live as
Teaching Focus for the Lesson B2.1 Represents ways people friends
can care for friends as Jesus did

Prior Knowledge
Students have spent previous lessons discussing the qualities of a good friend and identifying those qualities within their classmates and friends and family
outside of school.

Timing Steps of the Lesson Resources

Introduction
10 mins
Tell the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus using the Godly Play kit and the Godly Play Script. Godly Play kit and Godly Play script
How do we know some people did not like Zacchaeus?
The crowd who saw Zacchaeus talking to Jesus grumbled and called him a sinner

What did Jesus do to show he wanted to be friends with Zacchaeus?

 Told Zacchaeus he wanted to stay at his house
Jesus was kind to Zacchaeus when no one else was

What might we do to show our friends that we care?

Give them hugs
Play games
Talk and listen
Make each other laugh
Say sorry if we hurt them
Strategies for Learning and Teaching
25-30 Students retell the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus through dramatic role play, the groups Hat and the innovation points to be drawn out of
mins to have been pre-determined by the teacher, the children are in mixed ability groups. it.
plan and Each group must innovate a part of the story. The parts to be innovated are drawn out of a Storyboard for the children to refer to while
rehearse hat: innovating and rehearsing.
Change the ending Pencils and paper for students to make notes or
Change the way that Jesus showed kindness/was a good friend to Zacchaeus plan.
What would this story look like if you were the characters? Children can use costumes and props from the
Change Zacchaeus reaction to how you would react dramatic play centre or create their own using
Show what happened when Jesus went to Zacchaeus house craft materials available in the classroom.
Approx.
10-15 The children tell the class what they had to innovate and then perform their role play.
mins to
present
5 mins Conclusion
Conclude the lesson by having students sit near or around the prayer table, with todays Prayer table
Godly Play kit and the following prayer displayed on it. Godly Play kit
Prayer
Jesus, Our Friend
Jesus, you are our friend.
Your love for us will never end.
You are with us every night and day, as we work, help, sing and pray.
Jesus, you are our friend.
Amen
Catering for Learner Diversity Evidence of Learning for Assessment and Reporting
For students who are unfamiliar with the Bible, Jesus or the Catholic Children will be assessed on their ability to represent ways people can care for friends
tradition discuss how stories are used in the Bible to teach us things as Jesus did through a rubric.
about how Jesus wanted us to act.

LESSON PLAN THREE C Christian Response

Teaching Focus for the Lesson C2.2 Names ways people can
show love during Church celebrations
Key Understanding/Learning Point C2 Jesus wants his followers to show love

Prior Knowledge

Students have spent previous lessons discussing the qualities of a good friend, Jesus and how he was a good friend

Timing Steps of the Lesson Resources

Introduction
10 mins
Prior to the school mass, discuss with children how they can show love during Church
celebrations, for example:
Joining in celebrations with their school or parish (example: masses and activities
held during Lent)
Listen to the priest and readers
Greet people with the Sign of Peace
Attend the Childrens Liturgy during Mass on the weekend
Volunteer to read or write readings and prayers during Mass
Contribute to the planning of class Mass
Join in songs, prayers and responses during Mass
Record the childrens answers on the smartboard using a blank document, save this for use
Access to the smartboard
in the activity.

Strategies for Learning and Teaching

20-25 After the school mass, students will be creating lanterns to be displayed around the prayer
mins table.
To make the lanterns: Each child needs:
1. Each child takes a piece of card, places it in a portrait position and folds it length An A4 piece of coloured card
ways Access to a hole puncher
2. Using a ruler, children rule a line approximately three finger widths from the long, Scissors
unfolded edge Ruler
3. Starting from the folded edge, children cut from the edge to the ruled line, make the Pencil
cuts approximately two finger widths apart Glue
4. Unfold the piece of paper and punch a hole about a quarter of the way in on the left 2 pieces of yarn
and repeat on the right side Craft materials (beads, ribbon, stencils,
stickers etc.)
 5. Glue down the short edge of one side, curl the paper around and stick the edges A small piece of card
together Tape
6. Children may like to decorate their lantern at this point
7. Take a piece of yarn, thread the end from the outside to the inside of one of the
holes punched earlier. Tie the yarn into a knot to keep it in place, it may need to be
tied several times or threaded through a bead
8. Children then write a suggestion about how they can show love during Church
celebrations, as discussed earlier in the day, on a piece of card. They may choose
one from the pre-prepared list or think of something different.
9. This card is then attached to a piece of yarn and tied to their lantern
(See attached PDF How to Make Lanterns RE for pictures and instructions)
10 mins Conclusion
Children present their finished lantern and what theyve written before displaying it around Lanterns
the prayer table. Prayer table
Say a prayer previously written by the class. Prayer

Catering for Learner Diversity
Some children may never have been to Mass before or may not
attend as much as others, for these children you may need to inquire
about their religious following (if they are of a different faith or dont
have one) and find the equivalent then link it back to Mass in the
Catholic faith.
Evidence of Learning for Assessment and Reporting
Children will be assessed on their ability to identify ways people can show love during
Church celebrations through a rubric, the Education Assistant (EA) will take anecdotal
notes on childrens contribution to discussions.

References:

Catholic Education Office of Western Australia. (n. d.). Perth Archdiocesan Primary RE Units. Friends Together. Perth CEOWA.

Cook, J., & Barnes, B. (2012). Making friends is an art!. Boys Town Press.