Presentation on the 2015 Religion Course of Study (K-8) for the Catholic Diocese of Columbus. Includes a discussion on "religion across the curriculum."

1. 2015 Columbus
Diocesan Religion
Course of Study
With a Discussion of Religion Across the Curriculum

2. Presenter
Mark W. Butler
 Bachelor of Arts
Religion, History
Berea College (Berea, KY)
 Master of Theological Studies
Church History
M.T.S.O. (Delaware, OH)
 Former Religious Education Consultant and Director of
Youth Ministry for the Diocese of Columbus; Former
Education Curator for the Ohio Historical Society
 2002 Recipient of the National Catholic Youth Ministry
Award
 Currently Director of Religious Education at Holy Spirit
Parish

3. Religion Curriculum
 “It is necessary, therefore, that religious
instruction in schools appear as a
scholastic discipline with the same
systematic demands and the same rigor
as other disciplines. It must present the
Christian message and the Christian
event with the same seriousness and the
same depth with which other disciplines
present their knowledge.”
General Directory for Catechesis #73

4. 2015 Religion Course of
Study - Structure

5. 2015 Religion Course of
Study - Structure
 Organized around the six fundamental
“tasks of catechesis”, each of which is
related to an aspect of faith in Christ.

6. 2015 Religion Course of
Study - Structure
 Organized around the six fundamental
“tasks of catechesis”, each of which is
related to an aspect of faith in Christ.
 Under each task is a series of topics
which represent different aspects of
content within a task.

7. 2015 Religion Course of
Study - Structure
 Organized around the six fundamental
“tasks of catechesis”, each of which is
related to an aspect of faith in Christ.
 Under each task is a series of topics
which represent different aspects of
content within a task.
 Within each topic are content standards
which are the essential knowledge to be
learned at each grade level.

8. Six Fundamental Tasks of
Catechesis

9. Six Fundamental Tasks of
Catechesis
 Catechesis promotes knowledge of the faith.

10. Six Fundamental Tasks of
Catechesis
 Catechesis promotes knowledge of the faith.
 Catechesis promotes a knowledge of the
meaning of the Liturgy and the sacraments.

11. Six Fundamental Tasks of
Catechesis
 Catechesis promotes knowledge of the faith.
 Catechesis promotes a knowledge of the
meaning of the Liturgy and the sacraments.
 Catechesis promotes moral formation in Jesus
Christ.

12. Six Fundamental Tasks of
Catechesis
 Catechesis promotes knowledge of the faith.
 Catechesis promotes a knowledge of the
meaning of the Liturgy and the sacraments.
 Catechesis promotes moral formation in Jesus
Christ.
 Catechesis teaches the Christian how to pray
with Christ.

13. Six Fundamental Tasks of
Catechesis
 Catechesis promotes knowledge of the faith.
 Catechesis promotes a knowledge of the
meaning of the Liturgy and the sacraments.
 Catechesis promotes moral formation in Jesus
Christ.
 Catechesis teaches the Christian how to pray
with Christ.
 Catechesis prepares the Christian to live in
community and to participate actively in the life
and mission of the Church.

14. Six Fundamental Tasks of
Catechesis
 Catechesis promotes knowledge of the faith.
 Catechesis promotes a knowledge of the
meaning of the Liturgy and the sacraments.
 Catechesis promotes moral formation in Jesus
Christ.
 Catechesis teaches the Christian how to pray
with Christ.
 Catechesis prepares the Christian to live in
community and to participate actively in the life
and mission of the Church.
 Catechesis promotes a missionary spirit that
prepares the faithful to be present as Christians in
society.

15. Why base a curriculum
around the six tasks?

16. Why base a curriculum
around the six tasks?
 “All of these tasks are necessary. As the
vitality of the human body depends on the
proper function of all of its organs, so also
the maturation of the Christian life requires
that it be cultivated in all its dimensions…
When catechesis omits one of these
elements, the Christian faith does not attain
full development.”
General Directory for Catechesis #87

17. Why base a curriculum
around the six tasks?
 “All of these tasks are necessary. As the
vitality of the human body depends on the
proper function of all of its organs, so also
the maturation of the Christian life requires
that it be cultivated in all its dimensions…
When catechesis omits one of these
elements, the Christian faith does not attain
full development.”
General Directory for Catechesis #87
 “Each task, from its own perspective, realizes
the object of catechesis, and all the tasks
are interdependent.”
National Directory for Catechesis #20

18. Four Pillars of the Catechism

19. Four Pillars of the Catechism
TheProfessionofFaith

20. Four Pillars of the Catechism
TheProfessionofFaith
TheCelebrationofthe
ChristianMystery

21. Four Pillars of the Catechism
TheProfessionofFaith
TheCelebrationofthe
ChristianMystery
LifeinChrist

22. Four Pillars of the Catechism
TheProfessionofFaith
TheCelebrationofthe
ChristianMystery
LifeinChrist
ChristianPrayer

23. Four Pillars of the Catechism
TheProfessionofFaith
TheCelebrationofthe
ChristianMystery
LifeinChrist
ChristianPrayer
1
Knowledge
of the Faith

24. Four Pillars of the Catechism
TheProfessionofFaith
TheCelebrationofthe
ChristianMystery
LifeinChrist
ChristianPrayer
1 2
Knowledge of the
Liturgical Life and
the Sacraments

25. Four Pillars of the Catechism
TheProfessionofFaith
TheCelebrationofthe
ChristianMystery
LifeinChrist
ChristianPrayer
1 2 3
Knowledge of
Moral Formation

26. Four Pillars of the Catechism
TheProfessionofFaith
TheCelebrationofthe
ChristianMystery
LifeinChrist
ChristianPrayer
1 2 3 4
Knowledge
of Prayer

27. Four Pillars of the Catechism
TheProfessionofFaith
TheCelebrationofthe
ChristianMystery
LifeinChrist
ChristianPrayer
1 2 3 4

28. Four Pillars of the Catechism
TheProfessionofFaith
TheCelebrationofthe
ChristianMystery
LifeinChrist
ChristianPrayer
1 2 3 4
What a disciple of Jesus
Christ needs to know.

29. Four Pillars of the Catechism
TheProfessionofFaith
TheCelebrationofthe
ChristianMystery
LifeinChrist
ChristianPrayer
1 2 3 4

30. Four Pillars of the Catechism
TheProfessionofFaith
TheCelebrationofthe
ChristianMystery
LifeinChrist
ChristianPrayer
1 2 3 4
Community Life
5

31. Four Pillars of the Catechism
TheProfessionofFaith
TheCelebrationofthe
ChristianMystery
LifeinChrist
ChristianPrayer
1 2 3 4
Community Life
5
Missionary Spirit
6

32. Four Pillars of the Catechism
TheProfessionofFaith
TheCelebrationofthe
ChristianMystery
LifeinChrist
ChristianPrayer
1 2 3 4
Community Life
5
Missionary Spirit
6
How the disciple lives out
those aspects in daily life.

33. Task I: Knowledge of the Faith
Topics

34. Task I: Knowledge of the Faith
Topics
A. The Person of Jesus
Christ

35. Task I: Knowledge of the Faith
Topics
A. The Person of Jesus
Christ
B. Understand Scripture

36. Task I: Knowledge of the Faith
Topics
A. The Person of Jesus
Christ
B. Understand Scripture
C. Creeds and
Doctrines of the
Church

37. Task I: Knowledge of the Faith
Topics
A. The Person of Jesus
Christ
B. Understand Scripture
C. Creeds and
Doctrines of the
Church
D. Discover the
Church’s Tradition
and Relevance of
Church History

38. Task I: Knowledge of the Faith
Topics
A. The Person of Jesus
Christ
B. Understand Scripture
C. Creeds and
Doctrines of the
Church
D. Discover the
Church’s Tradition
and Relevance of
Church History
E. Christian Thought
and Culture

39. Task II: Knowledge of the Liturgical
Life and the Sacraments
Topics

40. Task II: Knowledge of the Liturgical
Life and the Sacraments
Topics
A.Paschal Mystery
Forms and
Transforms

41. Task II: Knowledge of the Liturgical
Life and the Sacraments
Topics
A.Paschal Mystery
Forms and
Transforms
B. Sacraments

42. Task II: Knowledge of the Liturgical
Life and the Sacraments
Topics
A.Paschal Mystery
Forms and
Transforms
B. Sacraments
C.Liturgical
Catechesis

43. Task II: Knowledge of the Liturgical
Life and the Sacraments
Topics
A.Paschal Mystery
Forms and
Transforms
B. Sacraments
C.Liturgical
Catechesis
D.Dimensions of
Priesthood:
Baptismal and
Ordained

44. Task III: Knowledge of Moral
Formation
Topics

45. Task III: Knowledge of Moral
Formation
Topics
A. Commandment to
Love

46. Task III: Knowledge of Moral
Formation
Topics
A. Commandment to
Love
B. Ten Commandments
and Beatitudes

47. Task III: Knowledge of Moral
Formation
Topics
A. Commandment to
Love
B. Ten Commandments
and Beatitudes
C. Sin and Grace

48. Task III: Knowledge of Moral
Formation
Topics
A. Commandment to
Love
B. Ten Commandments
and Beatitudes
C. Sin and Grace
D. Conscience
Formation

49. Task III: Knowledge of Moral
Formation
Topics
A. Commandment to
Love
B. Ten Commandments
and Beatitudes
C. Sin and Grace
D. Conscience
Formation
E. Objective Moral
Norms

50. Task III: Knowledge of Moral
Formation
Topics
A. Commandment to
Love
B. Ten Commandments
and Beatitudes
C. Sin and Grace
D. Conscience
Formation
E. Objective Moral
Norms
F. Gospel of Life

51. Task III: Knowledge of Moral
Formation
Topics
A. Commandment to
Love
B. Ten Commandments
and Beatitudes
C. Sin and Grace
D. Conscience
Formation
E. Objective Moral
Norms
F. Gospel of Life
G. Living a Moral Life

52. Task IV: Knowledge of Prayer
Topics

53. Task IV: Knowledge of Prayer
Topics
A. Christian Prayer
Tradition

54. Task IV: Knowledge of Prayer
Topics
A. Christian Prayer
Tradition
B. Personal Prayer

55. Task IV: Knowledge of Prayer
Topics
A. Christian Prayer
Tradition
B. Personal Prayer
C. Communal
Prayer

56. Task IV: Knowledge of Prayer
Topics
A. Christian Prayer
Tradition
B. Personal Prayer
C. Communal
Prayer
D. Popular Piety
and Devotions

57. Task V: Knowledge of Community
Life
Topics

58. Task V: Knowledge of Community
Life
Topics
A. Spiritual Growth

59. Task V: Knowledge of Community
Life
Topics
A. Spiritual Growth
B. Relationships and
Responsibilities

60. Task V: Knowledge of Community
Life
Topics
A. Spiritual Growth
B. Relationships and
Responsibilities
C. Marriage and Family
Life – Domestic
Church

61. Task V: Knowledge of Community
Life
Topics
A. Spiritual Growth
B. Relationships and
Responsibilities
C. Marriage and Family
Life – Domestic
Church
D. Faith Communities

62. Task V: Knowledge of Community
Life
Topics
A. Spiritual Growth
B. Relationships and
Responsibilities
C. Marriage and Family
Life – Domestic
Church
D. Faith Communities
E. Nature and Mission of
the Church

63. Task V: Knowledge of Community
Life
Topics
A. Spiritual Growth
B. Relationships and
Responsibilities
C. Marriage and Family
Life – Domestic
Church
D. Faith Communities
E. Nature and Mission of
the Church
F. Ecumenism

64. Task VI: Knowledge of the Missionary
Spirit
Topics

65. Task VI: Knowledge of the Missionary
Spirit
Topics
A. Evangelization

66. Task VI: Knowledge of the Missionary
Spirit
Topics
A. Evangelization
B. Vocation/Apostolate

67. Task VI: Knowledge of the Missionary
Spirit
Topics
A. Evangelization
B. Vocation/Apostolate
C. Social Action and
Transformation

68. Task VI: Knowledge of the Missionary
Spirit
Topics
A. Evangelization
B. Vocation/Apostolate
C. Social Action and
Transformation
D. Interreligious
Dialogue

69. Standards

70. Standards
 Total number of standards under each topic will
vary from grade to grade.

71. Standards
 Total number of standards under each topic will
vary from grade to grade.
 Depending on the focus of the grade, some
topics will have a greater emphasis in different
grade levels.

72. Standards
 Total number of standards under each topic will
vary from grade to grade.
 Depending on the focus of the grade, some
topics will have a greater emphasis in different
grade levels.
 Since some concepts are not introduced until
later, several topics in the lower grades have no
content standards.

73. Standards
 Total number of standards under each topic will
vary from grade to grade.
 Depending on the focus of the grade, some
topics will have a greater emphasis in different
grade levels.
 Since some concepts are not introduced until
later, several topics in the lower grades have no
content standards.
 Some standards build upon or expand upon
content in other topics.

74. Standards
 Total number of standards under each topic will
vary from grade to grade.
 Depending on the focus of the grade, some
topics will have a greater emphasis in different
grade levels.
 Since some concepts are not introduced until
later, several topics in the lower grades have no
content standards.
 Some standards build upon or expand upon
content in other topics.
 The content standards’ clarity and progression
through the grades makes them coherent and
manageable. Their focus on essential concepts
allows for instruction with greater rigor.

75. Standards

76. Standards
 Content standards contain references to the
Catechism of the Catholic Church which can
elaborate on the content statement.

77. Standards
 Content standards contain references to the
Catechism of the Catholic Church which can
elaborate on the content statement.
 Some standards reference Sacred Scripture or
Magisterial Documents.

78. Standards
 Content standards contain references to the
Catechism of the Catholic Church which can
elaborate on the content statement.
 Some standards reference Sacred Scripture or
Magisterial Documents.
 Standards were written using language to
complement standards-based assessments.

79. Standards
 Content standards contain references to the
Catechism of the Catholic Church which can
elaborate on the content statement.
 Some standards reference Sacred Scripture or
Magisterial Documents.
 Standards were written using language to
complement standards-based assessments.
 There is one curriculum for both Catholic
elementary schools and parish schools of religion.
There are no unique benchmarks for parish
programs.

80. Let’s take a look…
Grade 2 – Task I – Topic A

83. Grade Level

86. Task of Catechesis

89. Topic

92. Standard

95. Reference & Content
Elaborator

96. Learning Progression

97. Learning Progression
I. Catechesis Promotes Knowledge of the Faith

98. Learning Progression
I. Catechesis Promotes Knowledge of the Faith
B. Understand Scripture

99. Learning Progression
I. Catechesis Promotes Knowledge of the Faith
B. Understand Scripture
 P. I. B. 1. Recognize the Bible as a holy and
special book.

100. Learning Progression
I. Catechesis Promotes Knowledge of the Faith
B. Understand Scripture
 P. I. B. 1. Recognize the Bible as a holy and
special book.
 K. I. B. 1. Recognize the Bible as a holy and
special book that tells us about God.

101. Learning Progression
I. Catechesis Promotes Knowledge of the Faith
B. Understand Scripture
 P. I. B. 1. Recognize the Bible as a holy and
special book.
 K. I. B. 1. Recognize the Bible as a holy and
special book that tells us about God.
 1. I. B. 1. Identify the Bible as the inspired word of
God.

102. Learning Progression
I. Catechesis Promotes Knowledge of the Faith
B. Understand Scripture
 P. I. B. 1. Recognize the Bible as a holy and
special book.
 K. I. B. 1. Recognize the Bible as a holy and
special book that tells us about God.
 1. I. B. 1. Identify the Bible as the inspired word of
God.
 2. I. B. 1. Identify the two main parts of the Bible:
the Old Testament and the New Testament.

103. Learning Progression
I. Catechesis Promotes Knowledge of the Faith
B. Understand Scripture
 P. I. B. 1. Recognize the Bible as a holy and
special book.
 K. I. B. 1. Recognize the Bible as a holy and
special book that tells us about God.
 1. I. B. 1. Identify the Bible as the inspired word of
God.
 2. I. B. 1. Identify the two main parts of the Bible:
the Old Testament and the New Testament.
 3. I. B. 1. Identify “testament” or “covenant” as a
special promise made by God to his people.

104. Resources

105. Resources
 Textbooks and publisher
resources

106. Resources
 Textbooks and publisher
resources
 Pastor, Principal,
Teachers, and Parish
Catechetical Leader

107. Resources
 Textbooks and publisher
resources
 Pastor, Principal,
Teachers, and Parish
Catechetical Leader
 Catechism of the
Catholic Church and
complimentary texts

108. Resources
 Textbooks and publisher
resources
 Pastor, Principal,
Teachers, and Parish
Catechetical Leader
 Catechism of the
Catholic Church and
complimentary texts
 Diocesan Certification

109. Resources
 Textbooks and publisher
resources
 Pastor, Principal,
Teachers, and Parish
Catechetical Leader
 Catechism of the
Catholic Church and
complimentary texts
 Diocesan Certification
 Diocesan Media Center

110. Resources
 Textbooks and publisher
resources
 Pastor, Principal,
Teachers, and Parish
Catechetical Leader
 Catechism of the
Catholic Church and
complimentary texts.
 Diocesan Certification
 Diocesan Media Center
 Articles, Conferences
and Retreats

111. Resources
 Textbooks and publisher
resources
 Pastor, Principal,
Teachers, and Parish
Catechetical Leader
 Catechism of the
Catholic Church and
complimentary texts.
 Diocesan Certification
 Diocesan Media Center
 Articles, Conferences
and Retreats
 Look!

112. Religion Across the
Curriculum
 “[Religious instruction] should not be an
accessory alongside [other] disciplines,
but rather it should engage in a
necessary inter-disciplinary dialogue...
Through inter-disciplinary dialogue
religious instruction in schools underpins,
activates, develops and completes the
educational activity of the school.”
General Directory for Catechesis #73
 Look for opportunities with every lesson.

113. Science
 How God can be
known with certainty
through creation
 Catholic teaching on
evolution
 Issues in bioethics
 Reproduction within
marriage

114. Health and Physical
Education
 Remembering that
our bodies are the
“temple of the Holy
Spirit”
 Importance of
abstinence in a
healthy lifestyle
 Learning about
cooperation and fair
play
 Respecting their
bodies and the
bodies of others

115. English Language Arts
 Use Sacred Scripture
to build reading
literature skills
 Review worship aides
as informational texts
 Have students write
prayers and
reflections
 Have students give
oral presentations on
religious topics

116. Visual Arts
 Study Christian art
through history
 Study Christian art
across cultures
 Analyze films with
religious themes
 Create a short film of
a Scripture story

117. Music
 Study sacred music
throughout history
 Study sacred music
from different
cultures
 Analyze secular
music through the
ears of faith
 Learn the hymns sung
at liturgies

118. Mathematics
 Analyze the
proportions of
religious structures
 Use pie graphs and
charts to illustrate
facts about a social
justice issue
 Learn about
labyrinths, their
history, purpose and
how to make one
 Explore
mathematical
relationships in God’s
creation

119. Social Studies
 Explore the Church’s
role and influence in
various historical eras
 Study parish churches
and documents as
primary sources
 Learn about popular
hymns and devotions
when studying a
country
 Review Catholic Social
Teaching when
studying government
and economics

120. The Light of Faith in Every
Room
“From the first moment that a
student sets foot in a Catholic
school, he or she ought to have
the impression of entering a new
environment, one illumined by the
light of faith, and having its own
unique characteristics.”
The Religious Dimension of Education in
a Catholic School #25

121. Your Formation

122. Your Formation

123. Your Formation

124. Your Formation

125. Knowing
You must have
sufficient
knowledge of
the message
that you are
communicating.

126. Savoir-Faire
You must know
how to
communicate
the message to
your audience
and understand
the social
context in which
they live.

127. Being
You must
continue to
grow as a
person, a
believer and as
a disciple.

128. Being
You must
continue to
grow as a
person, a
believer and as
a disciple.
You cannot give
what you do not have.
You cannot rely on
memory.

129. Links
 Office of Religious Education
http://www.cdeducation.org/ReligiousEducation
Download the Course of Study, Diocesan Media Center,
Information on Catechist Certification, etc.
 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
http://www.usccb.org
Online versions of the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
the New American Bible, various resources.
 The Holy See
http://w2.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html
Online versions of the General Director for Catechesis,
and a wide assortment magisterial documents.

130. Lord God,
source of all wisdom and knowledge,
you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, to live among us
and to proclaim his message of faith, hope, and
love to all nations.
In your goodness
bless our brothers and sisters
who have offered themselves as teachers for your
Church.
Strengthen them with your gifts,
that they may teach by word and by example
the truth that comes from you.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thank you.