Curriculum

 

The Grades 1-8 Parish Faith Formation Curriculum embraces the vision and mission of the evangelization initiative of the Archdiocese of Detroit as outlined in the pastoral letter, Unleash the Gospel.  By embracing this vision, the curriculum will raise up children who are well-formed and have zeal for sharing their faith in the family, parish, workplace, and greater community.

 

Covering the full and authentic teachings of the Catholic Church and rooted in Scripture, Church Tradition, and Ignatian spirituality, Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts starts children out on a life of intentional discipleship. This faith formation program helps foster a lived relationship with God through Jesus.  Embracing the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Finding God provides all the tools to engage the whole child—mind, heart, and soul—uniquely guiding children to engage with Scripture, practice prayer and reflection, and to find God in all things.

 

Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts is based on a spiral curriculum that integrates the fundamental themes of the Catechism of the Catholic Church with Scripture and Catholic Social teachings.  As children are introduced to and revisit concepts and vocabulary from one year to the next, their knowledge and experience both broaden and deepen as they grow in faith as committed disciples of Jesus.

 

Finding God for Grades 1-6 reinforces the program’s robust Catholic faith content through the use of dynamic multimedia experiences.  Children engage with videos, audio, and interactive experiences to respond to the ongoing invitation to enter into a deeper relationship with God and the Catholic Church.  The children engage with Scripture and prayerfully consider the essential connections between God’s Word and their own lives.  Each session begins with Scripture, and posters and blackline masters devoted to Bible passages are integrated into every lesson.

 

The Student Book features Catholic content shared in a rich context with beautiful Catholic art, thoughtful prayers, and engaging activities and experiences that will draw children in to fully learn, experience, and express their faith.  Every session creates an environment in which children connect and further develop Catholic identity and literacy.  Parent Resources accessible through the student book gives parents an opportunity to learn more about the faith concepts their child is studying in class.

 

Seventh and eighth graders face many important decisions about school, interactions with family and friends, interests they want to pursue, and faith.  Finding God Grades 7-8 reaches young people where they are in this critical stage of their lives and provides in-depth support for catechists and parents.

 

Printed features in the Student Book such as Where Do I Fit In, Past and Present, Faith in Action and What’s What relate to young people and help them reflect upon and recognize God’s presence in their world.  Engaging, age-appropriate multimedia content such as interactive quizzes and decision-making scenarios, engaging videos, guided reflections, and meditations connect with young people, helping form them as lifelong disciples of Jesus.

 

The Finding God Junior High program expands on themes introduced in Grades 1-6.  The Grade 7 program focuses on the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Grade 8 focuses on the Church as the universal flock of Jesus.