Friday, August 30, 2019

Cranium Catholic Edition





This game is free, however it is only to be used for classroom and personal use. It may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction or retransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted.


*All graphics/images/clipart etc. used on this game are not my own and are from various internet sources.


Cranium Catholic Edition is based on the game Cranium.




Cranium Catholic Edition- For 2 teams of 2 or more players. If you are a large group, you can divided into as many as 4 teams as long as each team has 2 players. The game is longer, but just as fun! The Cranium Catholic Edition Game is outrageously fun and gives players a chance to show off their talents. Players team up to cruise around the board completing activities in 4 color-coded categories.


Directions:

Each team chooses a marker and places it on the Planet Cranium space labeled START. On your first turn and on every time you are on a Planet Cranium space, your team can choose from any of the 4 character cards: Creative Cat (blue), Data Head (red), Star Performer (green), and Word Worm (yellow). The team to your right draws your card and reads it out loud. Then they turn over the timer and your team must successfully complete the activity before the time runs out. After successfully completing an activity, you roll the die at the end of your turn. You must though, stop at every Planet Cranium- even if your roll would otherwise take you past it. The color of the space your marker lands on matches the color of the Cranium activity card you will play on your next turn. If you are not successful, you stay where you are and wait until your next turn to try again. If you roll purple, zoom straight ahead to the next Planet Cranium. When the die lands on white, the teacher reads an All Play card aloud and all teams try to answer the question. The first team to shout out the correct answer before time runs out wins an Instant Bonus Roll. After an All Play card is played, the winner takes one bonus roll and moves. Then the team whose turn is was when the All Play card was drawn takes its regular turn. To win, enter the Cranium Circle on a roll at the end of a turn. On your next turn, the other team collectively chooses a character card for your final activity. If you are unsuccessful, you can try again on your next turn. If your team is the first to successfully complete an activity in Cranium Central, congratulations! You won Cranium!


Creative Cat (blue)- A player must clue a word to his or her teammates by drawing it, sculpting it in clay, or drawing it with their eyes closed.

Star Performer (green)- Players must hum a prayer or song, impersonate a character from the Bible, or act out a clue.

Word Worm (yellow)- Players unscramble words, spell challenging words, guess definitions, or spell words backwards.

Data Head (red)- A variety of Catholic trivia questions.

All Play (white)- A assortment of difficult Catholic questions all teams compete at the same time to win an Instant Bonus Roll.



Preparation:

Need- 5 small baskets, markers (one for each team), timer (1 minute), 1 can of play dough, paper and pencils, 1 die (place colored stickers on 5 sides of the die- blue, green, yellow, red, and purple. Place a white sticker on the other side).

Playing pieces can be coins, colored buttons, game pieces from other games, fish rocks for the bottom of aquariums, craft foam cut into shapes, glass rocks for vases, etc. You can paint small objects such as rocks, small plastic tops or caps, etc. You can also buy pawns at dollar stores.

Print out cards on colored card stock. Laminate or cover with clear contact paper to make them last. Creative Cat (blue), Word Worm (yellow), Star Performer (green), Data Head (red), All Play (white). Store cards in individual Ziplock bags until ready for use.

Print out Game Board and glue on the inside of a file folder. Laminate or cover with clear contact paper to make it last.



*Use the Game Cards that are provided or make your own. You can also make cards specific to what you have been learning in your classroom. There are 500 Game Cards for you to choose from. Note: Please take in consideration that I am just a Mom and I'm providing these question cards to the best of my abilities. I tried to make them as accurate as possible, but I know I probably made a few mistakes and it was not intentional.


Cranium Catholic Edition Game- Directions, Game Board, 500 Game Cards



Thursday, August 29, 2019

Special Events for September







*This month’s special events are: Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows and The Exaltation of the Holy Cross and I have quite a number of activities for you to check out.


*Be sure to check out pflaum.com- for activities and worksheets.



Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

americancatholic.org- Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

catholicism.about.com- Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

catholicicing.com- Mary Garden Ideas and Crafts


*You can have a birthday party for Mary and have the students plan it. Have them bake an angel food cake, cupcakes, etc. to celebrate her birthday.

catholiccuisine.blogspot.com- A Blueberry Waffle Cake for Mary’s Birthday

catholiccuisine.blogspot.com- A Birthday Cake for Our Lady

catholiccuisine.blogspot.com- Blueberry Cheesecake for Our Lady’s Birthday

*More activities for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary below under Activities For Both Feasts



Our Lady of Sorrows

americancatholic.org- Our Lady of Sorrows

newadvent.org- Feasts of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

fisheaters.com- Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

catholicculture.org- info and activities

tiredtwang.blogspot.com- Our Lady of Sorrows (scroll down for this coloring page)

catholiccuisine.blogspot.com- Our Lady of Sorrows recipes

catholicicing.com- Our Lady of Sorrows Crafts

catholicicing.com- Seven Sorrows of Mary- Printable Mobile Craft

traininghappyhearts.blogspot.com- Lots of great ideas that you can use with this free printable



Activities for Both Feast Days

Rosary- references, activities, coloring, crafts, games, puzzles, worksheets

fcpeace.com- Memory game on the feast of Mary



The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

americancatholic.org- The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

catholicculture.org- info and activities

catholiccuisine.blogspot.com- The Exaltation of the Holy Cross food ideas


Favorite Cross Crafts:

christiancrafters.com- Mosaic Cross
Easy cross necklace/magnet that all kids can make.

momontimeout.com- Stained Glass Cross Craft

kindercraze.com- Stained Glass Cross Craft

christiancrafters.com- The Colors of Christ Cross
*Neat tip at the bottom for younger students.




Sign of the Cross Activities


Activity:

thewholetroubleis.blogspot.com- Sign of the Cross Lapbook



Coloring:



Sign of the Cross- with hand movements coloring sheet




Craft:



Here is a cute craft I found to help little ones learn the Sign of the Cross.

loyolapress.com- Sign of the Cross Necklaces



Worksheets:

catholicmothersonline.com- Sign of the Cross Prayer Handwriting Pages (print, cursive, and D’Nealian style of printing)

crusaders-for-christ.com- Sign of the Cross copy book, print and cursive (scroll down to this)



Wednesday, August 28, 2019

FREE Children’s Worship Bulletins and/or Mass Worksheets







*If you know of any more FREE Children’s Worship Bulletins and/or Mass Worksheets, please comment so I can add them to the list.


catholicmom.com- Scroll down to the date for Coloring Page, Mass Worksheet, Crossword Puzzle, Word Search, etc.

sermons4kids.com- Click on Sermons Index and scroll down for the sermon (object lesson) that you want. Also click on Coloring Pages for English and Spanish coloring pages. Scroll down under lesson for Group Activities, Coloring Pages, Puzzles, Quizzes, and Worship Bulletins.

calvarycurriculum.com- Old and New Testament lessons with memory verses, circle the correct words, true or false, fill in the blanks, puzzles, and color sheets. Great to use for activities about certain Bible stories. Ages 3 – 6th Grade.

catholickidsbulletin.blogspot.com- Download a FREE bulletin to help your kids learn more about our Catholic Mass. Each week's bulletin contains coloring pages for a saint and activities based on the Gospel. The coloring pages may also include a maze, dot-to-dot, find the picture, and many other activities.

thekidsbulletin.com- A fun way for Catholic kids to learn about the Faith every week.

holyheroes.com- Has a weekly quiz and coloring page on each week's readings.

sdc.me.uk- This section provides worksheets for use in Sunday Liturgy groups for children. They can be downloaded and printed on A4 paper and used both on Sunday during mass or handed out to children at school prior to the weekend. They are also used by parents who download them to use with their children at home.



Want to make your own Worship Bulletins for your children or students? Here are a few templates that might come in handy:

concordiasupply.com- Several templates to choose from




Tuesday, August 27, 2019

FREE Catholic Handwriting Sheets



Need FREE Catholic Handwriting Sheets for your classroom or home? Here are some that I found online.


crusaders-for-christ.com- Catholic Handwriting Books
Download handwriting books and sheets for free

The Catholic Toolbox- Bible Alphabet Handwriting Sheets



All activities on this blog are free; however they are only to be used for classroom and personal use. They may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction or retransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted.



Mass

Liturgical Objects at Mass-

Objects Used in Mass Handwriting Worksheet #1- chalice, ciborium, altar, stoup, pew

Objects Used in Mass Handwriting Worksheet #2- cruets, tabernacle, Body of Christ, Blood of Christ

Objects Used in Mass Manuscript Handwriting Worksheet- Body of Christ, Blood of Christ, tabernacle, bells

Objects Used in Mass Handwriting Worksheet- Book of the Gospels, ambo, lectern, Lectionary



Holy, Holy, Holy/Sanctus-

crusaders-for-christ.com- Sanctus and Benedictus Latin and English translation in manuscript and cursive
(Scroll down to Holy Sacrifice of the Mass)



Lord, Have Mercy (Kyrie Eleison)-

Lord, have mercy. Kyrie, eleison. in manuscript



Mystery of Faith-

Mystery of Faith acclamation #1

Mystery of Faith acclamation #2

Mystery of Faith acclamation #3



Lamb of God-

Lamb of God (handwriting in manuscript)- Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

crusaders-for-christ.com- Agnus Dei in manuscript and cursive
(Scroll down to Our Father: the Blessed Trinity)



Prayers

Act of Contrition-

crusaders-for-christ.com- Act of Contrition in manuscript and cursive
(Scroll down to Holy Sacrifice of the Mass)



Apostles Creed-

crusaders-for-christ.com- Apostles Creed in manuscript and cursive
(Scroll down to Holy Sacrifice of the Mass)


Glory Be-

Glory Be (handwriting)- Glory Be handwriting sheet to trace in manuscript.

crusaders-for-christ.com- Glory Be Copywork, Glory Be in manuscript and cursive
(Scroll down to Catechism)



Grace Before Meals-

Grace Before Meals Handwriting Sheet (manuscript)- 2 versions
The Catholic Toolbox- Grace Before Meals Handwriting Sheet in manuscript



Hail Mary-

saintanneshelper.com- Hail Mary in manuscript

saintanneshelper.com- Hail Mary in cursive

crusaders-for-christ.com- Hail Mary Copy Work, Hail Mary in manuscript and cursive
(Scroll down to Marian Handwriting)



Memorare-

crusaders-for-christ.com- Memorare in manuscript and cursive
(Scroll down to Marian Handwriting)



Our Father/Lord’s Prayer-

crusaders-for-christ.com- Our Father Copy Book, Our Father manuscript and cursive
(Scroll down to Catechism)

crusaders-for-christ.com- Pater Noster in manuscript and cursive
(Scroll down to Our Father: the Blessed Trinity)



Rosary-

crusaders-for-christ.com- Mysteries of the Rosary & Last Prayer of the Rosary in manuscript or cursive
(Scroll down to Marian Handwriting)



Sign of the Cross-

reallifeathome.com- Sign of the Cross in print, cursive, and D‘Nealian Print

crusaders-for-christ.com- Sign of the Cross Copybook, Sign of the Cross in manuscript and cursive
(Scroll down to Holy Sacrifice of the Mass)



Or make your own:

The Catholic Toolbox- Handwriting/Copy Work Worksheet Makers



Monday, August 26, 2019

FREE PowerPoint Games






internet4classrooms.com- Links to PowerPoint Game Templates

wwild.coe.uga.edu/pptgames- Homemade Powerpoint Games

template.net- Besides the jeopardy game, others such as fling the teacher, learn your vocabulary and other cool game templates can be used by teachers in a classroom.

thebalance.com- Free PowerPoint game templates for teachers

tidyforms.com- PowerPoint game templates

rusnakcreative.com- This is THE place for the best FREE PowerPoint game show templates, ever. The purpose of this site is to provide teachers, educators, trainers, youth directors, and anyone else with top quality games and templates. Every game here strives to be as close to the actual game show as portrayed on TV, from the look, sounds, to the actual game-play. These games are the perfect idea for reviewing or studying material, or for a great way to have a lot of fun with your students or youth group.







Saturday, August 24, 2019

FREE Catholic Games Online







Need some FREE Catholic games? Well, here is a list of some that are online for FREE.


thereligionteacher.com- Games

cdowncym.org- Project YM’s Free PowerPoint Game & Games For The Ride

sporcle.com- Free online Catholic trivia quizzes

trivia.stanneaz.org- Online trivia game

loyolapress.com- Games

smp.org- Ready To Go Game Shows: Essential Catholic Beliefs Edition

catholicbrain.com- Catholic games for kids are a fun and interactive way for kids of all ages to aid in Catholic faith formation. Enjoy our variety of Name Match, Fill-in-the-Blank, and Bible Order Catholic games with more in development.

young-catholics.com- Youth Ministry Games

google.com- Catholic Trivia

apple.com- Catholic Game

The Catholic Toolbox- FREE Catholic games that are printable. Over 150 posted!



Friday, August 23, 2019

Religious Worksheets, Puzzles, & Quizzes






Need worksheets? I have found several places online where you can obtain religious worksheets, puzzles, quizzes, etc. for FREE. Here are a few of my favorites:


catholicmom.com- Sunday Gospel for the Mass activities: Mass worksheets, coloring, puzzles, crafts, games, quizzes, lessons, etc.

catecheticalresources.com- Teacher Resources for Grades 1 – 12

catholickidsbulletin.blogspot.com- Download a FREE bulletin to help your kids learn more about our Catholic Mass. Each week's bulletin contains coloring pages for a saint and activities based on the Gospel. The coloring pages may also include a maze, dot-to-dot, find the picture, and many other activities.

faithfirst.com- Kindergarten, Grade 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Mystery of God, Jesus in the New Testament, Church and Sacraments, Morality- Life in Christ, and Church History

pflaum.com- Four times during the school year, Pflaum Gospel Weeklies provides three ready-to-print activities for each level; Seeds (Preschool), Promise (Grades K-1), Good News (Grades 2-3), Venture (Grades 4-6) and Visions (Grades 7-8). Plus each season special features for the entire family.

gardenofpraise.com- Christian Bible stories with puzzles, tests, multiple choice and fill-in the blanks quizzes

sdc.me.uk- Worksheets for the Liturgical Year

thekidsbulletin.com- A fun way for Catholic kids to learn about the Faith every week

dltk-bible.com- Tons of printable Christian activities and puzzles listed

sermons4kids.com- Puzzles, multiple choice, fill in the blanks, etc.

4catholiceducators.com- Mark, Luke, and John crossword puzzles

gardenofpraise.com- Each lesson has puzzles and quizzes

teacherspayteacher.com- Free Religious Worksheets

biblestoryprintables.com- Bible Worksheets

christianpreschoolprintables.com- Free printable Bible puzzles

sundayschoolresources.co.uk- Activity Booklets and single activity worksheets for printing out for various age ranges (scroll down for these)

4catholiceducators.com- Worksheets for Religious Education

smp.org- Saint Mary’s Press Worksheets

thereligionteacher.com- Catholic Worksheets

thereligionteacher.com- Bible Worksheets

joanyedwards.com- Crossword and Word Search Puzzles for Year A, B, & C (click on Joan’s Books at header, then Crosswords or Word Search)

FREE Catholic Printables- Here is a comprehensive list of FREE Catholic Printables that are online.



Thursday, August 22, 2019

FREE Religious Coloring Pages





Trying to find free religious coloring pages is sometimes like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Here is a list of my favorite sites for religious coloring pages.


supercoloring.com- Christianity & Bible coloring pages

squidoo.com- Old Testament coloring pages

squidoo.com- New Testament coloring pages

saintanneshelper.com- Scroll down to the Free Sample Coloring Pages To Print and More Free Printable Coloring Pages To Print

paperdali.blogspot.com- Free Coloring Pages

calvarycurriculum.com- Old or New Testament. In each lesson there are coloring pages to print out

bible-printables.com- Old & New Testament coloring pages

christiananswers.net- Coloring Through the Bible

free-coloring-pages.com- Bible Coloring Pages, Sheets & Pictures (Old & New Testament coloring pages)

gardenofpraise.com- Bible Coloring Book

crusaders-for-christ.com- Coloring Pictures



Wednesday, August 21, 2019

FREE Catholic Printables





Here is a comprehensive list of FREE Catholic Printables. If you know of any more, please comment and provide a link.


Worksheets, Games, Bulletins, Puzzles, Booklets

catecheticalresources.com- Teacher Resources for Grades 1 – 12

smp.org- Printable worksheets (elementary level to high school)

mycatholicsource.com- crossword puzzles, word searches, coloring book, mazes, etc.

thegomom.com- Christian Life Education (worksheets)

catholicmom.com- Sunday Gospel for the Mass activities: Mass worksheets, coloring, puzzles, crafts, games, quizzes, lessons, etc.

thedivinemercy.org- Download FREE Sample Pages

4catholiceducators.com- Mark, Luke, and John crossword puzzles

joanyedwards.com- Devotionals, skits, word searches, crosswords, recourses for Cycle A, B, or C Gospel for the Mass.

catholickidsbulletin.blogspot.com- Download a FREE bulletin to help your kids learn more about our Catholic Mass. Each week's bulletin contains coloring pages for a saint and activities based on the Gospel. The coloring pages may also include a maze, dot-to-dot, find the picture, and many other activities.

thekidsbulletin.wordpress.com- A fun way for Catholic kids to learn about the Faith every week.

holyheroes.com- Has a weekly quiz and coloring page on each week's readings.

raisinglittlesaints.blogspot.com- FREE Liturgical Printables

reallifeathome.com- Catholic Printables

crusaders-for-christ.com- FREE Catholic Downloads (click Downloads to see Catholic Homeschool Study Guides, Handwriting, Coloring, St. Catherine Academy Gazette, Printable Books, etc.)

thereligionteacher.com- Catholic Worksheets

The Catholic Toolbox- FREE Printables (worksheets, puzzles, games, flash cards, handwriting sheets, booklets, etc.)



Coloring


waltzingm.com- (scroll down for these and they are in alphabetical order)

saintanneshelper.com- Scroll down to the free coloring pages

paperdali.blogspot.com- Saint coloring pages, liturgical year, and Catholic goings on that you can download for free. Scroll down and click on what you want. The link will take you directly where you can download a black and white PDF file.

catholicplayground.com- Saints Coloring Pages

crusadersforchrist.com- Coloring



Saturday, August 17, 2019

My Top Ten Must Have Items For CCD






To have a safe and educational classroom here is a list of My Top Ten Must Have Items For CCD.


1. Be Organized- To be a good CCD teacher you must be organized. Be sure to have your lesson plans organized to keep you from leaving things behind and you can find what you want when you need it. Organize your CCD activities at home so you can find what you want when you need it. Searching for certain items can be stressful and since most catechists are volunteers time is something they do not want to waste.


2. Classroom Rules- Every classroom needs rules so that everyone can learn to their fullest potential and the class can run smoothly and effectively. When establishing classroom rules you should identify behavioral expectations for your classroom. Having a well behaved classroom is critical for proper learning. For the students to learn to their fullest potential they need an environment that is quiet, without distractions, and organized. To be able to achieve this is to keep disruptive behavior down to the minimum. Classroom management is rather tricky and teachers need ideas and strategies on how to manage their classroom effectively and efficiently. Teachers therefore need to use good behavior classroom strategies and games for managing classroom behavior. When behaviors become a problem in a classroom an effective strategy is to implement a behavior contract.


3. Tool Caddies- A great place to store classroom supplies (pencils, crayons, scissors, glue, etc.) so they will be ready and easily accessible. *TIP: Just put what supplies the students need to do the activity in the caddy and place it in the middle of the table. Avoid putting extra supplies in the caddy that are not needed. Students will probably use them and supplies can be limited in some CCD programs. Students will also tend to make a bigger mess when too many supplies are available for them to use.


4. Dry Erase Board or Chalk Board- A great place to write vocabulary words, assignments, key words, etc.


5. Agenda Book/Student Planner- An organized student stays current on assignments and will achieve success in school. Agenda books help students develop sound organization skills that will teach them a successful lifelong journey through school.


6. Student Folder/Binder- To cut down on lost papers and to be better organized, give your students folders or binders. What teachers use for student folders depends upon the grade level and what kind of work the student does in class. It can be as simple as a folder with two pockets with or without brads and be as elaborate as a small binder with dividers.


7. Assignment Sheets, Progress Reports, Grade Sheets- Keeping accurate records of student assignments is necessary for good parent/teacher communication. It also helps students be more organized and be able to turn assignments on time.


8. Homework- To encourage my students to do homework I have them play HOMEWORKOPOLY. In order for a student to play HOMEWORKOPOLY, he or she must complete their homework and hand it in to the teacher on time. This is how the student moves around the game board and can receive prizes. If the student does not have their homework finished, they do not get their chance to roll the dice and move for the day. Throughout the year, day by day we keep the game going. By starting at the beginning of the year everyone gets into it and by the end of the year everyone is doing their homework regularly.


9. Computer/Copier Machine- Print worksheets, puzzles, crafts, etc. for your students. Make extra copies just in case you get a new student or if someone brings a friend to class.


10. Supplies- Every classroom must have classroom supplies to survive. I need paper, crayons, colored pencils, glue, glue sticks, construction paper, glitter, clear contact paper, folders, etc. Since classroom supplies are limited at our parish I buy what we need way before CCD starts when all the stores have sales for Back To School items. I store all my CCD crafts and games in a closet and all my craft patterns and file folder games in portable file box with a handle and everything is in individual labeled file folders.


What are your tops things that you must have for CCD? Please comment and I will add it to the post.



Friday, August 16, 2019

Top Things That MUST Be Done Before Every Class





What are the top things that must be done before every class? Well, everyone is different as well as their needs, but maybe sharing what we found that has to be done before class so it can run smoothly and efficiently will help others.


Here is my list of top things that must be done before class:


1. Have prepared and well planned lesson plans. Before you do anything you must plan and prepare. Having a well planned and prepared CCD class is essential. Without this your students cannot learn to their fullest potential. A well planned and prepared lesson plan will also help to avoid possible behavior problems that could arise in your class as well. A thorough and thought out lesson plan should include various elements to promote good learning. Using a lesson plan template will help you keep everything in mind.

2. Be prepared and know the material. Know your subject. Read, study, and learn. A good lesson depends on how well the catechist understands the material.

3. Always arrive at least 30 minutes before your class starts. To enhance your students learning prepare your classroom. A well-organized catechist and classroom is a must. Without it, your students will not learn to their fullest potential. Have all materials and equipment ready and in the classroom before class starts. The attendance list, worksheets, puzzles, coloring sheets, crafts, etc. should be within easy reach and organized on your desk or table. If crafts need to be pre-cut and/or patterns copied onto construction paper for younger students, be sure to have this done before class. Crayons, glue, pencils (sharpened), etc. should be organized in containers so you do not need to interrupt your lesson to go to search for them when they are needed. Keep these supplies nearby within easy reach. Only put supplies on the student’s desk/table when they are needed and not before. This will help keep distractions down to a minimum. Write on the chalk board vocabulary words for today’s lesson or any key words that you want your students to know before class starts.

4. Print worksheets, puzzles, crafts, etc. for your students. Make extra copies just in case you get a new student or if someone brings a friend to class.

5. All technical equipment (VCRs, computers, overhead projectors, CD/DVD players, etc.) should be ready to go and you know how to use them.



What are your tops things that you must do before class? Please comment and I will add it to the post.



Thursday, August 15, 2019

Bell Work




Bell Work is class work that students are doing when the bell rings. It is always the first task the students do. Many teachers use Bell Work to keep students busy and occupied when they first come into the classroom. It can also be used when students have finished their regular work a little early. It will help these students not to rush through their work when they have a challenging activity.


Rules of Bell Work:

• Keep Bell Work simple.

• Make sure it serves a purpose in getting the day's instruction started. Use it as a warm-up activity.

• You should not have to write more than a simple instruction on the board to have the students get busy.

• Bell Work is done every day. When you describe Bell Work to your students on the first day of class, instruct them never to ask you whether there is Bell Work today. There is Bell Work every day.

• Bell Work will always be posted in the same place in the classroom.




What To Do For Bell Work:

• Review previously learned material. (Use questions, worksheets, quizzes, puzzles, etc.)

• Review today’s Gospel Reading (Use questions, worksheets, quizzes, puzzles, etc. You can get ideas from FREE Children's Worship Bulletins and/or Mass Worksheets)

Journal Writing

Mass Journals

• Silent reading.

• Word games or mind benders.

• Give them a situation and ask them “What would Jesus do?”

• Have a passage reference that relates to today’s lesson on the board. Students must summarize the passage in their own words.

• Have the students write the connection between the First Reading and the Gospel Reading from today’s Mass.

• Have the students do Spelling and Vocabulary Worksheets for review or to help the students with new spelling and vocabulary words from today's lesson.

thereligionteacher.com- Bell Work Activities



*Early in the year, your students may not be able to read, but you can point them to an activity as they enter the classroom.

• Activity Tubs: Have tubs of any kind of material for them to sort. Let each student decide if they are sorting by color, by shape, etc. They can work as individuals or in groups.

• Coloring Tubs: Coloring sheets or students can “Draw a picture of _______” (make it specific).

• Activity areas: Most Pre K and Kindergarten teachers have activity areas such as a block areas, fine motor, book, etc. or a play kitchen that you already use for activities, letting the children chose the area they want to explore. Use these same areas and activities for Bell Work.

• Handwriting Sheets/Copy Work: Have the students do manuscript handwriting sheets pertaining to today’s lesson or review previously learned material. Here is a list of Bible Alphabet Handwriting Sheets you can print out for FREE for your classroom or home. To learn various prayers, liturgical objects used in Mass, and other church activities, having the students write it down is a good way for them to remember. Here are a few of my favorite Handwriting/Copy Work Worksheet Makers that are FREE so you can make personalized handwriting worksheets for your students.



What kind of Bell Work do you do in your classroom?



Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Student Folders/Binders



To cut down on lost papers and to be better organized, give your students folders or binders. What teachers use for student folders depends upon the grade level and what kind of work the student does in class. It can be as simple as a folder with two pockets with or without brads and be as elaborate as a small binder with dividers.


• Two pocket folder with brads.







• Small binder







• Avery #11907 Tab Dividers. You can print your inserts on the computer by using the Avery perforated tab insert sheet that is provided in the packet to make it nice and neat.



You can label the pockets:

• Class Syllabus

• CCD Class Schedule

• Class Rules

• Flyers/Announcements/Newsletters

Agenda Book/Planner- helps students stay organized and current on assignments.

Assignment & Grade Sheets- sheets to write down assignments, when they are assigned, when they are due, grades, etc.

• Homework

• Behavior- Behavior Contract & Behavior Chart, Behavior Report, etc.

Parent/Teacher Communication

• Prayers- Prayer Booklet, Prayer Chart (prayers that the student has completed), etc.

• Graded Papers

• Etc.



What kind of student folder do you use? How is it labeled?





Monday, August 12, 2019

Agenda Book/Student Planner Printable



An organized student stays current on assignments and will achieve success in school. Agenda books help students develop sound organization skills that will teach them a successful lifelong journey through school.

My son used to have an extremely hard time keeping his homework assignments organized and turning them in on time. We have found that an agenda book that is kept in his binder helps tremendously.


His agenda book consisted of the following:

1. calendar
2. daily assignment log for each subject for homework, projects or assignments, etc.
3. date due for assignment(s)
4. space for teachers and parents to communicate
5. teacher signature space for each subject
6. parent signature space on bottom of page


*When my son was in middle school the teachers would at the end of class check each and every student’s agenda book to see if they had written correctly their assignment(s). The teacher would initial it (or use a stamp) to confirm that it was correct. I thought this was a fantastic idea and it also made sure that the students had their assignments written down correctly and they would know when to turn them in on time. Parents also had to sign the agenda book daily to verify that they had read the above and understood what their child was supposed to do.


*I think it would be a wonderful idea to utilize agenda books for CCD. By providing all students with an agenda book for CCD it will allow students to learn to become independent and turn their homework in on time. If your CCD does not do agenda books, you could ask your child’s CCD teacher if they would be willing to do this with your child. The teacher will more likely agree to this accommodation if the student has problems with turning in their homework and if the parents provide the agenda book. It should also be understood by everyone involved that it will be the student’s responsibility to obtain their teacher’s signature on their agenda book to confirm that the student had it filled it out correctly.







This activity is free, however it is only to be used for classroom and personal use. It may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction orretransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted.

Agenda Book Page- print and fill out


Directions on how to fill out Agenda Book/Student Planner page:

The small blank red calendar clipart is where you write the date.

The white rectangle with lines is the area for assignments.

Due date: When the assignment is due.

Done: A place to put a check mark when homework is completed.

Teacher Initials: Teacher approves agenda book is correctly filled out.

Parent Initials: Parent approves the child’s homework.

Parent/Teacher Notes: An area for parents and teachers to communicate.



Here are some freebies I found online that you might like:

education.com- Printable Homework Planner

worksheetworks.com- Five Day Homework Planner

blessedbeyondadoubt.com- Free Printable Student Planners for Back to School

thecurriculumcorner.com- Student Planning Binder

theorganisedstudent.tumblr.com- Daily, Weekly, 24/7 Weekly Planners, Monthly, Five Page Study/Revision Planner, Essay Planner, Assignment Planner, Semester Planner, ‘Goal Getter’ Goal Tracker, Grade Tracker, Month At A Glance Planner, Definitions Page, Topics To Study, Task List, Readings, Budget Planner, Essay Checklist, Exam Checklist

printableplanners.net- Student Planner Pages

scatteredsquirrelcom- Student Planner Printables

brighthub.com- Create Your Own Personalized Homework Planner

freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com- Homework Charts



Friday, August 9, 2019

Social Stories for Church



Carol Gray has developed a technique called social stories to help a child with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) understand cues and actions for specific social situations. Social stories are an effective method of providing both guidance and direction to promote self-awareness, self calming, and self-management in responding to social situations. The technique involves creating a short story that describes the situation and includes appropriate actions and expressions. By creating a short story, the situation is described in terms of relevant social cues, anticipated actions and information on what is occurring and why. The stories are written according to specific guidelines based on Gray’s extensive use of this technique. The story is also customized for the individual and their circumstance (Attwood, 1998).

Adams et al. (2004) found that social story intervention decreases a variety of undesirable behaviors exhibited by children diagnosed with ASD. Results of their study support the notion that social story intervention is a useful too in decreasing inappropriate behaviors. Although the problem behaviors decreased, the participant’s use of oral language to express his needs/concerns increased. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that multiple behaviors serving one function can be successfully addressed in a single social story. Using one story instead of four stories to address behaviors appears to be more efficient and effective.






<=My Social Stories Book by Carol Gray









The New Social Story Book by Carol Gray=>
Limited preview







Social Stories for Church:

autismsocialstories.com- Going To Mass (with pictures)

autisminspiration.com- Going to Mass (scroll down to this)

aleteia.org- A Great Visual Tool That Helps Children With Autism During Mass

creativelearning4kidz.com- Going To Mass Social Story
This social story is about going to Mass. Things you might do at Mass. How to behave during Mass. This book also comes with a set of 12 PECS cards.

positivelyautism.com- Going To Church on Easter (scroll down to this)

autismrelgiouseducation.net- Mass Book, Prayer Book, Confirmation Book, etc.

teacherspayteachers.com- Social Story Going to Mass Book + PECS Autism

simplycatholic.net- social story about attending mass and receiving Communion




Websites that have Social Stories:

autismteachingstrategies.com- Free Social Skills Downloads

adders.org- Social Stories by parents

depts.washington.edu- Social Stories Downloads

kansasasd.com- Social Narratives

kidscandream.webs.com- Social Stories (look under Website Menu for more different kinds of social stories)

paaustism.org- Social Story Resource Collection



How to write Social Stories:

vkc.mc.vanderbilt.edu- How to Write a Social Story

penandthepad.com- How to Write Social Stories for Children With Autism

classroom.synonym.com- Examples of Social Stories



Free Pictures to Make Social Stories:

do2learn.com- FREE Picture Cards to use to make social stories.

practivalautismresources.com- Browse through more than 100 pages of free printable items suitable for Social Stories (scroll down for these)

lessonpix.com- Social Skills pics

friendshipcircle.org- 12 Computer Programs, Websites And Apps For Making Social Stories

touchautism.com- Free Social Stories Creator & Library



*Some children do better with real pictures that can be taken with your digital camera or cell phone.



Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Inclusion of Special Needs Students in Your Classroom





Deciding how to best meet student’s needs occurs before classes start. This can be done among teachers during informal meetings, co-teaching, and formal meetings to recommend interventions or consider the appropriateness of how to best to teach the child with special needs. This collaboration also takes place with parents, siblings, guardians, and families during parent conferences as well as during day-to-day communication with parents regarding the progress of their child.

Collaboration involves cooperation, effective communication, shared problem solving, planning and finding solutions to ensure that all students in your classroom will learn to their fullest potential in an environment that promotes learning. To have constructive collaboration it is essential to establish an excellent partnership with all involved in working with students with special needs.

National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD)- Samples of Registration Forms, Individualize Religion Education Plan, Alternative Religious Education Program Guidelines, Placement, Confidential Student File, Teaching Strategies, Permission for Classroom Observation, Release of Information, Volunteer Recruitment, Classroom Observation, Classroom Team Interview, Planning Meeting, Program Evaluation, and Report of Behavioral Incident.

When I find out that I am having a special needs child in my classroom I first meet with the parents and talk with them about their child and what their needs are. I also have the parents answer a questionnaire about their child before they come to class to help with the transition of their child into the classroom.

A training session of all personnel that will be involved with the child should be conducted before the student starts CCD to focus on identifying supports the student needs and how to implement them.

When writing up your lesson plans be sure to include strategies and adaptations for the student so you can best meet their unique needs.


Example:

Accommodation Suggestions for Students with ADHD


For Beginning Activities

Give small amounts of work.
Provide signals to begin.
Use timers and encourage self-monitoring.
Use verbal and written directions.
Provide additional structure (e.g., large-lined paper).
Highlight directions using larger fonts or colors.



For Keeping On-Task

Increase frequency of positive reinforcement.
Use peer assistants.
Make tasks interesting.
Break tasks into smaller, “manageable” units.
Allow breaks.
Use hands-on activities.



For Listening

Teach note taking and encourage use of notebook organizers.
Use positive reinforcement.
Allow doodling.
Allow standing.



For Excessive Activity

Use activity as rewards (run errands, wash boards, move desks).
Allow standing during class.
Encourage active participation.
Reward sitting.



For Impulsive Behavior

Provide acceptable alternatives.
Encourage trying to continue with another part of the assignment before interrupting the teacher.
Recommend not taking during lectures.
Recommend writing down questions and answers before blurting out.
Teach acceptable social behavior for conversations, for class behavior, and for interacting with peers.
Reward listening and appropriate behaviors.



For Working Independently

Ensure tasks match ability levels.
Provide brief directions.
Use brief tasks.
Use checklists for self-monitoring.
Use positive reinforcement.



For Following Class Rules

Keep rules simple.
Post and review class rules.
Model and role-play following rules.
Be consistent with enforcement of rules.
Provide students with copies of rules.




Meet with past teachers and find out what worked best for this student and what you as a teacher need to do to help the student learn to their fullest potential.

After you have met with the parents, past teachers, etc. and discussed thoroughly what the needs are for this student write up a lesson plan that includes any differentiation of presentation and response for the student, explicit strategies to meet the learning needs of this child or any other information or accommodations and/or modifications that the student requires. The lesson plan should be thorough and be able to use with all students in the class.



After you have done the lesson with your students you should evaluate the lesson. Self-evaluation is a very important part of every lesson. It requires you to think back on the lesson and consider the answers to general questions like these:

What went well in this lesson? Why?
What problems did I experience? Why?
Was it “student centered”? Should it have been?
What could I have done differently?
What did I learn from this experience that will help me in the future?

It is also helpful to break the lesson plan into its different components:

Preparation and research - Was I well prepared? - What could I have done differently?
Written plan - Was I organized? Did the written format work? Is there a better form?
Presentation - Were the students involved? Was I clear in my presentation? How was the pacing?
Assessment - Does my method(s) of assessment measure what I want? How did the class do? What should I change for next time?

Take the time to seriously reflect on your lesson. It is important to train yourself to be self-reflective/critical and “process” what your experience was. It is the primary way to learn from past experience and it will enable your students to learn to their fullest potential.





Tuesday, August 6, 2019

What Do You Need To Do When You Have a Special Needs Student in Your Sunday School Classroom?




What preparation should you do to help this child learn to his/her fullest potential?

1. Meet with your DRE and determine what questions to ask the parents BEFORE CCD starts. Meet with the parents and gather all the information you can about their child.

ncpd.org- Samples of Registration Forms, Individualize Religion Education Plan, Alternative Religious Education Program Guidelines, Placement, Confidential Student File, Teaching Strategies, Permission for Classroom Observation, Release of Information, Volunteer Recruitment, Classroom Observation, Classroom Team Interview, Planning Meeting, Program Evaluation, and Report of Behavioral Incident.


2. Have staff training for the special needs child BEFORE CCD starts.


3. Assign an aide or “buddie” to be with the student (if needed). Make sure the aide will be present each Sunday. Students with special needs do not like change. Train the aide on how the child learns best and their accommodations. Dismiss the aide when they are no longer needed by the student.


4. Decorate and organize your classroom to fit the needs of the child. Other suggestions: kalamco.com, brightubeducation.com, etc.


5. Organize your activities in your lesson plans in the same order each Sunday (this allows the student to become familiar with your schedule and it will calm them). Give the student a Visual Schedule and have the aide go over this with the student each day so they will know what will happen and what is expected of them. Use words or pre-made pictures, or cut some out of a magazine or catalog, and you can even take pictures with your camera (you can take pictures of them doing various activities and make a personal visual schedule). Use the format that fits their needs best.

When writing up your lesson plans be sure to include strategies and adaptations for the student so you can best meet their unique needs. Go over with the aide each Sunday the lesson plan and what they are supposed to do to help the student learn best.


6. Have the child come to class to see what Sunday School is like with no other students. Introduce yourself and the aide to him and go through a normal day in your classroom would be like. Show him what he will do step by step and give him an assign seat where he will learn best. Have his aide use his visual schedule to help him know what he is supposed to do and when.