Jared Dees's Blog: The Latest from Jared Dees, page 53

Ascension of the Lord Worksheets

Help students explore the meaning of the Ascension of the Lord with a couple of worksheets from The Religion Teacher membership website and The Religion Teacher’s Rosary Activity Pack.

A good catechetical worksheet not only helps students recall information, it helps them reflect on how God is working in their lives today. When I create worksheets either for my classes or to share with visitors of The Religion Teacher, I like to focus on three areas that more or less correspond to the proces...

A Surefire Way to Effectively Communicate with Parents

In order to really make an impact on the faith lives of our students, we have to be intentional about building bridges between us as religious educator and our students’ parents. We cannot sit back and wait for the parents to encounter Christ on their own. We have to develop relationships with them that are meaningful and empowering.

That has been a goal of mine for years, but it wasn’t until recently that I did anything about it. Communicating with parents was always just an item sitting on...

The Religion Teacher Turns Six (and a Birthday Giveaway)

March 12th marked the sixth birthday of The Religion Teacher. It is hard to believe it has been that long and it’s incredible to think about how far we’ve come.

I remember sitting in the living room of a rented home in South Bend, Indiana six years ago ready to hit the publish button on the first blogpost of The Religion Teacher.

Back then I didn’t really know what a blog was. I knew people had them and marketing podcasts I listened to said it was something everyone should be using. It was f...

Transfiguration Activities & Worksheets

Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John,and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.And he was transfigured before them,and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.

Mark 9:2-3

At a turning point in the Gospels, Jesus was transfigured along with Moses and Elijah. The disciples Peter, James, and John witnessed this amazing event and recognized, maybe for the first time, who Jesus really was. Check out this list of Transfiguration activities an...

Beatitudes Activities: 11 Teaching Ideas for Religious Educators

One of the most commonly requested topics from teachers, catechists, and fans of The Religion Teacher has been the Beatitudes. I cannot believe this is the first time I’ve ever written or created something about this important set of teachings of Christ.

I took a little time and did some brainstorming on all of the different ways I might teach the Beatitudes to young people today. Here are a few of my favorite Beatitude activity ideas from my list. Feel free to add yours in the comments below....

The Religion Teacher: Membership Benefits

It has been awhile since I shared an update on The Religion Teacher membership website. Since it opened in March, dozens of new resources and teaching ideas have been posted for premium members for the hundreds of people who have registered so far.

Here are a few reasons why I think you will love the member resources and what you can find there right now.

Why You Should Join The Religion Teacher

I get emails every single day from catechists and religion teachers that ask relatively the same ques...

Sacraments Activity: Matching/Memory Game

Kids love playing games. As a catechist, I love seeing kids learn about their faith. When you find an activity that kids love while they learn, you’ve hit a sweet spot. The sacraments matching game did that for our class this year and I’m looking forward to being able to use the game again throughout the year. Once the game is created, it can be used again as an activity for centers or as an activity that students who finish assignments early can do quietly while other students finish their w...

What is the Church? Lesson Plan

One of my favorite lessons to teach students of all ages is the distinction between a church as a building and the Church as a people. We use the word “church” in so many different ways, but it is so important that our young people know that the real meaning of the Church refers to the People of God not just a place we go or a thing we do on Sundays.

I thought you might like to see a recent lesson plan I used to teach about the meaning of the Church to second graders. Even if you don’t use the...

Fun Catholic Ice Breaker Games

It is the beginning a new year and for many of us that means . . . fun Catholic ice breakers!

I know, I know, ice breakers aren’t always the most exciting things to do, but they are effective. You want to build a community as quickly as possible so you might as well have a little fun while doing it. Ice breakers are a great way to get to know new people in new situations.

There is a lot that goes into staring the new school year off right. It is an important time for you to share your vision fo...

Practicing Penance: A First Reconciliation Activity

One of my biggest goals this year for my second grade students was to encourage them to feel comfortable going to confession and communion for the first time. Even seasoned veterans have a hard time remembering what to do during the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I wanted to come up with a a fun First Reconciliation activity that would really get them prepared.

So, to prepare for Penace . . . we practiced!

I simplified the Sacrament of Reconciliation into four steps:

Examination of Conscience
Confe...