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Called to Be Fishers of Men

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Called to Be Fishers of Men Fifth Grade: Lesson One Called to be Fishers of Men Lesson Objective: Students will be able to Lesson Assessment: Students will identify that define the term “vocation” through reading the first disciples were called by Jesus to be the call of the first disciples. “fishers of men,” and that we are all called by God for a particular reason or mission. Lesson Materials: Lesson Outline: • Students’ religion Opening Prayer Say: Heavenly Father, You made each and every one of notebooks (1 min) us to be unique and to carry out a unique mission in this • Copies of world. Help us learn more today about how You call Mark 1: 16-20 and us to follow Your Son Jesus as we learn about how He Luke 5:1-11 activity called His first disciples to follow Him. We hope to do pages for each Your will in each and every moment of our lives, as we student pray together: Our Father who art in heaven …. Amen. • Pencils • Markers • Overhead projector (optional) Assessing Prior Determine what your students know about the • Venn Diagram Knowledge apostles. transparency (3 min) (optional) Say: Today we are going to talk about Jesus’ apostles. We know that Jesus had 12 apostles, but how many of them can we name? Have a student volunteer write the names of 12 apostles on the board as the other students answer: Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James, Judas/ Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, Judas Iscariot. Ask the students to say something they know about the apostle who they name. Potential answers include: • Matthew and John wrote Gospels. • John was the only one at the foot of Jesus’ Cross. • Matthew was a tax collector. (Continued ...) 5 - 1 pg. 1 Lesson Outline, Continued: Assessing Prior • Peter was given the keys to the kingdom. Knowledge • Peter denied Jesus three times. Continued • Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus. • Thomas doubted. • Andrew was Peter’s brother and the first to follow Jesus. Say: What do all the apostles have in common? Guide them to identify that despite many differences in their backgrounds and their gifts, they were all followers of Jesus. Say: Who else are followers of Jesus? They might mention individuals such as the saints or faith role models in their own lives, but guide them to answer that we are all followers of Jesus. Gospel Connection Say: Today we are going to look at how the apostles, & Guided and other disciples began to follow Jesus. Discussion (8-10 min) Make the connection that before the disciples followed Jesus, Jesus called them. It was because Jesus called them that they followed Him. Distribute the activity pages of the call of the first disciples from Mark 1: 16-20 and Luke 5:1-11. Before reading them, explain that the two gospel stories have some similarities and differences. Instruct the students to listen attentively for similarities and differences. Select student volunteers to read them, paragraph by paragraph, with the rest of the class following along. In identifying similarities and differences, start with the differences but do not spend an extended amount of time on them. The focus should be on the similarities. Say: What are some things about these two stories that are different? (Continued ...) 5 - 1 pg. 2 Lesson Outline, Continued: Gospel Connection Use the overhead projector and Venn Diagram & Guided transparency to record student responses. (This Discussion could also be done on the chalkboard or whiteboard.) Continued Simply list 2-3. Differences will include but are not limited to: • Sea of Galilee in Mark – vs – Lake of Gennesaret in Luke • no miraculous catch of fish in Mark – vs – a miraculous catch of fish in Luke Say: What are some things about these two stories that are similar? Use the Venn Diagram to record student responses. Simply list 1-2. Similarities will include but are not limited to: • Simon, James, and John are fishermen. • They meet Jesus near a body of water. Paired Work Have the students re-read the story in pairs and ask (5 min) them to underline things that are similar about the two stories. When students have completed their work, have pairs share what they highlighted with the rest of the class. Compile their responses using the Venn Diagram. Be sure to record that, in both stories, the disciples were called to be “fishers of men.” Discussion Make the connection that just as Jesus called the (5 min) disciples to follow Him and to be “fishers of men,” He calls us for a particular reason or mission as well. Say: Did Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John always know that they were supposed to be fishers of men? How did they figure it out? Guide them to identify that they listened to Jesus. (Continued ...) 5 - 1 pg. 3 Lesson Outline, Continued: Our vocations are the Discussion Say: We also need to listen to the way Jesus is calling us unique mission God has for Continued to follow Him. This calling by God is called a vocation. us – a mission that no one The word “vocation” comes from the Latin word else in this world can fulfill “vocare,” which means “to call.” Our vocations, just but us. We are to become like the vocations of Peter, Andrew, James, and John, the saints we were made are a call from God to follow Jesus in a particular way. to be. For more on the meaning of vocation, see Write the following definition of vocation on chart “A Vision of Vocation” paper and display it in the classroom. Have the included in the curriculum. students record the definition in their notebook, journal, binder, or folder: A vocation is the particular way God calls someone to know, love, and serve Him and make Him known, loved, and served by others. Say: What are some examples of things that God calls us to do to know, love, and serve Him, and to make Him known, loved, and served. If students are slow to respond, you might want to prompt them with a few examples. Feel free to add other examples, but be sure to follow the same format of using the word “called.” Include these examples on the chart. • Apostles are called to be “fishers of men.” • Teachers are called to educate. • Doctors and nurses are called to care for the sick. • Parents are called to love each other and their children. Conclude by emphasizing that everyone has a vocation. Even as students, they are called to study and work hard to reach their full potential. Closing Prayer Say: God, we thank You for helping us learn more today about the call of the first apostles and disciples. Help us, like them, to hear Your call in our lives so we can follow our vocations and come to know, love, and serve You, as well as make You known, loved, and served by others. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 5 - 1 pg. 4 The Call of the First Disciples Luke 5:1-11 hile the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, Whe was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him. Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Chris- tian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New Ameri- can Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner. The Call of the First Disciples Mark 1:16-20 s he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother AAndrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him. Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Chris- tian Doctrine, Washington, D.C.
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