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With thanks to:
Sharon K
Mrs
Corpus Christi Parish
Sandwich,
Mass
To reinforce words the class plays a game I made up called "build a church." It is played like Hang Man and the children start with the floor of the church and see how far each child can get in the building. I try to do it during the last 15 minutes of each class. It is something they look forward to each week and they have even stumped the Priest on one building.
With thanks to:
Mary H
Holy Family
Lakewood,
NJ
After teaching a lesson on the diverse personalities of Jezebel, Amos, Gomer, and Hosea I asked my class to "create" personal webpages for these people. Each student was given a paper template with a place for a short biography, a list of friends, and pictures. However, the kids' imaginations really took off as they took on their "character." This was a great way to explore the lessons of stories that the kids were unfamiliar with at first.
With thanks to:
Mary H
Holy Family
Lakewood,
NJ
To teach the lesson of Cain and Abel I created a CSI: Garden of Eden worksheet. Students were asked name the primary suspect, the motive, evidence, testimony (by citing the verse from Genesis), and punishment.
With thanks to:
Emily L
teacher
St. Francis of Assisi
Cartersville,
GA
We make a Ten Commandments book. At the beginning of the school year, I take photos of each child to be used on the cover of his/her booklet. Then we fold construction paper in a hamburger style to create the cover of a booklet. The children write Ten Commandments somewhere on the front, leaving enough room for their photo. I fold enough 8.5x11 paper in half to form the inside pages which we staple inside the cover. Each time we study the commandments, the children write that number and commandment on the page and draw a picture. At the end of the school year, they can take their booklets home and hopefully keep the books to remind them of God's laws to us.
With thanks to:
Diane N.
Each week a student gets to bring home Prayer Bear who comes with instructions to return to next class so that another child may have a turn. Child returns with all kinds of stories. For example, Prayer Bear went to church with me. Prayer Bear prayed with me when I was scared.
With thanks to:
Cathy B.
4th Grade Catechist
St. Joseph's Church
Millstone Twp.,
New Jersey
For the Advent/Christmas Season, I have my class start the first four weeks with "The Reason for the Season" project. We have every child work on weekly crafts based on Advent meanings HOPE, PEACE, JOY & LOVE. Then on the fourth week, we have the parents join us in class for "A birthday celebration" with a cake, and we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.
With thanks to:
Barbie D
ccd instructor
St. Mary's
Lancaster,
PA
I use a little strip of "connected people", where I cut out 4 inch figures but leave each of them attached at the hands, to talk about "Community" The children then color the "people".
With thanks to:
Lynette R
3rd Grade Catechist
St. Colette Church
Livonia,
MI
For the reviews, instead of going over questions one at a time with the kids, we play "Build the Church." I divide the class into two teams. One child is the buzzer and another gives the answer. I use the questions from the book as the material for the game. The kids are allowed to look at the page with the questions during the game. I read the question/statement and the kids have 5 seconds to decide whether they want to/or can answer the question.
The buzzer buzzes in and the team of kids come up with the correct answer (they have 30 seconds to give the answer). If they are correct, they start drawing the church. You draw a sample of it on the board. The kids take turns drawing a part of the church. If a team gets the answer wrong, the opposing team has a chance to answer the question. If the opposing team gets it correct, then they get to draw a part of their church. The first team to finish drawing their own church wins the game. If the class time is up, then the team that is further along wins. This makes reviews much easier and more exciting for the kids.
With thanks to:
Irene V.
ccd instructor
St. Nicholas of Tolentine
Chicago,
Il
I print a copy of the Hail Mary, and cut it into 8 strips. The children must put the strips in the correct order. We do this every week. When a child has memorized the prayer, they color and paste it on a plain sheet of paper and we put it on display.This helps them memorize the prayer. I also do the same with the Creed.
With thanks to:
Maria A.
Teacher
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
Nutley,
NJ
During the first month of class, I send home an assignment for both the student and parent to complete.
On the front side of a paper, the parent must write all about how the Church was when they were growing up, including their religious education experiences. The child must then read what the parent has written, and on the back side of the paper, he or she must write about how church is different today. When they come to school, they all read the papers aloud. They become amazed at some of the changes that have occurred in the church, but they also see the many things that have stayed the same. It is fun to hear about having to NOT eat meat on ANY Friday, or how Mass was said in Latin, and even how the priest's back was to the congregation during the saying of Mass.
After I collect these papers, we send them to our pastor for his enjoyment. (I do that for many of our written assignments, as the children love to read the comments that our priests write on their papers!)
With thanks to:
Veronica G
Fl
When Jesus called his disciples to be "Fishers of Men" I kind of took the metaphor literally and I created an activity where my students will go fishing in my classroom. I created fish out of cardstock paper (this can be an in-class activity to make if there is time). Then, I placed a paperclip on the mouth end of the fish and distributed fishing rods I made out of small wood dowels with yarn and a magnet at the end. The children absolutely love this activity because they are able to sit on their desks and fish for men. As they fish, I emphasize that it takes Time, Patience, Love, and Devotion to be fishermen.
With thanks to:
Tina U
Sacred Heart
Jacksonville,
FL
At the end of the year, I give each child a piece of flip chart paper. I ask the children to think about what we have learned all year. Then they draw different pictures on the paper, like a collage. Then they present their page to the class and to their parents at pick up time.
With thanks to:
Lita harkley
Director Religious Education
Immaculate Heart of Mary
Twentynine Palms,
California
I would like to know if you have anything for children, to read or to give them something comforting over the lost of their Father in Iraq. I don't have any here in our Chapel on the Marine Corps Base.
With thanks to:
Tina U.
Catechist
Sacred Heart
Jacksonville,
Florida
The first week of religious education is as exciting for the teachers as it is for the students. Getting to know everyone will be fun. I start off on a flipchart and go around the room. I ask each child their name and something they like that starts with the same letter of their name. I also get the children to make up the classroom rules on that first day. It is fun to get them involved and see what they expect to happen.
With thanks to:
Maureen B
Mrs
St Robert Bellarmine
Johnston,
RI
I am brand new to teaching this year & quite nervous & lost. :-) My suggestion is to have a weekly email from this site (Sadlier) and/or from other 2nd grade teachers for advice/experiences/helpful hints, etc. Thank you so much!! God bless.
With thanks to:
Karolina L.
St.Pancras
I think that the children who are studying about the sacraments should do hands-on projects on them. For example, the 1st grade could make a First Holy Communion book and together with their teacher they could decorate the book with things used in the Eucharist and Reconciliation. Then in the 2nd grade they could add more things to it because they will have learned more about it. Then when they receive this sacrament, they could put their own pictures and comments on it!
With thanks to:
L&A C
Problems?
Some children in my class last year would constantly talk or not do their homework, so what I did was make a "matt" (I just took construction paper) and wrote the kid's name on the front and a index card I had them fill out about themselves (3 interesting facts). Then I lamanated the sheets, and everytime they did something good or did the bonus question, I would give them a sticker. Whoever had the most stickers every couple of weeks got a prize! It works VERY well... check out our website for more things www.freewebs.com/regradefour ... please note that our classes start in September... that the site is meant for when school starts!
With thanks to:
Twan C.J.
Catechist
Parish of Queen of Peace
Millersburg,
Pa
At the beginning of the school year, each first grader is provided with a (real) key. After we recite a prayer we use this key to "lock up" our mouths. They can talk when I ask them something. When there is excessive talking going on they're given a warning, but the second time the child has to hang up his or her key. At the end of class everybody earns a sticker but if their key is hanging on the key rack they don't earn a sticker. This procedure is fool proof . All I have to say some times is, "Don't you want a sticker later on?"
With thanks to:
Donna K
Catechist
St. Jane Francis DeChantal
Sterling Heights,
Michigan
I begin my class with a simple project sheet the children can do while we wait for any late ones. I then say, "The Lord be with you." They respond with, "and also with you." Then they know class has started. We ring a bell to announce prayer time. And I place a small chalice and a pix on the prayer table to remind them of the Body and Blood of Christ that they will receive when they make their First Communion.
With thanks to:
Chrissy A.
Catechist
Precious Blood
Owensboro,
KY
In kindergarten, we have to learn "Grace Before and After Meals." The best way I have found to do this is to have a small snack (like a sucker) and have them practice saying Grace and giving thanks for the sucker. It may seem a little hokey, but it gives them a concrete way to learn a difficult prayer.
With thanks to:
Debra W.
Catechist
St. Lawrence
Laurel,
Maryland
I look in the library and in local bookstores for children's books related to the lessons. (Sometimes finding a relevant book is not possible.) I gather the children in a semicircle on the floor and then read the storybook. It's a nice alternative to showing a video, and the children really seem to enjoy being read to.
With thanks to:
Diane G
Cathechist
St. Frances Cabrini
Fairless Hills,
Pennsylvania
I give the children snacks that go with what we are learning that week. For St. Francis of Assisi - Animal Crackers. The Blessed Trinity - Pretzels. For Las Posadas - I made Mexican Cookies. I wanted to know if anyone else does this, because I need more ideas.
With thanks to:
Angela O.
Catechist
St. Charles Borromeo Parish
Sicklerville,
New Jersey
Each year as November approaches, the children ask if they can have a Halloween party. In my class we have a Holy Ween Party. (I found that name in a party idea source book). During the week before, the children are given a homework assignment to find out a few things about different saints. The day of the party we share a lesson about All Saints Day. We create crowns that say "I am a Saint in the making" and we eat snacks like puffy clouds (cotton candy), halo cookies (butter cookie rings), halo pretzels (pretzel rings), angelfood cupcakes, etc.This lesson has a festive atmosphere, yet it puts an emphasis on our faith instead of on Halloween.
With thanks to:
Patti Valitzski.
Catechist
Transfiguration
Marietta,
Ga.
When the children studied the miracle of the "loaves and fishes," I had class outside in a picnic area. The children were able to play act the miracle using giant goldfish crackers and small rolls and they had grape juice boxes. After each child acted out the miracle, with much laughter from all, I told them about the miracle of the Eucharist. This was warmly received, and tied in with our preparation for First Eucharist. I thought the children forgot about our lesson, but months later when preparing for the sacraments, they remembered the miracle play and we acted out the consecration of Eucharist. On day of first Holy Communion, I could see such great delight in their eyes when they received the Eucharist. Afterward, a little girl came up to me and said that "she was not scared and that everyone was asking her if she was nervous. She said, "No, Ms. Patti gave us miracle food. I liked hers better, but this time Jesus was here, and that's special." She got it! That made my year.
With thanks to:
Nancy M.
Catechist
St. Luke's
Waldwick,
NJ
I used yarn to make a game like "musical chairs" to help my students learn the different parts of the church liturgical year and their corresponding colors. I cut and tied together lengths of yarn in green (ordinary time), purple (lent and advent), red (the three days) and white with gold (Christmas and Easter) trying to match the length of the yarn to equal the length of time each part of the liturgical year lasted (usinging two lengths of green, of course, for the two periods of ordinary time).
We then used a "musical chairs" format walking around the large circle (created by tying all the yarn pieces together), while singing a song we learned, reciting a prayer we were learning, or listening to the CD provided by Sadlier or another religous tape. When the music or praying stopped, each child had to name which part of the church year they were standing on. We started with index cards which named the parts but gradually removed them as the children learned each season's name. The children had fun and learned a lot about the liturgical year cycle!
With thanks to:
Coleen S.
catechist aid
St. John Neumann
Gaithersburg,
MD
For grade 1, chapter 12, "The Church Serves" (This may also be of interest to 1st grade through 4th grade.) To demonstrate the hierarchy of the leaders of the church, decorate six different size paper cups that fit inside each other, so that you have six nesting cups. Size of paper cups needed: 3oz. 5oz., 7oz., 9oz., 12oz., 16oz. Cut one strip of paper to fully cover and fit around each size cup (3oz, 5oz., 7oz., 9oz., 12oz., 16oz.)
Decorate each strip of paper as follows:
The first cup (3 oz. cup) represents the PARISHIONER. Decorate the strip of paper for the 3oz. cup with drawings of a church and people to represent parishioners. Ask the student to also draw a picture of him/herself to indicate that they are parishioners also.
The 2nd cup (5 oz. cup)represents the PRIESTS. Decorate the strip of paper for the 5oz. cup with drawings of priests in their clergy attire.
The 3rd cup (7 oz. cup)represents the PASTOR. Decorate the strip of paper for the 7oz. cup with drawings of a pastor and a picture of the church to show the pastor leads the church. The students could paste a picture of the pastor of their parish on the paper.
The 4th cup (9 oz. cup)represents the BISHOP. Decorate the strip of paper for the 9oz. cup with drawings of a bishop in his formal attire and label the parts of his attire (e.g., staff). The students could paste a picture of their bishop on the paper also.
The 5th cup (12 oz. cup)represents the POPE. Decorate the strip of paper for the 12oz. cup with drawings of the pope in his formal attire. The students could paste a picture of the pope on the paper also.
The 6th cup (16 oz. cup)represents the HOLY SPIRIT. Decorate the strip of paper for the 16oz. cup with drawings and symbols of the Holy Spirit. Paste the appropriate size strip of paper on each of the six paper cups.
Point to teach: We are parishioners and when we gather in the church, the priest leads us in mass.
Put the (5 oz.)"priest" cup over the (3 oz.)"parishioner" cup. Then say, "We follow the priest as he leads the mass". Slide the two nesting cups together to show they move together as one unit.)
Put the (7oz.) "pastor" cup over the other 2 nesting cups, and say, "We follow the pastor who leads all of us parishioners by showing us how to worship and serve God". (Slide the nesting cups together to show they all move together as one unit.)
Then put the (9 oz.)"bishop" cup over the other 3 nesting cups. Say, "Our bishop leads our diocese and teaches us about Jesus and the church. We follow the bishops teachings." (Slide the nesting cups together to show they all move together as one unit.)
Then put the (12 oz.) "pope" cup over the other 4 nesting cups. Say, "Our pope leads the bishops and all of us to help us live as God wants us to." (Slide the nesting cups together as one unit to show we all follow the pope together.)
Then put the (16 oz.) "Holy spirit" cup over the other 5 nesting cups. Say, "The Holy Spirit leads the pope and all of us to help us live as God wants us to." (Slide the nesting cups together as one unit to show we all follow the Holy Spirit.)
Note: I decorated the strips of paper with pictures I found. But, it would be very helpful if Sadlier could make a reproducible for each of the six nesting cups so the students have some pictures to color, can draw some of their own pictures, and have a spot to paste a photo of their pastor, bishop and pope. I hope this is helpful to others!
With thanks to:
Paul P
St. Theresa
Shelby Township,
MI
Using the assessment guide as a study guide, during class time have the students try to find the answers as they read the text.
With thanks to:
Ken P.
Grade 5 Catechist
St. Frances Cabrini
Aliquippa,
PA
To challenge and motivate my students to do more, I give them extra credit work such as a paper or to document some good works they do over and above their daily activities. Then I put a star next to their name and when they get a certain number of stars, they get a ribbon; white, yellow, blue and then silver and gold stars on the ribbon.
These ribbons & the corresponding points give them a juice drink or donut or a small plastic cross on a string to wear. At first, they want the reward, but after a while, they start doing things for the good they do for themselves, their family and for their church family.
With thanks to:
Chris
Grade 6 Catechist
Holy Trinity Church
West Harwich,
Massachusetts
Grade 6 is the time when many children first become aquainted with the Bible. Teaching Grade 6 is a wonderful opportunity to see the "light go on" when the students make the connection from the familiar scripture readings during mass to actually locating them in the Bible. We use a handout with which the students must complete the text by looking up the Book, Chapter and Verse. Each handout represents a theme from the Bible, Old and New Testaments ie: Love, Faith, Compassion; Temptation. This activity familiarizes the student with the books and personalities in the Bible. Another fun activity is a Jeopardy game. We divide in teams and follow the rules of the popular game show to remember the key words, prophets and saints of our unit's text. I always let the students write the questions on index cards in class before the contest so that the answers will be familiar to them. Our teams make poster board signs all signed by the players. The Teams are the Saints, Crusaders, Missionaries and Friars...Oh and most importantly, don't forget the timer and a bell, and a referee to keep things fair, and of course prizes! Sixth grade religious education should be fun and there is so much to learn, we always run out of time!
With thanks to:
Mary P.
Level 1 Catechist
St. Leo the Great
Lincroft,
NJ
Have the children make up their own class prayer and use that to open and close your lessons. Have them write it down and keep it for future remembering.
With thanks to:
Rene Torregrossa
Catechist
St. Jude
Baton Rouge,
La.
Lesson 4 The Church Begins: I spread a comforter on the floor with a bowl of holy water on a red cloth. Turned off the lights, and used a flashlight lantern. The children each had an apostle's name on a name tag. I brought a loaf of fresh bread (and ice water) and we broke bread as the apostles did, then discussed and looked at art depicting Pentecost.
With thanks to:
Margie Check
Catechist
St. John Vianney
Colonia,
New Jersey
In teaching the chapter on Baptism, I bring in a Cabbage Patch preemie doll. I have all the students' names on pieces of paper in a bag and we draw the "parents" and "godparents". The "parents" are asked to name the "baby" doll (usually the first name of each of the "parents" own mother). The rest of the class are friends and family. Our deacon is waiting in church and the entire class processes in to witness a "mock" baptism complete with the pouring of water, lighting of candles and prayers. After we have a celebration back in the classroom and discuss the Baptism sacrament.
With thanks to:
Catherine Foley
Grade 3 Catechist
St. Anthony of Padua Church
Red Bank,
New Jersey
Catherine designs a Bulletin Board that contains a church on one side and types of homes on the other. A footbridge connects the two sides of the display. On the "church side," Catherine displays pictures of people and events from the parish. She asks the children to contribute pictures of themselves with their families and pictures of themselves during a church celebration (Baptism, first Eucharist, a wedding). The pictures of the children and their families are placed on the "home side" of the display. The pictures of the children celebrating special church events are placed on the footbridge. The bulletin board is a great conversation piece that helps Catherine get to know the children and their families.
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