Aug 24

Quick and Easy Start-of-the-Year-Review Ideas

by Dan Thomas

There is a real value in getting a sense of what
your students have comprehended and retained
from previous years so that you know what to
emphasize in the new learning year. You might
also have students who are new to your program.
You'll want to have a sense of what their faith
formation has involved in recent years.

Here are several ways of exploring what your
students know.

Play Jeopardy using words in the glossary of your textbook. Pick out terms that you consider important and, using a Jeopardy-type template, adapt the game to the age of your students. Pflaum Publishing Group has a Catholic Jeopardy game with Catholic faith game cartridges and provides the ability for you to make your own games. They have a sample online game you can try just for fun!
During one of your early sessions in the year, have students look through their textbooks, specifically the table of contents, and develop discussion questions about the content of each unit. This will give you a good sense of what students are familiar with. Or ask students to comment on what material in the textbook is familiar to them, what they recall learning about in the past. Ask them if there are things they don’t recognize, and use these as “teasers” for what they will learn in the coming year.
The Call to Faith series (harcourtreligion.com) has an activity that asks students to think about something they already know about being Catholic, share it with a partner, and then write it on a piece of paper. Collect the papers during the session or at the end and share the statements (anonymously) with the entire group.
Have students draw Catholic symbols and explain the meanings of the symbols to one another.
If possible, take students on a tour of your parish church to see what items and areas they can name and describe.
It is important to involve families in this process as well. Send something home to the parents asking them to discuss with their children what they know and what they need to know about our Catholic faith. It would be interesting to see what comes of this activity.

There are many other ways to get a sense of what your students know at the beginning of the learning year. Your textbook series may have some valuable ideas to help you make this determination. The basic purpose is to begin the process of learning about your students and their needs. Reviewing is a great way to begin this process.

Dan Thomas served in catechetical leadership for over 30 years and remains involved in the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership (NCCL). He and his wife, Eileen, are the parents of two adult sons.

Source: CATECHIST magazine, September 2010
Copyright 2010, Peter Li, Inc. This article may not be reprinted or reproduced in any form without permission, except for use with your classes or families.

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