8th Grade Theology - St. Gerard Catholic School
Welcome to 8th Grade Theology! This class is mainly focused on preparing for the important sacrament of Confirmation. Even though Confirmation will not take place until the fall of your 9th grade year, 8th grade will be used to prepare your heart and mind for it, if you choose to be confirmed. In addition to Confirmation preparation, 8th grade also focuses on morality and social justice. Serving our communities and leading by example are cornerstone's of this class. Even if you are not Catholic, there is so much to learn.
Keep reading to get an idea of what you can expect in this class throughout the coming year!
Keep reading to get an idea of what you can expect in this class throughout the coming year!
The Holy Spirit
At your Confirmation, you will be sealed with the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit and because you will become an adult in the eyes of the Church, the Holy Spirit will be your guide as you navigate a changing world with more pressure. As such, we learn a lot about the Holy Spirit throughout the year - the 7 gifts, the fruits of the Holy Spirit, the images of the Holy Spirit, and more.
|
Decision Point
Part of our Confirmation preparation revolves around the Decision Point series with Matthew Kelly. We coincide this series with other curriculum objectives but the poignant and often probing content in Decision Point will help you to think critically about your faith life. Watch this Decision Point video (all of which you can view by using the link above) to see one of my favorite videos of the series.
|
|
Retreat Days and the Parish Retreat
An important part of our theology class will be helping you to engage with your faith more deeply while also having some fun. Retreat days are usually held once a week and involve not only fun activities. Usually twice a month, we also get to spend time with our associate pastor, Father Vincent. His visits are often a mix of discussing important topics and also allowing time for questions from the class, giving you an opportunity to engage in a discussion with your priest and classmates about both fun and difficult topics alike (depending on the questions!)
The Prayer Process
One of the main goals of this year is to strengthen your relationship with God so you are better prepared to receive the sacrament of Confirmation. Like any relationship, your friendship with God depends entirely on communication. Prayer, after all, is your direct line to God. But, it can be hard to make time or to even know where to start. The Prayer Process, developed in the Decision Point series by Matthew Kelly, is a good jumping off point. You will learn about what this process is and will get to know it well as we use it often throughout the year. You will be amazed at what a little bit of time, structure, and conversation will do.
A Single Bead Book Study
A Single Bead by Stephanie Engleman is a fiction book that is about a young Catholic teen searching for proof of her faith when an unlikely miracle happens before her eyes. As she tackles many of the same difficulties faced by most teens (such as depression, difficulty in school, parental relationships, etc.) she learns that her faith in God means more to her than she ever could have imagined. For the first semester of the year, we will work in small groups to dive deeper into this book and see what connections we can make to our own life stories. This is facilitated by bringing in a range of volunteers made up of parents, school, and parish staff. It is a wonderful way to have you begin considering what kind of Catholic you might want to be.
|
Is this everything?
Absolutely not! We do not use our 180 school days wastefully and you can expect to do many things throughout the year! We will use google classroom often for many things such as learning content, completing assignments and assessments, collaborating with classmates, communication, and much more. One thing you can always count on? Something different every day!
Click below for helpful class resources!
General: These resources in this section relate to daily classroom needs. Google Classroom Google classroom is used almost daily for homework and classwork and students join my class with the above code. Parents and guardians can be signed up as well - simply e-mail me through the contact page! Confirmed in the Spirit Textbook Resources Our textbook, Confirmed in the Spirit (Loyola Press) is not fully online, but does have resources and book questions available for use. Please feel free to access what is available for homework and study purposes. Decision Point Series The Decision Point series is integrated into our curriculum as an important part of our Confirmation preparation. The entire series is online so any videos you miss, you can access here. A Single Bead The information about the book we read during the first semester of the year and use for our book circles can be found here. If you need an extra copy, check with me first, but an extra one can always be purchased on Amazon or with other book sellers. Quizlet This is an excellent (and free) resource for students looking to create online flashcards. You can create quizzes and share them with classmates as well - an excellent study tool that I highly recommend. Prayer Process The Prayer Process, developed by Matthew Kelly, is prayed every week on our mass day. It is a seven step process that encourages you to engage with God in a real conversation, instead of 'going through the motions' of prayer. Click here to learn more about the steps and how you can use them to get closer to God. Confirmation: In this section you can learn more about the Sacrament of Confirmation and what to expect. Catechism By clicking here, you can access what the Catechism says about the Sacrament of Confirmation and its importance. Bishop Barron on Confirmation Bishop Barron has a clear way of speaking about important topics of faith in a way that makes them relatable. Click here to get his take on Confirmation and why it is an important decision and time in your life. St. Gerard Confirmation Info If you will be getting confirmed at St. Gerard, click here to learn more about the sacrament and the expectations and requirements for Sacrament preparation. You will attend a retreat and do hours of service, for example, to prepare your heart and mind for Confirmation. St. Gerard Confirmation Forms By clicking on this link, you can access all the necessary forms that need to be turned into the parish by their due dates (which are all listed on this page as well). |
Click below for helpful school resources!
School & Church: The links below are meant to orient you to the websites that will helpful regardless of the class. School Website The school website can give you up to date information about the school's happenings and also has helpful links to other information you may need. PowerSchool Login PowerSchool is how we manage and update grades as well as distribute information. It is an essential part of communication for each teacher and the school in general. School Calendar The school calendar lets you know what important dates might be coming up and when expected breaks are. Junior High Staff Info Meet the five teachers you will learn from over the course of your 7th and 8th grade years. We are excited to know you! Junior High Handbook The junior high handbook has important information about school policy, such as the dress code. We will often refer to it and you are give your own hard copy at the open house. But you can always access it online through this link or the school website. Parent Handbook The parent handbook, similar to the JH handbook is a great source for parents. Parish Website The Parish website can keep you informed as to the goings on of St. Gerard Church. Since the church is intimately connected to the school, it is helpful to know this information as well, especially if you are not a member. Consider joining us for mass on Sunday if you don't already. We would be happy to have you! Citation Help: Proper citation and careful use of information are cornerstones of St. Gerard, especially in the junior high. As we prepare you for high school and beyond, an essential part of that preparation is giving you the knowledge and tools to credit others for their work. MLA Style Center The MLA Style Center is an online resource meant to help you with MLA formatting (which you will use in every class at this level and high school). It shows you how to do in-text citation as well as a works cited. Purdue OWL This website is a helpful because it gives you man examples for citation as well as step-by-step instructions for proper citation. It is also easy to navigate. EasyBib (*This is an OK place to start, but always double check format*) EasyBib can be a helpful place to start if you are not well-versed in citation and formatting. However, it can sometimes be inaccurate and unable to find all the information you need to do a proper citation. You should always double check what you find here. |
Image Attribution:
- Holy Spirit Stained Glass: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Holy_Spirit_as_Dove_(detail).jpg
- The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic book cover: http://bluebird-songs.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-four-signs-of-dynamic.html
- All other images are my own.
- The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic book cover: http://bluebird-songs.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-four-signs-of-dynamic.html
- All other images are my own.