STRATEGIES

FOR
TEACHING
RELIGIOUS
EDUCATION
 TEACHING STRATEGIES
(as shared at Accreditation to Teach RE In-service, plus some more!)

Mandalas A Buddhist tradition can be used as a tool for guided

meditation. Eg. We are going to use the colour orange for joy. Think of
a time in your life when your felt joy while you colour in this part of the
mandala.
You tube sand painting
Current media articles
Visual stimuli
Classroom displays on certain tops/themes
Orienteering
Group work small and large
Excursions
Incursions
Camps/retreats
Mixed ability grouping
Interfaith games
Posters
Rotating group roles reporter, writer, leader, discussion manager
Whole class modelling (key concepts) beginning of week teach
concepts, discuss, raise issues, teach strategies to whole class before
moving into rotational groups to develop and consolidate concept.
Competitions/tournaments
Experimental work
Theme-based education
Objective tests
Chalk and talk
Find humour in content
Games IT, cards, student vs student (Mathletics)
Buddy classes
Immersive experiential game (Real game) - career development
game from Yr 2 up. Children take on different roles and jobs in the
class community and solve problems faced in and by the community
(budgeting, finding a job, retrenched). The game is a package (about
$800) that you can buy with chance cards etc or you could make you
own.
Open ended maths (Peter Sullivan) open ended questions on
Maths concepts (fractions, decimals etc) to promote lateral thinking
more than one way to solve a problem. One question given and a
range of solutions found.
Strength cards
Crosswords
Learning Centres
Puzzle sleuths different crosswords, puzzles, word searches
Thinking hats
Re-enactments/cooking chn make the bread/scones together as a
class and then re-enact the Last Supper
Drama continuous storytelling, sculpturing, hot seating
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 Guided book and internet research
Oral speeches
Roleplay
Hands on practical work
Language experience hands on experiences, oral retell of what we
did
Group presentations
Music/songs/poems
Blooms taxonomy
Jigsaw
Pair discussion and reporting back to class
Team quiz
Expert groups
Small group work with teacher
Book and internet research
Mind maps
Venn diagrams intersecting circles.
Cue to start instructions on the lesson at the beginning of the lesson
so students know what is coming and what is expected of them.
Speak up competition formal competition where students speak for
3 minutes on a set topic.
Poetry competitions Dorothea McKellar Award
Pass the ball/answer questions at the end of a lesson throw a ball
at a student who then has to answer a question on the lesson. They
then pass the ball to another student and ask them a question
Multiple intelligences engaging all students in learning so they can
present their information using their own strength.
Interactive Whiteboard
2 stars and a wish a way of reflecting on work. Students think of 2
good things about their work etc and one wish they want to get better
at.
Window activities
Iceblock freeze teacher says iceblock and students freeze.
Rubrics
Journal responses/writing
Placemat - Placemat is an excellent strategy for involving all
students in formulating ideas about an issue or question. Students
work in groups of four, preferably sitting on four sides of a table. A
piece of paper is provided with the pattern on it. A student can easily
draw this, as it does not need to be particularly accurate. Each student
writes their ideas in the space in front of them. Some teachers provide
four different coloured pens so that they can keep track of who wrote
which ideas. The four students then discuss the ideas they have
written in order to share and clarify them. The final step is for the group
to prepare one set
of points that they all agree with in the middle space. Points may be
transferred from those written by one of the group members, or new
points and wordings may arise in
discussion. The important thing is that for a point to be included in the
middle, all group members must agree with it.

3
 Graffiti - Each cooperative group of three or four students is given a
piece of butchers paper and different coloured felt pens (one for each
group member allowing each individuals contribution to be tracked).
Then each group is given a different question, topic, issue or statement
to which they respond. For a short period of time each group writes
their graffiti (words, phrases, and graphics) on their particular topic.
The teacher then stops them, asks each group to pass their graffiti
sheet to the next group, and the process repeats itself with each group
responding to the new topic. The process continues until the groups
original sheet returns to them. Then, as a group, they read all the new
comments, discuss and summarise.
Rip and Review - Students sit facing each other (e.g. knees to knees)
in groups of four. This will facilitate dialogue between students. Give
each student a piece of A4 paper to fold
into quarters. Number each quarter of the page 1 to 4. Write four
questions or statements on the board. Explain to students they are to
consider the four questions or statements then write their responses on
the piece of paper. At this stage members do not discuss the questions
or statements. On completion, students rip their response sheet into
four squares and place these in piles numbered 1 to 4. Each student
takes one pile of responses and summarises the findings for the
question. Students then give their summaries to the rest of the group.
Dot voting - Devise a question or statement and a set of responses for
students to consider.
Write each response on a large sheet of paper. Give students two
sticky dots each to place on the response or responses that resound
more strongly with their attitudes and values. As a class discuss the
voting responses.
Jigsaw - a cooperative learning strategy that enables each student of a
home group to specialize in one aspect of a learning unit. Students
meet with members from other groups who are assigned the same
aspect, and after mastering the material, return to the home group
and teach the material to their group members.
Thinkboard
PMI Plus, minus, interesting or ideas.
Y chart what I feel, what I see, what I hear (Use in RE values,
bullying, feelings, going to Mass)
Readers Theatre - Allows students to take virtually any piece of
literature, analyse it and adapt it into a script. This script can then be
performed with a minimum of preparation, props or scenery. (Use in RE
Bible stories, parables, healing stories, stories of saints)
Teambuilders
Warm fuzzies
Tableaux
Graphic organisers
Sharing circles
3 Cs Children share their cares, concerns and celebrations in a
sharing circle.
Warm Up Games Space Jump: 1 child mimes something and the
teacher calls out Space jump and that person had to freeze where
they are. The next student must start their mime in the same position
as the last student ended until Space jump is called again
Newspaper articles for stimulus
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 Listening post a CD player is set up with multiple headphones for
children to listen.
Write focus words and questions on the board
Students choose own reward for good behaviour
Word walls
Games to reinforce concepts
Visual aids see www.sparklebox.co.uk for ideas
Flow diagrams
Whole class discussion (partner - individual)
Discuss texts in a modern context Family Guy or the Simpsons
Charades
Student oral presentations
Storyboard/map -A story map is a visual depiction of the settings or
the sequence of major events and actions of story characters. This
procedure enables students to relate story events and to perceive
structure in literary selections. By sharing personal interpretations of
stories through illustrations, students increase their understanding and
appreciation of selections. Story maps can be used as frameworks for
storytelling or retelling, and as outlines for story writing. (Use in RE
creation or nativity story)

K-W-L (Know - Want to Know Learned) - is an introductory strategy

that provides a structure for recalling what students know about a
topic, noting what students want to know, and finally listing what has
been learned and is yet to be learned.

From SEPEP students run their own tournament, organising the

fixtures, rules, umpires etc (Use in RE to create prayer rosters, for
Mass preparation or research on a topic)
Read and retell
What I did/What I learnt/What I noticed
Bookwork
Question box
Reflection at end of a session (Popcorn strategy) - Students to
draw a conclusion based on recent instructional content, and then to
locate support for the conclusion from their notes or readings.
Individually, each student stands, offers his/her conclusion followed by
the support. Quickly and voluntarily, the next student stands and so on.
Seated students can be asked to jot notes concerning fallacies or faulty
logic, and the response can conclude with a discussion of those
fallacies. This can easily be adapted to a game format.
Self-reflections
Reflective class discussion - Reflective discussions encourage
students to think and talk about what they have observed, heard or
read. The teacher or student initiates the discussion by asking a
question that requires students to reflect upon and interpret films,
experiences, read or recorded stories, or illustrations. As students
question and recreate information and events in a film or story, they
clarify their thoughts and feelings. The questions posed should
encourage students to relate story content to life experiences and to
other stories. These questions will elicit personal interpretations and
feelings. Interpretations will vary, but such variances demonstrate that
differences of opinion are valuable.
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 Levelled small groups
Music
Gap fills
Multi-sensory spelling students use various senses to learn their
spelling words, including painting the words, cutting out the letters in
sandpaper, making the words out of play dough, fishing for the letters
and rainbow writing. (Use in RE the creation story, learning about
senses in junior primary units, symbols of the Holy Spirit)
Exemplars (end point)
Rap songs eg. to the Lords Prayer
The Bluff Game separate class into 2 groups. The teacher reads out
a question to one group. The people in that group who know the
answer (or are bluffing) stand. The other team decides who, amongst
the people standing, the will get to answer the question. If the person
gets the answer correct, the team gets points for each person standing.
If the person gets the answer incorrect, the team gets points taken off
for each person standing.
Mind maps - A mind or concept map is a special form of a web
diagram for exploring knowledge and gathering and sharing
information. A concept map consists of nodes or cells that contain a
concept, item or question and links. The links are labelled and denote
direction with an arrow symbol. The labelled links explain the
relationship between the nodes. The arrow describes the direction of
the relationship and reads like a sentence.

Teaching through rhyme and song

Thinking games lateral and otherwise
Comic strips
Whole class times tables
Rotational groups
Line ups eg numbers, birthdays, height etc
Questions
Quick Maths games
Think, pair, share - Think-Pair-Share is a strategy designed to provide
students with "food for thought" on a given topics enabling them to
formulate individual ideas and share these ideas with another student.
It is a learning strategy developed by Lyman and associates to
encourage student classroom participation. Rather than using a basic
recitation method in which a teacher poses a question and one student
offers a response, Think-Pair-Share encourages a high degree of pupil
response and can help keep students on task.
Mime
Strong/weak partners- partnering students who demonstrate a
strong understanding of a concept with someone who does not have
such a strong handle on it.
PowerPoint presentations
Discussion

6
 Leadership roles for group roles (rotated) eg. Leader, monitor,
speaker etc
Quizzes/ competitions
SMARTboard
Lights off calms boys down
Brainstorming
Chaining (3D scaffolding) - 1 part of a concepts links to another to
form the whole of the concept. (Use in RE palette idea from Day 1,
breaking down the Lords Prayer or the Rosary)
Multiple Intelligence cards cards with ideas on how to present
concepts using the Multiple Intelligences
Meditation
Social experiments figure it out themselves
Demonstrations
2 on a crayon
Brainstorming
Explain, demonstrate, imitate
Fishbowl dialogue - Fishbowl activities engage participants to actively
listen to the experiences and perspectives of a specific group of people.
To prepare for the actual fishbowl dialogue, ask the fishbowl students to
sit in a circle in the middle of the room. Your class or workshop
participants, or the "observers," should sit in a larger circle around the
fishbowl students.
Placemat - Students are divided into groups of four and given a fairly
large piece of paper.
Students sit at the four corners of the piece of paper. Each student has
a different topic. They write the characteristics of their own topic on
the four corners of the placemat. When students have finished their
individual work, they each explain their corner of the placemat. When
all students have presented their information, the commonalities
between the four topics are written in the centre of the placemat.
Compare and contrast - Compare and Contrast is used to highlight
similarities and differences between to things. It is a process where the
act of classification is practiced. It is effectively used in conjunction
with indirect instructional methods, but can also be used directly to
teach vocabulary signals, classification, nomenclature and key
characteristics. It is often presented in either written text paragraphs
or a chart. Its most common use is as a graphic organizer of content.
Venn diagram
Over and under number bingo
Quick draw - Quick-Draw/Quick-Write: Students use drawings and or
words to express thoughts or feelings about a given topic. Quick-
draw/quick-write can be used at any grade level. If your students are
learning about a famous person they could do a quick-write about one
interesting fact about that person's life.
Journaling
Circle time/talk
Class discussions
Turn and talk to your partner
Expert groups
Peer tutoring/student demonstrations
Agree/disagree
Groups
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 Story telling
Prayer projects
Show time (News time)
Sharing circles
True life stories
Students explain discovery
Knees-to-knees, eyes-to-eyes students sit cross-legged with their
knees touching, looking at each other and have a discussion or share
their knowledge on a topic.
Talking stick a small object that a person holds when they are
talking. Students are not allowed to talk until they hold the talking
stick.
Readers Theatre - Reader's Theatre is a strategy in which students
read from scripts. Lines are not memorized, but students are
encouraged to read with expression.
Multi-media
Thinking hat/speaking hat Have two different coloured hats. One
student has one coloured hat, which is the speaking hat. It is their turn
to tell their ideas etc. Another student with a different coloured hat,
which is the thinking hat, knows that they are the next speaker and
have time to think about what they are going to say.

OTHER IDEAS AND RESOURCES SHARED

Catholic Pop/Rock artists Matt Maher

Robert Galea
TV shows that may be useful The Simpsons episodes on the
Church, Noah and Moses and episodes of MASH.
Movies that may be useful Evan Almighty, Bruce Almighty
www.spiritandsong.com A website with links for music, liturgy
planning etc
http://www.ascensionpress.com/shop/Scripts/default.asp - a website
with Catholic publications that may be useful.

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 ICEBREAKERS, WARMUPS &
ENERGIZERS
Why use icebreakers?
create a positive group atmosphere
help people to relax
break down social barriers
energize & motivate
help people to think outside the box
help people to get to know one another

There are many easy to do warm-up activities. Google classroom

energisers. A couple of useful sites are:
http://wilderdom.com/games/Icebreakers.html

http://adulted.about.com/od/icebreakers/Educational_Icebreakers.htm

LESSON STARTER GAMES

A quick (5 minutes maximum) game can be employed to revise the work from last lesson, to
find out what needs to be taught or what other knowledge students may have.

Adapt popular games such as:

Pictionary someone draws a picture on the board to represent a word or idea from
yesterdays lesson. The class has to guess what it represents

Hangman a word introduced last lesson is used for the well-known game. Make a space for
each letter of the word. The class takes turns in guessing the missing letters. When a letter is
correct it is placed in its space. For each wrong letter another part of the gallows is drawn.
Guess the word before the hangman gets you.

One of these things doesnt belong draw pictures or write words of connected items or
people. One doesnt belong. Why?

A good source of classroom tested lesson starters can be found at the history teachers site:
http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/teachers/starters.html

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COLLABORATIVE LEARNING (GROUP WORK)

There is a considerable emphasis on collaborative learning activities in the RE units.

Collaborative learning encourages students to share their experiences, consider different
points of view and discuss issues. It helps them to develop social skills, such as sharing,
leadership, communication, building trust and conflict management. Obviously such skills are
important, not only for school but also in their families and other relationships, work and their
lives beyond school.

Benefits of cooperative learning for students and teachers:

More effective learning, improvement in attitudes towards work

Improved self-confidence

Better classroom management- students are more actively engaged and take
responsibility for some aspects of their learning.

Teachers role: While students are engaged in group work, teachers observe, join in when
appropriate, help where necessary and make judgements about level at which individual
students are achieving.

Forming Groups
Students will need directions from the teacher about how groups are to be formed, roles of
group members, what the goal of the group activity is and the process students are expected to
follow in order to achieve that goal. As students become familiar with methods and roles of
structured group work, they may suggest strategies for achieving goals or problem solving.

Considerations for forming groups:

Teacher assigns students to groups rather than allowing them to choose. Sometimes it
may be appropriate for students to work in friendship groups, however, in order to
expose students to new ideas and ways of working and thinking.

Allocating students to groups using mixing and grouping games will allow students to
move beyond their comfort zones without resentment. This also protects the
vulnerable from being left out. There are many grouping methods and games:
numbering off, matching cards, etc., etc.

Numbers in a group- will depend on the activity. Pairs, threes and fours will suit
different purposes. Larger groups can sometimes mean some students are not engaged
or are able to opt out.

Vary the composition of groups over time.

Length of time group should stay together. Learning to work together successfully
does take time, so it is best to leave students together for at least two lessons.

Mixed-ability or similar-ability groups? Depends on the activity. Students with more

ability or knowledge can benefit from explaining and sharing their knowledge with
others in a structured group activities such as Jigsaw and Envoy.
10
 Groups based on students thinking styles- once teachers know their students well,
groups can be structured to enable students to carry out roles with which they are
comfortable.

Forming single sex groups- there may be times or topics for which this is an
appropriate strategy.

Cultural awareness- teachers may need to be aware if there are students who should
not be put in the same group for cultural reasons.

Noise-To work properly there needs to be a healthy buzz. Students may need to be
trained to moderate the level and volume of their voices to the situation.

Students getting an easy ride- structuring and monitoring of the activity should help
to ensure that all participate. Allocating roles within the group may help the group to
self-monitor participation.

Disruptive students- Usually combinations of students. Based on knowledge of

students, separate students who do not work well together.

ROLES IN A GROUP
Students could be assigned roles so that the group task is broken down into manageable
segments. Vary roles over a period of time so that students experience the range of roles and
are able to develop the skill repertoire associated with each role. Different roles will suit
different group activities.

Some samples:
Checker ensures that everybody understands the task.

Scout seeks additional information from other groups.

Timekeeper keeps the group focused on the task and monitors the time.

Active Listener repeats or paraphrases what is being said.

Questioner seeks information and opinions from other members of the group.

Summariser gathers together the conclusions of the group and presents them in a
cohesive form.

Encourager supports members of the group.

Materials manager collects material for the group.

Reader reads material to the group

Pacer- keeps the group moving towards the goal.

Observer- completes a checklist of social skills for the group.

11
From: Bennet, B., Rolheiser, C., and Stevahn, L.1991, Cooperative Learning: Where Heart
Meets Mind. Ontario, Canada.

There are many websites dedicated to group work. Here is an Australian site which offers
advice on group work: http://www.flinders.edu.au/teach/t4l/teaching/groupwork.php

SOME GROUP WORK STRATEGIES

Think-Pair-Share
Partners think silently about a question, issue, situation or idea for a set period of time,
e.g.one minute. Make the task direct and concrete at first
e.g. Explain the meaning of natural law to your partner.

Simple, can be implemented quickly, involves all students. Promotes focused short term
purposeful talk. Informal cooperative learning that can ease students into more complex team
tasks.

Placemat
Students work in groups of four, preferably sitting on four sides of a table. Use a large sheet
of paper. Each student has a different coloured pen so that teacher and students can keep track
of who wrote what. Students write their ideas on the place in front of them. Discuss, share and
clarify ideas. Group then prepares one set of points they all agree upon and these are written
in the middle. Points may come from each individuals list or new points and wordings may
arise from the discussion. For a point to be included in the middle, all group members must
agree.

12
Envoy
Provides structure and accountability, promotes skills in synthesising and summarising.
Students develop listening and oral skills, learn from each other, value new ideas and take
responsibility for learning.

Students form into groups and are given the same topic to discuss or research.
One student is selected from each group to be the envoy.
After completion of discussion or research, each envoy reports to another group and outlines
their groups conclusions etc. The new group reacts to and discusses the envoys contribution.
Envoys return to the original groups and discuss new ideas.

Graffiti
Facilitates brainstorming. Use as an anticipatory strategy, closure activity or energiser during
a lesson.
Give each group a sheet of butchers paper and different coloured pens. Give each group a
different question, statement or issue to which they respond. Students write topic on sheet. For
a short period of time each group writes their graffiti (words, phrases, graphics) on their
topic. Each group then passes their graffiti sheet to the next group. Process repeats itself until
groups original sheets return to them. Groups read the new comments and discuss.

They could then summarise them and present the summary to the class. If class is large, have
two groups do the same topic.

Jigsaw
Encourages participative learning and places responsibility for learning on students.
Particularly useful as a strategy for covering a broad amount of information.

HOW TO DO IT..

1. Students form sharing or home groups of five or six.

2. Each student is given an aspect of the topic to discuss or research.

3. Students then form expert groups where all members of the group research or discuss
the same aspect of the topic. Students research their aspect and prepare a report for
their home group

4. Students move back to their original home groups and each member reports as an
expert on their aspect of the topic

Skills and understandings that may be observed during this strategy:

Level of student understanding

Level of engagement in the activity
Extent to which students use appropriate language.
Students ability to critically analyse, evaluate and apply ideas
Students ability to support their ideas
Students ability to summarise and synthesise ideas.

13
Card Cluster- teaches students to organise ideas and to distinguish between main and
supporting ideas.
Distribute several blank cards and thick pen to each group. Explain the purpose-to generate
and explain ideas. Record only key ideas on the cards.
Each group pins cards on wall so that related ideas are clustered together. Groups need to be
able to justify their arrangements.

Example Sacraments and their signs

Baptism
can
dle oil
wat
er

Eucharist

bre win
ad e

Confirmation

oil
fire

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 MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

Howard Gardners theory of multiple intelligences suggests that in your planning you should
allow for different thinking.:

A website that features Howard Gardners approach can be accessed at:

http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/mi/index.html

An associated set of learning styles is referred to as the four modalities :Auditory, Visual,
Tactile and Kinesthetic. More information on this can be accessed at:
http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm

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 STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE THINKING

Brainstorm (popcorn)
A group creativity technique to quickly generate ideas. Pose a problem to which students call
out solutions. Accept all answers (within reason) and record them.

Mindmaps
Encourages learners to construct a visual record of their learning and thinking.
Illustrates relationships and connections between concepts and ideas.
Can be used as a picture at a point in time or can evolve over time as students study a unit.
There are no right or wrong ways to do mindmaps. Teachers can use them to make
judgements about students level of understanding about issues and connections.

HOW TO DO IT.
Begin with a key concept in the centre of a page, butchers paper or the board
Identify key words and ideas, write them around the key concept. Instead of words,
students could use symbols and drawings to represent ideas
Construct links between ideas to establish cause and effect and other relationships
Use colour, bubbles, arrows, drawings, arrows, wavy lines etc to create meaning and
links between ideas

http://www.bgfl.org/services/mindmaps/default.htm

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Concept Mapping
Students represent diagrammatically what they know about the links and relationships
between concepts. Can have several concepts, unlike a mindmap which has one. Accesses
students prior knowledge and provides teacher with feedback on what is known and
understood and what is not known and understood. Increases students ability to organise
and represent thoughts and provides them with the opportunities to present correct
answers in a variety of ways.

HOW TO DO IT

Begin with a key concept which is placed in the centre of the board, page or sheet of butchers
paper.

Students identify other concepts related to the key concept, write them and link them with
arrows to the key concept and each other. Write words on the arrows to explain the
connections.

PMI (plus, minus, interesting)

PMI , an acronym for plus, minus, interesting is another de Bono thinking strategy.
Students consider all of the plus points and list them, then all the minus points and finally
those that are neither plus or minus but which are interesting.

This approach delays acceptance or rejection of an idea and challenges our natural bias.
Interesting points enable students to imagine and discern situations that are not obvious
to others.

Other Graphic Organisers

There are a number of websites devoted to the many different graphic organisers including the
ones outlined above. Try these:
http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganizers/

Expert Panel
Students are given roles and labels as professional experts (eg. policeman, doctor, politician,
etc.) to sit on an advisory panel. This give participants the opportunity to think laterally and to
safely voice an opinion. The teacher will need to draw conclusions.

Bioethicist Banker Bishop

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 DE BONOS SIX THINKING HATS- A
CURSORY OVERVIEW

Edward de Bono believes that there are three difficulties facing people when they attempt to
think: the emotions, helplessness or a feeling of not knowing what to do next and
confusion or a sense of trying to keep too many things in mind at the same time.

The six hat system aims to alleviate these blocks to thinking by demonstrating that emotion is
a valid part of thinking. It provides a framework to thinking that guides students to the
next step in the thinking process. By looking at thinking from one perspective at a time,
confusion is minimised and students are encouraged to consider a problem in several
dimensions.

Each hat represents a different kind of thinking:

Red hat- Feelings, encourages thinkers to allow emotions, hunches, intuition and
general feelings to dominate without justification or substantiation. Allows the thinker to
become aware that feelings can dominate thinking and feelings may need the assistance
of other hat. Thinking well at this level is part of intrapersonal intelligence. What are my
feelings about this?

Yellow hat- Strengths.Encourages the thinker to look at the positive points of a situation or
proposal. Supports the situation or proposal, thinker looks for what is constructive and
will be successful. What are the good points?

Black hat- Encourages the thinker to be cautious, consider the weaknesses of the
proposal. Used to play devils advocate to expose the weaknesses of a situation. Results in
clearer and fairer thinking when used in conjunction with other hats. What is wrong with this?

Green hat- New ideas, challenges orthodoxy and looks for alternative solutions.
Encourages creative, lateral solutions. Increases the chance of success if students are familiar
with other creative thinking strategies. What is possible?

White hat Information.Thinker must discover the facts in an objective manner. Deals with
data, detail, figures, information asking useful questions without necessarily answering them
immediately. What are the facts?

Blue hat- Metacognitive, encourages thinking about thinking, planning, monitoring

thinking and judging the final product. Challenges the thinker to be self-analytical and
evaluative and to consider whether the full range of thinking strategies has been used. What
thinking is necessary?

There are many websites devoted to de Bonos thinking techniques.

18
Donut Questions
Students form two concentric rings, such that students of the inner ring face the students of
the outer ring. Taking it in turns they share information or ideas or ask each other questions.
These questions should be prepared beforehand. At the teachers signal they move on to the
next person in the ring and repeat the procedure. Perhaps they share what they have learnt
from the previous conversation by summarising or paraphrasing what was said.

This simple sharing technique is suitable for younger students and

can be a precursor to more sophisticated techniques such as envoy or
jigsaw.

CRITICAL THINKING
The promotion of critical thinking in the classroom encourages students to do more than
accept information at face value. They learn to analyse, critique and perform further research.
A website which connects critical and creative thinking to Blooms Taxonomy is:
http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic69.htm

Three-level guide
A three-level guide is a teacher prepared research tool designed to guide students in analysing
a text at deeper and deeper levels. The teacher writes statements about the text to which the
student responds yes of no.

Level 1. Literal statements. The Student decides whether these statements based on the text
are true of false and can prove it by reference to the text.
Level 2. Interpretive statements. The Student decides whether or not these statements are
meant by the text. Again they have to be able to justify their responses.
Level 3. Applied statements. Students decide if they agree with a possible application of the
ideas put forward in the text and gives reasons why.

A website that explains the usefulness of three-level guides and gives an clear example is:
http://www.myread.org/guide_three.htm

Perspectives
Students are encouraged to see things from different points of view by imagining they are
wearing perspective specs

Lots of Ideas
Here is a website that is an Aladdins Cave of classroom ideas. There are some for creative
thinking ideas hidden away in here too e.g. Site 12: Brainstorming.
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/teacher.htm

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 SCAMPER
SCAMPER is a strategy to support creative, divergent thinking. SCAMPER is an
acronym for: substitute, combine, adapt, modify/magnify/minify, put to other uses,
eliminate, reverse/rearrange SCAMPER helps students ask questions that require
them to think "beyond the lines" of a text. As such, it helps develop their critical
thinking skills and supports them in constructing their own imaginative texts. It is a
useful cooperative learning tool and a great stimulus for role play.

How do I do it?

It is not necessary to use all the steps modify to suit your situation. The strategy is
often best used after students have spent some time studying a text. Explain the
purpose of the strategy to the students, encouraging them to open up their minds to a
range of creative possibilities. The following example shows how SCAMPER can be
used to generate interesting questions when working with The Parable of Weeds
amongst the Wheat..

S: Substitute (a person, place, time or situation)

What do you think would have happened if there had been a flower, say carnation,
sown into the wheat crop instead of a weed like darnel?

C: Combine (bring together assorted ideas and situations)

What would have happened if the enemy had been wreaking revenge when he
sowed darnel because he thought his crop had been sown with weeds by the
landowner the year before?

A: Adapt (or adjust to suit a purpose)

How might the story have changed if it was set on a modern wheat farm?

M: Modify (for example, by changing the physical size or personality traits of some
characters or changing the setting)
What would have happened if the landowner was a woman?

P: Put to other uses (for example, put a different slant on the plot)
What if the landowner was only pretending there was an enemy and he was really
the one responsible for the weeds?

E: Eliminate a feature of the story

How might the story change if there were no landowner?

R: Rearrange or reverse the sequence of the story

What if the weeds had been there before the wheat was sown?

20
 BLOOMS TAXONOMY AND BETTER
QUESTIONING
In your planning be aware of the possible range of cognitive development:

SAMPLE
LEVEL DEFINITION
VERBS
Student recalls or Write
recognizes information, List
ideas, and principles Label
KNOWLEDGE in the approximate Name
form in which they State
were learned. Define
Student translates, Explain
comprehends, or Summarize
COMPREHENSION interprets information Paraphrase
based on prior Describe
learning. Illustrate
Student selects, trans- Use
fers, and uses data Compute
and principles to Solve
APPLICATION complete a problem Demonstrate
or task with a mini- Apply
mum of direction. Construct
Student distinguishes,
Analyze
classifies, and relates
Categorize
the assumptions,
ANALYSIS Compare
hypotheses, evidence,
Contrast
or structure of a
Separate
statement or question.
Student originates,
Create
integrates, and
Design
combines ideas into a
SYNTHESIS product, plan or
Hypothesize
Invent
proposal that is new
Develop
to him or her.
Student appraises, Judge
assesses, or critiques Recommend
EVALUATION on a basis of specific Critique
standards and criteria. Justify

A revised Taxonomy has been developed by Michael Pohl. Ref: M Pohl. (2000) Learning to
think / thinking to learn. Hawker Brownlow Education. Melbourne, Vic.
A powerpoint with a comprehensive explanation of this revised approach can be downloaded
from: http://www.kurwongbss.eq.edu.au/thinking/Bloom/blooms.htm

http://questioning.org/toolbox.html

21
 FEEDBACK
According to many research papers, the most outstanding way to encourage a productive
mindset in learners is to provide regular skilled feedback to each student and teacher. This
feedback needs to be rich and positive. (John Edwards, 2007)

Why is Feedback Important? Because our brain is self-referencing (that is, decisions are
made based on what has happened previously), feedback is an essential part of optimal
learning. Jensen (2000) suggests that learners should receive timely, specific, multi-modal
feedback at least every 30 minutes during their learning. He emphasises the need for the
feedback to be controlled by the learner. The feedback needs to be consistently positive in
outlook as there are more receptors in the brain for put-downs than for put-ups (John
Joseph, 2007). Following table from J Joseph

Self Reflection Teacher Feedback

- Self-evaluation prompts - Informal feedback

eg. I used to thinkbut now I know
learnt how toby - Feedback sandwich (critcism is sandwiched
I can improve my work by between good news)

- Goal setting and review - Student-led conference

- Checklists (mark progress on a checklist of - Coaching rubric

things to be learnt)
Revision Tasks
- You are here maps (a visual version of the
checklist flow chart perhaps) - Cloze exercises

- Graphic organisers - Quizzes / puzzles

- Door passes (a pass-out chit with 3 things Other

learnt today)
- Gallery walk (work displayed with
- Stealing ideas walk (after a 5min warning all comments / marks visible others add
work is on view) affirming comments)
- Journal / learning log - Yellow pages (students write an ad for their
strengths or talents)
- Walk and talks (peripatetic discussions with a
partner) - E-mail an expert for feedback about process
or product
- Mirror (tell a partner what you have learnt
and they reflect it back) - Audience reaction
- Talking chips (licenses to talk throw in a - Product demonstration
chip to have your say)
- Jigsaw
Peer Feedback
- Cross-age tutoring
- Peer imitation
- Roundtable assessment (public interview
- Peer correction / editing student accountable for their learning)

- Peer reaction

- Turn to a friend / pair share

22
 SIX SENSES CUBE STRATEGY
The Six Senses Cube strategy assists students to reflect on situations using six senses.
Process for the Six Senses Cube strategy:
o Students sit in circle and take turns tossing the six senses cube.
o The students response is determined by the picture/icon which faces up.
The icons have the following representation:
Ear sounds
Mouth tastes
Hands activities
Eyes sights
Nose smells
Heart feelings and emotions

23
 CONTEXT PIZZA STRATEGY
The concept pizza strategy allows students to complete a simple biblical exegesis on a parable or
other scriptural text using contextual clues.

A suggested process for using this strategy is provided below:

1. Students read the text

2. Students form learning teams of a specified number depending on how many contextual
clues are being investigated. Students take a slice of pizza (see resources below) and
write the name of the contextual clue they will be investigation. This might, for example,
be a characters name, or a geographic feature. The contextual clues provided below are
based on teams of six with each student in the team investigating a different clue:

Social Context What social codes are evidenced in this text?

Political Context What is the implied political agenda in and behind this text?

Cultural Context What evidence is there is this text that is specific to the culture of the
time and place?

Symbolic Context How and where is symbolism used to enhance the meaning of this text?

Historical Context When or where was this text set? How does that inform the meaning of
the text?

Literary Context What literary techniques and textual features have been used in this
text? How does knowledge of them help you understand the text?

3. Students now re-read their text paying attention to the contextual clue they are
investigating. Students write context clues on the back of their pizza slice.

3. Student now take turns in sharing information

gathered. As they do say they place their pizza slice
into the middle of the story upside down. As the
discussion proceeds a class context pizza forms.
Students can then use the data to write a group
report.

http://ri.bne.catholic.edu.au/ree/RE/CLT/P2/A-Z%20Strategies.doc
24
 HOT SEAT INTERVIEW
After the students have either listened to, or read a parable, for example "The Good
Samaritan", one student is chosen to sit in the chair (the hot seat) in front of the class. The hot
seat student then chooses to be one of the characters from the story. The rest of the class
asks the hot seat student questions. The hot seat student answers as the character in the story
would answer.
http://ri.bne.catholic.edu.au/ree/RE/CLT/P2/A-Z%20Strategies.doc

IMAGINATIVE RECONSTRUCTION
from Breathing Life into the R.E. Classroom: Creative Teaching Strategies for Religious Educators
Catholic Education Office, Bathurst NSW

Students dramatise the sequel to a story (eg. The story of Zacchaeus in the tree dramatise
the discussions between Zacchaeus and his family when he informed them about giving away his
wealth) using imagined characters to fill out the story.

Some variations:
Modern day reconstructions of the Gospel stories could be developed.

Some examples:
After the Annunciation, how would Marys parents have reacted to the news of her
pregnancy? What would have been Josephs feelings? How would the neighbours react?
Call of the First Disciples (Lk 5: 1-11)
The Wedding at Cana (Jn 2: 1-11)
Mary Magdalene (Jn 12: 1-7)
Zacchaeus (Lk 19: 1-10)

GIANT PUPPETS
Students use a large paper bag of the type used for groceries. Students can create two facial
expressions for their character by using both sides of the bag.

Students use craft materials to create their paper bag puppet: wool, coloured paper, crayons,
cotton wool etc. The entire bag is used to depict the characters face. The bottom of the bag is
the top of the characters face. The opening of the bag is the bottom of the characters face.

Students use both sides of their bag and simply turn the bag around at the appropriate time in
the play (all of the characters features should be repeated on the other side of the bag except
the eyes and mouth used to show the emotional shift). In that way each student is really
creating two faces for the one puppet.

Students now fill the bag with scrunched up balls of newspaper to

make the bag three- dimensional. A broomstick or long, thin
bamboo pole is inserted into the open end of the bag. The stick is
secured with strong elastic bands.

A length of tulle is fixed to the bag and pole using the elastic band. Students
operate their puppet by getting inside the tulle and holding the pole. They are
easily able to reverse the puppet by turning the pole.
http://ri.bne.catholic.edu.au/ree/RE/CLT/P2/A-Z%20Strategies.doc

25
 FORUM THEATRE
Forum theatre allows an incident or event to be seen from different points of view, making it a
very useful strategy for examining alternative ideas. A small group acts out a scene while the
rest of the class watches them. The class members work as directors of the group in role e.g.
asking them to act or speak in a different way, suggesting that a character might behave
differently, questioning the characters in role or suggesting an alternative interpretation for
what is happening.
When you
say hello,
say it
nicely
dont just This time
nod say please

Was it
really her
fault?

CURTAINS UP, CURTAINS DOWN

Curtains up, Curtains Down is a drama strategy where a group of students create a series of frozen
statue images related to a story or event. Students in audience close eyes (curtains down) as players
get into position. When its time for curtains up, audience opens eyes and a narrator can tell story of
the scenes before them.

26
 TRIPLE PLAY
In the Triple Play Strategy students pinpoint the key episodes of a text (e.g. scripture passage).
Subsequently they replay the highlighted themes with two alternative storylines. The second
storyline is a retelling of the text relevant to the personal life experiences of students. The
triple play involves students in developing a contemporary story sequence that captures the
spirit of the text in the context of a broader world scene.

Process
1. Each team is given a text that can easily be divided into episodes as well as a Triple Play
worksheet (see below). The parables are a good source for Triple Play episodes.
2. Initial Play. The learning team reads the text and determines the key episodes that
make up the storyline. Approximately six episodes is suggested.
3. Each episode is depicted by both an illustration and a caption. If it is a scripture passage
the exact chapter and verse reference could also be recorded.
4. Replay. The team discusses and arrives at an alternative storyline that is relevant to
their current life experiences as students, family members, or local community members.
The story should follow the same theme and episodes as in the original text but with
contemporary characters and in a different setting.
5. Triple Play. The process is repeated except on this occasion the students must think
more broadly and try to develop a storyline that would situate the text within a global
context.

http://ri.bne.catholic.edu.au/ree/RE/CLT/P2/A-Z%20Strategies.doc

THIRTY SIX DRAMATIC THINGS TO DO

WHEN WORKING WITH BIBLE STORIES
Instead of saying Draw a picture or Write the story in your own words

27
1. Tell the story
Even better than reading a well written, illustrated version of the story is to tell it. Break
up the story at an appropriate point with What do you think will happen now? or How do you
think things will end? Share ideas with your neighbour. Then act the ideas out in pairs
Tell it as a guided fantasy so children use all their senses and are actually there.

2. Storytelling Bag.
Tell the story. Put 3 objects which symbolise incidents from the story in a bag. Ask - what
do each of the objects represent and why? (e.g. Prodigal Son - apple, envelope saying To
Dad, 2 Roman coins). In groups they act out the connection between the object and the
story. Children discuss what they think will be in the letter and write it out.
After using the storytelling bag with a few stories tell a story and ask children to decide
what 3 objects they would put in the bag to remind them of the story.

3. Retelling
After you tell the story, in pairs one child retells the story while the other prompts.
Give children a selection of items or pictures which relate to the story and they retell it
using the visual aids.
After hearing the story, children decide the significant message of the story and select
their own visual aids or body postures to illustrate it while they retell it.
In a circle, children retell the story, each person taking up where the other left off. The
story proceeds round the circle or a foam ball can be thrown across the circle to the person
who has to carry on the story.
You tell the story but miss out a significant part, though it should still make sense. Children
use a written version of the story to find the missing part e.g. tells the story of David and
Goliath missing out the part when David refuses Sauls armour. The children have to decide
what difference the missing part makes to the story.
Tell the story and together decide on the meaning and main elements. Children have to retell
it, covering the main elements and meaning, in one or two minutes.

4. Story swapping
Two groups, or two classes are each told a different Bible story. In pairs, one from each class,
they retell the story to their partner. Children need to know before they hear the story that
they will be retelling it as a good way of remembering the content.

5. Story fair
Create round the hall some bright, coloured booths in which, after practice, children tell or act
out stories to small groups of younger children, with one booth for Biblical stories.

6. Charts
Make a chart showing the 3 ups and 3 downs of a characters life. Do they end on an up or down?

7. Beginning, middle, and end

Divide the class into three. Tell the beginning of the story to one group; the middle to the
second group and the end to the third group. Each group acts out their part of the story. One
child from each group gets together in threes to create the whole story in the correct sequence.
This is useful for longer stories, e.g. Joseph, as it helps them order stories and master the
content.

28
8. Conscience Ally
Children line up in 2 parallel lines. They represent the conscience of a character from the story.
A child in the role of the character walks between the lines as the others whisper what they
think his or her thoughts would be.

9. Puppets
Children design overhead projector, paper bag, paper plate, finger, shadow, sock or glove
puppets for which they write or use existing play scripts e.g. The Saturday Night Good
Samaritan. Make cut-out figures for use on magnetic or felt boards.

10. Mask work

Children listen to a story and write down the range of emotions involved. They create masks
reflecting those emotions, which are used in dance or in dramatic retelling the story.

11. Silent telephone conversation

We hear one side of a conversation told by someone who was there to someone who wasnt.
What was said e.g. between the Innkeeper and Good Samaritan?
Two people chat over the garden fence - 1 person was there - what do they say?
Children in pairs divide a piece of paper with a line down the middle. They decide who was
present and that child writes what the person who was there said. The other child fills in
the other persons dialogue on the other half of the paper.

12. Cast Lists

You are employed by a movie tycoon to vet scripts. Would this story make a good film?
Why? For what kind of audience? Do any stars you know seem appropriate for any of the
roles? Write out the cast lists. Choose one of the characters. On a postcard
write what an actor about to play that part needs to know about the character. Who is the
character to another e.g. who is Jesus to his mother, to the disciples etc.
Write an advert for the film.

13. Drama and Role play

In groups one child takes the role of a film director recreating a scene of Jesus healing the
Leper or Blind Bartimaeus. Who lets whom in? Who keeps whom out?
For the story of the Four Friends and the Paralysed Man who came through the roof children
could act out what they would do if their sibling urgently needed an expensive life saving
operation abroad. What sacrifices and efforts would you make?
29
 A child role plays or hot seats a character in the story perhaps using a few props. Questions
from other children should be answered in role and could include:
Who are you? What is happening?
What do you see? What do you hear?
What do you think or What do you say?
imagine?
Children could switch characters so they begin to feel other peoples points of view. Or do
role-play trios or role play a key silent moment not explicitly written up in the story or the
next episode.

14. Tableaux or Freeze-frame

Children in groups select a key moment in the story and create a tableau of that scene. The
tableau can come alive at a particular moment and the children can improvise what the
characters might have said. Each group should be able to justify their choice of key moment to
the rest of the class. Or in groups freeze-frame scenes - freeze the action, like photographs,
then other children ask questions.

15. Body sculpture

Using body sculpture, the children can sculpt each other into a character from the story,
reflecting what is happening to them, their feelings and role. This does not have to involve
touch: verbal directions can be given.

16. Interviews
Explore the story by getting inside the characters, their motives and feelings.
If you were a TV interviewer and could interview one of the main characters in the story,
what would you ask them (or it was a radio phone-in programme)?
What questions would you put to people such as Paul, Joseph, Sarah or Esther?
Have one character interview another character e.g. Mary interviews Joseph.
Ask witnesses or passers-by what they saw, felt, and thought e.g. a witness to the reunion
scene between the Father and his Prodigal Son.

17. Who is this?

Give children photocopies of 3 faces from a local newspaper. They select one and say what
may have happened to have caused that expression.
Show 3 drawings of same face expressing worry, happiness, and sadness. Find one person in
the Bible story who feels at different times like these 3 faces, why and when? e.g. story of
Moses and the bulrushes.
Choose one person from the story at one moment of the story-mime then draw or describe
their expression.

18. Brain storm

In groups using large sheets of paper, children brainstorm all the emotions which occur in the
story. They classify them into 2 columns - positive and negative. Pass the sheet to another
group who match with coloured pens the 2 columns e.g.:
Joy - Mary Uncertainty - Joseph

30
Celebration - Shepherds Weary - Wise men

19. Character Analysis

Draw round children to represent the main characters - put them on the wall. Tell the story.
Write inside the outline the type of person each one is. Enact the story or retell it. What are
the external pressures on that person? Write them outside the outline.

20. Recipe Stories

In recipe format write the story of Easter - 1tsp of tears, 2 tsp. of compassion etc.

21. Autocues
Children in pairs write autocues for the storyteller. They choose 6 significant words as a
reminder of the important things in the story. Put in the correct order and be prepared to
justify their choice. The pairs can then swap and compare words.

22. Video Cover

Design a video cover for the story. On the back sum up all that is important in the story. On
the spine put the rating and justify. Is it a thriller, romance or drama?

23. Title and Endings

Read or tell the story without giving a title - children decide on a suitable title. Children
brainstorm possible titles for the story and select the best three.
Consider the ending of the story and ask children to give alternative endings so they can
experiment with life choices. What might have happened after the story?

24. Why this story?

Children listen to a story and discuss why that particular story was passed on. What were the
intentions of the original writer or teller? Jesus must have told many stories which are not in
the New
Testament: why was this one written down?
Create new stories based on the original story
and characters.

25. News reports, Letters, Poetry, Diary entry etc.

If you do ask them to write they could write:
Mini Sagas- with a word limit of 50 words (100 is easier)
Journalistic accounts from different points of view - 'We wish we hadn't followed Moses' or
'Egypt not so bad after all' say angry Israelites;
News broadcasts and television interviews for opinions on the events;
Letters from one character to another to explain their viewpoint, to apologise, to accuse, to
express bewilderment or to request;
Half the class could write letters (or a diary entry) from a witness or a main character to
their grandchild years later explaining what had been witnessed (e.g. from Jairuss daughter
to her own children years later; from Zacchaeus describing his unexpected dinner guest).
The other half could write the diary written at the time - then compare accounts;
Cartoon think bubbles or speech balloons for a characters crisis moment e.g. What do the
Prodigal Son and his brother say to each other? or What did David say to Saul? Or what
would Paul have said to Ananias ten years after they first met?
The next episode e.g. Does the Good Samaritan confess to having helped a traditional
enemy? How does he defend or explain himself? What comments or suggestions would the
children like to offer the characters in the story?

31
 Poetry from the perspective of a major, minor, or unknown character e.g. the child of a
drowned Egyptian after Moses crossed the Red Sea; a by-stander at the crucifixion; by
friends of Jesus on the Saturday after Good Friday.

26. E-Mails
Send an e-mail, fax, letter or police incident report from one of the characters to someone else
e.g. a fax from Moses in the desert or the 3 wise men or innkeeper.

27. Using Videos - e.g. from Testament Animated Bible or Animated World Faiths
When showing a video of a story, ask children in groups to look for:
a key event which changed the character or changed attitudes towards him/her;
the use of colour - light and the use of facial expressions -
dark especially eyes
the use of voices and tones the use of music
the body language of a
character

28. Blank TV screen or Pause button

Tell a story and ask children to imagine the story as a video. Ask them to press the pause
button at a suitable point. Close eyes and try to see with their mind's eye the details of the
scene they have frozen. Describe the details to a partner who guesses the part of the story and
asks questions about the scene. In groups act out fast forward or rewind from the scene.

29. The film score

Imagine the story is going to be made into a film. Select theme music and play it as you tell the
story or before it starts. How does the music help understanding of the story? Or create music
to convey a particular emotion associated with the story.

30. Sound effects

Children can write down appropriate sound effects to communicate the mood of a story, which
can be used while the story is being re-read or told.

31. Using Story Tapes

When listening to a Biblical story on tape ask children to listen for tone, volume,
characterisation, etc. How does the reader make the story interesting? Children can then turn
a story into a tape by taking the parts of the characters, paying attention to expression and
meaning, and using sound effects and music.

32. Issues
Focus on the main issue in a story, children research that issue and set up a debate on it e.g.
children listen to a story about Jesus healing on the Sabbath. Research and debate the role of
the Sabbath today and Sunday trading.

33. Games
Make up games related to the story (e.g. lotto, bingo, snakes and ladders).

34. Quotes
Groups of children decide on an important quotation from each part (or chapter) of the story
and justify their choice. They design a poster to promote their quote.

35. Blank frame

32
If the picture of this story were stolen from the art gallery what would you paint inside the
blank frame to represent the main point of the story? Who has to be in it? What is their body
language? What is the expression on their faces? What sort of clothes? What sort of colours?
Why as an artist do you make the choice to paint that scene?
Compare the style, detail and colour of various illustrations of the scene. What is in the picture
that isn't in the text? What is in the text that isn't in the picture?

36. Art work

Turn the story into an illustrated poster or a frieze;
Design a reward poster e.g. for the Good Samaritan;
Design a Wanted poster e.g. for the Lost Sheep or Lost Coin or the 'Lost' poster from
Joseph's father after his son's abduction;
Use magazines to create a collage of the story;
Draw or paint pictures of the main events in linear cartoon form;
Make plasticine/clay models of one of the scenes.
Explore religious paintings, icons and stained glass windows of a story or and event.

Most of these ideas come from Margaret and Trevor Cooling in Cracking RE or Toolkit.

DRAMA BAGS
Drama bags are a useful tool for dramatic presentations, giving great visual effect as well as
giving the more bashful child a chance to participate without feeling as nervous as they would
out in the open.

FLAP BOOK
Flap books are versatile, creative, easy-to-make projects that can be used in any content area. Flap
books can be used with vocabulary words, illustrating story structure, life cycles, and much, much
more.

33
1. Take a 12" x 18" or 9" x 12" piece of construction paper and fold it into
eighths.
2. Open and cut to the centre of the fold as shown.
3. Fold flaps down.
4. Write the vocabulary words on the top flaps.
5. Open the flaps and illustrate each of the vocabulary words one at a time.
6. Optional: You can have the students use the vocabulary words in a sentence
below their illustrations.

34
 FLIP BOOK
Flip Books allow students to match two things on the one page. Each page in a flip book is cut in half.
Students flip through the pages in each half to match a concept on the top half with a picture or
symbol on the bottom half. For example,

The Lost Son

fed these and
lived with them.

Make sharp folds down the margin on each page so

students to readily flip from page to page.

Allow a 1cm margin on the left of each page for binding and stapling. Do
not cut all the way across each page.

35
 FUTURES WHEEL STRATEGY
A Futures Wheel Strategy is a visual tool used to help students think about the consequences or
implications of a particular issue, belief, action, trend, event or change. It assists students to consider
a futures perspective and future implications.

Firstly the central issue is established and becomes the central statement in the wheel.
Students arrive at first order or primary effects /consequences stemming from the central
statement. These are placed around the central statement as in a concept web strategy and one line
is used to connect them to the central statement.

From these first order or primary effects/consequences students reflect upon and record secondary
or second order effects/consequences. Two lines are used to connect the second order
effects/consequences.

Finally, from these secondary or second order effects/consequences students reflect upon and
record third order effects/consequences. Three lines are used to connect these third order
effects/consequences and so on.

36
 DECISION MAKING MATRIX STRATEGY
Decision making matrix www.k-8visual.info/tryThis_decision.html

The Decision Making Matrix enables to compare alternatives easily and to make a logical decision.
Process for Decision Making Matrix:
Students are presented with a problem.
Students/ Teacher decide on choices that the character in the text could have. These are
placed along the top row of the matrix.
Students/ Teacher decide on aspects to consider regarding the decision. These are placed
down the first column of the matrix.
Students compare the choices systematically. They colour (or mark in some other way) the
most satisfactory choices for each aspect.

What's the best animal to have as a pet?

Dog Goat Goldfish

What do I
feed it?

What shelter
does it need?

Is it useful?
How?

Is it friendly?

What if it
gets sick?

Score:

Decision:

CREATE YOUR OWN SAINT BOX

1. Research your saint their life and their beliefs
2. Create a box with symbols of the persons life or a colour that symbolises their life.
3. Choose a coloured underlay depending on the season of the Church Year when the saint
celebrates their feast day or their story.
4. Create a small book using one piece of A4 paper:
On the cover, draw/glue a picture of the saint.
On the second page, draw/glue a map of where the saint lived and worked and
perhaps a picture of the flag of that/those countries.
On the third page, make a time line with as much information on the saint as you
can.
On the final page, write a paragraph on the qualities of the saint you admire.
5. Make three objects to put in the box that help us remember what is special about this
person.

DEVELOPING A PROPOSAL STRATEGY

Proposals convince their audience to adopt an idea and implement it i.e. should it be done?
37
 Proposals ask decision-makers to allocate time, money, and other resources to change
something.

Decision Tree
Decision Trees are graphic organiser strategies in which students use diagrams or decision trees to
illustrate real or possible outcomes of different actions. These graphic organisers enable students to
structure the decision-making process.

Students visually depict outcomes for a given problem by charting various decisions and their possible
consequences.
To provide practice for students, describe hypothetical real-life situations that are age appropriate.
Students identify possible solutions, advantages, and disadvantages for each solution.

GRAB BAG STORYTELLING

In the Grab Bag strategy students select items for inclusion in a Grab Bag (pillow case, paper
bag etc) that represent a specific text.

The following example is one way the Grab Gab strategy can be used.

The student selects a story or text and records the people, places things
and emotions present within the text.

The student then gathers items that represent a selection of the people,
places, things and emotions.

The student decides on a final list of items and records them on a sheet
of paper. Each item is then numbered in order according to their location
within the text.

The students places the items in the bag and using the recording sheet
as a guide, presents a oral retell of the story or text bringing out each
item, one at a time.

An alternative is for the student to bring the items out of the bag, one
at a time without speaking. The other students guess the story or text
using the items as clues.

GODLY PLAY RESOURCES

38
 AND WHERE TO GET THEM

THE BOOKS:

The Complete Guide to Godly Play Volume 1 (Jerome W. Berryman)

Contains information on the Godly Play approach, including how to create a special space for
children, plan and present the lesson and help children develop spiritually. Chapters include:
What is Godly Play?; You Are a Storyteller; Pseudoplay and Grace; The Nuts and Bolts of Godly
Play; Godly Play Spoken Here; Entering the Tradition; Toward a Theology of Childhood; A Last
Story; More Information on Godly Play

The Complete Guide to Godly Play Volume 2 (Jerome W. Berryman)

An opening lesson on the Church year and then Old Testament stories. Scripts include: The Circle
of the Church Year; The Holy Family; Creation; The Flood and the Ark; The Great Family; The
Exodus; The Ten Best Ways; The Ark and the Tent; The Ark and the Temple; The Exile and
Return; The Prophets; Jonah, the Backward Prophet; The Books of the Bible

The Complete Guide to Godly Play Volume 3 (Jerome W. Berryman)

Contains presentations based on stories about Advent and the feasts of Christmas and the
Epiphany, followed by the parables. Scripts include: The Holy Family; Advent I; Advent I;
Advent III; Advent IV; A Children's Liturgy for Christmas Eve; The Mystery of Christmas;
Epiphany; Holy Baptism; Parable of the Good Shepherd; Parable of the Good Samaritan; Parable
of the Great Pearl; Parable of the Sower; Parable of the Leaven; Parable of the Mustard Seed;
Parable of Parables; Parable of the Deep Well; Parable Synthesis 1 - all the Parables; Parable
Synthesis 2 -The "I Am" Statements; Parable Synthesis 3 - The Parable Games

The Complete Guide to Godly Play Volume 4 (Jerome W. Berryman)

Contains lessons covering stories of Lent, the resurrection, the Eucharist and the early Church
during Easter Season. Scripts include: The Holy Family; The Mystery of Easter; The Faces of
Easter I; The Faces of Easter II; The Faces of Easter III; The Faces of Easter IV; The Faces of
Easter V; The Faces of Easter VI; The Faces of Easter VII; The Crosses; Easter Eggs; Jesus and
the Twelve; The Good Shepherd and World Communion ;The Synagogue and the Upper Room;
Circle of the Holy Eucharist; Symbols of the Holy Eucharist; The Mystery of Pentecost; Paul's
Discovery; The Holy Trinity; The Part That Hasn't Been Written Yet

39
 The Complete Guide to Godly Play Volume 5 (Jerome W. Berryman)
Experienced teachers and trainers share insights, stories, tips and ideas for using Godly Play to
its fullest.

The Complete Guide to Godly Play Volume 6 (Jerome W. Berryman)

Presentations for Older Children includes additional Old Testament presentations including stories
of Second Creation: "The Falling Apart"; The Story of Abraham; The Story of Sarah; The Story
of Jacob; The Story of Joseph; The Story of Moses; The Story of Ruth; The Story of Samuel;
The Story of King David; The Story of the Prophet Elijah; The Story of the Prophet Isaiah; The
Story of Prophet Jeremiah; The Story f Prophet Ezekiel; The Story of Daniel; The Story of Job

The Complete Guide to Godly Play Volume 7 (Jerome W. Berryman)

Presentations for Older Children. This volume is devoted to the communion of saints as part of
the Pentecost mystery. The Communion of Saints, St. Thomas Aquinas, "St." Valentine, St.
Patrick, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Julian of Norwich, St. Columba, St. Elizabeth of Portugal, St.
Augustine of Hippo, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Margaret of Scotland, St.
Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, The Story of the Child's Own Saint, The Story of the Child's Own Life.

Ordering books: www.bigwentertainment.com.au $40 (imported, so takes 14-20 days to deliver)

THE PEG PEOPLE:

The sets cost $55. In each set there are Mary, Jesus, 12 apostles, John the Baptist, 9 ladies, 3
men, Zaccheus, Bartemaeus and 9 children. Also Nativity sets for $33 - this consists of a
stable, Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and the three wise men. (Apostles from the other set can
double as shepherds). We also make a table for the Last Supper at a cost of $15.

Contact: Sr Vedette Lendich SSC

Education Support Teacher
Mercedes College
Victoria Square
Perth WA 6000
lendich.vedette@cathednet.wa.edu.au

40
 CONCERTINA BOOK IN A MATCHBOX
STRATEGY
A concertina book in a matchbox is a fun way for students to present a drafted text. Students need a
regular matchbox that forms the cover of the book. They may choose to design a cover on the front
of the matchbox as well as a spine label and back cover.

Students cut a strip of white paper with the width slightly less than the length of the matchbox. This is
folded concertina-style to form mini pages, the width of which is slightly less than the width of the
matchbox.

Students create their concertina book using one or both sides of the paper strip to form pages. The
last flap is left blank and glued to the base of the matchbox.

CONSEQUENCES WEB
A Consequences Web is a type of graphic organiser. It assists students to analyse the likely or
observable consequences of an action. The web can contain any number of circles

Then . .
Then . .

Then . . Then . .
Then . .

Then . .
If Then . .

Then . . Then . .
Then . .

Then . . Then . .

41
 COMPARE/CONTRAST STRATEGY
Compare / Contrast Charts do just about what you'd expect them to with a name like that: they're
useful for looking at two quantities and determining in what ways they are similar and in what ways
they are different. The chart pictured here is one way to approach this comparison. First you look at
the similarities. Then you consider the differences, making sure to indicate on what criteria you are
drawing out the dissimilarities.

42
 SOCIOGRAMS /LITERARY SOCIOGRAM
A sociogram is a graphic organiser that represents the relationships among people/characters.

It helps students to think more deeply about the relationships that exist between people/characters.

There are many variations, but this is a simple explanation based on that given by Johnson and Louis.
In a sociogram, the central character is placed at the centre of the page and the other characters are
placed around it. Connectors between characters such as arrows are used to show the direction of the
relationship and can also state a brief description of the nature of the relationship is placed alongside
each arrow. A number of conventions may be useful in developing sociograms:

Place the central character/s at the centre of the diagram

Let the physical distance between characters reflect the perceived psychological distance
between characters.
Let the size of the shape representing a character vary with (a) the importance, or (b) the
power of the character.
Show the direction of a relationship by an arrow, and its nature by a brief label.
Represent substantiated relationships by a solid line and inferred relationships by a broken
line. Coloured lines can also be used to represent different types of relationships. Students
would need to know what the different colours represent.

When working with simple stories, one sociogram may be enough to capture the relationships. With
longer or more complex stories, a series of diagrams will help to capture the changing relationships. A
chapter could be a reasonable unit to handle with a novel. Johnson and Louis suggest constructing a
sociogram once the central conflict of the story has been encountered, and again shortly before the
climax. Another simple way to achieve the changing nature of relationships in the story is to complete
three Sociograms, one in the early stages of the story, the second after the major conflict in the story
and the third at the end of the story.

Students need scaffolding for the construction of different kinds of sociograms before they can work
independently. Students need to know that there are no correct or incorrect answers in the sociogram
strategy. The connectors they use reflect each individuals or groups understanding of stated or
implied relationships being studied. What is important is that, students can provide justification for the
connectors and descriptions they use.
Younger students can use pictures of characters and word cards to construct their
sociograms.
Software such as Inspiration or MindMap could be used.
Students can work independently and then share their sociograms or small groups of students
can work collaboratively.
Sociograms can be used to help explore power relationships implied in non-fiction texts such
as newspaper reports and feature articles, aiding in the development of critical literacy skills.

Listening carefully to students explanations of their sociograms helps to provide insight into their
comprehension and their ability to make inferences from texts.

43
 CONCEPT WEB STRATEGY
A concept web is a diagram that indicates relationships between concepts. Put simply, webs are visual
maps that show how different categories of information relate to one another. Webs provide structure
for concepts, ideas and facts and give students a flexible framework for organizing and prioritising
information.

Typically, major topics or central concepts are at the centre of the web. Links from the centre connect
supporting details or ideas with the core concept or topic. Concept maps are more effective in aiding
comprehension and retrieval if the connection lines are labelled as well.

Teachers and students alike use webs to brainstorm, organise information for writing (pre-writing), as
well as to analyse stories, events and characterization. Classroom teachers use that webbing as an
effective technique in small group settings. As students work cooperatively they can build
collaborative webs, incorporating the thoughts and contributions of each group member.

As an assessment tool, a concept web can be used to:

Assess content knowledge and show hierarchy and relationships among concepts
Provide teachers with insight into a students understanding and reasoning
Pre-assess student understanding of an area of study.

There are a variety of elements that students need to consider in designing a concept web. These
include:

The quantity and depth of terms used

The accuracy of relationships
The levels of hierarchy generated
The number of branches and the number of cross links and how these are labelled.

Typical concept webs look something like these:

A useful process for teaching students to create a concept web is:

Start with a major idea or central concept.
Arrange items in a directional hierarchical pattern with subordinate concepts.
Place labelled links with appropriate linking words or phrases.
Identify the links to the sub-branches of the network.
Encourage students to use their own words.
Use only a few important concepts in the subject domain.
Check to make sure the connections are valid and clear.
An excellent software tool for creating concept webs is Inspiration. A free thirty-day trial version of
this software can be downloaded through the Inspiration web site located at:
www.inspiration.com/index.cfm

44
It is important to use Scripture to provide students with many different prayer experiences.
Scripture can be used for a variety of prayer forms, such as:

Traditional prayer the Our Father, the Hail Mary

Formal and informal prayer use the Psalms for prayers of thanksgiving
Meditation guided imagery, Lectio Divina
Contemplation mantras, centering prayer
Other methods of prayer journal writing, music, prayer through movement

Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina is a way of praying that has been in the Church for around 1500 years, since
the time of St Benedict. The term Lectio Divina is Latin for holy reading. This implies that the
Scriptures are read slowly and purposefully so that the reading becomes a prayer, in contrast
to simply reading the Scriptures as story.

There are three stages for Lectio Divina:

1. Lectio reading
2. Meditatio meditating
3. Oratio - praying

Stage 1 Lectio
Select a passage from scripture. Read the passage very slowly, taking in every word. Think
about the words in each sentence. After you have read the whole passage, choose a word,
phrase or sentence that somehow seems important to you, or seems to be significant for
some reason.

Stage 2 Meditatio
Say the word, phrase or sentence over and over again. Keep repeating it slowly, without
thinking about what it could mean or why you chose it. allow it to permeate your whole
being.

Stage 3 Oratio
When you are ready, become aware of Gods presence. You may wish to speak
spontaneously to God or you may wish to simply spend time being aware of the presence of
God read the passage again if you wish. Avoid the temptation to move on quickly.

45
Deliberately set this time aside to pray, either by talking with God or just spending time with
God without using any words.

Jeremiah 1: 4-10
Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
And before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.
Then I said,
Ah, Lord God!
Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only young;
But the Lord said to me,
Do not say, I am only young;
For you shall go to whom I send you,
And you shall speak whatever I command you.
Do not be afraid of them,
For I am with you to deliver you,
says the Lord.
Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth;
And the Lord said tome,
Now I have put my words in your mouth.
See today I appoint you over the nations and over kingdoms,
To pluck up and pull down,
To destroy and to overthrow
To build and to plant.

Stage 1 - Lectio
Read the passage very slowly, taking in every word. Think about the words in each
sentence. After you have read the whole passage, choose a word, phrase or sentence that
somehow seems important to you, or seems to be significant for some reason.

Stage 2 - Meditatio
Say the word, phrase or sentence over and over again. Keep repeating it slowly, without
thinking about what it could mean or why you chose it. allow it to permeate your whole
being.

Stage 3 - Oratio
When you are ready, become aware of Gods presence. You may wish to speak
spontaneously to God or you may wish to simply spend time being aware of the presence of
God read the passage again if you wish. Avoid the temptation to move on quickly.
Deliberately set this time aside to pray, either by talking with God or just spending time with
God without using any words.

46
47
48
 A BLESSING RITUAL
Today we will participate in a ritual that requires us to sign each
other following a similar formula to the RCIA. We pray that this ritual
will awaken us to the truth of Jesus Christ in our lives and inspire us
to venture into our lives abounding in hope, and embracing the
challenge to be a Christian Witness for Christ and those whom Christ
loves.

* Signing the forehead

I mark you with the sign of the cross. It is the sign of Christians; let
it remind you always of Christ and how much he loves you.

Signing of the ears

I mark your ears with the sign of the cross so that you may hear the
words of Christ.

Signing of the eyes

I mark your eyes with the sign of the cross so that you may see the
works of Christ.

Signing of the lips

I mark your lips with the sign of the cross so that you may speak as
Christ would speak.

Signing over the heart

I mark the sign of the cross over your heart so that you may make
your heart the home of Christ.

Signing of the shoulders

I mark your shoulders with the sign of the cross so that you may be
strong with the strength of Christ.

* Signing of the hands

I mark your hands with the sign of the cross so that you may touch
others with the gentleness of Christ.

* Signing of the feet

I mark your feet with the sign of the cross so that you may walk in
the way of Christ.

I place you entirely under the sign of Christ's cross.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Taken from the Christian Initiation of Adults

EARLY CHRISTIAN ART

- THE MEANING OF COLOURS
The Symbolism of Colours represent many different items of sacred significance. The meaning of the
different colours is highly significant and is detailed as follows:

49
White symbolizes purity, being without sin, virginity, innocence and virtue. It also symbolizes holiness
and is the Christian colour for all high Holy Days of the Church Year, especially the seasons of
Christmas and Easter.

Yellow colours symbolize renewal, hope, light and purity. Yellow is the Christian colour for the season
of Easter when used with white. When taken as an off-white colour symbolizes degradation, jealousy
or cowardice.

Orange colours symbolize courage, endurance and strength representing fire and flame. Orange can
also symbolize betrayal.

Green colours symbolize nature, fertility, hope and bountifulness. Green symbolizes freedom from
bondage and eternal life. Green is the Christian colour for the season of Epiphany.

Red colours symbolize the Holy Spirit and are the colour of Pentecost. Red also represents fire and is
associated with power and importance. Crimson red also symbolizes the presence of God and the
suffering and blood of martyrs. It is the Christian liturgical colour for Pentecost and represents
atonement and humility.

Black colours symbolize death, fear, sin and ignorance and were also used to indicate authority and
power. The colour black is associated with Good Friday.

Brown colours symbolize the earth, poverty and humility and closely associated with monastic life.
Brown can also symbolize betrayal.

Blue colours symbolize heavenly grace and the knowing of divine truth. The Virgin Mary is often
depicted wearing blue clothing. Blue also represents hope, good health and the state of servitude.

Purple colours are always associated with Royalty; Purple togas were worn by the powerful Roman
Emperors. The symbolic meaning of the colour purple was for penitence and mourning and is the
liturgical colour for the seasons of Lent and Advent.

50
A mandala is a tool for prayer. It is usually characterised by a circular shape with a centre
point, filled with many different colours. The circular shape symbolises all things being
encompassed by God; the centre point symbolises that God is in the centre of our lives.

No mandala is ever the same as another. Combined, mandalas make a great display and
students really value them. Prayer is an inner journey and often there is nothing concrete
from our prayer time to show others. By completing mandalas students can gain a great
sense of achievement; they have something to show others that is their own unique piece of
work. If mandalas are used correctly, they have the potential to make prayer a highly
meaningful and enjoyable experience for both students and adults.

Using mandalas with students

There are two different ways of using mandalas for prayer. The first is to fill the mandala
using colours that symbolise how you are feeling at a particular time. For example, a student
who is feeling really angry about something may fill a large part of the mandala in red. When
the mandala is completed students can then talk about what each colour represents to them
and reflect on the fact that God is with them through all their feelings.

The second is to complete a mandala using any colours that appeal to you so that you fill in
the mandala without thinking too much about what you are doing. At the end of the time
you can then look at the mandala and ask, What does this mandala reveal about me?

Explain the concept of a mandala to students. Show examples of mandalas. Provide each
student with an outline of a circle and ask them to fill in the mandala with colours that
represent how they are feeling at the moment. Explain that the mandala needs a centre
point, but other than that it is up to each student to fill their mandala with colours and
shapes that represent how they are feeling. Encourage the students not to leave any white
spaces in their mandala unless the white represents something to them. Ask them to
complete their mandalas in silence, and to respect the fact that each mandala will tell each
persons story when it is finished. When they have completed the task ask them to share the
story of their mandala in small groups.

Some variations might be:

a modern parable
a reflective reading
a passage of scripture
listening to the lyrics of a popular song
listening to the lyrics of a hymn or chant
for younger students, using a published pattern

51
When students have completed their mandalas, invite them to try one of the following
activities:

Contemplative prayer
Ask students to spend some time in silence reflecting on their mandala.
Encourage students to think about how God is present with us in
everything, in every moment, even though we often forget.

Prayer writing
Ask students to choose a name for God that seems appropriate for them at
this point in their lives. Invite students to write their own prayer, beginning
with this name for God. When the prayer is completed, each person can
cut out the mandala and write the prayer underneath.

Mantra
Encourage students to create their own mantra that reflects their mandala.
This may be a quote from scripture or a short personal prayer, for example,
God you are always with me
Students should write the mantra under the mandala and have some quiet
time to pray the mantra in silence.

Scripture
Invite students to read Psalm 136 several times and then rewrite it in
their own words.
Adapted from Prayer Strategies: A Teachers Manual by Beth Nolan

Mantras involve saying a phrase or a word over and over

again as part of ones breathing pattern. Tuning in to the breathing rhythm is an essential

52
part of praying through mantras. Students needs to know that repeating a word or phrase
over and over again provides them with a focus and helps to prevent distractions from
prayer. it is a special time to spend in the presence of god, but we need to prepare ourselves
to recognise Gods presence.

While the words provide an initial focus, it is the next stage that is the heart of
contemplative prayer, when the words are no longer important in themselves as we reach a
place of inner stillness deep within us.

This form of prayer needs to be practised on a regular basis in order that the student
reaches the point of inner stillness. Introduce mantra prayers in stages, as it is pointless
encouraging students to use a mantra unless they can sit still, relax and focus on the rhythm
of their breathing first. Provide opportunities for students to enter into this form of relaxation
and then develop the process further as they become more confident and skilled in this area.

Lead students through the following exercise before inviting them to use a mantra:

1. In order to complete this exercise you will need to sit with your back straight and feet
slightly apart.

2. Be aware of your posture and ensure that you are sitting upright in order to allow the
air to flow freely into your lungs.

3. Close your eyes.

4. Listen to the sound of our breathing.

5. Take a deep breath in, and then breathe out.

6. Become aware of the air filling your lungs.

7. Notice which parts of your body move as you breathe.

8. Let your breathing develop into a natural rhythm, a slow rhythm.

9. Focus on the rhythm of your breathing as the air goes into your lungs and you
breathe out again.

10. Push all other thoughts away and just be conscious of the rhythm of your breathing,
as is an internal engine is powering your body.

11. Try to feel relaxed yet fully alert, monitoring the movement of your body as you
breathe in and out.

Once students are comfortable with the breathing ritual you can introduce mantras as
part of the prayer. One of the following may be useful:

Say the name Jesus as you breathe out. Breathe in, and then when breathing
out simply say Jesus so that the name is spoken in rhythm with the breathing.

Extend the words to Jesus, have mercy on me. In this case say the word Jesus
breathing in and the rest of the phrase breathing out.

Say the words of Jesus as you breathe in and out in a slow rhythm, Come,
follow me. Say the word, come as you breathe in and as you breathe out
complete the sentence with follow me.
53
 Take some quotes from the scriptures. Say the first half of the sentence as you
breathe in, then complete the sentence as you breathe out.

I have called you by name, you are mine Isaiah 43:1

You are precious in my sight, and I love you Isaiah 43:4

Where you will go, I will follow Ruth 1:16

May God be gracious and bless us Psalm 63:1

Use the words of traditional prayers as mantras:

Our Father, who art in heaven

Hallowed be thy name

My soul praises your greatness, Oh my God

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

My God I believe in you

Invite students to create their own mantra for prayer after they have completed a
journal-writing activity, focusing on what is happening in their lives at the
moment. It may be helpful to brainstorm a few possibilities first, so that students
are confident about creating their own mantras. Music such as Taize and
repetitive chants contain many simple melodies that are based on scripture.

Prayer Strategies: A Teachers Manual by Beth Nolan

PHOTO STORYBOARD/
PHOTOSTORY/WINDOWS MOVIE MAKER

Photo storyboards provide stimulating portrayals of scripture stories, whilst allowing students to
internalise the message by developing a parallel modern story that is relevant to their own life
experiences.
54
 a. Firstly choose a scripture story and identify about 10-12 scenes from the story to be
photographed.
b. Using the theme of the scripture story, develop a parallel story for a modern equivalent
of the story that is relevant to the lives of the students (eg. The Good Samaritan
translated into what could happen in the school playground if a child were injured).
c. Using the scenes, as identified in A, students create frozen pictures to represent each
on and photograph them.
d. Order the photos and put captions underneath.

Some variations might be:

to, use prayers (The Lords Prayer) or concepts (the Beatitudes) as the stimulus
to use images from online to create the photoboard (eg. Google images)
to use Photostory (free Windows download) or Windows Movie Maker (already on
most computers, from start menu)
use images from Photolanguage kits
to choose music that compliments the storyboard to go with it.

WEB QUESTS
A Web Quest is an online independent research task that consists of five parts. Web Quests
are activities, using Internet resources, which encourage students to use higher order thinking
skills. Web Quests are effectively higher order learning tools. There are six essential
components of a Web Quest that are used to structure the activity and organise the way a
student might go about their research task.
The five components are:
1. Introduction
An introduction that draws the learners attention to the topic and inspires them into action.
2. Task
A task that is drawn from the introduction and sets out the goal. It is the most important
aspect of the Web Quest. There is often a Focus Question that defines the task.
3. Resources
Resources that are necessary for the task, most of which will be Internet links.
4. Process
A description of the process the learners should go through in accomplishing the task. The
process will often be broken up into clearly described steps and may designate roles or duties to
the learners.
5. Evaluation
An evaluation is the guidelines for how students will be assessed. It is usually in a Rubric.
Evaluation rubrics come in many forms and rubrics designed by the teacher are the most
authentic.
A useful template for designing a web quest is located at the following site:
http://internet4classrooms.com/lesson-template.htm or http://webquest.sdsu.edu/

Advent Webquest t

Advent is a season of the Liturgical Year which is rich in stories, symbols and meaning.
Use the following Internet sites plus any references of your own to prepare a
presentation on the theme of:

55
 Advent What are We Waiting For?
Be creative in the angle you take to develop this. For example:
1. Advent More than Christmas shopping and Santa photos?
2. Less talk more action making Christmas peace a reality
3. Get the house in order Jesus is coming to visit!
4. YOUR OWN IDEAS!!!!
Your presentation could be in electronic form, for example:
A Web Page
PowerPoint presentation
An E-Greeting
OR
Any visual form of your choice.

The following Internet Sites will provide a good starting point:

The British Museum Advent Calendar
http://www.bmeducation.co.uk/advent/days/postadve.html
This is a creative way to explore the Scriptural background and customs relating to Advent

The Advent Wreath http://www.cptryon.org/prayer/adx/adwreath.html

Explains the symbolism of waiting and hope and also provides the history of the wreath

Encarta direct to Advent

http://www.cyberfaith.com/weblinks/ia_comelordjesus.html
More on the history including differences in dating of Advent for Western and Orthodox
Christians

Caritas Australia http://www.caritas.org.au/

Australian Catholic justice and relief organisation a look at global issues and ideas for
Christmas

Amnesty International http://www.amnesty.org.au/H

How can we have peace when injustice is so prevalent in our world?

NOW LIVE THE MESSAGE YOU CREATE !

56
Learning Links to Story in Religious Education: Teacher Resources for the Religion classroom.
By Maurice Ryan and Jan Grajczonek

57
Learning Links to Story in Religious Education: Teacher Resources for the Religion classroom.
By Maurice Ryan and Jan Grajczonek

58
Learning Links to Story in Religious Education: Teacher Resources for the Religion classroom.
By Maurice Ryan and Jan Grajczonek

59
 CHATTERBOX STRATEGY
A Chatterbox is sometimes called a Cootie Catcher. This is a highly motivational means of
getting the students to assimilate the information they have gathered. It converts a common toy into a
learning tool. It also engages both sides of the brain.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Fold the bottom of the paper to the Use scissors to cut off the flap at the Open the triangle and you will have a
side of the page to make a triangle. top. square.

Step 4 Step 5 Step 6

Fold one corner of the paper Open your paper. You will now have a Fold each corner of the paper towards
diagonally to the other corner. centre point marked on the paper. the centre.

Step 7 Step 8 Step 9

When all four corners have been Turn the paper over so that the folded Then fold all the corners to the centre
folded, your Cootie Catcher should sides are face down. diagonally
look like this.

Step 10 Step 11 Step 12

Once you have folded in the four corners, Hold the paper in front of you as shown Now unfold and fold the square in half
write the numbers one through 8 on each and fold it into a square. horizontally.
of the triangles.

Step 13 Step 14 Step 15

Open each flap and write something on Flip the Cootie Catcher over and write the Flip the Cootie Catcher over so that the
each triangle. What you write depends on name of a colour, animal, person or place numbers are face up. Fold the square in
the type of Cootie catcher you have made. on the flap. half and slip your thumbs and pointer
finger under the four flaps.

http://ri.bne.catholic.edu.au/ree/RE/CLT/P2/A-Z%20Strategies.doc
 Suggested Resources
RESOURCE BOOKS
Anstey, Liz (2009) The Gospels in Playdough: A hands on approach to teaching children about Jesus.
Barton Books, ACT.

Catholic Education Office Bathurst NSW 1998. Breathing Life into the R.E. Classroom. Catholic
Education Office, Bathurst, NSW

Glavich, Sr Mary Kathleen (1990) Acting Out The Miracles And Parables. Twenty Third Publications,
Mystic, CT

Gattis Smith, Judy (1988) 26 Ways to use Drama in teaching the Bible. Abingdon Press, Nashville,
TN.

Perry, M. (Ed) 1989 The Dramatised Bible, Marshall Morgan & Scott
Publications, Swindon, England.

Wintour, Rina (2000) Just Imagine (Creative ways of presenting Scripture). Mountjoy Enterprises,
Brisbane, Australia.

Wintour, Rina (1999) Sacred Celebrations for Lent. Mountjoy Enterprises, Brisbane, Australia.

PHOTO LANGUAGE
Cooney, J. & Burton, K. 1986 Photo language Australia (A or B):
human values Catholic Education Office of Sydney (PO Box 217,Leichhardt NSW 2040).

MUSIC
Macpherson, J. & Villani, J. 2001 Outrageous Praise, Song and
Dance Creative Family Ministries, (20 Megalong Road, Nedlands, WA 6009).

Oliver, J. 1998 God givessongs for kids Book 4, Uniting Education, Melbourne.

WEBSITES
http://ri.bne.catholic.edu.au/ree/RE/CLT/P2/A-Z%20Strategies.doc
The Brisbane Catholic Education Office site. It has links to resources, but of particular use is the A-
Z of Teaching Strategies for use in RE.

http://www.det.wa.edu.au/sdera/detcms/navigation/for-schools/resources/challenges-and-choices/
The Department of Educations School Drug Education and Road Awareness website. Of particular
interest are the Teaching and Learning Strategies PDFs for each level of learning.

http://www.assemblies.org.uk/
The Assemblies Website aims to provide high-quality, instant access primary and secondary school
assemblies for teachers and others leading collective worship.

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http://www.sermons4kids.com/hmartin.htm
Cartoon images by Henry Martin

www.textweek.com
This website is very useful to look up. It has an art and movie index related to scripture.

http://www.godtube.com/
Religious-based YouTube.

http://www.murray.k12.ga.us/teacher/kara%20leonard/Mini%20T's/Games/Games.htm or
http://its.leesummit.k12.mo.us/gameresources.htm
Two good sites for games to use in your classroom. Some even have linked music! Easy to edit to your
class/learning area.

www.wordle.net
A great brainstorming site makes word clouds out of words related to a topic.

www.audacity.sourceforge.net
A free downloadable recording program.

http://plasq.com/comiclife-win
30 day free trial where you can put in photos and captions to make your own comics.

http://bubbl.us/edit.php or http://www.mywebspiration.com/ for brainstorming and mapping ideas.

http://www.slideshare.net/ for PowerPoint presentations. Once downloaded, you can edit to suit your
needs.

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