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We start with a large cross on the bulletin board. The cross is brown. We discuss how Jesus died on the cross for us and how He is Risen on Easter. Since Lent is a time of sacrifice and also of doing good for others, the children are encouraged to do "good deeds" for their families and for their friends in the classroom.  As these deeds are accomplished, we write them on pieces of colored paper and glue them to the brown cross. By Easter, our goal is to have the cross "glorified" and beautiful--Jesus has done all for us and so we try to do all for others.
Concetta Lucey
St John the Baptist, Silver Spring

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St. Elizabeth

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After Reading Your're all Kinds of Wonderful by Nancy Tillman we will talk about what makes us each special.  The students will write a riddle that describes themselves and what they like to do.For example, I am 5 years old. I have brown eyes. I like to play soccer. Who am I? The students will decorate a cut out person  to go along with their riddle. On the back of their person will be a picture of themselves.

St. Peter's- Susan Lozupone

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At the start of the year, we spend time discussing how we are all different in many ways. The way we look, sound, think, act, etc. We explain that God has made us all different and we should all love others for who they are. We read the story "Elmer" by David McKee. The story is about an elephant who looks very different from the rest of the elephants. He's patchwork. Elmer doesn't like that he's different so he tries to cover his spots to blend in. His friends all miss Elmer and don't realize he's really among them. After hearing the conversations, Elmer learns that his friends love him for who he is even though he looks different.

After discussing the meaning of the story, we make patchwork elephants, gluing tissue paper squares on an elephant template. We share them and hang them, so the children can be reminded of how God made us all different.

(This can also be used around MLK day to discuss differences)

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When we cover the letter Hh in our reading program, we do a lesson called, "H is for Heaven."  Students use cotton balls to create a letter Hh to represent Heaven.  We also read books about Heaven - "What is Heaven".  Students have a coloring page as well.

Mary Of Nazareth - Clair Englebrecht

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'H' is for Heaven: an Ascension craft for preschoolers.

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Here is the worksheet (I couldn't figure out how to attach the worksheet and have the image of the book I read all in one post):

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After Christmas, when we return from break in January, we talk about the Holy Family.  I begin by reading the book, "When Jesus Was A Little Boy" by Margi McCombs.  We talk about how Jesus's life as a young boy may have been the same and different from their lives.  We name the members of the Holy Family and share the members of our individual families.  Then the children complete the worksheet (see The Holy Family part 2) - coloring the picture of the Holy Family and tracing their names, and drawing the members of their families and writing their names.

Theresa Stavish - Holy Cross

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Megan McGregor
Mary of Nazareth School

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Kristin Addison and Chelsey Hipp
Our Lady of Lourdes

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--> teachers pay teachers (Catholic Cuties, CLICK FREE--- Free posters, mini crafts, saint activities)
---> Zazzle.com (pictures and saint stickers)
--> Formed.org (paid subscription, ask the parish or school) ; CCC videos, brother Francis CDs. Like a Netflex for Catholics.  (Multi-cultural resources)
--> Catholicicing.com
---> Kinder-craze.com (Good free resources for many subjects)
--> Lambsong.org

Suggestions for series that might be helpful:

(Spirit of Truth, by Sophia Institute)
Promises (Weekly Reader for Religion- good bible stories and workbook)
We Believe

ADW Courses for Chatechist Formation?

http://www.mycatholicfaithdelivered.com/home.aspx?pagename=DCCertification
Click on the individual squares (this is the course links).   There may be a coupon code from your parishes).

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This lesson combines social studies and art with our faith lesson.
We learned about St. Ignatius's life and took a tour of our school to look for St. Ignatius statues (two in all). We sketched the one in our chapel with pencil, went back to clas
s to draw on card stock with sharpies and painted in with watercolors.

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Objectives:
LA.K.LRA.3 Identify characters, settings, and important events in a story.

LA.K.WP.3 Write using pictures, letters, and words.

LA.K.WA.1 Draw pictures and write words for a specific reason.

Materials:

Story of St. Ignatius

Paper

Markers

Pencils

Lesson:
1.        Read the story of St. Ignatius to class.

2.       Have the class retell the story aloud as a group or with buddies.  Record their versions.  3.       Send students back to work on different parts of the story.

4.       Gather together and put the story back in order.

5.       Keep as a class book.

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Preparation

Children’s Bible open to The Lost Sheep, stuffed sheep animal and a picture of a shepherd in a field with his flock and a cross

Opening Prayer

Father, We thank you for your loving kindness, for caring about us, and forgiving us when we ask for forgiveness.

Music

The Little Lost Sheep by Carolyn Warvel

(tune of The Wheels on the Bus)

Proclamation

Jesus loves you and wants you to be good. When you do bad things it makes God very sad, but God will not leave you. He will keep calling you back to Him. When you ask God to forgive you, God is very happy and will forgive you.

Explanation

Before reading The Lost Sheep I will hide a stuffed sheep in the classroom. I will come into the room dress as a shepherd saying, “I lost one of my sheep. Can you help me find him?” The children should follow the shepherd in his search-once the lost sheep is found the shepherd will rejoice and say, “I am so glad we found you! I love you! The shepherd will sit down and read the story of The Lost Sheep from the Children’s Bible.

Explanation

Discuss what shepherds do. Talk about the fact that we have choices and sometimes we make the wrong choice. Have the children give examples for good and bad choices.  Explain that even if we make poor choices God will forgive us but we must be truly sorry. We must give a sincere apology.

Application

The children will reflect on:

How they feel when others are unkind to them.

How they feel when they are unkind to others.

How they feel when others apologize for being unkind.

How they feel when they apologize to others.

Celebration

We will make a bulletin board with a picture of Jesus and sheep made by each child. The caption will read, “God is Our Shepherd, We are His Sheep”. We will have a snack of lamb cookies and watch the video of the Lost Sheep from the Beginner’s Bible.

We will play a game Shepherd, Shepherd, Where is your Sheep? (spin off on Doggie, Doggie Where is your Bone?)

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Religion Lesson:             Arlene Cronin                      St Mary of the Mills      Bible Verse of the Week (ongoing all year)  Language Art objectives change as the year progresses.                       The students will be introduced to a verse from the Bible at morning circle.The teacher will explain the meaning of the verse.The students will share ideas of how they can live out the verse during their daily lives/how the verse relates to them.The students will be given a paper with the verse. They will discuss spacing, capitalization and punctuation along with letter formation. The students will trace the verse in small groups and read back the verse with the teacher while tracking the words.  The students will draw picture symbolizing the verse. Example… Honor you father and mother. Exodus 20:12

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Religion Lesson:             Arlene Cronin                      St Mary of the Mills      Bible Verse of the Week (ongoing all year)  Language Art objectives change as the year progresses.                       The students will be introduced to a verse from the Bible at morning circle.The teacher will explain the meaning of the verse.The students will share ideas of how they can live out the verse during their daily lives/how the verse relates to them.The students will be given a paper with the verse. They will discuss spacing, capitalization and punctuation along with letter formation. The students will trace the verse in small groups and read back the verse with the teacher while tracking the words.  The students will draw picture symbolizing the verse. Example… Honor you father and mother. Exodus 20:12

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Objectives: The children will be able to
- retell the story Moses and the Ten Commandments
- identify Moses as the leader of God’s people
- discuss why God gave the people the Ten Commandments

Vocabulary Words:
Ten Commandments Word Wall Word wall templates are large flash card printables that you can hang on the wall to aid children when they are learning or using new vocabulary words.

Plan:
Circle Time:

Read story: “Moses and the Ten Commandments ” from children’s bible.

Then ask questions from below.

What did God tell Moses to climb? Mount Sinai
What did God give Moses that the people must always keep? The Ten Commandments.
Who are we supposed to love above anything else? God
Are we supposed to use God’s name in a bad way? No
Is it important to go to church and worship God every Sunday? Yes
Are we supposed to respect our parents? Yes
Are we supposed to tell the truth or tell lies? The truth.
Does God want us to be honest? Yes
Is it bad to steal? Yes
Should we wish for things that other people have? No

Why are these rules important and why did God give the people the Ten Commandments? Because they help us love God and love others.

Craft:

Make the Ten Commandments using their handprints and each of the commandments printed simply on sheet.

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Lent lesson plan
Jean Allman
St. Pius X Regional School
Objectives:
. Students will relate changes in nature to changes in themselves.
. Students will observe caterpillars changing to butterflies.
Skills:
Listen and respond to a story.
Discuss changes in caterpillars.Question and answer period about what personal changes they can make to act more like Jesus.

Assessment:
Color handout on caterpillars changing during the 40 days of Lent.

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Margaret Klimczak
St. Pius X Regional School
Objectives:
Students will learn that Jesus died to give us new life
Skills:
1.  Read lesson from Religion       book
2.  Discuss lesson:  A seed dies to give a plant new life.  Jesus died to give us new life so we can live in love as Jesus did.
3.  Students will color and tape a seed on activity sheet.
4.  Students will plant a marigold seed.
Assessment
Students will observe as their dead seed will grow a new life, plant.

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From Debbie Kucevich