The Parables: Teaching Like Jesus

Jesus was a master Teacher. One of the most common strategies He used as recorded in the Gospels was teaching with parables. A parable is a short story with a universal message that teaches an eternal truth. All of the parables that Jesus taught center around something the audience can connect to- like a universal character or a common object. Following Jesus' model, we can teach like Him by creating short "parables" to use in our lessons to help the kids connect to more abstract content. 

Often called 'Object Lessons" in education, adding in a short practical mini lesson as part of an overall class or session can be a great way to help kids (or any audience) connect with a topic. If we can relate to a concrete example, our brains have an easier time synthesizing new knowledge about more abstract content. So much of our faith is something that cannot be seen, so providing a parable/object lesson is a meaningful way to engage kids, most especially young children, students with special needs, and kids who thrive as visual and tangible learners.

In this BIG blog post, I'm going to attempt to give you three things all in one place. I considered breaking it all up in several blog posts, but it just seemed to make sense to give you all of the resources at once so you can pull what makes sense in your home and classroom. Read on if any of these areas are of interest:

1. Learning about the elements of parables and how Jesus used them

2. Ideas for incorporating mini parable lessons into your regular teaching, including a blank lesson plan template

3. Lots of printables for diving into studying the parables of Jesus yourself or with your middle school/high school classroom, youth group, or Bible study

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Jesus tells the parables to teach His audience by first connecting to what they already know. For example, He often used:

• Typical, unnamed characters
• Everyday situations
• Common objects
• Black/White and Right/Wrong examples
• Always points to the Kingdom of Heaven

Sometimes Jesus also breaks down the symbols and meaning after telling the story. This is an important step, especially when using the parable model as a strategy with kids. We never want to leave them questioning what a symbol means or confused about the application. 

The parables always turn our gaze to something more important- The Kingdom of Heaven. The reality surpasses the symbol! A shepherd who protects his herd of sheep from danger is powerful, but not as important Jesus’ self-sacrificial death on the Cross to save His people. The forgiveness of the father in the story of the Prodigal Son is wonderful, but only a glimpse of God the Father’s mercy for us when we return to Him. Whenever we use an object, model, or demonstration as a way to introduce or deepen understanding of a concept, we must include within that same lesson the explanation of what the symbol points to. Otherwise the parable is empty and has the potential to be confusing or misleading.

To get you brainstorming, here are some of the common everyday objects Jesus used in His parables. Many of these are still applicable to kids today, but often rely heavily on an agrarian lifestyle not as familiar to them. 

Here are just a few ideas of objects that would be common to most kids that you might connect to the topic you are presenting:

To be more specific, here are a few ideas for teaching about the Sacraments. (Note that these are obviously not the formal signs and symbols of the Sacraments, but are merely objects that can help kids connect to the important real effects of the Sacraments). I've used examples like tools packed in a suitcase for a long journey to teach about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit given through Confirmation. Family photos remind us of becoming part of the family of God in Baptism. Connecting first aid cream to the use of oil as ancient medicine helps Anointing of the Sick make more sense. Erasers and soap can be used as analogies for Confession. The possibilities are endless, and if you think about any topic you'd like to share you likely can come up with a connecting object lesson.

Switching gears, one of the best ways to apply Jesus' parable teaching method is to study the parables themselves. The next set of resources is to help you read and pray with the parables yourself both for personal study as well as inspiration for this teaching method. These resources were also created with middle and high schoolers in mind- I've used all of them in my classroom and with my youth group for lessons and Bible Studies.

When I studied parables with my students, we started with a general study of how Jesus taught with the parables and the patterns they followed. We looked at the commonalities, use of literary elements, and overall themes. Click here for the notes I used to introduce our Parables Study, including a checklist of "all" of the parables and their Bible references (depending on how your organize them). I challenged my students to try to read as many of the parables as they could during our unit, and I had a few make it through the whole list! This is a great little handout to keep tucked in their Bible for further study as well.

Click here for my key for the notes:

After studying the elements that make a parable, you might want to encourage your students (or yourself!) to study the individual parables, looking for those universal elements and timeless lessons. This printable was designed to be used with any of the parables in the Bible. You can find it in this post or by clicking the image below.

We also did a short study connecting a few of the parables to our weekly school virtue, which are available in this post:

As a concluding project, my students created a story book with their own original parable following the pattern of the way Jesus taught. This checklist is how my students were graded for the final project. If you click here or on the image, it will open as an editable Google Doc that you could adapt for a project of your own. You'll have to download or make a copy in Google Docs to be able to edit:

If you want to continue your own study of the Parables, this post includes a set of printables to use as a guide for an adult or teen Bible Study:

Now with parables on the brain, you can be thinking of way to make connections and use visuals in all your lessons, no matter the topic. You might be interested in these Catechesis Lesson Plan Templates (including a year long outline) which incorporate a place for that "Hook" to help students engage with the content. Click on the image below to go to the post with these printables:

Once you've decided on your connection, you can work in a story or demonstration with a the object during your religion lesson

• Provide a great “hook” at the beginning to grab their attention
• Perfect for drawing comparisons between everyday objects and complex concepts
• Always follow with the truth behind the symbol, just like when Jesus explained a parable.
• Kids need things in bite sized chunks they can relate to, but they also deserve more than a watered-down version of our faith. Share the fullness of the truth with them.

Remember, the reality always surpasses the symbol. Move from the natural to the supernatural.

Your “parable” doesn’t have to be a craft! Here are are few ideas for how to work it in:

• Tell a story
• Do a demonstration
• Set out a visual
• Show a picture
• Create an “experiment”
• Model with an exaggerated example
• Show two extremes
• Chalk Talk- Tell a story with illustrations
• Guessing game- How is it connected?
• Have students bring their own object

I hope you enjoy studying the parables yourself and sharing with your students, and also feel inspired to model your lessons after this teaching style used by Jesus!

Click here for the pdf of the presentation file with a few more details and ideas, as well as all of the above links all in one place:

“Jesus' invitation to enter his kingdom comes in the form of parables, a characteristic feature of his teaching. Through his parables he invites people to the feast of the kingdom, but he also asks for a radical choice: to gain the kingdom, one must give everything. Words are not enough, deeds are required. The parables are like mirrors for man: will he be hard soil or good earth for the word? What use has he made of the talents he has received? Jesus and the presence of the kingdom in this world are secretly at the heart of the parables.” ~CCC 546

JMJ Printables and Fulton Sheen Bulletin Boards

“As a custom which started in kindergarten, I always wrote ‘JMJ’ at the top of the blackboard, as I do on every piece of paper before I write- and which I hope will someday be on my tombstone. In answer to many letters, the public finally recognized me and the words Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.”

From “Treasure in Clay: The Autobiography of Fulton J. Sheen”

You can read about Fulton Sheen's practice of writing "JMJ" at the top of his chalkboard in my upcoming Sheen Corner article in the Catholic Post.  I think that it would be a great habit to bring back in our Catholic schools, writing JMJ on our smartboards and teaching our students to write it on their homework as a way of dedicating our work to the Holy Family, asking their guidance and protection in all we say and do.

I've created a set of printables for you that have "JMJ" in Fulton Sheen's actual handwriting.  I've printed one and hung it in my classroom about the smartboard here, but I think they would also be great to hang above a family calendar, glue inside a student's school notebook, etc.

I also wanted to use Fulton Sheen to decorate my door as I welcome my students back to school in a few days, and thought I'd share with you how I made this quick sign that would easily double as a bulletin board decoration.

(This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. That means that if you click through and purchase something, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.)

Supplies:

Black poster board (or black bulletin board paper)

Woodgrain Contact Paper or Woodgrain washi tape or duct tape (I already had some contact paper from the dollar store and it worked perfectly)

White Sharpie Paint Marker

JMJ printable (pdf at bottom of post)

Favorite picture of Sheen (ideas and links at bottom of post)

First, I laid out my supplies to see how everything would fit. I cut one length of the woodgrain contact paper a few inches longer than the length of the poster board.  Then I split the contact paper into four equal sized strips (with the convenient grid marks on the back). I folded them over the edges of the poster board to create clean edges that were fairly even.  

Then I glued on the JMJ and photo of Sheen, and lettered on one of my favorite quotes.

This concept can work for a door decoration like mine all the way up to a large bulletin board.

You can print and piece together a favorite photo of Fulton Sheen, or order a poster of Fulton Sheen.  A few of my favorites from these shops:

Catholic Paper Goods

Cassie Pease Design

Glory Be Prints

And we haven't started yet, but for CCD, I plan to use these cute little chalkboard labels and mini chalkboards for the kids' names and for a "JMJ" craft: 

Chalkboard Nametags

Mini Chalkboards with Stand

I'll post more pictures once we're all decorated!

We'll be using these room signs on the doors.  They list PreK-8th grade and a few other labels, but if you need a special room sign, feel free to email me at looktohimandberadiant@gmail.com and I'll edit them for you! ;)

Click here for the JMJ printables (in Fulton Sheen's handwriting):

And visit my Etsy Shop for JMJ Vinyl Stickers and coming soon a JMJ Stamp!

Choosing & Using Good Catholic Books

“Books are the most wonderful friends in the world. When you meet them and pick them up, they are always ready to give you a few ideas. When you put them down, they never get mad. When you take them up again, they enrich you all the more.” ~Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

Our Catholic classrooms (whether school or parish) should be filled with good Catholic books.  But how do we find them, and how do we use them?  How do we keep kids reading as a way to both catechize them in the teachings of the Church and engage their hearts to make the faith part of their daily lives?

Update- Click here to go to my growing list of Catholic Books for Kids

(Click here to view the presentation slides on this topic, including clickable links to resources)

My first philosophy is that we should fill our classrooms and homes with Catholic books of all kinds and styles that are true, good, and beautiful.  If the books are readily available, students are more likely to pick them up and teachers are able to use them to enrich instruction. I'll have a list of my favorite Catholic books posted later this week, but in the meantime, here are some things to consider as you grow your own Catholic library:

Consider the source of the book.  Is it's information true and trustworthy? Can you teach older students to discern the quality of a Catholic book?

• Imprimatur
• Nihil Obstat
• Trusted Catholic publisher
• Recommended through Catechetical series

Does your library contain varied styles of Catholic books, both to engage students with their favorites as well as to entice them to read something new?

• Biographies
• Graphic novels
• Info books
• Devotionals
• Journals
• Picture books
• Novels

Do you have books covering a variety of Catholic genres?

• Old Testament
• New Testament
• Saints
• Sacraments
• Church History
• Prayer
• Liturgical Year

Does the book contain supplemental info, increasing its value as a resource?

• Part of a series
• Resources in back
• Linked to a website
• Connected to curriculum

Evaluate the illustrations:

• True, good, & beautiful
• Attractive to target age
• Contribute and add to the story or content
• Variety of photos, classic art, and illustrations

Can the book be read with more than one sense, adding to the layers of its meaning and depth?

• Literal
• Moral (discerning right from wrong)
• Allegorical (symbols, mysteries, and connections to Christ, Church, the Saints, etc.)
• Anagogic (pointing to the truth and beauty of Heaven)

Are there symbols embedded within the story or illustrations that have deeper meaning?

• Sacraments
• Commandments
• Beatitudes
• Corporal & Spiritual Works of Mercy

When choosing books about Saints:

• Variety of eras and locations
• Diverse experiences, interests, and patronages
• Multiple styles of books (novelization, picture books, biography, graphic novels, etc.)

Are examples of virtue celebrated and vice condemned?

• Faith
• Hope
• Love
• Fortitude
• Temperance
• Justice
• Prudence

One way to help expand a Catholic library is to remember that books don't have expiration dates.  We might look at a picture book and assume that it is only good for a young child, but its value can grow and change with older readers.  We might also see a text that is too high of a reading level for a primary student, but can find ways to use it as a valuable resource when they are young.  Here are a few ideas for how books can be used outside of their expected age ranges.

Stretch to older readers:

• Use illustrations, write own captions 
• Listen as a read aloud
• Teach to a younger buddy
• Use to intro new material
• Tool for review

Stretch to younger readers:

• Look at illustrations/diagrams
• Listen as a read aloud
• Use in chunks- just one chapter or section
• Exploration basket or shelf
• Use as resource book

To help you and your students think about the good Catholic books that you are reading, I created a few printables for you to use.  One page has spots for about 50 book titles (of any kind) to be written in.  The other has shelves that are labeled with six different Catholic book categories. 

Here are a few ideas for the bookshelves:

• Have students explore classroom books and the library for good Catholic books and make a "wish list" of what they want to read this year. 
• Write titles on the spines and then color in as they are read.
• Keep the bookshelves glued inside the cover of a prayer journal or reading notebook for easy access.  At home, they would look great on a fridge or taped on the side of a bookshelf.
• Challenge your students to read in different categories by using the labeled shelf page.  That way they have to read at least a few books from the six categories.  
• Use the blank shelf to create your own categories of books to read, or change it to styles (try Catholic graphic novels, biographies, info books, etc.
• Have a book talk or book sharing time where students use their shelves to talk with a partner or small group about books they would recommend.
• The shelves are not meant to be a competition- if a students fills one shelf, they can simply start another page and keep on keeping track of the great books they've read.

 Click here for the Bookshelf Sheen Quote Bookmarks:

Click here for the Choosing and Using Good Catholic Books Handout:
(A checklist of the discussion points above, meant to be used by you as you are thinking about adding books to your library, conversations with your coworkers, etc.)

Click here for the Catholic Bookshelf Printables: (all four pages in one pdf)

 

And here are a couple of other resources to celebrate reading:

Click here for this Fulton Sheen Quote Coloring Page:

Click here for these sweet watercolor bookshelves (in two sizes) to keep track of what you and your students are reading:

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Collected here is a list of my favorite Catholic books!

Other curated book lists from Catholic organizations:

National Catholic Education Association Book List

St. Rose Reads Book List

Cardinal Newman Society Literature and Media Guide

Family FAVE (Faith and Virtue for Everyone) Book House Book List

Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval Lists

Saint Cards- Check Out This New Game! (and how to win a set for yourself!)

If you've been around the blog for very long, you know that I LOVE Saint cards- I love collecting them, sharing them with people, and even had a classroom management system built around Saint cards.  I think they are an incredible way to tangibly teach about our heavenly heroes and inspire virtue.

So when I heard about this new Saint Cards game set, I checked them out, and was super excited with what I saw.  I backed them on Kickstarter, and my game set arrived a couple of weeks ago.  I am so impressed with the thought and detail that went into this family-created game.  The set includes 147 cards, storage box and bag, jewels (for keeping score), and full color detailed instructions.

The cards themselves pack in a HUGE amount of info about each featured Saint, amounting to an entire biography in symbols and colors.  I love that there is so much to be learned while playing any version of the game.

The set comes with references and detailed instructions for group play (as well as solitaire) but there could be tons of variations.  (You can see the rules and even watch videos of standard play here.) Already a set of my students were playing and adapted the rules to play more like Uno.  I also used them for an out-of-your-seat large group activity where the students drew a random card and then were challenged to find another person in the room with the most common characteristics.  They then had to introduce their Saints and explain all the connections for them to count.  I also think the cards would make a great discussion starter for families to pull out one Saint at a time and talk about the attributes of the that virtuous person.  The possibilities are really limitless and could be adapted to be used with preschoolers all the way through adults.  It's so nice to come across a faithful, well made, flexible game, so I wanted to share it with you!

And, Saint Cards was excited to share as well, so they sent me two extra sets to give to you! Along with Jared Dees' new book Christ in the Classroom (reviewed in my last Katie Reads Post) and two Wee Believers Vocations Doll, two people will win a whole set of catechetical goodies over on my Instagram account.  Click here to enter before Sunday, September 30th at midnight!

(Just a note- this isn't a sponsored post- I purchased my own set of Saint Cards, but love them so much I wanted to share them with you too!)

We Love Our Church!

(One part printables for our new CCD year, one part brief commentary on the current Church scandals.)

This year, my parish is celebrating the 150th year since the dedication of our church building- isn't that awesome?! Our parish is a bit older and there were two other churches for short times in the 1840's-1850's, but construction began on the new Immaculate Conception Church in 1866 and was completed in 1869. We are planning a whole year of celebrations leading up to a special Mass on the dedication date next year. Because the entire parish is focusing on this, I've been working on ways to incorporate the importance into our Religious Education Program.

So our theme this year will focus on the Sesquicentennial. For those of your that have used the room signs and folder covers, etc. that I post here each year, unfortunately, our theme materials won't really fit any program but ours. I'll suggest that you check out the other themes that I have printables and decor posts for here:
Divine Mercy Theme
Built on the Rock Theme

Mother Teresa Theme

Sweeter Than Honey Theme

We'll be using lots of Marian themed items, especially this Mother of the Church craft I created with the coming anniversary year in mind (the church that Mary is holding is a drawing of our church!). We'll also be tying in St. Maximilian Kolbe as a patron Saint because of his deep devotion to Mary, founding of the Militia Immaculata, and connection to other parish activities during the year.

So one thing I knew I wanted the kids to create at the beginning of the year was some kind of display to show what they loved about the church- THEIR church.  I wanted them to feel ownership of this celebration as the group that will carry our parish into its next 150 years.  So I made up these cute sheets for the kids to write and draw about what they love- it might be the nice lady who smiles at them every Sunday, or receiving the Eucharist, or a certain song the choir sings... or let's be honest, coffee and donut Sunday. :) I gave these different versions of the "I Love My Church" pages to my catechists to use as they want in their classrooms, and then hope to display them together in our CCD hallway and feature snippets and pictures in our parish newsletter.

 

I'm excited to see what the kids come up with, and tried to give some flexibility in style to fit the different ages.  I've got three styles of printables:

-large illustration, short caption (could be teacher written)

-medium illustration, longer caption

-"newspaper" set up- longer article, small illustration, room for a topic list

You can use these printable with your students by clicking on any of the images of the We Love Our Church page above.

Now.

I planned this project long before the current scandal(s) broke to the media, detailing devastating and disgusting crimes against the innocent by those who should have been the first to protect them.  I'm still reeling from the blow this has been to believers, the pain I feel for the victims, and the very necessary call for justice and change.  My heart aches for the good and holy priests and my blood boils for the shepherds who did irreparable damage to their flock.  

So this cutesy little activity might seem insensitive or wrong or something that needs tossed in the garbage.  I considered that for a bit.  But instead I now see that this is the very perfect time to look to the Church, the capital C Church, whom the gates of hell shall never prevail against.  We do not put our faith in a particular priest or bishop or parish or diocese.  We trust and follow Christ.  Period.  We are part of the Body of Christ.  And we have a responsibility to go to battle against a very real and ancient enemy.

As catechists returning to the classroom, our utmost responsibility (after rooting out evil and protecting the innocent) is to raise up the next generation of young Catholics who love Christ and the Church.  Future Saints who cultivate virtue and desire a world free of vice.  Warriors ready to fight the good fight.  A generation that someday, those looking back will say, "Yes.  That was a terrible time for the Church.  So much brokenness and rebuilding.  But look at the Saints that arose in their midst."

Finally, if you haven't already been, go back and read the Sunday and Daily Readings from the past couple of weeks.  A Scripture scholar could not have better handpicked passages from the Bible to illustrate our lament, God's call for justice, and the solid foundation in Christ that remains.  I highly recommend Bonnie's most recent post which is reflection of these events woven amidst the recent Mass readings.  

There are no better words to close with than those from this Sunday's Gospel:

As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God." ~John 6:66-69

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, guide us.

Pure Heart of St. Joseph, pray for us.

Sweeter Than Honey Theme Resources

Today was one of those productive days that you dream about having in the summer.  Among other things, I finished a bunch of work for an upcoming project I am super excited to share with you- very, very soon! I decided to switch gears and do some planning for the upcoming CCD year... and then churned out a ton of completed work for our CCD theme.  I am so excited about how it turned out, so I thought I would stay on a roll and get it all posted on the blog to share with you!  If you are looking for a new CCD or classroom theme, maybe you can use our "Sweeter than Honey" idea!

The complete theme verse is, "How sweet to my tongue is your promise, sweeter than honey to my mouth." from Psalm 119:103.  Among the cute bee and honeycomb decor we'll have, we also are going to have an emphasis on memorizing Scripture, specifically the Psalms.  We want the kids to have God's promises, which are so sweet, close to their heart.

I'll be making coloring pages to match the Responsorial Psalm for each week of the school year and sharing them here on the blog starting later this summer.  Those coloring pages could go on the back of your CCD newsletter, near the bulletins at church, as that five-minute-filler we all need at the end of class, or as a take home activity.  I dream of the weekly coloring pages being collected in a folder, notebook, or little mini book, so I've already created some covers for your planning.

Here are some of the printables I have ready for you to use as you begin your planning for the fall,  Let me know if you have any ideas for the theme, or if you know of a good patron Saint we can enlist- St. Gobnait/Abigail? St. Ambrose?  Maybe both?  What do you think?

Click on the images below to download and print the resources.

Sweeter Than Honey coloring page with Scripture Verse:

Sweeter Than Honey coloring page plain:

Room signs: (Also could be used for folder covers or teacher binder labels)
(Includes Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st-8th Grade, Confirmation, First Communion, Jr. High, High School, and Office).  I tried to make a collection of all encompassing signs, but if you need a specific grade level that is not in the collection, feel free to email me at looktohimandberadiant@gmail.com and I'd be happy to make those quick edits for you.

 Folder or notebook cover:

My Scripture Book half page cover:
This will be one place to collect the half page memory verses that I'll share in the coming months.

Gray scale honeycomb page:

Yellow honey comb page:

Black honeycomb page:

I'll be back with more soon!  In the meantime, if you see any cute bee or honey classroom decor, send it my way! ;)