Customized Lesson Plan
Christ Our Life Grade 7, Chapter 4, School Edition
Jesus the Nazarene
The World Jesus Lived In
Faith Focus
Correlates to the Catechism of
the Catholic Church
Scripture
Church Documents
Day One
Objectives
Key Terms
Materials
Centering
Sharing
Acting
Jesus was a Jewish man who lived in first-century Palestine during the
Roman occupation.
Paragraphs 122, 423
Hebrews 2:17
Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation #12, General Catechetical
Directory #12
Palestine: The Land and Its Leaders
The students will
 name and locate Palestine’s three main regions and its geographical
features
 know the political situation in Palestine
 describe the various religious groups among the Jewish people
Palestine—the land where Jesus lived; Israel; the Holy Land
Galilee—northern region of Palestine where Jesus lived
Samaria—central region of Palestine
Samaritans—people of Samaria who were considered heretics
Judea—southern region of Palestine where Jesus lived and died
Jerusalem—capital city of Judea; the Holy City where the Temple was
Torah—the Law; the first five books of the Bible; the Pentateuch
Pharisees—devout, largely middle-class Jews who loved the Torah; the
Gospels portray them as stressing external observances too much
Sadducees—political leaders, mostly priests, who did not believe in
resurrection
Scribes—the scholarly teachers among the Pharisees
Sanhedrin—seventy-one Jewish men in Judea who acted as a supreme
council
Zealots—freedom fighters who sometimes used violence to overthrow
Rome’s control of Palestine
Essenes—men who usually lived in desert communities in order to live a
pure life
Globe or world map
Map of Palestine or a simple drawing of it showing Galilee, Samaria, and
Judea
Day Two
Objectives
Key Terms
Materials
Religion and Life in Jesus’ Day
The students will
 understand how Jesus practiced his religion
 become acquainted with some of the Jewish feasts
 know what daily life was like in Jesus’ time
Shema—the main commandment of the Jewish people, which was prayed
daily
Sabbath—the Lord’s Day; a day of rest; Saturday
Passover—the Jewish feast at the end of spring that commemorates the
Exodus
Pentecost—the Jewish feast of the Ten Commandments and of thanksgiving
for the harvest
Tabernacles (Sukkot)—the fall Jewish feast of seven or eight days to recall
the time the Israelites lived in tents (booths) in the desert
Rosh Hashana—the Jewish New Year celebrated with prayer and
solemnity; it begins a ten-day period of reflection that ends with Yom
Kippur
Yom Kippur—the Day of Atonement; day of fasting and repentance
Hanukkah—an eight-day Jewish festival that recalls their fight for religious
freedom against the Syrians and the rededication of the Temple
Flashcards for Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles, Rosh Hashana, Yom
Kippur, Hanukkah
Paper
Felt-tipped pens or paint
Centering
Sharing
Acting
Day Three
Objectives
Understanding Jesus Today
The students will
 apply knowledge of the world Jesus lived in to passages of the
Gospels
 know that Jesus lives in us
 desire to be Jesus for the world today
Key Terms
Materials
Centering
Sharing
New Testaments
Master 17
Song for ACTING #2 such as “Create a Clean Heart,” “Here I Am, Lord,”
“Service,” “Take My Hands,” “St. Teresa’s Prayer”
Acting
Day Four
Objectives
Key Terms
Materials
The History of Jesus’ People
The students will
 review salvation history
 trace the history of the Jewish people since the time of Jesus
 grow in respect for the Jewish people
 see God’s presence and action in their lives
salvation history—the story of how God entered into history and carried out
the divine plan to save all people
Master 18
String or masking tape at least 20 feet long
Large card
Centering
Sharing
Acting
Enrichment
Activity Finder
Quiz 4, Master 19
Sunday Connection