9Th and 10Th Grade Curriculum Objective: Jesus Christ Our Life
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9th and 10th Grade High School Curriculum Table of Contents 1 9th and 10th Grade Curriculum Objective: Jesus Christ Our Life “And this is eternal life, knowing you Father, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” As Christians we are called to live in communion with God and to know Him. But how do we get to know the Father. Jesus said “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” Christ is the ultimate, the final revelation of God. And as Christians, when we see Christ, we know the Father. Having this relationship with Christ, and truly understanding His love for us, and abiding in this love, is what gives us life. This relationship directs us to the mysteries and to living a moral life in the Church. As such, the objective of this curriculum is to build on this relationship with Christ through the Holy Spirit. How is this accomplished? The units vary from one that focus on “Who is Christ” which helps us to understand and appreciate the person of Christ- seeing his compassion, love, strength, and all that is beautiful in Him, to studying the Book of Isaiah to see how the prophecies speak about Christ, to a unit about the role of the Holy Spirit and how He makes Christ present to us through the mysteries, through prayer, and through contemplating on Christ’s life. We also study the book of Revelation to see that Christ will come again to collect His people and how the end is not for our condemnation but for our redemption.. All of the units in this curriculum should focus on the person of Christ and building a spiritual life through understanding His love and will for us. Really, the ultimate goal of these years is to have the students understand who Christ is and practically understand how to build a relationship with Him. 2 Unit 1 Nothing shall separate from the Love of God in Christ Jesus Objective The objective of this unit is to make it clear that the love of Christ is all encompassing. It is stronger than even death. This is first shown in the love of the martyrs-i.e. to what extent they loved the Lord, it is demonstrated in the everyday relationship between the Church and Christ, and it is ultimately shown in the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The goal is to show the students the power of this love and how it really is the ultimate truth in our lives. This is a unit on spirituality but it also incorporates some Bible study. Unit Outline Lesson 1: Nyrouz- Those who love Christ Lesson 2: Relationship to Christ Lesson 3: Feast of the Cross 3 Lesson 1: Nyrouz- Those who Love Christ Objective: To demonstrate to what extent a person loves Christ- to the point of even death. Memory Verse: “21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21) References: The letter of St. Ignatius to the Romans Lesson Plan: Introduction: Speak about an event in which people are very frightened. Example- after hurricane Katrina, people were stuck in the stadium. They were chaotic, they were panicked, there was violence. Why? What was the underlying fear? They were all afraid of death. Lesson Outline: Study of letter of St. Ignatius of Antioch to the Romans. In this letter he discusses his deep desire to die. To specifically, have wild beasts tear him apart. What would drive a person to do this? Contrast this to the way the world views death. Highlight his love and his relationship to Christ. What could drive a person to faithfully face what St. Ignatius faced? With all hope, love, and peace? 4 Conclusion: When we find Christ’s love it is even stronger then death. People see death as bringing them to Christ. Applications: How is our view of death? Is death a fearful event? Or do we realize that there is something even stronger than death? 5 Lesson 2: Relationship to Christ Objective: Demonstrate the qualities of the relationship between Christ and the Church Memory Verse: “My beloved spoke, and said to me: ‘Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away.’” (Songs 2:10) References: Have You Seen the One I Love By: HH Pope Shenouda III Lesson Plan: Introduction: What is the way the world loves us? The world loves us because… Ask the students who they love and why? There are always conditions Lesson Outline: Study of Chapter 6, Chapter 3 of Songs of Solomon- Examining the love we have for Christ and the love He has for us. What are the characteristics of this relationship? What are some of the ways that the relationship is described? Who are each of the characters (the Beloved (Christ), the Shulamite (Us)). How is the Beloved described? How is the Shulamite described? Examine how Christ views us- He thinks that we are beautiful and wonderful. There is a relationship that exists between Christ and the Church that is even stronger than a love affair. 6 In one of the songs, she is lazy, and ignores his knocking. Speak to how we have to answer the door when He knocks. By the time she opens, He is gone. What could this signify? She goes out in the streets panicked looking for Him. Once she finds Him, she does not let go. Relationship with Christ can be more fulfilling than even the relationship between man and woman Conclusion: The love of Christ is so strong and fulfilling, Applications: How is Christ knocking on our hearts? How is he telling us we are “most fair?” How do we answer this call? 7 Lesson 3: Feast of the Cross Objective: To show the extent of Christ’s love for us. The strength of His love is demonstrated in the Cross. Memory Verse: 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32) References: Romans 8 Lesson Plan: Introduction: The Church celebrates the feast of the Cross on the 17th of Tout, (27th or 82th of September), the proee to the omperor the oft of the fppfratao ofConstantine, and on the 10th of Baramhat (19th of March), the day when the ompreee sere foo o the ooo of the sort proee. What is so important about the cross that we would take so much time to commemorate it? Lesson Outline: Study of Romans 8:12-14 Since we have been given such great gift, the love of Christ and the Father. We must answer this call. He has given us life. We were dead in sin, and had no power to change, to live again, but he has become like us and fulfilled the requirement of the law (Romans 8) When we see this love that the Lord has for us, it is completely overwhelming. Read Romans 8:31-39. What shall separate me from the love of God. By St. Paul seeking the Lord with all his heart, it is almost as if he can see Christ, he can feel Christ on 8 the Cross and then through this he finally finds an answer a freedom from his passions. When we truly seek Him this is when we have the freedom. We need to experience this love ourselves in order to bring it to the kids. In the cross, Christ’s love is made very real. Without the cross and resurrection we cannot find this. Conclusion: I you ever do not feel the love of God, it is important to sit at the Cross (watch the Passion, read the accounts of His passion). Look to what extent He did what He did. And when we see how much He loves us, we know there is nothing in this world that would ever make Him reject us or keep us from Him. And all the suffering in this life are nothing compared to the life with Him Applications: Is there something you are suffering from in your life? What is it that is causing you to suffer? Is it a sin? If it is a sin, you need to be free from it. We become free from it, by seeing the extent of Christ’s love for us. And when we chose this love over all else, we become free. 9 Unit 2 The Book of Isaiah Objective This is an informative unit on Isaiah intended to be taught in a Bible study format reading the chapters with the students. It has to be very interactive. The goal is for them to see all the references to Christ and the Church. To recognize that these prophecies were written hundreds of years before Christ was incarnate and how clearly it described Him. Whenever there is a chance let the children open their Bibles and read from them. In the book they will see how Christ had promised to bring life to a people who had left him, and how he is their savior. This unit is categorized as Bible study. Unit Outline Lesson 1: Introduction & chapters 7, 9, and 11 Lesson 2: Isaiah 11, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Lesson 3: Isaiah 40 and 49 Lesson 4: Isaiah 53, The Messiah Lesson 5: Chapter 55-61 Lesson 6: Chapter 66 10 Lesson 1: Introduction & Chapters 7, 9, and 11 Objective: Provide an introduction to Isaiah and the writing style To discover the references to Christ Memory Verse: “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder.