Religion Planning

Term: 4

Year: 3

Date: 2014

Fertile Question
Who is the Messiah and how do we know about the Messiah?
What type of prayers did Jesus use to show us how to pray prayers of praise and
thanksgiving?
How are Christians called to live out the message of Jesus through following his
great commandment?

Religious Life of the School

Religious Identity and Culture

Social Action and Justice
Action for Justice
School communities act for justice
when they demonstrate a
commitment to the poor and
marginalised, actively work for peace
and practise stewardship of the
earth.
Reflection of Action for Justice
Reflection on action for justice
requires critical reflection and
prayerful discernment based upon
the scriptures and Catholic social
teaching.

General Capabilities

Literacy

Composing texts through speaking, writing and

creating

Numeracy

Information and communication

technology (ICT) capability

Creating with ICT: generate ideas, plans and

processes

Critical and creative thinking

Cross-Curricular Priorities

Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander histories and cultures

Asia and Australias engagement

with Asia

Sustainability.

School communities consciously plan

for and implement these reflective
elements into their justice initiatives
through an action reflection process.
Evangelisation and Faith
Formation
Witness to the Wider Community
The Catholic school, as part of the
evangelising mission of the Church,
witnesses to the wider community
through its physical presence and
authentic proclamation of the gospel
in word and action.
Prayer and Worship
Christian Prayer
Schools draw on the richness of the
Catholic tradition, the wider Christian
tradition and their own particular
charism to nurture the prayer life of
the school.

Personal and social capability

Social Awareness: appreciate diverse

perspectives + contribute to civil society

Ethical understanding

Intercultural understanding.

Year Level Description

The Religion Curriculum 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 Year 3, students develop their understanding of Gods relationship with people as individuals and as community, and the
presence and action of God in daily life experiences as they engage with a variety of texts (including key stories form the
Torah, images of God used in Old Testament texts, and the wisdom of prayers attributed to the saints). They develop an
appreciation of the order and harmony of creation. They learn about the cultural contexts in which the Gospels were written
and the text types used in the New Testament to develop their understanding of the life and teaching of Jesus and the
Christian belief that Jesus is the Messiah.

Students develop an appreciation of the Scriptures as a basis for Christian moral living, including respect for basic human
rights and acknowledgement of responsibilities, in particular to the poor and disadvantaged. They develop an appreciation of
the collaboration of clergy, religious and laity as they learn about significant features of a parish and diocese, past and
present. They investigate prayers of thanksgiving and prayers of praise, including psalms and doxologies, to facilitate an
appreciation of the significance of these forms of prayer for Christians.

Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 3, students select and use information, ideas and events in texts (including key stories from the Torah;
images of God used by the human authors of Old Testament scriptures; and prayers attributed to the Saints) to express their
ideas about Gods relationship with people as individuals and communities; Gods presence and action in daily life
experiences; and the order and harmony in Gods creation. They locate information about the cultural contexts in which the
Gospels were written and the text types used by the human authors of New Testament texts. They use this information about
the texts to discuss ideas about the life and teaching of Jesus, including the Christian belief that Jesus is the Messiah.
Students explain how the Scriptures provide a foundation for living a moral life, including respect for basic human rights and
acknowledgement of responsibilities, in particular to the poor and disadvantaged. They identify prayers of thanksgiving and
prayers of praise, including psalms and doxologies, and demonstrate understanding of the significance of these forms of
prayer for Christians. They explain ways in which the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) welcome
and strengthen members of the Church community. They describe significant people, events and features of a parish and
diocese, past and present, including the collaboration of clergy, religious and laity. They participate respectfully in a variety of
prayer experiences, including meditative prayer, prayers of thanksgiving and prayers of praise.

Learning Intentions
By the end of this series of learning experiences students :

Communicate an understanding of the term Messiah from Scripture.

Analyse gospel stories of Jesus great commandment by drawing on a growing knowledge of the
context
Make connections between the concern for the poor and disadvantaged, found in Scripture

 Examine the textual features of Old Testament texts (e.g. language, form, use of images, words and
phrases in the Psalms).

Success Criteria
Students will
Create a visual representation e.g. wordle / poster / bookmark using the text of one scripture passage
which references to the Messiah
Locate using text and / or bible gateway a scripture passage which reference Jesus great
commandment (John 15: 12-13; Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31)
Write and pray a simple prayer (Psalm, Litany, You Who Do Through)
Students make connections between scripture and responding to the needs of others

Assessment
Students will
Create a visual representation e.g. wordle / poster / bookmark using the text of one scripture passage
which references to the Messiah
Locate using text and / or bible gateway a scripture passage which reference Jesus great
commandment (John 15: 12-13; Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31)
Write and pray a simple prayer (Psalm, Litany, You Who Do Through)
Students make connections between scripture and responding to the needs of others

Content Descriptions
BELIEFS
Trinity: God, Jesus the
Christ, Spirit
Religious Knowledge and
Deep Understanding

SACRED TEXTS
Old Testament
Religious Knowledge and
Deep Understanding
The Psalms are used in

CHURCH

CHRISTIAN LIFE
Mission and Justice
Religious Knowledge and Deep Understanding
Jesus great commandment (John 15: 12-13;
Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31) requires Christians to

Christians believe that Jesus is

the Messiah and this is
revealed through his presence
and in his words, deeds and
encounters with others.
Skills
Identify some Scriptural texts
in which Jesus is called
Messiah.
Communicate an
understanding of the term
Messiah from Scripture.
World Religions
Religious Knowledge and
Deep Understanding
The Jewish people have a
special relationship with God.
This relationship is revealed
through the stories, people
and events recorded in the
Torah, or written law.
Skills
Identify stories, people and
events recorded in the five
books of the Torah.
Describe Gods relationship
with the Israelites as revealed
in key stories from the Torah.
BEWR4

prayer, especially in praise of

and thanksgiving to God.
Skills Examine the textual
features of Old Testament
texts (e.g. language, form,
use of images, words and
phrases in the Psalms).
New Testament
Religious Knowledge and
Deep Understanding
A knowledge of the cultural
contexts of the Gospels
assists the reader to better
understand the life and
teaching of Jesus. (Infancy
Narratives)
Skills
Retrieve contextual
information from written and
digital texts to identify some
aspects of the cultural
contexts in which the Gospels
were written.
Begin to analyse gospel
stories by drawing on a
growing knowledge of the
context in which the story was
written in order to
communicate thinking and

respect basic human rights and acknowledge

responsibilities. Concern for the poor and
disadvantaged is a key message in Scripture and
Church teaching.
Skills
Make connections between the concern for the
poor and disadvantaged, found in Scripture and
Church teaching, and the responsibility of
Christians.
CLMJ4
Prayer and Spirituality
Religious Knowledge and Deep Understanding
Prayer involves talking and listening to God,
either alone or gathered as community. Believers
pray with the help of word, music, action, silence,
images, symbols and nature (Advent and
Christmas). Prayer in the Christian tradition,
including prayers of thanksgiving and prayers of
praise, nurtures the spiritual life of believers.
Christian spiritual formation calls believers to
recognise the presence of God in daily life
experiences.
Skills
Participate with respect in a variety of personal
and communal prayer experiences, including
prayers of thanksgiving and prayers of praise,
that nurture the spiritual life of believers, calling
believers to recognise the presence of God in
daily life experiences.
CLPS7

understandings about the life

and teaching of Jesus.

Religious Knowledge and Deep Understanding

In the Christian tradition, essential forms of
prayer include prayers of thanksgiving and
prayers of praise. For Christians, a primary role of
prayer is praise and thanksgiving to a God who
knows and cares for each person individually. The
Psalms contain many prayers of praise and
thanksgiving. Many of Pauls letters begin or end
with prayers of praise and thanksgiving, which
have become part of liturgical prayer and hymn
collections. Doxologies are hymns or prayers of
glory and praise to God (e.g. Gloria, Glory to the
Father [Glory Be], and the doxologies of the
Eucharistic Prayer and of the Lords Prayer).
Skills
Communicate an understanding of the features
(e.g. language, purpose, structures, gestures,
context) of prayers of thanksgiving and prayers
of praise (including psalms and doxologies).
Select and use an appropriate prayer structure
(e.g. You Who Do Through) to demonstrate an
understanding of the role of prayers of praise and
prayers of thanksgiving for Christians.

Significant Celebrations & Special Days

October- Month of the Rosary

October- Mission Month
7 October- Our Lady of the Rosary
November- Month of Remembrance

1 November- All Saints Day

11 November - Remembrance Day
Class Liturgy / Mass
End of School Year
Advent & Christmas

Learning Experiences
Core Content Area One
Fertile Question
Tuning In
Finding Out

Who is the Messiah and how do we know about the Messiah?

1
1

Sorting Out
Communicating

2
2

Reflecting and
Evaluating

Discuss with children various names of Jesus. One of them will be Messiah.
Groups investigate biblical passages to determine the meaning of Messiah, by using an online Bible search
tool (e.g. Bible Gateway), to create a list of Scripture references for the term messiah eg: Matt 23:9-11;
Matt: 23:10;
Use A to Z strategies.
Students brainstorm synonyms of Messiah.
Creating a WORDLE using the text of one Scripture passage that references to messiah
Create a group collage creating a group collage (words and images) based on the WORDLE to show their
understanding of the term Messiah.
Ascertain that students have an understanding of the term, by writing their own definition of Messiah.

Core Content Area Two

What type of prayers did Jesus use to show us how to pray prayers of
praise and thanksgiving?
Fertile Question

Tuning In

- talk about using a variety of traditional prayers and devotions for individual and communal use

(e.g. simple mass responses, Lords Prayer, Amen, Sign of the Cross, school prayer, Grace)
Finding Out

3,

Investigate Psalm 100 break down each line of the prayer identify key words in each line and

Sorting Out

Communicatin
g
Reflecting and
Evaluating
BRAINSTORME
D IDEAS

generate list of possible synonyms written in religion book and typed by teacher resource bank
of keywords for students to use to write own
Make choices as a group and rewrite each line of the prayer emulate as a way of learner how to
write a text
Student given time to find own examples of Psalms using Bible gateway website passage
lookup Psalm and a random number between 1 and 150 read, reflect
Students must choose 1 psalm to copy and paste into a word document for printing will serve as
guide for writing own Psalm
Students will work on own Psalm, using technique of emulating select lines of their copied Psalm
and using the generated list of synonyms from class activity as inspiration
Students will prayer their completed prayer in a prayer session

Core Content Area Three

How are Christians called to live out the message of Jesus through
following his great commandment?
Fertile Question

Tuning In
Finding Out
Sorting Out
Communicating
Reflecting and
Evaluating
BRAINSTORMED
IDEAS

Making connections (e.g. by using the Consequences Wheel strategy) between the meaning (literal
and inferred) of Jesus great commandment and their own lives (e.g. If Christians are called to love
one another as Jesus loves them, then they have the responsibility to )

Choosing one quote from Matthew 25:34-36 (e.g. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me), reflect
on the responsibilities Christians have to respect basic human rights and create a visual
representation (e.g. photostory, poster, Blabberise, storyjumper)
Investigating a variety of Scriptural texts to identify messages about concern for the poor and
disadvantaged such as:
Deuteronomy 15: 11
Job 30:25
Psalm 12:5; Psalm 34:6; Psalm 69:32-33; Psalm 82:3-4
Isaiah 58:6-7; Isaiah 61:1
Matthew 19:21
Luke 4:18
Luke 7:22
Luke 12:33
Luke 14:13
James 1:27
1 John 3:17-18
exploring some Church teaching on concern for the poor and disadvantaged, such as:.
Pope John Paul II (1987) On Social Concern (Guidelines for the Religious Life of the School, p.40)
Vatican II Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World
integrating a concern for the poor and disadvantaged focus into classroom prayer and prayer
assemblies (Guidelines for the Religious Life of the School, p.42)
reflecting on connections between Scriptural texts (including Jesus great commandment) and/or
Church teaching and school justice projects (e.g. student-initiated activities) that contribute to the
wellbeing of others locally and globally (Guidelines for the Religious Life of the School, p. 43)
Resources:
Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable (Curriculum Support for Catholic Schools)
Universal Responsibilities (Morality Values Pathways p.22)
Reflection on Action for Justice, Guidelines for the Religious Life of the School , p. 44

Teacher Background

Contact with Jesus

The New Testament