Unit Overview

This unit explores the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It focuses on the Holy Spirit as the source of strength, enabling us to continue the mission of Jesus. The unit looks at the Holy Spirit as the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise not to leave us alone after he had ascended into Heaven. The unit concludes by identifying the mystery of the Holy Trinity as central to our faith.

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Enduring Understanding

The Holy Spirit is a source of strength, enabling us to continue the mission of Jesus.

Objectives

A student will

value and appreciate and become aware of their religious identity and their spiritual heritage; appreciate the richness of the tradition and the need for community; be open to participation in the mission of the Church
develop an understanding of the nature and mission of the Church, both local and universal, and its history and teachings from its beginning to the present
analyse and communicate informed viewpoints on the nature and mission of the Church; review their experience in the light of its teachings; evaluate their participation in its undertakings

Outcomes

A student

appreciates how Christian communities are strengthened by the Holy Spirit to continue the mission of Jesus. (RECVB3)
describes how the Ascension and Pentecost fulfil Jesus’ promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit. (RECKB3)
names and describes the mystery of the Trinity. (RECSB3)

Essential Questions

How was Jesus’ promise fulfilled after he ascended into heaven?
How does the Holy Spirit strengthen us to live lives of love and service?
How is God revealed to us as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

Learning Focus, Statements of Learning & Course Content

Students deepen their understanding of the events of the Ascension and Pentecost by

- exploring Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit.
- Define ‘promise’. Students explore why promises are made and what is challenging about keeping them.
- Explore Acts 1:6-11 The Ascension and interpret how Jesus promised that they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit and be Jesus’ witnesses throughout the earth.
- Recognise that the Ascension is Jesus returning to his Father and that the Church celebrates this day as a special feast.
- reflecting on the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit.
- Explore Acts 2:1-8,12 First Pentecost (storytelling).
- Explore Acts 2:1-8,12 First Pentecost as a fulfilment of Jesus’ promise.
- Read KWL Book 3 Chapter 8 The Word of God p62 (Acts 2:1-8) and identify the feelings and responses of the disciples during this time of change and transition.
- Recognise that Pentecost is the gift of the Holy Spirit descending on the Apostles and that the Church celebrates this day as a special feast culminating in the season of Easter.
- recognising how the early Christian community were transformed by the Holy Spirit.
- Explore Acts 2:42-47 The Early Christians (storytelling).
- Explore Acts 2:42-47 The Early Christians and describe how they were united in fellowship, were faithful to the teaching of the Apostles, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.
- Explore Acts 4:32-35 The Believers Share Their Possessions and identify how the grace of the Holy Spirit helped the early Christian Church to live in love and service of others.
- Explore how the early Christian community teaches us about being a community, united in fellowship, faithful to the teachings of Jesus and praying together.

Students recognise how the Holy Spirit strengthens us to live lives of love and service by

- exploring their family, school and parish communities.
- Explore 1 Cor 12:4-11 Spiritual Gifts and discuss what is meant by ‘gifts’ in the passage.
- Investigate how members of family, school and parish communities use their gifts to live lives of love and service.
- reflecting on St Vincent de Paul and the St Vincent de Paul Society.
- Read KWL Book 3 Chapter 8 Living the Gospel p64 and explore how St Vincent de Paul used his gifts to live a life of love and service.
- Read KWL Book 3 Chapter 8 Did you know p65 and discuss the symbolism used in the St Vincent de Paul Society logo.
- Investigate the work of the ‘St Vincent de Paul Society’ within parishes and the wider community.
- identifying and using their gifts to love and serve others.
- Identify the gifts that each possess and how they can use these gifts to love and serve others.
- Using 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, create a class celebration based on our call to live lives of love and service, strengthened by the Holy Spirit.

Students develop their understanding of the Trinity by

- exploring God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- Explore Mark 1:9-11 The Baptism of Jesus and recognise there is one God in three Divine Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- Read KWL Book 3 Chapter 1 Sharing in the Loving Life of God p4-5 and explore the belief in God as the Trinity.
- Explore the ‘We believe’ statements relating to the Trinity in the Nicene Creed.
- Explore parts of the Mass where the Trinity is celebrated.
- Read KWL Book 3 Chapter 1 Living the Gospel and Did You Know p8-9 and explore expressions of the Trinity in art.
- Recognise that The Most Holy Trinity celebrates God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit and that the Church celebrates this solemnity on the Sunday after Pentecost.
- examining Trinitarian prayers that Catholics pray.
- Identify prayers and hymns that we pray to the Trinity including The Sign of the Cross, The Glory Be and Come, Holy Spirit.
- Read KWL Book 3 Chapter 1 In Tradition p7 as an example of a Trinitarian prayer and construct prayers that honour the Trinity.
- Using Mark 1:9-11, Trinitarian prayers, art and hymns create a class celebration honouring this mystery of our faith.

Compulsory Scripture

Unit Content 1
Acts 1:6-11 The Ascension
Acts 4:32-35 The Believers Share Their Possessions
Acts 2:1-8,12 The First Pentecost
Acts 2 :42-47 The Early Christians

Unit Content 2
1 Cor 12: 4-11 Spiritual Gifts

Unit Content 3
Mark 1: 9-11 The Baptism of Jesus

Storytelling

Unit Content 1:
Acts 2:1-8,12 The First Pentecost
Acts 2 :42-47 The Early Christians

Church Documents

Catechism of the Catholic Church

731 – On the day of Pentecost when the seven weeks of Easter had come to an end, Christ’s Passover is fulfilled in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, manifested, given and communicated as a divine person: of his fullness, Christ, the Lord, pours out the Spirit in abundance.
747 – The Holy Spirit, whom Christ the head pours out on his members, builds, animates and sanctifies the Church. She is the sacrament of the Holy Trinity’s communion with men.
261 – The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and of Christian life. God alone can make it known to us by revealing himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
253 – The Trinity is One. We do not confess three Gods, but one God in three persons, the “consubstantial Trinity”.83 The divine persons do not share the one divinity among themselves but each of them is God whole and entire: “The Father is that which the Son is, the Son that which the Father is, the Father and the Son that which the Holy Spirit is, i.e. by nature one God.”84 In the words of the Fourth Lateran Council (1215), “Each of the persons is that supreme reality, viz., the divine substance, essence or nature.”85
536 – The Spirit whom Jesus possessed in fullness from his conception comes to “rest on him’. Jesus will be the source of the Spirit for all mankind.

KWL

Unit Content 1
KWL Book 3 Chapter 8 The Word of God p62 (Acts 2:1-8)

Unit Content 2
KWL Book 3 Chapter 8 Living the Gospel p64
KWL Book 3 Chapter 8 Did you know? p65

Unit Content 3

KWL Book 3 Chapter 1 Sharing in the Loving Life of God p4-5
KWL Book 3 Chapter 1 Living the Gospel & Did you know? P8-9
KWL Book 3 Chapter 1 In Tradition and ‘Our Prayer’ p7

Prayer

Prayers of Tradition
The Nicene Creed
Sign of the Cross
Glory Be
Come Holy Spirit

Eucharist and Liturgical Rites
Greeting in the Introductory Rites of Mass
Dismissal in Concluding Rites of Mass

Praying with Scripture
Reflection through Jeremiah 29:4–14

Other Prayer Forms
Reflection and commitment prayer using 1 Cor 12: 4–7

General Capabilities

Australian Curriculum
Cross Curriculum Priorities		The General Capabilities
	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures		Critical and creative thinking
	Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia		Ethical understanding
	Sustainability		Information and communication technology capability
Other important learning identified by the NSW Educational Standards Authority (NESA):			Intercultural understanding
	Civics and citizenship		Literacy
	Difference and diversity		Numeracy
	Work and enterprise		Personal and social capability

B3 – Pentecost