Christian Educational Materials

There are lots of websites that offer FREE Christian educational materials. Here are two lists that you might find useful in locating what you need for your CCD class.


Favorite Pre K – K Websites- Comprehensive list of where to find things (Activities, Bible Verses, Coloring, Crafts, Finger Plays & Songs, Games, Handwriting, Lesson Plans, Memory Activities, Mini Books, Puzzles & Mazes, Worksheets, etc.)


Favorite Elementary Religious Websites- Comprehensive list of where to find things (Activities, Bible Verses, Coloring, Crafts, Games, Handwriting, Memory Activities, Mini Books, Puzzles & Mazes, Quizzes and Tests, Worksheets, etc.)

Interest Centers for Preschool or Kindergarten Classrooms

Greet students and parents when they arrive to your classroom. You might have an Open House time prior to when your class starts so the parents and children can meet you and see the room. Have your classroom set up. Have places for where the students store their belongings and coats with nametags on cubbies. (You might just want to put their coats on the back of their chairs because the spread of lice). Show the children the classroom and where their things go.

*Have an organized, warm and welcoming classroom. Hit a religious store that sells stuff for classrooms.

*Make sure you have a paper where parents can sign up to help in the room or by doing work for you at home (cutting things out, make games, etc.).

*You can put names on chairs and carpet squares where you want the students to sit (they will learn their name if they have not already done so).

*Have a schedule posted with what you are going to do in the classroom:

Example:

9:00 – 9:15 Centers

9:15 – 9:25 Circle Time (Bible Story)

9:25 – 9:40 Bible Crafts

9:40 – 9:55 Bible Games

9:55 - 10:00 Snack

10:00 Pick Up


Centers: Focuses for learning areas can include dramatic play, construction (blocks), fine motor (puzzles, pegboards, plastic snap together toys, lacing boards, play dough, etc.), art (water based paints, crayons, etc. or you can just put some crayons in a container with blank paper to color on at a table), library, investigation, etc.

Investigation Centers could be: Art, Block, Book, Creation, Home Living, Manipulative, etc.



First Day

Arrival: The staff greets children as they enter the classroom and exchanges written or verbal communication with the parents. Children are encouraged to hang up jackets and put their things away in the proper place.

Centers: Students then are invited to move from center to center, interacting freely with various environments after they have put their things away.

Circle Time: Say to the students- “It’s Circle Time. Put everything back where you found them and meet me at the circle.” (Chairs or carpet squares that are in a circle). Have pictures on index cards where things go with the word of the object. Pictures can be found at Google. Type in the word and click on images. Or you can cut up a catalog for pictures. Or use these picture cards.



1. Introduce yourself again to the students. Go over your rules for the class and post it. Example of rules:

Classroom Rules
We will be kind to everybody.
We will raise our hand when we want to speak.
We will use inside voices.
We will walk inside the room.
We will listen to the teachers and follow directions.
We keep our hands, feet, and objects to ourselves.
We respect others and their property.
We will clean up after ourselves.


2. Start with Ice Breaker games (getting to know you games). You might want to do these for a few weeks.

scholastic.com- Welcome Back! Give students a warm welcome with these fun getting-to-know-you activities.

awesome-kid-birthday-parties.com- Scroll down to: 12 More Fun & Exciting Icebreaker Games

kimskorner4teachertalk.com- Icebreakers & Energizers

wilderdom.com-Icebreakers, Warmups, Energizers, & Deinhibitizers

mftrou.com- Icebreaker Games for Small Groups


3. Bible Story. Read a colorful Bible story that is easy for them to understand. Example: *The Usborne Children's Bible by Heather Amery. A collection of 44 favorite Bible stories, all very accurate retellings from Scripture that are easy for children to understand and enjoy. Very colorful and beautiful illustrations.

After the story, ask the students questions.

Incorporate music and/or finger plays about the Bible story. Finger plays are a great way for preschoolers to play along. However, some finger plays have so many finger motions that it is difficult for even adults to keep up with them. Here are some easy Bible finger plays that can be used for a variety of lessons. This section also includes standard and play-along songs, most of which are sung to familiar tunes (the songs) so that preschoolers will have no trouble learning them.

Finger plays and songs:

dltk-bible.com- Rhymes and Songs for Kids

preschooleducation.com- Music & Songs: Praise God

childbiblesongs.com- Child Bible Songs

abcjesuslovesme.com- Rhymes, fingers plays, and songs

childrensbiblesongs.us- Children’s Bible Songs (lyrics, chords, and more)


4. Have the students sit at a table with chairs. Do a craft that emphasizes the Bible story. Introduce the art project. Example: Who built the ark? Noah. What did it look like? What was it like on the ark? Let’s find out!


5. Have student sit where it is appropriate to play the game. Do a game that emphasizes the Bible story. Introduce the game. Example: What was on the ark with Noah and his family? Can you find what animal is missing from the ark?


6. Snack Time: Say to the students- “It’s Snack Time. Put everything back where you found them. Meet me at the table.” Have a snack that emphasizes the Bible story. Example: Say to the students- “What was the sign that God did that promised that He would never flood the whole Earth again? A rainbow.

Rainbow in a Cup


7. After Snack Time, have the students put trash in trashcan. Students then get to play in the Centers until their parents come.


*Sometimes what you have planned takes less time than expected. Be sure to have other activities to fill in if you have extra time in your lesson.

dltk-bible.com- Sunday School Time Fillers


Do you have any Preschool/Kindergarten classroom ideas to share?

Ideas for Preschool/Kindergarten Classroom

Greet students and parents when they arrive to your classroom. You might have an Open House time prior to when your class starts so the parents and children can meet you and see the room. Have your classroom set up. Have places for where the students store their belongings and coats with nametags on cubbies. (You might just want to put their coats on the back of their chairs because the spread of lice). Show the children the classroom and where their things go.

*Have an organized, warm and welcoming classroom. Hit a religious store that sells stuff for classrooms.

*Make sure you have a paper where parents can sign up to help in the room or by doing work for you at home (cutting things out, make games, etc.).

*You can put names on chairs and carpet squares where you want the students to sit (they will learn their name if they have not already done so).

*Have a schedule posted with what you are going to do in the classroom:

Example:

9:00 – 9:15 Centers

9:15 – 9:25 Circle Time (Bible Story)

9:25 – 9:40 Bible Crafts

9:40 – 9:55 Bible Games

9:55 - 10:00 Snack

10:00 - Pick Up


Centers: Focuses for learning areas can include dramatic play, construction (blocks), fine motor (puzzles, pegboards, plastic snap together toys, lacing boards, play dough, etc.), art (water based paints, crayons, etc. or you can just put some crayons in a container with blank paper to color on at a table), library, investigation, etc.

Investigation Centers could be: Art, Block, Book, Creation, Home Living, Manipulative, etc.



First Day

Arrival: The staff greets children as they enter the classroom and exchanges written or verbal communication with the parents. Children are encouraged to hang up jackets and put their things away in the proper place.

Centers: Students then are invited to move from center to center, interacting freely with various environments after they have put their things away.

Circle Time: Say to the students- “It’s Circle Time. Put everything back where you found them and meet me at the circle.” (Chairs or carpet squares that are in a circle). Have pictures on index cards where things go with the word of the object. Pictures can be found at Google. Type in the word and click on images. Or you can cut up a catalog for pictures. Or use these picture cards.



1. Introduce yourself again to the students. Go over your rules for the class and post it. Example of rules:

Classroom Rules
We will be kind to everybody.
We will raise our hand when we want to speak.
We will use inside voices.
We will walk inside the room.
We will listen to the teachers and follow directions.
We keep our hands, feet, and objects to ourselves.
We respect others and their property.
We will clean up after ourselves.


2. Start with Ice Breaker games (getting to know you games). You might want to do these for a few weeks.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/k_2theme/bktoschool.htm

http://www.awesome-kid-birthday-parties.com/icebreaker-games.html

http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/classmanagement/icebreakers.html

http://www.wilderdom.com/games/Icebreakers.html

http://www.funattic.com/game_icebreaker.htm

http://www.mftrou.com/icebreaker-games.html

http://www.funandgames.org/Games_icebreakers.html


3. Bible Story. Read a colorful Bible story that is easy for them to understand. Example: *The Usborne Children's Bible by Heather Amery. A collection of 44 favorite Bible stories, all very accurate retellings from Scripture that are easy for children to understand and enjoy. Very colorful and beautiful illustrations.

After the story, ask the students questions.

Incorporate music and/or finger plays about the Bible story. Finger plays are a great way for preschoolers to play along. However, some finger plays have so many finger motions that it is difficult for even adults to keep up with them. Here are some easy Bible finger plays that can be used for a variety of lessons. This section also includes standard and play-along songs, most of which are sung to familiar tunes (the songs) so that preschoolers will have no trouble learning them.

Finger plays and songs:

http://www.dltk-bible.com/poems.htm

http://www.geocities.com/buildakid/fingerplays.html

http://www.preschooleducation.com/sgod.shtml

http://www.preschooleducation.com/sgod.shtml


4. Have the students sit at a table with chairs. Do a craft that emphasizes the Bible story. Introduce the art project. Example: Who built the ark? Noah. What did it look like? What was it like on the ark? Let’s find out!


5. Have student sit where it is appropriate to play the game. Do a game that emphasizes the Bible story. Introduce the game. Example: What was on the ark with Noah and his family? Can you find what animal is missing from the ark?


6. Snack Time: Say to the students- “It’s Snack Time. Put everything back where you found them. Meet me at the table.” Have a snack that emphasizes the Bible story. Example: Say to the students- “What was the sign that God did that promised that He would never flood the whole Earth again? A rainbow.

Rainbow in a Cup


7. After Snack Time, have the students put trash in trashcan. Students then get to play in the Centers until their parents come.


*Sometimes what you have planned takes less time than expected. Be sure to have other activities to fill in if you have extra time in your lesson.

Sunday School Time Fillers


Do you have any Preschool/Kindergarten classroom ideas to share?

Lesson Planning

Before you do anything you must plan and prepare. When you go grocery shopping, you make a list of the food you want or you will buy things you don’t need and you won’t have what you want to eat for the week. You do the same thing with planning what you will teach in your CCD class. You plan what you are going to do and you 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.


Tips For Planning and Preparing Your Lessons

1. Know your curriculum. Read, study, and learn. A good lesson depends on how well the catechist understands the material.

2. Prepare ahead. Take your class CCD schedule and plan for the whole year what lessons (chapters from your curriculum) you will do. It does not have to be elaborate, just jot down the chapter and/or subject for each Sunday you have CCD.

3. Formulate objectives for your lesson (what you want your students to learn). That will determine what you will teach.

4. Select what activities you will be doing with your students. Find various activities (crafts, worksheets, games, coloring sheets, puzzles, etc.) that go with your lesson. Review the objectives of your lesson to determine if the activity is appropriate for your students. Remember that the activities must relate to the lesson. Only do crafts, games, and activities that emphasize the lesson and the objectives of what you want your students to learn. These activities make your lessons more concrete and easier for the students to understand and also a lot of fun. Keeping the students busy with relevant activities also helps eliminate discipline problems that might erupt due to the students being bored.

*Be sure to list all the materials for each activity needed in the lesson plan.

5. Adjust lesson plan to your students. Be sure to take into account that every year each group of students is different and can learn differently than previous classes. What activities worked one year might not work this year. Take into account the unique needs of your students or how they learn best to make your lesson as effective as possible. Example: If your students learn better when they are in small groups, make sure you have an activity planned for your students to break into a small group and work together.

6. Have alternative activities. Sometimes what you have planned for the class does not work out so have alternative activities to accomplish your objectives for the lesson.

7. Have extra activities. Sometimes what you have planned takes less time than expected. Be sure to have other activities to fill in if you have extra time in your lesson.

8. Review lesson plan. Go over it thoroughly. Practice doing the lesson plan and picture yourself doing it. Make adjustments if necessary.

9. Make sure you have enough materials for all students. Have enough books, pencils, craft supplies, worksheets, puzzles, etc. for each student. Have a few extra for any new students or if they bring a friend to class.

10. Have materials and classroom ready before class. Make sure you arrive early to set up your classroom and to make sure all the materials and equipment you need are there, easy to access, and ready to go.

Lesson Plan- Birth of Jesus (1st grade on up)

Birth of Jesus


Objectives: The students will be able to
- retell the story of Jesus’ birth
- identify where Jesus was born and in what town
- identify that Jesus was born on Christmas
- identify Bethlehem on a map



Review:
Prayer, questions and vocabulary words from last week’s lesson



Vocabulary Words: (Write the words on the board and discuss with class)

Expecting- going to have a baby soon
Emperor- the male ruler of a group of nations or states
Register- a book containing a written list or record of names
Taxed- a payment toward the running of a country
Journey- a long trip or adventure
Bethlehem- a small town in Israel where Jesus was born (show students this on a map and have the students find it on a map)
Inn- like a hotel where you can sleep and eat
Stable- where they keep animals
Manger- a trough where animals eat out of
Flocks- group of something



Plan:

Read story "Birth of Jesus" and ask questions from Take Home Sheet that will be sent home today.



Activities:

Introduce activities: What day was Jesus born?

sermons4kids.com- Christmas object lessons

creativebiblestudy.com- A Christmas Object Lesson ...or Two

beau.lib.la.us- The Best Gift (object lesson)

christiancrafters.com- Christmas Lessons & Advent Season Talks

dltk-bible.com- The Christmas Story lesson with memory verse, teacher's guide, puzzles, take home sheet, coloring pages, crafts and activities, etc.

calvarycurriculum.com- The Birth of Jesus, Angels Appear To Shepherds lesson #167 with memory verses, circle the correct words, true or false, fill in the blanks, puzzles, and color sheets.



Crafts:

Introduce craft: Where was Jesus born? In a stable.

fcpeace.com- Paper Bag Manger Scene
Preschool Christian Crafts by Linda Standke, page 49 – 52

catholicicing.blogspot.com- DIY Printable Nativity for Kids by Lacy
Complete directions and printable templates


Other crafts-

Shine On- Students make punched-tin candleholders. (Bible Story Crafts & Projects Children Love by Kathy Ross, page 71).

The Catholic Toolbox- Punched Tin Candle Holder

noelnoelnoel.com- Festive Candle Holder
Cute, easy craft made out of a baby food jar and tissue paper. Tip: Make a mixture of half water and half glue in a paper cup. Paint with a paintbrush or a Q-tip a small area on each jar with the glue mixture, then cover the area with small pieces of tissue paper. Use a variety of colored paper to cover the entire jar with two or three layers of tissue paper. Coat the finished jar with thinned glue to seal.

Glitter and Sugar Ornament- A fun and easy way to make lots of pretty ornaments to decorate your Christmas Tree. A sample craft from Kathy Ross' book: The Best Holiday Crafts Ever!, page 144 & 145.

christiancrafters.com- Scroll down to Christmas & Advent

Birth of Jesus Story Wheel- Children turn their story wheel dials to retell the Bible story they learned over and over again. (Preschool Christian Crafts by Linda Standke. Directions on page 37 - 39, craft template on page 40 & 44.)

Christmas- Bible Story Wheel (Bible Wheels to Make and Enjoy by Carmen Sorvillo, page 33 & 34.)



Games:

Introduce game: What town was Jesus born in? Bethlehem

learningtreasures.com- Nativity Dominoes to print out and play

diva-girl-parties-and-stuff.com- Right, Left, Christmas Game
A fun way to review the story of the birth of Jesus.

sundayschoolnetwork.com- Christmas Games (8 Christmas games posted here)



Snacks:

Introduce snack: Where was baby Jesus laid into?

dltk-kids.com- Edible Manger



Puzzles, Mazes, Worksheets:

More 365 Activities for Kids (do any of the birth of Jesus puzzles, mazes, dot-to-dot, spot the difference, etc. from July 29 – August 2).

fcpeace.com- The First Christmas Book
A book for you to make and share.

lambsongs.co.nz- 9 Christmas booklets or one page Bible story you can color

The Angel Said to Them . . . (find the hidden pictures)- Hidden Pictures Explore Hidden Treasures in God’s World: Grade 1 – 3 by Linda Standke, page 16.

Shepherds Find the Baby (find the hidden pictures)- Hidden Pictures Explore Hidden Treasures in God’s World: Grade 1 – 3 by Linda Standke, page 17. (Click on Sample)

dltk-holidays.com- Christmas puzzles
Scroll down to Christmas Themed Printable Games and Puzzles for anagrams, bingo, crosswords, cryptograms, dominos, jigsaw puzzles, mazes, Memory cards, riddles, word-mining, word searches

sermons4kids.com- Birth of Jesus (word search)

sermons4kids.com- Birth of Jesus (crossword)

sermons4kids.com- The Birth of Jesus (decoder)

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.

Organize Your Materials

Knowing where your activities are and keeping them organized is critical for a CCD teacher. Having all of the materials you need for each particular lesson in a well organize and an accessible place makes it easier for you to find it quickly so you can use it with your students within a moments notice. This will also cut down stressful times for you while you look for a certain activity and allow you to plan your lesson the way you want it to be.

Here are some examples on how to keep your materials organized:

1. Keep it in a binder with dividers for each subject.


2. Have a small portable file box container with a handle so you can carry it easily and have everything in individual files.


3. Have color coded dividers/files for the binder or file box for keeping materials organized. A color coded dot can be placed on a unit of your teacher’s curriculum book that match the corresponding dividers/files. That way, the chapters that cover that unit will be together and in order.


4. Have your activities grouped accordingly for each subject with what you need to teach the lesson. For example:

Lesson Plans
Activities
Music
Worksheets
Coloring Sheets
Puzzles
Crafts
Games
Skits
Quizzes/Tests
Bulletin Boards
DVDs, Videos, PowerPoint presentations, Flannel Boards, Transparencies, etc.
Journal Writing
Take Home Sheet/Homework


5. Have all materials and lesson plans backed up on a CD so you can make extra copies whenever and wherever you want or need them.


How do you organize your materials?

Classroom Tips For Any Classroom

All teachers need new ideas on how to teach and to keep their students involved. Below are a few suggestions that you can use for your classroom:


Teaching Aids- lots of useful ideas for your classroom

How To Encourage Sunday School Class Participation- easy tips to incorporate into your classroom

Ideas For Many Areas of Classroom Management- lots of great ideas for you to check out

Classroom Management- for all grades

Forms and letters- Free downloads of forms and letters for Discipline, Academic, Communication, etc. Tons of forms and letters provided. Just click on "Forms and Letters" on the left and it will take you right there.

Homeworkopoly- a fun way to encourage students to do their homework

An Advent Gift from the Curt Jester

Jeff, Curt Jester, has kindly created a wreath complete with lit candle(s) to share (see my sidebar?) with those of us who want to celebrate Advent on our blogs. Also, if you want, he has a countdown to Christmas to go along with the wreath.

Thank you Jeff!

Disability Resource Manual: A Practical Guide for Churches & Church Leaders

Disability Resource Manual: A Practical Guide for Churches & Church Leaders






This guide was created by Ashley Peterson. It includes definitions of different disabilities, suggestions for relating to that person, and accommodations that can be made within the church. It also provides information for starting a disability ministry, providing care, the theology of disability, and the spirituality of disability. Included is an annotated resource list.

National Organization on Disability

Religion and Disability Program- Encouraging faith communities to remove barriers to full religious participation.

The Religion and Disability Program of the National Organization on Disability (NOD) is an interfaith effort urging national faith groups, denominations, local congregations and seminaries to identify and remove barriers of architecture, communications, and attitudes. The program reaches out to congregations and people of faith through publications, information referral, and various program initiatives.

The Religion and Disability Program has much to offer you in your journey towards building a faith community that is welcoming to all:

• Access to the Religion and Disability Program E-Newsletter, sent quarterly, a source of valuable resources and information for those working to include children and adults with disabilities in their religious communities.

• Enrollment in the Accessible Congregations Campaign, a campaign that seeks to partner with congregations of all faiths who commit to identifying and removing their barriers and welcoming people with all types of disabilities.

• Several publications, including our very popular That All May Worship: An Interfaith Welcome to People with Disabilities, which offer advice on becoming more accessible and welcoming to people with disabilities. Our other publications include Loving Justice, From Barriers to Bridges and Money and Ideas.

• Information on That All May Worship conferences, conferences that bring together people with disabilities and lay or ordained religious leaders to plan improved access—both physical and spiritual—in houses of worship.

• Access to the Interfaith Directory of Religious Leaders with Disabilities, a directory that provides contact information for over 130 religious leaders with disabilities who wish to foster communication with others in the religious community and the disability community.

• Assistance from the Congregations Who Care—Prepare project, a project to advise congregations on how to assist people with disabilities in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.

• Participation in the Seminary Project, a project that provides information to help seminaries welcome people with disabilities, and to better equip future religious leaders to serve, and serve with, children and adults with disabilities.

To find out more about the Religion and Disability Program contact us by phone at (202) 293-5960, or e-mail at religion@nod.org. You can also write us at Religion and Disability Program, National Organization on Disability, 910 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

Ministering to Children with Special Needs- books

*Here are a few books I found that might help you in ministering to children with special needs.



Welcoming Children with Special Needs: A Guidebook for Faith Communities by Sally Patton

Limited preview- See some of the book.



Special Needs, Special Ministry by Jim Pierson

Limited preview- See some of the book.



Children Matter by Scottie May, page 311

Limited preview- See some of the book.

Confused

I’m still wondering about the lurkers that visit my blog. Why do they come, what are they looking for? Lots of questions inundate my mind and I’m baffled as to what the answers could be.

So here is your chance to comment what you like the most and what you would like to see on this blog. This will help me so I will know what to post and I will try to accommodate you ASAP.

What To Give For Christmas

I’m not much for shopping and I really don’t need anything, but Oprah has the right idea about what to give for Christmas . . . love.

These heartfelt gifts are the ones you will cherish forever and will never forget.




Gratitude Boxes

All you do is get a container or box and decorate it. Then have everyone write a special note for that person to put inside. To make it easy, Oprah has made printable note cards for you.

What I love about you . . .

Thank you for . . .

My holiday wish for you . . .


Print these notes out and write your special message to that “special” person.


'Tis the season to let someone know how much you appreciate them and making it a wonderful Christmas for years to come.

Family Time

With today’s hectic life we spend less and less time together as a family. Most families are having a hard time making ends meet, but there are many activities they can do that won’t dent the budget. Here are a few just to get your creative juices going.


1. Play a favorite game or board game.

2. Pop some popcorn and watch a movie or DVD.

3. Make some cookies from scratch.

4. Watch a home movie/DVD or look at family photos.

5. Play a fun game outside.

6. Make an obstacle course and see who can get through it the fastest.

7. Make up a board game on poster board and play it.

8. Play a video or computer game and have teams.

9. Make something as a family (craft, toy, bird house, garden, etc.)

10. Rake the leaves into a pile from your yard and jump into it.

11. Ride bikes or go for a hike.

12. Go fly a kite.

13. Read a book or a Bible story together.

14. Plan and cook a dinner together to eat as a family.

15. Go camping (you can even do it in the back yard).

16. Make ice cream the old fashioned way.

17. Go pick berries, apples, oranges, etc.

18. Go fishing.

19. Make a calendar using family pictures to give to relatives.

20. Go to the park.

21. Do a family life blog. Fill it with family news, musing, tips, etc.

22. Volunteering for community service together as a family is a wonderful way of creating a special bond and lasting memories for families.

23. Walk the dog together.

24. Do a Scavenger Hunt or Treasure Hunt.

Scavenger Hunt- Make a list of things to find. Divide the family into teams. Set a time to find as many things as possible on the list. The team with the most items from the list at the end of that time wins.

Treasure Hunt- Plan a Treasure Hunt for the family by hiding something and making a map that everyone must work together to find it.

25. Make your own putt-putt course and play it.


~*~
Successful Family Activities
familieswithpurpose.com

Planning fun and successful family activities shouldn't be a chore for busy parents. Most just require a little fore thought and a little planning to be successful. So don't get bogged down in the details or overwhelmed with the planning. The first thing to spoil family activities is a stressed parent, so go slow and ease into your routine.

*Alternate between planned and unplanned family activities. Not every family activity has to be an elaborate outing. Sticking around home and just "hanging out" can be just as fun. Just don't let the TV, computer, and video games become a distraction.

*Be flexible. Sometimes family activities don't go as planned. The baby is tired, the car had a flat tire, or it rained when it was supposed to be sunny and hot.

*Make sure the family activity is something everyone will enjoy or at least tolerate. Talk over the family activities ahead of time and get everyone's input. This will help prevent resistance later on.

*Schedule your family activities on the family calendar. Plan out for a month when the family will be together and schedule the family activities accordingly.

Gifts For The Baby Jesus File Folder Game

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 all activities are not my own and are from various internet sources.


Gifts For Baby Jesus File Folder Game





Directions: The object of this game is to collect gold, frankincense and myrrh. The player rolls the die and follows the directions. If they land on a GOLD, FRANKINCENSE, or MYRRH space, the player to their right draws a card and reads the question out loud. (If they cannot read, the teacher or someone else can read it for them). On each card is a question about Jesus’ birth. If they answer correctly, they receive a gold, frankincense, or myrrh card (which ever space they landed on). If they are not correct, they do not receive a card. Younger students do not have to answer a question and just receive a card. Players collect a gold, frankincense and myrrh card as they move around the board. Whoever collects all 3 cards first, wins. Continue playing to find out who comes in second, third, fourth, etc. place. NOTE: If the player lands on a space labeled GOLD, FRANKINCENSE, or MYRRH and they already have that card, they do nothing and the game continues.


Gifts for the Baby Jesus Game- Directions, Game Board, Question Cards, Game Cards, Spinner

Lesson Plan- Mary and the Angel (1st grade on up)

Mary and the Angel

Objectives: The students will be able to
- retell the story Mary and the Angel
- explain that God can use ordinary people to carry out his plans
- explain that Mary showed love and faith to God with her obedience
- identify who Jesus’ foster father was


Review:
Prayer, questions and vocabulary words from last week’s lesson



Vocabulary Words: (Write the words on the board and discuss with class)

Nazareth- a town in Israel where Jesus spent most of his life (show students this on a map or have one of the students find it on a map).
Galilee- region of ancient Palestine, now part of northern Israel. Galilee is between the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee (show students this on a map or have one of the students find it on a map).
Engage- to be married to
Carpenter- someone who makes things out of wood
Angel- a messenger of God



Plan:

Read story: “Mary and the Angel” and then ask questions



Activities:

Introduce activities: Who told Mary that she was going to have a baby and he was going to be the son of God? The angel Gabriel.

sermons4kids.com- A Visit From An Angel object lesson with group activities, coloring, puzzles, quiz, worship bulletin

sermons4kids.com- You Shall Call His Name Jesus object lesson with group activities, coloring, puzzles, worship bulletin

childrensermons.com- Mary, Mother of Jesus object lesson

calvarycurriculum.com- Gabriel Visits Mary lesson #167 with memory verses, circle the correct words, true or false, fill in the blanks, puzzles, and color sheets.

missionarlington.org- A Virgin Will Have A Baby: Promises Kept lesson with activities and word search

missionarlington.org- A Virgin is Going to have a Baby! Lesson with activities and puzzles

clutheran.org- Announcing A Miracle Child lesson with multiple choice, identifying miracles

childrenschurch.wordpress.com- The Angel Gabriel Brings Good News lesson with activities

jesuswalk.com- Mary's First Lesson in Discipleship (Luke 1:26-38) lesson

therichsoil.files.wordpress.com- Learning to Say Yes lesson plan

bible.org- Lesson 10: Mary, Most Blessed Of Women

thereichsoil.files.wordpress.com- RCIA Pre RCIA Pre-Catechumenate lesson plan



Crafts:

Introduce crafts: Who told Mary that she was going to have a baby and he was going to be the son of God? The angel Gabriel.

sermons4kids.com- Visit From An Angel group activities (crafts)

Jacob’s Ladder- Just make the angel that is in this craft using cupcake liners and construction paper. You can also make the angel into a magnet by putting sticky-backed magnets on the back of the angel. (Crafts from Your Favorite Bible Stories by Kathy Ross, pages 16 & 17).

Christmas Angel- A cute craft of an angel that is made from using the child's handprints. (From The Hands Of A Child by Anthony Flores, page 25).

jesus-without-language.net- Angel Craft

frugalupstate.com- Easy Children’s Christmas Craft: Paperclip Angels

allsorts.typepad.com- Angel Craft

flamecreativekids.blogspot.com- Angel Craft

activityvillage.co.uk- Angel Crafts

daniellesplace.com- Angel Crafts

freesundayschoolcurriculum.weebly.com- 2 Angel Crafts (scroll down to these)



Games:

sermons4kids.com- Visit From An Angel group activities (games)

Introduce game: Mary had some good news to tell. What was her good news?

daniellesplace.com- Mary Tells Her Good News

Surprise Ball- God’s people were expecting God to keep His promise to send the Savior. They were probably surprised by the humble way the Messiah was born. Today we are going to play a game where we get surprised. (The Really Big Book of Bible Games, page 150).

kevinmccaughey.com- The Paper Wrapped Surprise Game
At the end, all students can receive a prize as well or you can just have several pieces of candy wrapped inside for the whole class. (Use the introduction on Surprise Ball for this game.)



Snacks:

Introduce snack: Who told Mary that she was going to have a baby and he was going to be the son of God? The angel Gabriel.

pastrywiz.com- Almond Angel Cookies

pillsbury.com- Holiday Angel Cookies

pillsbury.com- Almond Angel Cookies



Puzzles, Mazes, Worksheets:

More 365 Activities for Kids (do any of the Mary puzzles, mazes, dot-to-dot, spot the difference, etc. from July 23 - 27).

wordsearchfun.com- Mary Meets The Angel (word search)

sermons4kids.com-An Angel Visits Mary (word search)

biblepathwayadventures.com- An Angel Visits Mary (word search)

web.archive.org- Word Search

sermons4kids.com- An Angel Appears to Mary (jumble)

sermons4kids.com- An Angel Visits Mary (decoder)

sermons4kids.com- Visit From An Angel (cryptogram)

sermons4kids.com- An Visits Mary (crossword)

sermons4kids.com- Visit From An Angel (crossword)

web.archive.org- Crossword

sermons4kids.com- Visit From An Angel (multiple choice)

sdc.me.uk- Luke 1:26-38 Worksheet

calvarycurriculum.com- Gabriel Visits Mary lesson #167 circle the correct words, true or false, fill in the blanks, puzzles, etc.

biblepathwayadventures.com- An Angel Visits Mary (matching)

gospelhall.org- Match the Promise to the Fulfillment (worksheet)

clutheran.org- Multiple choice, identifying miracles (page 3)

freesundayschoolcurriculum.weebly.com- An Angel Visits Mary Worksheets (page 9 & 10)

tes.com- The Annunciation (Angel Gabriel appears to Mary) Worksheet and Activity

jesuswalk.com- Mary's First Lesson in Discipleship (Luke 1:26-38) lesson with questions at bottom that can be made easily into a worksheet

Lesson Plan- Advent (1st grade on up)

Advent

Objectives: The students will be able to
- identify who God promised to send to be our Savior
- explain that Advent as a time for preparing to celebrate Christ’s birth
- explain why we use an Advent Wreath
- discuss the significance of each part of the Advent Wreath
- explain how we pray using the Advent Wreath
- identify what color each candle is on the Advent Wreath, when it is lighted, and what order



Review:
Prayer, questions and vocabulary words from last week’s lesson



Vocabulary Words: (Write the vocab words on the board and discuss with class)

Advent- the four week period leading up to Christmas, beginning on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, the season of the church year during which we prepare for Christ’s coming
Wreath- a hollow circular arrangement of flowers or greenery used as a decoration
Christmas- an annual Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25
Jesse Tree- It is a tree branch decorated with symbols representing the stories of people in Jesus' family tree.



Plan:

Introduce Advent to your class.

Advent Adventure- Take the children on an Advent adventure. (Big Book of Ideas for Children’s Faith Formation, by McNamara, McKeever, and Robinson, page 6).


Then show your students an Advent Wreath and discuss Advent with your class. Some questions that you might want to ask:

What does the circle of the Advent wreath represent? A circle has no beginning or an end. The circle of the Advent wreath represents that God is so great that God never had a beginning and will never have an end. The wreath is a circle, causing us to remember the eternity of God's love for us and for all humanity.

What do the evergreens tell us? Evergreens stay green all year. The evergreens tell us that God never changes. It is decked with green boughs, causing us to remember the newness of life we have in Christ Jesus.

How many candles are on the outside of the Advent wreath? 4

What does each candle represent? One week

Three candles are what color? Violet

Which candle is lighted first? Violet

What does the first candle represent? Represents the hope of the people of Israel that someone would come save them and the period of waiting for the birth of Christ. The first candle reminds us of the prophets' hope for God's salvation to come, as Isaiah prophesied.

What candle is lighted second? Violet

What does the second candle represent? Represents the peace that God has given through His son Jesus Christ and the preparation for the Christ Child.

What candle is lighted third? Rose.

What does the third candle represent? Represents the joy of sharing Christ. The third candle reminds us of the joy of the shepherds as they heard the good news of Jesus' arrival.

What candle is lighted fourth? Violet

What does the fourth candle represent? Represents love sent from God through His son, Jesus Christ.

What candle is lighted Christmas Eve or day? The white candle.

What does the white candle represent? The Christ candle reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world, come into our darkness to enlighten us and give us the life of God which we share with others.

What does the first Sunday of Advent begin? The first Sunday of Advent is the start of a new liturgical year in the Catholic Church. (Show students a Liturgical Year Calendar and discuss.)

What color is the primary Sanctuary color of Advent? Violet



Activities:

Introduce activities: What is the time before Christmas called?

sermons4kids.com- Advent~ Christmas object lessons

christiancrafters.com- Christmas Lessons & Advent Season Talks

thereligionteacher.com- The Religion Teacher’s Advent Activity Pack provides a large variety of resources to help religion teachers and catechists prepare their students for Christ’s coming into the world. The easy-to-use resources focus on important topics of Advent: the meaning of the season, Advent wreaths, the Second Coming, the names and titles of Jesus, and John the Baptist.

loyolapress.com- Advent Activities for the classroom, family, and parish

loyolapress.com- Advent Lesson Plan Grades 1 – 3

loyolapress.com- Advent Lesson Plan Grades 4 – 6

loyolapress.com- Advent Lesson Plan Grades 7 – 8

Advent Adventure- Each class session during Advent you will reveal a different Advent activity, project, or storybook that relates to the week’s Advent theme. (Big Book of Ideas for Children’s Faith Formation by Beth Branigan McNamara, page 6).

Advent Prayer Cube- Introduce a new prayer each week during the four weeks of Advent with a prayer cube. (Big Book of Ideas for Children’s Faith Formation, by McNamara, McKeever, and Robinson, page 10).

The Catholic Toolbox- Advent Lapbooks

raisinglittlesaints.blogspot.com- Advent Activities (printables)
Just click on Advent Activities for Children to download activities.

looktohimandberadiant.com- “Seeking Our Savior”
The concept is that the kids are looking for clues during Advent, leading them up to the real meaning of the season, which is to prepare our hearts for Jesus, not to celebrate Christmas starting the day after Thanksgiving. Complete with lots of little hands-on activities, but this could also be adapted to be a take home activity by just using the coloring book, or to a more classroom-friendly activity by using the coloring book as a group and looking up all of the scripture references.

prayingincolor.com-Advent Calendars

childrens-ministry-deals.com- Advent Coloring Calendar



Crafts:

Introduce craft: What is the season of the church year during which we prepare for Christ’s coming?

Advent Calendar- A take home Advent calendar that you make. (Big Book of Ideas for Children’s Faith Formation, by McNamara, McKeever, and Robinson, page 7 & 8).

catholicicing.com- Advent Wreath Crafts For Kids (The Ultimate List!) 15 posted!

first-school.ws- Advent Wreath craft with templates

spelloutloud.com- Names of Jesus Advent Chain

spelloutloud.com- Advent Paper Chains

activitiesforkids.com- Advent Calendar Paper Chain

flandersfamily.info- Advent Christmas Chain (scripture chain)

todayscreativeideas.com- Paper Chain Advent Calendar

catholicplayground.com- Paper Chain Advent Calendar

The Catholic Toolbox- Printable Advent Chain
An Advent chain that you can print out with activities written on it. Print out, color, and make into a chain. Remove the link on that day and do the activity.

confessionsofahomeschooler.com- FREE Printable Advent Ornaments
Print the ornaments as directed on cardstock then cut out each triangle and laminate for durability. Use mini-clothes pins to attach ornaments to a small Christmas tree, a string of garland, or a rope hung across the mantle! Starting on December 1st, each day take one down and do whatever activity is on the back. For this you can print my activities on the backs (they are included in the download) or you can print just the ornaments and write in your own activities.

originally from catholicmom.com- Advent Wreath Craft
"No Burn, Construction Paper Wreath - Made with your Child's Handprints"

christiancrafters.com- No Flame Advent Wreath

catholicicing.com- Advent Wreath Craft for Catholic Kids

catholicinspired.com- Easy Advent Wreath

crayola.com- Advent Wreath Placemat Craft



Games:

Introduce game: What do you know about Advent? Let’s find out.

christiancrafters.com- Bible Win, Loose, or Draw
Use Advent words to play this game. (Example: Angel, shepherds, baby, Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Lord, afraid, magi, gifts, star, manger, warned, candle, wreath, etc.).

christiancrafters.com- Bible Tic Tac Toe
(Scroll down to bottom.) Use Advent trivia questions to play this game.

Hangman- (Players try to solve the Advent mystery word). The teacher picks an Advent word that is written on a piece of paper out of a bowl. The teacher then starts the hangman game by writing a blank line for each letter in the word. Teacher then picks someone to guess a letter. (Write on the chalkboard the letters that were guessed that were not in the mystery word). If a letter is guess correctly, it is written in the appropriate blank(s) and that person who guessed correctly gets another turn. They can guess another letter or guess the mystery word. If the person is incorrect, another player gets a turn. Whoever guessed the mystery word gets to pick an Advent word out of the bowl and start the hangman game.

Advent Guessing Game- Familiarized the children with some of the signs and symbols of Advent while having fun. (Big Book of Ideas for Children’s Faith Formation, by McNamara, McKeever, and Robinson,, page 9).

Advent Prayer Cube- Introduce a new prayer each week during the four weeks of Advent with a prayer cube. (Big Book of Ideas for Children’s Faith Formation, by McNamara, McKeever, and Robinson, page 10).

Preparation Station- This game will help your kids understand what it means to prepare their hearts, minds, and lives for Jesus’ coming during Advent season. (The Encyclopedia of Bible Games for Children’s Ministry, page 156).

loyolapress.com- Advent Bingo

jeopardylabs.com- Advent Jeopardy

jeopardylabs.com- Advent Jeopardy!!!

thecraftyclassroom.com- Names of Jesus Advent Game

alphamom.com- Advent Calendar Printable Game

Advent Bingo- (scroll down to Games)

Advent True or False Game- (scroll down to Games)




Advent Wreath- The object of the game is to color all of the Advent wreath correctly.

To Play: Place 2 small baskets or boxes on the table to put question cards in. Put the question cards in one basket (the other basket will be for discards). Give each player a copy of the “Advent Coloring Sheet”. Place your markers on START. Roll the die and move that many spaces. Follow the directions on the space you land on. If the player lands on a “?”, the person to their right draws a question card and reads it out loud. If the player answers correctly, they can color what is stated on the card on their Advent wreath coloring sheet. If they have already colored that part of their wreath, they do nothing. If a player lands on a space with the leaves, they may color some of the greenery on their wreath. When a player has completely colored their Advent coloring sheet correctly, he/she is the winner. Play continues until all players have colored their sheets.










Snacks:

catholicculture.org-

Introduce snack: Stir Up Sunday

Rich Fruit Cake

Dried Fruit Bread

Dutch Treat- This Advent cookie from the Netherlands is full of the rich flavor of Dutch chocolate.

annes-recipes.com- Advent Cookies

Edible Advent Wreath by catholicicing.blogspot.com- Super easy and fast craft/snack that any child can make.



Puzzles, Mazes, Worksheets:

loyolapress.com- Advent Decoder

churchyear.net- Advent Crossword

armoredpenguin.com- Advent Crossword


The activity below is free, however it can 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 this, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted. *All graphics/images/clipart etc. used on this activity are not my own and are from various internet sources.

Advent Mini Book- printable book that the children can color



Worksheets

thereligionteacher.com- The Religion Teacher’s Advent Activity Pack provides a large variety of resources to help religion teachers and catechists prepare their students for Christ’s coming into the world. The easy-to-use resources focus on important topics of Advent: the meaning of the season, Advent wreaths, the Second Coming, the names and titles of Jesus, and John the Baptist.

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.

stpetersmendota.org- Advent and Christmas Worksheets

sdc.me.uk- 1st – 4th Sunday of Advent Year A (scroll down to these)

sdc.me.uk- 1st – 4th Sunday of Advent Year B (scroll down to these)

sdc.me.uk- 1st – 4th Sunday of Advent Year C (scroll down to these)

Lunchbox Love Notes

My son has special needs and had a very hard time in elementary school so I would hide a little “Love Note” in his lunchbox every day to let him know how special he was to me. It really brightened up his day and he looked forward to them each and every day. I made my own back in the dark ages, but now they have some online that you can print, cut out, sign, and keep nearby so you can put one inside your child’s lunchbox every day. Even if your child does not bring a lunch, you can put a "Love Note" in their book bag to bring a smile to their face.





For the above “love note” and 3 others designed by Theresa Sheeley, click on this for a FREE download to print out.



*Here are FREE Lunchbox Love Notes Links so you can print them out for your kids.


hubpages.com- Lunchbox Notes For Your Child: Ideas and suggestions for all ages.

Preparing Your Classroom

The first thing you should do every Sunday is prepare your classroom to enhance your student’s learning.

1. Clean your classroom. Make sure your classroom is clean, neat, and in order. Clutter distracts the students so all unnecessary items should be removed. Be sure to arrive to your classroom early each Sunday to clean up any mess that was left over from the previous users.

2. Display posters, pictures, etc. on the walls and/or bulletin board. Put up posters, pictures, etc. of things that can reinforce your lesson. If you share your classroom and cannot hang things up, use something portable that you can remove easily. Make sure that you do not put up too many colorful items. Classrooms that are over decorated can distract and stimulate students and it can sometimes lead to behavior problems.

2. Have name tags. Any blank sticky labels will suffice. Have a name tag for each student filled out to give to them when they walk into the classroom. Knowing each student’s name lets them know that you care and it will also cut down on disruptive behavior because you will be able to call them by their name.

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

5. Clean up classroom before leaving. Have your students help with straightening up the classroom by putting things away and gathering up their work.


Do you have any tips to share about preparing your classroom?

National Catholic Partnership On Disability (NCPD)

NCPD was established in 1982 to further implementation of the 1978 Pastoral Statement of U.S. Catholic Bishops on People with Disabilities, which calls for full inclusion of all persons with disabilities in the Church and in society. They publish a newsletter, offer various information resources and present Catholic perspectives on disability issues.


These web pages link directly to information about disability ministry or ministry for the deaf and hard of hearing in each of these dioceses.



*Contact the Office for Ministry with Persons with Disabilities for your diocese. This Office is pastoral in nature and serves as a resource and information center for pastors, parish leaders, persons with disabilities, their parents, caregivers, educators and service providers and all who wish to embrace in fellowship and love those among us who have been excluded or ignored by church and society because of their disabilities. The Office also provides:

-Advocacy leadership training
-Accessibility evaluations and suggestions
-Awareness programs
-Catechetical leadership training
-Family support
-Education
-Spiritual programs
-Sacramental preparation