“An Instrument of Thy Peace” - (Activities/Lesson Ideas)

Teachers can incorporate some of the following activities into religious instruction, character education, language arts instruction and arts education. (Suggested activities are for grades 5-8 – but can be adapted for use with other grades).

Skills Developed: Skimming and Scanning
Teacher photocopies song lyrics (attached) and has students work with partners to highlight examples of phrases that indicate ways they can show kindness/love to one another. (Examples “Where there is darkness let me be light”, “Where there is hatred let me bring love”). Students then discuss actions they can take to bring love - and to be light.

Skills Developed: Vocabulary (Use of Synonyms)
Students work individually or with partners to find synonyms for words that teacher has underlined in lyrics. For example, students might be directed to provide synonyms for the words struggle, unkind and consolation. Students can use a thesaurus to help them locate additional synonyms.

Skills Developed: Fluency and expression through choral reading
Teacher divides the song into sections and assigns various parts to groups and individual students for a choral reading. Students can also decide how to organize the passages of the song for a choral reading.

Skills Developed: Writing a Narrative
Students write a paragraph that describes a time when someone has been a source of light for them after a period of darkness or give a real-life example of when they have been a source of light to someone else.

Teacher selects various parts of song as basis for other writing tasks – for
example, having students write about when they provided or received
consolation.

(continued)

“An Instrument of Thy Peace” – (Activities/Lesson Ideas continued)

Skill Developed: Research using the internet and/or reference books
Use various research materials such as reference books and/or the Internet to learn about the life of St. Francis of Assisi whose poem “The Peacemaker’s Prayer” was the inspiration for “An Instrument of Thy Peace”. Students share their research with the class.

Other Ideas/Activities

Biblical Research
Students read through the 10 commandments and select which one personifies the theme of the song best (Love thy neighbor as thyself)
Students can point out Biblical characters or scripture verses that show love/caring for others.

Drama
Students write and perform skits that incorporate positive values of song into real-life situations.

Poetry
Students write poems that express the themes of love and peace.

Music
Students locate favorite scripture verses and passages and develop musical accompaniment using a keyboard, guitar or other instruments. Students might want to compose a brief melody to favorite scripture verses.

Writing/Art
Students create their own prayers inspired by “An Instrument of Thy Peace” that include ways that they can be a source of help to those in their school, home and community. An example might be: Lord please help me to be an instrument of peace by being friendly and helpful to new students who come to our school, etc. Students can select a musical instrument they like and draw and decorate the instrument with bright colors and/or glitter and attach them to their prayers for a bulletin board display entitled “Instruments of Peace” or “Our Instruments of Peace”.

Writing/Research/Communication Skills
Students research the lives of notable people who have been “Instruments of Peace” because of the positive contributions they have made to society. Examples include Martin Luther King and his work in the Civil Rights movement, Clara Barton and her work as founder of the Red Cross, and Mother Theresa and her work with the poor. Students can share their research orally and/or in writing

Community Service
Students develop a service project based on a local, national or global need in order to bring encouragement and help to others. This could include assisting elderly residents in their community or helping to supplement the needs of a food pantry or soup kitchen. Possibilities for service projects are numerous and could involve such activities as letter writing, visits, and contributing goods and various resources. Students could engage in service projects within their school. (For example, older students could be paired with younger students as reading buddies - or students could create original big books that can be presented to other classes).

The suggested lessons/activities are just some ideas that can be utilized along with the song “An Instrument of Thy Peace” – and can serve as springboard for a myriad of activities.

Lesson/Activity Ideas from Hum Along Productions
to use in conjunction with the song “An Instrument of Thy Peace”
copyright Hum Along Productions (ASCAP)

An Instrument of Thy Peace

Based on the Peacemaker’s Prayer by Francis of Assisi

Music and additional words by Denise Sullivan

and Pamela McCullough

© 2006 Hum Along Productions (ASCAP)

In a world of pain and struggle life can be unkind,

When you need a helping hand – it’s often hard to find

But there is a special way to serve your fellow man

If you seek to live your life according to God’s plan.

Chorus: Lord make me an instrument of thy peace

I just want to follow where you lead

Where there is sadness – I’ll bring delight

Where there is darkness let me be light.

Lord make me an instrument of thy peace

I just want to follow where you lead

Where there is hatred let me bring love

Let me bring healing grace from above

Oh Lord make me an instrument of thy peace.

Bridge: Oh Holy Father may I not seek – so much to have as to give

In consolation and understanding and love

For in giving – we will receive

When we pardon we will be pardoned

And in dying – we are born to life – eternal life

Chorus: Lord make me an instrument of thy peace

Use me Lord to bring your message to those in need

Change unbelieving to walking by faith

Bringing new life and hope through your healing power and grace (and your grace)

So Lord make me an instrument of thy peace.