Resources

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A Little Help Here!

After reading several real-life examples of conflict, students provide suggestions to mediate each situation.

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People Matter!

Students interview one another to get to know each other better.

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Interview Chart for Religious Beliefs

This chart allows students to see the comparison between the beliefs of five major religions and those of the Catholic Church.

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Religious Identity Descriptions

This handout provides the religious identities for five major world religions.

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Empathizing (Religion in the Modern World)

This article provides several suggestions of ways to help students reflect on their experiences with people from different forms of religion in the modern world.

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Empathizing (Islam)

This handout provides several suggestions to help students draw connections between Islam and Christianity.

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Empathizing (Christianity)

This handout provides several suggestions to help students draw connections between the various denominations of Christianity.

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Empathizing (Judaism)

This handout provides several suggestions to help students draw connections between Christianity and Judaism.

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Empathizing (The Ancestors of the West)

This handout provides several suggestions to help students draw connections between Christianity and polytheistic religions of the West.

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Empathizing (Shinto)

This article provides several possible ideas of ways to help students see, experience, and better understand the Shinto religion.

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Empathizing (Zen Buddhism)

This short article provides questions, reflections, and suggestions to help students empathize with Zen Buddhism.

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Empathizing (Taoism)

This short article provides questions, reflections, and suggestions to help students empathize with Taoism.

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Empathizing (Confucianism)

This short handout provides questions, reflections, and suggestions to help students empathize with Confucianism.

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Empathizing (Sikhism)

This short handout provides questions, reflections, and suggestions to help students empathize with Sikhism.

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Empathizing (Jainism)

This short handout provides questions, reflections, and suggestions to help students empathize with Jainism.

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Empathizing (Buddhism)

This short handout provides questions, reflections, and suggestions to help students empathize with Buddhism.

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Empathizing (Hinduism)

This short handout provides questions, reflections, and suggestions to help students empathize with Hinduism.

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Empathizing (Indigenous Religious Traditions)

This short handout provides questions and reflections to help students empathize with indigenous religions.

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Comparing and Contrasting Religion in the Modern World with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and religion in the modern world.

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Comparing and Contrasting Islam with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Islam and Christianity

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Comparing and Contrasting Forms of Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in different forms of Christianity.

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Comparing and Contrasting Judaism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Judaism.

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Comparing and Contrasting the Ancestors of the West with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and the Ancestors of the West.

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Comparing and Contrasting Shinto with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Shinto.

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Comparing and Contrasting Zen Buddhism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Zen Buddhism.

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Comparing and Contrasting Taoism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Taoism.

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Comparing and Contrasting Confucianism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Confucianism.

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Comparing and Contrasting Sikhism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Sikhism.

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Comparing and Contrasting Jainism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Jainism.

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Comparing and Contrasting Buddhism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Buddhism.

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Comparing and Contrasting Hinduism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts the key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Hinduism.

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Comparing and Contrasting Indigenous Religions Traditions with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts the ideas of god, an ultimate reality, and history between indigenous religious traditions and Christianity.

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Worldviews: Religions and Their Relatives

This article explores two examples of modern worldviews and how they different from traditional religions.

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The Comparative Study of Religions

An introduction to the comparative study of religions.

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Teacher Evaluation An Interreligious Interview

A teacher evaluation for interviewing someone of a different religion.

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An Interreligious Interview

This handout offers guidelines for setting up an interview with a person from a different religion.

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The Ninety-Nine Names of God

This handout lists the ninety-nine Islamic names for God and poses several questions regarding the list.

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"In the Beginning Was the Word"

After presenting John 1:1-18 from the Christian Bible, this handout challenges to students to identify key parts that describe the doctrine of the incarnation.

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Images of Jesus

This handout provides many different images and descriptions of Jesus for students to examine and relate to.

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Miriam's Shabbat

A Sabbath Blessing.

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Rings of Interpretation

This handout lists six excerpts taken from the Tanakh.

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Greek and Roman Gods Today

This handout challenges students to identify the associations they have with Greek and Roman gods.

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A Zoroastrian Symbol

This handout presents a Zoroastrian Symbol of faith and explains its elements. Students are then challenged to create their own symbol to represent their personal understanding of faith and human nature.

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"The Canticle of Brother Sun"

A Canticle prayer by Saint Francis of Assisi

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The Haiku of Basho

A compilation of Haiku by Matsuo Basho.

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Koans: Food for Intuition

This worksheet presents Zen koans to be interpreted or explained.

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The Riddler

This worksheet presents 12 riddles to be solved individually or in a small group

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Who Is the Sage?

This worksheet provides the opportunity to choose life situations that exemplify practices of the Taoist sage.

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The Sikh Khalsa

The information on this handout provides further insight into the nature of the Sikh Khalsa

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The Ten Gurus of Sikhism

This list of the ten Gurus of Sikhism briefly summarizes the key contributions of each Guru.

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The Biographies of the Tirthankaras

A list of patterns and themes found in the biographies of the Tirthankaras

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Kuan-Yin

A guided reflection of the Buddhist image of Kuan-Yin

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Monks

This handout is to be used as students rotate to various stations. At this station, students examine a picture depicting monks in Thailand.

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Objects Used in Tibetan Rituals

This handout is to be used as students rotate to various stations. At this station, students examine objects used in Tibetan rituals.

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The Fasting Siddhartha

This handout is meant to be used as part of a station activity in which students observe different pieces of artwork from various religions.

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Right Speech

This handout provides a reflection on students’ use of words and speech. Students identify ways to improve their use of words to speak truth and kind things.

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Right Meditation

This handout provides a space for students to write impressions, observations, or questions that arise as they meditate on a statue of Buddha.

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Buddhist and Judeo-Christian Understandings of God

This article compares and contrasts the Buddhist and Judeo-Christian understanding of God.

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The First Sermon at Deer Park

A Buddhist sermon

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"The Dance of Love"

A Hindu myth

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Karma Marga: "The Path of Works"

An individual worksheet that examines the intentions and motivations behind one’s actions.

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The Master and the Untouchable

An individual worksheet the caste system in India.

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The Fruits of Action

An individual worksheet that challenges students to apply teachings from the Bhagavad-Gita to real-life situations.

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Peer Evaluation: The Game of Samsara

A peer evaluation form of student-created games.

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Teacher Evaluation: The Game of Samsara

This evaluation is to be used as a rubric for a game that groups of students created using Hindu concepts.

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What Harm Is in Our Sun Dance?

This short article provides the point of view of a Blackfoot Indian about the illegalization of the Sun Dance.

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Lesson Plan for Lesson 15

A lesson plan for lesson 15 in The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth: Catechist Guide.

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The Narrow Door: A Guided Meditation

This guided meditation communicates the Gospel message of simple living in a way that engages the imagination and inspires young people to actively simplify their lives. This activity is an excerpt from the book Justice and Service Ideas for Ministry …

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The Disciples' Dilemma

This handout challenges students to decide how they would have reacted as a disciple after Jesus’ trial, death, and resurrection

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Who Is Your God?

A reflective worksheet where students identify meaningful definitions of God

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Jesus' Priorities

An individual worksheet where students rank the priority Jesus placed on certain values in his ministry

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Searching the Scriptures for the World of Jesus

Small-group activity that guides students to discover the culture of Jesus’ world by searching the Gospels

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To Know Another

An individual worksheet where students rank the importance of discovering specific types of information about another person

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Sample Lesson Planning Chart

A sample of a week's lesson planning chart

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A Maturity Checklist

A self-evaluation of qualities of maturity

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Parish Council Committee Assignments

This handout assigns students to a made-up Parish Council Committee. Students must then brainstorm ideas and activities to help engage young people in the life of the parish.

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For Love Is Stronger than Death

A reading of the Resurrection story from Luke's Gospel.

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The Resurrected Jesus

Students answer questions about the story of Jesus' Resurrection from one of the four Gospels.

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The Miracles of Jesus

Students review many familiar miracles performed by Jesus in the gospels before choosing a favorite.

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The Good News Proclaimed to Me!

This handout asks students to reflect and write about the ways that Jesus' healing is needed in their lives.

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Called to Share the Mission of Jesus

This small-group activity provides each group with an example of Christ's mission. Groups must answer questions surrounding their particular example.

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Jesus Had Feelings Too

Students read passages from the Gospels to explore the numerous emotions that Jesus experienced during his time on Earth.

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Who Is Your God?

This handout presents a list of different definitions and identities for God. Students are asked to choose ones that resonate with them.

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Our Culture, Our Selves

This handout asks students to rank a list of items in life and society according to their importance.

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Prayer Service: Reflections on Relationships

This prayer service reflects on some of the aspects of relationships.

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Communication in My Family

This handout helps students to explore the communication and relationship they have with their parents by asking a series of reflective questions for students to answer.

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Telling Our Body's Story

This handout helps teens reflect on their body image and the influences on their attitudes towards their bodies.

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Lesson Planning Chart

An example of a completed lesson planning chart for Chapter 1: A-D.

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Relationships in Marriage

This handout presents numerous questions about healthy, life-long marriages for students to think about and answer.

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Cases to Examine: Changing Roles

This handout presents several real-life family situations about which students must evaluate and make a decision.

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Cases to Examine: Parenting Dilemmas

This handout provides several examples of parenting dilemmas. Students are to read the situations, choose a course of action, and explain their thoughts.

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Paths to Marriage

This handout gives a brief explanation for several types of relationships that end in marriage. Students are then asked to evaluate the reading and complete a journal prompt.

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Reflections on Relating

This poem provides a reflection on the fears and insecurities that we all carry underneath the outward impressions we give off.

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Scoring "My Responses to Conflict"

This handout provides the scoring that should be used to interpret the accompanying Handout 9-D.

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My Responses to Conflict

For this worksheet, students choose which behaviors match how they typically respond to conflict in relationships.

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Whom Will You Tell?

Students identify with whom in their life they would share a list of personal pieces of information.

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Listening Traps

Students reflect on and answer a series of questions about their listening skills.

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Interpersonal Style

Students reflect on and answer a series of questions about their interpersonal style and relationships with others.

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Cases to Examine: Where Is Love?

Students read and respond to several stories about what it means to love yourself and others.

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Please Help

This is a writing prompt to help students reflect on what it is like to be a virgin in society today.

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Facts About Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS

This article gives information about common STDs and AIDS.

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Questionnaire on Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS

This handout provides a list of True/False statements about sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS.

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Role-play: "I'm Pregnant"

This handout provides two role-play situations in which a couple has discovered they are pregnant.

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Opinionnaire on Gender Roles (Part 2)

Students share their opinions in response to a series of statements about gender roles in society.

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Opinionnaire on Gender Roles (Part 1)

Students share their opinions in response to a series of statements about gender roles in society.

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Word Association

Students identify the different associations with and meanings of sexuality as portrayed in the media, by peers, and from adults.

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Attitudes About Sexuality

This handout presents a series of statements about sexuality. Students are to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with each.

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Measuring Fixed Costs

On this handout students calculate the fixed expenses of an independent adult on a monthly and yearly basis.

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How Much Did You Pay for That?

Students estimate the cost of a list of items needed to live independently. This exercise is meant to help students understand the amount of money needed to survive.

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Work Values

On this handout students explore the qualities they look for or want in a job and brainstorm possible jobs that fit those qualities.

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Ranking the Prestige of Occupations

Students rank a list of careers based on their importance and prestige in society.

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Perceptions of Leisureliness

This handout provides a list of statements designed to help students evaluate the leisureliness of a specific person.

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Support for Leisure Activities

This handout asks students to decide which types of leisure activities their peers encourage them to participate in.

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Checking Your Leisure Benefits

Students categorize their favorite leisure activities based on the primary benefit they receive from each.

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Cases to Examine: Leisure or Work?

This handout presents two real-life scenarios for which students must read and answer questions.

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Leisure Satisfaction

Students list leisure activities in which they participate before rating the frequency and satisfaction for each.

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In Praise of the Creator

This prayer uses Psalm 95 to praise God our creator.

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Circles of Learning

This handout provides a diagram for students to fill in as they reflect on the impact of friendship and relationships.

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Goals of Formal Education

Students rank eight possible goals of formal education based on their importance or relevance.

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Cases to Examine: Levels of Independence

Students read several scenarios and rank the level of independence demonstrated.

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Personality Perceptions of __________

Students choose adjectives from a list to describe a specific person.

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About Myself

This handout provides a series of questions for students to answer about themselves.

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How Do I Know That I Am Fully Alive?

This handout asks students to rank statements according to their beliefs about what it means to be fully alive.

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Cases to Examine: Dealing with Conflict

This handout provides three situations for students to read and evaluate. Students must give a suggestion for how to respond to the conflict in each scenario based on the strategies in the book.

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Respecting the Earth: Ten How To's

This handout provides ten tips to care for the Earth.

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The Ending is Yours

This handout provides the beginning of a story about a teen who is about to break up with his girlfriend. Students are to complete the story following teacher instructions.

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Cases to Examine: Self-respect

This handout provides three situations where teenagers are not fully respecting themselves. Students read the situations and respond with suggestions that demonstrate more self-respect.

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Role-plays: Kindness and Truth

This handout provides two role-play situations for students to practice open, honest communication in a kind, truthful way.

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TV Truth: Keeping a Record

This handout provides a chart to help students keep track of the types of truths and lies portrayed on TV.

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An Inventory on Money Matters

This handout provides a chart to help students keep track of their expenditures during one week

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Perspectives on Sex

This handout provides several comments from teenagers about sex. It can be used as a discussion starter or writing prompt.

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Three Perspectives on Drugs

This handout provides three different comments from teens about their drug and alcohol usage. This can be used as a discussion starter.

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Cases to Examine: What Are We Afraid Of?

Students read several real-life scenarios and explore the many fears, anxieties, and pressures that influence decisions.

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The Plight of the Worlds' Children

This handout provides several statistics and pieces of information about the alarming needs of children in our world.

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Images of God, Understandings of Life

The sketches below represent the different images of God and understandings of life that were held by the Jewish wisdom sages. Beneath each sketch, list the wisdom books that correspond to that image.

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Sample Lesson Planning Chart

A sample lesson plan.

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Teacher Evaluation: An Interreligious Interview

The following ratings identify your scores on a scale from 1 (poor) to 10 (excellent).

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Miriam's Shabbat

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Greek and Roman Gods Today

Next to the name of each god or goddess in the chart below, jot down any person, place, object, time, program, or product with which you associate the name. You may also note titles of songs or TV programs or …

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A Zoroastrian Symbol

The illustration on this handout is the Faravahar, a symbol of Zoroastrian faith. With the example of the Faravahar in mind, create, on a separate sheet of paper, a symbol that represents your own religious faith or personal understanding of …

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Koans: Food for Intuition

Read the following Zen koans two or three times. Choose one and answer or explain it.

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Who Is the Sage?

In each pair of situations below, one of the people described resembles the ideal of the Taoist sage, the person who lives in accord with Tao and practices the virtue wu-wei. Read each pair of situations and circle the letter …

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Chinese Calligraphy

Calligraphy is one of the cultural arts that was pursued in the process of becoming a chun-tzu. Try your hand at reproducing the Chinese characters below, drawing your versions in the space provided to the right of the characters. The …

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The Sikh Khalsa

The information on this handout provides further insight into the nature of the Sikh Khalsa.

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The Ten Gurus of Sikhism

This list of the ten Gurus of Sikhism briefly summarizes the key contributions of each Guru.

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Kuan-Yin

1. Look at the statue or picture at this station. 2. This image depicts the deity Kuan-yin. Write words that describe this image.

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Monks

1. Look at the picture at this station. 2. Write words that describe the actions that you see in the picture. 3. Write words that describe the relationships between people that you see in the picture.

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Objects Used in Tibetan Rituals

1. At this station are several objects. Some may look familiar. Gently pick up each object and examine it. SOME OF THE OBJECTS ARE FRAGILE. PLEASE HANDLE THEM CAREFULLY. 2. Write the following information about each object.

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The Fasting Siddhartha

1. Observe the statue or picture at this station. 2. Notice that it is probably different from almost any other image of the Buddha that you have seen. 3. Look closely and write down what you observe. How does this …

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Right Meditation

1. Here is a Buddha statue or picture. Sit quietly and stare at it. Meditate on it. Let it be a visual focus for your medi- tation. Learn from it. 2. Write any impressions, observations, or questions you have.

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Correlation to Curriculum Framework

Correlation to Curriculum Framework Course IV: Jesus Christ’s Mission Continues in the Church from The Church: Christ in the World Today.

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Chapter 44 Activity: Ask Annie and Andy

Students are asked to answer a series of “Dear Abby” style questions that deal with Internet safety.

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Chapter 44 Summary: Respecting Sexuality

A nice summary of the Sixth and Ninth Commandments, and how God wants us to conduct ourselves in sexual matters.

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Life Issues B Activity: Meeting Jesus: A Guided Meditation

A guided meditation that uses the imagination to spend time with Jesus and understand how he wants us to live.

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Life Issues B Summary: God, Where Are You?

A nice summary of the ways God promises to be with us always.

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Life Issues A Summary: Dealing with Peer Pressure

A good summary on dealing with peer pressure.

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Dialogue with Others

Excerpts from the address of Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday, April 17, 2008 at the John Paul II center in Washington D.C.

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Rubric for Final Performance Tasks for Unit 2

The rubric for the final performance task options for Unit 2 of Church History: Apostolic Times to Today. The options include creating a children’s picture book, or making a PowerPoint presentation for a parish community.

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Final Performance Task Options for Unit 2

The final performance task options for Unit 2 of Church History: Apostolic Times to Today. The options include creating a children’s picture book, or making a PowerPoint presentation for a parish community.

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Islam: Historical Orgins

Islam began almost two thousand years after the start of Judaism and more than six hundred years after Christianity. In fact, Islam, which goes back to the seventh century, began in support of the monotheism of these two religions, and …

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Living in a Material World

A worksheet where students are asked to rank items on their necessity for living a happy life.