Faith Under Pressure · Week 3 · Grades 3–5
Guided Notes: St. Thomas More
- Name
- Date
- Class
Follow along as your teacher presents. Fill in each section when its slide is on the screen.
St. Thomas More
A boy from London
Thomas More was born in London, England, in blank 1. He studied hard and became a lawyer, like his father.
He married and had four children: Margaret, blank 2, Cecily and John. He made sure his daughters learned as much as his son. That was rare in those days.
Thomas loved to laugh. His home was full of books, music, prayer and pets, including a monkey.
Words to know
Write what each word means.
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Conscience | Write your answer |
| Oath | Write your answer |
| Lord Chancellor | Write your answer |
| Martyr | Write your answer |
| Canonized | Write your answer |
A hard choice
King blank 3 liked Thomas and gave him the highest job in the kingdom, Lord Chancellor.
Then the king wanted to end his marriage and marry someone else. The Pope did not allow it. So the king made himself head of the blank 4 in England.
People were told to swear an blank 5 agreeing. Thomas could not swear that it was true. He was put in prison, and in 1535 he was put to death.
He died a blank 6, calm and forgiving.
Quick check
Why was Thomas More put in prison? Circle one.
- A He took money from the king
- B He would not swear an oath
- C He tried to become the king
- D He wrote jokes about the king
True to my word?
Thomas would not say something he did not believe. Sort each choice: is it honest or not honest? Check one box for each.
| Item | Honest | Not honest |
|---|---|---|
| Telling Mom the real time you spent on a game | ||
| Clicking “I am 13” when you are 9 | ||
| Saying “I did not do my reading” when you did not | ||
| Sharing a story online that you know is false | ||
| Keeping a promise even when it is hard | ||
| Copying an answer from a chatbot and calling it yours |
Quick check
How did Thomas treat his daughters’ schooling? Circle one.
- A He sent them away to work
- B He let only his son have books
- C He taught them only to cook
- D He had them study like his son
Think, pair, share
Thomas kept telling the truth even when powerful people wanted him to go along. When is it hard for you to be honest, in person or on a screen? What helps you do it anyway?
Think: my idea before we talk
Sentence starters: “It is hard to be honest when ...”“Online, I could tell the truth by ...”“Something that helps me do the right thing is ...”
Pair: something my partner said
Let us pray
Lord God, you are truth itself.
Help us to be honest in what we say, write and post.
Give us brave and cheerful hearts like Thomas.
St. Thomas More, pray for us.
Amen.
My own prayer or intention:
Well done!
Thomas More was canonized in 1935. He shares his feast day, June 22, with St. John Fisher.
One thing I learned today:
One question I still have:
Challenge: This week, before you say, sign or click “I agree,” stop and ask: is it true?