We are beginning our Christmas break following our classes this week (Tuesday, Dec. 13th). Traditionally, the last class before Christmas is set aside for a lesson about the Nativity story and a party in each class. This year I wanted to gather the children together for the story, and I decided to use one of my favorite videos for the entire group. The video is from the NEST Family Entertainment "Animated Stories from the New Testament" series, (and I highly recommend the entire series!) and it is called "The King is Born." I really like this video because it covers the annunciation through Mary and Joseph being warned to flee into Egypt, and it is only 30 minutes long. It does a good job of showing Herod's interaction with the magi, too. In any case, it is enjoyable for the children to see the story that keeps the focus on the reason for the season! :-)
You can find information on this video series at: http://www.nestfamily.com/
I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I will be back to update the blog for our first class of the new year, which will be January 10th. Peace!
About Me
- Jenifer Truitt
- I am creating this blog at the urging of some friends and family members who are not only interested in the outcome of my attempted climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro, but also want to know more about my year-plus preparation for this amazing trip. Jambo!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Saint Nicholas: Dec. 6, 2011
What a stroke of luck to have our PSR classes on the Feast day for Saint Nicholas! This mini-lesson is a no-brainer! :-) Of course, I will repeat the lesson on Sunday, the 3rd week of Advent, but the kids won't mind ... who wouldn't love a lesson about the real Santa Claus?
Obviously, with elementary children, teaching about St. Nicholas is a very tricky prospect. I know that as a Mom I would be furious if my children were led to believe that Santa isn't "real" before it was time, so my main goal was to be extremely careful in this lesson's wording. No saying that Nicholas "used to live" or "died", etc. Not with young children. So what I did was tell them that I would be sharing with them the TRUE story of how St. Nicholas got his start, and that how he went from that beginning to the magical man that he is now, I'm just not sure -- we just don't always know how magic works. ;-)
Opening Song: Lord, I Lift Your Name on High (focusing on the lines: "You came from Heaven to Earth", which is what we celebrate at Christmas)
The lesson went as follows: Boys and girls, today, Dec. 6th, is a REALLY special day for our church. You know that in our Catholic church we celebrate special feast days for Saints? Many, many calendar dates are special because they honor certain Saints. And today is one of those dates, honoring a saint that I *bet* you all know... would anybody like to guess what Saint we are honoring today?! (Take guesses; in my parish they got it right on the first guess!) RIGHT! It is the feast day for Saint Nicholas!! Who has ever heard of him? Ahh, yes... and some of you probably call him by another name - what is that? Yes! Santa Claus! Well, today I want to tell you a story about Saint Nicholas. I have here a book called "The Autobiography of Santa Claus." Do any of you know what an autobiography is? (Generally, 3rd - 5th graders probably know. Allow one to tell you). Right! And this book is Santa telling all about his life. It's a big book with lots of words, really for grown-ups, and I have really loved reading it! But there is a part of this book that can also be found in many other resources about Saint Nicholas, and it tells the story of how he got started with his giving habits. Would you like to hear this real story? OK, then, here goes!
(The following story comes from the web site http://www.stnicholascenter.org/. I am copying it for you exactly as they have it there, but I added lots of details as taken from the book "The Autobiography of Santa Claus" by Jeff Guinn. It's a great book! You will want to tell this story with clarification and embellsihments too, but keep it 'real'. )
The real Santa lived a long time ago in a place called Asia Minor. It is now the country of Turkey. His name was Nicholas.
Nicholas' parents died when he was just a teenager. His parents left him a lot of money which made him a rich young man. He went to live with his uncle who was a priest.
Nicholas heard about a man who had lost all his money. He had three daughters who were old enough to get married. But in those days young women had to have money in order to get married. This moeny was a "dowry" and it was used to help the new family get started. If you didn't have dowry money, you didn't get married.
This family was so poor they had nothing left to eat. The daughters were going to be sold as slaves because they couldn't live at home any longer. They were very sad. They wouldn't be able to have families of their own. And they would have to be slaves - no longer able to decide where they would live or what they would do.
The night before the oldest daughter was to be sold, she washed her stockings and put them in front of the fire to dry. Then all of them went to sleep - the father and the three daughters.
In the morning the daughter saw a lump in her stocking. Reaching in, she found a small, heavy bag. It had gold inside! Enough to provide food for the family and money for her dowry. Oh, how happy they were!
The next morning, another bag with gold was found. Imagine! Two of the daughters would now be saved. Such joy!
And the next night, the father planned to stay awake to find out who was helping his daughters. He dozed off, but heard a small "clink" as another bag landed in the room. Quickly he jumped up and ran out the door. Who did he catch ducking around the corner?
Nicholas, the young man who lived with his uncle. "Nicholas, it is you! Thank you for helping us -- I hardly know what to say!" Nicholas said, "Please, do not thank me - thank God that your prayers have been answered. Do not tell others about me."
Nicholas continued helping people. He always tried to help secretly. He didn't want any attention or thanks. Years passed and he was chosen to be a bishop. Bishops look after their people as shepherds look after their sheep. And that is what Nicholas did. When there wasn't any food, he found wheat, so no one went hungry. He always helped people in troubel. All his life Nicholas showed people how to love and care for each other.
(End of text from http://www.stnicholascenter.org/)
So, boys and girls, Nicholas loved Jesus SO SO much -- that is why he started giving to people! He wanted to help them like Jesus would! Today I have a special present for each of you. (Teachers hand out prayer cards which were counted out prior to class. This is a prayer card from Autom company number MC537. It is an image of the familiar Santa Claus kneeling before the baby Jesus in a manger. ) Have a look at this beautiful picture of Saint Nicholas kneeling before baby Jesus. I want you to keep this card close by during this season to remind you that he would be very, very sad if he thought that all boys and girls were wanting was for Santa Claus to come and that they weren't remembering that it is Baby Jesus's coming that makes Christmas so special and important! You've probably heard the saying, "Keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas... and that's what Saint Nicholas wants us to do, too! Can we keep CHRIST in CHRISTMAS? Yes! VERY GOOD!
This lesson went over very well, and it avoided any question of whether Santa is real now, etc. Good luck! If you have any questions, feel free to email me at jtruitt@stolivers.com!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Living Advent Wreath Lesson
Opening Song: We used "He Reigns" again... same as last lesson. (See post 11/17).
Today for our lesson I wanted to teach the children some of the symbolism of the Advent wreath. I decided to use students to create a living wreath, and so I contacted a local t-shirt printing business to ask them if they had some old t-shirts that they could donate to me in green, pink, and purple. I was lucky to receive 8 dark green shirts, 3 purple, and one pink -- all that I needed!
Before the lesson started, I selected several little kindergarten and first grade students, gave each one a green shirt and instructed them to put it on over their clothes. I told them I would call them up when the time was right. I then looked for some taller 3rd and 4th grade students to give my purple and pink shirts because I wanted the candles to stand taller than the wreath.
I started the lesson by asking the students what they noticed different about the decoration in our church last week (when we didn't have class due to Thanksgiving) and this week. Right away they pointed out that there is an enormous wreath hanging on the wall of the sanctuary. I asked them if they knew what it was called, and they called out, "Advent wreath!" I then continued: That's right! It's an advent wreath. And today I wanted to teach you a little lesson about the advent wreath and what it symbolizes or stands for. I have enlisted the help of some volunteers to come on up and help me to teach this to you, so could I please have the boys and girls who are wearing the special green t-shirts I gave you come forward? (I then asked them all to join hands and make a large circle). Here is our advent wreath, boys and girls! Now, would someone please tell me where this wreath begins? Hmm... nobody knows? Well, then, let's try to see if someone can tell me where it ends? What? Is this little girl the end? No? How about this boy? No! Well, you are right: this wreath has no beginning and no ending. And do you know what? That represents something for us: it represents God and God's Love and Jesus's Love. Do you know that God has no beginning and no ending? He always was, and he will always be. And it's the same way with his love for us... always was, always will be. So, the reason we use a wreath at Advent is to symbolize no beginning and no ending, just like God. Now, we have our wreath: what is missing? ("Candles!"they call out). You're right! How many candles? (4!) Ok, then, could I have my four candles please come forward? (I have the four students in the purple and pink shirts come forward, go into the center of the wreath and position them appropriately.) Now we have our four candles: three purple and one pink! Let's take a look at each candle and see what they mean. The first candle we lit last weekend. (As I say this, I took a headband out of construction paper on which I had attached an orange paper 'flame', and I place it on the head of the first purple-shirt child). This first candle is called the PROPHECY candle. Can you all say that big, long, million-dollar word: PROPHECY? Very good. Now, let me explain what a prophecy is. Have you ever heard about people who "know the future" or are "psychic" or even called "fortune tellers?" Well, there were people back in the Old Testament times who could foretell the future, and we called them prophets. These prophets, especially one named Isaiah, always told that there would be a messiah coming - a savior coming. And who is the Messiah? (Jesus!) Right! So we light the first candle, called the prophecy candle, to remind us that the prophets told us that our Messiah, Jesus, would be coming! One more time, what candle is this? (The prophecy candle!) Very good!
So this week it is time to light the second candle. (Put the flame headband on the second child's head). This candle is called the LOVE candle. That's an easy word, so you say it: LOVE candle! Now, there is nobody on this earth, and there never will be, who loves you as much as God loves you. He loves us SO MUCH that he came as Jesus to live among people on Earth and to die on the cross for us. That is LOVE! Raise your hand if God loves you! That's right: every single hand in here is raised high because God loves you so, so much! So, this week's candle is what? The LOVE candle!
Now, next week is my personal favorite candle - it's the PINK candle, and we call it the JOY candle! (Place headband 'flame' on child's head). That's another easy one to say, so let me hear you: JOY candle. Now, why are we so full of joy next week? Is it because the priests are going to be wearing pink? Haha! Of course not, even though they will be wearing pink, but the joy is that it is getting really, really, really close to CHRISTMAS! The JOY candle reminds us that we only have one more week to go, and then it will be time to celebrate the birth of our savior! I know that you all just love Christmas, and I know that you feel the JOY about that too, so next week when we light this pink candle you will all remember that it's the Joy candle because Christmas is almost here!
Finally we have our last purple candle. This candle is called the PEACE candle. (Put headband 'flame' on child's head). Let me hear you all say, "PEACE!" (Here I hold up two fingers in the sign of Peace and I say it with a voice kind of like a rapper says, "Peace-out." The students have fun imitating that kind of PEACE with their fingers). That's right. It's the PEACE candle, because it comes the week before the Prince of Peace is born. Have you ever heard Jesus called the Prince of Peace? That's another of the names we call him: Prince of Peace, Messiah, Emmanuel ... and of course Son of God! So when we light this last candle on the Advent wreath, it's time to really take a deep breath, relax, and experience the peace of this holy season, because Jesus is coming next week!
OK, so let's review this: Candle one is the? (prophecy candle!) And candle two? (love candle) Candle three is? (The joy candle) And last of all, candle four is? (Peace candle!) VERY GOOD!
Do any of you have an Advent wreath in your homes? I do too! At my house we light the Advent candle at our dinner table each night. And instead of saying grace before meals, we sing a special song as we light it. I want to teach that song to you today, and maybe you can teach it to your family to sing when you light your Advent wreath. It's called "Come, Come Emmanuel." Remember, Emmanuel is another way to call Jesus, so we are asking Jesus to come when we sing that song. (I use the song Come, Come Emmanuel by Steve Angrisano. I just teach them the refrain singing acapella, have them echo me line-by-line, and then put it all together while we sing and light the advent wreath that is on the stage).
Closing Minute To Win It: I used the game "Christmas Ball" found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYI078KqIN4 To choose my contestant today, I asked the boys and girls to remember our last lesson about "Whatsoever you do for the least of my people" and asked if any of them had done anything in the time since our last gathering to help feed the hungry, clothe the naked, etc.
It was really a fun, great lesson this week! If you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly at jtruitt@stolivers.com!
Today for our lesson I wanted to teach the children some of the symbolism of the Advent wreath. I decided to use students to create a living wreath, and so I contacted a local t-shirt printing business to ask them if they had some old t-shirts that they could donate to me in green, pink, and purple. I was lucky to receive 8 dark green shirts, 3 purple, and one pink -- all that I needed!
Before the lesson started, I selected several little kindergarten and first grade students, gave each one a green shirt and instructed them to put it on over their clothes. I told them I would call them up when the time was right. I then looked for some taller 3rd and 4th grade students to give my purple and pink shirts because I wanted the candles to stand taller than the wreath.
I started the lesson by asking the students what they noticed different about the decoration in our church last week (when we didn't have class due to Thanksgiving) and this week. Right away they pointed out that there is an enormous wreath hanging on the wall of the sanctuary. I asked them if they knew what it was called, and they called out, "Advent wreath!" I then continued: That's right! It's an advent wreath. And today I wanted to teach you a little lesson about the advent wreath and what it symbolizes or stands for. I have enlisted the help of some volunteers to come on up and help me to teach this to you, so could I please have the boys and girls who are wearing the special green t-shirts I gave you come forward? (I then asked them all to join hands and make a large circle). Here is our advent wreath, boys and girls! Now, would someone please tell me where this wreath begins? Hmm... nobody knows? Well, then, let's try to see if someone can tell me where it ends? What? Is this little girl the end? No? How about this boy? No! Well, you are right: this wreath has no beginning and no ending. And do you know what? That represents something for us: it represents God and God's Love and Jesus's Love. Do you know that God has no beginning and no ending? He always was, and he will always be. And it's the same way with his love for us... always was, always will be. So, the reason we use a wreath at Advent is to symbolize no beginning and no ending, just like God. Now, we have our wreath: what is missing? ("Candles!"they call out). You're right! How many candles? (4!) Ok, then, could I have my four candles please come forward? (I have the four students in the purple and pink shirts come forward, go into the center of the wreath and position them appropriately.) Now we have our four candles: three purple and one pink! Let's take a look at each candle and see what they mean. The first candle we lit last weekend. (As I say this, I took a headband out of construction paper on which I had attached an orange paper 'flame', and I place it on the head of the first purple-shirt child). This first candle is called the PROPHECY candle. Can you all say that big, long, million-dollar word: PROPHECY? Very good. Now, let me explain what a prophecy is. Have you ever heard about people who "know the future" or are "psychic" or even called "fortune tellers?" Well, there were people back in the Old Testament times who could foretell the future, and we called them prophets. These prophets, especially one named Isaiah, always told that there would be a messiah coming - a savior coming. And who is the Messiah? (Jesus!) Right! So we light the first candle, called the prophecy candle, to remind us that the prophets told us that our Messiah, Jesus, would be coming! One more time, what candle is this? (The prophecy candle!) Very good!
So this week it is time to light the second candle. (Put the flame headband on the second child's head). This candle is called the LOVE candle. That's an easy word, so you say it: LOVE candle! Now, there is nobody on this earth, and there never will be, who loves you as much as God loves you. He loves us SO MUCH that he came as Jesus to live among people on Earth and to die on the cross for us. That is LOVE! Raise your hand if God loves you! That's right: every single hand in here is raised high because God loves you so, so much! So, this week's candle is what? The LOVE candle!
Now, next week is my personal favorite candle - it's the PINK candle, and we call it the JOY candle! (Place headband 'flame' on child's head). That's another easy one to say, so let me hear you: JOY candle. Now, why are we so full of joy next week? Is it because the priests are going to be wearing pink? Haha! Of course not, even though they will be wearing pink, but the joy is that it is getting really, really, really close to CHRISTMAS! The JOY candle reminds us that we only have one more week to go, and then it will be time to celebrate the birth of our savior! I know that you all just love Christmas, and I know that you feel the JOY about that too, so next week when we light this pink candle you will all remember that it's the Joy candle because Christmas is almost here!
Finally we have our last purple candle. This candle is called the PEACE candle. (Put headband 'flame' on child's head). Let me hear you all say, "PEACE!" (Here I hold up two fingers in the sign of Peace and I say it with a voice kind of like a rapper says, "Peace-out." The students have fun imitating that kind of PEACE with their fingers). That's right. It's the PEACE candle, because it comes the week before the Prince of Peace is born. Have you ever heard Jesus called the Prince of Peace? That's another of the names we call him: Prince of Peace, Messiah, Emmanuel ... and of course Son of God! So when we light this last candle on the Advent wreath, it's time to really take a deep breath, relax, and experience the peace of this holy season, because Jesus is coming next week!
OK, so let's review this: Candle one is the? (prophecy candle!) And candle two? (love candle) Candle three is? (The joy candle) And last of all, candle four is? (Peace candle!) VERY GOOD!
Do any of you have an Advent wreath in your homes? I do too! At my house we light the Advent candle at our dinner table each night. And instead of saying grace before meals, we sing a special song as we light it. I want to teach that song to you today, and maybe you can teach it to your family to sing when you light your Advent wreath. It's called "Come, Come Emmanuel." Remember, Emmanuel is another way to call Jesus, so we are asking Jesus to come when we sing that song. (I use the song Come, Come Emmanuel by Steve Angrisano. I just teach them the refrain singing acapella, have them echo me line-by-line, and then put it all together while we sing and light the advent wreath that is on the stage).
Closing Minute To Win It: I used the game "Christmas Ball" found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYI078KqIN4 To choose my contestant today, I asked the boys and girls to remember our last lesson about "Whatsoever you do for the least of my people" and asked if any of them had done anything in the time since our last gathering to help feed the hungry, clothe the naked, etc.
It was really a fun, great lesson this week! If you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly at jtruitt@stolivers.com!
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