Free Why Do We Baptise In The Catholic Church? Lesson Plan for 8th Grade Students

Topic: Why do we Baptise in the Catholic church?

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to explain the significance of Baptism in the Catholic church and why it is performed.

Materials

• Images or videos of Baptisms
• Handouts with information on Baptism
• Catholic prayer books (optional)

Warm-up

• Begin the lesson by asking students what they know about Baptism and why it is performed in the Catholic church.
• Allow several students to share their ideas and provide feedback.
• Ask students if they have been baptised and, if so, how they feel being baptised has impacted their lives.

Direct Instruction

• Explain that Baptism is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, which are rites that symbolise important moments in a person's spiritual life.
• Baptism is the ritual by which a person is cleansed of sin and reborn into the Catholic Church.
• It is performed using holy water and the words "I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
• It is a symbol of our new life in Christ and our acceptance into the Catholic Church.
• It also marks the beginning of our journey of Christian discipleship.

Guided Practice: Water Baptism

• Provide each student with a small container of water and a cotton ball.
• Have them dip the cotton ball into the water and then use it to paint a cross on their forehead.
• Have them say the words "I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
• Encourage the students to meditate on the significance of this ritual and its role in their journey of Christian discipleship.

Independent Practice: Baptismal Certificate

• Give each student a piece of paper and some markers or crayons.
• Have them create their own baptismal certificate, which is a symbol of their commitment to Christian discipleship.
• They can write their name, the name of their godparents, and the date of their baptism on their certificate.
• Encourage them to be creative and to add any other decorations or details they wish.

Closure

• Have the students share their baptismal certificates with the class.
• Ask them to explain what they wrote and why they chose to add certain details to their certificates.
• As a class, discuss the importance of symbols in the Catholic faith and how they can serve as reminders of our commitments to God and to each other.

Assessment

• Observe the students during the Eucharist and baptismal ceremony to see if they are participating actively in the rituals.
• Have the students complete a reflection on the importance of rituals and symbols in the Catholic faith.
• Review the baptismal certificates to assess the students' understanding of the significance of being baptized in the Catholic church.