Jr. High Religion

Each day, we are reading a chapter of the Bible and then answer a question that has to do with that chapter. Here are the month of March’s questions.

Prayer Time with Grades 6-8

We begin each day’s class with prayer. The theme and style of the prayer varies with the Liturgical season and holy days. Our prayer table is also decorated with the liturgical season’s color, flowers, the Bible, our Blessed Mother and prayer posters. Students in the class take turns leading prayer and taking petitions. Here are a few samples:
Ordinary Time- the Psalms, or Come, Holy Spirit
October – We recite a decade the Rosary daily and a new Mystery weekly. These students are also part of our schoolwide Living Rosary.
November- Litany of the Saints and Prayers for the Dead
Advent – Advent Wreath or “O Antiphons”, or Jesse Tree using Scripture
Christmastime – Prayers of Joy
January- prayers for peace for a new year
Lent – Psalms of Sorrow or prayers for a clean heart
May – Prayers honoring Mary, such as the Magnificat Students in grades 2 and 8 lead the May procession and Crowning Mary Queen of Heaven.

Students in the eighth grade homeroom also learn and pray traditional morning prayers, such as the Morning Offering or the Acts of Faith, Hope, & Love, noon prayers, such as the Angleus and the Graces. Prayers end our day, such as the Act of Contrition or an Act of Joy and Sorrow .

Bible Trivia
Students in grades 7 and 8 sharpen their skills in Scripture by answering short questions from various books of the bible periodically in each marking period on days that they do not have homework in the daily curriculum.

Grade 6 Religion: Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)
Introduction to the Bible, Divine Revelation, Inspiration, Scripture, Tradition Literary Forms: Different styles of writing used by human authors Books of the Bible: Old and New Testament overview Pentateuch, Historical Books, Wisdom, Prophets Two Creation Stories: Seven Days and Garden of Eden-Partners with God Attributes of Creator God, Humans made in the image and likeness of God, human dignity, Soul, free will, Conscience, Stewards of Creation Four stories of Sin and Mercy: Adam and Eve – Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, Cain and Abel, Noah and the Flood, Tower of Babel Original Sin, Mortal and Venial Sin, Covenant, and Mercy Four Patriarchs and Matriarchs: Abraham & Sarah, Isaac & Rebekah, Jacob & Rachel, and Joseph Faith, Trust, Providence Israelites in Egypt: 400 years in slavery Moses: Birth and Adoption, Call & the Burning Bush, Before Pharaoh: Let my people go, Ten Plagues, Passover Exodus from Egypt: Crossing of the Red Sea, Journey in the desert, Mount Sinai, 10 Commandments, Manna and Quail, Ark of the Covenant and Tabernacle Joshua: Jericho Rahab, Division of the Holy Land Book of Judges: 6 major, 6 minor military leaders Othniel, Ehud, Deborah and Barack, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson Book of Ruth: Fidelity Last of the Judges: Eli & Loss of the Ark, and Samuel: Bridge to Kings and Prophets Three Kings of Israel: Saul; David & the Psalms; Solomon & Proverbs Division of the Kingdom Prophets: Voice of God: Elijah, Elisha, Amos, Micah, Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Baruch, Ezekiel Babylon Captivity

Grade 7 Religion: Jesus in the Gospels
Who is Jesus? Birth Story: Incarnation-God’s Word Made Flesh
Son of Man/Son of God
Trinity, Savior, Paschal Mystery
Fully Human, Fully Divine
Four Gospels: Evangelists and Synoptic Gospel – Four View of Jesus
Infancy Narratives: Matthew and Luke
Finding in the Temple
Baptism by John the Baptist
Temptation in the Desert
Social Groups: Different Expectations and Visions of “Savior”: Gentiles, Romans, Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes, Zealots, Sanhedrin, and Scribes
Daily Life in Palestine
Mary, Mother of God
Jesus’ Mission and Public Ministry
First Disciples, Portraits of the Twelve Apostles
Parables: Stories that Teach the Kingdom
Miracles: Healing the Body and Soul, Forgiveness and Compassion
Sermon on the Mount: Beatitudes, Justice and Truth, Love
Jesus the Truth, Jesus the Prophet, Suffering Servant
Bread of Life: Eucharist, Lamb of God
Resurrection

Grade 8 Religion: Church History, Morality, and Family Values
Early Church – Acts of the Apostles
Jesus’ Ascension: Confusion and Fear of the Apostles
Pentecost: Holy Spirit comes to the Apostles
First Communities are formed,Apostolic Miracles
Persecution by Sanhedrin and Romans, Stephen – 1st Martyr
Saul becomes Paul, Journeys
Gentiles accepted into the Way: Council of Jerusalem
Blood of the Martyrs, Seed of the Church
Three Hundred Years of Persecution, Saints and Martyrs
Legal Church and End of Persecution: Constantine: “In this Sign You will conquer.”
Official Church of the Empire – prosperity and acceptance
Desire for Simple Life – Hermits, Monks, and Monastic Movement
Benedict and Scholastica: “Ora et Labora”
Brigid of Ireland
Ecumenical Councils: Response to Heresies: Nicea, Constantinople, Eshesus, and Chalcedon Jesus is true God and true man Mary is the Mother of God Nicene Creed written
Famous Church Fathers: Defended Church against heresies, Wrote letters, homilies, and books
Gregory the Great
Missionaries: Famous early missions
Christendom: Church and state one rule, Pope is supreme, Charlemagne
Power struggles between Church and State – lay investiture
Great Schism – the Church Divides – Eastern Orthodox & Western Church
Crusades – Holy Wars to free the Holy Land from Islam
Changes in Europe and Church after the Crusades
Avignon Papacy – Seven Popes in Avignon France 70 years
Great Western Schism – Three Lines of Popes 40 years
Mendicants: Francis of Assisi and Dominic
Protestant Reformation: Martin Luther, Indulgences, and Henry the VIII
Catholic Counter Reformation: Council of Trent Faith and Tradition Seven Sacraments
Catechism of Doctrine: Charles Borromeo
Mystic: Teresa of Avila – Doctor of the Church
The Jesuits
Impact of the Industrial Revolution
Church in North America Missionaries: Spanish and French English Protestant Oppression Catholic Immigrants
Council of Baltimore, Catholic schools, Baltimore Catechism
Today: U.S. Catholic Conference

Family Life Topics
This area of religion include topics on dating, morality, chastity, self-esteem, safe touch, abortion, STDs. There is a presentation, usually through video, of the Catholic teachings. Students then discuss questions on worksheets with their assigned group. Some parts of the worksheets are sent home to complete, and every topic has a parent page with questions to discuss with parents. This page has to be signed by a parent.