Hands and Hearts · Week 4 · Grades 6–8
Guided Notes: St. Joan of Arc
- Name
- Date
- Class
Follow along as your teacher presents. Fill in each section when its slide is on the screen.
A divided kingdom
Joan was born around blank 1 in Domrémy, a farming village in eastern France. She could not read or write, but she knew her prayers and loved the Mass.
France was in the middle of the Hundred Years’ War. English kings claimed the French crown through their family line. A treaty in blank 2 had even promised it to them. The French themselves were split, and the powerful Duke of Burgundy sided with England.
At about 13, Joan began to hear voices in prayer. She identified them as St. Michael, St. Catherine and St. Margaret. Over time they told her to help blank 3, the uncrowned French heir.
Joan’s life and legacy
Write what happened at each point.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| c. 1412 | Write your answer |
| c. 1425 | Write your answer |
| 1429 | Write your answer |
| 1430 | Write your answer |
| 1431 | Write your answer |
| 1456 | Write your answer |
| 1909 | Write your answer |
| 1920 | Write your answer |
Check the facts
What did Charles do before he trusted Joan with a mission? Circle one.
- A He asked the English king for his advice
- B He had her trained as a knight for a year
- C He had theologians examine her at Poitiers
- D He sent her to Rome to speak with the Pope
Why is that the right answer?
Captured and tried
At Orléans, Joan carried her blank 4 instead of fighting with a sword. She was wounded by an arrow and returned to the field. The siege broke within days.
A year later she was captured and sold to the English. Charles made no effort to rescue her.
Her blank 5 at Rouen was led by Bishop Pierre Cauchon, a Frenchman who supported the English side. She had no lawyer and was kept in a military prison. For months she answered trained scholars alone.
She was condemned as a heretic, a person who rejects blank 6 teaching, and burned at the stake. She died calling on the name of Jesus.
Why was the trial unjust?
Which of these was a real problem with Joan’s trial in 1431? Circle one.
- A She had no lawyer and was held by her enemies
- B She refused to answer any of the questions
- C The Pope himself was the judge in her case
- D No written record of the trial was ever kept
Why is that the right answer?
Test the voices
Joan did not follow every voice around her. She prayed, asked for guidance and let the Church test what she heard. Sort each online situation: a sign you can trust it, or a red flag? Check one box for each.
| Item | Sign of a trustworthy voice | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| It still holds up after you ask a trusted adult | ||
| It says to keep this secret from your parents | ||
| It leads you to be more honest and kind | ||
| It demands that you decide right now | ||
| It gives sources that you can check | ||
| It flatters you and mocks everyone else | ||
| It agrees with what Jesus and the Church teach | ||
| It makes you angry so you will share it fast |
What changed in 1456?
What did the second Church trial decide about Joan? Circle one.
- A That she should be named a saint at once
- B That England had no right to rule France
- C That her voices were proven to be real
- D That the first verdict was unjust and void
Why is that the right answer?
Think, pair, share
Joan stood by what she believed was true while powerful people pressed her to say otherwise. Where do you feel pressure to go along with a crowd, in person or online? How can you tell the difference between following your conscience and just being stubborn?
Think: my idea before we talk
Sentence starters: “I feel pressure to go along when ...”“One way to test my own opinion is ...”“Joan was not just being stubborn because ...”
Pair: something my partner said
Let us pray
Lord Jesus, teach us to recognize your voice among many voices.
Give us courage to tell the truth and to do what is right.
Bring peace wherever nations are at war.
St. Joan of Arc, pray for us.
Amen.
My own prayer or intention:
Well done!
Joan was about 19 when she died. The Church cleared her name in 1456 and canonized her in 1920. Her feast day is May 30.
One thing I learned today:
One question I still have:
How could the example of St. Joan of Arc shape the way I live, online and offline?
Challenge: Pick one account, channel or chat you listen to a lot. This week, test it: does it make you more truthful and kind, or less?