Building an ARKBuilding an ARK

This all started with a movie…This all started with a movie…

Evan AlmightyEvan Almighty

• Which got me thinkingWhich got me thinking– How can we help get the kids excited and get How can we help get the kids excited and get

them to see their faith in practical, hands-on them to see their faith in practical, hands-on ways?ways?

– Catholic’s are so unique because we have our Catholic’s are so unique because we have our catholic social teaching. How can we share catholic social teaching. How can we share this with our youth?this with our youth?

– We wanted to talk to you tonight about We wanted to talk to you tonight about incorporating an experiential learning activity incorporating an experiential learning activity into the curriculum for TYMinto the curriculum for TYM

We chose this as something to bring We chose this as something to bring forward to you because we feel that forward to you because we feel that it is really important to connect and it is really important to connect and have a hands on experience for our have a hands on experience for our youth, but want to be able to do it in youth, but want to be able to do it in a way that won’t be additionally a way that won’t be additionally taxing, in a large way, to our taxing, in a large way, to our volunteers and staff.volunteers and staff.

Tell me about a time in your own life Tell me about a time in your own life when your faith has come alive and when your faith has come alive and you were living some of our social you were living some of our social teachings.teachings.

• We’ve been looking for a few ideas We’ve been looking for a few ideas where we might be able to utilize where we might be able to utilize youth ministry to offer some level of youth ministry to offer some level of support to create an experience out support to create an experience out of TYM and tie into our catholic social of TYM and tie into our catholic social teaching.teaching.

• One idea: One idea: Heifer.orgHeifer.org

What it could look likeWhat it could look like

TYM 6TYM 6thth-8-8thth Grade Grade

• Utilize Heiffer.org’s curriculum: GET IT!Utilize Heiffer.org’s curriculum: GET IT!

• The GET IT! curriculum provides teachers The GET IT! curriculum provides teachers with a standards-based academic unit that with a standards-based academic unit that can be integrated - in whole or in part -- into can be integrated - in whole or in part -- into their annual middle school lesson plans. their annual middle school lesson plans.

• The GET IT! curriculum is designed to be The GET IT! curriculum is designed to be flexible, so that teachers can easily flexible, so that teachers can easily incorporate these consumer education incorporate these consumer education lesson plans into any curriculum.lesson plans into any curriculum.

TYM 6TYM 6thth-8-8thth Grade Grade

• We would suggest that these lessons be We would suggest that these lessons be incorporated into the Wednesday night incorporated into the Wednesday night lessons.lessons.

• We would provide resources on the wiki We would provide resources on the wiki site about speakers that could come to site about speakers that could come to speak about local poverty issuesspeak about local poverty issues

• Additionally, we would like to get each Additionally, we would like to get each class involved in a small local service class involved in a small local service project for hunger. project for hunger.

TYM 6TYM 6thth-8-8thth Grade Grade

• Examples include:Examples include:– Canned food drive for the food bankCanned food drive for the food bank– Helping at the food bankHelping at the food bank– Making cards/prayers for Meals on Making cards/prayers for Meals on

wheels recipientswheels recipients

TYM: 9TYM: 9thth-11-11thth Grade Grade

Gift Ark: Changing the World Gift Ark: Changing the World Two By TwoTwo By Two

• Each family who receives Each family who receives livestock will pass on one livestock will pass on one or more of the animal's or more of the animal's offspring to other families offspring to other families who are in need in their who are in need in their community. Every gift will community. Every gift will multiply for years to come.multiply for years to come.

• Your ark provides 15 pairs Your ark provides 15 pairs of animals to change lives.of animals to change lives.

• The Heifer Gift Ark costs The Heifer Gift Ark costs $5000$5000

TYM 9TYM 9thth-11-11thth Grade Grade

• We would like each high school class We would like each high school class to come together to help reach our to come together to help reach our goal to buy an Arkgoal to buy an Ark

• Each class would come up with ONE Each class would come up with ONE service project aimed at fundraising service project aimed at fundraising for our goal.for our goal.

TYM 9TYM 9thth-11-11thth Grade Grade

• Resources will be provided on the wiki site, but examples Resources will be provided on the wiki site, but examples include:include:– Sponsorship events like:Sponsorship events like:

• Hike for HeiferHike for Heifer• Bike for HeiferBike for Heifer• Dance MarathonDance Marathon

– Prepare a pancake breakfast or soup-and-sandwiches lunch. Prepare a pancake breakfast or soup-and-sandwiches lunch. Sell tickets in advance.Sell tickets in advance.

– Offer to do chores, such as raking leaves or walking someone's Offer to do chores, such as raking leaves or walking someone's dog, with the fees going to Heifer.dog, with the fees going to Heifer.

– Car washCar wash– Christmas sale Christmas sale – Decorate a holiday tree with animal ornaments made by youth Decorate a holiday tree with animal ornaments made by youth

group members, and sell them as a fundraiser. group members, and sell them as a fundraiser.

TYM 9TYM 9thth-11-11thth Grade Grade

• Once an activity is decided upon, Once an activity is decided upon, youth ministry can assist in some youth ministry can assist in some planning and implementing. (ex. If planning and implementing. (ex. If you need sponsorship forms, we can you need sponsorship forms, we can put them on the wiki)put them on the wiki)

• Youth ministry will provide $30 start Youth ministry will provide $30 start up budget for each classup budget for each class

Reaching out to the whole Reaching out to the whole community for all of TYMcommunity for all of TYM

• To finalize the theme for the year, we To finalize the theme for the year, we would suggest that all classes have would suggest that all classes have an informational fair where they are an informational fair where they are responsible for one table where they responsible for one table where they explain some things that they explain some things that they learned and how to help end global learned and how to help end global hunger.hunger.

• Resources are available at Resources are available at Heifer.orgHeifer.org

• We will create an Ark on a bulletin board We will create an Ark on a bulletin board in the gathering space and invite youth in the gathering space and invite youth and parishioners to add “plank” to the and parishioners to add “plank” to the ark that share the Acts of Random ark that share the Acts of Random Kindness they do in their regular lives.Kindness they do in their regular lives.

• Involve K-5 in small ways. Possibly Involve K-5 in small ways. Possibly giving them the “Fill the Ark” Bank to giving them the “Fill the Ark” Bank to take home. take home.

• Once again, the goal is to create a great Once again, the goal is to create a great experience for our youth while doing it in such experience for our youth while doing it in such a way that respects the time of our a way that respects the time of our volunteers.volunteers.

• This, or any project, should be able to be This, or any project, should be able to be incorporated into class time, without taking incorporated into class time, without taking up too much time.up too much time.

• Depending on the activity the class chooses, Depending on the activity the class chooses, additional time may need to be spent outside additional time may need to be spent outside of class.of class.