2006 Creative Festivals Lesson Plan:
Grades 4, 5
THEME:
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.” JOEL 2:28
GOALS:
OBJECTIVES:
TIME: 45 Minutes
MATERIALS NEEDED:
For Students:
Optional Materials:
FOR THE CATECHIST:
This theme is about the Holy Spirit.
The prophet Joel foretells the wonderful potential available to humankind by the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets through Jesus Christ and the sending of His Spirit, The Comforter, The Spirit of Truth.
The sentence used for this year’s theme comes from the Book of Joel in the Old Testament. The Prophecy of Joel is one of three Old Testament readings heard at Vespers of Pentecost (Joel 2:23-32). We can read this reference to Joel again in the Acts of the Apostles 2:16-21.
Read Acts Chapters 1-2 in their entirety, as this will help give you a sense of the sequence of what happened at Pentecost and also how the Apostle Peter refers to Joel’s prophecy and expands on it. You will need to know about the Promise of the Father and the importance of everyone at Pentecost being able to understand one another’s language. Note Peter’s reference to the Prophecy of Joel in Acts 2:16-17.
As you present concrete facts to your students, speak with the conviction expressed by the Prophet Joel that indeed with the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world, we have all been given the potential by God to transform this world, our very lives, to be all that God desired when He created the world and its people and said, “it is good.”
Christ did all He said He would. Christ preached the Kingdom of Heaven. He was crucified, died, was buried, and rose again. He said He would send His Spirit, and so He did. We are not left alone. As Luke writes in the Acts of the Apostles, Christ commanded His disciples not to depart from Jerusalem
“…but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:4-5
Depending on how much your students already know, you’ll need to review what happened on Pentecost, emphasizing that God’s Holy Spirit is given to all God’s people, not just a few chosen ones as happened in Old Testament times. This is the crux of Joel’s prophecy: Now sons and daughters of future generations are given the potential to become blessed and holy; the young and the old can share in the vision of the Eighth Day, the parousia, the Kingdom of Heaven.
Because Pentecost refers to the sending—and receiving—of the Holy Spirit, you might talk about the sacrament of Chrismation when we receive the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Yes, you could mention the Sacrament of Baptism, but here is an opportunity to provide specific information about Chrismation, which is less well known among the faithful. We sometimes forget about the importance of Chrismation because it follows right after Baptism, and the faithful tend to lump together these separate sacraments and call them simply Baptism. More correct, would be to use the word mystery when talking about the grace given by the Holy Spirit, rather than sacrament. Your students are most likely more familiar with the term sacrament, however.
In Chrismation, the priest anoints the newly-baptized with Holy Chrism, the visible sign of the “mystery.” Each time the priest anoints certain parts of the body, he says, “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” As your students hear this phrase over and over, they might begin to realize that the Holy Spirit is a gift and that we are sealed with this gift.
In your discussion with your students, you might consider that the gift of the Holy Spirit begs a response. What do we do with this gift given in Chrismation?
Most students in Grades Four and Five are familiar with the technique of webbing, which takes a central idea and asks the student to come up with words or phrases that connect to that central idea. You can refer to the sample WEB which is provided with this guide. You will note that the central idea seen in the center of the web is The Holy Spirit. As you prepare your lesson, do your own webbing to stretch your thinking (and understanding) of what the Holy Spirit means for you personally, for others, for the Orthodox Church.
SUGGESTED READINGS:
THE LESSON PLAN
OPENING:
Say or sing “O Heavenly King.”.
INTRODUCTION:
Refer to the prayer, “O Heavenly King” which we say before any meeting or gathering of Orthodox Christians. The priest says the prayer at the altar before starting Divine Liturgy.
Find out what students know about this “Heavenly King.” Help them to know that this prayer is said to the Holy Spirit. Emphasize the descriptive phrase “Spirit of Truth Who is in all places and fills all things.
When you discuss the theme, you’ll be talking about how the Spirit pours himself on all flesh, as stated by the Prophet Joel. This aspect of “all flesh” is important, because as promised by the Father, the Holy Spirit is sent to all God’s people, not just the patriarchs, prophets, and some judges of the Old Testament. (See Acts 1:4.) Christ came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets.
Tell your students that this year’s theme is about the Holy Spirit.
CONTENT:
1. Introduce the text of the theme, read it aloud for your students/or have them follow along with a printed text. Ask if anyone knows who Joel is.
2. Discuss that the Joel is a prophet who wrote a Book of the Old Testament. Have students locate the Book of Joel. Ask student(s) to locate the sentence being used as the theme. Joel 2:28.
3. Help students become familiar with the terms prophet, prophecy, and to prophesy.
Note that the word prophecy (noun) is spelled with the letter C. The word prophesy (verb) has the letter S and is pronounced “pro-feh SIE.” You might use prepared placards that show these words with their definitions.
The prophet tells what will happen, whether good or bad, to God’s people. The prophet prophesies. Emphasize that the prophet is not a fortune teller but one who is inspired by God to reveal God’s truth and plans for his chosen people.
The prophecy is the message told by the prophet. The message reveals good things or bad things that will happen to God’s people, but the message always comes from God.
4. Discuss the connection between Joel’s prophecy and Pentecost.
Explain that we hear Joel’s prophecy when we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. Joel’s Prophecy from the Old Testament is read at Vespers. (Joel 2:23-32.)
Remind students that Pentecost occurs 50 days after Easter. Remind them that “pente” means fifty, and that this is where we get the name Pentecost for the feast day. The Orthodox Church calls this feast “The Descent of Holy Spirit.” Perhaps a student will explain why the Church uses “Descent.” (The Spirit comes down to us and rests on the apostles.)
Display an icon of the Feast of Pentecost and have students note the tongues of fire over the apostles and explain that this was a manifestation (showing) of the Holy Spirit over these men. Emphasize that the people could understand one another’s languages when the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles. (There were 12, since Matthias had already been chosen to replace Judas.)
Ask a good reader to read aloud the event of Pentecost from Acts 2:1-4, which describes the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles gathered in the Upper Room. Also read Acts 2:14. Have students repeat back what happened: the rushing mighty wind, the tongues of fire, everyone being able to understand one another, but not drunk with wine.
Ask someone in your group to read aloud from Acts 2:16-17. Students will realize that this is the same text as spoken by Joel. This happening at Pentecost is the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy concerning the Holy Spirit. Jesus said He would send the Holy Spirit to the disciples, and He did so—on Pentecost. You might also point out that the disciple Peter speaks for the group of disciples—“Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said…” (Acts 2:14).
Explain to students that without the Holy Spirit, we wouldn’t have the Church. (Some people like to think of Pentecost as the birthday of the Church. Try to discourage artwork showing birthday cakes for Pentecost!)
5. Discuss the Promise of the Father and fulfillment through the Holy Spirit.
Ask students to read Acts 1:4 where Christ tells the apostles to wait for the Promise of the Father.
Help students understand that Joel prophesies that some day in the future God’s Spirit will be poured out on all God’s people, not just certain people as it was in Old Testament times. In the Old Testament, the Spirit was given to only a few people: patriarchs, the prophets (such as Joel), and some judges. Biblical commentary says that Joel meant the Spirit would be poured out on all the Jews, not just to the elect among the Jews. When Peter refers to Joel’s prophecy on Pentecost, he realizes that now the Spirit is poured out not only on the Jews, but on all flesh—on all generations to come who will have been baptized and anointed with the Holy Spirit in Chrismation and will have become members of the Church. The apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, will now go out into all the world to spread the Gospel in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. With the grace of the Holy Spirit, all future generations, old and young can prophesy, dream dreams and see visions.
You might also refer students to the Troparion for Pentecost: “By sending down upon them the Holy Spirit; thou didst draw the world into Thy net.” Remind students that the apostles were fishers by trade; here they are called “fishermen as most wise.” Just like fishers draw fish into their net, the apostle by preaching to the world, will draw all the people into the life of the Church.
6. Discuss the Mystery of Chrismation at which the baptized Orthodox Christian receives the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Briefly explain that when we are baptized, we become Christians. For Orthodox Christians there is an additional Mystery called Chrismation that is given to the newly baptized, usually right after baptism in the same service.
In Chrismation the person is anointed with Holy Chrism on different parts of his or her body. You might explain that this Holy Chrism is made from olive oil and special spices and is used only for Chrismation. Only the bishop can prepare Holy Chrism.
Tell students that in Chrismation, each person is given the Holy Spirit. It is as though each person experiences his or her own personal “pentecost.” The person now has the possibility—the potential—to live a life with Christ in the Church. Chrismation is the gift of the Holy Spirit for each one personally.
Emphasize the phrase “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The person is anointed with Holy Chrism on certain parts of the body. The priest traces the Sign of the Cross on the forehead, eyes, nostrils, lips, both ears, the breast, the hands and feet, each time saying, “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Liken this anointing to the way a tongue of fire came down upon each one of the apostles at Pentecost: “Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.” Acts 2:3
Spend a few minutes talking about how the gift of the Holy Spirit is special to your students. Answers will vary, of course, but encourage understanding of the wonderful grace we receive personally by our having been chrismated and as participants in the mysteries (sacraments) of the Church: Baptism, Chrismation, confession, Holy Communion, Healing. And in the future, perhaps marriage and ordination.
7. Discuss ways we know the Holy Spirit is present in the Church and in our lives.
Use a blackboard or large sheet of paper on an easel or wall to record answers. Use a web format as model for the students’ activity to follow. Possible responses include
ACTIVITY:
Webbing:
Organize students around a work space and tell them they will now make their own webs. This will give them a chance to write down or draw what they now know about the Holy Spirit. This can help them get started on ideas for what they will produce for the Creative Arts Festival.
Using the web worksheet included in this lesson plan, students can create their own webs of associations of the Holy Spirit from their personal and liturgical experiences, as well as acquaintance with references from Scripture. You might provide citations for some references.
After students have completed the webs, ask them to select one or two words or phrases that seem particularly meaningful to them. You might say,
“You have written down many different phrases about the Holy Spirit.
Choose one phrase or idea you think you would like to work with.
See if you can come up with an idea to draw or portray in art.
If you want to write a poem or an essay, jot down ideas about what you will say.
If you want to enter a photograph, talk with me now about how you should submit your photo.”
Provide the materials and timeframe within which students will work.
NOTE: If your church school is few in number, you might include Grades 4 and 5 in the activity for PreK-Kindergarten and Grades 1-3 where the children act out what happened at Pentecost. Coordinate with the other church school teachers in your parish. This can be done in addition to the webbing activity in class.
CLOSING:
Gather students around the icon corner for a prayer customary for your parish. Many parishes sing “It Is Truly Meet” at the close of a gathering.
You might inform students that you would not normally sing a hymn to the Holy Spirit at the end of a session, since we ask for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit before we begin a task or worship service.
ADDITIONAL FILES: