Are you ready for CCD to begin? Are you ready to start homeschooling your children? Your first day of classes will start soon. What do you plan to do?
Organization is key to keep students attentive and to keep discipline problems down to the minimum. Remember to have a list of what you will do. Things can become hectic at times and you do not want to forget to do something that needs to be done the first day of classes. Always, always. always have a predictable routine that you follow EVERY week. That way your students will know what to expect and there will be less behavior problems.
Someone asked what I used to do on my first day of classes. My church has closed, but this is what I did with my first grade class on the first day:
Welcome- Greet each student and parent. Introduce yourself and welcome them to class. Ask the students to find a seat at the table. While they are doing so give each parent an Introductory Letter to Parents to provide them with information of what is expected in the classroom and what the children will be doing during the year. Tell parents that they are welcome to stay and join our classroom.
Class Contact List- Have the parents fill out a Class Contact List to obtain information that can help aid the catechist to understand their child’s needs and how to contact them.
Attendance- Fill out the CCD Attendance Sheet and place in classroom tray for DRE. Fill out the classroom attendance sheet that is in my binder.
Classroom Activities- Go over classroom activities with students so they will know what they will be doing for the year.
• We Know Our Prayers- My students are given 5 prayers (Sign of the Cross, Grace Before Meals, Glory Be, Hail Mary, and Our Father) to do by the end of the school year. Each prayer the student completes, they will be able to pick a prize from the prize bag (show prize bag).
• Take Home Sheets- At the end of every class each student will be given a Take Home Sheet for their parents to go over with them to review what we did in class. Parents need to help their child fill this out and bring back to class the following week. Students that complete their homework and bring it back to class will be able to play HOMEWORKOPOLY.
• Take Home Tests- We also have 4 take home tests during the year. Parents will need to help their child study, fill out the test, and return it to class. Students that bring back their completed test will be able to play HOMEWORKOPOLY.
• Homeworkopoly- (Hold up game and show students) 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 win prizes from the prize bag. If the student does not have their homework finished, they do not get their chance to roll the dice and move for the day.
Classroom Behavior Expectations- Go over the Classroom Behavior Expectations and post the classroom rules after we have gone over them in a place where all students can see them.
Prayer Activity- Teach the students how to do the Sign of the Cross. Practice. Then have students make Sign of the Cross Necklace (scroll down to this).
Celebrating the Mass Lesson- People and Liturgical Objects at Mass
There are many people working together to celebrate Mass. We combine many voices and talents to make each Mass special. We have all seen men, women and some children help during Mass. These are usually people who have volunteered to read the readings, psalms, and help with other parts of the Mass on a more or less regular basis. At many parishes, these volunteers take turns, rotating during the course of a week or month so everyone has a chance.
Who are these people? What do we call them? What are their job responsibilities? Show each People at Church Cards to the students and have them identify the person(s) and what they do. (Altar Servers, Cantor, Choir, Eucharistic Ministers, Greeter/Usher, Lector, Musicians, Priest).
If the students need help:
*Give them a clue such as saying out loud the first syllable of the word.
*You can lay all the pictures out and ask a question from the lesson. Have the students point to the person(s) and say what they are called. Have them repeat the word after you say it if necessary.
There are also several items use using during Mass. We used certain items during Mass to remind us of the holiness of the celebration. Can you name some of them? What do we do with these?
Show Liturgical Objects Used as Mass Flash Cards to the students and have them identify the object. (Only show pew, stoup, and altar.) Discuss what each object is and what we do with them. Liturgical Objects Used at Mass Flashcards- Make your own flash cards by taking photos of the objects in your own church for added familiarity for the little ones. Make 4×6 prints and laminated for extra durability and keep them together with a binder ring. Or use Liturgical Objects Used as Mass Flash Cards (scroll down to this)
If the students need help:
*Give them a clue such as saying out loud the first syllable of the word.
*You can lay all the pictures out and ask a question from the lesson. Have the students point to the object and say the word. Have them repeat the word after you say it if necessary.
Celebrating the Mass Activity- Introduce activity: What do we see in a church?
catholicartworks.com- Fold Up Church (not available any more)
Students color black and white printout. Help students fold up church.
Or
Treasure Hunt- Take the students on a tour of the church and point out and discuss items found there. Divide the students into small groups. Give each group a clipboard with a list of objects. The students have to locate each item and write down where it is located in the church.
Lesson Plan- Church & Respect and go over vocabulary words with students. Read story dltk-bible.com- Church and Respect. Note: When I read the story to the students I usually sit in the chair in the corner by the board and have the students sit on the floor in front of me. After the students have answered the questions about the story, I have them go back to their seats to continue with what is on the lesson plan (activity, craft, game, puzzles/worksheets, etc.)
Craft- Introduce craft: Where do we come to worship on Sunday?
Make a church- Church Building Crafts
Mini Book- Introduce Mini Book: How are we supposed to behave in church?
dltk-bible.com- Manners In Church (worksheet)
Mini Book- I Will Behave In Church coloring booklet (I made the worksheet above into a booklet for my students)
Have students read the mini book out loud in class by taking turns (each read a page) and take home to read to their parents. Students can also color mini book.
Game- Introduce game: How are we supposed to behave in church?
Puzzles & Worksheets- While students are doing puzzles/worksheets, etc. they may say a prayer. Students are asked to recite 5 prayers by the end of the year. A “We Know Our Prayers” chart is on the bulletin board. If the student can recite the prayer correctly, write the date on the chart, and they get to pick a prize from the prize bag.
reallifeathome.com- Sign of the Cross Prayer Copywork Printables
Homework- Give each student a The Church is God’s House Take Home Sheet for their parents to go over with them to review what we have done in class. Parents need to help their child fill this out and bring back to class the following week. Students that complete their homework and bring it back to class will be able to play Homeworkopoly. Each Sunday the students make a mini story book and/or story wheel in class. Students need to read these to their parents (or the parents read to them) the mini book and/or story wheel for homework.
What will you do in your classroom or home? Please comment so I can add the link to your blog to this post. We would love to see what you do!
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