St. Francis of Assisi Worksheet for Age 13 | History, Religious Studies & Environmental Studies

Instructions

1. Read the biography carefully.
2. Complete the activities in order. Begin with the easier questions and then move to the challenge tasks.
3. Use complete sentences when asked to explain your thinking.
4. In the real-world activity, connect Francis’s ideas to choices people can make today.
5. For an extra challenge, complete the extension questions.

Who Was St. Francis of Assisi?

Francis of Assisi was born in Assisi, Italy, around 1181 or 1182. His birth name was Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, but his father called him Francesco, meaning “Frenchman.” Francis grew up in a wealthy family that sold cloth. As a young man, he enjoyed parties, fine clothing, and dreams of becoming a knight.

Francis later experienced war, imprisonment, illness, and a growing desire to live differently. According to tradition, he began to care deeply for people who were poor, sick, or excluded from society. He also believed that nature was a gift and that all creatures deserved respect.

Francis gave up his wealth and chose a simple life of poverty and service. He helped repair the church of San Damiano near Assisi. Soon, other young men joined him. Together they became known as the Friars Minor, or the Order of Friars Minor. Francis also inspired Clare of Assisi, who founded a community of women now known as the Poor Clares.

Francis taught through his actions as well as his words. He encouraged humility, peace, kindness, and care for creation. His Canticle of the Creatures praises the sun, moon, wind, water, fire, Earth, and other parts of creation. Francis died in 1226 and was declared a saint in 1228. His feast day is October 4. Many people remember him as a patron of animals and the environment.

Section 1: Check Your Understanding

Circle the best answer.

1. Where was Francis born?

   • A. Rome
   • B. Assisi
   • C. Paris
   • D. London

2. What did Francis’s family sell?

   • A. Food
   • B. Books
   • C. Cloth
   • D. Tools

3. Which change best describes Francis’s life?

   • A. He became richer and more powerful.
   • B. He gave up wealth to serve others.
   • C. He moved away and became a merchant.
   • D. He stopped helping people.

4. What did Francis help repair?

   • A. A castle
   • B. A bridge
   • C. San Damiano church
   • D. A marketplace

5. What does the Canticle of the Creatures praise?

   • A. Weapons and battles
   • B. Nature and creation
   • C. Wealth and clothing
   • D. Kings and rulers

6. Francis is often remembered as a patron of animals and the __.

   • A. environment
   • B. theater
   • C. ocean trade
   • D. mathematics

Section 2: Match the Person or Term

Write the correct letter beside each number.

1. Francis of Assisi _____
2. Clare of Assisi _____
3. Friars Minor _____
4. San Damiano _____
5. Canticle of the Creatures _____

• A. A community inspired by Francis and dedicated to a simple life of service
• B. A church near Assisi that Francis helped repair
• C. A poem or prayer praising creation
• D. A woman inspired by Francis who founded the Poor Clares
• E. A young man who gave up wealth to live simply and serve others

Section 3: Build a Timeline

Example: The example row shows how to record an event. Add at least four more events from the biography. You may include approximate dates when exact dates are not given.

Section 4: Words in Context

Use the word bank to complete each sentence. Each word is used once.

Word bank: humility, poverty, creation, patron, service, excluded

1. Francis chose a life of __ instead of keeping his family’s wealth.
2. Helping others without seeking praise can show __.
3. Francis believed that the natural world was part of __.
4. A __ is a person regarded as a special protector or supporter of a group or cause.
5. Francis spent much of his life in __ to people who were poor or sick.
6. Francis cared about people who were __ from the rest of society.

Section 5: Evidence and Inference

Answer in one or two complete sentences.

1. What evidence shows that Francis changed from his earlier lifestyle?

2. Why might repairing San Damiano have been important symbolically, as well as practically?

3. What can you infer about Francis’s idea of leadership from the way he lived?

4. Why might Francis’s message about caring for creation still be relevant today?

Section 6: Values in Action

For each situation, write the Franciscan value that best fits. Then explain one action a person could take.

Possible values: peace, humility, service, simplicity, respect for creation, compassion

1. A student notices that a new classmate is sitting alone at lunch.

Value: __

Action: __

2. A family throws away large amounts of food every week.

Value: __

Action: __

3. Two friends disagree and begin insulting each other.

Value: __

Action: __

4. Someone buys new items constantly even though their old items still work.

Value: __

Action: __

Section 7: A One-Week Stewardship Quest

Choose one small action inspired by Francis’s ideas. Complete it for seven days or adapt it to your setting.

Examples: reduce food waste, save water, help someone who needs support, spend less on unnecessary items, care for an animal, or make peace during a disagreement.

My action: _____

Why I chose it: ____

Complete the log.

Reflection: How did this action affect you, another person, or the environment?

Section 8: Optional Challenge

Choose one challenge.

1. Compare viewpoints: Francis chose poverty and simplicity. Explain one possible benefit and one possible difficulty of this lifestyle.

Benefit: __

Difficulty: ___

2. Create a message: Write a short slogan encouraging people to care for animals, people, or the environment in the spirit of Francis.

3. Historical thinking: Francis lived in medieval Italy. What questions would you ask him about life in his time? Write three interview questions.

Answer Key

Section 1

1. B. Assisi
2. C. Cloth
3. B. He gave up wealth to serve others.
4. C. San Damiano church
5. B. Nature and creation
6. A. environment

Section 2

1. E
2. D
3. A
4. B
5. C

Section 3

Accept answers that accurately use information from the biography. Possible answers include:

• Around 1181 or 1182: Francis was born in Assisi.
• As a young man: Francis enjoyed a wealthy lifestyle and dreamed of becoming a knight.
• Later in his youth: War, imprisonment, and illness influenced his change in direction.
• After his change of heart: Francis gave up wealth and began serving poor and sick people.
• Afterward: Francis helped repair San Damiano.
• Later: Other young men joined Francis and became the Friars Minor.
• During Francis’s lifetime: Clare of Assisi was inspired by him and founded the Poor Clares.
• 1226: Francis died.
• 1228: Francis was declared a saint.
• October 4: Francis’s feast day is celebrated.

Section 4

1. poverty
2. humility
3. creation
4. patron
5. service
6. excluded

Section 5

Answers may vary. Strong answers should include evidence and reasoning.

1. Francis moved from enjoying wealth, parties, and fine clothing to giving up his wealth and serving poor and sick people.
2. Repairing the church helped preserve a place of worship and represented Francis’s desire to restore or renew what had been neglected.
3. Francis’s leadership was based on example, humility, service, and inviting others to participate rather than commanding them through wealth or force.
4. His message can encourage people to reduce waste, protect animals, conserve resources, and treat the natural world with respect.

Section 6

Answers may vary. Possible answers include:

1. Compassion or service; invite the classmate to join the group or speak kindly to them.
2. Respect for creation or simplicity; plan meals, save leftovers, or compost suitable food waste.
3. Peace; listen calmly, apologize, or help the friends find a respectful solution.
4. Simplicity; repair, reuse, borrow, or donate items instead of buying unnecessary replacements.

Section 7

Answers will vary. The action should be realistic, connected to service, simplicity, peace, compassion, or care for creation. Reflections should explain a specific result or observation.

Section 8

Answers will vary. Strong responses should be thoughtful, respectful, and connected to Francis’s life or values.