Central Catholic High School’s first wing was built in 1939. Since then, a succession of additions filled out the urban four-block site, and CCHS transformed from a 1,000-male student body to a vibrant 800-student co-ed population. More recently, Bora developed a plan to modernize the building with a 21st-century learning environment while retaining the culture

Books for Catholic Teens Last week during Catholic Schools Week I opened up a question box on Instagram, taking requests for "matchmaking" Catholic kids books. I'm still working my way through all of the responses- (you can see my recommendations in this highlight)- but by far the most popular request was for books for teens. Good novels for middle schoolers, gift books for Confirmation, fiction for older teens that isn't boring, Saint biographies that are relatable, etc. I don't have all the answers for this one- but I agree that this is a huge need in Catholic publishing. We have shelves full of beautiful Catholic picture books, but novels and texts that are attractive to today's teens? I think we have some work to do. But I do want to still share a list, because there absolutely are some great books out there. Some of the best novels I've seen for Catholic teens in the past couple of years have been self/independently published- which is awesome, but can make them harder to find. Also, we know that especially for high schoolers, I could list hundreds of adult books that they would be capable of reading. There are certainly books on the list below that were originally written for an adult audience. So I tried to limit what I shared to books that I have in my 6th-8th classroom, have recommended or gifted to high schoolers, etc. And as always, age and reading level is subjective when you have a kid interested in reading something. They can still benefit from reading an "easy" graphic novel to learn about a new Saint or might be willing to stretch themselves to read something a little more challenging to learn more about a topic they are curious about. This list is far from complete and I'd be happy to continue to add to it as I think of more ideas (or if you share some with me via comments or emails!). This list contains Amazon Affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no cost to you. I'd also love to encourage you to shop directly with the publisher or with your local bookshop, or try to request these at your local library! You can find my giant list of Catholic Kid Books by topic here. Novels for Middle School Miraculous! Catholic Mysteries for Kids- Swegart, Kathryn Griffin Heavenly Hosts: Eucharistic Miracles for Kids- Griffin, Kathryn32 Days- Prozeller Penny and the Stolen Chalice, Antony Barone Kolenc The Wolf and the Shield- Smith, Sherry Weaver The Island of the Two Trees- Kennelly, Brian St. Patrick's Summer- Hunt, Marigold Detective Thomas and the Biggest Question- Caitlin E Bootsma Giorgio's Miracle, Laurie Schmitt Champions of the Rosary- Laurie Schmitt Lepanto's Lady- Laurie Schmitt The Secret Princess: A Tale of Hope (The Catholic Fantasy Series)- J.C. Prins Extreme Blindside, by Leslea Wahl What Happens Next- Swinarski, Claire The Kate In Between- Swinarski, Claire My Family and Other Skaters- Fiorella De Maria The Phantom of the Colosseum- Sophie de Mullenheim A Lion for the Emperor- Sophie de Mullenheim The Mysterious Goblet- Sophie de Mullenheim Troubled Waters- Sophie de Mullenheim The Harwood Mysteries Series- Antony Barone Kolenc The Chronicles of Narnia Series- CS Lewis Will Wilder Book Series- Raymond Arroyo Novels for High School A Most Dangerous Innocence- de Maria, Fiorella Hidden: Don't Fear the Unseen, Verity Lucia (Book #1) Secrets: The Truth Will Out, Verity Lucia (Book #2) Brave Water- Sarah Robsdottir Octave of Stars- Zephyr Thomas The Spear- Louis de Wohl The Woman in the Trees- Bell, Theoni A Hiker's Guide to Purgatory- Michael Norton The Complete Father Brown Stories- G. K. Chesterton The Screwtape Letters- CS Lewis The Great Divorce- CS Lewis The Space Trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength)- C.S Lewis The Lord of the Rings- JRR Tolkein Lepanto- G.K. Chesterton The Ball and the Cross- G.K. Chesterton Saints/Biographies for Middle School Encounter the Saints Series from Pauline Books and Media (any of series) Vision Books Saints Series (any of series) Saint Series- Windealt, Mary Fabyan Maria VonTrapp and Her Musical Family, Cheri Blomquist Hugh O'Flaherty: The Irish Priest Who Resisted the Nazis- Fiorella De Maria An American Little Flower: Blessed Miriam Teresa Demjanovich- GinaMarie Tennant Blessed Carlo Acutis: The Amazing Discovery of a Teenager in Heaven- Sabrina Arena Ferrisi Carlo Acutis: The First Millennial Saint, Nicola Gori Digital Disciple: Carlo Acutis and the Eucharist Matron of Paris: The Story of Saint Genevieve- Phillip Campbell Wounds of Love: The Story of Saint Padre Pio- Phillip Campbell Louis and Zelie: The Holy Parents of St. Therese, Ginamaria Tennant Bl. Miriam Teresa Demjanovich- An American Little Flower- GinaMarie Tennant Abba Moses- Votipka, Andrew Saint Nicholas The Wonderworker- Andrew Votipka Brilliant: 25 Catholic Scientists, Mathematicians, and Supersmart People- David Michael Warren and Jaclyn Warren Our Friends in Heaven, Volume 1 & 2- The Daughters of St. Paul Saints Around the World- Hunter-Kilmer, Meg A Saint a Day: 365 True Stories of Faith and Heroism, Meredith Hines Ablaze: Stories of Daring Teen Saints- Swaim, Colleen Radiate: More Stories of Daring Teen Saints- Swaim, Colleen How to Be a Hero- Harrell, Julia The Book of Saints and Heroes- Lang, Andrew The Shadow of His Wings, A Graphic Biography of Fr. Gereon Goldmann, by Max Temesou Saints/Biographies for High School Saint John Paul The Great, His Five Loves- Jason Evert He Leadeth Me- Walter J. Ciszek Humans of Heaven- Jana Zuniga Pingel Maximilian Kolbe: Saint of Auschwitz- Elaine Murray Stone Saint Gianna Molla: Wife, Mother, Doctor- Pietro Molla Chiara Corbella Petrillo- Simone Troisi Confessions- St. Augustine The Miracle of Father Kapaun: Priest, Soldier and Korean War Hero- Roy Wenzl Treasure in Clay: The Autobiography of Fulton J. Sheen Lay Siege to Heaven- Louis de Wohl The Golden Thread- Louis de Wohl Set All Afire- Louis de Wohl The Joyful Beggar- Louis de Wohl The Restless Flame- Louis de Wohl Christians Courageous-Roche, Aloysius From Slave to Priest: The Inspirational Story of Father Augustine Tolton- Sr. Caroline Hemesath Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood- Michael Heinlein Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc- Mark Twain My Dear Young Friends: Pope John Paul II Speaks to Youth on Life, Love, and Courage Martyred: the Story of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz by Susan Tan St. Philomena: Powerful with God- Sr. Marie Helene Mohr S.C A Man of the Beatitudes: Pier Giorgio Frassati- Luciana Frassati The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux Ablaze: Stories of Daring Teen Saints- Swaim, Colleen Radiate: More Stories of Daring Teen Saints- Swaim, Colleen Pray for Us: 75 Saints who Sinned, Suffered, and Struggled on Their Way to Holiness, Meg Hunter-Kilmer In Caelo et in Terra: 365 Days with the Saints- The Daughters of St. Paul Complaints of the Saints- Hill, Sr. Mary Lea My Son Carlo: Carlo Acutis Through the Eyes of His Mother- Antonia Salzano Acutis Saint Graphic Novels for Middle or High School Catholic Graphic Novels List- Post with interior images and more details Saints Chronicles Volume 1: Sts. Patrick, Jerome Emiliani, Elizabeth Ann Seton, Henry Morse, and Joan of Arc Saints Chronicles Volume 2: Sts. Anne Line, Brigid of Ireland, Francis of Assisi, Nicholas, and Pachomius Saints Chronicles Volume 3: Sts. Anthony of Padua, Ava, Samson, Bernadette, and Charles Lwanga Saints Chronicles Volume 4: Sts. Willibrord, Margaret of Scotland, Rose of Lima, and Dominic Saints Chronicles Volume 5: Sts. Ignatius of Loyola, Germaine of Pibrac, Pope Celestine V, Vincent de Paul, and Clare of Assisi St. Francis of Assisi: Messenger of Peace Saint Joan of Arc: Quest for Peace (out of stock on Amazon, available at Pauline Books & Media) Saint Bernadette: The Miracle of Lourdes (seems to be out of print, could look for a used copy) Mother Teresa of Kolcutta: Saint Among the Poor (out of stock on Amazon, available at Pauline Books & Media) St. Bernadette of Lourdes: The Girl Who Saw Mary Saint Teresa of Avila: God's Trouble Maker St. Clare of Assisi: Runaway Rich Girl St. John the Baptist: A Voice Crying Out in the Desert Saint Nicholas: God's Gift Giver Philip Neri: The Laughing Saint The Legend of Saint Christopher: Quest for a King Maximilian Kolbe: The Saint of Auschwitz, by Jean-Francois Vivier, Illustrated by Joel Costes Fr. Augustus Tolton: The First Recognized Black Catholic Priest in America, by Corinna Laughlin and Maria Laughlin The Martyrs of La Florida: A Heroic Story of Catholic Faith Theology/Q&A for Middle School Loyola Kids Books of Catholic Signs and Symbols- Welborn, Amy The Life of Jesus (Graphic Novel)- Alex Ben The Comic Book Bible: The Gospel of Luke The Comic Book Bible: Acts of the Apostles Holy Mysteries: 12 Investigations into Extraordinary Cases- Sophie de Mullenheim A Pocket Guide to Sacramental Reconciliation The Holy Mass: On Earth as it is in Heaven- ONeill, Kevin and Mary The Sacraments in Action (Includes Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation) Anointed- Pope Francis Who is the Holy Spirit? The Sacraments in Action (Includes Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation) Catechism on the Seven Sacraments: Building Blocks of Faith Series- ONeill, Kevin and Mary Catholic Social Teaching for Youth- Catholic Sprouts The Story of Mary: From the Dawn of Time to Today- Phillip Campbell Great Missionaries throughout the Ages- Gaelle Tertrais Holy Mysteries!: 12 Investigations into Extraordinary Cases- Sophie de Mullenheim The Truth Is Out There: Brendan & Erc in Exile, Volume 1- Amadeus The Big Picture: Brendan and Erc in Exile, Volume 2- Amadeus Weapons of War: Brendan and Erc in Exile, Volume 3- Amadeus Theology of His Body / Theology of Her Body: Discovering the Strength and Mission of Masculinity/Discovering the Beauty and Mystery of Femininity- Jason Evert Theology/Q&A for High School The Second Greatest Story Ever Told- Michael E. Gaitley Look it Up!- Alampi, Janet Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, St. Mary's Press YOUCAT The Church Rocks!- Hill, Mary Lea Did Adam & Eve Have Belly Buttons?- Pinto & Evert Did Jesus Have a Last Name?- Pinto & Evert Ask the Bible Geek- Hart, Mark Blessed Are the Bored in Spirit- Hart, Mark Totally Catholic- Glavich, Mary Kathlessn 100 Things Every Catholic Teen Should Know The Strangeness of Truth- Ference, Fr. Damian The First Christians- Hunt, Marigold Catholic Social Teaching for Youth- Catholic Sprouts Learn to Discern – High School Vocations Workbook Compendium of Marian Devotions- Fr. Ed Broom Compendium of the Miraculous- Deacon Albert E. Graham Compendium of Sacramentals- Shaun McAfee The Truth Is Out There: Brendan & Erc in Exile, Volume 1- Amadeus The Big Picture: Brendan and Erc in Exile, Volume 2- Amadeus Weapons of War: Brendan and Erc in Exile, Volume 3- Amadeus Theology of the Body for Beginners: Rediscovering the Meaning of Life, Love, Sex, and Gender- Christopher West Prayer/Journals/Devotionals for Middle School The Jesse Tree Advent Journal, Lumen Ecclesiae Press Through the Year with Jesus- Bogner, Katherine 15-Minute Stations of the Cross For Kids Written by Jared Dees and illustrated by Ezekiel Saucedo Building Blocks of Faith Stations of the Cross Stations of the Cross For Kids by Regina Doman, illustrated by Chris Lewis The Virtues for Catholic Youth- Catholic Sprouts How to Be a Hero- Harrell, Julia Life of Christ Lectio Divina Journal, Education in Virtue Be Yourself! Journal for Catholic Girls, Amy Brooks Be Yourself, A Journal for Catholic Boys, Amy Brooks From God’s Plan to Your Plan: a Bible Study for Boys, Amy Brooks To Hear His Voice Mass Journal Made for Greatness: A Growth Mindset Journal for Courageous Catholic Youth, Ginny Kochis A Painted Rosary, Kate Frantz A Stained Glass Rosary, Kate Franz Prayer/Journals/Devotionals for High School Joy to the World- Stefanick, Chris Advent and Christmas One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens, Katie Prejean McGrady & Tommy McGrady Lent: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens- Prejean McGrady, Katie The Way of the Cross: Discovery Mercy with St. Longinus- Sofie, Rev. J. Francis Mary's Way of the Cross- Furey, Richard The Way of the Cross- Sheen, Fulton J. The Catholic All Year Prayer Companion: The Liturgical Year in Practice- Tierney, Kendra Cultivating Virtue: Self Mastery With the Saints Catholic Youth Prayer Book YOUCAT Prayer Book Jesus Speaking, Gabrielle Bossis Prompt Me to Pray, Monica McConkey Manual for Eucharistic Adoration Life of Christ Lectio Divina Journal, Education in Virtue My Encounter: How I Met Jesus in Prayer, Chika Anyanwu Heart to Heart: A Guide to Prayer for Catholic Teens Ora et Labora: A Rule of Life for Catholic Youth- Ginny Kochis All I Am- Caroline Pignat The Plans God Has for You: Hopeful Lessons for Young Women- Amy Smith I Choose The Sky: A Scriptural Devotion for Women, Emily Wilson 33 Days to Morning Glory- Michael E. Gaitley A Painted Rosary, Kate Frantz A Stained Glass Rosary, Kate Franz

Teaching literature skills to students is an important part of your English Language Arts program. Get some ready to use teaching ideas from this blog.

It's time to go back to school! With the back-to-school season upon us, it is time to start planning back-to-school activities for the first week of school.

A first inside look at the design of the planned $30-million Catholic Central High School was provided this week by the project’s architect to the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board.

Mitosis and Meiosis Teaching Ideas: Coloring Activities, Video Project Ideas, and Animations for teaching cell division. Blog Post by Science with Mrs. Lau

If you are a secondary science teacher, I can bet that you are probably pretty tired from all of the responsibilities that go into your job. It can be hard to come up with ways to engage students in your classroom that don't require a TON of behind-the-scenes prep work on your end. But have no fear, I am here to share my FAVORITE no-prep student-centered activities with you.

Teaching literary analysis is a cornerstone for the secondary ELA classroom. For several years now, I’ve watched students struggle year after year with the

Educators across the country are using Latin as a means of unlocking English for their students and harnessing the power of its words.

It’s true that the words “sister” and “nun” are used interchangeably to describe women religious in the Catholic church, but there are several differences in the lifestyle, ministry and vows of nuns vs. apostolic women religious.

40 Catholic scientist biographies emphasizing the compatibility of faith and science are included in this PDF download. These are perfect for bulletin boards and room decor in the Catholic science classroom! Though designed for middle school reading levels, these short biographies are also appropriate for upper elementary or high school classrooms. Use them all together as year-round decor, hang a few at a time for an easy and educational bulletin board, or spotlight one scientist per week. Each 8.5x11 biographical page contains the name and picture of the scientist, birth and death dates, and a brief summary of their scientific work and involvement in the Catholic faith. A variety of Catholic scientists have been included - past and present, lay and ordained, male and female, famous and lesser-known, and numerous areas of study. As a bonus, ten printable quotations emphasizing the compatibility of faith and science are also included. I recommend laminating the pages for use year after year. As they get older, far too many students see religion and science as diverging interests. Many aren't aware of just how many inventions and ideas stem from the work of members of the Church. Show your students that faith and science ARE compatible! They might just find a few new role models along the way. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at [email protected]. Looking for more great religion resources for the middle school classroom? Check out my store, Middle Grade Marvels. You might like the following: Middle School Rosary Bundle Middle School Lent Bundle The Jesse Tree Advent Unit for Middle School "Be the Good" Bulletin Board Display Periodic Table Element Letters for the Entire Alphabet Happy Teaching!

Look no further for great ideas for homeschool co-op classes for middle school and high school. We've got you covered! #aheartfullofjoy #homeschool #homeschoolcoop #homeschoolcurriculum #homeschoolteens #homeschoolmiddleschool #homeschoolhighschool

I have compiled a list of 40+ popular middle and high school Bible curriculum publishers that you are going to love! Perfect for grades 6-12 homeschool.

We all expect our kids to be changed through a Catholic school education, right? But who knew I’d be changed, too? Earlier this week, I shared the biggest Catholic school myths. Trust me, I’ve heard every argument against Catholic school. Seen every statistic. Listened to every story-gone-wrong. I know this much is true: no educational…

Catholic quotes, infographics, memes and more resources for the New Evangelization. Infographic: 7 Habits of Catholic Families To Start Doing Everyday.

Religious education ideas for Catholic teachers, homeschoolers, and catechists- crafts, lessons, and printables on Sacraments, Scripture and Prayer.

Reproducible.Three activity masters for each chapter in the Catholic Connections Handbook. Activity 1 is a one-page warm-up activity that will get the students thinking about the subject to be taught in the chapter. Activity 2 contains activities connected with specific portions of the chapter and that require analytical thinking about and reflecting on the content as it pertains to the students' own lives. Activity 3 reinforces key ideas of the chapter through creative reinforcement and review activities, such as crossword puzzles, fill-in-the blank exercises, word searches and more. Provides creative ways for students to explore the content, reflect on the material and expand their learning. Completely reproducible, with answer key. Updated to include changes from the new translation of the Roman Missal. Spiral-bound paperback, 8.5 x 11, 134 pages. (©2010)

Reformation homeschool resources you can use to learn more about the Protestant Reformation. Perfect for a homeschool study for middle and high school students.

Hi! Although it doesn't look like it, this is a very easy watercolor portrait that ANYONE can do. Seriously, you have to try it!

15 exit ticket ideas for any subject or grade level!

Free transcript template (with GPA calculations) and details of everything you need to know about creating a homeschool transcript for high school.

This Creation activity will help students reflect on what they know about God and how they can think and act more like him.

Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you. Finding the right curriculum for your child can be tough, especially if your a Catholic family. Many of the big curriculum companies are protestant and not always friendly when it comes to Catholics. Resources for Catholic families have grown, but we just don't have the selection like the rest of the homeschooling families out there. 1. Mother of Divine Grace Mother of Divine Grace uses a Catholic, classical approach to learning. The program follows the natural pattern of a child's learning process. The main focus of the curriculum is to teach the children how to think and apply their knowledge. Families can enroll with the school to receive counseling and tutoring or they can follow the curriculum on their own. They offer materials and lessons for grades Kindergarten through 12th. We've used the religion books recommended by Mother of Divine Grace. The books provide students with a strong understanding of their faith. If you're interested in knowing more about the Catholic faith ir just want to really know what are beliefs are, I definitely recommend reading the high school religion books by Fr. John Laux. 2. Seton Seton Home Study School is based out of Virginia. Their approach to learning is a classic, scholastic style. Families have the option of enrolling or just using the curriculum on their own. The company is nationally accredited and covers grades Pre-K through 12th. The early years curriculum is a workbook style, but changes once the students get to high school. It's known for being rigorous and developing great learners. We've never officially enrolled int he program, but have used a few of their workbooks over the years. There spelling and English workbooks are fantastic. I look over their high school literature suggestions when creating my students list. 3. Mater Ambalis Mater Ambalis is a free Catholic Charlotte Mason program. The curriculum is broken up into levels. The Pre-Level starts with children ages 4 to 6 and the program continues on until high school. This program is very heavy in reading and uses real life books to teach children. We used levels 1 and 2 when the kids were little. My kids didn't enjoy the lessons, so we ended up adapting the lessons to fit our needs. I did look at the high school books and lessons to plan out my own students high school path. 4. Kolbe Academy Kolbe Academy is an orthodox Catholic curriculum. The company offers curriculum for students in grades Kindergarten through 12th. Kolbe Academy is a full service curriculum provider and book store. Families can fully enroll in homeschool courses, online courses, or purchase individual courses to use. We've never used Kolbe before, but I've heard things about the company from others who have. 5. RC History RC History is a Catholic, classical program. This one we know a lot about. We've used this program for the past few years.This company is not an all-in-one curriculum. It's main focus is religion and history with a little bit of science thrown in. The required reading books for the older ages are great for an Honors English class. This is our second year using RC history for high school. Both my kids will be reading books like Don Quixote and The Three Musketeers. The program is divided in to 4 years and is taught in chronological order. The best part is families can be taught the \same subject at he same time. Each year is broken up into 4 levels...Beginner (K-3rd), Grammar (4th-6th), Logic (7th-9th), and Rhetoric (10th-12th). This our second time working through this history time period. We started when the kids where in the Grammar stage and are currently in the Logic and Rhetoric stage. 6. Homeschool Connections Homeschool Connections is well known and loved by everyone that uses it. Sadly with out limited internet access, we are not able to participate in the live classes. We'd have to head to the library every day just to get our school work done. We would definitely be using this program if we could. They offer recorded and live classes for middle and high school students. They even offer dual enrollment for high school students through Franciscan University in Steubenville. 7. Memoria Press Memoria Press is not Catholic, but is a Christian company. They offer a wide variety of resources for homeschoolers. Families can purchase a packaged curriculum or buy certain books to use for various subjects. We've used their Latin program, Literature study guides, science books, and geography books over the years. The program is a classical approach to education. They offer lessons for Kindergarten to 12th grade. 8. Our Lady of Victory Our Lady of Victory provides Catholics homeschooling curriculum and books. The company has been a leader in the Catholic homeschooling community since 1977. They offer Catholic families a traditional education to raise steadfast Catholic children. 9. Rolling Acres School Rolling Acres School is an online Catholic classical curriculum. They offer resources for co-op programs, online programs, and at home programs. They currently have full enrollement for 7th-9th grades. 10. St. Thomas Aquinas St. Thomas Aquinas is a classical liberal arts curriculum. They offer curriculum for students in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade. They offer course plans and high school study guides. Families can enroll and receive report cards and transcripts. Till Next Time, Monique Enter your email address: Delivered by FeedBurner

This list of Catholic Confirmation activities will help you get your students excited and engaged in the sacramental preparation process.

Try some of these creative Beatitudes activities in your upcoming lesson plans.