Keeping Kids Up-to-Date on the Sheen Canonization Process

I hope that you heard the exciting news last week about Fulton Sheen's Cause for Canonization.  I also hope that you are keeping the kids in your life apprised of the news.  This is big, people! Sheen may very well (God willing) become the first American born male Saint.  If you are from central Illinois, all of this is happening right under your nose!  Take advantage of the teachable moments- if you don't know where to start, go here, we've got everything that you need!

UnFortunately for my students, not only do I share the latest news with them about the cause...but I also give them homework about it :).  I like to work in lots of non fiction text reading skills in every subject area, showing the kids that reading is important in all parts of our lives.  For this project, we use copies of our local diocese's Catholic newspaper, as well as some non fiction note taking sheets.

This activity fits right in with the non fiction notetaking activities that I already have posted here.  Those two sheets focused on articles about the opening and closing of the tribunal which investigated the alleged miracle.  The skills that were being developed were main ideas/details and cause/effect.

This recent article covered the Vatican Medical Board giving the alleged miracle a "thumbs up" to move on to the next step in the process.  The skill I chose to focus on was sequencing. 

First, you need to provide copies or access to this article found in the Catholic Post:
Medical Ruling a 'Significant Step' in Sheen Beatification Cause
Most of my kids preferred to view it online (especially the "e-edition" with real pages that turn), but I also had print editions available for those kids that wanted the text in front of them.

Then discuss the skill of sequencing.  We talked about how the events that we read might not have actually happened in the order that we read about them.  We practiced finding clue words and info about dates that we could use to determine time order.  Next you can give the students the notetaking sheet to use as they read the article.

Click here for a copy of the non fiction notes:

And in case you are interested, here is a copy that is already filled out: