Jan. - Jun Vol Intermediate Gr.7-9. Reminder: We celebrate Canada Wide HCA Mission Day, Wednesday May 4, 2011.

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Jan. - Jun Vol Intermediate Gr.7-9. Reminder: We celebrate Canada Wide HCA Mission Day, Wednesday May 4, 2011."

Cory Powell
5 years ago
Views:

Jan. - Jun. 2011 Vol. 20.2 Intermediate Gr.7-9 3329 Danforth Ave. Scarborough (Toronto) ON M1L 4T3 1 800 897 8865 Email: hca@missionsocieties.

4 Jan. - Jun Vol Intermediate Gr Danforth Ave. Scarborough (Toronto) ON M1L 4T hca@missionsocieties.ca Dear Teachers/Catechists, Thank you for participating in the mission component of the Holy Childhood Association (HCA). You are asked to encourage your students to pray for, learn about and share with needy children around the world. This year we are supporting projects in 11 countries India, Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Colombia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea. You are challenged in this issue of the newsletter to make your students aware of the diversity and need in India. A growing middle class is a result of rapid economic growth in this beautiful and fascinating country. Our focus however is on the millions of children who are poor and malnourished. Their lives are made better by the support of you and your students. Only a few of these children have access to clean water and basic sanitation. It is estimated that 122 million households do not have toilets. Because of unsafe hygiene practices, respiratory infections and diarrhoea are the main causes of death in children. Thank you again for your continuing participation and support of the Holy Childhood Association. Your role is so important in raising missionary awareness in children. Please read the Junior and Primary newsletters for additional information. We d love to feature your school/parish on page 4 of future newsletters. Every fund raising effort, big or small, is important and appreciated. Suggestions for Using the Newsletter 1. Begin your lesson with the HCA prayer. Your students should have their own prayer card (Prayer cards are available from the National Office). Remind your students about why they are members of the HCA to pray, to learn and to share with children around the world. 2. Each student should have access to a map of the world and of India. On the world map have them locate Canada and India. Review the world continents. Ask them in what continent they would find India (Asia). On the map of India point out the main bodies of water: Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. Have them find the capital of India New Delhi and the business capital Mumbai. Let them count the number of countries that surround India (There are 7 Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.) Point out the location of Afghanistan where our Canadian military are fighting. Religious Education: Integrating the HCA into your curriculum. Reminder: We celebrate Canada Wide HCA Mission Day, Wednesday May 4, Grade 8: Stand By Me. Unit 4: We believe in the communion of saints. Theme 2: What makes a persons life successful? Key Concept: Saints are ordinary people who tried to be the best they could be. (page 89) Outcome: Students will understand that God calls us all to be a saint. Grade 7: Believe In Me. Unit 8: He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified died and was buried. He descended to the dead. Theme 2: What s the point of sacrifice? Key Concept: We grow closer to God when we give as well as receive. (page156) Outcome: Students will understand that God wants us to give love to all people and to treat everyone with dignity.

5 1. Have your students focus on the story of Blessed Mother Teresa. Father Thomas Rosica (CEO of Salt and Light TV & Network) wrote in the Catholic Register about meeting Blessed Mother Teresa several times. He was given her business card as mentioned in the newsletter. Your students might be interested in the full text: The fruit of silence is PRAYER. The fruit of prayer is FAITH. The fruit of faith is LOVE. The fruit of love is SERVICE. The fruit of service is PEACE. God bless you. Mother Teresa. 2. Ask your students to create their own business cards. Challenge them to come up with 4 words that best describe themselves and their faith in God e.g. loving, helpful, generous. 3. Blessed Mother Teresa helped many people. Ask your students to interview someone that they know who is making a difference in the lives of others. This can be safely done in groups. Each group can report back to the class. 4. Discuss the 2 reflections. Reflection 1 refers to leprosy and tuberculosis. Explain these diseases. Provide time for quiet reflection to answer the questions. 5. Reflection 2 can be discussed as a suggestion to your students on how to better handle the stress of Additional Activities 1. At the top and bottom of pages 2 and 3 we have provided definitions for your students to further make sense of the text. Refer to them as your students read the newsletter. PLEASE: send photos and stories for use in future publications. is an excellent way to transmit photos and stories. Send them to hca@missionsocieties.ca or by regular mail to Holy Childhood Association, National Office, 3329 Danforth Avenue, Scarborough, ON M1L 4T3 assignments and on how to help others in society one person at a time. Discuss ways to help others without spending money. 6. Try to make the saints real to your students as role models. Children like to read about heroes. Saints are heroes in our Catholic faith. Blessed Mother Teresa is quoted as saying that saints did ordinary things with extraordinary love. Have your students research their favourite saint (alternatively, you could provide a list to choose from). Their research should include why their saint is a hero or role model. How did their chosen saint show their love of God? 7. Answers are provided for the 6 saint questions. See if your students are able to answer them without peeking! 8. As Lent begins, remember to change the prayer cloth on your religion/mission table from green to purple. 9. Encourage your students during their Lenten review to think about the word resurrection. Good Friday and the death of Jesus was not the end. We are asked to believe that resurrection is possible. Easter resurrection is about freedom and power, not over others but freedom and power of love for God. It is also about the power of our faith to let go of the past and look toward a hopeful future especially during the 50 days of celebration of the Easter season. Of Note: Page 4 contains an sent to Marie Deans. Marie is the National Director of the Pontifical Missions Canada. 2. Have your students look at page 1 of the newsletter and the section Interesting India. Answer the questions as a group orally or individually as a written assignment. The six countries larger than India are: Russia, Canada, United States, China, Brazil, Australia and then India. 3. Diwali is an important fall festival in India and in Indian communities across Canada. It is sometimes called the festival of lights. This is a celebration of the Hindu New Year. Ask your students to draw a series of candle lights. Inside they are to place words or thoughts of what lights up their life. 4. Have a JAM session (Just a Minute speech) Students volunteer to speak for I minute for or against the following topics or ones of your choice. a) Children in India should be allowed to work alongside their parents if they wish. b) Parents have the right to choose music for their children. c) Video games are too violent for those under Make a Model. Ask your students to study the pictures of the Taj Mahal and India Gate in the newsletter. Using cardboard, clay or whatever materials you have available, create their own structure. Alternatively, they could further research one of them and draw their own model. 6. Page 4 includes a word scramble. Complete the 5 sentences after each scramble in small groups. Each group can write their sentences on the board/white board with the class deciding on the best/most creative word use. Also, please make sure that photos you send to HCA are cleared for publication through your school or parish Freedom of Information policy. Remember to send us copies of your parental permission forms allowing us to publish photos.

C) 1. Ask the students to compile a list of cultural characteristics that they associate with South Asia.

C) 1. Ask the students to compile a list of cultural characteristics that they associate with South Asia. COMPARING AND CONTRASTING FOUR MAJOR RELIGIONS OF SOUTH ASIA Beth Moulder Purpose: This lesson will increase an understanding of the culture of the people of South Asia and their religious practices. Objectives: