Lesson Details

Grade Level: High School, Middle School, Elementary

Resource Type: Close Reading/Reflection, Game/Contest/Activity

Special Learners

This resource was developed with the following special learners in mind:

• Traditional Classroom
• Homeschooled Students
• CCD/Parish-Based Education

Lesson Plan

As far as whole school Lenten Activities this one is my favorite. I can't take credit for the idea. My campus minister in high school had learned it from someone else. I just took it and standardized a handout.

The really fun part about this activity is that there is a lot of comradery involved and an element of surprise each time a new sense is drawn. I really encourage you to try it out with a group rather than alone. The challenge and explanation are available in a packet I made that is uploaded.

How To:
Each person chooses two sacrifices or tasks they will do for each one of their five senses and write them on their list. Every four days of lent (not including Sundays) one of the 10 senses will be drawn at random and announced. Once that sense is drawn we all begin doing whatever we had listed for that sense. Every four days we will add another one. By the end of Lent you will be doing 10 different things. See the attached sheets to help you visualize what this means.

Spiritual Comradery

This Lenten challenge is meant to be done with others. When everyone is walking toward the Cross together relationships are strengthened. We will all stay accountable to each other as we add sacrifices throughout Lent. You will discover Lent has become a time of spiritual graces and strength and your friends will feel like battle partners. Victory is sweet when the battle is tough. Also, for those doing this challenge we will pair you with a random partner (separated High School and Middle School). You will pray for that person and offer sacrifices for them all through Lent. You can choose if you want to do more (letters, a gift on Easter etc.) but there is no expectation of that. Each person will be praying for someone and being prayed for by a different person.

Join Your Sufferings to Jesus’s

One of the Lenten challenge goals is to engage all five of your senses in the Lenten journey. As Christians we know that bringing our body into our prayer, sacrifice, and relationship with God is helpful. Throughout the challenge you engage more of your senses and become closer to Jesus’ suffering on the Cross. By Good Friday your whole body is engaged and can be offered up as an offering to our suffering Savior.

Intensify Your Lent

Ever get to Easter and feel like your Lent was kind of lame? Or have you ever reached Easter and not been that excited? This challenge helps you to engage your whole self and your friendships into the Lenten experience and guarantees a good Lent. When you put this much of yourself into something God will reward you. Often we limit ourselves by what we think we can’t do; this challenge asks us what we can do for Christ and how we can remove certain things to make room for Christ. It challenges us to sacrifice more, pray more, give more, and engage more in this awesome season. By the end of Lent you will know you have offered God your all and Easter is bound to be a new celebration.

Suggestions for Each Sense

These are only suggestions. Feel free to come up with your own that suit you and your needs this lent. Make sure to pray about it!!!

Taste:

• Ice Cream
• Cookies
• Pop
• Candy
• Butter, salt, pepper
• Condiments-ketchup, dressing
• Liquids other than water
• Going to Mass an extra day a week

Touch:

• Sleeping with no pillow
• Cold/lukewarm showers
• Sleeping on the floor
• Giving up favorite sweatpants or clothing
• Intentionally touching someone’s life each day
• Thumbs touching phone (contributed by Gus Clark)
• Apps on phone, especially games
• Pray the rosary or a decade of the rosary or divine mercy chaplet

Smell:

• Favorite perfumes
• Favorite body washes or shampoos
• Foods or drinks that you enjoy the smell of
• Candles, scentsy
• Car fresheners
• Smell the roses more often (do a prayer of thanksgiving every night).
• Give a flower each week or day to someone special (carnations are cheap).
• Do your own laundry or help your parents out by doing their or a sibling’s

Sight:

• T.V.
• Cellphones
• Netflix
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Selfies
• Makeup (or one part of your makeup)
• Asking others how you look or if you look okay
• Putting more pictures up of Jesus or Mary Looking at God more in adoration (commit to stop in once a day or once a week at school or at Church)
• Commit to smiling at people in the hall rather than looking at the ground
• Look up a new Saint each day
• Look up a new Bible verse each day
• Go outside more and notice nature more

Sound:

• Radio
• iPod
• Pandora
• Gossiping
• Give yourself time for silence
• Listen to Spirit Catholic Radio 95.7 (or get the app)
• Give up inappropriate music
• Choose to listen more to adults, or people you don’t normally enjoy listening to.