Activity Overview
Starting a unit or lesson with the key vocabulary that students will see in their readings or presentations aids in overall comprehension and retention. In this activity, students will create a storyboard that defines and illustrates key vocabulary related to the study of Christianity. They will create a spider map of 3-5 terms at the teacher's discretion. Each cell will contain a term, the definition, and an illustration that depicts the meaning. When students define and illustrate each term, they master the application of it and retain it as part of their lexicon.
Vocabulary for Christianity
annunciation: The Annunciation marks the day the Archangel Gabriel visited Mary and told her that she would be the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is considered a "feast day" and celebrated on March 25th each year.
baptize: a ritual by which a person is welcomed into a religion. In the Christian church baptism involves being dipped in water or sprinkled with water as a part of the ceremony of being received into the Christian church.
crucifixion: a slow and painful method of execution used by the Romans where a person was nailed to a large wooden cross and left to die.
convent: a religious community for women known as nuns who have devoted their lives to God and focus on prayer and scripture
creed: a statement of beliefs
Crusades: a series of religious wars initiated by the Christian Church in medieval times with the goal of conquering land. Between 1095 and 1291, they were intended to conquer Jerusalem and its surrounding area from Islamic rule
denominations: Different religious sects that are recognized as autonomous branches of the church.
disciple: a person who follows and helps spread the religious teachings of another
eucharist: Eucharist comes from the Greek word for "thanksgiving" and it represents the events of the Last Supper, the last meal that Jesus had with his disciples before his crucifixion. At the Last Supper, Jesus gave a special meaning to the bread and the wine, which is remembered at the Eucharist. It is given during Church services and also called Holy Communion.
gospel: an account of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Trinity: God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit: the Spirit of God in us
Hosanna: Hebrew for "save us now" a word used to praise Jesus
Heaven: the perfect place where God and His angels live. The place where we will go when we die if Jesus is our Lord
Hell: a place of punishment
leper: a person who is suffering from leprosy, which is an infectious disease that causes severe, disfiguring skin sores, and nerve damage.
martyr: a person who dies for their beliefs, often their religious beliefs.
Messiah: a savior that many Jews believed had been promised by God. The Greek word for Messiah is Christ.
Miracle: an amazing act of God that goes against the laws of nature something God does that cannot be explained
missionary: someone who tries to spread the message of religious teachings and persuade others to believe as they do.
monastery: a secluded community where men called monks devote themselves to God and focus on prayer and scripture
New Testament: Scriptures written between around 50-150 CE by disciples, or followers of Jesus Christ. They include 27 different books, the first four of which are called the Gospels. These Gospels describe the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Nicene Creed: The Nicene Creed is a Christian statement of belief widely used in worship services. It states that Jesus was both human and divine
Old Testament: Christians include the Hebrew Bible in the Old Testament.
parable: a simple story that explains a moral or religious lesson
Pentecost: the Christian festival celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks. It occurred on the seventh Sunday or the 50th day after Easter (Jesus' ascension into heaven).
Priest: an ordained minister of the Catholic, Orthodox, or Anglican Church having the authority to perform certain rites and administer certain sacraments.
prefect: a high government official in ancient Rome
prophet: a person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God.
Redeemer: a person who sets someone free from a bad situation. Refers to Jesus Christ.
repent: being sorry for one’s sin
resurrection: coming back to life, rising from the dead
rosary: The Holy Rosary refers to a set of prayers and to the special string of knots or beads used to count the prayers used by Christians, typically Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans. The rosary is meant to be held and prayed with to focus on the events of Jesus's life and his teachings.
sacraments: sacred rites of the Christian church, sacraments can also be thought of as blessings that are received during an important ceremony and are sometimes referred to as 'rites of passage'. Catholic Christians acknowledge seven sacraments: baptism, reconciliation, the Eucharist, confirmation, the anointing of the sick, holy orders, and marriage.
saint: an especially holy person who, in Christianity, is regarded as being in heaven after death.
salvation: being saved from sin
Savior: One who saves us. Refers to Jesus Christ
scripture: God’s Word, the Bible
tithe: one tenth of one's annual earnings, formerly taken as a tax for the support of the Church and clergy
Tomb: a place where a dead person is laid
worship: to praise, honor and glorify God
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a spider map that illustrates and defines key vocabulary relating to Christianity.
Student Instructions:
- Click "Start Assignment".
- In the title boxes, identify the key terms you have chosen.
- In the description boxes, write the definition of the term.
- Create an illustration for each term using appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
Requirements: Must have 3 terms, correct definitions and appropriate illustrations for each that demonstrate your understanding of the words.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 7 Points | Emerging 4 Points | Beginning 1 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definitions | The vocabulary words are correctly defined. | The meaning of the vocabulary words can be understood but it is somewhat unclear. | The vocabulary word is not clearly defined |
| Illustrations | The storyboard illustrations clearly depict the meaning of the vocabulary words. | The illustrations relate to the meaning of the vocabulary words but it they are difficult to understand. | The illustrations do not clearly relate to the meaning of the vocabulary words. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
How To Use Visual Elements to Explain Complex Terms in Christianity
Contextualize and Introduce
Give a quick introduction to all the challenging aspects of Christianity that need to be discussed in the class. Teachers can also take feedback from the students and include their confusion in the lecture plans as well. Provide context to all the terms and aspects to be discussed by giving basic introductions and brief historical significance.
Utilize Informational Graphics and Diagrams
To communicate ideas graphically, create your own infographics or use ones that have already been created. Consider using a flowchart to depict the salvation process or a graphic to depict the Trinity. Teachers can also ask the students to make these diagrams according to their own understanding or show some sample infographics to get the students started.
Make use of Timelines and Maps
Show students timelines or maps that depict the places of biblical events to help them grasp their historical context. For complex vocabulary terms, teachers can also place them on the map to depict their usage, origin, and significance to encourage a deeper understanding.
Show Videos and Pictures
Help the students develop a deeper understanding with the help of informative animated videos and pictures that depict the complex vocabulary terms associated with the religion. Students will also be more engaged and learn in a more effective way because of these animations.
Reinforce and Assess
For all the complex terms that have been discussed in class, teachers can make a pop quiz where students have to write down the word and its meaning by looking at some pictures. This will help the teachers assess the understanding of students and also test some other aspects of their comprehension.
Frequently Asked Questions About Christianity Vocabulary
What is the meaning of the term Trinity in Christianity?
The Christians belief that God is three distinct individuals in one essence—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—is known as the Trinity. Literally, Trinity means three of ‘The Trippleness” but it encapsulates the Christians's beliefs about affirmations of God.
What is Salvation and its significance for Christians?
The Christian doctrine of salvation holds that people are delivered from sin and given eternal life with God when they place their faith in Jesus Christ. It is also related to the concept of Jesus sacrificing for the sins of humanity so his followers reach salvation.
What is resurrection?
The event where Jesus was resurrected from the dead after being crucified and buried is known as the Resurrection. It is essential to the Christian faith and represents the triumph of life over death.
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