Teachers and Learners · Week 1 · Grades 6–8
Guided Notes: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
- Name
- Date
- Class
Follow along as your teacher presents. Fill in each section when its slide is on the screen.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
A comfortable life comes apart
Elizabeth Ann Bayley was born in New York City in blank 1, two years before the Declaration of Independence. Her father was a doctor, and her family belonged to the Episcopal Church.
At blank 2 she married William Seton, a merchant. They had five children. Elizabeth helped found a society to aid poor widows.
Then William’s shipping business went bankrupt, and his tuberculosis grew worse. In blank 3 the couple sailed to Italy with their oldest daughter, hoping the climate would help. William died that December.
His business friends, the blank 4 family, welcomed the new widow. Elizabeth was drawn to their Catholic belief that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist.
Elizabeth’s life
Write what happened in each year.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1774 | Write your answer |
| 1794 | Write your answer |
| 1803 | Write your answer |
| 1805 | Write your answer |
| 1808 | Write your answer |
| 1809 | Write your answer |
| 1821 | Write your answer |
| 1975 | Write your answer |
Check the facts
Why did the Setons sail to Italy in 1803? Circle one.
- A Elizabeth wanted to become a Catholic there
- B William was sick and needed a milder climate
- C The family was invited to open a school
- D New York had forced William to leave
Why is that the right answer?
A costly choice, a new mission
Back in New York, Elizabeth prayed and struggled for months. On March 14, 1805, she became a blank 5. Catholics there were a small, often distrusted group, and many friends and relatives pulled away.
In 1808 a priest invited her to open a school in blank 6. In 1809 she made vows, or solemn promises to God, and became Mother Seton.
With a few companions she founded the blank 7 of St. Joseph’s in Emmitsburg, Maryland. It was the first community of religious sisters founded in the United States.
In 1810 they opened a free school for poor girls beside a paying academy.
Cause and effect
What first drew Elizabeth toward the Catholic Church? Circle one.
- A A promise of money for her children
- B Pressure from her family in New York
- C A job offer from a bishop in Maryland
- D The faith and kindness of her Italian hosts
Why is that the right answer?
Open doors, closed doors
Mother Seton opened learning to girls who had been left out. Sort each online choice: does it open a door for someone, or close one? Check one box for each.
| Item | Opens a door | Closes a door |
|---|---|---|
| Sharing your study guide with the whole class chat | ||
| Leaving one classmate out of the group project chat | ||
| Recording a short video that explains a hard math step | ||
| Mocking a wrong answer someone posted | ||
| Helping a grandparent learn to video call | ||
| Copying AI answers so you never learn the skill | ||
| Inviting a new student into an online game | ||
| Keeping a useful link secret to stay ahead |
Virtues Mother Seton lived
For each virtue, write how the saint lived it.
| Virtue | How the saint lived it |
|---|---|
| Fortitude | Write your answer |
| Charity | Write your answer |
| Trust in God | Write your answer |
Why it matters
Why is Mother Seton linked with Catholic schools in the United States? Circle one.
- A Her sisters ran a free school that became a model for others
- B She wrote the first law that required children to attend school
- C She was the first teacher ever hired by a Catholic bishop
- D She built the first Catholic university in New York City
Why is that the right answer?
Think, pair, share
Elizabeth lost friends when she followed her conscience and became Catholic. When is it hard to show what you really believe, in person or online? What helps a person stay faithful when it costs something?
Think: my idea before we talk
Sentence starters: “It is hard to show what I believe when ...”“Online, people might react by ...”“Something that helped Elizabeth, and could help me, is ...”
Pair: something my partner said
Let us pray
Lord God, you led Elizabeth through loss to new life.
Give us courage to follow you and to share what we learn.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, pray for us.
Amen.
My own prayer or intention:
Well done!
Wife, mother, widow, convert, teacher and founder: Mother Seton is the first person born in the United States to be canonized. Her feast day is January 4.
One thing I learned today:
One question I still have:
How could the example of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton shape the way I live, online and offline?
Challenge: Open one door this week. Use your phone or computer to help someone learn, or to include someone who has been left out.